As the January issue comes right before Valentine's Day, we decided to have a romance theme. The intention was that the stories would be love stories.
Our authors went in a different direction….
First, they asked if that included St. Valentine's Day massacres—and were able to cite multiple events. But in the end, they didn't go there, either.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has another definition of
"prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place and usually heroic, adventurous, or mysterious"
(, definition 2 a (2))
We don't know whether our authors looked this up, but it's what they wrote. A couple of the stories in this issue fit definition 1, but all of them fit definition 2.
Magdeburg Messenger (Fiction)
This issue's cover is taken from Edith Wild's story "When Jimmy Met Barbie." You met Jimmy and Barbie in her story "Come Dig My Earth" in Issue 10. This is their prequel.
"Something Old" follows up on one thread in Bethanne Kim's novel Red Shield, which will be released January 6. It's up to you, but you might want to save this story and read the novel first.
The Ring of Fire didn't shock just the up-timers and down-timers. It also affected their pets. Chuck Thompson focuses on one of them in "Dagnabit Belle."
In his first 1632 story, Robert F. Lowell relates "The Grand Adventure of Baron von Münchhausen in the Land of the Americans." It's about a historical down-timer who is the ancestor of the man with whom you are probably more familiar.
In Issue 12, you met Alphons and Rose in Marc Tyrrell's story "To Kill A Redbird." This issue's story "Adieu Anvers" takes place earlier.
David Hankins follows up "The Abrabanel Rescue" from Issue 14 with "The Breselgeist Romance."
The State Library Papers (1632 Non-Fiction)
We have three short non-fiction columns in this issue.
The first is Jackie Britton Loptain's "Mannington Minute."
“Historic Gems Restorations” is about a non-profit restoring buildings in Mannington.
The last is about next year's convention.
The Coming Soon and Available Now sections are growing again as Baen rereleases more books.