Harry Turtledove is an escaped Byzantine historian who writes alternate history, other science fiction, fantasy (a lot of it historically based), and the occasional bit of historical fiction. His first appearance in F&SF was “The Last Article” in the January 1988 issue; his most recent, “Character,” ran in March/April 2021. This new one, “Heading Over to the Bar,” is autobiographical until all of a sudden it isn’t. His most recent novel is Powerless, an alternate history. An urban fantasy, Lightning Runes (sequel to Twice As Dead), will be out next March. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, writer