Afterword

There are a few things I'd like to mention before you go. The first is revisionist history. To my complete surprise, a few stories submitted to me were not alternate futures at all—they were our futures, but the authorities of those futures had distorted the past so greatly, that the entire histories leading to ours were changed. The most memorable was that the communist revolution of China had never existed because communism had existed in that country since the dawn of man. It was very interesting to see how writers took the challenge of alternate future. Should there come another anthology of alternate future (likely in this and many other dimensions), I would most definitely like to include one or two of these.

While I did not mention revisionist history in the guidelines, I did state that submissions to The Butterfly Affects (and Atomjack in general) had to be or had to contain science fiction, there were two stories published in this anthology that used a literal God in most inventive ways. There were more submissions like these, and in general, I have noticed a greater trend toward including God in science fiction submissions recently. But strangely, much of what I've read doesn't contain overt morals or cautionary tone—God is simply another plot device or character in stories of the fantastic and/or futuristic. Perhaps this trend will be short-lived and has no traceable cause, or perhaps this is a sign of things to come. Only time can and will tell. Either way, it is producing strange and wondrous results, and I approve wholeheartedly.

Last, I'd like to acknowledge all the writers and authors who submitted, and all the authors who were accepted. I would especially like to thank T. L. Morganfield, thrice now Atomjack veteran, whose stories about Jaguar Knights and Aztec time travelers introduced me personally to the concept of alternate future and in part made this anthology possible. I would like to thank the Rev. Brian Worley, who after much prodding and poking and threatening, has produced simple and elegant layouts and logos. Also, thanks to Ray Tabler for pointing me to the most appropriate slice of poem by Francis Thompson on the index page. Most of all I would like to thank you, the reader, who, in this world of increasing distraction (thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Internet) has chosen to spend your time with these words and this website.

Adicus Ryan Garton
Seoul, South Korea, July 2009