Now, in "Overtime," the Laundry is on a skeleton staff for Christmas—leaving one bureaucrat to be all that stands between the world and annihilation by the Thing That Comes Down Chimneys. Written especially for Tor.com's holiday season, Charles Stross's novelette is a finalist for the 2010 Hugo Award. Charles Stross is the Hugo-winning author of some of the most acclaimed novels and stories of the last ten years, including Singularity Sky, Accelerando, Halting State, the "Merchant Princes" series beginning with The Family Trade, and the story collections Toast and Wireless.

    Vandiver - "Baby, it's Cold Outside"Judith Lucci - "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year"Amy Vansant - "Stollen Time"Colleen Mooney - "Death by Rum Balls"Amy Reade - "The Worst Noel"Nell Goddin - TBAColleen Helme - "Devil in a Black Suit"Kim Hunt Harris - "Frankincense, Gold and Murder"Larissa Reinhart - "A View to a Chill"Cindy Bell - "Christmas Chocolates and Crimes"Summer Prescott - TBAKathryn Dionne - "Murder at the Holiday Bazaar"

    All things unknown and unknowable are coming to light... Strange creatures wander the dark canopies of Germany's Black Forest. A young boy harbors something both dark and divine within him. A man learns to control his dreams, only to find an ancient evil imprisoned within them. Something lurks in the shadows of a woman's house, and it wants her baby. All of these things and more in this riveting new collection of 18 terrifying cosmic and paranormal tales. Get it now and discover the terrors that lurk within.

    

    Volume one was issued with great success, and those voices were released into the wild for reader’s enjoyment. Now, here we are with volume two—some authors will be familiar, while others will be brand new. Collected within this book are stories that span the wide genre that is Horror. Crack open the book and delve in, if you dare.

    But what happens where the human world touches the domain of races ancient and alien? Museum curators, surveyors, police officers, archaeologists, mathematicians; from derelict buildings to country houses to the London Underground, another world is just a breath away, around the corner, watching and waiting for you to step into its power. The Private Life of Elder Things is a collection of new Lovecraftian fiction about confronting, discovering and living alongside the creatures of the Mythos.

    These stories include: The Secret of Kralitz, The Eater of Souls, The Salem Horror, The Just of Droom-avista, Spawn of Dagon, The Invaders, The Frog, Hydra, Bells of Horror and The Hunt.

    Weaver - Josh's Christmas Angel Valynda King - Christmas in Hawaii Christopher John - Two for Hooking Francis Gideon - Mistletoe and YouTube Allan Jay - Christmas Angel Aisling Mancy - Joyeux Noel Gary Hendrickson - Our Best Christmas Hollis Shiloh - The Christmas Mansion Tom Alexander - Ivy Park AJ Henderson - Christmas Reunion Abigail Winters - Love Delayed JC Wallace - Waiting for Snow

    Lovecraft has inspired writers of supernatural fiction, artists, musicians, filmmakers, and gamers. His themes of cosmic indifference, the utter insignificance of humankind, minds invaded by the alien, and the horrors of history—written with a pervasive atmosphere of unexplainable dread—remain not only viable motifs, but are more relevant than ever as we explore the mysteries of a universe in which our planet is infinitesimal and climatic change is overwhelming it. In the early twenty-first century the best supernatural writers no longer imitate Lovecraft, but they are profoundly influenced by the genre and the mythos he created. New Cthulhu: The Recent Weird presents some of the best of this new Lovecraftian fiction—bizarre, subtle, atmospheric, metaphysical, psychological, filled with strange creatures and stranger characters—eldritch, unsettling, evocative, and darkly appealing.

    Cozy up to these swoon worthy romances that are sure to give you all the warm fuzzies you’ll need to keep yourself heated on a cold winter’s night. This boxed set includes: Two Christmas tales and two winter hijinks. Happy holiday reading! From New York Times Bestseller, Addison Moore Books included: Just Add Mistletoe, Tender Kisses (3:AM Kisses), Winter Kisses (3:AM Kisses), Naughty by Nature Just Add Mistletoe Graham Holiday has always had the ability to set any girl’s heart aflutter. Tall, dark, and vexingly handsome—he is well aware of his superpowers and he isn’t afraid to wield them. Missy Winters, Gingerbread Colorado’s unofficial matchmaker, is busy running her bakery when her brother’s best friend, Graham, waltzes back into town. With only weeks until Christmas Eve, Missy needs to work harder than ever to fill her holiday orders. The last thing she needs is obnoxious Graham Holiday getting in her way. To top it all off, Sabrina Jarrett, her longtime nemesis is threatening to have her father hike the rent on the bakery. In a vindictive yet highly therapeutic move to rid herself of both unwanted parties, Missy schemes to pair Sabrina and Graham—determined to crown them as Gingerbread’s newest power couple by the time Santa takes flight. But a curveball gets thrown her way, and she ends up seeing far more of Graham than expected. Suddenly, Missy isn’t so hot on giving Graham to Sabrina with a shiny red bow. There are some gifts that Missy might want to keep for herself. Tender Kisses (3:AM Kisses) Nolan Knight is the personification of a hot billionaire stud. Broad shoulders, bedroom eyes, a mouth that knows how to navigate its way around the female anatomy—Nolan Knight has all of the sexual bases covered. But he broke my heart years ago, and now we’re both back in Evergreen Lake at the scene of the crime. I’m not looking for anything from Nolan—with the exception of him staying out of my way. But that’s one thing he doesn’t seem capable of. It just takes one look, one touch, and I know I’m in trouble. The only steadfast rule I have is—do not let Nolan Knight anywhere near my heart. That should be easy enough. The problem is, Nolan never left that sacred place. Now if I could only figure out a way to evict him… Winter Kisses (3:AM Kisses) Ryder Capwell crushed her heart. When Laney is auctioned off as a prize at the drama department fundraiser the last person she expects to trade cold hard cash for her company is Ryder. Laney Sawyer used to believe in love and all of the trappings that happily ever after could provide until Ryder Capwell is in love with Laney Sawyer. One year ago she walked out of his life and took the light of his world right along with her. Ryder would do anything to have another chance with Laney, including purchasing her for the evening courtesy of Whitney Briggs University, and he does just that. One thing leads to whiskey, which leads to a one-night stand. Things can only go wrong from here. Naughty by Nature One look from Jax Stade promises to land even the nicest girl onto the naughty list. Jax and I used to be best friends right up until he broke my heart. Everyone knows that both Jax and his overinflated ego are well beyond naughty—that face, those eyes, don’t get me started on that body made of steel. Every last part of me is bent on revenge.

    Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos. With illustrations by Peter A. Worthy and color cover by James Oberschlake.

    

    Yet, the morning after a particularly drunken Christmas party, she finds herself waking up in a man’s bed. A man who happens to be her sexy employee, Carson Hollister. And Carson’s fifteen years her junior.What was supposed to not go past the drunken party turns into an agreement—they continue a casual sexual relationship for twelve days until Christmas Eve. After that, they part ways. No feelings and a clean break.Easier said than done.Carson has no problem agreeing to the arrangement…except, in those twelve days, he’s planning to make Tamika fall for him. For him, their Christmas after-party hookup was nothing short of divine intervention; he’s wanted her for years but always kept a professional distance.He can give her what she thinks is the only thing he wants from her—screaming mornings, steamy evenings, and erotic nights in her office, his loft, his car…wherever. But, when it’s all said and done, she’ll realize age truly is nothing more than a number when it comes to what he can do to her body, and what he can be in her life. Warning: This standalone novel 30K contains graphic language and sexual scenarios. For mature readers only.

    Discover a new author or see what one of your favorites has been writing as you devour these tales while eating a snowman sugar cookie and drinking hot tea by the light of a Christmas tree.

    Yet when irresistible redhead Rosie Harrison drops into his life and disrupts his peace, Joshua's desires begin to change. Can he convince her to hang around long enough to meet him under the mistletoe? Snowbound Bride by Shirley JumpA Christmas Eve blizzard leaves Marietta stranded in an airport with Reed Hartstone, the only man to ever break her heart. Perhaps rekindling the past may actually be their perfect Christmas present. Their Christmas Vows by Margaret McDonaghFrazer McIntosh knows exactly what he wants for Christmas--Callie Grogan. Despite his reputation as a fun-loving Romeo, Frazer is serious about his beautiful colleague. Serious enough to love her forever, if only she'll agree to be his Christmas bride....