Tanya X. Short

Erin Cole

Mary Fan

Julie Ann Dawson

Tim McDaniel

M.E.L.I. 

James Zahardis

Jaime Lackey

Danielle N. Gales 

Since 2009, the Bards and Sages Quarterly has brought fans of speculative fiction an amazing variety of short stories from both new and established authors. Each issue sets out to introduce readers to the wealth of talent found in the horror, fantasy and science fiction genres. Our authors have included Nebula, Hugo, and Pushcart winners and nominees. In this Issue: An Interview with Sci-Fi Author Mary Fan After refusing to sell his grandmother’s old phonograph to a peculiar man, Evan learns what it means to defy the desires of ancient forces in “A Song from the Old Country.” An almost indestructible princess discovers the truth of her strength, and her heritage, in “Rebirth.” A young man concocts a scheme to get his parents to stop pressuring him to find someone to sue in “Victims.”

Bards and Sages Quarterly (July 2014)

Elizabeth Allen

Chantal Boudreau

Dan Foley

David Neilsen

Fred McGavran

Rosalind Barden

John Grey

Gary Piserchio

Kevin Quirt

Kristina R. Mosley

Matthew Pegg

Chelsea Nolen

Joette Rozanski

Katrina Nicholson

A. Steven Clark

Frank Tagader

Because one book wasn't enough to contain the insanity. A collection of humorous paranormal short stories. See what happens when the new kid in school is the Antichrist. Aliens get fang marks from their newest abductee. Plus, we put a new wrinkle on the term 'ghost writer'. Featuring stories from Rosalind Barden, Chantal Boudreau, and David Neilsen.

Strangely Funny 2 1/2

Andrew Rand, a freshman Democratic representative at the start of the Obama administration, is about to be introduced to the corridors of power of Washington. There, he will find a broken system: a liberal party in power and out of control, passing legislation that its constituents neither desire nor need because its members are under constant political and personal pressure to “fundamentally transform the nation.” Soon Andrew will struggle with the question of what he’s willing to sacrifice in order to win reelection. Meanwhile, his wife, Carolyn—a brilliant, apolitical woman from a family of radical academics—will struggle not only with the emotional fallout of the choices her husband makes but also with her own awakening conservative conscience. Weaving satire into an engrossing plot, A Bitter Cup of Tea also tells the story of the rise of the conservative Tea Party through the eyes of secondary characters from all walks of American life: there’s a housewife who decides to challenge the powers that be in her home district; a Texas radio host with a gift for caustic political insight; and a campaign manager concealing a secret romantic ambition. Other perspectives are heard from student radicals, disenchanted factory workers, and more. Author Timothy McDaniel succeeds in presenting a bitterly funny vision of the United States today: a country whose leaders have betrayed the people and whose people are beginning to fight back.

A Bitter Cup of Tea

What did the Russian revolution of 1917 and the Iranian revolution of 1978-1979 share besides their drama? How can we compare a revolution led by Lenin with one inspired by Khomeini? How is a revolution based primarily on the urban working class similar to one founded to a significant degree on traditional groups like the bazaaris, small craftsmen, and religious students and preachers? Identifying a distinctive route to modernity--autocratic modernization--Tim McDaniel explores the dilemmas inherent in the efforts of autocratic monarchies in Russia and Iran to transform their countries into modern industrial societies. Originally published in 1991. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Autocracy, Modernization, and Revolution in Russia and Iran

By analyzing the perspectives and values of not just rulers and elites but also workers and peasants, McDaniel shows that throughout the whole modern period there was widespread loyalty to the "Russian idea." In its most basic sense, the Russian idea is the belief that Russia could have forged its own, separate path in the modern world through adherence to shared beliefs, community, and equality. These cultural values, however, mainly reversed the values of Western society rather than having provided a real alternative to them. The effort of dictatorial states, both tsarist and Communist alike, to rely on the Russian idea in their programs of change led almost unavoidably to social breakdown.

The Agony of the Russian Idea

Tim McDaniel

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