Weekly Update #133

Editor's Note

So I had a "Super" distraction this weekend, so I apologize if this Weekly Update is sort of sparse. I just didn't have the time to write. I am keeping this editorial short, but I do recommend checking out Atomic Machines: An Atompunk Sampler by Mark Appleton, who may be returning with a sequel in a few weeks.

And now the news...

Ira Nayman’s new book warns that You Can’t Kill the Multiverse

You Can’t Kill the Multiverse (But You Can Mess With its Head) by Ira Nayman is now available as an e-book from Elsewhen Press (and will be available in print in April). Ira writes: “This book is a sideways sequel to my first Transdimensional Authority novel, Welcome to the Multiverse. It contains half the calories and twice the taste! Both have been published by Elsewhen Press, a British publishing house that specializes in speculative fiction.”

Here is a description of the novel from Elsewhen:

It’s just another day in the Transdimensional Authority, with teams of investigators doing what they do best (well, after breakdancing) – investigating. Bob Blunt is en route through a Dimensional Portal to Earth prime 4-7-5-0-0-7 dash iota to investigate cars exhibiting most uncarlike behaviours — ribbit! (Breaking all of the Transdimensional Authority rules… number 127, he is without his partner, ‘Breakfront’ Balboa, who is on leave after an unfortunate incident with the Vulvar Ambassador to Earth Prime and a staple gun). Beau Beaumont and Biff Buckley have already arrived on Earth Prime 5-9-2-7-7-1 dash theta to find themselves surrounded by machines whose only intention is to serve human masters — even if it kills them! 

Recently recruited TA investigator Noomi Rapier, with her partner ‘Crash’ Chumley, is on Earth Prime 6-4-7-5-0-6 dash theta where all matter at all levels of organisation (from sub-atomic particles to the universe itself) has become conscious. Meanwhile Barack Bowens and Blabber Begbie, taking the Dimensional DeLorean to Earth prime 4-6-3-0-2-9 dash omicron, face multiple apocalypses (already in progress), and Bertrand Blailock and Bao Bai-Leung are having trouble travelling to their intended destination: the home of the digital gods. 

At first, they all appear to be looking for unauthorised and probably counterfeit Home Universe Generator’s, but could what’s really happening be more sinister? (Yes. Yes, it could. We wouldn’t want to leave you in suspense…)

An alternate history comedy? Curious. Let us know in the comments if you have checked this book out.

Map Gallery

You guys loved the maps last week, so I combed the Internet for some more and here are a few that caught my eye. First up, a fun map from Baconheimer at AH.com showing the American football teams in Britain:

Next up, I was contacted by Sapiento who asked me about featuring one of his alternate history maps. He has some great examples in his deviantart gallery, but being a Crusades geek I picked his Kingdom of Jerusalem map:

And finally I have to share another map from one of my favorite map makers at AH.com, Bruce Munro. Called "Old World", it features a timeline where the Americas never existed:

Video Gallery (Paradox Edition)

Only two videos this week, both from Paradox. First up, the trailer for the next Crusader Kings II expansion, Rajas of India:

And then we have the progress trailer for War of the Vikings:

Calendar

March 15: Deadline for the Simon451, a writing contest for students with speculative fiction novels.

March 25: Last day to fund The Old Iron Dream by David Forbes at Inkshares.

August 14-18: Loncon 3, the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention, will be held in London (where the Sidewise Awards will be announced).

Links to the Multiverse

Articles

Back to the Future coming to the stage at SF Scope.
On Being a Book Reviewer by Lacy LeBlanc at Apex Publications.
The Other Victoria: Steampunk’s Queen by Steve Fahnestalk at Amazing Stories.

Books and Short Fiction

Alt Hist Issue 6 – Cover Reveal by Mark Lord and At Hist.
Oklahoma author provides steampunk story for comics anthology by Matthew Price at NewsOK.

Counterfactual/Traditional History

10 Failed Utopian Cities That Influenced the Future by Annalee Newitz and Emily Stamm at io9.
An Alternate History For Kansas Day by Jay Price at KMUW.
Freedom Drop: The 1968 plan to nuke North Korea by Ed Grabianowski at io9.
Is Pres. Obama A Time Traveler? This Photo Raises Questions by Tiffany Willis at Liberal America.
The Last Days of Blackbeard by Colin Woodard at Smithsonian.

Films

Who’s Afraid of a Counterfactual? Cancelling the film "CSA" (The Conferederate States of America) by Gavriel D. Rosenfeld at The Counterfactual History Review.

Interviews

Delilah S. Dawson at The Qwillery.
Ian Sales at Sense of Wonder.

Podcasts

Dissecting Worlds: Series 8, Episode 2: Small Gods at Geek Syndicate.

Reviews

About Time at Amazing Stories.
Arcanum by Simon Morden at The Dallas Morning News.
The Daedalus Incident by Michael J. Martinez at The Qwillery.
Elementary 2.14 at Thinking about books.
I, Frankenstein at Korsgaard's Commentary.
Old Mars edited by George R R Martin and Gardner Dozois at Thinking about books.
Revolution 2.13 at Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress.
Sherlock 3.2 at Thinking about books.
Three Princes by Ramona Wheeler at Bibliotropic.

* * *

Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new short story "Road Trip" can be found in Forbidden Future: A Time Travel Anthology. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.

Elsewhen Press signs Canadian satirist for comedy science fiction novel

DARTFORD, KENT – 20 JUNE 2012 – Elsewhen Press, a small independent publisher specialising in Speculative Fiction, today announced that Canadian satirist and author Ira Nayman, has signed a publishing deal for an undisclosed sum for a humorous science fiction novel, a spin-off from his popular Alternate Reality News Service (Alternate Reality Ain’t What It Used To Be, What Were Once Miracles Are Now Children’s Toys and Luna for the Lunies!).  The novel, Welcome to the Multiverse (Sorry for the Inconvenience), follows the first case for Noomi Rapier, rookie investigator with The Transdimensional Authority – the organisation that regulates travel between dimensions.  When a dead body is found slumped over a modified transdimensional machine, Noomi and her more experienced partner, Crash Chumley, must find the dead man’s accomplices and discover what they were doing with the technology.  Their investigation leads them to a variety of realities where Noomi comes face-to-face with four very different incarnations of herself, forcing her to consider how the choices she makes and the circumstances into which she is born determine who she is.

Al Murray, Managing Publisher of Elsewhen Press said “Ira’s new novel is both an hilarious romp through multiple dimensions in a variety of alternate realities, and a gentle satire on fate, ambition and expectation.  This is an exciting departure for Elsewhen Press; our first novel-length science fiction comedy. Welcome to the Multiverse (Sorry for the Inconvenience) will appeal to comedy fans who have been bereft of much good science-fiction fare these last eleven years.  Ira’s style is at times surreal, even off-the-wall, with the humour flying at you from unexpected angles; he describes it as fractal humour.  Anyone who has read his Alternate Reality News Service stories will know how funny Ira is.  The characters we meet from around the multiverse deserve to become firm favourites with all fans of science fiction comedy.”

Elsewhen Press adopts a digital-first policy, initially publishing new titles in ebook format and subsequently in print editions.  Welcome to the Multiverse (Sorry for the Inconvenience) by Ira Nayman will be published in a digital edition this autumn and in print early next year.

About Ira Nayman

In his past lives, Ira Nayman was, among other things: a cave painter whose art was not appreciated in his lifetime; several nameless peasants who died before their 20th birthday during the Dark Ages; a toenail fungus specialist in the court of Louis XIV; and Alan Turing’s scullery maid.

In his current incarnation, Ira is the creator of Les Pages aux Folles, a Web site of political and social satire that will be 10 years old in the first week of September, 2012 (that’s positively Paleolithic in Internet years!). Three collections of Alternate Reality News Service (ARNS) stories which originally appeared on the Web site have been self-published in print. Two new volumes of ARNS stories – The Street Finds Its Own Uses for Market Lateralization and The Alternate Reality News Service’s Guide To Sex, Love and Robots will be published in 2013. Probably. Hopefully. 2014 at the latest. Ira has produced the pilot for a radio series based on stories from the first two ARNS books; “The Weight of Information, Episode One” can be heard on YouTube.

Ira has also written a series of stories that take place in a universe where matter at all levels of organization has become conscious, featuring Antonio Van der Whall, object psychologist, four of which have appeared in print.

Ira’s Web Goddess tells him he should make more of the fact that he won the 2010 Jonathan Swift Satire Writing Contest. So, Ira won the 2010 Jonathan Swift Satire Writing Contest.

In another life (but still within this incarnation) Ira has a Masters degree in Media Studies from The New School for Social Research which was conducted entirely online. He also has a PhD in Communications from McGill University. Ira taught New Media part-time at Ryerson University for five years.

Whoever created the Karmic wheel has a lot to answer for...