Kymi Mills, Finland   "Sanna, the countess wants you at the clinic," the line foreman said as he approached her station on the bag line between the two ovens used for drying the glue on the paper bags. "Tiia? Did I hear you right?" Sanna asked, not even pausing in the process of closing the [...]

Early March, 1636   The fourth ring hadn't finished yet when Alyse Glazer caught the phone in a corner of her apron. "Howdy, this is Alyse . . ." Claudette Green's voice over the line sounded vaguely scratchy. "Alyse, we've got a bit of a situation . . ." "What's happening at church," Alyse glanced [...]

Mountain Top Baptist Bible Institute West Virginia County Early summer, 1636   John Stewart rolled over again. The moonlight on the wall was in a different place from where it had been the last time he looked. He growled to himself, keeping it under his breath. Plain decency forbade waking Colm Donnelly, on the other [...]

Henry sat at the bar. He had barely touched his drink. It was an extremely boring day and what he really wanted was something to do. A father and son were having a conversation at the other end of the bar. It was early in the day and the establishment was pretty much empty customer-wise, [...]

First USE Division sector, Siege lines around Posnan 14 November 1635   Sergeant Richard Hartmann heard a muffled shout moving toward the latrine ditch. He took one look, then roared, "Halt!" The three men who were holding another man over the trench turned, staring at him. The twenty-nine-year-old NCO pointed at the ground without a [...]

Friday, November 18, 1633   A couple days later, Leutnant Keller was running Fuchs Company through firing drills. Firing drill is really repetitive, Andreas Strauss thought. Rather like making barrels. Worse, it was dry firing—no one was going to let a leutnant burn through gunpowder on his own. So the men were shouting bang when [...]

Chapter 29: An Unruly City Freiberg, 1 Obermarkt, Schönlebe House September 1635   "That is a rebellion!" Georg Friedrich von Schönberg boomed, his voice filling the personal office of Jonas Schönlebe. "You're crazy if you think . . ." He jumped up, knocking the heavy armchair over, and started to pace the room. Jonas watched—fascinated [...]

The year is 1560. Picture three scenarios. (1) You are a young craftsman, supporting your widowed mother and one or two young siblings, and you have been injured, healing, and will be unable to work for more months than you have available savings to pay for your present rent and food. Or perhaps your employer [...]

I read a lot of everything. Fiction, nonfiction, science fiction, mystery fiction, romance fiction. I watch even more fiction because by the time I want to relax, I am often too tired to read. I’m also reaching the age where “life’s too short” is more than a cliché. It’s also true. About twenty years ago, [...]

This Issue's Cover -59 Leaving Grantville Sources: Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier - A Man of Arms and His Horse, background photo of Mannington, West Virginia courtesy of 1632.org.    

Tilted Meadow Camp   Ni-T'o watched Nate and Gonzalo as they made their way down the canted terrain of the slide. He was glad to see them, but was worried for his cousin, T'cumu, who was clearly not present. He checked the horses, then began to climb rapidly, pulling himself higher with the aid of [...]

Grandma Lucy sat in her favorite chair on the back porch, enjoying the cool fall night. The sounds of the swamp were a sweet symphony to her ears, one of the small joys in her life. Then, between one moment and the next, the ambiance of the night changed. Even the insects had stopped their [...]