Grantville Gazette VII

::Note: "The two main articles covering this large rapidly growing book series and this specific sub-series are kept up to date before publication as new titles are added to this rapidly growing milieu oriented body of works."

The "Grantville Gazette VII" ("Main article:" The Grantville Gazettes) is the seventh collaborative work set in the "'1632verse'" in what is best regarded as a canonical sub-series of the popular alternate history that began with the February 2000 publication of the hardcover novel 1632 (novel) by author-historian Eric Flint. Overall it is the eighth anthology in the atypical series which consists of a mish-mash of main novels and anthologies produced under "popular demand" after publication of the initial novel which was written as a stand-alone work. The internet forum Baen's Bar in the Eric Flint oriented sub-forums 1632 Tech Manual and 1632 Slush figure prominently in the background of these works as is covered in the "The Grantville Gazettes" main article and are an example of the internet-age collaborative writing in the literary field.

The cover illustration is the painting "Forge of Vulcan", 1630 by Diego Rodriguez da Silva y Velázquez (1599-1660), and continues a tradition of e-covers using classical painters works from within the era around 1632 and the Thirty Years' War.

About the Gazettes

The Grantville Gazettes are all edited by Eric Flint, creator of the fictional universe in which they are set, who maintains editorial control over the canon for the series on the 1632.org website in conjunction with the 1632 Editorial Board, and the various 1632 Research Committees, all being regular participants to the Baen's Bar forum 1632 Tech Manual. Gazettes include fact articles (see the research committee) and stories which are initially vetted through a tough peer review (via the related sub-forum "1632 Slush Comments") on the submission forum 1632 slush, typically requiring several rewrites then are subsequently nominated by the "editorial board", whereupon Flint chooses the stories for inclusion in the Canon and for each volume based in part how it leads into or integrates with the ongoing main storyline 'threads' in the various novels. The initial story selections are done by assistant editor 16writ|Paula|Goodlett who chairs the editorial board, and performs a similar function for Baen's science-fiction e-zine Jim Baen's Universe (JBU). JBU also accepts submissions only through a slush forum of Baen's Bar, but the concept was proved by the gazettes experiment. (Discussed in the main article: The Grantville Gazettes.)

= E-book Table of Contents= Note: In the earliest two Grantville Gazettes, there were differences between the print published version and the original serialized eMagazine, and then again the intermediate eBook as the 'kinks' were worked out of the experiment. Should additional published works differ, it will be noted in the pertinent article.

Plot Synopses

"Canst Thou Send Lightnings?"

: by Rick Boatright

"Mule 'Round The World"

: by Virginia DeMarce: Setting: November, 1633, Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving

This story is a curious historical retrospective and deep background piece that in the first blush dwells upon the problems of changing the attitude of the educationally challenged "down-timer Wdy|foundling" Minnie Hugelmair. Minnie, in her mid-teens (estimated on the older side of 14-15) can neither read nor write, nor do arithmetic, much less age appropriate maths such as algebra and sciences. The true theme of the story is to establish family background history of Buster Beasley, spouse Christin George and foul mouthed daughter Denise, who has become best friends with age peer Minnie Hugelmair. Denise makes a later appearance as a key character in one of the four divergent 1634 novels. Minnie and her octogenarian methodist protector and guardian, folk singer Benny Pierce (82) had previously appeared as the proximal cause of the street riots that formed the sole action scene in GG01|s="The Rudolstadt Colloquy", a story event which is referenced over and over in various novels.

After going through a tortuous laundry list of introduced characters, major and minor in the chosen scene, the real centerpiece and the action in the story is all but unrelated and presented mainly as historical retrospectives for background, and as a quick expositionary sequence to whit, that in the winter of 1631-1632 the Beasley's extended family mostly all died off from an unrevealed but quick acting illness that took off all six elderly Beasley's, most of whom were widowers or widows and who all lived together on the family's farm in a big old Victorian house after the ROF. The reader is strongly steered to believe that the manner of the deaths of these elders in the Beasley clan were more than a little self-sacrificing, that the stricken family members at some point realized the virulent illness they were experiencing was perhaps too much for Grantville to handle, and that in effect, they all decided to die from it rather than risk infecting the town. The only problem with this is there is and was no note warning their relatives, such as Buster Beasley to walk wary upon entering, or any description of what they had experienced.

The conclusion to the story was the investigating officials, had decided even autopsy's were too risky and the family group was interred quickly at the farm. Buster Beasley had personally then burned the barn and house down rather than risk spreading whatever disease to Grantville's population at large, lending belief to the heroic nature of the family's elders decision to not call for help. Various members of the investigating and burial teams had also come down to be very sick for a lengthy period, surviving only by massive support measures and using up a good bit of Grantville's medicines during their protracted convalescence.

The story concludes by returning to the educational motivation of Denise's friend Minnie -- Buster reveals he's got two new uncrated Harley Davidson ("Hogs") in the storage sheds, and the two girls could each count on having one if Minnie learns her remedial lessons, including progressing past the middle school curriculum into high school.

"Von Grantville"

: by Russ Rittgers

"Burgers, Fries, And Beer"

: by John and Patti Friend

"Grantville's Greatest Philosopher?"

: by Terry Howard

"The Misadventures of T & V, Mama Mia, That's A Good Pizza Pie!"

: by Jon and Linda Sonnenleiter

"Seasons"

: by Mark Huston

"Not At All The Type"

: by Virginia DeMarce

"Trommler Records"

: by Gorg Huff and Paula Goodlett ;Continuing Serials:

"Dr. Phil's Amazing Essence Of Fire Tablets"

:The Dr. Gribbleflotz Chronicles, Part 2, by Kerryn Offord and Rick Boatright

"Dr. Phil Zinkens A Bundle"

: by Kerryn Offord

"Essen Steel, Part 1: Crucibellus"

: by Kim Mackey

Non-Fiction — Fact Essays from 1632 Research Committee members

"The Mechanical Reproduction Of Sound: Developing A Recorded Music Distribution Industry"

: by Chris Penycate and Rick Boatright

"Mass Media In The 1632 Universe"

: by Gorg Huff and Paula Goodlett

"Railroading In Germany"

: by Carsten Edelberger

"Harnessing The Iron Horse: Railroad Locomotion In The 1632 Universe"

: by Iver P. Cooper

Publishing history

First printing, April 2006, Copyright © 2006 by Eric Flint

A Baen Books Original, Baen publishing Enterprises, P.O. Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471, http://www.baen.com, DOI: 10.1125/0017

First electronic printing, April 2006Production by WebWrights, Newport, TN

Notes and references

External links