by James Young
As the Army pilots cheered his words, Isoro wished his heart believed the words as fervently as he’d spoken them.
Afterword
It is said that every book is a labor. This one was certainly a trip through the salt mines and back. I thank you for joining me on this journey. It’s always fun knowing that someone, somewhere, has had a chance to see the many ways World War II could have been different. Yes, I know that there’s a lot of Europe alluded too but not quite dealt with. Don’t worry, we’ll be getting to that in another arc. Unfortunately there’s no “Vinson Bill” that allows me to clone myself for a “two series author,” but I think the “bread crumbs” are obvious enough you know the work’s getting done.
As always, I’d like to thank Anita for her help with this. A lot of stuff went wrong during this past year, and I’m meaning beyond catching COVID-19. Throughout it all, Anita’s supported this endeavor, even after having surgery (did I mention it’s been a crazy year?) and wondering if I was ever going to finish it. Writing is hard, but having a helpmate makes it easier. Especially when she does the cover art and many of the book drawings while working on her own art projects.
Next, I’d like to thank my editors, Jennifer Frontera and Emily Swedlund. Both of them had to deal with Murphy not only screwing up my plans, but theirs as well. (“Gonna be late on that next chapter, [insert Murphy].”) Above all else, I told them both that this book was going to be 100,000 words, and let’s just say it’s a bit beyond that. Still, I hope you’ve found we made a very good book together.
Finally, contrary to previous plans, I’ll not be alternating the Usurper’s War with my Vergassy Universe sci-fi series. After writing Aries Red Sky and then starting this book, I’ve come to realize that just adds to the gestation time as I reacquaint myself with what I’d done a couple years or so before. So, after I knock out a short story to round out my upcoming alternate collection Dispatches from Valhalla, it’ll be time to do the next novel in this series. If you’re curious about it and also want to stay informed on my plans, you can sign up for my mailing list.
About James Young
Dr. James Young resides in the Midwest, sharing his home with fellow author and award winning artist Anita C. Young. Against the Tide Imperial is the third work in his Usurper’s War series of alternate history. In addition to tilting World War II on its head, James has also co-edited the Phases of Mars series of alternate anthologies that consists of Those In Peril (naval warfare), To Slip the Surly Bonds (air), and Trouble In the Wind (ground). If you’re a fan of military science fiction, there is also his Vergassy Chronicles series.
As a non-fiction author, he has won the United States Naval Institute’s Cyberwarfare Essay Contest, placed in the James Adams Cold War Essay Contest (2nd and Honorable Mention), and been published in the Journal of Military History and Proceedings. When not working on the latest article, Dr. Young can be found hawking books and prints inspired by the series at various sci-fi and comic conventions. His blog is at vergassy.com, where you can also sign up for the Slinger of Tales newsletter.
Website: https://vergassy.com/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/b9r8Xn
Also by James Young
Usurper’s War Series
Acts of War
Collisions of the Damned
Against the Tide Imperial
Usurper’s War Collection
On Seas So Crimson
Phases of Mars Anthology Series
(Editor and Contributor)
Those in Peril
To Slip the Surly Bonds
Trouble in the Wind
Novellas
Pandora’s Memories
A Midwinter’s Ski
Ride of the Late Rain
Vergassy Universe
An Unproven Concept
Aries’ Red Sky
Nonfiction
Barren SEAD