Paula Goodlett - Grantville Gazette 36

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). More books have been written and co-written in this series, including 1 634: The Baltic War , 1634: The Bavarian Crisis , 1635: The Cannon Law , and 1635: The Dreeson Incident . 1635: The Eastern Front is forthcoming, and the book Time Spike is also set in the Assiti Shards universe. 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 was published late in 2007. Another, Ring of Fire III , is forthcoming. 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, even 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, Three, Four and Five.

Then, two big steps:

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: There are several different versions of each issue of the Gazette. It is now available through Webscription, Amazon and B amp;N, plus other methods. The on-line version, depending on timing, might still be in ARC status. That's Advanced Reader Copy. Our publications dates are 1 Jan, 1 Mar, 1 May, 1 Jul, 1 Sep and 1 Nov. In between issues, here at www.grantvillegazette.com you'll often be reading the electronic version of an ARC, where you can read the issues as we assemble them. You'll see the art and the stories as they are prepared for publication.

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

1632, near Puerto Real, Andalusia

Juan Antonio de Aguilera was sitting trying to read while he waited to hear sounds from above. He glanced across the room at his father, who looked a lot more relaxed than he felt. He put down the book he wasn't managing to read and glanced up toward the bedroom above.

"The baby will come in its own good time," Antonio Diego de Aguilera said.

"But it shouldn't take this long, surely?"

His father shrugged. "Maria is the most experienced midwife in Puerto Real. With her in charge, what can go wrong?"

The words had barely left his mouth when they heard a baby's cry from above. Antonio smiled smugly. "What did I tell you?"

Juan rose to his feet and started for the stairs. He fully expected the midwife to call him in shortly. What he wasn't expecting was his mother swinging open the door and shouting, "Call for the doctor." Then she looked at Juan, and his stomach fell. Something was wrong, badly wrong.

Juan pushed his way into the bedroom, then stopped. The midwife was massaging Magdalida's nether region and there was blood everywhere.

Juan must have uttered something because the midwife turned to face him. "I can't stop the bleeding," she explained softly. "Nothing I have done has worked."

Juan pushed past her and reached for Magdalida. He ran gentle hands over her face.

She reached out for the hand and guided it to the baby feeding hungrily at her breast. "We have a son," she said.

Juan had to strain to hear. He ran the back of his forefinger gently across his son's face, while trying to ignore the sharp winces that flashed across Magdalida's face. He held her close.

"I want to call him Eduardo, after my papa," she whispered.

Juan looked into her dulling eyes. "Eduardo it will be."

February 1635, Cadiz

Juana de Silva wouldn't normally willingly cross the threshold of Luisa de la Vega's home, let alone drag her granddaughter along with her. However, her good friend, Anna Maria, wanted Juana to meet her goddaughter, Catalina de Mendoza. It was just unfortunate that the most timely opportunity to inspect the possible candidate for Juan's hand-one of the regular social gatherings arranged to introduce young girls to polite society-should be meeting at Luisa's home.

Juana smiled at the sight of her granddaughter playing with some of the other girls under Catalina's supervision. "She is a most delightful girl," she told Anna Maria.

"And well connected, even if she is only a minor twig on the Mendoza family tree."

"She has a good dowry?" Juana asked, concentrating on important matters.

"Well, I can't really say it is a good dowry, as Mendoza dowries go, but two villages aren't to be sneezed at."

"And she does seem to be getting on well with Isabel."

Anna Maria smiled. "Then it is agreed? We arrange for Catalina to meet Juan."

"Yes." Juan was still resisting the idea of providing his children with a new mother, but at least he might make the effort to look at the girl.

"I must show you what my husband sent back from Venice."

The strident tones emitted by Luisa caught Juana's attention. "I wonder what the old witch's husband has paid too much for this time?" she asked her friend.

Beside her, Anna Maria giggled. "Something extremely rare and expensive, no doubt. I must go to Catalina. You'll write when you've made arrangements?"