The Authors' Introduction
The Authors' Introduction
AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT know, Bob, back in the early 2000s, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller began hosting a site called Splinter Universe.
The conceit behind Splinter Universe was that it would be a place for Lee and Miller, and Lee, and Miller, to post fun bits that the writing process had made unnecessary to a larger work, or character sketches, or discovery stories–incomplete bits of things, for the most part, or, if you will–Splinters.
Each Splinter was accompanied by author commentary talking about the piece, its strengths, weaknesses, its place in the process of writing, and often lending a bit of history to the piece itself or to the Liaden Universe® as a whole. In short, Splinter Universe was created for the amusement of the authors, and those readers who are amused by such things.
Occasionally, the site would host stories by Guest Authors; or a story from one or both of us, before that story was folded into a chapbook.
On those various terms, Splinter Universe has been a success, though it goes through times of greater and lesser activity.
Given the length of time Splinter Universe has been about its various businesses, it became–somewhat crowded. In fact, it was time–past time, frankly–for a thorough housecleaning. Which Sharon proposed to do.
However–people become fond of things, and the fans of Splinter Universe are no exception. They were concerned–in some cases, very concerned–that the material which was to be removed from the website would be lost, forever.
We promised that this would not be the case; that the content would be preserved and made available to those who wished to have it.
This book is the proof of that promise.
In the following pages, you will find everything that was taken down from Splinter Universe in April of 2020, in order to tidy things up, and to make room for a proposed large project.
Enjoy–and thank you all.
Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
April 13, 2020