Tales From Alternate Earths Vol. 2: Eleven new broadcasts from parallel dimensions, edited by Leo McBride

Release date: August 8, 2018

Subgenre: Alternate history anthology

About Tales from Alternate Earths Vol. 2:

 

The successor to the Sidewise Award winning Tales From Alternate Earths is here.

Step into the worlds that might have been, the worlds of alternate history where climate change plunges the Earth into a frozen landscape, where the Moon landings may not have happened the way they did in our world, where a 10th century polymath invents the glider and changes the world, where Jacques Cousteau's successors create an undersea city, where Soviet astronauts are feted as heroes as they lead the way in space, where time travel runs wild and where fairy beings tiptoe into reality. All this and more. There are Americas of a different tilt, an alternate path steering away from world war, and nations where the most dangerous thing is knowledge.

Authors Jessica Holmes, Daniel M. Bensen, Rob Edwards, Leo McBride, Christopher Edwards, Gideon Marcus, Casia Courtier, Jeff Provine, Cindy Tomamichel, Brent A. Harris and Bonnie Milani show us the world that might have been - if the world had taken a different path.

This is the seventh anthology from Inklings Press, as we continue to open the door onto different worlds, with a foreword by Sidewise Award winner Daniel M. Bensen.

 

Excerpt:

 

From "Andy and Tina"

by Gideon Marcus

 

Valentina leaned back, eyes closed. She let out a long sigh and willed her tension to depart with the breath.

“Hard day?” Andriyan’s fingers were magic, digging into the stiff muscles above her shoulderblades.

She waited a moment before answering, savoring. “No harder than usual. A jump. A run. Three hours of orbital mechanics.” She blinked her eyes open. The moon was just high enough to shine through the sparse woods. “You know how it was.”

“How it is,” the man chuckled. “You think the work stops once they accept you? Besides – no one is really a cosmonaut until they fly. Only two have joined that club.”

And only one remains an active member, Valentina thought. Space is a dangerous place. “You’ll be in that club before me,” she said. 

“I’m not so certain.” Andriyan’s gentle hands drifted slowly downward along her back. “I heard a rumor that they are accelerating your program. Imagine...a woman in orbit before the Americans even send a man.”

“It’s about time they let the hens fly with the roosters,” she said. “But I think they will send up two men before they send up a woman.” Valentina shifted, twigs pressing against her bottom. “In any event...” 

“What?” His voice was close to her ear. Andriyan must have leaned in for a kiss. It distracted her for a moment, not unpleasantly, and she did not answer immediately. If she voiced her concern, it gave power to her fear.

Andriyan’s touch became more of a caress, fingertips tracing her ribs. “Valya?” A pause. “You can tell me. Is it the math?”

She laughed, and that freed her mouth for words. “Oh no. That was just at the beginning. And you were a very helpful tutor...when you weren’t distracting me by being so handsome.”

“We all have our failings. Then what is it?”

Valentina bit her lip, considering. Finally, “It’s Sveta.”

“The blond?” 

“Oh, so you remember her, hmm?” she said teasingly. Then she yelped. “Hey, that tickles!” 

“You know I only have eyes for you,” Andriyan said. By God, he even sounds sincere. “What about Sveta?” he asked.

“Oh, she’s just better than me. Than everyone, really. I shouldn’t let it bother me, but it does. I know she’ll be picked before me, and who knows how many flights there will be for women anyway?”

“Nonsense, Valya. You are strong and smart, and you have a good background. You work harder than anyone. You will get your turn, I’m certain.”

Valentina leaned back, a smile forming unbidden. Andriyan cradled her in his arms and kissed her neck. She quirked her lip impishly. “Andriyan, just where are your hands going?”

“I’m offering one of my famous ‘distractions’, of course,” he rumbled softly, again in her ear. She shivered in the warm night. Taking one of his hands (but leaving the other to roam), she said, “Andriyan, you are so good to me. I wish we didn’t have to hide what we have. Stealing away in the middle of the night.” 

Andriyan pulled her close, into moonshade. “I don’t want to put you at risk. It just takes one indiscretion, even the appearance of shamefulness...” He shifted her so that her shoulder was against his chest, his arm wrapped protectively around her. She looked at him, but his face was blank shadow. “I want to fly, Valya. We might even fly together.” 

She heard a smile creep into his voice. “You’ve lived in this country all of your life. Surely you understand the importance of keeping secrets...”

 

* * * 

Separating the lovers’ lips

Inches of glass and miles of space

Stars all around for a star-crossed trip

Two hearts beat in a heated race

(from Andy and Tina, The Kinks, 1970)

 

Amazon

 

About Leo McBride:

Leo McBride has been a journalist for more than 20 years and lives in The Bahamas. He is also a writer of speculative fiction, editor for Scholar Press, and has been the editor-in-chief for Inklings Press since its launch. A self-confessed geek and gamer, he tries to sneak in more writing while resisting the lure of role-playing games.

 

Inklings Press