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Mark Anthony Ciccone

@wiwriter610

Writer, Sidewise Award finalist, history PhD, amateur intellectual, and plenty more, not necessarily in that order. https://markaciccone.wordpress.com/

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06.11.2024
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Latest posts by Mark Anthony Ciccone @wiwriter610

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Divided Worlds: An Alternate Space Race Amazon.com: Divided Worlds: An Alternate Space Race eBook : Ciccone, Mark, Canavan, Donna: Kindle Store

If anyone out there's looking for new scifi to kick off spring reading, my Alternate History novella "Divided Worlds: An Alternate Space Race" is once more on sale through this Fri (3/6)! Grab a copy at the link below; if you already have, feel free to leave a review!

www.amazon.com/dp/B07BW8DPGK

03.03.2026 01:21 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Jog, Sprint, Repeat Greetings to all! I'm happy to say that, while not quite as fast as last month, the writing for February is still chugging along--and not just on the screen, or with a single project. Per my goals described in January's post, I've finished the (hand)written form of my Alternate History short work "Augustus in the Temple"--a task equally exhilarating and draining, in some ways much more so than typing could ever be.

Jog, Sprint, Repeat

Greetings to all! I'm happy to say that, while not quite as fast as last month, the writing for February is still chugging along--and not just on the screen, or with a single project. Per my goals described in January's post, I've finished the (hand)written form of my Alternateโ€ฆ

24.02.2026 05:28 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Hitting the Groundย Running Happy Friday, everyone! After a decent stretch of idling over the holiday(s), it seems, so far, that the writing pace has picked up again--faster than expected, even. In a pleasant surprise, my first project of 2026, the Alternate History short work "Augustus in the Temple", passed the (typed) finish line within this month's first full week! The final version will be handwritten, in one of two notebooks of unique design which my M.D.

Hitting the Groundย Running

Happy Friday, everyone! After a decent stretch of idling over the holiday(s), it seems, so far, that the writing pace has picked up again--faster than expected, even. In a pleasant surprise, my first project of 2026, the Alternate History short work "Augustus in theโ€ฆ

23.01.2026 21:36 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Dillinger in Charleston: A Novella of Alternate History Amazon.com: Dillinger in Charleston: A Novella of Alternate History eBook : Ciccone, Mark, Mavis, Paul: Kindle Store

Need a (digital) stocking stuffer? My Alternate History ebooks "Dillinger in Charleston" and "Dixie Curtain" are back on sale thru 12/28! Check out my latest Hist. Fiction work "The Hopkinsville Raid" on D2D as well!

www.amazon.com/dp/B0167UTNT0
www.amazon.com/dp/B08RN958CT
books2read.com/b/bQD2DD

21.12.2025 18:39 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Last Words (For THISย Year)โ€ฆ Happy Holidays, everybody! Given how the past year's gone for the world (and its being part of the title for a certain disgusting...manifesto, let's leave it at that), I couldn't quite bring myself to name it in this month's post--a habit I've had with most of my thoughts and writing, over the previous 350+ days, and may well continue past the upcoming New Year's.

Last Words (For THISย Year)โ€ฆ

Happy Holidays, everybody! Given how the past year's gone for the world (and its being part of the title for a certain disgusting...manifesto, let's leave it at that), I couldn't quite bring myself to name it in this month's post--a habit I've had with most of myโ€ฆ

21.12.2025 03:08 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Smashwords โ€“ Home

Need a (virtual) stocking stuffer? Alternate History publisher Sea Lion Press is having a sale of its ebooks on Smashwords.com thru New Near's Day--including my titles "A Bright Cold Day" and "The Two Horsemen"! Check 'em all out at the link below!

www.smashwords.com/profile/view...

10.12.2025 03:05 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

Meant to post this earlier, but here it is now: "The Hopkinsville Raid", the first in my "John Lawrence" historical fiction/Civil War short story series, has been published through Draft2Digital! Check out any of the store links in the second pic to grab a copy!

04.12.2025 03:13 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
No NANOโ€ฆBut the Work Goesย On A happy Thanksgiving to all (who celebrate it)! As mentioned in last month's post, this is the first year without the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month; 50K words on any writing project in 30 days) challenge to occupy the month of November. For some writers I know, this is a weight off their shoulders, leaving them still free to write as much as they want; for others, it's a great tragedy, leaving them without much of the community and camaraderie this event brought for them.

No NANOโ€ฆBut the Work Goesย On

A happy Thanksgiving to all (who celebrate it)! As mentioned in last month's post, this is the first year without the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month; 50K words on any writing project in 30 days) challenge to occupy the month of November. For some writers Iโ€ฆ

27.11.2025 21:54 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Autumn News Happy Halloween (week), everybody! This month's turned out to be a bit more relaxed than expected, in terms of writing, but the work keeps going, nonetheless. My current project, noir/murder mystery "School of Whacks", has seen a chapter finish and several other hurdles cleared/gaps filled; with any luck, I should have another chapter done by the 31st--if not sooner, presuming the usual (hand)writing sprint during my monthly "No Screens Day" (set for tmrw) works its magic.

Autumn News

Happy Halloween (week), everybody! This month's turned out to be a bit more relaxed than expected, in terms of writing, but the work keeps going, nonetheless. My current project, noir/murder mystery "School of Whacks", has seen a chapter finish and several other hurdles cleared/gapsโ€ฆ

27.10.2025 22:20 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
A Double Rebound Greetings, everyone! Well, it feels safe to say I've pulled myself free of the malaise described in last month's post. The draft of my first "John Lawrence" Civil War-themed Hist. Fiction story reached the finish line around mid-month, further ahead of the rough deadline set when I restarted it in Aug., and is now awaiting beta work, slated to begin around the first full week in Oct.

A Double Rebound

Greetings, everyone! Well, it feels safe to say I've pulled myself free of the malaise described in last month's post. The draft of my first "John Lawrence" Civil War-themed Hist. Fiction story reached the finish line around mid-month, further ahead of the rough deadline set whenโ€ฆ

29.09.2025 16:08 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
The Muse Taketh &ย Giveth A good Sunday evening to all! Once more, I can only offer apologies for the delay this month. Yet again, it seems, I've been given a lesson on how...mercurial inspiration and writing in general can be: Despite high hopes of at least completing a bigger chunk of my Alternate History short story "Hill Country Commune", if not finishing the draft altogether, a combo of "Inner Editor" nagging (which resulted in a huge section getting removed almost right after it went up on the screen) and realization that I needed…

The Muse Taketh &ย Giveth

A good Sunday evening to all! Once more, I can only offer apologies for the delay this month. Yet again, it seems, I've been given a lesson on how...mercurial inspiration and writing in general can be: Despite high hopes of at least completing a bigger chunk of myโ€ฆ

01.09.2025 07:36 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Keeping It Chill (Sortย Of) Hello again, everybody! Well, after a month of what turned out to be a more relaxed pace of work than I'd thought/hoped for (not all of it due to Outside World impacts, for this round), it's time to switch writing project horses again. Only added about a chapter or so to my current effort, the Alternate History novel draft A House United…

Keeping It Chill (Sortย Of)

Hello again, everybody! Well, after a month of what turned out to be a more relaxed pace of work than I'd thought/hoped for (not all of it due to Outside World impacts, for this round), it's time to switch writing project horses again. Only added about a chapter or so toโ€ฆ

31.07.2025 04:38 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Dillinger in Charleston: A Novella of Alternate History Amazon.com: Dillinger in Charleston: A Novella of Alternate History eBook : Ciccone, Mark, Mavis, Paul: Kindle Store

Happy 4th, everybody! If anyone's feeling in need of some holiday weekend reading, my Alternate History books. "Dillinger in Charleston" and "Dixie Curtain" are on sale starting today, and thru the 11th!

www.amazon.com/dp/B0167UTNT0
www.amazon.com/dp/B08RN958CT

04.07.2025 22:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Liftoff #19! Good evening, everyone! If any out there are miffed at the lateness of this month's post, I promise it's for a good reason--the best of all, in fact, for any writer! As of this afternoon, my latest Alternate History short story, "The Ussuri Incident", is available on Amazon Kindle! Like "One Giant Leap" (published last month), this story is set in the world of my previous AH novella…

Liftoff #19!

Good evening, everyone! If any out there are miffed at the lateness of this month's post, I promise it's for a good reason--the best of all, in fact, for any writer! As of this afternoon, my latest Alternate History short story, "The Ussuri Incident", is available on Amazon Kindle!โ€ฆ

01.07.2025 01:13 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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A Trial and A Joy: One Authorโ€™s Take on Fiction Writing & Publishing Mon 16 Jun, 3:00 PM - 3:00 PM [CDT]: Writing of any kind, but especially fiction, is both a labor of love (you can lose yourself in worlds and characters of every kind, all of your own creation) and o...

Here's the link to my upcoming author event on Mon 6/16; feel free to drop by if you're in the area!

tockify.com/leopoldsmadi...

10.06.2025 21:45 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Liftoff #18! Happy (post-)Memorial Day holiday, everyone! It's definitely happy on this end, as you can probably tell from the post title: This afternoon, my latest Alternate History short story, "One Giant Leap", was released as a Kindle ebook! Set in the timeline of my previous novella Divided Worlds: An Alternate Space Race, this work revolves around a much accelerated "Race to the Moon", with Soviet and U.S.

Liftoff #18!

Happy (post-)Memorial Day holiday, everyone! It's definitely happy on this end, as you can probably tell from the post title: This afternoon, my latest Alternate History short story, "One Giant Leap", was released as a Kindle ebook! Set in the timeline of my previous novella Dividedโ€ฆ

28.05.2025 05:06 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Red Delta: A Novel of Alternate History Amazon.com: Red Delta: A Novel of Alternate History eBook : Ciccone, Mark, Canavan, Donna: Kindle Store

"I think this is one of the finest and most imaginative pieces of counter-factual fiction that I have read in some time."

My Alternate History novel "Red Delta" is on sale thru 5/4; grab a copy at the link below, or pass it on to someone who needs a new fiction fix!

www.amazon.com/dp/B078NRSN9B

02.05.2025 20:29 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Red Delta: A Novel of Alternate History Amazon.com: Red Delta: A Novel of Alternate History eBook : Ciccone, Mark, Canavan, Donna: Kindle Store

"I think this is one of the finest and most imaginative pieces of counter-factual fiction that I have read in some time."

My Alternate History novel "Red Delta" is on sale thru 5/4; grab a copy at the link below, or pass it on to someone who needs a new fiction fix!

www.amazon.com/dp/B078NRSN9B

01.05.2025 04:03 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Red Delta: A Novel of Alternate History Amazon.com: Red Delta: A Novel of Alternate History eBook : Ciccone, Mark, Canavan, Donna: Kindle Store

"I think this is one of the finest and most imaginative pieces of counter-factual fiction that I have read in some time."

My Alternate History novel "Red Delta" is on sale thru 5/4; grab a copy at the link below, or pass it on to someone who needs a new fiction fix!

www.amazon.com/dp/B078NRSN9B

29.04.2025 05:54 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Two Finished, And Moreโ€ฆ Hello, all! At long last, Iโ€™m pleased to report that my current two-draft stretch of writing labor has come to an end: the drafts of both โ€œOne Giant Leapโ€ and โ€œThe Ussuri Inโ€ฆ

markaciccone.wordpress.com/2025/04/26/t...

26.04.2025 17:44 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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In Other Words: Eight Personal Stories of Alternate History Amazon.com: In Other Words: Eight Personal Stories of Alternate History eBook : Ciccone, Mark, Csizmadia, Julie: Kindle Store

"I consider author Mark Ciccone to be one of the leading lights in the current generation of authors writing in the alternate history genre." (review)

My Alternate History anthology "In Other Words" is back on sale thru 4/7!

www.amazon.com/dp/B0B53Z76NB

02.04.2025 17:51 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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In Other Words: Eight Personal Stories of Alternate History Amazon.com: In Other Words: Eight Personal Stories of Alternate History eBook : Ciccone, Mark, Csizmadia, Julie: Kindle Store

No April Fool's joke here: My Alternate History anthology "In Other Words" is back on sale all this week!

www.amazon.com/dp/B0B53Z76NB

01.04.2025 21:54 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
First Drafts ofย Spring A good weekend to everybody! Guess spring really is showing itself, not just returning on a calendar, because along with the snows being gone and actual green appearing again, the "shoots" (i.e. drafts) of my current Divided Worlds short story work are rising up fast. The first, "One Giant Leap," is actually done, well ahead of schedule; with any luck, beta reading(s) will be done by the end of next week, and I can begin the cover design effort around that time, with release on KDP by no later than end of April.

First Drafts ofย Spring

A good weekend to everybody! Guess spring really is showing itself, not just returning on a calendar, because along with the snows being gone and actual green appearing again, the "shoots" (i.e. drafts) of my current Divided Worlds short story work are rising up fast. Theโ€ฆ

30.03.2025 05:05 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Divided Worlds: An Alternate Space Race Amazon.com: Divided Worlds: An Alternate Space Race eBook : Ciccone, Mark, Canavan, Donna: Kindle Store

"Another top-class story from the pen of Mr. Ciccone" (review)

My Alternate History ebook novella "Divided Worlds: An Alternate Space Race" is back on sale thru 3/8! A must-read for any scifi, "For All Mankind" or AH fans!

www.amazon.com/dp/B07BW8DPGK

03.03.2025 22:15 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Sea Lion Press

In honor of "Read an Ebook Week" (3/2-3/8) Sea Lion Press is having a sale of its Alternate History works--including two of mine: "A Bright Cold Day" and "The Two Horsemen"! Check 'em all out at the link(s) below!

www.smashwords.com/profile/view...

www.smashwords.com/profile/view...

02.03.2025 18:55 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
One Pause, Twoย Restarts Happy end of February, everyone! Along with (ideally) the giving way of winter to spring, this point in time brings a shift from one writing project to another. Work on my Civil War-themed Alternate History draft A More Perfect Union has reached a good stopping point (helped in no small part by new writing software, letting me better sort out notes, outline and draft), so I'm currently taking a day or so off in preparation for what will be the final round of work on two short stories set in the universe of my "Divided Worlds" AH novella.

One Pause, Twoย Restarts

Happy end of February, everyone! Along with (ideally) the giving way of winter to spring, this point in time brings a shift from one writing project to another. Work on my Civil War-themed Alternate History draft A More Perfect Union has reached a good stopping pointโ€ฆ

28.02.2025 21:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Red Delta: A Novel of Alternate History Amazon.com: Red Delta: A Novel of Alternate History eBook : Ciccone, Mark, Canavan, Donna: Kindle Store

"[A] standout indie novel and a creative work of alternate history."

My very first AH novel, "Red Delta", is back on sale in paperback & ebook this week, through 2/8! Grab a copy at the link below!

www.amazon.com/dp/B078NRSN9B

03.02.2025 00:56 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
The Long & Short Of Thisย Year Hey, everybody! As you might guess, a mix of novel and short story drafts is again the watchword for this new 365-day stretch of writing, with room for shifts from one to the other depending on inspiration and energy. It's gotten off to a packed start (hence the delay in updating you all this month): three projects nearly at the same time, and while effort has waxed and waned at times, I'm happy to report great progress on all of them!

The Long & Short Of Thisย Year

Hey, everybody! As you might guess, a mix of novel and short story drafts is again the watchword for this new 365-day stretch of writing, with room for shifts from one to the other depending on inspiration and energy. It's gotten off to a packed start (hence the delayโ€ฆ

31.01.2025 04:06 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Last Words (Forย 2024)โ€ฆ Happy Holidays to all! Well, it was tighter than expected, with final words being added almost at the eleventh hour on Nov. 30th...but I reached the 50K word count yet again for National Novel Writing Month (my 15th in a row)! While fully half of this count was still deleted within a couple days of the victory, as feared/expected (thanks, Internal Editor and Belated New Ideas!), seeing the final tally that night (also my last for the traditional NNWM challenge, at least on an annual basis) was a thrill that hasn't faded yet.

Last Words (Forย 2024)โ€ฆ

Happy Holidays to all! Well, it was tighter than expected, with final words being added almost at the eleventh hour on Nov. 30th...but I reached the 50K word count yet again for National Novel Writing Month (my 15th in a row)! While fully half of this count was still deletedโ€ฆ

28.12.2024 22:43 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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(Earlier post accidentally deleted)

Hey, out there!

If anyone's in need of some new fiction gifts for Xmas or New Year's, my Alternate History works "In Other Words and "Dixie Curtain" are on sale in ebook & paperback, from 12/22-12/29!

www.amazon.com/dp/B0B53Z76NB
www.amazon.com/dp/B08RN958CT

23.12.2024 07:11 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0