This looks interesting, almost like an embodiment in business form of the “human wave” manifestos from a couple months back: Liberty Island
Our new venture, Liberty Island, will identify and publish the best of a new generation of politically independent and culturally contrarian writers. We’re recruiting writers in a wide range of genres, including thriller, crime, fantasy, mystery, adventure, science fiction, satire, historical and political fiction—even western and romance. Independent in all senses of the word, we are starting a cultural insurgency using the tools of digital technology to circumvent and challenge the mainstream publishing establishment. Liberty Island exists to identify, promote, and introduce these new writers to a likeminded audience that shares their tastes and values—specifically the values of liberty, individualism, and American exceptionalism.
Of course, it’s broader than human wave since it also includes non-SF genres, but it seems to have a similar tilt away from the usual cynical, nihilistic flavor of recent fiction that human wave was meant to counter.
Carl and I batted around a couple of ideas this afternoon for an Ares Project Universe short story. Given the site’s interest in American exceptionalism, we decided anything written for Liberty Island would have to take place in the “distant past” of the backstory timeline – like, say, 2018-2020 – when the important events are all taking place on Earth, and the U.S. in particular.
Given time, which is currently in short supply for both of us, we may just write something up and see if they’ll accept it.