I know I’ve spent a few days brainstorming for the first Mars mission in my science-fictional alternate history, but already I can’t help but plot out things even further for the timeline of early spaceflight. In particular, after the first Mars landing in 1963, what … Continue readingAn Odyssey to the Outer Solar System?
Years ago I established that in my alternate-historical/science-fictional setting a Russian-led expedition is the first to reach Mars in 1963, 22 years after the first manned spaceflight, and 14 years after the first landing on the Moon. Now that I’ve written up the first flight … Continue readingWorldbuilding the First Mars Landing
Having given some thought to my alternate timeline’s space program recently, I’ve been doing some research on space history in our world. One aspect that stands out to me is how much more capable a super-heavy-lift launcher (like the Saturn V, SLS, or SpaceX Starship) … Continue readingAll I Ask is a Tall Rocket…
I’ve finished writing up my story of the denizens of the Astoria, Oregon boarding house, weighing in at 17,000 words, which I will release sometime later this year; on Christmas Night 1941 they see live on their television the first manned mission to outer space, … Continue readingMy Lunar Program After “Wings of Fire”
You know, I really like plotting out alternate histories of spaceflight (like I did last summer), and I’m having the pleasure again the turn of this new year 2023: for my next story (see my posts here, here, and here). Instead of a manned Moon … Continue readingWorldbuilding the First Manned Spaceflight
I know I just made a blog post about a story concept of mine (plus an earlier one!), to the extent my posts on the subject might be longer than the actual story! Though we’ll see about that. I’ve been doing some more thinking, and … Continue readingChristmas in Americasia?
I’ve been doing some more brainstorming for the story concept I outlined in my post “A Slice of Life at the Dawn of the Space Age”. I had a bit of an inspiration: why can’t the reclusive landlord (who will have a pale ghostly pallor … Continue readingChristmas Night, Rocket Night, Magic Night
Every Christmas Eve it crosses my mind: the Christmas truce of 1914, the last, best hope for stopping the First World War; the last, best hope for saving Western, and by extension human, civilization from the Crisis of the 20th Century. What if the war … Continue readingThe Christmas Truce in my Alternate History
Hot off the presses just in time for Christmas Day: my new science-fiction romance novel “Heart of Proxima” is out! You can buy it in Kindle ebook or paperback form now! For the better part of this year I’ve been working on this story (see … Continue readingHeart of Proxima: New Sci-Fi Romance Novel Out!
In my posts “Ready for Amaranth?” and “Tangling Up a Family Tree for Fun and Worldbuilding” I’ve detailed some of the brainstorming I’ve been doing for a family-saga-cum-romance-tale in outer space. But something felt kinda missing. Then the other day I wondered if livening it … Continue readingA Pirate Story For Me, Savvy?