About

A Christmas Menagerie

About The Christmas Menagerie: A Scary, Merry Anthology of Heartwarming Horror

As the author of The Christmas Menagerie, I’ve always been fascinated by the dual nature of Christmas—how it can be a season of joy, but also a time for reflection on our actions. In The Christmas Menagerie: A Scary, Merry Anthology of Heartwarming Horror, I wanted to explore these themes through a fresh lens, reimagining the figure of Santa Claus. In my stories, Santa isn’t just a one-dimensional gift-bringer. He appears to each character in the form they need most—Krampus for the wicked, Santa for the pure, and other figures who exist in the gray space in between.

This anthology is for those who enjoy holiday tales that make them think. It’s filled with both heartwarming moments and spine-tingling suspense, blending the magic of the season with the thrills of horror. Each story is designed to challenge the reader’s perceptions about good and evil, kindness and cruelty, and the consequences of our actions.

I hope you enjoy these tales as much as I enjoyed writing them, and that they add a little excitement (and maybe a little fear) to your holiday season.

About the Author

Keith Simpkins grew up in the rural mountains of Virginia in the 1970s, where Christmas was filled with wonder, tradition, and a touch of mystery. Over time, the commercialism of the holiday dulled its magic for him, but later in life, he rediscovered his love for Christmas—stronger and deeper than ever. Now, he celebrates the season with equal parts nostalgia and curiosity, immersing himself in its traditions, history, and folklore.

An avid blogger, photographer, and runner, Keith also has a passion for research. Before writing A Christmas Menagerie, he spent countless hours exploring the legends and figures of Christmas traditions from around the world. His holiday travels have taken him from small village markets in Slovakia to the Kukeri festival deep in the mountains of Bulgaria, seeking out both the festive and the forgotten sides of midwinter celebrations. In Cleveland, where he now calls home, Keith welcomes the season early—decorating on November 1st, celebrating the city’s festive traditions, and filling his home with four Christmas trees, including a Krampus-themed black tree.

His love for Christmas is matched only by his love for horror, and every December, he mixes classic holiday films with campy Christmas slasher flicks. He watches over 50 Christmas movies every year, attends A Christmas Carol and The Nutcracker annually, and seeks out Christmas markets, Krampusnacht events, and alternative midwinter festivals.

The first story in A Christmas Menagerie was born on a winter drive home from a Christmas market in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania—typed on his phone in the passenger seat as holiday lights flickered past. With this collection, Keith brings together the warmth and wonder of Christmas with the shadows that lurk just beyond the glow of twinkling lights.

Whether wandering a snow-covered Christmas market, decorating for the season, or lacing up for a winter run, Keith embraces both the traditions that shaped Christmas through the centuries and the new ones we create along the way.