Upon the Midnight Queer

Little Village

by 'Nathan Burgoine

Holiday tales, retold queerly…

A silk hat turns snow into life and a chance at love for a man with little hope of either. Two men with a connection sparked in passing attempt to withstand everything the tumultuous Toronto of 1981 throws their way, with their only remaining hope being Christmas Eve itself. A much-maligned queen of the snow teaches a young boy how to use his magic to find others of his kind. And a reindeer shines a light of its own, and with the help of the daughter of Father Time, brings gifts—and hope—to all those usually left behind.

Holiday magic connects these tales and more—tales heard and seen and sung before, familiar and joyous, or tender and bittersweet—all to the last told upon the midnight queer.

Upon the Midnight Queer is the second short story collection from Lambda Literary Award finalist ’Nathan Burgoine, and includes the brand new Little Village Holiday Novella, “Folly.”

Genres: Christmas, Holiday, Anthologies, Romance, Queer, LGBT, Audiobook

202 pages, Paperback

Published November 12, 2024

About the author

'Nathan Burgoine grew up a reader and studied literature in university while making a living as a bookseller. His first published short story was "Heart" in the collection Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction. Since then, he has had dozens of short stories published, and despite being "the tall queer guy who writes mosly shorter queer fictions" novels have happened between the novellas and short stories.

A cat lover, 'Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. Their ongoing "cat or dog?" détente ended with the rescue and adoption of huskies. They live in Ottawa, Canada, where socialized health care and gay marriage have yet to cause the sky to cave in.

You can find 'Nathan on the web at nathanburgoine.com.

Reviews

['Nathan Burgoine]

Hello, it’s me, the author, being all authory…

Edit: February 11th, 2025: The Audiobook of Upon the Midnight Queer is half-off at Audiobooks.com right now, and will be until the end of April. Link to the deal is here.

Edit: December 14th, 2024: I wasn’t sure it would happen on schedule, given I was away all week until yesterday, but I managed to continue the tradition this year—and this time, it’s a sequel. If you’d like to check in with Samuel Brunswick and Henry Wilson from “A Day (or Two) Ago” just head on over to the blog.

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Okay, first of all, thank you. The way this book has been received is honestly exactly what I’d hoped for, and I appreciate each and every one of you so freaking much. Truly. Also, something that’s coming up is “but which original story was this based on?” and y’know, I honestly hadn’t thought anyone would really care—more fool me—but, if that’s a question you have, allow me to give you the answer on my blog. All the origins for all the stories are discussed there (though two of them are also linked to single-blog-entries where I talked a lot about where “Not the Marrying Kind” and “Folly” came from).

Again, thank you! Thank you to everyone who pre-ordered—watching those numbers was wonderful, and I appreciate the heck out of you—and to anyone and everyone who’s been enjoying it. This new collection of queer short stories (and two novellas or novelettes, depending on your definition), all holiday and winter themed, are all for you, and I’m so happy!

Links for ebook, paperback, and audiobook versions of this collection are all here (more will populate as listings appear)! Both Giancarlo Herrera and Hannah Schooner perform the audiobook version so brilliantly, I cannot even tell you!

--

Honestly, I’m just really, really excited this will be happening. Queering the holidays up a notch has been an ongoing tradition—and doing so to stories like these has been happening for a decade now, somehow—and I can’t wait for all these tales to be in once place, and for “Folly” to make its debut. I think Hunt, the big ol’ lug of a hunk inspired by the voice of ‘Jolly Old Saint Nicholas,’ and the three kids—Johnny, Suzy, and Nellie—are some of my favourite characters yet.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful set of holiday stories from one of my favorite writers, 'Nathan Burgoine. Most of the stories are retellings of old tales or secondary characters brought up front and center. The last two tales are from the 20th and 21st Century. All of them made me smile. The last two warmed my heart so much. True love and all that means. Will be reading this year after year to get in the mood for Christmas.

[Maya Loewenthal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute!!!! All the stories were charming and magical and I appreciated how they connected to each other in subtle ways. Nothing life changing, but definitely enjoyable!

[PaperMoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unreservedly 5 star rating for a magical reading experience. I believe I'd happily read anything by this author and this series of linked festive vignettes just confirms that.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Representation is important! Something I'm going to keep saying until it's so prevalent and obvious it sounds redundant.

In the meanwhile, if you want delightful, heartwarming winter holiday tales with a queer focus, look no further than "Upon the Midnight Queer"! This is the perfect short-story collection to read curled up by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa while you bask in the glow of the holiday decorations and glance at the snow outside the window. It also makes a great holiday gift for a friend you think would enjoy it!

[Leann J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.75/5 stars

I feel like the grinch when his heart grew 3x its size

[Hemmel M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unpopular opinion ahead!
I was over the moon to find an 8 hour audiobook by my favorite author, in the Little Village universe, according to the Goodreads sub title. I sat down for love and friendship and winter holiday.
But no. These are short story's, with an authorial narrator, a lesson to learn, lack of dialog and weird settings. Weird, because as an European I have no appreciation for elves, reindeers, Christmas miracles and a toolmaker on the North Pole. The original stories that are retold here, don't ring a bell, so I cannot tell what NB changed and be surprised.
That's what you get with autobuy authors. You buy it without checking the blurb.

[Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE LOVE LOVE! Such a beautifully written, and brilliantly creative, queer retelling of holiday stories (and then some!). Each tale created a fabulous universe that challenged my way of unpacking holiday lore and adding new twists, spins, and lessons. This was my first opportunity to enjoy the author’s good work and have now added a few titles to my kindle for the next long flight. A wonderful addition the holiday canon.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute and definitely another set of wins for Nathan Burgoine. My favs were the one with frosty the snowman and the contemporary ones. My least favorite was probably the nutcracker one.

All in all, a solid set of holiday stories.

[Jamieson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are all kinds of things I look forward to during the holiday season: ugly holiday sweaters, hot chocolate, baking more than usual, time with family and friends and the new holiday story by ‘Nathan Burgoine.

Every year, he takes a classic holiday tale or carol and reimagines it in a beautifully queer way. I was thrilled that this year, he chose to release another book of short stories. Of Echoes Born, ‘Nathan Burgoine’s first book of short stories, is one of my favourite books of all time and I was so looking forward to a new collection.

Upon the Midnight Queer collects Burgoine’s holiday tales from the past ten years, as well as an all-new novella. I was overjoyed to be able to have all these tales together in one collection. It’s been a while since I’ve read some of the stories, so it was wonderful to be reacquainted with the tales and the characters within. At first, I tried to see if I could tell which tale was being retold.

Some of the retellings were obvious (Dolph or Frost). Others were a little harder to place (A Day or Two Ago). Eventually, I gave up trying to guess or to see how Burgoine unspun the tale so that he could retell it again in a way made space for people like me.

Growing up gay and disabled, there isn’t often a place to be found for me within the stories that are normally told around the holidays. Even though I know the stories well, there is no spark of recognition that I get when I meet a character that resembles me in some way, nothing for me to relate to except the need for kindness and generosity towards others around the holidays.

Usually, people such as myself are included in the miracle portion of the tale. Even the very story behind Christmas is not inclusive to people who identify as part of the GLBTQIA++ community. What ‘Nathan Burgoine has done is to tell the stories of Christmas that I know and love, but he has made room for me within the words as well as space for everyone else who has felt othered during the holiday season.
I connected to each of the stories contained in this beautiful collection, and not just because there were queer and disabled people that filled the stories of Upon the Midnight Queer. I connected to the stories because of the people that Burgoine writes about. His strength has always been in the creation of such real people. Each and every time, Burgoine has pulled me into the story because of the characters that he has created and the emotions that each of them carry. They are all so real to me and I have had so many of the same thoughts and emotions that he has put onto the page.

I have some favourites of course. I loved Five Shillings and Sixpence, Not the Marrying Kind and A Day (Or Two) Ago. The story that stands out for me as my favourite and filled me with all the feels was The Future in Flame. It moved me so much and the story was so beautiful that I had to just sit there for a moment reflecting on the beautiful story that I had just read.

‘Nathan Burgoine has created magic in Upon the Midnight Queer. Each story is like a diamond with many facets that drew me in until I was left enchanted. I urge you all to go out and buy a copy so that your world can be filled with the bright light that the stories in this collection contain.

[Emmalita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so grateful to have had ‘Nathan Burgoine’s Upon the Midnight Queer on my kindle the past two days. Burgoine is sharing his holiday tradition with us, Christmas stories that center queer folks. In each of the 11 stories, he reminds us that queer people have always existed and found community with each other. In a world that is often not safe for the different, we find each other and share our light. I need this reminder now and if you need it too, I highly recommend getting a copy on November 12, when it is released.

Burgoine’s Christmas stories don’t ignore the danger and harm facing queer people. They do focus on the life saving power of queer relationships and community. Each of the stories is lovely in its own way. One of my favorites is “The Future in Flame,” which is a sideways retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Little Match Girl.” Ironically, or maybe appropriately, “The Little Match Girl” is one of my least favorite stories – a maudlin story in which the virtuous poor girl dies quietly instead of fighting for her right to survive. In Burgoine’s version, a young man can see the future in flames. He glimpses a moment of joy – dancing with another man. He quietly builds a life for himself, meets the man he saw himself dancing with and they build a life together, and a community of other lifelong singles. This version has a happy ending for the little match girl.

The final story, “Folly,” takes us back to Burgoine’s fictionalized queer neighborhood in Ottawa. This one is not a retelling (I don’t think), but it is a lovely story*. Hunt is the guardian for his orphaned nephew and nieces. In getting ready for their third Christmas together, he is still struggling to keep their traditions going while also working crazy hours on a renovation crew. His neighbor, Micah, an artist and the descendant of one of the characters in an earlier story, has been helping out, watching the kids while Hunt clears sidewalks and works. Hunt worries about being enough for the kids, giving them the Christmas they deserve, and is quietly pining for Micah. The queer community of The Village is something of a safety net for Hunt with the kids. There are so many lovely details in “Folly.” It was one of the best things I could have started my day with.

* Update: I just read the author��s blog post, and “Folly” is a retelling of “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas,” a poem written in 1881 by Emily Huntington Miller.

I received this as an advance reader copy from the author. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

[Jeff Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Upon The Midnight Queer"
‘Nathan Burgoine’s New Collection
Reviewed by Jeff Baker


‘Nathan Burgoine’s second short fiction collection “Upon the Midnight Clear,” features a group of short Christmas tales featuring LGBT characters in stories ranging from retellings of classic Christmas stories (“Dolph,” “Frost”) to fully original stories. Many of them first appeared on his blog where his yearly Christmas stories became a holiday tradition. The new collection includes those, some stories published elsewhere and “Folly,” a story first published in “Upon the Midnight Queer.”
Tales range from contemporary romance to a look at one of the characters from “A Christmas Carol” after that story ended to a story set in the Canada of 1981, a very bad year for the LGBT Community there. Characters often have the sort of perceptual gifts that appear frequently in Burgoine’s stories. Romance, while sometimes only hinted at, is present throughout the book, as is social commentary if only from the fact that LGBT people are generally underrepresented in popular fiction. In that, Burgoine is carrying on the tradition of Charles Dickens whose works were peopled with appealing characters and filled with exposure of society’s ills.
Running through it all is Burgoine’s masterful command of the written word, slipping convincingly into the prose styles of earlier times when required. Whatever the era, the words are perfect.
Words like:
I learned fear and bravery are companions and how the fellowship of someone else tipped the scales to bravery’s side every time.
Or:
Holding forever in her hand, she asked for help.
And:
If you live in a garret, you get two views.

Following on the heels of Burgoine’s first collection “Of Echoes Born,” and several holiday romances (not always around Christmas!) “Upon The Midnight Queer” is a welcome addition to any bookshelf.

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[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The holiday season is my favourite time of the year. So when 'Nathan Burgoine asked if I'd like to review his latest festive short story collection, Upon the Midnight Queer, I jumped at the chance.

The first aspect I enjoyed about this body of work, is the interlapping characters between individual stories. I love it when authors seamlessly integrate their stories and characters in this way, it's such fun to stumble upon them as a reader.

I certainly had a few favourite tales within this smorgasbord of fabulously festive fables, starting with "Most of '81". Christopher and Don's meet cute, and subsequent never in the right place at the right time is pure kismet.
"Future in Flame" was another excellent offering, a queer expansion on "The Little Match Girl" (penned in 1845). A beautifully creative take on the original with a significantly more heart warming ending.
And then there's "Folly" which I adored for its trans representation, particularly with the individual being a young child. How I wish every trans kid had a loving and supportive guardian as Uncle Hunt. The care he took to pick out little Suzy's doll, to ensure she would see herself reflected there on Christmas morning, was so touching. Not to mention that Suzy, Nellie, and Johnny's matchmaking of their Uncle Hunt with neighbour Micah is adorable! 

The one thing which I felt the absence of, (and would have delighted in because I'm that type of person), was the inclusion of a list or note, pairing each queer re-telling with its source of origin or inspiration. I'm super intrigued about all the ones I didn't recognise!

Upon the Midnight Queer is a twinkling, gloriously diverse spectacle of short stories, bound with the true magic of the season. Such an absolute joy to be able to fill up both my queer and festive cups at the sametime.

[Harrison Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Burgoine reclaims Christmas for queer people in this engaging short story collection. One of the main factors in Christmas stories across the ages has been a sort of erasure for various groups, including queer people - not so here.

Playing with myth and legend, Burgoine reworks several classic stories to great effect, featuring characters heretofore relegated to the background. Standouts for me were "Dolph", "Frost", "Reflections", "The Future in Flame", and the very intriguing "Five Shillings and Sixpence", a reworking of Scrooge (or more accurately, a sidebar). Some of the more contemporary stories didn't quite meet the level of the earlier ones for me but were still very good, nonetheless.

As in his previous short story collection, "Of Echoes Born", Burgoine proves himself an incredible storyteller, with wonderful prose to back it up.

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous stories all! I adore how this author takes one idea and builds it -- the fable of Dolph echoes in subsequent stories as characters see the glow in others, helping them to locate family among potential dangers. A Day (or Two) Ago cracked me up -- I can already see myself re-reading large parts of that aloud to my family over Thanksgiving next week.

[Kyle Gunderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection. Dolph is an instant classic (and gives me the first explanation of how Santa does it that makes sense). His nods to other stories throughout also made me very happy. I also adore that he made Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses into a gay meet-cute.

This collection will be an annual read for me.

[Jesse Doorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how all the stories were interconnected in little ways that didn't feel forced. There definitely could have been more diversity other than in the last two stories. Perhaps some main characters that weren't men at the very least. But otherwise, very well written and sweet remixes of classic Christmas tales.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. It was a collection of retellings of Christmas stories, or songs we all know and love, and they were woven together through some interconnected stories, and it was wholesome and Queer.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first half if this collection, then found the stories less and less what I look for, until I skipped reading the last two entirely. The ones I liked, I really liked, though, so as with any collection, I'll call that a win.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something magical about these stories. I love the idea of reclaiming holiday tropes and making them tales about the queer experience. These are wonderfully touching tales.

I recommend reading them in order, as some reference earlier stories, although they stand on their own as well.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful and hopeful and and honestly, meaningful. Like all the Burgoine I've read, which is most of it.

[Laurali · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this collection of queer holliday stories. I love there are tiny little callbacks to other stories. I absolutely adore this author.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The light tissue that interconnected all of these storylines together was just strong enough to really work, and Folly itself was a great addition to the Villages universe. I’ll admit I was more connected to the young family than the romantic elements there and I hope to continue to see these characters in the future!

[Philippa Lodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas with 'Nathan is always amazing

And Christmas in a short story collection with fantasy/ magic elements that draw you through and pop up in later stories and cross over to his Village novellas? Just amazing. I said the other day I wasn't ready to start Christmas, but I think I am now.