''Paradox: The Magazine of Historical and Speculative Fiction'' (also known as ''Paradox Magazine'' or simply ''Paradox'') was a

literary magazine A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry, and essays, along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letter ...

featuring original short

historical fiction Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other ty ...

in all of its forms up to

novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian ''novella'' meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) facts ...

length. This includes mainstream historical fiction as well as other genre fiction with historical themes. For example, works of

alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...

historical whodunnit The historical mystery or historical whodunit is a subgenre of two literary genres, historical fiction and mystery fiction. These works are set in a time period considered historical from the author's perspective, and the central plot involves t ...

s, historical fantasy, period

horror Horror may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Genres *Horror fiction, a genre of fiction ** Japanese horror, Japanese horror fiction **Korean horror, Korean horror fiction * Horror film, a film genre *Horror comics, comic books focusing o ...

, time travel, Arthurian legend and retold

myth Myth is a folklore genre consisting of Narrative, narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or Origin myth, origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not Objectivity (philosophy), ...

regularly appear in its pages. The magazine also features original

historical poetry Historical poetry is a subgenre of poetry that has its roots in history. Its aim is to delineate events of the past by incorporating elements of artful composition and poetic diction. It seems that many of these events are limited to the phenomen ...

, reviews of

historical novel Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other ty ...

s and

films A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

, and interviews with notable historical novelists.

History and profile

''Paradox'' was initially published quarterly, from April 2003 through January 2004. It was then switched to a semiannual release schedule. Although ''Paradox'' is a print magazine, the editor experimented with publishing a bonus online issue in January 2004. On May 12, 2009, with the release of the thirteenth issue, the editor announced that ''Paradox'' would be ceasing publication as a print magazine; future book anthologies through Paradox Publications are planned, and the possibility exists that the magazine might return in an online format. One distinctive aesthetic feature of the magazine is its use of historical artwork. In addition to using newly commissioned art for a story's accompanying illustration, stories are frequently illustrated by being matched with appropriate paintings or photographs by artists past. Vintage photographic portraits and U.S. Civil War and World War I photographs have been so employed in ''Paradox'' as have paintings by such artists as Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema,

George Bellows George Wesley Bellows (August 12 or August 19, 1882 – January 8, 1925) was an American realism, American realist painting, painter, known for his bold depictions of urban life in New York City. He became, according to the Columbus Museum of Art ...

William Bouguereau William-Adolphe Bouguereau (; 30 November 1825 – 19 August 1905) was a French academic painter. In his realistic genre paintings, he used mythological themes, making modern interpretations of classical subjects, with an emphasis on the female ...

, Chǒng Sǒn, Gustave Doré, Rudolf Ernst, M. C. Escher, Jean-Léon Gérôme,

John William Godward John William Godward (9 August 1861 – 13 December 1922) was an English painter from the end of the Neo-Classicist era. He was a protégé of Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, but his style of painting fell out of favour with the rise of modern a ...

, Francisco Goya, David Roberts, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec,

J. M. W. Turner Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 177519 December 1851), known in his time as William Turner, was an English Romantic painter, printmaker and watercolourist. He is known for his expressive colouring, imaginative landscapes and turbulen ...

, Vincent van Gogh,

George Frederick Watts George Frederic Watts (23 February 1817, in London – 1 July 1904) was a British painter and sculptor associated with the Symbolism (arts), Symbolist movement. He said "I paint ideas, not things." Watts became famous in his lifetime for hi ...

, and Wu Guxiang, among many others. Two stories published in 2006 in ''Paradox'' were among the seven short-form finalists for the 2006 Sidewise Award for Alternate History—"O, Pioneer" by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff and "The Meteor of the War" by Andrew Tisbert. One story published in 2008 was recommended for a Nebula Award: "Tucker Teaches the Clockies to Copulate" by David Erik Nelson. "The Wizard of Macatawa" by Tom Doyle, published in ''Paradox'' issue 11 (Autumn 2007), was the winner of the 2008 WSFA Small Press Award.SF Awards Watch
Retrieved October 19, 2008.

Editor

Christopher M. Cevasco, editor/publisher, 2003 to present

Published authors

''Paradox'' published fiction and poetry by both new authors and established professionals. Noted contributors have included: * Cherith Baldry * Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff * Marie Brennan *

Brenda Clough Brenda W. Clough (also credited as B.W. Clough) (pronounced ''Cluff'')">/nowiklinknowiki>/nowiki> *"The Indecorous Rescue of Clarinda Merwin", ''Aboriginal SF'', Mar/Apr 1989 *"Provisional Solution", ''Carmen Miranda's Ghost is Haunting Space Stat ...

* Jeff Crook * Paul Finch * Charles Coleman Finlay * Eugie Foster * Sarah Hoyt * Sarah Monette * Richard Mueller * Darrell Schweitzer * Brian Stableford *

Adam Stemple Adam Stemple is a Celtic-influenced American folk rock musician, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is also the author of several fantasy short stories and novels, including two series of novels co-written with his mother, writer Jane Yolen. Stem ...

* Sonya Taaffe *

Steve Rasnic Tem Steve Rasnic Tem (born 1950) is an American author. He was born in Jonesville, Virginia. Rasnic attended college at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and also at Virginia Commonwealth University. He earned a B.A. in English educ ...

James Van Pelt James Van Pelt (born 1954 in Akron, Ohio) is an American science fiction author who began publishing in the mid-90s. He is also a teacher in the language arts department at Fruita Monument High School in Fruita, Colorado. __TOC__ Biography ...

* Carrie Vaughn * Jack Whyte * Jane Yolen

Authors interviewed

Interviews with historical novelists and writers, conducted by the editor of ''Paradox'', were regularly featured in the magazine. Noted authors interviewed have included: * Piers Anthony * Kevin Baker * Bernard Cornwell *

Karen Essex Karen Essex is an American historical novelist, a screenwriter, and journalist. Early life and education Essex was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. As a teenager, she got involved with the theatre and focused her collegiate studies on costum ...

* Lois Tilton * Connie Willis

ISSN

Registered as ISSN 1548-0593 with the United States Library of Congress.

References

{{Reflist Alternate history History magazines published in the United States Speculative fiction magazines published in the United States Quarterly magazines published in the United States Biannual magazines published in the United States Defunct literary magazines published in the United States Defunct science fiction magazines published in the United States Fantasy fiction magazines Horror fiction magazines Magazines established in 2003 Magazines disestablished in 2009 Online magazines with defunct print editions Online literary magazines published in the United States Magazines published in New York City