Closing Time

After 5 years and 1,000,000 views, its time to close the door on Alternate History Weekly Update.

I feel bad about doing this, especially after my post celebrating my millionth view where I said I wasn't going anywhere, but I need to be honest with myself and you.

You see when I created Alternate History Weekly Update, one of the primary reasons was to help me write more by giving myself a deadline. More than five years later I can say with all sincerity that I was successful in that goal. I now write all the time for multiple sites and I have even been published. Mission accomplished.

That said, I've found my writing for The Update becoming increasingly stale and just not enjoyable anymore. I don't post many articles outside of my regular recurring series and I find even making those to be like a chore. On top of that, some of you may have noticed on social media that I have taken a short break from the Internet. Its nothing serious, but I certainly hit a wall and needed time to really think about what brings me joy in life.

Sadly this blog does not bring me joy. I will always be thankful for the opportunities it has brought me and the people I have met through it, but I need to break outside of the box it has put me in. Thus this will be the last post on The Update. I won't be taking down the blog because I want to keep it up as an archive of my writing and editing.

So what happens next for me? Well I am not going to disappear. I actually have created a new blog under The Alternate Historian banner. This will be the official site for news about and articles by me...but I will be posting on an irregular basis. My primary focus will now be my YouTube channel because I really do enjoy making videos and I want to become better at it. So if you haven't subscribed already, please do so. Or follow me on Facebook, Twitter (@alt_historian), Tumblr and DeviantArt, all of which are associated with The Alternate Historian. Plus I will still be writing for Amazing Stories, interviewing for SFFWorld and participating as a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge.

More importantly, I am hoping I will have more time to write fiction. I would love to publish more short stories or finally write that novel I always talk about. Because I will now have so much more free time, I might just get the chance.

Once again, thank you everyone for making Alternate History Weekly Update one of the premier sites for alternate history news and reviews. Its been a wonderful ride and I hope you will join me on the next stage of my journey.

Weekly Update #248! What I Am Reading Now...

Editor's Note

So I have been sick with a cold for the last few days (I guess this is what I get for turning down a free flu vaccine from my work). I did have brief moment on Saturday where I felt well enough to go outside and do some apple picking, but as I write this on Sunday I am sitting next to an overflowing garbage can full of my used tissues. Even Alana is afraid to kiss me. So my apologies if I don't have much to post this week. I also need to post a video soon, but until I get my voice back it may be a while.

Don't forget to check out Map Monday: Different Ottoman Partition by Panhomo and my review of Prince of Outcasts by SM Stirling, which has revitalized the Emberverse series in my humble opinion. Also don't forget to buy your books through our Amazon banner. May I recommend last week's new releases or some of the books I will be mentioning below?

Also I don't think I will be posting a Flag Friday this week. I didn't find anything interesting to talk about from last week's crop of flags. Still if there are any intrepid alternate vexillologists out there who want to showcase their work, send a submission to ahwupdate at gmail dot com.

And now the news...

What I am reading now...

So my next review will be the first Casefile: ARKHAM book, titled "Nightmare on the Canvas", which is perfect with Halloween season being upon us. Here is the description from Amazon:

What if Raymond Chandler wrote Lovecraft stories? Set in the mid-1940s, Casefile: ARKHAM follows Hank Flynn, a down on his luck private eye who is back from the war and now working the mean streets of the most cursed city on Earth Arkham, Massachusetts. And things only get worse for Flynn when a wealthy uptown socialite hires him to track down an artist by the name of Pickman. What begins as a simple missing persons case leads Flynn down a dark path of flesh eating ghouls, vengeful witches, and the notorious Innsmouth mafia.

The book I am currently reading, however, is King of Worlds by M. Thomas Gammarino, which can best be described as a 90s nostalgia trip set in the near future of an alternate history where humans have started colonizing the galaxy. So far its good, but a little sad. Here is the description from Amazon:

This dark comedy explores the lost universes of disgraced idol Dylan Greenyears. Dylan had always wanted to live as many lives as he could--that was the appeal of being an actor. But at the end of a brief, bright stint as a Hollywood heartthrob, Dylan loses the lead in Titanic and exiles himself and his wife to a recently settled exoplanet called New Taiwan.

At first, life beyond Earth seems uncannily un-wondrous. Dylan teaches at an American prep school, raises a family with his high school sweetheart, and lives out his restlessness through literature. But then a box of old fan mail (and the hint of a galaxy-wide conspiracy) offers Dylan a chance to recapture the past. As he tries to balance this transdimensional midlife crisis against family life, Dylan encounters a cast of extraordinary characters: a supercomputer with aspirations of godhood, a Mormon-fundamentalist superfan, an old-school psychoanalyst, a sampling of his alternate selves, and, once again, the love of his lives.

King of the Worlds throws cosmology, technology, nineties pop culture, and religion into an existential blender for a mix that is by turns tragic and absurd, elegiac and filled with wonder.

Next up is a book I have already read, but I am going to be jointly reviewing it with Alana on the channel. Its Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany. Believe or not, there is some alternate history in this book, in the It's A Wonderful Life variety. Anyway, here is the description from Amazon:

"The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places."

And the last book I am reading right now is the Folio Society edition of The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. Now I have read this book already, but Alana hasn't. So we are reading it together in preparation for Season 2 of Amazon's The Man in the High Castle. Here is the description from the Folio Society:

In 1962 Philip K. Dick conjured a new vision of our world – a twisted simulacrum in which the Axis Powers have won the Second World War. America is now divided: the eastern United States is the puppet of a maniacal German Reich, while the western Pacific seaboard is governed by a militaristic, yet spiritual, Japanese dictatorship. Amongst the complexities of this new existence, a group of unremarkable people – an American- Jewish craftsman, a judo instructor, a Japanese diplomat – play out their everyday lives, each striving to uncover a remnant of goodness in the shadow of a gathering evil. As their narratives intersect, Dick poses larger metaphysical questions concerning the authentication of history, perception and the building blocks of destiny.

So that is what I am reading and will be reviewing soon. If you want, read along with me and maybe we can discuss it together.

You should also check out...

• Nisi Shawl's, author of Everfair, appearance on Midnight in Karachi (via Tor).

* * *

Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, DeviantArt and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Weekly Update #247: Hearts of Iron IV Gets First Major Patch

Editor's Note

So a lot happened in the last two weeks since my last Weekly Update. Please humor me while I go through it all.

First up, WE GOT 1 MILLION PAGE VIEWS. It still feels good to say that and I get a little tingle every time I go to my blog's dashboard and see those seven figures. Everything else pretty much pales in comparison, but waiting for the page count to tick over is a passive project. While waiting I interviewed one of my favorite authors, Jack Campbell (a.k.a. John G. Hemry) for SFFWorld. I even got a DeviantArt profile so I can share some of my map and flag posts/videos with that community.

I have also been busy as usual writing for this blog. If you haven't looked at any of those article already, I can recommend several of them such as Weekly Update #246, where I showcased some of the books that I will be reading in September. Plus you may want to check out my Map Monday articles where I featured "The Day After the World of Tomorrows"​ by Rvbomally and "Causae Deus - Climate of (Deglaciated) Antarctica" by Gian.

We also had a couple of new guest posters to the blog. Michael J. Martinez (MJ-12: Inception) made his debut on the The Update discussing how to write about sexism in racism in historical fantasy and newcomer Theo Taylor gave us two guest posts featuring President Washington's third term and a scenario where Alexander the Great drives farther into India.

I'll end this Editor's Note by congratulating Naomi Novik for winning the first ever Dragon Award for Alternate History. In the meantime, why not show some support to Novik and The Update by purchasing League of Dragons or any other new alternate history release through our Amazon banner?

And now the news...

Hearts of Iron IV Gets First Major Patch

Paradox Development Studios released the first major update for its World War II grand strategy game, Hearts of Iron IV. The “Sunflower Patch” is largely devoted to improving the game’s AI and user interface, as well as the usual changes to the game's balance and historical database, plus a number of bug fixes.

You can read the full list of changes and updates on the official Paradox Community forum here, but here is a brief list of the highlights from the press release:

• Changes to how peace conferences are handled, based on a design by Steam user Neutrino
• Hotjoin now available for multiplayer games, so you can connect to a match already in progress
• Custom difficulty settings let you adjust the relative power of Germany, Italy, France and the Soviet Union
• More nations can now be released as independent countries
• Re-sync button added to address connection issues without rehosting the game
• AI more likely to update templates, build nuclear reactors and cancel unnecessary production
• AI less likely to risk encirclement, opt for a Communist France or throw everything at North Africa
• Naval combat has been balanced to prevent light cruiser spam
• Changes to national territorial cores (Portugal loses, Sinkiang gains)
• A number of crashes caused by modding have been fixed
• Submarines better at finding surface ships, worse at finding other subs

Video of the Week

If I were you I would watch Tamara's new review of Back to the Future II:

I especially liked how she gave the figurative middle finger to some of the assholes in her comment section. Next up you should also check out some of my videos, like "What if 9/11 Didn't Happen"?

And "The Alternate History Map That Ended Up In A History Textbook":

I enjoyed this one, just because its fun to rag on major corporations who forget to fact check.

You should also check out...

• Tor lists the year's best alternate history books (so far).
• Hundreds of thousands of Catalans stage independence protests (via The Guardian).
• Ship found in Arctic 168 years after doomed Northwest Passage attempt (via The Guardian).
• Mexico threatens to cancel treaty that ceded Texas and California to US if Trump gets elected (via Raw Story).
• 30 Years Later, Watchmen's Unacknowledged Optimism Persists (via Paste). 
• Underground Airlines is one of the bleakest alternate histories ever (via Ars Technica).

* * *

Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, DeviantArt and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

1 MILLION VIEWS!!!

Am I old for referencing Dr. Evil? Who the Hell cares...1 MILLIONS VIEWS!!! You can't imagine how good it feels to write that.

I feel the same way reaching 1 million views as I do when reaching my destination on a long hike. I'm happy I got there and I am amazed that I was able to do it, but I realize that I still have a long walk ahead of me before I can finally rest. Its moments like this that make me want to look back at where I came from and also speculate on what the future will bring.

Now usually I like to do a "State of the Blog" post for accomplishments like this, where I go through our growth and such, but because 1 million views is such a big deal, I've decided to forego that (for now) and just be real for a second.

First, I need to say thank you to everyone who made this possible. Thank you to my wife Alana for her endless patience with me shutting myself away in my office to write. Thank you to my family and friends for their help and encouragement for a hobby that has become almost a second job. Thank you to all of the alternate history creators out there for giving me something to talk about, because God knows I can't come up with anything original myself. Thanks also to all of the contributors who are way more talented than I am for submitting guest posts and such to this blog.

Most importantly, thank you to all of my readers. You guys allow me to get through the day by giving me an outlet to be creative. Your comments, both the complimentary and the critical, keep me going, even when times get tough. I've shared some happy and dark times with you guys and no one could ask for a better group of people to do it with.

So now that I am done looking backwards, its time to look ahead at the trek that awaits me. I like to say that I will always be here, bringing news and reviews on alternate history, but we all know nothing lasts forever. This year we saw two blogs that I loved, SF Signal and My Bookish Ways, close their doors for good. It came as a surprise to many, me included, but I sympathized with the people behind them. Its tough blogging full time, especially if you have family or have other projects you want to work on.

Don't worry, this isn't a good bye post. To continue with my hiking metaphor, I may just find myself taking a trail I didn't originally plan to traverse. Blogging is fun, but it does mean I have less time for other things I may want to do. For example, I love making videos for YouTube. It gives me a feeling I haven't felt since I started blogging. I would love to learn how to use better editing software, try out new filming techniques or maybe even take a class on acting or public speaking...but that requires time I don't have.

I also like the idea of being a professional book critic. Instead of pushing papers all day, I could be turning pages and analyzing literature. It sounds...nice. Like something I should have done a long time ago. Although I have a good job and I like the people I work with, there is nothing wrong with having a crazy dream...but to seriously pursue it, I need to find more time in the day.

That said, I can't forget what brought me here. This blog and everyone who hangs out here has helped propel me to where I am now and will continue to push me farther toward the horizon. Leaving this place, if I were to truly do it, would be the hardest decision I've had to make in a long time. So you won't be seeing the end of Alternate History Weekly Update anytime soon.

I'm Matt Mitrovich, your editor. For now, let the journey continue.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

The Alternate History Map That Ended Up In A History Textbook

Did you know an alternate history map got published in a history textbook? Watch this video to learn more.

Check out Andri/Kuusinen's Deviant Art profile: http://kuusinen.deviantart.com/

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

What if 9/11 Didn't Happen?

This year mark the 15th anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks. An event that changed the world for many, but for the 2016 Freshmen class, its just history. So as alternate historians, we must ask: what if 9/11 Didn't Happen?

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Weekly Update #246! Alternate Histories to Read in September

Editor's Note

It's hard to believe summer is ending. Although I am indoor kind of guy, I do love summer. The early sunrises, the barbecues, the festivals, the beach days, the picnics and the all-around beautiful weather that lets me read outside in comfort. I had a great time this summer and I will be sad to see it go.

Recommendations from last week include Sam McDonald's review of the anime: Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. I am still surprised by the number of anime works that feature alternate history content and will probably need to sit down and watch some of them in the future. In the meantime, my thanks to Sam for bringing these obscure works of alternate history to my attention.

Don't forget that you can support The Update by buying through Amazon. Click on the banner to your right when you go to purchase something and we will get a little something something to fund our mission of bringing you the best alternate history news and reviews on the Internet. If you are looking for something to buy, may I recommend some of last week's new releases or maybe some of the books below?

Finally, I am posting this a little early due to my Labor Day plans. I hope no one minds (and I don't care if you do). Map Monday also may come out later than usual.

And now the news...

Books to Read in September

So there are a lot of good books coming out in September that I am excited to read. In fact I decided to preview a few of them in case you want to read along with me. The first one is Michael J. Martinez's MJ-12: Inception which is coming out tomorrow. Now you can already read my thoughts on the book by checking out my review on Amazing Stories, but here is the description from Amazon:

It is a new world, stunned by the horrors that linger in the aftermath of total war. The United States and Soviet Union are squaring off in a different kind of conflict, one that’s fought in the shadows, where there are whispers of strange and mysterious developments.

Normal people across the United States have inexplicably gained paranormal abilities. A factory worker can heal the sick and injured. A schoolteacher bends emotions to her will. A car salesman alters matter with a simple touch. A former soldier speaks to the dying and gains their memories as they pass on.

They are the Variants, controlled by a secret government program called MAJESTIC-12 to open a new front in the Cold War.

From the deserts of Nevada to the palaces of Istanbul, the halls of power in Washington to the dark, oppressive streets of Prague, the Variants are thrown into a deadly game of shifting alliances. Amidst the seedy underbelly of nations, these once-ordinary Americans dropped in extraordinary circumstances will struggle to come to terms with their abilities as they fight to carve out a place for themselves in a world that may ultimately turn against them.

And as the MAJESTIC-12 program will soon discover, there are others out there like them, some with far more malevolent goals.

Also coming out tomorrow is Bill Fawcett's 101 Stumbles in the March of History: What If the Great Mistakes in War, Government, Industry, and Economics Were Not Made? Although Bill wrote most of the essays in this book, there are many other contributors from the alternate history genre who are participating like Harry Turtledove, Eric Flint, Mike Resnick and Charles E. Gannon. I actually have a couple posts about the book coming out tomorrow, but in the meantime, here is the Amazon description:

DID I DO THAT???

When asked to name a successor, Alexander the Great declared that his empire should go “to the strongest”. . . but would rival factions have descended into war if he’d been a little more specific?

What if the Vienna Academy of Art took a chance on a hopeful young student named Adolf Hitler?

If Pope Clement VII granted King Henry VIII an annulment, England would likely still be Catholic today—and so would America. 

Bill Fawcett, author of 100 Mistakes That Changed History, offers a compendium of 101 all-new mammoth mistakes—from the ill-fated rule of Emperor Darius III to the equally ill-fated search for WMDs in Iraq—that will, unfortunately, never be forgotten by history.

Coming out tomorrow as well (the first Tuesday of any month is usually a big day for new releases) is a book I have been very excited to read: SM Stirling's The Prince of Outcasts. This is the next book in the Emberverse series, which I have gushed about on numerous occasions and I have even reread the first three books a couple of times. In case you are interested, here is the description from Amazon:

John Arminger Mackenzie wanted to be a troubadour, but fate made him the son of the king of Montival. His sister Princess Órlaith will deservedly inherit the throne of the High Kings, and it will only pass unto him in the event of her death, leaving the young Prince on an unknown path to discover his true role in the family. 

The opportunity to prove his mettle comes when John’s ship, the Tarshish Queen, is caught in the fierce storm raised against the enemies of the alliance. When the clouds recede and the skies clear, John and his crew find themselves on the other side of the Pacific, in the island chains of the Ceram Sea, fighting to survive against vicious pirates and monstrous creatures of the deep, meeting new allies and mysterious enemies of this world and another. 

Now, Prince John must seize his birthright and lead his people in battle against the darkest forces man and nature can conjure against them.

And now we get to our last, but certainly not least, book coming out in September that I wanted to talk about. Its What Ifs of Jewish History: From Abraham to Zionism edited by counterfactual historian, Gavriel D. Rosenfeld. I actually just started reading this book and I am enjoying it. Its even given me a few ideas for what if videos (like a Protestant Christian state founded in Palestine in a world where Germany won WWI). More on that later, but for now, here is the Amazon description:

What if the Exodus had never happened? What if the Jews of Spain had not been expelled in 1492? What if Eastern European Jews had never been confined to the Russian Pale of Settlement? What if Adolf Hitler had been assassinated in 1939? What if a Jewish state had been established in Uganda instead of Palestine? Gavriel D. Rosenfeld's pioneering anthology examines how these and other counterfactual questions would have affected the course of Jewish history. Featuring essays by sixteen distinguished scholars in the field of Jewish Studies, What Ifs of Jewish History is the first volume to systematically apply counterfactual reasoning to the Jewish past. Written in a variety of narrative styles, ranging from the analytical to the literary, the essays cover three thousand years of dramatic events and invite readers to indulge their imaginations and explore how the course of Jewish history might have been different.

Well I hope you guys find something to read this month and if it is any of the books I mentioned, please let me know what you think about them.

Video of the Week

Today's video of the week is AlternateHistoryHub's "What if Gunpowder Never Existed?":

And let's not forget my recent video where I asked what if the America First Committee kept America out of WWII?

You Should Also Check Out

• What Snopes has to say about whether the Star Spangled Banner enshrines slavery.
• Mussolini's message to future that was revealed under a Rome obelisk (via BBC).
• The alternate history map stolen by a Danish publishing company and put in an actual history textbook, which I may do a video about in the future. (via Kultur)
• Vice's profile of The Great War, the YouTube history series telling the story of WWI in real time and one of my favorite channels.
• What would have happened if Mark Hamill & Carrie Fisher didn’t want to return for Star Wars: Episode VII (via /Film).

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Top 5 Posts from August 2016

Most viewed map from August 2016.

Well summer is winding down so lets take a look again at what you all thought were the best articles in the waning days of the season:

1) World War II Was a Team Effort, Deal With It by Dale Cozort.

2) Technology in Alternate History by Rvbomally.

3) Map Monday: Colonization of Europe, 1855 by Falkanner by Matt Mitrovich.

4) New Releases 8/16/16 by Matt Mitrovich.

5) Map Monday: And Mighty Be Her Powers by SRegan by Matt Mitrovich.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

What if the America First Committee kept America out of WWII?

Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, a powerful isolationist organization attempted to keep the United States out of World War II. The Alternate Historian asks: what if they succeeded?

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Weekly Update #245! More on Let's Read

Editor's Note

Ugh, I had a rough week. A combination of working a couple nights, a financial emergency and one painful headache later meant I had little time to actually commit to working on anything, especially my next video. It also didn't help that the sudden interest in the "alt-right" has led to many people on Twitter confusing the movement with, you guessed it, alternate history. Sigh, I may have to address that issue eventually.

Highlights from last week included Map Monday: Carolina and Friends 1800 by Rebecca Stirling, which was actually liked by the official Library of Virginia Twitter account, so that's cool. Plus there was Rewriting the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake by Beth Cato, which was another great guest post. I hope to have more like it from a variety of alternate historians in the near future. Also people seem to have enjoyed Alkebu-lan 1260 AH or: What If Africa Was Never Colonized? so if you haven't watched it already, go check it out.

And now the news...

More on Let's Read

In case you missed it, last week I posted a short video discussing a new series suggested to me by CountPeter on AlternateHistory.com that I am calling: Let's Read.

Here’s how it works: if you are a writer (aspiring or otherwise) who wants to draw attention to your alternate history, you can submit an excerpt of it to me and I will read it on my channel and include sound effects and music for atmosphere. It’s a great way to promote your alternate history by introducing potential readers to stories they may have overlooked.

Excerpts should be no longer than 3500 words. They can be from web originals that are posted on sites like AlternateHistory.com or from published or soon to be published works. Excerpts should be interesting to listen to or, to put it another way, after listening to it a person should want to read the full piece to find out what happens next. If you need help making an excerpt, check out Choosing a Book Excerpt at Indies Unlimited or 5 Tips For Creating A Strong Excerpt From Your Novel Or Memoir at Writer's Relief.

And, of course, excerpts should be alternate histories, but I will accept related genres, like steampunk, historical fantasies, time travel, etc. I also reserve the right to reject any submissions I don’t feel meet the standards of what I am looking for. If you have any other questions or would like to submit an excerpt, send it to ahwupdate at gmail dot com.

And good news everyone! We already got our first submission from Alison Morton, who sent an excerpt of her novel: Perfiditas. Thanks Alison and I look forward to reading more excerpts. If this proves successful I may find guest readers or create entire radio plays. Also Let's Read doesn't have to be a series devoted to just my channel. Anyone and everyone can join in, but don't forget to try The Alternate Historian first.

You Should Also Check Out...

• What a medieval historian thinks of the cult classic, Trollhunter (via Tor).
• What David Peterson, the creator of Dothraki and Valyrian on Game Of Thrones, and Dr. Paul Frommer, the creator of Na'vi in James Cameron's Avatar have to say about conlags and Hollywood with Cracked.
• The video where the world largest butt-shaped aircraft...crashes (via Gizmodo).

* * *

Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Let's Read: Call for Submissions

We are introducing a new video series called Let’s Read. Get excerpts of your works read and promoted on The Alternate Historian channel. Learn more watching by the below video:

Send submission to: ahwupdate at gmail dot com. If you need help making an excerpt, check out these articles:

• http://writersrelief.com/blog/2012/03/how-to-excerpt-book/
• http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2014/07/18/choosing-a-book-excerpt/

* * *

Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Weekly Update #244! Motherland is a Military Fantasy where the United States uses Witches to Fight Terrorists

Editor's Note

I'm writing this the morning after seeing Let's Play Live at the Chicago Theater. For those who have no idea what I am talking about, its like a concert for video game players, with an intentionally bad variety show thrown in to fill time when they are setting up their systems for the next game. It was fun...but surreal. I sat for several hours and watched people play video games and put on absurd skits. I definitely recommend checking it out if you like gaming.

Don't forget to check out my review of "Discards" by David D. Levine on Amazing Stories. It was enjoyable short story to read and a good place to start if you want to get into the Wild Cards universe.

Also the winners of Sidewise Awards were announced this weekend at WorldCon in case you missed it.

And now the news...

Motherland is a Military Fantasy where the United States uses Witches to Fight Terrorists

If that title sounds weird to you...you're correct, but most alien space bat timelines can be.

Freeform, formerly ABC Family, is producing a new one hour drama called Motherland. It will be produced by Gary Sanchez Productions, with Adam McKay, Will Ferrell and Kevin Messick executive producing. Eliot Laurence (Welcome to Me, Claws) is listed as the writer. According to Deadline:

Motherland is described as an epic military fantasy set in an alternate America where witches ended their persecution 300 years ago by cutting a deal with the U.S. government to fight for their country. The project is set in contemporary times where young women conscript at 18 and receive basic training in combat magic at a base called Fort Salem. The show follows three young women from basic into early deployment. In this world, the traditional roles of gender and power are flipped. Women are on the front lines fighting looming terrorist threats that are familiar to our world, but their tactics and weapons are supernatural.

So do you think this story can work? Using witches in the military or law enforcement isn't a ridiculous idea. Richard Matheson published "Witch War" which follows a similar concept and then there is Lou Antonelli's "The Witch of Waxahachie". But can the story work on the small screen? I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Video of the Week

Gladiator, the unintentional alternate history film, gets the Honest Trailer treatment:


Congrats also to the Honest Trailer guys for getting an Emmy nomination. If you want more alternate history videos, don't forget to check out my recent video on this upside down map of Africa:

You Should Also Check Out...

• Alternative Magazine Online's interview with Ben Winters, author of Underground Airlines.
• Will Chase, who played Luke Wheeler on Nashville, has joined the new ABC drama Time After Time. (via EW)

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Alkebu-lan 1260 AH or: What If Africa Was Never Colonized?

Did you ever wonder what Africa would look like if it was never colonized by Europeans? Well Swedish artist Nikolaj Cyon took a shot at it and The Alternate Historian is going to review his map.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Weekly Update #243! George RR Martin's Wild Cards Are Coming to Television

Editor's Note

A quick recap of last week's post. First up, go learn more about Tales From Alternate Earths and the recognizable names you might find on Weekly Update. Next up, do you like alternate maps of Liberia? Then you may want to check out "And Mighty Be Her Powers" by SRegan. Also, check out how Brooke Johnson's rewrites history for your entertainment in her guest post to promote her new novel, The Guild Conspiracy.

Also don't forget there were a lot of new alternate history releases last Tuesday. If you see anything you like, please click on the links provided when you go to buy it and support The Update.

And now the news...

George RR Martin's Wild Cards Are Coming to Television

On his official website, George RR Martin announced that Universal Cable Productions (UCP) had acquired the rights to adapt Wild Cards for television. For those who don't know, Wild Cards is a long running series of anthologies and mosaic novels that is contributed to by multiple authors, including Martin. It is set in an alternate timeline where history changed in 1946 when an alien virus was released over New York City, killing many and also mutating others into hideous, deformed creatures called "Jokers". A few lucky "Aces", however, were granted superpowers.

It combines the realism that people love from A Song of Ice and Fire/Games of Thrones with the superhero genre. In fact the first volume of Wild Cards lost the 1986 Hugo Award to Watchmen, another superhero work known for its gritty reimagining of the cape and cowl crowd. Its odd how deconstructing superheroes was so popular 1980s.

Anywho, according to Martin, there will be several interlocking series. Melinda M. Snodgrass, a long time Wild Cards editor and contributor, is attached as an executive producer on the project, together with Gregory Noveck (who previously attempted to adapt Wild Cards into a movie). At the moment we don't know which characters or stories will be adapted, but with such a large volume of works to pull from (I believe there are 22 volumes as of now) I am sure they will never run out of tales to tell.

Martin, however, did assure us we will see Croyd Crenson. Known as "The Sleeper", every time Croyd fell asleep, he awoke with a new body and powers...but these changes aren't always welcomed developments. I am curious to see what they will do with this character. Since you would essentially need to cast an entirely new actor every time Sleeper changes, this could be an ingenious way to get well known actors to guest star on certain episodes.

That being said, Martin will not be involved in the production, since he has an exclusive deal with HBO and is busy writing The Winds of Winter. As much as I would like to see him involved in the project...I want him to finish The Winds of Winter. GOD DAMN IT GEORGE! I NEED MY FIX!

Excuse me...not sure what came over me there. Anywho, well I am excited about this news. I haven't read all of the Wild Cards volumes yet, but what I have read I have enjoyed immensely. If you love comics or just like realistic takes on popular tropes, then you should definitely check out the series. Here is hoping Hollywood pulls through and brings Wild Cards to the small screen.

You Should Also Check Out...

• Why Brooklynites are upset about a statue of Captain America. (via NY Post)
• Alex Wallace's interview with alternate cartographer Rvbomally. Also, stay tuned for today's Map Monday for some more Rvbomally. (via Odyssey Online)
• This record Michael Phelps tied last week that sounds like it should have happened in an alternate history. (via Deadspin)
• That season 2 of The Man in the High Castle will premier on December 16. (via IGN)

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

New Bookcases!

I got new bookcases, which means I also got a new set for my videos.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Thoughts on Stranger Things (with Matt and Alana)

Matt and Alana discuss Stranger Things, Netflix's awesomely weird homage to the the 1980s.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Weekly Update #242! Tales From Alternate Earths is Available for Preorder

Editor's Note

In case you guys haven't read it already, go check out Dale Cozort's "World War II Was a Team Effort, Deal With It". This was perhaps one of the most popular posts we've on The Update in months. Dale is already working on Part 2, so stay tuned for more WWII discussion that is sure to excite all of you alternate historians out there.

And now the news...

Coming Soon: Tales From Alternate Earths

I just realized I know a lot of people involved in this anthology, but lets start from the beginning. In case you don't know what Tales From Alternate Earths is, here is the description from Amazon:

Our world could have been so very different... 

Eight stories take us on a journey into how our world could have been. What if the nukes had flown that day over Cuba? What if Caesar had survived? Imagine the Tunguska meteor with a different outcome. What if there was a true story behind HG Wells' most famous tale? See the world as it might have been if China discovered the New World first. And what if all of this was never meant to be and dinosaurs ruled the Earth? 

Authors Jessica Holmes, Daniel M. Bensen, Terri Pray, Rob Edwards, Maria Haskins, Cathbad Maponus, Leo McBride, and collaborators Brent A. Harris and Ricardo Victoria show us the world that might have been - if the butterfly's wings had fluttered a different way, if the world changed between heartbeats, if a moment of decision saw another choice. 

This is the fourth anthology from Inklings Press, aiming to provide a platform for new and upcoming authors and to open the door onto different worlds.

Besides my Facebook fried Brent Harris, long time readers of The Update may recognize the name Daniel M. Bensen, who has contributed a lot of articles to the blog. So congrats to him and everyone else who got a story accepted in this anthology. Tales from Alternate Earths is current available for pre-order in case you want to reserve your copy today.

Video of the Week

If you were one of the only people on the Internet not to watch it, here is the honest trailer for Zack Snyder's Watchmen:

I'm also not going to lie...I liked this movie. I know its sort of controversial in comic circles, but its dumb fun and it has a great soundtrack. In other news, don't forget to check out my new video on why Hollywood loves to destroy California:

Still waiting on title card from Marc. Will keep you posted.

You Should Also Check Out...

• SFFWorld's interview with Paul Kane, author of Sherlock Holmes and the Servants Of Hell.
• How excited Germany is to be a good guy in the next world war (via The Beaverton).
• The cover reveal for Lou Antonelli's Another Girl, Another Planet.
• The winner of The Qwillery's July 2016 Debut Author Challenge Cover Wars: Arabella of Mars by David D. Levine.
• Why the presidents need a council of historians according to The Atlantic.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Trope Talk: Destroying California

Why does Hollywood love destroying California?  We'll find out in this Patreon sponsored Trope Talk.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Top 5 Posts from July 2016

Most viewed map from July 2016.

So July wasn't one my best months in terms of page views, probably because I took a whole week off from blogging in the middle of it, but we still had some amazing articles. Check them out below.

1) Why Are Alternate History Adaptations So Poorly Made? by Josh Weiss.

2) Flag Friday: Concept Flags for Hearts of Iron 4 by Rock by Matt Mitrovich.

3) Anime Review: Full Metal Panic! by Sam McDonald.

4) The Alphabet of Alternate History: C by Dale Cozort.

5) Map Monday: Greater Lebanon by Simon Regan by Matt Mitrovich.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Weekly Update #241! BBC's Time Commanders is Coming Back

Editor's Note

Another week, another chance to talk alternate history. In case you haven't read it already, go check out Josh Weiss's "Why Are Alternate History Adaptations So Poorly Made?". Do you agree with his opinions on alternate history adaptions or do you think the films he mentioned aren't that bad?

And now the news...

BBC's Time Commanders is Coming Back

Last week the news broke that Time Commanders is coming back to television...and if you were an American like me that news initiated a "Huh?". According to their call for contestants, BBC describes Time Commanders as a show where "two teams of three friends, family, or colleagues will take control of opposing ancient forces, facing our computer, pre-programmed by our historical experts, before they face off against each other in one of history’s biggest battles."

This actually sounds awesome, but leave it to James Whitbrook of io9 to explain just how awesome this show can be for alternate historians. Apparently Time Commanders was a show where contestants play a heavily modified version of Rome: Total War and reenact certain historical battles to see if they can do better than history's greatest generals. Historians are on hand to provide insight and fiddle with the AI and there is even an announcer providing commentary.

Being a Total War fan, this sounds pretty cool to me. Plus Total War has so many games now set during different historical eras and places that there are a lot of battles that can be played out or altered. Why stick to Rome when you can stop William the Bastard from conquering England or lead Napoleon to victory at Waterloo?

I'm not sure if this show is coming to the States, but if it does, I'm sure I will check it out.

Video of the Week

Self-promotion time again. Don't forget to check out my newest video on the Sidewise Awards:

And don't forget to stay tuned for my new Trope Talk video...which isn't necessarily about alternate history.

You should also check out...

• Why Current Affairs think you should be terrified by people who like the musical Hamilton.
• What happened after the North Carolina GOG confused a Marine pin for the flag of Honduras. (via The Charlotte Observer)
• How a Powerful Obesity Gene Helped Samoans Conquer the South Pacific (via Gizmodo).
• Tor's announcement that they acquired two Romanov-inspired fantasy novels by Leena Likitalo.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger for Amazing Stories, a volunteer interviewer for SFFWorld and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not exploring alternate timelines he enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.