Welcome to our January 2026 issue. We hope you enjoy it!
Table of Contents
Introduction and Editor’s Notes Bjorn Hasseler
Magdeburg Messenger (fiction)
1. When Jimmy Met Barbie Edith Wild
2. Something Old Bethanne Kim
3. Dagnabit Belle Chuck Thompson
4. The Grand Adventure of Baron Münchhausen In The Land Of The Americans Robert F. Lowell
5. Adieu Anvers Marc Tyrrell
6. The Brezelgeist Romance David Hankins
Columns
7. The Mannington Minute Jackie Britton Lopatin
8. Historic Gems Reconstructions
9. 1632 Minicon Bjorn Hasseler
Editor’s Introduction
As the January issue comes right before Valentine’s Day, we decided to have a romance theme. The intention was that the stories would be love stories.
Our authors went in a different direction….
First, they asked if that included St. Valentine’s Day massacres—and were able to cite multiple events. But in the end, they didn’t go there, either.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has another definition of romance:
“prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place and usually heroic, adventurous, or mysterious”
(, definition 2 a (2))
We don’t know whether our authors looked this up, but it’s what they wrote. A couple of the stories in this issue fit definition 1, but all of them fit definition 2.
Magdeburg Messenger (Fiction)
This issue’s cover is taken from Edith Wild’s story “When Jimmy Met Barbie.” You met Jimmy and Barbie in her story “Come Dig My Earth” in Issue 10. This is their prequel.
“Something Old” follows up on one thread in Bethanne Kim’s novel Red Shield, which will be released January 6. It’s up to you, but you might want to save this story and read the novel first.
The Ring of Fire didn’t shock just the up-timers and down-timers. It also affected their pets. Chuck Thompson focuses on one of them in “Dagnabit Belle.”
In his first 1632 story, Robert F. Lowell relates “The Grand Adventure of Baron von Münchhausen in the Land of the Americans.” It’s about a historical down-timer who is the ancestor of the man with whom you are probably more familiar.
In Issue 12, you met Alphons and Rose in Marc Tyrrell’s story “To Kill A Redbird.” This issue’s story “Adieu Anvers” takes place earlier.
David Hankins follows up “The Abrabanel Rescue” from Issue 14 with “The Breselgeist Romance.”
The State Library Papers (1632 Non-Fiction)
We have three short non-fiction columns in this issue.
The first is Jackie Britton Loptain’s “Mannington Minute.”
“Historic Gems Restorations” is about a non-profit restoring buildings in Mannington.
The last is about next year’s convention.
The Coming Soon and Available Now sections are growing again as Baen rereleases more books.
Copyright
ERIC FLINT’S 1632 & BEYOND ISSUE #15
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters places, and events portrayed in this book are fictional or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real people (living or dead), events, or places is coincidental.
Editor-in-Chief Bjorn Hasseler
Production and Design Bethanne Kim
Editor Chuck Thompson
Cover Artwork by Cortney Skinner
Interior Art Garrett W. Vance
1. Science Fiction-Alternate History
2. Science Fiction-Time Travel
Copyright © 2023-2026 Flint’s Shards Inc.
All rights reserved, including the right to copy, reproduce and distribute this book, or portions thereof, in any form.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-962398-33-6
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-962398-34-3
Distributed by Flint’s Shards Inc. 339 Heyward Street, #200 Columbia, SC 29201
