A consequence of Eric Flint’s death on July 17 is that his publishing businesses will have to shut down. His wife, Lucille Robbins, made the announcement today on the Ring of Fire Press website.
Our Fellow Members of the Ring of Fire Press Family,
It has taken the staff and the family to both assess and absorb the sad passing of our friend and mentor, Eric Flint. In the wake of his passing, we have looked at the financial realities of the publisher 1632, Inc. as a company and its future without Eric as the visionary and driving force behind the press.
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that the publisher 1632, Inc. must cease all operations and release all staff and consultants. This is not what we wanted or expected to happen but, unfortunately the publisher 1632, Inc. is not sustainable.
Eric Flint’s Ring of Fire Press will be working with each of their authors to revert their creative rights. A caretaker volunteer will be reaching out to authors in order to help facilitate the transfer and answer any questions you have.
We here at 1632, Inc. are so very sorry things have come to this.
Meanwhile, Lucille Robbins, Eric Flint’s widow and heir, in conjunction with Baen Books announced the forthcoming titles from Eric Flint, which have already been delivered and are on the schedule for Baen Books:
November 2022
1637: The Transylvanian Decision by Eric Flint & Robert Waters—hardcover
September 2023
1638: The Siberian Enterprise by Eric Flint, Paula Goodlett & Gorg Huff–hardcover
There will also be a number of previously contracted-for projects that Eric Flint had already provided input on, and which will be published as by his collaborator “with Eric Flint.” These include sequels to his science fiction novels with David Carrico and Ryk E. Spoor as well as a number of 1632/Ring of Fire series novels, including novels with Jody Lynn Nye, Griffin Barber, and Charles E. Gannon.
The announcement said in conclusion that, moving forward, any projects not already under contract by Baen Books will need to be approved by Lucille Robbins, who will be working with Baen publisher Toni Weisskopf and several of Flint’s collaborators to make sure his intentions for the series are kept. Proposals can be directed to Weisskopf at [email protected].
[Via Andrew (not Werdna), and Andrew Porter.]
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It’s a shame to see small press like Ring of Fire go out of business.
That’s a shame. The press had started acquiring both reprints and new books. I think our Mark had something published there.
I’m glad they reverted the rights to the authors, and I hope they find new homes for their books — or at least decided to self-publish. I had added some of their books to my wishlist. 🙁
Sad news.
Sad. I suppose not shocking, with Eric gone, but sad.
I hope that Baen Books or an other entity will be able to keep the 101 volumes of the Grantville Gazette already published available online. It would be a shame to loose all of those stories.
Also, does anyone know if there was a follow up volume to “1636: The Ottoman Onslaught” being written for future publication?
Additional pain is induced by the knowledge that the online magazine Grantville Gazette has been shut down, even though I am given to understand that it (unlike Ring of Fire Press) has actually been net profitable, even though it pays full professional rates.
It was a great experiment while it lasted…but it had to end sometime. Still a damn shame.
Definitely hope Grantville Gazette can continue.
I woke up on the 15th with an email that my subscription had been canceled.
I was enjoying the stories, and would hope that the editorial board could work with Lucille Robbins on continuing it.
I don’t understand the need of Ring of Fire Press to take all its books out of the Kindle store so quickly without warning. Part of the process of working with authors to revert their creative rights should have been to keep them in print electronically during the transition.
Any authors who published non-RoF or 1632 books with Ring of Fire Press, if you want to talk about ways forward, please contact me. You should be sent reversion of rights letters shortly. I recommend that you ask for the ebook and trade paper masters as well.
I am not now and never have been an employee of 1632 Inc. and I terminated my relationship with them on 8/14 when the decision was made to close the press.
I feel sad about the end of the series. I have most of the novels and all of the GG’s. I wish there would be a satisfying and definite conclusion of this great series
@rcade 1632 Inc’s bankruptcy is a liquidation not a restructuring. That means that ROFP itself is ceasing to exist, and with it any ability for them to keep publishing any books going forward. Mass reverting the rights now is to make sure they’re back in possession of the authors; and not snarled up for an extended period of time by the court proceedings.
This is devastating news.
Eric will be remembered as another giant of the field lost too early. I looked forward to each addition to the 1632 universe, and especially eagerly to each new edition of the Gazette.
What a wonderful thing Eric did in providing so much pleasure to so many, and providing support and an avenue to publication to so many budding authors. Their future success will be a fondly remembered legacy.
To Frank Shirer: In response to your query, ‘does anyone know if there was a follow up volume to “1636: The Ottoman Onslaught”’, there was a partial follow-up in ‘1637: The Polish Maelstrom’, which is advertised as the direct sequel.
Yes, it’s a real shame that this experiment has to end like this, with Eric Fint taken from us all far too early and so many possibilities left unexplored. I discovered the series late, in late 2019. My mantra had previously been that alternate history should be believable, with only one change allowed, and no SF elements. After reading 1812 & 1824 in 2019, I took a chance with Eric Flint, read 1632, and was hooked. I went on to read all the books bar one, and all the GGs, which also encouraged me to read Harry Turtledove and Drew McGunn. I also had the privilege of being part of the proofreading team for the last three or four issues of the Grantville Gazette. I hope that the best writers from the RoF tradition can keep it going, with believability and consistency the two core words (and readability, of course), as though Eric Flint were reading over their shoulders and muttering suggestions and words of encouragement.
Baen Books has announced the following:
Meanwhile, Lucille Robbins, Eric Flint’s widow and heir, in conjunction with Baen Books announced the forthcoming titles from Eric Flint, which have already been delivered and are on the schedule for Baen Books:
November 2022
1637: The Transylvanian Decision by Eric Flint & Robert Waters—hardcover
September 2023
1638: The Siberian Enterprise by Eric Flint, Paula Goodlett & Gorg Huff–hardcover
There will also be a number of previously contracted-for projects that Eric Flint had already provided input on, and which will be published as by his collaborator “with Eric Flint.” These include sequels to his science fiction novels with David Carrico and Ryk E. Spoor as well as a number of 1632/Ring of Fire series novels, including novels with Jody Lynn Nye, Griffin Barber, and Charles E. Gannon.
The announcement said in conclusion that, moving forward, any projects not already under contract by Baen Books will need to be approved by Lucille Robbins, who will be working with Baen publisher Toni Weisskopf and several of Flint’s collaborators to make sure his intentions for the series are kept. Proposals can be directed to Weisskopf at [email protected].
[Via Andrew (not Werdna), and Andrew Porter.]
So several more books co-written by Eric will; be published, as well as several more “contracted for” and “with Eric Flint” credit.
Also a process for Eric’;s wife to oversee the future of 1632’s evolution suggests this “series” will continue, hopefully with something like the 1632 books published by Ring of Fire Press.
This is good news.
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its a shame and one would think that the 1632 universe has a LOT of value in the era of streaming services fighting all over themselves for content. Im surprised it has not appeared somewhere in adaptation to now!!!