Everybody’s a Critic

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io9 posted a list of the 10 Worst Mistakes That Authors of Alternate History Make and as you can imagine, I have some notes.

Like everything at io9, the article is confused and garbled: we’re informed of mistake No. 8 — Ignoring historical factors that were important at the time, even if they aren’t important to your story — in which Cherie Priest is marched to the woodshed because she forbears detailing the minutiae of 19th-century railroad rights in Utah — but then we’re told about mistake No. 2 — Explaining too much. Interviewing a wide swath of alt-hist writers is a great concept and certainly boosts exposure of the genre, but I wish Anders had allowed each author a hundred words or so to summarize his or her approach rather than jam the interviews into the cheesy square hole of a Late Nite Top 10 cliché. Still, the article’s own Worst Mistake is including the advice of war pornographer SM Stirling, who by all means should be completely ignored, if not pushed off a bridge.

A few bread crumbs of wisdom are sprinkled in the actual author quotes by underscoring what not to not do. I most seriously take exception to No. 10: Failing to bring it up to the present:

This is an “uncommon but grievous rookie mistake,” says Terry Bisson, whose alternate history of 1968, Any Day Now, comes out March 1. If you don’t bring your alternate history up to the reader’s present, then you leave out half the fun.

So any alternate history that isn’t set in the 21st century is a “grievous rookie mistake?” Thanks Mr. Bears-Discover-Fire, but you go ahead and stick to your naked book promotion while the rest of us do that voodoo we do.

Alas, when Alt Hist editor Mark Lord tweeted the article, he wrote, “I have to agree with #10.” Guess that’s one market I’ll never crack.

Bubble Curtains

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This week I have a story over at National Geographic News about curtains of air bubbles being used to attenuate the energy of sound waves created by undersea oil exploration and extraction:

“When a pressure wave hits an air bubble, it will compress the bubble, then it will expand again, so energy is lost,” Abbott explained. Although scientists disagree on the amount of energy lost in this process, Abbott said, there is no doubt that the air bubble actually changes the shape of the wave.

“Sound travels faster through water than air,” said Abbott. “It slows down as it hits the air bubble.” This creates a much smoother wave, altering it from a brief percussive bang to a longer, weaker wave.

Fugitive Slave Settlements Discovered

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An amazing story of shoe-leather archaeology deep in the Great Dismal Swamp of Virginia and North Carolina:

Buried in the earth are what are believed to be remnants of one or more communities of escaped slaves, known as maroons, who built homes and carved out lives where their freedom depended on secrecy. Researchers now think settlements may have existed there on and off for hundreds of years; their occupants relying on the swamp’s forbidding conditions to give safe haven from those who wanted to return them to chains.

Historical archaeologist Dan Sayers spent years researching documents and talking to residents but his big break came when he reinvented his approach toward interviews:

Locals were stumped when he inquired about hills in the flat swampland.

His luck changed, Sayers said, when he figured out how to phrase the right questions.

In February 2004, he asked refuge forester Bryan Poovey about islands.

“He said, ‘Oh, yeah, I’ll take you out to one,’ ” Sayers said.

Very often, how you structure your questions determines the answers you’ll receive.

“This Guy Was Living an Action Movie”

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The local Minuteman has a nice write-up of my book by way of the restoration of Smedley’s gravestone:

The value of the captured cargo was then shared with the government and therein lay the rub. While the Continental Congress shared its spoils 50/50 with the crew of a ship, Connecticut kept to a two-thirds/one third division, which meant that Smedley had trouble getting crew, Kuhl said. With his ship thus undermanned, it was more vulnerable and hit a shoal off New London.

As for that gravestone, Lee told those gathered in Judge Caruso’s chambers on January 12, that he expects repairs will cost about $525 and that there was a prospect of some small donations already, but he wouldn’t mind if more were forthcoming.

Huzzah to reporter Meg Learson Grosso for highlighting the issue of prize division. It’s one of the most important points I hope readers take away from Samuel Smedley, Connecticut Privateer.

Meanwhile, the judge signed off on the restoration. I’ve been skeptical of it being completed in time for a June 13 dedication ceremony, but now that wheels are moving I’m optimistic we can hit the deadline.

One misunderstanding I had: the inscription will not be recarved. Apparently the stone is too weathered and brittle. Disappointing news since the text is shallow and indistinct, although both expert Melanie Marks and D.A.R. rep Betty Oderwald told me the inscription is in good shape for its age, so maybe it will be easier to read once the stone is cleaned and the lichen brushed off.

Meg and I also made a short video in the cemetery on a cold windy day. Pop your Dramamine and have a look-see:

Smedley’s Stone Update

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This week Bill Lee appeared before the Board of Selectmen to seek permission to repair Samuel Smedley’s gravestone:

Lee said he was inspired by a photo in Kuhl’s book to restore Smedley’s grave site. The original grave marker in the historic Beach Road cemetery was broken in half, and cannot be repaired. Lee has already set up a trust for donations to replace the marker.

To do so, Lee first needs permission from the Board of Selectmen and the Representative Town Meeting to make changes to the town-owned cemetery. The selectmen approved his request Wednesday, and the RTM will vote on the petition later this month. If they sign off on the plan, Lee will go to a public hearing in probate court for permission to redo the grave site.

The Daily Fairfield article contains two big mistakes. First, the gravestone will be reused, not replaced. The statement that the original “cannot be repaired” is false; the gravestone is going to be refurbished and reinscribed.

Secondly, we will not be appearing before the RTM because none of the money to repair the gravestone will come from the town. The majority of funds will source from private donations. Any public money for the project — probably minimal — will come from the state and/or federal government due to Smedley’s status as a war veteran.

The next step is the public hearing at 3pm on Wednesday, January 11 Thursday, January 12 at the Judge of Probate’s office in Sullivan Hall, where we will formally request the judge to allow the stone to be removed to the refinisher’s workshop. Bill and I will both be there so stop by if you have any questions.