Iver P. Cooper
Iver P. Cooper, an intellectual property law attorney, is married and lives in Arlington, Virginia . His two children have left the nest, but two cats rule the household with iron paws. Iver has received legal writing awards from the American Patent Law Association, the U.S. Trademark Association, and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and is the sole author of Biotechnology and the Law, now in its twenty-something edition. He has frequently contributed both fiction and nonfiction to The Grantville Gazette. His braided short story anthology, 1636: Seas of Fortune, was published by Baen in 2014, and he has co-authored 1636: The China Venture with Eric Flint, expected to be published in late 2019. Iver is also an avid photographer, and a teacher of swing and international folk dancing.
Iver's story "The Chase" is in Ring of Fire II
“Rice is Life”: Rice Cultivation and Society in the 1632 Universe
Dramatic Opportunities This article is directed to writers of stories set in the alternate history 1632 universe, and their readers. While rice farming may be simply a part of the scene setting for such a story, there are some situations in which it may play a...
The Ghost Galleon
Daikoku (Leona Heights, near Oakland, California) Fall, 1635 "And this," said Rusu Sanemoto, "is what our tea tastes like." He offered a cup to Raven, the chief of the Chochenyo Ohlone tribelet nearest the Japanese mining village of Daikoku. "But be careful, it...
Tethered Balloons and Kites in the 1632 Universe, Part 2
In part 1, we considered a variety of operational issues for tethered balloons and kites. Here, we will consider the strength and weight of tether materials available in the 1632 universe, possible tethering systems, and how to size the tethers for a particular...
Tethered Balloons and Kites in the 1632 Universe, Part 1
Balloons and kites may be used for observation (visual and meteorological) and communication (antenna-lifting) purposes. For these purposes, it may be necessary for the vehicle to stay in one place. Unlike a sailing ship, a free balloon cannot sail in any direction...
Propane, Butane, and Natural Gas in the 1632 Universe
Introduction Natural gas and its components are important fuels in post-Ring of Fire Grantville. They also have other utilities. In this article, we will try to better characterize Grantville's natural gas resource and the means by which propane and butane...
Life at Sea in the Old and New Time Lines, part 6: Lest You Drown
On Aug. 31, 1773, Samuel Johnson said, "No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned." In 1765, Wilkinson claimed that on average 4200 British seamen drowned...
Life at Sea in the Old and New Time Lines, Part 5: Creature Comforts
A ship is home to its crew for weeks, months, even years. And like a home, a ship should provide air that is fresh and of a comfortable temperature and humidity. It also should provide sanitation facilities. **** Ventilation According to Sir Walter...
Photography in the 1632 Universe, Part I: Silver Shadows
Author’s Introduction I began writing nonfiction for the Grantville Gazette with issue 4, and fiction with issue 6. I doubt that I would ever have written any fiction were it not for Eric Fling and the Grantville Gazette. My article “Photography in the...
