Heidi Durrow and Koji Steven Sakai Accepting Proposals for Time Travel is Not for Everyone

I came across a curious time travel anthology in my Internet travels that I thought was perfect for Black Alternate History Month. Called Time Travel is Not for Everyone, it was conceived by Heidi Durrow, author of The Girl Who Fell from the Sky, and screenwriter/producer Koji Steven Sakai and they are currently accepting time travel stories focusing on characters from underrepresented and minority communities

According to the press release: "Time travel is the ultimate imagined adventure for many. But for people from underrepresented and minority communities time travel could be more of a disaster than an adventure. An Asian American from 2015 who lands in the United States during World War 2, a gay married couple dropped in the middle of the conservative South in the 1950's, or a mixed-race person transported to Africa during the slave trade would face substantial challenges in those times."

“Before this, time travel has been limited to only a few people, we hope this book allows everyone to travel through time,” said Sakai. “This is a great twist on the time travel concept and we know some amazing writers are going to be as excited about contributing, as we are to be working with them.”

The submission deadline is March 1, 2015. Each proposal should include: 1) a one-page proposal featuring a main character from an underrepresented community traveling back in time; 2) a writing biography or resume; and 3) a writing sample of no more than 25 pages. Proposals and questions can be sent to Time.Traveling.4.All.of.Us at gmail dot com.

With time travel being one of the most popular methods of creating an alternate history, there is certainly a lot of potential for some good and original stories. If you plan to submit a story, please let us know.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. Check out his short fiction. 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.

The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth will be published in June 2015

If you followed me on social media (and shame on you if you don't) you would have seen the cover for SM Stirling's new anthology of Emberverse (or Change Series depending on your personal preference) short fiction coming out in June 2015 and will feature many well-known science fiction and fantasy authors. Titled The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth, here is the overview from Penguin:

ALL-NEW STORIES OF THE EMBERVERSE
by S.M. Stirling, Harry Turtledove, Walter Jon Williams, John Birmingham, John Barnes, Jane Lindskold, and more…

“[A] vivid portrait of a world gone insane,” S. M. Stirling’s New York Times bestselling Novels of the Change have depicted a vivid, utterly persuasive, and absorbingly unpredictable postapocalyptic wasteland in which all modern technology has been left in ashes, forcing humankind to rebuild an unknowable new world in the wake of unimaginable—and deliberate—chaos. 

Now, in this startling new anthology, S. M. Stirling invites the most fertile minds in science fiction to join him in expanding his rich Emberverse canvas. Here are inventive new perspectives on the cultures, the survivors, and the battles arising across the years and across the globe following the Change.

In his all-new story “Hot Night at the Hopping Toad,” Stirling returns to his own continuing saga of the High Kingdom of Montival. In the accompanying stories are fortune seekers, voyagers, and dangers—from the ruins of Sydney to the Republic of Fargo and Northern Alberta to Venetian and Greek galleys clashing in the Mediterranean.

These new adventures revisit beloved people and places from Stirling’s fantastic universe, introduce us to new ones, and deliver endlessly fascinating challenges to conquer, all while unfolding in a “postapocalyptic landscape that illuminates both the best and the worst of which our species is capable,” “a world you can see, feel, and touch.”

Contributors to The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth Include
Introduction: The Change as Setting and Secondary World by S. M. Stirling
Hot Night at the Hopping Toad by S. M. Stirling
Rate of Exchange by A. M. Dellamonica
Tight Spot by Kier Salmon
Against the Wind by Lauren C. Teffeau
The Demons of Witmer Hall by M. T. Reiten
Bernie, Lord of the Apes by John Jos. Miller
The Seeker: A Poison in the Blood by Victor Milán
Grandpa’s Gift by Terry D. England
Fortune and Glory by John Birmingham
The Venetian Dialectic by Walter Jon Williams
The Soul Remembers Uncouth Noises by John Barnes
Topanga and the Chatsworth Lancers by Harry Turtledove
The Hermit and the Jackalopes by Jane Lindskold
The New Normal by Jody Lynn Nye
A Missed Connection by Emily Mah Tippetts
Deor by Diana Paxson

I am really curious about what Turtledove's "Topanga and the Chatsworth Lancers" is about. Could it be a homage to Stirling's The Peshawar Lancers? Meanwhile, John Birmingham blogged about his story "Fortune Glory". It is going to be a crossover with his The Disappearance series and will feature characters from those books. You can check out a brief snippet on Birmingham's blog as well.

Now this isn't Stirling's first foray into anthologizing one of his universes. In 2000, he released Drakas!, an anthology of short fiction set in The Domination of the Draka universe. What is unique about the Emberverse books is that there is a more content to pull from and it has a small fan fiction community. The main editor for that group, Kier Salmon, also has a work in The Change and some of her characters have made it into the canon. Could this be the beginning of a larger and organized fan fiction community for the Emberverse, similar to what happened to 1632? I guess we will have to wait until next summer to find out.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. Check out his short fiction. 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.

Book Review: Flashing Steel, Flashing Fire by Matthew Quinn

Guest post by Kieran Colfer.

If books are food for the brain, then a short story collection is like a buffet table. Small, bite-sized portions of stories the reader can pick and choose from (or eat them all!), enough to whet the appetite, hopefully enough to give the reader a taste for other tales by the same author.  As with all buffet tables, not everything on the menu may be to a particular person's taste, but if one particular morsel doesn't satisfy, you can easily move on to the next one.

So, how does Flashing Steel, Flashing Fire by Matthew Quinn fare on our culinary tour of the world of fiction? Will we still be hungry at the end or will it be enough to sate our palates? Read on and find out!

The book is divided into ten stories, of roughly even length:

"Coil Gun" - The Cold War between the USA and the Afrikaaner Confederation has turned hot, and an American missile silo commander has to engage in a duel of wits with an intelligence officer on the other side. At stake? The world!

"Lord Giovanni's Daughter" - A princess is being held captive by the evil snake-men. Who can rescue her before the snake-king has his wicked way with her?

"Nicor" - Every Viking has his coming of age, his first ever raid. A young Dane experiences something terrifyingly out of the ordinary on his.

"Melon Heads" - Urban Legends are just that, legends. Aren't they?

"Picking up Plans in Palma" - It was supposed to be a quick in-and-out job, retrieving the plans for the new Confederation wonder-weapon. it was also supposed to be a job for a trained spy though...

"Illegal Alien" - Sometimes when you're trying to cross the border illegally, being caught by the authorities isn't the worst thing that can happen to you.

"The Beast of Bosphorus" - A Lovecraftian tale in a very non-Lovecraftian environment - can this strange and unsettling book help the Emir in his war with the hated Venetians?

"I am the Wendigo" - There are two sides to every monster story - here, the beast gets his turn in the limelight for once.

"Lord of the Dolorous Tower" - In a land of magic devastated by a long-ago cataclysm, a couple of young adventurers decide to see if the old tales are true.

"Westernmost Throne" - On the eve of the Presidential election, a young campaign assistant finds out that her boss isn't the man she thought he was.

Some of the buffet items here are like tasters for the main course where you are eager to find out more - why are the Afrikaaners and the USA in a cold war for example, and how? Who is our strange barbarian adventurer, and why does he want to build a library? These feel like they deserve a book of its own, if not a series. Some of the stories however seem like the portions are a bit too small for their own good, and could maybe do with a bit more fleshing out, like the "Wendigo" and the "Lord of the Dolorous Tower". Each story, however,  has its own little twist or subversion on what you would normally expect in a story of its ilk, and while at first glance it seems to be a rather eclectic collection of tales with no common threads, there are thematic links between each story that bring the whole thing together.

So, in short, should you decide to dine at this table of fictitious delicacies, you are sure to come away with something that is to your taste....

Book Review: The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All by Laird Barron

I enjoy good weird fiction like any other introverted guy who enjoys creeping the normies out at parties by discussing the books he reads. Yet so much weird fiction these days seems to be just a regurgitation of what Lovecraft already wrote, with only few exceptions. So when I was given the chance to review The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All by Laird Barron and saw the inevitable comparisons to Lovecraft, I was hesitant to try the book. In the end I decided to give it a shot since I have not read an anthology of short fiction for quite some time. (Read the rest of the review over at Amazing Stories.)

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. Check out his short fiction. 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.

Preview: Flashing Steel, Flashing Fire: A Short Story Collection by Matthew W. Quinn

Friend of The Update Matthew Quinn has a new short story collection out, Flashing Steel, featuring many of his alternate history short fiction. See the description from Amazon below:

The vivid imagination of Matthew W. Quinn has carried him far from our mundane world to places of mystery, wonder, and terror. Now is your chance to join him on ten adventures ranging from Dark Age Denmark to a world where North America and Europe face off against the Indian Ocean in a Cold War to the forgotten and frightening corners of our own present day...

COIL GUN-On the opening night of the Third World War, an American spaceport official plays off against an Afrikaner intelligence officer with the fate of the world in the balance. Previously published in PRESSURE SUITE: DIGITAL SCIENCE FICTION #4.

LORD GIOVANNI'S DAUGHTER-A scholar and adventurer must rescue his employer's daughter from the fierce Talassos, prince of the serpentine Naga.

NICOR-A teenage Dane on his first Viking raid encounters something fiercer than the Anglish. Previously published in HEROIC FANTASY QUARTERLY.

MELON HEADS-A pair of young lovers in Ohio discover what they thought an urban legend is very, very real...

PICKING UP PLANS IN PALMA-An American spy infiltrates the brutal Afrikaner Confederation to retrieve vital plans, not knowing the terrible fate awaiting him...

ILLEGAL ALIEN-A group of undocumented migrants seeking the American dream encounter aliens of a different sort...

THE BEAST OF THE BOSPORUS-After the destruction of the Ottoman fleet at the Battle of Lepanto, Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha seeks power of a different sort, power that puts him at the mercy of powers beyond human comprehension.

I AM THE WENDIGO-Many tales have been told about the wendigo, the man-eating fiend of the northern woods, but when has the wendigo ever spoken for himself? Previously published in CHIMAERA SERIALS.

LORD OF THE DOLOROUS TOWER-In a world wracked once by a celestial impact and then again by a fierce Dark Lord, two adventurous teens go treasure-hunting in the Dark Lord's tomb...

WESTERNMOST THRONE-On the eve of the U.S. Presidential Election, a campaign receptionist finds out her boss is much more than he says he is...

Frequent guest reviewer Kieran Colfer will be reviewing the collection so expect to see his review in the near future.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. Check out his short fiction. 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.

Introduction to the Altered America Anthology

Guest post by Bruno Lombardi.

What if the Louisiana Purchase never happened?

What if George Washington had been a Loyalist?

What if a billionaire cloned the Founding Fathers?

What if the Vikings had settled North America?

What if the Apollo 11 moon landing had failed?

The history of the U.S. is filled with innumerable What if...possibilities.

A new alternate history anthology by Martinus Publishing, Altered America, will be coming out at the end of March 2014, featuring 21 alternate history stories that will touch on some of these possibilities. The full table of contents of the anthology can be seen here.

In a small way, Alternate History Weekly Update helped make this anthology a reality, as a ‘call to arms’ on this blog back in October helped bring a spate of new submissions, with a variety of members from various alternate history discussion boards that follow this blog having their stories accepted for publication.

Collecting stories from both established writers (several of the writers have been featured in other anthologies by Martinus Publishing) and new writers getting their first sale, the stories will touch on a wide assortment of what if possibilities. Any fan of alternate history will almost certainly find at least one story in this collection that will peak their interest.

I’m particularly excited by this anthology as it features not one, but two, of my stories in this one, including one story on a topic near and dear to me – the Space Race and an alternate Apollo landing. As a published writer focusing mostly on science fiction and fantasy, it was a thrill trying my hand on some good old fashioned ‘historical’ fiction.

Altered America is now available for pre-order.

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Bruno Lombardi has had several short stories and one novel published since 2013. His very first published short story "A Thursday Night at Doctor What's Time and Relative Dimensional Space Bar and Grill" appears in The Temporal Element anthology and is available on Amazon. He can be reached on Facebook.

Altered America:Tales of Alternate History and Forgotten Possibilities is Seeking Submissions

A new alternate history anthology came to my attention recently. It is titled Altered America and it is currently accepting submissions up to December 31st. Published by Martinus Publishing, the anthology is looking for alternate histories based on American history.

"For this collection, I'm looking for 'Alternate History' stories based on the North American continent; tales that incorporate some explanation of what alteration to history caused a divergent reality to form," said Martin T. Ingham, Senior Editor at Martinus Publishing. "A few examples of already accepted stories include one where Vikings have settled along the eastern seaboard, one where the Louisiana Purchase never happened, causing for a radically different arrangement of nations (even as John F. Kennedy is elected President of United New England), and a story where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin crashed and died during Apollo 11, and the subsequent mission to successfully land a man on the moon."

"Stories that will find easy acceptance will be ones with fleshed out characters, an interesting storyline, and some obvious 'Alternate' history that is explained," said Martin. "As much as I like Twilight Zone type stories where weird things happen, that isn't what this collection is about.  I mention this because I've seen a lot of really good stories that were reminiscent of that show, but didn't incorporate any historical factor. Think Harry Turtledove over Rod Sterling for this anthology."

When I asked how plausible the stories had to be, Martin responded: "As for the 'alien space bats,' there is some room for that, as well as straightforward historical alteration.  One story I recently accepted involved an pseudo-magical addition to 1903, though it was definitely 'Alternate' and 'History.'  A lot of the stories I've had to reject didn't really involve alternate history/dimensions at all.  For example, one involved a reporter who had some kind of alien contact and subsequently anything he said became reality.  This story might have worked if it had been a newscaster in 1960 and he used this power to somehow change history as we know it, but as some generic guy in a small town in an undefined year, it couldn't be considered 'Alternate History' by any stretch."

Although you can find more information about submitting by clicking on the links above, remember that submissions are due December 31st and the word count is between 2000 to 6000 words. All questions and submissions can be sent to mtiediting at inbox dot com.

Good luck! Hopefully I might see a couple of our readers with their names in print.

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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.

Preview: Alt Hist Issue 5 edited by Mark Lord

In the interest of full disclosure, I have received a review copy of Alt Hist Issue 5 edited by Mark Lord and will be posting a review in the near future. Here is the description from Amazon:

Alt Hist Issue 5 features stories covering a variety of historical periods from the 1800s to post-War USA. This issue includes five new original works of fiction including stories about Al Capone and Italian Futurism, the aftermath of the American Civil War, the real Frankenstein, the Bridge that consumes the souls of men, and the latest instalment in a series of stories about a successful Nazi invasion of Britain. Alt Hist is the magazine of Historical Fiction and Alternate History, published twice a year by Alt Hist Press. Stories featured in Alt Hist Issue 5: 

Priya Sharma’s “After Mary” is set in the mid-1800s and is the story a scientist with dreams of greatness who lives alone in his country house with only his assistant, Isobel, and servant Myles. Then his friend comes to the house and leaves a copy of Frankenstein, which changes everything. 

“AD 1929” by Douglas W. Texter is a story describing a meeting of artistic guile and criminal muscle. This is a tale of what might have happened if the Italian Futurist F.T. Marinetti had come to America and gone to work for Al Capone. 

Meredith Miller is the author of “The Stiff Heart” which draws its title from a poem by Emily Dickinson. Meredith’s piece is a story about life under the surface, in New England in the 1870s where secrets and fears and desires sometimes refuse to behave properly. Not everyone joins in the self-satisfied complacency of this prosperous post-Civil War community. 

Micah Hyatt is the author of “The Bridge”. Throughout history men have risked their lives to achieve great feats of engineering: The pyramids of Giza. The Empire State building. The Panama canal. But those who build The Bridge risk their very souls. 

“Rotten Parchment Bonds”, the latest story in the Battalion 202 series by Jonathan Doering, features Harold Storey, a quiet man praying for a quiet life after the horror of the First World War trenches. But his prayers are cruelly crushed by the German Invasion of Britain in 1941. As a police officer he is forced to co-operate with Nazi officials and is thrown into moral turmoil by the accommodations that start to be made. But perhaps there is one good man amongst the enemy ranks?

Alt Hist Issue 5 currently has a 4.4 on Amazon and a 3.67 on Goodreads. Edi from Edi's Book Lighthouse reviewed the anthology saying " Mark Lord put together a well mix of stories which show the variety of alternate history. You get exactly what has been promised. It is a great opportunity to discover not so well known but promising alternate history authors." We will see if I will say the same thing...

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new story "The Enchanted Bean" can be found in Once Upon a Clockwork Tale from Echelon Press. 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.

Once Upon a Clockwork Tale Available in Paperback and E-book!

Once Upon a Clockwork Tale is now available for purchase. Yay!

This anthology of classic fairy tales given the steampunk treatment is brought to you by the good folks at Echelon Press. You can get your copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Createspace and Smashwords.

There are four stories, including "The Enchanted Bean" written by me. Here are the descriptions below:

"Wings" by Ella Grey 

Born into a world where the fairer sex hides coyly behind fans, Winifred is nowhere near the stereotype. She is fearless and passionate about her father’s scientific work. When the King summons him, Winifred is worried. The arrival of her six brothers and the mysterious Amelia and her silent brother offers distraction, but Winifred's entire world is about to change beyond recognition and it’s up to her to save everyone she loves. 

"Hands and Grater" by Robin Wyatt Dunn 

Hands and Grater don't understand their mother's unique love for them. For how much love can a machine truly give? As Grimm originally intended, this is a bildungsroman, a tale of two young people coming of age in a time and place filled with danger and joy. The time has come for brother and sister to leave the nest, and learn their true nature, and the nature of their mother. 

"Bitter Cold" by Kat French 

Childhood friends, Kit and Greta, live in an extraordinary place powered by alchemical magic and mechanical wonders. Just when life might offer him favors, Kit is captured by the Snow Queen, a ruthless industrialist, bent on developing her Eternity Engine. Greta must risk everything to save Kit. Can a stubborn young lady best the most powerful woman in the world, with a little alchemy, a lot of luck, and a clockwork reindeer? 

"The Enchanted Bean" by Matt Mitrovich 

How do you reach a fabled land of giants without any magic beans? Build an airship, of course. A British adventurer takes to the skies seeking wealth and glory, instead he finds ancient gods ruling an oppressive flying kingdom. With the help of their allies, these former masters of men want to replant the World Tree and rebuild their war machines. To stop the sky from falling, our hero will have to do more than chop down a beanstalk.

There are still review copies available, so if you are interested in reviewing the anthology or hosting a guest blog/interview, contact me at ahwupdate at gmail dot com. Current we only have e-book versions of Clockwork Tale for review.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new story "The Enchanted Bean" can be found in Once Upon a Clockwork Tale from Echelon Press. 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.

New Orleans by Gaslight: The First Anthology of Steampunk Fiction and Poetry Set in The Big Easy

The first-ever anthology of fiction and poetry set in the city of gas lamps, gumbo, and steamboats, all with a steampunk twist, is now available. Here is the description from Amazon:

In a New Orleans that Never Was and Never Will Be, there are a thousand stories to tell. There are stories of sorrow and triumph, of passion and fury, of love and of revenge. Aloft with cloud and sun, great warrior airships drift silently over the city below, crewed by eager young men and women awaiting the moment they will be called upon to strike against foes with cannon and with sword. Steamboats float down the river bringing travellers from far climes and distant lands unknown to our more mundane world. Lovers ride down the boulevards upon clockwork carriages drawn by mechanical horses. Cheated gamblers decide between making a break for the door or breaking the quiet calm with the staccato beat of revolver gunfire. Ragtime music echoes as fallen women ply the world's oldest trade in the streets of Storyville. Soldiers lead clanking platoons of clockwork automatons through the port on their way to their next deployment and archaeologists, explorers and adventurers set forth aboard airships to find new lands, fortune and glory or perhaps death in the forlorn forsaken corners of the globe. These are the stories of New Orleans By Gaslight.

New Orleans by Gaslight is edited by Brandon Black, a science fiction and fantasy author living in New Orleans, Louisiana and is published by Black Tome Books, a New Orleans based independent publisher focusing on speculative fiction with Southern flavor. Authors on the anthology include Jackson Kuhl (who was kind enough to send this press release), Shawn Aveningo, Gary Bourgeois, C.M. Beckett, Rob Cerio, Dionne Cherie, David Ducorbier, Philip Karash, Jay Wilburn and Matthew Wilson.

Featured stories include…

• Paranormal investigators Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla strive to uncover the truth of a haunting at the Old Opera House;
• Science leads an engineer toward accomplishments never before thought possible — and yet human hubris remains the same as it ever was;
• A Confederate slaveholder, caring little for the city's neutrality, hunts his escaped possession through the fogbound streets and alleys;
• Hurricane Katrina is reimagined in Victorian times;
• A yeoman aboard an airship learns the terrible price paid for his captain's victories.

These are the stories of a New Orleans that Never Was and Never Will Be. These are the stories of New Orleans by Gaslight. Learn more about the anthology at its website and Facebook page.

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This post is based on a press release submitted to Alternate History Weekly Update. If you have a work you would like, submit your press release to ahwupdate at gmail dot com.

Once Upon a Clockwork Tale Blog Tour!

Well it is finally happening. Once Upon a Clockwork Tale will be published on June 1st. This anthology of classic fairy tales given the steampunk treatment is brought to you by the good folks at Echelon Press. There are four stories, including "The Enchanted Bean" written by me. Here are the descriptions below:

"Wings" by Ella Grey 

Born into a world where the fairer sex hides coyly behind fans, Winifred is nowhere near the stereotype. She is fearless and passionate about her father’s scientific work. When the King summons him, Winifred is worried. The arrival of her six brothers and the mysterious Amelia and her silent brother offers distraction, but Winifred's entire world is about to change beyond recognition and it’s up to her to save everyone she loves. 

"Hands and Grater" by Robin Wyatt Dunn 

Hands and Grater don't understand their mother's unique love for them. For how much love can a machine truly give? As Grimm originally intended, this is a bildungsroman, a tale of two young people coming of age in a time and place filled with danger and joy. The time has come for brother and sister to leave the nest, and learn their true nature, and the nature of their mother. 

"Bitter Cold" by Kat French 

Childhood friends, Kit and Greta, live in an extraordinary place powered by alchemical magic and mechanical wonders. Just when life might offer him favors, Kit is captured by the Snow Queen, a ruthless industrialist, bent on developing her Eternity Engine. Greta must risk everything to save Kit. Can a stubborn young lady best the most powerful woman in the world, with a little alchemy, a lot of luck, and a clockwork reindeer? 

"The Enchanted Bean" by Matt Mitrovich 

How do you reach a fabled land of giants without any magic beans? Build an airship, of course. A British adventurer takes to the skies seeking wealth and glory, instead he finds ancient gods ruling an oppressive flying kingdom. With the help of their allies, these former masters of men want to replant the World Tree and rebuild their war machines. To stop the sky from falling, our hero will have to do more than chop down a beanstalk.

To promote the release of the anthology, I am going on a blog tour. If you are interested in receiving a review copy or hosting a guest blog/interview contact me at ahwupdate at gmail dot com. Current we only have e-book versions of Clockwork Tale for review.

Next week on The Update I am going to be posting interviews from the other authors on the anthology. You can also find upcoming guest blogs, interviews, reviews and more on:

• Dale Cozort's Blog.
• Alison Morton's Roma Nova.
• Lynn Rainey's books!
• Amazing Stories.
• Jeff Provine's This Day in Alternate History.
• Katina French's blog.

Go and subscribe to those sites so you can see more information about Once Upon a Clockwork Tale. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for more updates as we approach book day on June 1st.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new story "The Enchanted Bean" is coming out on June 1st in Once Upon a Clockwork Tale from Echelon Press. 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.

Upcoming Events and Anthologies

Since I missed last Monday's Weekly Update, I realized many of you missed out on important dates for events and anthology deadlines. Well I rectified that by sharing with you that information ahead of next Monday's Weekly Update. Enjoy!

Events

May 10-12, 17-19: Sioux Empire Community Theatre’s steampunk-themed production of “The Wizard of Oz” in Sioux Falls, SD.

May 23-26: The 2013 Phoenix Comicon has a whole slew of steampunk events planned.

June 15: Applications due for the Viable Paradise writing workshop.

Also the good folks at Tor.com have once again made a great list of steampunk events for the month of May. Before going, however, you might want to read Jay Lake's article on how steampunk cons can be confusing to genre authors.

Anthologies

May 31: Last day to submit your story to Ellen Datlow’s Fearful Symmetries.

September 10: Deadline for The Housewives Go Nuclear anthology.

If you are looking for more places to submit your works to might I recommend Farther Books and World Weaver Press.

Remember if you have events or calls for submissions you would like to share with The Update's readers, send us a head's up at ahwupdate at gmail dot com.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly and The Were-Traveler. 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.

Preview: Snodgrass and Other Illusions by Ian MacLeod

If you guys liked Ian MacLeod's Sidewise Award winning Wake Up and Dream, you might be interested in his new title: Snodgrass and Other Illusions.

Ian MacLeod’s short story "Snodgrass" is a retelling of the life of John Lennon, is now available in a new anthology coming out next Tuesday. Here is the description from Amazon:

After spending his adolescence like so many others had, playing in a band with friends, John Lennon knows it’s time to grow up. Skipping out on the Beatles before they would go on to become one of the greatest rock groups of the twentieth century, John moves to Birmingham. As he watches the exploits of friends Paul, Ringo, and George, John grows older and lives an ordinary life . . . and he is left wondering “what if?”

With “Snodgrass” as its anchor, this collection of eleven stories also includes “The Chop Girl,” inspired by the infamous Dresden bombing raids; “Past Magic,” a futuristic account of parents cloning their children who have passed away; “New Light on the Drake Equation,” inspired by a man’s journey as he searches for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence; and seven more tales that showcase MacLeod’s breadth as a writer.

"Snodgrass" has also been adapted for the small screen and will air on SkyTV in the UK April 25th. The show focuses on the story of a John Lennon who quit the Beatles and ends up living on government assistance. When the band play a gig down the street, suddenly there is a chance to make things right. Hopefully we will get a chance to see the show in the States because there are so few good shows for alternate historians but the Brits are at least heading in the right direction.

Nina Lassam from Open Road Media was kind enough to send me a review copy so stay tuned for the review, although I am not positive whether I will post it here or at Amazing Stories.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly and The Were-Traveler. 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.

Best of 2012

Wow an entire year of blogging about alternate history. 2012 is kind of special since this is the first full year The Update has been active. Thanks to the apocalypse not happening on the 21st (wow the hippies were wrong again) I get a whole new year to keep sharing my love of alternate history with you all.

Since the year is coming to an end, it is time to talk about the Best of 2012. Like I said before there is no scientific selection process about these "awards". No one is voting on anything and several of the works below were not even created this year. This is really just my personal thoughts and feelings on the subjects covered by The Update this year. Perhaps next year we will make a real award since the Sidewise only covers books and short stories.

So without further ado...

Book
The Update is primarily a literary blog so of course we need to start with the best book of 2012. My choice has to be Land of Hope and Glory by Geoffrey Wilson, even though it was published in 2011. It was a surprisingly delightful novel to read and I highly recommend you check it out. As for the books read by our other contributors...ah hell I don't know what to do about those. There are just so damn many of them. Seriously, check out the Book Review page and I will leave that decision up to you.

Franchise/series
We haven't covered many current series this year, although I have been enjoying the reprints of the Anno Dracula series by Kim Newman, especially The Bloody Red Baron. If you want to check out some classic universes of alternate history reviewed this year may I recommend Worldwar (reviewed by Chris Nuttall) and Crimson Skies (reviewed by Sean Korsgaard).

Anthology
The best anthology of 2012 has to go to Substitution Cipher, edited by Kaye Chazan and featuring a short story by our own Tyler Bugg. I have been covering the creation of this anthology since October 2011 and although my own submission was not selected, I am still thankful to Candlemark & Gleam for opening this anthology to the public. It inspired me to write more fiction. Now I got three of my short stories published and a job blogging for Amazing Stories (don't forget, beta testing starts Jan 2nd).

Short story
I thought about giving this nod to "Vampire Romance" by Kim Newman, but since I already gave Anno Dracula the nod for best series, I decided to go with "The Beast of the Bosporus" by Matthew Quinn. It is a fun cautionary tale about why you should not call on the Great Old Ones to solve your problems. Of course, I am not the only one to review a short story this year. Check out the review of "43*" by Jeff Greenfield done by Andrew Schneider.

Non-Alternate History
It is rare, but every once in a while we do feature a publication that does not fit even under the liberal definition The Update uses for alternate history. This year the honor for the best non-AH has to go to the "No Bulls**t Guide to Self-Publishing" by Jennifer Ciotta, author of I, Putin. This quick read is a must for anyone thinking about self-publishing.

Comics
For me personally, I have to go with The Five Fists of Science by Matt Fraction and Steven Sanders. In it Twain and Tesla team up to defeat tentacled evil in this steampunk adventure comic. Of course I would be remiss not to mention Chris Nuttall's review of Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation 2. I realize I have been promoting this review for three whole days now, but come on, it is doing well in page views. At least I'll promise not to show the cover art again.

Showcase
Speaking of page views, showcases of web original AH are the lifeblood of The Update. They have, until very recently, been our most popular posts. I can't stress enough how much I need showcases to publish on this blog. The people love them and I like to give the people what they want. That being said, how exactly do you pick the best of what is already the best? I decided to share one showcase from each of the authors who submitted one this year (and if they submitted more than one I selected the one I liked the best).

Although biased, I did enjoy the showcase I did for A Crack at Draka, a timeline featuring a revamped history of the Draka. Brian W. Daugherty feature on the extremely detailed Protect and Survive universe also brought light to an amazing piece of nuclear war fiction. Out of all the showcases written by Sean Korsgaard, however, I would have to pick A Giant Sucking Sound. You just don't see that many dystopias from the 1990s. Finally, let us move away from the good folks at AH.com to highlight the work of the editors over at the AH Wiki with Napoleon's World, covered by Tyler Bugg. It is a reminder to us that despite AH.com's vast size, there are other communities out there striving to produce excellent work of AH.

Please send me your thoughts on your favorite web originals. I would love to share them with our readers.

Film
Not a great year for film. As far as I know there were no pure alternate history films released this year (although some people think Django Unchained is one), but you did have a couple that were in the same spirit. I enjoyed Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter and Sean liked Iron Sky as well. Check out both of those movies and cross your fingers that we will see another alternate history film in our future (we have been experiencing a drought since 2011). Hopefully it will be War of the Worlds: Goliath.

Television
Not a great year for television either. The only thing we really had was NBC's Revolution, which if you read Seb's review of the first episode, didn't excite most AH fans. It seemed even the people who liked it spent more time apologizing for the show's flaws and suggesting ways to improve it. People seem to like Elementary, the modern Sherlock Holmes in America crime drama on CBS, but I have not watched it so I can't really comment. Perhaps 2013 will be better when the World War II, alien invasion drama Horizon is produced.

Podcast
Wow this is a tough one. On one hand I really like Twilight Histories by Jordan Harbour. This podcast has some imaginative scenarios and their presentation as a radio play makes this one of the most intriguing sources of alternate history. On the other hand, Series 6 of Dissecting Worlds has showcased a lot of good discussion on alternate history across various medias and I can't forget how nice they guys were when they invited me to be a guest on their American Civil War episode.

I don't know, I just can't decide. I guess you will just have to listen to both of them and decide for yourself.

Essay
Although Chris Nuttall's How to Write and Publish a Novel in Eight Easy Steps is probably one of the best essays I posted on this blog this year, it has little to do with alternate history. If you really want some counterfactual goodness, check out The Economics of a Roman Suez Canal by Christopher Brielman. I love it when writers step away from the great man theory and alternate battle outcomes when crafting their alternate history. Brielman's work needs to be read not just for the quality scenario he crafted, but also because it is an example as to why alternate historians must, must, MUST do their research. If you do, you get something as great as this essay.

Map
The map of the year has to go to Ben Carnehl:

More thought experiment than plausible alternate history, this map shows what the continental United States would look like if it balkanized along ethnic lines. I really need to do more with maps in 2013. Perhaps a "Map of the Week" post or something similar. Hmm...

Interview
Finally we are on the people awards. This was a difficult category to narrow down. How exactly do you judge the best interview you conducted with someone?

Among the books I personally read, I would have to say my favorite interview was with Roger L. Ransom, author of The Confederate States of America: What Might Have Been?. He crafted one of the most plausible CSA wins scenarios I ever read and it was also refreshing to talk to someone who enjoyed history as much as I do.

Among the books I did not read, I have to pick Rhys Davies, author of Timewreck Titanic. Not only did he have the best bio pic ever sent to me, but you can tell from his answers to my questions that he really put a lot of thought into them. They were a joy to read and I hoped you liked them as well.

Honorable mentions also need to go out to Doctor Quincy E. Quartermain (the biggest fan of alternate history/steampunk I ever met, who also gave me some good pointers about attending SF conventions) and Joe Pearson (the first film maker I ever interviewed).

Contributor
This is another difficult one, but not for the same reasons as stated in the above categories. Everyone who has contributed to The Update is dear to my heart. You guys (and gals) have brought me joy by just believing enough in the mission of this blog that you wanted to help in any way you could. Thank you.

However, if I had to pick, then the honor for best contributor would have to go to Chris Nuttall. He is one of our most prolific reviewers and essay writers. Plus his most recent submissions have been extremely popular, especially with the Reddit community. I can't imagine the number of followers to The Update have been enticed by the works of Chris. Thank you Chris and I hope I get the honor of posting more of your work on this site in 2013.

Conclusion
You know what I just realized? We did not review any video or computer games this year. Huh...really need to get better about that. So many things I wish I could have done. So many topics left uncovered. Not exactly regrets, mind you. Just...lost opportunities. I got a lot of interesting ideas for 2013.

Well guys I hope you enjoyed 2012. You have two more posts before the year is up (an alternate history and steampunk themed Weekly Update) before The Update starts 2013. I hope you are looking forward to the future. I sure am.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly and The Were-Traveler. 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.

Interview: Tyler Bugg

I now present my interview with friend of the blog and new author Tyler "Tbguy1992" Bugg:

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Well, not to much to say. Grew up on a cattle farm about 30 minutes north of the North Dakota border in Manitoba, Canada, and am currently attending the University of Winnipeg in my third year for a History degree. Was always interested in history as a kid, and perhaps that started when I was in Grade 3 and found a book on the Titanic: scared me senseless, my overactive imagination deciding to pretend I was on the boat that night after I read it, but it has stuck with me since then. Ask me anything about the Titanic, and I'm sure I can give you the answer.

I'm also a big PC gamer, playing such classics as Civilization and Command and Conquer (both of which can be considered AH to some degree), and I've recently been getting into the Fallout series, mostly because of the wonderful story rooted in a 50s-esque nuclear wasteland. Would love to get the chance to write for a video game... especially an Alternate History video game. Set in CANADA!

Oh, and I like hats. Big, fancy hats.

What got you interested in alternate history?

A trip to the local library, oddly enough. Wandering through the small building, I happened to notice a book with the US Capitol building in ruins and burning, with Confederate-flag carrying soldiers around it. I had found Harry Turtledove's Great War: American Front. I read that, and was hooked. A few months after that, I found the Alternate History Wikia online, and the rest is pretty much history.

I had a similar start to my alternate history obsession, except it was Worldwar: In the Balance by Harry Turtledove and it was the cover with Churchill and Hitler standing behind a piece of alien weaponry. Is Turtledove your favorite author?

Yes, I would have to say so. I'm not sure if its just because he was the first AH writer I was introduced to, or if its more because I really enjoy his stories and the entire timelines he creates. The only author I would name as a favorite, as in I have read most of his work, would be Tom Clancy, who does seem to have gone from a secret history in his Jack Ryan novels to an alternate history, not to mention the realistic and plausible World War Three scenario Red Storm Rising. I should find that book again...

How would you describe the Alternate History Wikia to someone who has never been there?

Its like Wikipedia, only with no need to cite your ideas and sources, and the excuse to make up anything you want. And believe me, people have made up whatever they want.  Just some things make more sense than others. I also believe that the AHWikia is a lower step than alternatehistory.com, because when you post on the Wikia, it seems that you usually don't get much feedback except if you ask for it. Its an unwritten rule on the forums that they will poke as many holes as possible into the idea, and any future posts related to that idea as possible. I'm sure, had I started posting my timelines on the AH Forum, I would have easily become dissuaded and gave up on the idea. There ya go! Alternate History on Alternate History!

What is "From Enigma to Paradox" about?

Very simply, its what happens if your most prized "secret weapon" falls into the enemies hands. In this case, its the Germany discovery of the Allies secret "Ultra" operation, the massive project to break the "unbreakable" German Enigma code, and how this will play into the future of the Second World War. The primary result is the "Unmentionable Sea Mammal" (thanks alternatehistory.com!) actually taking place, after a deceitful counter-counter intelligence operation which allowed the Luftwaffe to gain the upper hand in the Battle of Britain. Of course, the story doesn't end there, but I don't want to give away the end... yet.

What inspired you to write the story?

I guess the main thing was a book I found, written by Anthony Cave Brown, called Bodyguard of Lies. It was written in 1975, as the first wave of wartime documents were declassified in the United States and the UK, which showed exactly how massive, and at times improbable and insane ideas that the Allies put together to fight the intelligence war with Germany, especially the story of how Enigma was cracked. So, taking the story of Enigma, and then the famous "Operation Bodyguard" that deceived Germans to the true location, time and direction of the D-Day landings, I wrote a German variation, where the Nazi intelligence services work to deceive the British through the most vital stages of the Battle of Britain. Plus, I always was a fan of a Tom Clancy-esque spy caper, even if I didn't understand half the techno mumble-jumbo he throws in, so I wanted to try that.

What sources were particularly helpful when researching for your story?

Most of the idea for the story, and the knowledge of Enigma, came through Bodyguard of Lies. For other parts, it was mostly the background knowledge of World War II, including William Shrier's The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and Inside the Third Reich by Albert Speer, for information of the organization of the Nazi war machine, as well as The World War Two Desk Reference by Douglas Brinkley for tidbits and ideas for future research to flesh out the story.

And, I will shamelessly admit, Wikipedia.

Is this your first published story?

Yes, and I thank Candlemark and Gleam for the chance to be published! Also, (knock on wood), this isn't my only story to be published...

So you have been a fan of alternate history roughly 4 years and are already a published author in the genre, with a review in Publisher's Weekly and you are still in college. Wow. Any comment on that?

I...really don't know what to say, to be honest. I can't believe all of this has happened to the procrastinating, know-it-all, allergic-to-everything farm boy from the middle of nowhere, Canada. I try not to think of it too much, frankly, because then I get nervous that this run of good luck is going to crash and burn.

Then again, it shows anyone what they can do when they put their mind to it.

Do you have any other projects you are working on?

Oh, I always have Alternate History ideas: just open any history book! However, school is more important at the moment, but my Creative Writing class is helping flesh out and develop stories I otherwise would have put on hold. My timelines, like French Trafalgar, British Waterloo on the Alternate History Wikia is always being added to, but otherwise not much ready to be shipped out.

I do hope to have a larger novel(la) completed by the end of the school year, but time will tell how well that works out.

Do you plan to write fiction in your French Trafalgar, British Waterloo timeline?

I've always been back and forth on this idea. Sometimes, I think it would be cool to try to write a short story, or even a novel or two, based on events and outcomes from something I've already created. However, other times, I don't want to go into any further depth to the story than the God like, third person, "Wikipedia-esque" historical depth I already have invested in it. I may take ideas from it from time to time, but I highly doubt I will ever get around to making a larger story centered on FTBW. Too many other ideas I want to explore than to stick in the same place that already feels fairly well done in my opinion.

What are you reading now?

I actually just picked up Coup d'Etat, Harry Turtledove's new novel [Editor's Note: Fourth volume in the series began by Hitler's War]. Beside it, I have The Company of the Dead (which I got because A) its Titanic, and B) I read about it here on AHWU) Also have Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, but I'm taking that one slow. So many other books I have bought, but haven't opened yet!

Do you have advice for would-be authors?

Normally, this would be the part where the author would say "just keep writing!" However, I'm going a different path this time: something my Creative Writing professor, published Canadian author Margret Sweatman, told us: read! Ideally, you should actually be reading for both research and pleasure almost as much as you write. I take this particular idea to heart, if for no other reason that it gives me an excuse to read books when I'm procrastinating other things. And, don't be afraid to take ideas from other places. After all, every story has been told: its the writers job to retell that story in a new, interesting light, and Alternate History especially fits that role.

Review: Substitution Cipher edited by Kaye Chazan

I've said it before and I will say it again: us alternate historians are a wordy bunch. We are so excited to show off the world we built that we neglect the story. That is probably why non-genre authors do so well in the Sidewise Awards. They do not have the same bad habits we do.

That is why I have gained a great appreciation for the art of short fiction. It forces the author to exorcise text blocks full of backstory and get to what really matters. If it is alternate history, we learn what is different not from the author narrating on high, but from the characters as they work through the drama of their lives. So I was very excited to get a copy of Substitution Cipher edited by Kaye Chazan. Some of you might remember that I covered the creation of this alternate history/spy thriller anthology from Candlemark & Gleam early on. Now after a year of waiting I finally got a chance to read it.

Let's start from the beginning. The first story is "So the Taino Call It" by M. Fenn. It tells the tale of a Portuguese spy as he tries to sabotage Columbus expedition to the New World. It reads like the plot of Avatar, but that is not meant to be a criticism since it is a lot more believable than the film (it makes perfect economic sense to travel to another solar system, dig something out of the ground and bring it back). It is formatted as a diary, which you will see more than once in this anthology.

"Sphere of Influence" by Rebecca Rozakis is a cloak and dagger adventure in a moving Venice that steampunk fans will enjoy. To avoid a diplomatic incident, a Venetian agent helps recover a gift that was supposed to be delivered to the ruler of Austria. I enjoyed reading about strong female characters matching wits in a clockwork world and I think you will too.

"From Enigma to Paradox" by Tyler Bugg...have I heard that name before? Of course, he wrote the non-fiction articles The Maple Leaf (Not Quite) Forever: Canada in Alternate History and Rearranging the Deck Chairs and Changing the Course: Titanic Alternate Histories From the Writers Point of View, plus the short story Four Famous Pictures And How They Are Interconnected. So how did this Weekly Update alum's first foray into published fiction hold up?

The story follows a German intelligence agent stumbling upon the knowledge that the Allies have cracked the Enigma machine (the Enigma machine also made an appearance in Fatherland by Robert Harris, the book not the film), but he has come up with a plan to use it against the them. The story starts off like another Nazis win TL, until Tyler takes it in a completely different direction, like any good writer would. All and all, it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from Tyler.

I wish I could say the same about "In God We Trust" by G. Miki Hayden. The story suffers from its completely implausible alternate history. The United States is predominantly Muslim and gender equality happened in the 18th century. President Eleanor Roosevelt reflects this was likely because the Louisiana Purchase fell through, but it is mentioned that a women served on Washington's cabinet, which would put the POD farther in the past, and America controls Little Rock, Arkansas. What?

Then there is the United Tribes, an ambiguously sized Native American state that has VTOL aircraft (something ATL Americans do not have) and the ability to regrow amputated limbs (something OTL Americans do not have), but are amazed by such American inventions as synthetic fiber and soda pop. Add a space-filling Japanese Empire, a French Mexico and tons of historical characters who haven't changed despite the centuries old POD and you get an alternate history that is contradictory and confusing. I like weird history, but this one will be a difficult read for hardcore plausibility hounds.

Things got back on track with "Something There Is" by C.D. Covington. As the Soviets prepare to build a wall in Berlin, a young girl discovers she has a mysterious connection to her city that the secret police want to exploit. I truly felt for the main character, I know the powerful pull the love of home can be. This story also can be viewed as a different take on the superhero genre. Why do characters as invincible as Superman or with mandates to police dozens of star systems like Green Lantern, operate out of just one city? Do cities consciously choose certain individuals to be their guardians in times of crisis?

The anthology rounds off "The Ashkenazi Candidate" by Kaye Chazan, who is also the editor. An alternate Cold War finds a fascist Britain and socialist (or perhaps communist) United States preparing for mutually assured destruction. To prevent this, the United States has sent one of their best deep cover agents into the heart of MI6. Getting him out, however, could be a problem. This was a good, solid story to end the anthology and I like how Kaye subverted the Bond girl trope (but probably not in the way you would expect).

Except for "In God We Trust", I can recommend all of the stories in Substitution Cipher. You will get your chance to read the anthology on December 18. In the meantime, stay tuned for an interview with newly minted author Tyler Bugg.

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Matt Mitrovich is a long-time fan of alternate history, founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly and The Masquerade Crew. 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.