Ghosts of Christmas Present — Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Alone for Christmas, Michela longs for the past, the future -- anything but the present. The present holds pain, loneliness, longing, loathing. The present offers nothing but ghosts and nightmares about deeds that cannot be undone. To see her son again, Michela must face her ghosts on this Christmas Eve night -- even if by doing so she becomes one herself.

Like early Ray Bradbury, Rusch has the ability to switch on a universal dark.
-- the London Times

[Rusch's horror stories are] horror in the same way that Robert Bloch's Psycho is -- horror of the soul.
-- Locus

Bestselling writer Kristine Kathryn Rusch has published fiction in every genre. She has been nominated for awards in all those genres as well. She is best known for her science fiction and fantasy, although her mainstream novel Hitler's Angel, recently appeared in the United Kingdom to great critical acclaim. She has also published award-winning mystery novels under the name Kris Nelscott. For more about her work, go to kristinekathrynrusch.com.