December 2019 – West Coast Review

Short Story Sunday: Driving Home With Superheroes

For some reason graduate students seemed to be decades ahead of undergraduate students, especially freshmen and sophomores. At the ripe old age of twenty three Randy had discovered that the first day of school.

He’d also discovered a small following of younger Vampires who looked up to him like they would their favorite ancient Vampire Uncle.

They also liked Randy because he was unique and exceptionally hip and trendy in his vintage clothing and wavy longish blonde hair.

Before he left home after Christmas break, wearing his favorite Levi big bells, a Heart concert shirt from 1979, and a vintage fringed leather jacket, his dad called him “Fucking Flowers.”

Randy asked what that was all about. His dad laughed and told him that now he was an adult he needed to read John Sanford books starting from the beginning and work his way up to the Virgil Flower books. Randy…

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Happy New Year!

Horror Classics!

A Tree Decorating Party

cosistories

Ambrose sat all huddled up in an empty horse stall. The barn was abandoned so it wasn’t likely anyone was going to put a horse in Ambrose’s hiding place any time soon.

He shivered and rubbed his arms.

There were too many close calls tonight. Too many dances with death.

Ambrose leaned his head back against the rough wood wall. He closed his eyes and took in the myriad scents.

Wood.

Leather.

Saddle oil.

Hoof trimmings.

Dirt.

Dirty hay.

Mice.

He shivered again.

Snow.

Ice.

I wish I were somewhere warm.

He pressed his forehead against his knees.

It’s Christmas Day.

I wish I were home.

He remembered the light fading from his father’s eyes.

The taste of his blood.

Claws.

Fangs.

All of the servants slashed and fallen. Their blood on his face.

On his clothes.

Staining his claws.

He shuddered. “I have no one.”

I am alone.

Completely…

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Hibernation Holiday

A story we should all read and think about. Thank you Mandy.

An Old-Time Allegheny Christmas – Daughters of Darkness

Cedarcrest Sanctum

Note: this conversation originally took place on the evening of Wednesday, December 21st — the 2016 Winter Solstice.

Janiss: We’re back for another evening of hot cocoa and immortal talk. Say hello, Nancy.

Nancy: (long sigh) Hello.

J: It’s the longest night of the year, and you’ve chosen to spend at least a little of it with me — thank you.

N: Free drinks, yes?

J: I pay for those.

N: Free for me, then. (sips) What topic have you chosen?

J: Christmas, of course.

N: Very appropriate. (gestures at all the decorations and shoppers, then at her themed cup) Continue.

J: (leans forward) Do you celebrate it?

N: (raises an eyebrow)

J: Come on, you can’t tell me you’ve never been swayed by the Christmas spirit. Not once in three centuries?

N: I most often choose to spend it alone not killing anyone.

J: Isn’t that how you spend…

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The Travelers A Tale of Mystery, Love and Hope

A Christmas favorite

Vampire Maman

A Christmas Tradition at Vampire Maman

The Travelers

A Tale of Mystery, Love and Hope
from Juliette Kings aka Vampire Maman

The night was falling on the travelers, Daniel and his son Tad and daughter Ada. They had to stop before the dark of night and freezing snowfalls. The father and his children were finally going home, from the broken dreams of gold to the city where Daniel had found a job in his profession of typesetter and reporter. When his wife had passed on he followed his dream to the California gold fields taking his teenage children with him. For good or bad they’d made the new state their home.

As the snow began to fall they came upon a cabin, the door boarded up from the outside, the windows shuttered. It looked deserted and like shelter for the night. Dan and his son pried the nails off of…

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Twas the Night before Yuletide

A lovely reflection of the season.

The Muse in the Mirror

An enchanting Yuletide poem to remind us of the true reason for the season.

©Emily Balivet ‘Snow Queen Yule Winter Solstice Goddess’ http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/EmilyBalivet

Twas the night before Yuletide and all through the glen

Not a creature was stirring, not a fox, not a hen.
A mantle of snow shone brightly that night
As it lay on the ground, reflecting moonlight.

The faeries were nestled all snug in their trees,
Unmindful of flurries and a chilly north breeze.
The elves and the gnomes were down in their burrows,
Sleeping like babes in their soft earthen furrows.

When low! The earth moved with a thunderous quake,
Causing chairs to fall over and dishes to break.
The Little Folk scrambled to get on their feet
Then raced to the river where they usually meet.

“What happened?” they wondered, they questioned, they probed,
As they shivered in night clothes, some bare-armed, some robed.
“What caused…

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Merry Mayhem!

MY ENDURING BONES

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5 Thanksgiving Prompts #5 – Alone At Christmas

cosistories

Author Note: I’ve finally reached the last prompt! Yes! And it’s the prompt that I’ve been looking forward to writing, which makes me feel a little awful.

Prompt#5 is….Kill off one of your characters. Holidays can be extra tough the first year after someone has died. Write a story in which your characters are dealing with the loss of another character for the first time.

There are so many characters I could choose for this prompt. One in particular would be a total story spoiler, not saying who though. I’ll just say I’ll spare that particular character this time around. 😉 So….Who to choose? Hmmm. So many to choose from. So many to choose from. Hmmm.

I think I’ll go with……

****

No one ever warns you.

No one ever tells you how to prepare for the hurt.

No one ever tells you that the hurt won’t go away after…

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God Rest Ye Merry Werewolves, and Ghosts and Vampires too. With muffins. We can’t forget the muffins.

Vampire Maman

Today I stopped by my friend (dare I say friend) Austin’s house to drop off muffins for his Grammy. She loves muffins, especially the ones I make. Austin and Grammy are Vampire Hunters, but they only go after the bad ones. I’m not a bad one. In fact I’ve had them help me out a time or two but that is a different post.

I know you might think it odd that I’m making muffins, being a Vampire and all, but I DO make the best muffins. I don’t eat them but I love the smell and I love the joy they bring. Just like my husband Teddy becomes the cookie baking king this time of year.

When Teddy was a child, a long long long time ago, he would make cookies with his mother and their cook. Now that he is a Vampire (since 1875) he still bakes cookies…

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