 Short Stories: February 16, 2022 Issue [#11214] |
This week: Alternate History Edited by: Shannon  
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2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week.
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"A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith
in their mission can alter the course of history." ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Have you ever wondered how different things would be if JFK hadn't been assassinated? What would the world be like if Germany won WWII? Imagine what your day-to-day existence would look like if electric light, the printing press, or the internet had never been invented.
These are but a few questions raised by a subgenre of speculative fiction known as alternate or counterfactual history. It's a thought-provoking topic of conversation, and the possibilities from a writing perspective are literally endless. The idea has fascinated me since I was 14 and became a fan of the TV show Voyagers! The fact that Jon-Erik Hexum was the star of the show had nothing to do with it, honest!  Sadly, he died in 1984 at the age of 26.
In Voyagers!, Phineas Bogg (Hexum) carried a small handheld device called an Omni that looked like a pocket watch. When the Omni lights flashed red, history needed to be corrected. Phineas traveled through time to correct these errors, ensuring the Omni flashed green and all was right with the world.
The show only lasted one season (20 episodes), but the idea of being able to change a historical event had me hooked. There were television series and movies like Quantum Leap, 12 Monkeys, Terminator, Somewhere in Time, Dark, Escape from New York, It's a Wonderful Life, and books like Man in the High Castle, 11/22/63, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, and Fatherland.
“History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books--books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. As Napoleon once said, 'What is history, but a fable agreed upon?'” ~ Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code
If you could change one historical event, what would it be and why? Have you written an alternate fiction story? Do you have a favorite counterfactual novel? Every registered author who shares their ideas and/or creative endeavors relating to or inspired by this week's topic will receive an exclusive trinket. I will retire this month's limited-edition trinket at 11:59 p.m. WDC time on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, when my next short stories newsletter goes live.
Until next time, thank you for reading.
Additional reading/watching:
1. You can rent or buy the entire Voyagers! series on Prime Video. You can also watch season 1 episode 1 here
2. 23 Best Alternate History Books
3. These Alternate History Series Are For People Who Wonder ‘What If?’
4. Best Alternate History Movies and Where to Watch Them
"The history of mankind is the instant between two
strides taken by a traveler." ~ Franz Kafka
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I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections. I occasionally feature static items by members who are no longer with us; some have passed away while others simply aren't active members. Their absence doesn't render their work any less relevant, and if it fits the week's topic I will include it.
Thank you, and have a great week!
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
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The following is in response to "Secret Rooms and Hidden Tunnels" :
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Jeff  writes: I love hidden rooms and secret passageways, ever since a friend in elementary school showed me one that his dad (a general contractor) had built for him. His bedroom had a built-in bookcase that swung open to reveal a bonus room above the garage and from that moment on, I've been fascinated by little architectural surprises like that.
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dragonwoman  writes: Yes, I have written several stories about secret areas. "The Room between the walls" occurs to me first.
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StephBee  writes: Great video! Thanks for sharing. I visited the German salt mines in Berchestgarden back in the early 1990's. It was really interesting to learn about these salt mines. Food for inspiration!
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Pumpkin Harvest writes: Your story about never admitting you were bored hit home with me. To this day, I can't admit even to myself that I am bored. Things like sermons or lectures or business meetings can be boring, but I can always find something to do. I hate hearing other adults say they are bored. I didn't realize it was drilled into me by my mother until I read your story. I am giving myself permission to admit I am bored. Thank you for this insight.
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eyestar~*  writes: This is an appealing topic and I enjoyed the read. I recently wrote about a portal in a tree root if that counts...the door to a fairy realm. Doors and gates are indeed fascinating and your list of the stories that feature them shows that fact. I had no idea. I loved the Narnia cupboard! LOL Thanks for sharing your vision.. I think I can get inspired. A door way to a new year magic.
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Princess Megan Snow Rose  writes: Interesting newsletter. I always wanted to live in an old house with secret passageways. I worked in an 125 old county building with secret passages. Workmen claimed they saw a man in old fashioned clothes running around the tunnels. The place was haunted but that is another story. A scary video that feeds the mind and makes you wonder if there are other dimensions, paraell time and underground cities. Food for thought. Thus newsletter makes you wonder what if?
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Elfin Dragon-finally published writes: Secret Rooms? I do love them. In my Elf novel, my character finds a whole new section of their Grand Library which only the oldest dragons know about.
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oldgreywolf on wheels  writes: Hello.
I graduated from Robert Service HS 24 Jan 75, and was Active Duty Army 3 days later (my _o_n_l_y_ time spent in Seattle.
How about you?
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tybo777 writes: Traveling, eh? I went to Italy and had lots of spaghetti, and learned a bit of italian… however duolingo had an anurism and I had start from square one.
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NaNoNette  writes: Yes, I have written about secret passageways. I once, fictionally of course, built a whole new palace with an entire "second" palace within where all hallways were doubled up. One public, one secret. All the secret passageways have doors into important rooms. The concept can feel overused, but I think it is fun nonetheless and definitely helps with plot at times when I need someone to show up unannounced.
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sindbad  writes: Hi, Shannon. This is an interesting and exciting article that did intrigue my fertile imagination on mysteries and secret rooms, so well explained. This article enhances the mystic elements in our minds. Great job indeed...sindbad
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