Justin Watson grew up an Army brat, living in Germany, Alabama, Texas, Korea, Colorado and Alaska, and fed on a steady diet of X-Men, Star Trek, Robert Heinlein, DragonLance, and Babylon 5. While attending West Point, he met his future wife, Michele, on an airplane, and soon began writing in earnest with her encouragement. In 2005 he graduated from West Point and served as a field artillery officer, completing combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and earning the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Action Badge. Medically retired from the Army in 2015, Justin settled in Houston with Michele, their four children, and an excessively friendly Old English Sheepdog.

Heroes & Survivors

Justin Watson

Twin columns of brown-uniformed soldiers trudged across the snow-covered plain into a conifer forest. Deprived of the day’s sunlight by the long shadows of the pines, the temperature in the forest dropped precipitously, affecting even Russian troops known for their indifference to the chill. The winds whistled through the pines and cut through their coats. The slush of snow and mud pulled at their boots with every step. Marching between the two columns, Sergei Chekov, his plain features and black eyes hard and glaring, removed his brimmed cap and ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair as he passed into the forest. He let loose a sharp exhalation that turned instantly to smoking vapor, then inhaled deeply, letting the cold sting his nostrils, throat and lungs.

Chekov replaced his cap, stopped under the cover of the trees and counted off the remains of his platoon as they passed into the concealment of the white-clad pines. He did so every few kilometers to ensure none had gotten lost or mixed up with another unit in the retreat.

…sixteen, seventeen, eighteen—all accounted for. We marched into Galicia almost two years ago with thirty-six men. Now this is all that’s left, and most of these new men; soft city boys conscripted, or else taken in by the Marxists’ propaganda.

That Chekov himself was from the relatively cosmopolitan city of Yaroslavl failed to soften his disdain for his fellow urbanites filling up the ranks of the new Red Army. Many of them were motivated, but their training was utter shit, and their frequently genuine devotion to ideology annoyed him to no end. Maybe they were right, maybe the communists would usher in a new era of peace and plenty for Russia. But out here, all that mattered was survival, not the fantasies of intellectuals.

CROWD-FUNDING CAMPAIGN GOES LIVE ON INDIEGOGO

The second chapter of New York Times bestselling author John Ringo’s epic zombie apocalypse saga is being produced in graphic novel form.

Travis S. Taylor and Les Johnson are teaming up once again to bring hard-hitting, edge-of-your seat science fiction to readers with their latest Orion’s Arm novel, Crisis on Proxima. To celebrate, we’re offering discounts on all Taylor/Johnson backlist ebooks titles.

Arlen Feldman takes home the top prize for his short story “The Wish Doctor.”

Baen Books formally announced this year’s finalists for the Baen Fantasy Adventure Award today.

Riverdale, New York, April 9, 2024 — Eric Flint’s Ring of Fire is the best-selling alternate history series of all time. When the small, 20th Century town of Grantville, West Virginia, is hurled through time and space to Europe during the 17th Century, the course of history is forever altered. And with the publication of Eric Flint’s groundbreaking first novel in the series, 1632, the course of the alternate history genre was forever changed. Flint and Baen Books opened the series to coauthors and fan writers, who wove a tapestry of novels, novellas, ebooks, and short stories that created a densely populated world. With Flint’s death in 2022, the future of the series was left uncertain.

Now, Baen Books announces plans for the future of Eric Flint’s Ring of Fire. Flint was working on the series up until the time of his passing. Baen will release these final novels, which will be completed by the authors Flint was developing the books with. Beginning with 1635: The Weaver’s Code, cowritten by Flint and nationally best-selling author Jody Lynn Nye, Baen will release:

      1635: The Weaver’s Code by Eric Flint and Jody Lynn Nye (October 2024)

      1637: The Pacific Initiative by Iver Cooper

      Title TBD by Eric Flint and Walter Hunt

      1637: Pilgrim’s Passage by Eric Flint & Griffin Barber

      Title TBD by Eric Flint & Charles E. Gannon

In addition to the print novels, Baen Books will be rereleasing select books originally published by Ring of Fire Press. These include former Ring of Fire Press titles by Vrginia DeMarce, Bjorn Hasseler, David Carrico, Paula Goodlett & Gorg Huff, Garret Vance, Bethann Kim, and Mike Watson.

And while the Grantville Gazette, the online magazine edited by Flint that featured stories set in the Ring of Fire series, will no longer be published, the Flint estate has granted permission for a new online and ebook magazine to continue the tradition, begun by Flint, of welcoming new authors into the series. More information about Eric Flint’s 1632 and Beyond can be found at https://1632magazine.com. (Note: Baen Books is not affiliated with Eric Flint’s 1632 and Beyond.)

With new novels, reprints of Ring of Fire Press books, and more, Baen Books is thrilled to continue Eric Flint’s legacy into the future.

Steve Miller, best known for the long-running Liaden Universe® series of space opera stories and novels, coauthored with his beloved wife and partner Sharon Lee, died February 20, 2024, in their home in Waterville, Maine. He was 73.

Steve had been fighting heart trouble for several years and, old newspaperman that he was, had prepped his obituary for the trade months before. Steve had worked many jobs before becoming a full time writer, including managing early BBS systems, acting as an internet librarian, owning and managing a science fiction themed used bookstore and art gallery with his wife, and acting as a freelance reporter for many Baltimore area and national publications.

Steve leaves behind a legacy that has profoundly shaped the landscape of science fiction and inspired a generation of new writers. Last year saw the publication of their 100th collaboration together, the national best-selling science fiction novel Salvage Right; Ribbon Dance, also a Liaden novel, is scheduled for release in June 2024, and Sharon intends to continue the series as they had planned.

Steve’s interest in chess was lifelong. He was a member of the University of Maryland Baltimore County Chess League, a U.S. Chess Federation Tournament Director, President of the Owings Mills Chess Club, President of the Waterville Chess Club, and ran numerous tournaments in many venues. He was part of Waterville’s Main Chess League championship team in 1998.

We at Baen honor not only his remarkable literary achievements but also the warmth, kindness, and boundless imagination that defined him as both an author and a friend. “He was one of the good guys,” said his publisher Toni Weisskopf. “A true light shining in the science fiction community.” In this time of sorrow, our thoughts and condolences are with Sharon Lee, and the countless fans whose lives have been touched by Steve’s legacy.

Steve was predeceased by his father, Donald Miller of Madeira Beach, FL, his stepfather, Ronald L. Moore, Sr., and his mother, Helen Moore. Survived by his wife, Sharon Lee, and siblings Donald George Miller (Kim), Craig Edward Miller (Brenda), Cindy Rex (Ron Prietz Sr.), Roland L. Moore, Jr. (Kay) and numerous nieces and nephews.

Finalists exemplify the best of near-future, forward-thinking science fiction. Annual contest marks 16 years of highlighting bright futures and rising talent.

Jim Beall (BS-Math, MBA, PE) has been a nuclear engineer for over forty years, a war gamer for over fifty, and an avid reader of science fiction for even longer. His experience in nuclear engineering and power systems began as a naval officer. Experience after the USN includes design, construction, inspection, enforcement, and assessment with a nuclear utility, an architect engineering firm, and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC).

The term “Artificial Intelligence” (AI) was coined by mathematician and computer scientist John McCarthy at a 1956 Dartmouth conference now deemed to be the birthplace of AI as a field of science, but the idea goes back nearly three millennia!

Baen Books has signed a contract with author Christopher Ruocchio to publish the final two books in his internationally award-winning Sun Eater series, as well as for a first look deal for Ruocchio’s next series.

We’re happy to announce an easier way to deliver our Ebooks directly from Baen.com to your favorite Ereader. You can now email EPUB files directly to your device from our site—no download necessary!

Baen to publish new science fiction novels from authors Monalisa Foster and Marisa Wolf

Lucille Robbins, Eric Flint’s widow and heir, in conjunction with Baen Books would like to announce the forthcoming titles from Eric Flint.

Baen to publish sword and sorcery series The Chronicles of Hanuvar, with first book in August 2023

It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Eric Flint has passed away. We were proud to publish Eric’s first novel, Mother of Demons, in 1997, and to continue publishing his many worlds, including the best-selling Ring of Fire series that started with 1632.

There are several of Eric’s works already delivered and on the schedule. Eric was a tireless collaborator, and readers can also expect more of his works to be released with Eric’s designated collaborators in the future.

We will be celebrating Eric and his works on the Baen Free Radio Hour this week and the following week and encourage all to tune in.

—Toni Weisskopf
Publisher, Baen Books

Lakewood, Colorado author Wil McCarthy has been named the winner of the 2022 Prometheus Award for Best Novel, for his novel Rich Man’s Sky.