Shock Totem 4.5: Holiday Tales of the Macabre and TwistedChristmas 2011 by K. Allen Wood

Shock Totem 4.5: Holiday Tales of the Macabre and TwistedChristmas 2011 Reviews

• 
  Donald Armfield

  This is my third Shock Totem read. I picked them up last year on a giveaway and they kinda hang out on my kindle amounst many others I have not got a chance to read. In this issue Jack Ketcum makes an appearance with a poem we wrote on Christmas Day 1969. Below is my favorites with a small review.
  
  Yardley writes a christmas ghost story. After losing her husband a young woman is morning the lost. Losing weight but by her side a figure with no heart beat but it feels like the love of her husband. Find out who she is cuddling with in this creepy whimsical horror. 3.5 Stars
  
  K Allen Wood tells a tale of a clown dressed in a Santa outfit. Trying to gain a fortune with failed attempts for his Christmas holiday. Another reason why kids are afraid of CLOWNS! 5 Stars
  
  Kevin Anderson gives us milk and cookies to die for. With a spooky tale told by an older brother to his younger brother. Santa only comes for the bad kids. 5 Stars.
  
  Robert Duperre brings the Christmas feast to the table with a like father like son tale. But Dorian gets the unwanted unwrapping. A great twist. 4 stars.
• 
  Gef

  Sure, it's a tad early to review something Christmas-y, but surely I can be forgiven when department stores already have their Christmas decorations at the ready for the day after Halloween--maybe even before. And, hey, isn't Christmas horror good any time of the year? I think so anyway.
  
  This issue of Shock Totem brings together eight short stories, as well as eleven short trips down memory lane with various authors sharing their Christmas memories--twisted and macabre as they might be. It starts off with a story by Mercedes M. Yardley called "Heartless" that is just all the way disturbing, about a heartbroken woman who finds a demon in her bed and she is too lonely to wish it away.
  
  K. Allen Wood's "Streamer of Silver, Ribbon of Red" is a story that starts off with a sinister sense of humor. I mean, the villain is a homicidal clown dressed up as Santa--come on. The story plays out through the clown's point of view, which I had my doubts about, but as it played out it became clear that the story just wouldn't work any other way. And the payoff had a mischievous Hitchcock feel to it.
  
  My favorite story is a relatively short piece called "Tinsel" by John Boden. I'll simply sum up my thoughts on this tale by saying stories of loss and loneliness don't always resonate as well as this one. Well done.
  
  There's a couple other stories that offer some snow-dappled scares like Kevin J Anderson's "Santa Claus Is Coming to Get You!" and Robert J. Duperre's "One Good Turn." As for the holiday memories, they were like bonus interludes between the stories. Jennifer Pelland's had one of those childhood memories that echoes something from my past, while I'd say Mark Allen Gunnells had one of the more charming stories.
  
  Honestly, I would have been perfectly happy to trade the memories from more fiction, but I'm not complaining. It's a nice slice of holiday hellscape wrapped with a pretty red ribbon--and dripping with blood. Happy holidays!
• 
  Cate Gardner

  A fun little collection of weird and scary Christmas tales from one of my favourite small press magazines. Favourite stories were by Kevin J Anderson, John Boden and Mercedes Yardley. And I loved Daniel Russell's Christmas memory.
• 
  Tom

  Great collection of stories. And a very nice bunch of holiday remembrances by some of the writers and editors. Fun read for the holiday season. Highly recommended.
• 
  Desley (Cat fosterer)

  Shock Totem
  
  First time I have read any work from the Shock Totem team, an interesting mix of stories and real life memories. I did enjoy some of the stories, but some were just too short for my taste, or made me think ‘what did I miss there’. They are very good for picking up and putting down when you don’t have a lot of time.
  
• 
  Tanya

  Good stories and I liked how the authors gave some back ground into each story
• 
  Misty

  LOVED LOVE LOVE this read. What amazing tales this magazine weaves. Looking forward to reading the rest of the collections!
• 
  Victoria

  I loved this holiday anthology! Creepy bed demon, killer clown santa, children's santa conspiracy theories, Christmas purge, werewolf, etc.
  
  The author's give recollections of their best or most horrible memories around the holidays and I felt that was very unique and cool.
  
  I need to collect more Shock Totem!