Whether you love it or you hate it, sometimes writing just requires research. All authors fall down the rabbit hole at some point, but some genres require it more than others. Alternate history is such a beast. This genre requires attention to detail and strategic decisions about changes to true events and historical figures. This leads us to a warren of worldbuilding questions. Where do you start? When do you bring in primary sources? When do you need a centuries-old map to find a forest that doesn’t exist in the 21st century? How did people really talk during the Revolutionary War, and does it matter?

We’re so pleased to introduce Kevin Ikenberry, science fiction, mil sci-fi, and alternate history writer. He’s the author of over 25 novels, including the alternate history novel The Crossing and non-fiction The Mercenary Guide to Story Structure. Join us as we interview Ike about historical research, ripples in time, genre differences, and how he decides where to take liberties in his alternate history.

In Part Two, We Discuss:

Using worldbuilding to create conflict for your characters
Checking yourself and avoiding the research rabbit hole

How do changes impact the near-future in history? What about far-reaching futures?
The differences between alternate history and historical fiction
The most important things to get right–or not–when writing historical events
Organizational skills, tips, and K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple, Stupid
The story behind the iconic cover art of The Crossing

Resources and Guest Links:

https://kevinikenberry.com/
The Crossing: https://kevinikenberry.com/book/the-crossing/
The Mercenary Guide to Story Structure: https://kevinikenberry.com/book/the-mercenary-guide-to-story-structure/
The Guardian Covenant: https://kevinikenberry.com/book-series/the-guardian-covenant/
Pre-order link for Steel on Target, book 1 of the Buzzer War from Kevin Ikenberry (releasing September 24th!): https://www.amazon.com/Steel-Target-Buzzer-War-Book-ebook/dp/B0D63MK837

We can’t thank Ike enough–for his time or his margaritas. He’s as generous a host as he is an author, and we’re so grateful he was willing to share his experiences and expertise with our audience.

Host Links:

H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/
David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/

Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)

Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay

Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios,

Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay

Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim