Tag Archives: Alternate History

The Goose’s Wing: first line

Posted on June 28, 2017 by dan

The last echoes of the call to worship fade into the heat rising off Cordoba, and against Tariq’s back the glider shivers. But you want more, don’t you, you rapacious hordes? You’ll get it — the whole first scene of … Continue reading →

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The Goose’s Wing: Materials and Design

Posted on June 22, 2017 by dan

Remember Era of the Kite and Rocket? I’m writing a story set there, but the world needs some more buildin’! I started a thread on the Alternate History Forum, but here’s what I got so far: First, I should point … Continue reading →

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I’ve been Nominated for a Sidewise Award

Posted on June 21, 2017 by dan

What the hell is going on? My jet-lagged two-year old is getting me out of bed at 2am and my short story is being considered for THE alternate history award? My name is on the same short list as Bruce … Continue reading →

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Emergency Worldbuilding

Posted on May 10, 2017 by dan

For The Centuries Unlimited I’m figuring out the history of Ruth’s relationship with her boyfriend, Vivek. Vivek is a time-travelling cyborg air-marshal from “Shock Station,” a timeline where the 22nd century dumped all its technology on top of 1979. That … Continue reading →

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Let slip the Birds of War!

Posted on March 24, 2017 by dan

This started as a conversation with the Great Khan Melissa Walshe about how Central Asian horse nomads like the Mongols had a big advantage over city-dwelling people (hint: the answer is “horses.”) Melissa isn’t a horse nomad, but she does raise chickens and she … Continue reading →

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Writing about sugar and colonialism

Posted on March 14, 2017 by dan

The alternate-history competition from last week has a winner! 2. Molasses Empire: sugar-fueled Bantu Merchant-Kings colonize the world (5 votes) Now I have to figure out a story that takes place in this timeline. Any ideas? EDIT: Turns out introducing a new … Continue reading →

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Which Alt-hist should I write?

Posted on February 27, 2017 by dan

Inklings Press is doing a sequel to their alternate history anthology, and I want to write a story for them. But which one? 1. A sequel to my story in their first anthology, in which Muslim China contacts the Aztecs … Continue reading →

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The Ottoman Socialist Republic?

Posted on February 17, 2017 by dan

Gasp! An alternate history map that DOESN’T have a “Bulgaria” in it! And I don’t think it’s plausible. Okay, let’s say that the Freedom and Accord Party was more Marxist than IRL and they managed to kill or drive off … Continue reading →

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Emily and Ruth

Posted on December 23, 2016 by dan

I can’t use this chunk of text because it’s narrated by the wrong person, but I like it so here you go. At least as of now, the events are canonical to The Centuries Unlimited. To the tune of blatting … Continue reading →

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Molasses Empire

Posted on December 16, 2016 by dan

Many cultures spread along with their crops. Wheat and Barley east and west from Mesopotamia, Rice west from China, and the agonizingly slow crawl of Maize north and south from Central America. But no spread of crops and ideas was … Continue reading →

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