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Non,-SLP Alternate History Submission Calls

Skinny87

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I can't imagine there will be many of these around in the genre, but who knows they might come up occasionally - such as now!

Submission Call for the What if the Natives Won? anthology

Type:
Call for Publications
Date:
April 11, 2019 to October 11, 2019
Location:
Virginia, United States
Subject Fields:
American History / Studies, Indigenous Studies, Latin American and Caribbean History / Studies, Mexican History / Studies, Native American History / Studies
This is the second call for contributors to What If Natives Won? We have seven contributors so far, but would like seven more.
Seeking authors, especially American Indian ones, specialists in indigenous history, Latin American history, all subject areas listed in announcement, and additional ones in certain subject areas as well, for a forthcoming collection of alternate history FICTION stories.
Every story must be based on accurate history and plausible premises and outcomes. This collection explictly bars fantasy or sci fi elements, incredible coincidences, chance occurrence, and twists ala O. Henry or M. Knight Shyamalan.
We hope to have the collection published six months from now, but that's not definite yet.

[Examples removed]
.
Al Carroll
Contact Info:
Al Carroll
Languages, Arts, and Social Sciences (LASS)
Northern Virginia Community College
Sterling, VA
Contact Email:
acarroll@nvcc.edu
URL:
http://www.nvcc.edu
 
Not sure if they all fit under the "What If the Natives Won?" umbrella or criteria, and I wouldn't be able to research & write them by the deadline they're asking for, but there are several ideas in this vein I eventually want to put in a "Peaceful AH" anthology (i.e. without war or some other conflict as a POD), and might submit one or more to them if they make this call again later on:

1. A Different Valladolid Outcome: After tremendous effort and debate, Bartolome de las Casas narrowly prevails over (or manages to convert/convince?) Juan Gines de Sepulveda, and persuades King Charles V to end the encomienda system and many other abuses of the New World tribes, casting them as “misguided” yet still human, beings. This leads to a gradual abandonment of slavery in the Spanish colonies, and a strengthening of antislavery movements around the world (some grounded in faith, some secular); more tribes across the New World are also persuaded to ally themselves with the Spanish, setting up potential and real conflicts with other European colonizing nations…

(Setting: Mestizo (?) Spanish MC visits struggling, slave-owning English colonies in Virginia and New England during a crisis in 17th century, compares them with his own, far more civilized home, flawed though it still is in certain respects.)


2. No New World Plagues: Due to much earlier contact with Europeans (or fluke in disease transmission during Paleolithic Era?), the tribes of the New World are not affected at all (or only to a very mild degree) by diseases resulting from contact with Columbus and other colonizers/explorers. As a result, the tribes on both New World continents are pushed to form alliances and nation-states by increasingly desperate European attempts to colonize, resulting in these efforts being confined to only a few scattered locations, and the eventual rise of New World leagues and empires capable of meeting Europe on equal terms…

(Settings: Scene with early contact or Paleolithic fluke; scene with first European contact(s), and hints of disease, but no epidemics; scene of first alliance meetings between tribes and burgeoning nations; future scenes, stretched over Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution, early 20th century, and possibly beyond.)


3. Rather than exterminating the last of the Ice Age big game (mammoth, mastodon, etc.) after the final round of temperature shifts, the paleo-Indians in North America domesticate them and their descendant forms, leading to the rise of great empires in the Mississippi and Colorado Valleys, as well as other kingdoms, republics, and smaller states throughout the Eastern Seaboard and the rest of the Americas. Thus, when the Europeans arrive in greater numbers after the Vikings and Columbus, they encounter a hodgepodge of nations similar in technology to their own, thus leading to several fierce wars, much devastation by disease on both sides, and an eventual Cold War-esque standoff between the colonizing powers of Europe and a newly-formed alliance among the surviving multiple tribes and empires of the New World.

(Setting: Mixed Native-European colony in OTL’s Boston, previously thought undesirable for settlement—rises against ruling nation) (??)
 
I can't imagine there will be many of these around in the genre, but who knows they might come up occasionally - such as now!

Submission Call for the What if the Natives Won? anthology

There are not. There was a time travel novel by Mack Reynolds The Other Time. A Chris Evans novel, The Aztec Century. Another by Martin Cruz Smith.

There's a lot of fatalism or predestination on these topics, sometimes coming pretty close to justifying or shrugged shoulders about genocide. People wanting to believe "Oh well, it couldn't have been any different because technology, disease..."

What this anthology and future ones I plan intend to show was that it was just historical circumstance easily changed by choice or chance. I came up with several dozen ways it could have been quite different. MAC888 several more. I'm sure most could come up with more if they thought about it.

We've got eleven stories so far but still need and want more before publishing.
 
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Not sure if they all fit under the "What If the Natives Won?" umbrella or criteria, and I wouldn't be able to research & write them by the deadline they're asking for, but there are several ideas in this vein I eventually want to put in a "Peaceful AH" anthology (i.e. without war or some other conflict as a POD), and might submit one or more to them if they make this call again later on:

1. A Different Valladolid Outcome: After tremendous effort and debate, Bartolome de las Casas narrowly prevails over (or manages to convert/convince?) Juan Gines de Sepulveda, and persuades King Charles V to end the encomienda system and many other abuses of the New World tribes, casting them as “misguided” yet still human, beings. This leads to a gradual abandonment of slavery in the Spanish colonies, and a strengthening of antislavery movements around the world (some grounded in faith, some secular); more tribes across the New World are also persuaded to ally themselves with the Spanish, setting up potential and real conflicts with other European colonizing nations…

(Setting: Mestizo (?) Spanish MC visits struggling, slave-owning English colonies in Virginia and New England during a crisis in 17th century, compares them with his own, far more civilized home, flawed though it still is in certain respects.)


2. No New World Plagues: Due to much earlier contact with Europeans (or fluke in disease transmission during Paleolithic Era?), the tribes of the New World are not affected at all (or only to a very mild degree) by diseases resulting from contact with Columbus and other colonizers/explorers. As a result, the tribes on both New World continents are pushed to form alliances and nation-states by increasingly desperate European attempts to colonize, resulting in these efforts being confined to only a few scattered locations, and the eventual rise of New World leagues and empires capable of meeting Europe on equal terms…

(Settings: Scene with early contact or Paleolithic fluke; scene with first European contact(s), and hints of disease, but no epidemics; scene of first alliance meetings between tribes and burgeoning nations; future scenes, stretched over Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution, early 20th century, and possibly beyond.)


3. Rather than exterminating the last of the Ice Age big game (mammoth, mastodon, etc.) after the final round of temperature shifts, the paleo-Indians in North America domesticate them and their descendant forms, leading to the rise of great empires in the Mississippi and Colorado Valleys, as well as other kingdoms, republics, and smaller states throughout the Eastern Seaboard and the rest of the Americas. Thus, when the Europeans arrive in greater numbers after the Vikings and Columbus, they encounter a hodgepodge of nations similar in technology to their own, thus leading to several fierce wars, much devastation by disease on both sides, and an eventual Cold War-esque standoff between the colonizing powers of Europe and a newly-formed alliance among the surviving multiple tribes and empires of the New World.

(Setting: Mixed Native-European colony in OTL’s Boston, previously thought undesirable for settlement—rises against ruling nation) (??)

Our deadline isn't set in stone. I hope you'll consider doing one or more, if not for our anthology then later.

1. a little similar one I wrote for the anthology. Montesinos and Las Casas lead the second expedition. Columbus and Sepulveda's POV is rejected by the monarchy and the New Laws passed immediately.

2. has some problems in its premise, but much of current historiography still doesn't admit to them. Natives didn't die in large numbers because of disease caused by isolation since that isolation is a myth. Natives migrated in multiple waves not one, followed by Australian Aboriginals, Polynesians, and Vikings, none of them bringing epidemics.

And Columbus didn't bring epidemics in 1492 either. First one wasn't until 1512, 20 years later. These epidemics were only after, and only so devastating, because of deliberate starvation tactics by invaders.
 
Our deadline isn't set in stone. I hope you'll consider doing one or more, if not for our anthology then later.

1. a little similar one I wrote for the anthology. Montesinos and Las Casas lead the second expedition. Columbus and Sepulveda's POV is rejected by the monarchy and the New Laws passed immediately.

2. has some problems in its premise, but much of current historiography still doesn't admit to them. Natives didn't die in large numbers because of disease caused by isolation since that isolation is a myth. Natives migrated in multiple waves not one, followed by Australian Aboriginals, Polynesians, and Vikings, none of them bringing epidemics.

And Columbus didn't bring epidemics in 1492 either. First one wasn't until 1512, 20 years later. These epidemics were only after, and only so devastating, because of deliberate starvation tactics by invaders.
1. I thought most epidemic diseases arise in urban areas, which the previous peoples arriving didn't have?
2. What happened to Huayna Capac/Wayna Qhapaq and his son, then?
 
2. has some problems in its premise, but much of current historiography still doesn't admit to them. Natives didn't die in large numbers because of disease caused by isolation since that isolation is a myth. Natives migrated in multiple waves not one, followed by Australian Aboriginals, Polynesians, and Vikings, none of them bringing epidemics.
Polynesians and Australian Aboriginals didn't have huge numbers of diseases to bring with them in the first place. The Norse kinda did (Scandinavia had disease spread less readily than more temperate latitudes, but there was still a lot around), but disease transmission was attenuated considerably by needing to pass through several small populations (Iceland, Greenland) where diseases tended to burn out. Those diseases also hit isolated island populations of European descent (cf measles in the Faroes).

And Columbus didn't bring epidemics in 1492 either. First one wasn't until 1512, 20 years later. These epidemics were only after, and only so devastating, because of deliberate starvation tactics by invaders.
Diseases such as smallpox inflicted massive casualties even in regions where Europeans had not even reached at the time (as @OwenM notes, the ruling Inca was killed by smallpox before Europeans got near.). The spread of mosquito-borne diseases in the Amazon (malaria, yellow fever) was even worse, devastating entire cultures before Europeans had any but the most marginal contact with those regions.

Of course, European actions inflicted a massive death toll both directly and indirectly. The diseases and European actions combined to make the overall effects even worse.

In a hypothetical situation where Europeans had enough contact with the Americas to spread disease but not to conquer or to otherwise take over regions, then Natives would still take a massive demographic hit in the short term, but their societies and population would mostly recover. (With some caveats such as societies in the Amazon where diseases like malaria were severe enough to cause demographic collapse without any significant European presence.)
 
Our deadline isn't set in stone. I hope you'll consider doing one or more, if not for our anthology then later.

These stories, especially the first, are definitely at the top of my new projects list! Is this anthology put together yearly or on another recurring basis?

Regarding the first story (and with the 1619 Project of late), I'm considering setting it in that year, with the protagonist touring the Virginia colonies right as the first (documented) slaves arrive in the continental U.S., and his reactions to and/or efforts against this event. Are there any sources on Native or colonial Virginia that you would recommend for background research? I'm also intrigued by the Montesinos/Las Casas story; is there a link available for it?
 
1. I thought most epidemic diseases arise in urban areas, which the previous peoples arriving didn't have?
2. What happened to Huayna Capac/Wayna Qhapaq and his son, then?

My understanding is that cities simply help epidemics spread faster. But Pacific Islanders and Vikings often had cities, as did many Native nations.
Vikings are not my area, but I did find this wiki. A lot would depend on what one defines as cities.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Viking_Age_populated_places

One person's death is not an epidemic, but the cause of the royals' deaths is disputed. This argues no epidemics hit the Incas for 25 years.
http://users.pop.umn.edu/~rmccaa/aha2004/whypox.htm
 
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Polynesians and Australian Aboriginals didn't have huge numbers of diseases to bring with them in the first place. The Norse kinda did (Scandinavia had disease spread less readily than more temperate latitudes, but there was still a lot around), but disease transmission was attenuated considerably by needing to pass through several small populations (Iceland, Greenland) where diseases tended to burn out. Those diseases also hit isolated island populations of European descent (cf measles in the Faroes).


Diseases such as smallpox inflicted massive casualties even in regions where Europeans had not even reached at the time (as @OwenM notes, the ruling Inca was killed by smallpox before Europeans got near.). The spread of mosquito-borne diseases in the Amazon (malaria, yellow fever) was even worse, devastating entire cultures before Europeans had any but the most marginal contact with those regions.

Of course, European actions inflicted a massive death toll both directly and indirectly. The diseases and European actions combined to make the overall effects even worse.

In a hypothetical situation where Europeans had enough contact with the Americas to spread disease but not to conquer or to otherwise take over regions, then Natives would still take a massive demographic hit in the short term, but their societies and population would mostly recover. (With some caveats such as societies in the Amazon where diseases like malaria were severe enough to cause demographic collapse without any significant European presence.)

That assumes, falsely, that Polynesians and Aboriginals were isolated, same false claim often attached to Natives.
Polynesians traveled probably the most widely of any population in the world, pre modern era, and came from densely populated Asia originally. And often had dense populations. Hawaii had up to a million people pre invasion. Aborignals and Asians traveled back and forth.

Polynesians also, just like Natives, didn't get nearly wiped out from a single epidemic. It was a series of epidemics, each with death tolls similar to Euro ones like the Black Plague.

The problem with these epidemic and disease claims is they are used for genocide denial. "Disease did almost all the killing" instead of deliberate genocide, of which deliberate spread of disease was a central part. Colonists always knew they spread disease, as far back as the first governor of Hispaniola. Long before germ theory they always knew the obvious cause and effect, and with exceptions like Lewis and Clark, did their best to worsen the death rate.
 
These stories, especially the first, are definitely at the top of my new projects list! Is this anthology put together yearly or on another recurring basis?

Regarding the first story (and with the 1619 Project of late), I'm considering setting it in that year, with the protagonist touring the Virginia colonies right as the first (documented) slaves arrive in the continental U.S., and his reactions to and/or efforts against this event. Are there any sources on Native or colonial Virginia that you would recommend for background research? I'm also intrigued by the Montesinos/Las Casas story; is there a link available for it?

We (Rob Schmidt of Blue Corn Comics is the co editor) haven't decided on whether to put out any other anthologies. I am planning to put my own collection of short stories on many of the scenarios that aren't written about.

Custalow has written some groundbreaking accounts from the Powhattan POV.
http://digital.lib.lehigh.edu/trial/pocahontas/essays.php?id=13
Also
http://web.archive.org/web/20100209004455/http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/Pocahontas.html
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/POCA/poc-home.html
Ronald Takaki also has a chapter on Bacon's Rebellion and the change from indentured to slavery based on race in A Different Mirror.

For Las Casas: https://weber.instructure.com/cours...s-debates-the-subjugation-of-the-indians-1550
https://digitalcommons.law.lsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=jcls
https://www.pbs.org/conquistadors/devaca/lascasas_01.html
 
That assumes, falsely, that Polynesians and Aboriginals were isolated, same false claim often attached to Natives.
Polynesians traveled probably the most widely of any population in the world, pre modern era, and came from densely populated Asia originally. And often had dense populations. Hawaii had up to a million people pre invasion. Aborignals and Asians traveled back and forth.
It assumes nothing of the sort. I'm well aware of the distances Polynesians travelled, and the cultural exchanges between the Bugis and peoples in the Top End of Australia, and those across Torres Strait.

My point was a straightforward observation: there weren't significant numbers of epidemic diseases in Polynesia (except perhaps in the westernmost portions), so there was no way that epidemic diseases could be transmitted to the Americas via that route. Smallpox may have arrived in Australia via Bugis contact before or around the same time as Europeans invaded, though that's far from clear. But epidemic diseases weren't going from Australia to the Americas unless it was via Polynesia.

Disease transmission across such a series of islands wasn't going to happen for most diseases because the epidemics burn out after they go through an island (or island chain's) population and everyone is immune. (Except for asymptomatic carriers, but most of the worst epidemic diseases don't produce asymptomatic carriers: smallpox, measles, influenza, malaria, etc).

Transmission of epidemic diseases is affected by a variety of factors, such as travel time, frequency of contact, population density across regions, etc. For one example, bubonic plague never reached Australia until after the steamship era (after 1900), because the sailing time to Australia was long enough that the disease went through the entire rat population on ships and burned out before it reached Australia. That only changed when steamships travelled fast enough that bubonic plague made it to Australian ports (mostly Sydney and Melbourne).

Polynesians also, just like Natives, didn't get nearly wiped out from a single epidemic. It was a series of epidemics, each with death tolls similar to Euro ones like the Black Plague.
I'm well aware of that, too, and of how the mortality rates were far worse for epidemics which hit populations who were malnourished and/or otherwise socially disrupted by European conquest/raids/massacres. (Same was true in Australia, for that matter.)

The problem with these epidemic and disease claims is they are used for genocide denial. "Disease did almost all the killing" instead of deliberate genocide, of which deliberate spread of disease was a central part. Colonists always knew they spread disease, as far back as the first governor of Hispaniola. Long before germ theory they always knew the obvious cause and effect, and with exceptions like Lewis and Clark, did their best to worsen the death rate.
I can't speak for how others refer to epidemic diseases, but please note that I haven't made any reference to "disease did almost all of the killing" or anything of the sort.

My point was that any sustained contact between Europeans and the Americas who have fifteenth-century sailing technology or better is going to lead to significant disease transmission and a severe demographic toll. The earlier Norse contacts did not lead to the same because of slower ship travel times and island-hopping which meant that disease transmission was attenuated.

That doesn't mean that the toll will necessarily be anywhere near as bad as it was historically. And if for some reason there are no follow-up European invasions, then Native populations will recover over time (as happened in Europe after the Antonine Plagues or the Black Death), with caveats that I've noted such as regions affected by malaria and yellow fever.
 
There are not. There was a time travel novel by Mack Reynolds The Other Time. A Chris Evans novel, The Aztec Century. Another by Martin Cruz Smith.

I e-mailed you with some of this, but I've done quite a bit with American Indians in alternate history, including a collection of essays and one novella called American Indian Victories that I published decades ago and revised/expanded a few years ago, plus I published a novel called "All Timelines Lead to Rome" where the modern world discovers how to make gates to an alternate reality where the Roman Empire stagnated but didn't fall and Europeans never reached the New World. So the modern world is in roughly the position Europe was after 1492, with a whole world of new resources to exploit, but knowing that exploiting them will destroy lives and cultures on an even more massive scale than the Columbian Exchange did, not just in the alternate reality New World, but in that reality's Old World as well.

There's a lot of fatalism or predestination on these topics, sometimes coming pretty close to justifying or shrugged shoulders about genocide. People wanting to believe "Oh well, it couldn't have been any different because technology, disease..."

I've encountered those attitudes a lot and I'm glad someone else is pushing back against them. That being the case, I hope your anthology does well. This is an under-explored subject and I would love to see it explored more. I'll definitely keep my eyes open for your anthology when it comes out. If you are flexible on the deadline, I might conceivably be able to crank something out in a few weeks, though I have a lot on my writing plate. If not this time, maybe for future efforts. What kind of word count are you looking for? And I hate to be crass, but is this a paid or unpaid gig? If paid, how much?

Again, good luck
 
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