Table of Contents
Fiction
The Anaconda Project Episode Nine Eric Flint – DELAYED
1. Hook or By Crook Victoria L’Ecuyer
2. An Electrifying Experience Jack Carroll
3. One Fine Day John Zeek
4. A Bell for St. Vasili’s Keith Robertsson
5. Daedalus’ New Wings Kerryn Offord
6. Dafydd and Goliath Terry Howard
7. In the Army Now Gorg Huff and Paula Goodlett
Serials
8. Hallelujah, Part Two David Carrico
9. Turn Your Radio On, Episode Two Wood Hughes
Nonfiction
10. An Analysis of the Effect of Evangelical Missions on the 1632verse John Davis
11. Better Foundations, Part 2: Putting Concrete to Work Iver Cooper
12. Fire Breathing Hogs Kevin Evans
What is This? About the Grantville Gazette
Written by Grantville Gazette Staff
The Grantville Gazette originated as a by-product of the ongoing and very active discussions which take place concerning the 1632 universe Eric Flint created in the novels 1632, 1633 and 1634: The Galileo Affair (the latter two books co-authored by David Weber and Andrew Dennis, respectively). This discussion is centered in three of the conferences in Baen’s Bar, the discussion area of Baen Books’ web site. The conferences are entitled “1632 Slush,” “1632 Slush Comments” and “1632 Tech Manual.” They have been in operation for almost seven years now, during which time nearly two hundred thousand posts have been made by hundreds of participants.
Soon enough, the discussion began generating so-called “fanfic,” stories written in the setting by fans of the series. A number of those were good enough to be published professionally. And, indeed, a number of them were—as part of the anthology Ring of Fire , which was published by Baen Books in January, 2004. ( Ring of Fire also includes stories written by established authors such as Eric Flint himself, as well as David Weber, Mercedes Lackey, Dave Freer, K.D. Wentworth and S.L. Viehl.)
The decision to publish the Ring of Fire anthology triggered the writing of still more fanfic, even after submissions to the anthology were closed. Ring of Fire has been selling quite well since it came out, and a second anthology similar to it is scheduled to be published late in 2007. It will also contain stories written by new writers, as well as professionals. But, in the meantime . . . the fanfic kept getting written, and people kept nudging Eric—well, pestering Eric—to give them feedback on their stories.
Hence . . . the Grantville Gazette. Once he realized how many stories were being written—a number of them of publishable quality—he raised with Jim Baen the idea of producing an online magazine which would pay for fiction and nonfiction articles set in the 1632 universe and would be sold through Baen Books’ Webscriptions service. Jim was willing to try it, to see what happened.
As it turned out, the first issue of the electronic magazine sold well enough to make continuing the magazine a financially self-sustaining operation. Since then, nine more volumes have been electronically published through the Baen Webscriptions site. As well, Grantville Gazette, Volume One was published in paperback in November of 2004. That has since been followed by hardcover editions of Grantville Gazette, Volumes Two and Three.
First: The magazine had been paying semi-pro rates for the electronic edition, increasing to pro rates upon transition to paper, but one of Eric’s goals had long been to increase payments to the authors. Grantville Gazette, Volume Eleven is the first volume to pay the authors professional rates.
Second: This on-line version you’re reading. The site here at http://www.grantvillegazette.com is the electronic version of an ARC, an advance readers copy where you can read the issues as we assemble them. There are stories posted here which won’t be coming out in the magazine for more than a year.
How will it work out? Will we be able to continue at this rate? Well, we don’t know. That’s up to the readers. But we’ll be here, continuing the saga, the soap opera, the drama and the comedy just as long as people are willing to read them.
—The Grantville Gazette Staff
COLUMNS:
So . . . How was the con?
Written by Paula Goodlett
In a word, great. Marvelous is another accurate descriptor.
I enjoyed Albacon immensely. Great hotel, decent hotel food, lots of restaurants within walking distance that had truly great food, absolutely gorgeous weather in Albany for the weekend.
The 1632 convention went very well, thanks to the organizers of Albacon and to the fans who came to participate. The room reserved for our use was just about the right size and stayed full. We might even have been able to use a larger one. We covered the scheduled panels, got a lot of really good ideas for future stories and generally spread the happiness around.
Virginia DeMarce’s panels, “Time Passed in the Past” and “What Didn’t Happen” were very well received, as was Gorg Huff’s “Economics in 1632.” “Snerking the Plots” is a perennial favorite, of course, as is “How to Get Published in the Gazette.” Iver Cooper’s dance demonstration went very well and his later discussion on the social aspects of dance was really informative. One of the best panels, however, was “Weird Tech.” Boy oh boy, did we get a lot of ideas!
We were also treated to a filk involving Brillo the Ram, which will someday appear here in the magazine, all going well.
All in all, Albacon was a very informative, productive experience and it’s one that we’re eager to share with more fans.
Which we will be doing. Next year, over the July 4th weekend. (Appropriate, considering the Fourth of July Party, isn’t it?) We’ll be running our 1632 Minicon at Fiestacon/Westercon 62 in Tempe, Arizona. Here’s their website: http://www.fiestacon.org/
It’d be great to see more fans there. Y’all come see us next year.
We’re pleased to have given a subscription to the Grantville Gazette to the Liturgy, Hymnody & Pulpit Quarterly Book Review, who have asked for review copies of future 1632 universe books.
We publish reviews books of interest to our Lutheran readers, particularly ones on worship, preaching, and church music.
We’d like to include books in Baen’s 1632 series because of the setting in Germany, the inclusion of our Lutheran Confessions (Concordia) in some stories, and Lutherans as characters, like Gerhard.
It’s not very often that a science fiction magazine gets this kind of notice, and we’re all very pleased about it. Baen Books was happy to respond affirmatively to “so far the least expected request for a review copy.”
It’s nice to be noticed, folks. Thank you, Rev. Cain.
Paula Goodlett and the Grantville Gazette Editorial Board
