Christmas—the very word conjures up memories of the most wondrous childhood holiday of all—filled with the glitter of colorfully-wrapped presents, family visits, carols, photographs, decorating the tree, attendance at church to celebrate the birth of the Christ child, and tummy-stuffing dinners tucked with treats seen at no other time of the year.But the Yule holiday has been celebrated for at least two centuries in North America, and our writers have been producing memorable stories about this unique day for almost as long. Here are 29 Christmas stories old and new, tales to delight, to entrance, to beguile, and even to sadden a whole new generation of readers. From C. C. MacApp's view of a Christmas future to Jacob A. Riis's gut-wrenching portraits of the holiday in the 1890s slums of New York to William J. Locke's reenactment of the tale of the Three Wise Men, we experience every possible facet of this most precious day of the year. So sit back and relive your memories...

In the alternate Earth called Nova Europa, two countries have fought a great battle over the future of that world. But now the King of Kórynthia seems to be going mad: some evil mage is eating away at the very fabric of the the state. The King's heir, Prince Arkády, must rally the forces of good to push back the darkness—and if he fails, then Nova Europa will experience only chaos, calamity, and death!Dr. Michael R. Collings says: "Within the course of a single year, Kings and Kingdoms rise and fall, hopes and ambitions are fulfilled and destroyed. Robert Reginald's The Hieromonk's Tale trilogy is a magnificent medieval triptych featuring exquisitely drawn scenes of heroism and treachery, of domesticity and warfare, of greatness and madness."The Hieromonk's Tale, Book Three

When bookdealer "Freddie the Cur" is murdered at a paperback show, Police Lt. Pfisch is forced to close the con. After all, this is the third untimely death of a show attendee in as many days. First there was Lissa Boaz, called the "Boa Constrictor" for her questionable business practices. Then came Brody Richard "The O-Man" Dameen, the drunken horror writer. What links these victims, other than collectible paperbacks? And why does the identification of the REAL author of an early Ace gothic even matter? A comic mystery novel of the modern con scene.

In this new retrospective collection spanning almost forty years, Pilgrim Award- and Collector's Award-winning fantasy novelist, critic, and bibliographer Robert Reginald contributes forty-five essays on writers of fantastic literature, including such major and minor figures as: Piers Anthony, Edwin Lester Arnold, Margaret Atwood, John Kendrick Bangs, Leslie Barringer, John Bellairs, Arthur Byron Cover, Lindsey Davis, Alexander de Comeau, Daphne du Maurier, R. Lionel Fanthorpe, H. Rider Haggard, Charlotte Haldane, Edward Heron-Allen, Eleanor M. Ingram, Vernon Knowles, Katherine Kurtz, Andrew Lang, Fritz Leiber, Bruce McAllister, Ward Moore, Robert Nathan, Sir Henry Newbolt, William F. Nolan, John Norman, Keith Roberts, Michael Reaves, Brian Stableford, and George Zebrowski.Also included is a comprehensive bibliography and history of the publications of Starmont House, Inc., and FAX Collector's Editions, a selection of reviews and obituaries, a bibliography, and detailed...

In the first volume of The Hieromonk's Tale fantasy trilogy, set in an alternate history in the year 1205, Father Afanasy begins searching for clues surrounding the carefully-hidden secret of his birth, Melanthrix the Mage gains much influence at the court of Korynthia, a killer viciously murders members of the government, and someone—or something—seems to be pushing the kingdom steadily towards all-out war with Pommerelia, its neighbor to the west.As Michael R. Collings, author of The Slab, says: "[This] is a magnificent medieval triptych featuring exquisitely drawn scenes of heroism and treachery, of domesticity and warfare, of greatness and madness."The Nova Europa Fantasy Saga, Book One

In the not-quite-Earth of Nova Europa, east is fighting west, in a war of politics, culture, and religion. The King of Korynthia has assembled an army to invest neighboring Pommerelia. Initially, everything seems to favor the invaders--save for the continuing unexplained murders of high-level Korynthia officials. Some malevolent force is at work, driving the combatants forward, driving them toward the climactic battle of Killingford. And there everything--or nothing--will be decided! Dr. Michael R. Collings says: "Within the course of a single year, Kings and Kingdoms rise and fall, hopes and ambitions are fulfilled and destroyed. Robert Reginald's The Hieromonk's Tale trilogy is a magnificent medieval triptych featuring exquisitely drawn scenes of heroism and treachery, of domesticity and warfare, of greatness and madness." The Hieromonk's Tale, Book Two.

In Damien Broderick’s haunting tale, “The Meek,” the survivors of humanity’s drive toward racial suicide must pay an awful price for their continued survival. John Glasby’s “Innsmouth Bane” tells how the alien entity Dagon first came to nineteenth-century America. In “Helen’s Last Will,” James C. Glass shows us that death may not always be “the end.” Charles Allen Gramlich’s “I Can Spend You” is a futuristic western which puts prospecting in a whole new light! “The Voice of the Dolphin in Air,” by Howard V. Hendrix, is a poignant tale of life and death on Mars and the LaGrange space stations. In Philip E. High’s “This World Is Ours,” David Hacket is given the task of revitalizing a declining city (and world), and finds himself facing an alien invasion. James B. Johnson’s “The Last American” is fighting to preserve the memory of the old U.S. of A.—in a last stand at the Alamo! In “Small World: A Small Story,” by Michael Kurland, Vanspeepe invents a new transportation device, hoping to change the world—and he does! “The Channel Exemption: A Sime~Gen Story,” by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, focuses on the tensions between Sime and Gen when a mixed party of humans is stranded on an alien planet. Gary Lovisi’s tale, “My Guardian,” tells how mankind is finally able to put an end to wars and mass killings. “Black Mist,” by Richard A. Lupoff, is a stunning mystery set at a Japanese research station on the Martian moon, Phobos. Don Webb, in his fascinating tale, “The Five Biographies of General Gerrhan,” demonstrates how easy it is for the professional writer to (mis)interpret, deliberately or otherwise, the story of a space hero. Twelve great reads by a dozen great writers!

Almost everyone likes dogs, even those who prefer cats as pets. So it's not surprising that writers have devoted a great deal of verbiage indeed to describe their ongoing love affair with the canine breed. You'll find herein all kinds of tales focusing on dogs: science fiction stories, mysteries, horror tales, westerns, memoirs, humorous accounts, and first-person doggie narratives. There are well-known pieces by writers such as Jack London, James Oliver Curwood, Washington Irving, Saki, E. C. Tubb, John Gregory Betancourt, Robert Hood, and Jack Dann—and stories by authors who are relatively unknown today.Here are twenty-five marvelous tales of dogs and their interactions with humans, plus five bonus poems:"The Call of the Wild," by Jack London"My Friend Bobby," by Alan E. Nourse"Neb," by Robert Reginald"My Friend," by Anonymous [poem]"Kerfol," by Edith Wharton"The Monster," by S. M. Tenneshaw"Tinker," by E. Nesbit...

In this sweeping saga set on Earth and intergalactic space, Robert Reginald envisions a detailed future world of Martians versus humans. In the first novel, War of Two Worlds, they attack without warning or mercy, slaughtering and harvesting humankind. An intrepid band of ordinary people refuse to accept what seems inevitable, vowing to fight to the death. The second novel, Operation: Crimson Storm, spreads the conflict to space as Earth goes on the offensive. Deep within the bowels of their own Red Planet, the aliens use many different weapons, not all of them military, to fight the human foes. In the final book, The Martians Strike Back!, war rages deeper into the solar system, with savage battles fought on land and sea. The planetoid Ceres holds the key — but will both races die before they can unlock it? Reginald’s gripping prose and rich narrative make these books worthy successors to Wells’ cosmic vision.

Here are 29 more Christmas stories old and new, tales to delight, to entrance, to beguile, and even to sadden a whole new generation of readers.