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Editor’s Note

Jason Cordova

Esther is correct. You can’t blame this project solely on either of us. It was inevitable. After careful deliberation, a thorough investigation, and multiple castings of the bones, it was determined that this anthology is all Toni Weisskopf’s fault.

(Note: what follows is a highly dramatized version of events which may or may not have actually occurred.)

I was being snarky one December evening on social media after rereading Fangs for the Mammaries. I casually mentioned Baen Books had missed out on a golden opportunity to add to the series. I mean really, who doesn’t like the sound of “Tanks for the Mammaries”? It was gold! Gold, I tell ya! The title sold itself! Money, hand over fist! The cover would shock and awe the world! Multiple people added to the discussion, which quickly barreled downhill into regions best left unsaid, and then Toni made the mistake of commenting on the (at this point) long thread.

Let me tell you—there’s nothing like hearing “Pitch this to me” to really get your heart racing and cause a minor freak-out.

After some discussion with Toni, the project was green-lit. However, I already knew the anthology wouldn’t feel right unless I had the person who inspired this mad creative endeavor aboard in the first place. So with the help of a mutual friend, I was introduced to Esther Friesner. Who, after five minutes of conversation, not only agreed to participate with an introduction, but also asked if she could submit a short story since she already had the title in her head.

I think that was the quickest “yes!” I’ve said in my life, ever.

I don’t think she knew what she was getting into at the time. Poor dear.

With Esther on board, picking up the rest of the authors was a straightforward process. I really only had one requirement: instead of the historical trope of a boy and his dog, I wanted a girl and her tank. I didn’t care if it was science fiction, fantasy, or whatever in between. Give me a brave, strong girl and her tank. That was my one and only request from everyone invited to participate.

Luminaries such as Sharon Lee and Steve Miller joined David Drake and Esther, while I went to people I knew personally and asked them if they wanted to be part of my insanity. Robert E. Hampson, Marisa Wolf, Philip Wohlrab, and Kevin Ikenberry all brought their unique styles and voices to the project, all wondering if I’d lost my mind. Jody Lynn Nye has the distinction of being in all five of the “Chicks” books with Esther and there was no way I was going to tell her “no.” Joelle Presby offered up a story which felt similar to my own experiences in the Navy. (Side note—no, we did not sail directly into a tropical depression on purpose so we wouldn’t have to scrub the upper decks, sir. Honest. Simple navigation error.) A.C. Haskins used his real-world experience as a tank commander to draw upon for his short story. Lydia Sherrer sent in an amazing story of daring rescue coauthored with her husband, David Sherrer, and who doesn’t love a good G. Scott Huggins story involving Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli, and a villainous Borgia?

They say editing an anthology is like herding cats. If that’s the case, then these were the best-behaved cats in the history of the world. It was both a pleasure and an honor to work with each and every one of these authors throughout the process. I would gladly do it again.

Thank you, dear reader, for picking up this anthology. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did creating it. Because really, who doesn’t like the idea of Chicks in Tank Tops?


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Framed