I have recently had a family loss. I have had several in the past ten years, and none more expected or dreaded than this one. And, at times like this, I lean on friends and family for comfort, sympathy, and understanding. Some of these friends and family are books.

I have known people personally who have mentioned how close he or she felt to books, sometimes even feeling closer to them than any fellow human can be. Sharing a mental space with bound, printed paper has been a past time since the Middle Ages. Of course, it is nothing new.

However, in many people's eyes, this activity actually isolates one from his or her fellow humans. Many feel the worst thing you can do at a time like this is to "shut yourself away with a book." But what many of these people do not understand is that when your loss is especially profound, many times you may feel a piece of yourself torn away. Bereavement leaves you torn up at the roots, somewhat like a half-planted petunia. If you can bring some semblance of regularity and peace of mind back into your life by reading, then so much the better.

Reading is cheap, and often free. Reading is not an objectionable activity (to most people, at any rate). Reading can be done at any spare moment, and does not even require your full attention to do. It can be done online, offline, and while doing almost everything (except driving). There are almost as many subjects to read about as there are people.

But what kind of book should I use, someone might ask. Whatever feels the best for you. Everyone is different, and individual hearts yearn for different things. My own personal leanings are toward C.S. Lewis and science fiction, but I have read so many different types of books, that I can honestly say any subject and any type of book will do. It all depends upon your personal look on life and where your "reading hunger" will take you.

I could leave my opinion at this and end this article. And yet, for some reason I am compelled strongly to write this: If you have had a profound personal loss, I do have a book to recommend: C.S. Lewis' A Grief Observed. At perhaps the lowest, and possibly the hardest time in my life, when I lost a child (a death neither expected nor prepared for), I was floundering. I felt I was on the brink of madness. This book brought me away from the bitter depths of loss and helped me truly realize I was not alone. When nothing anyone could say was enough, Lewis's words were. I would call it "a life preserver of the soul".

*In Memory Of Janet Sinclair (1940 - 2006)

Our Science Fiction Fan Interview Project

As many of our readers may know, when I write an article I always ask questions of the readers. This project is an attempt to get as many answers as possible from as wide a range of science fiction fans as possible, to get results that will not only help our newsletter in the future, but will also help other scifi fans who wish to set up their own communities. This is all done on a not-for-profit basis, unlike other so-called "online research" companies, who are looking for information to tweak their money-making ability in advertising.

When we complete this research, we will freely and openly share all information with anyone who wishes to see it. If you or your group would like to be a part of this Project, please copy and paste the following questions into an email, answer them, and email them to kinda@msn.com, using as the subject heading Science Fiction Fan Interview Project. Also, let us know where you read this article.

***
Interview Questions

Name you wish to be known as online?

Town and Country?

Kind of fandom you represent?


Your favorite activities as a fan?


Did your fandom influence your career or what you wish to become? Yes or no?

What would you most like to see on television, in the movies, on video/computer games, or in books that best represents your favorite science fiction story?


Male or female?

How old were you when you began to watch or read your favorite science fiction?

Do you believe that science fiction on television or in the movies is too juvenile, or has too many adult themes?


How many hours each week do you devote to science fiction?

If you were in charge of all television programming, would there be more or less science fiction per week than there is now?

Common Mistakes New Webmasters Make

This is a partial list of common mistakes. If anyone wishes to add to this list, please contact me at kinda@msn.com, with the title Common Mistakes, and the place where you read this article.

1. Make a message board with no idea of how to get along with others.

2. Create a website for fans with no idea of what other fans like.

3. Post ads on other people's message boards for their own site with no other content in the message.

4. Put messages on their message board or website that makes other people upset or mad for no good reason.

5. Never realize that a popular website caters to its members, its members do NOT cater to it.

6. Have the idea that once your site is complete, up and running, it will never EVER need any changes or updating.

7. Does not care what he or she says to members, because the feelings the webmaster has are the only ones he or she cares about.

8. Does not encourage new members, mainly because they make small mistakes in their spelling, grammar, or facts.

9. Create a contest with no feedback to the participants.
10. Exclude people based on where they live rather than what language they speak.

11. Make fun of new members.

12. Ban people because he or she feels like it, rather than a substantial reason.

13. Create a site and then promptly abandon it.

14. Create links or join webrings and never update them or let the webrings know you have either changed your email address, moved your site, or have decided to close it down.

15. Asks for donations, but tells new people they cannot come to this site to read it, accusing them of being lurkers instead of new members looking for an appropriate site.

16. Forget what it is like to be new to the Net.

17. Obtaining members, then arguing with them constantly, causing them to leave.

18. Not making your meaning understood (whether in a post, a block of text, or an explanation).

19. Taking content from other websites without acknowledging this, at least in passing.

20. Hotlinking pictures or graphics from other sites.

21. Claiming your site is designed for a certain age in mind, but then continually disregarding this with the content actually posted.

22. Making himself or herself (or the site) seem more important by finding faults with other sites.

If I had to choose between two favorite things, I would always choose science fiction first. Why?

I'll bet my reasons are as familiar to many people as they are to myself. When I was a child and a teenager, I was very shy and I wore glasses. The shyness would have been enough to isolate me, but when I was a kid, so few of my classmates wore glasses that they automatically made me stand out from the rest. And of course, I got teased, shunned and shut out of many activities other girls got to do as a matter of course.

I did know at least one girl who needed glasses but refused to wear them at school, thereby being accepted in the circles that I was not. You may ask why I didn't do the same? Because I needed my glasses much more than this girl seemed to, and unlike her, couldn't even see the blackboard without them. Therefore, I was teased and shunned.

I was saved emotionally by two things: Star Trek and reading. With Star Trek, I experienced wonderful stories and adventures, and it helped me in my interests in science and nature. With reading, I could escape the taunts and hurt I experienced at school, and that my mother and father could not understand.

Then, through Star Trek, I began to read Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, and other science fiction writers. Science Fiction became very important to me, as well as fantasy, historical novels and eventually, many of the great classic novels. However, I can truthfully say, that without Star Trek, I would never have read any other science fiction, or enjoyed so many other science fiction movies or television shows, such as Star Wars, Doctor Who, and many others.

I have also very recently started reading fan fiction online. Some of the stories are absolutely brilliant, and deserve publication (in my opinion). Some may not be quite so good, but have good points in their own right. Do you have some fan fiction you would like to share with others? We would love to read it! If you host a site with fan fiction as one of its components, or if you write fan fiction and would like to share it, we would like to hear from you. We will be doing a special fandom edition in July, 2004, and would love to hear from you. The link to your site or writing could feature in the next Admiral Mudd and Friends Site Ring Newsletter. Just email me at kinda@msn.com, with the subject heading: My Fan Fiction, or My Fan Fiction Site. And...if you are just starting to write, I want to encourage you as much as possible. I have fan fiction of my own, and I am very gratified to see my own writing on paper.

To be creative as science fiction fans gives us quite a few options for our expressions. We can do fan fiction, or draw, paint, create websites, filking (science fiction folksinging), or even create fan films (have you seen any of the wonderful fan films made by Star Wars fans? or Doctor Who fans....and of course, Star Trek fans?)

Exploring your options as a creative fan can be a rewarding experience. Some people will say "I don't have a creative bone in my body", or "I can't sing to save my life", but I have a feeling these are just "shields" people put up to avoid rejection. Even if the creative effort will only be experienced by ourselves, we are often our own harshest critics, remembering perhaps a harsh word or words spoken to us in childhood - thwarting our creative impulses.

I believe we all have creative impulses. Encouraging them in ourselves is more than a nice thing to do for yourself, it is the right thing to do. Growing as a person requires a person to explore as many avenues of experience as possible. Also, if you have children, you want to be able to encourage and foster creative growth within them also.

At the AMAFSR, we love to hear stories about creativity by fans. Do you have a story about your own creativity (now, or in the past) you would like to share with us? If you do, you could share it with the readers of the AMAFSR Newsletter for next month. If you would like to share this story, please email me at kinda@msn.com, with the subject heading: My Creativity as a Science Fiction Fan, being sure also to include the name of the site where you read this article. Don't be shy! We love personal stories from fans!

Science fiction fans are very diverse. I often spend many hours a week looking at fan websites, and it is amazing how many different types of science fiction sites there are! Blueprints of ships, costuming, science fiction celebrity sites, music sites, message boards, cyber towns, you name it! If there is a subject, there is a science fiction equivalent on the Net. There are even websites About websites!

Right now, it is fairly easy to make your own site. Most websites are made on free servers, requiring only that the creator of the site put up with some advertising. I predict, however, the day is coming where creating a page on the Internet will not be so easy. As it is now, more and more people are using server space they had to pay for, and the prices are going up. It might be possible that the price of making the average webpage will go up so much, the average person will not be able to afford it. Once upon a time, all internet access was free. You had to have a computer and a modem, and a program that could access the web, but other than that it was basically a free ride. With the advent of AOL and other large, proprietary internet service providers, the popular trend is now to pay for your service, and pay for extra storage space or special web programs. This trend has accelerated. MSN now wants to charge its European users for chat (free MSN chat service for Europe was abolished last year). Also, an ISP who founded their company on the idea that the internet Should be free, NetZero, now charges for its regular service! The trend certainly seems to be toward paying for everything online.

Of course, none of us wants this to happen. I definitely would like to continue using my free webpages, and my other free internet sites. But since the boom and bust of the internet revolution, belts and methods of conducting business had to be streamlined and tightened to keep the various successful companies afloat in the dog-eat-dog e-industries populating the World Wide Web.

As science fiction fans, can we stand for this? Will we continue to use and push for free websites, or will they eventually go the way of the dodo bird? If you have any thoughts on this subject, please feel free to email me at kinda@msn.com. All on topic opinions on this subject will be published in the next Admiral Mudd and Friends Site Ring Newsletter.

Here is my holiday greeting to everyone!!!

Happiness is an elusive thing. I don't think I am too wrong in saying that practically everyone who lives and breathes has some sort of problem or problems. We get tired, or bored (even doing things we love), lonely or sad (even when we are with people we love), and sometimes, the holiday rush seems to make everything worse. I know I am not alone when I say I have felt all of these things, but I do try to keep a positive outlook. The key word here is "try".

I think that is one reason why science fiction fans like to have reminders around them of their favorite show. It is an attempt to cheer oneself with the beloved and the familiar, something like keeping a picture in a locket of a loved one. Has your favorite show been cancelled? So, we don't see any new ones anymore, but the memory of the show can bring joy.

One example of this is the return of Doctor Who. For nearly fifteen years, die-hard fans held out hope there would be a new television series, another movie, or a series of movies. Well, guess what? They got their wish! There will be a new show. That does not stop the fans from still enjoying the original show, or talking about it, writing about it, and collecting. Another is Star Trek (TOS). For decades, all the fans had was reruns of the original series. One Doctor Who fan pointed out that at least they had 26 seasons to look back on, and we poor TOS fans only had 3! Of course, we cherished them, collected items, discussed, and continued to watch, and hope for something new, and We Got IT, in the forms of TNG, DS9, Voyager and Enterprise, and who knows what else to come?

We haven't even touched on the other new science fiction shows, or the newly-returned shows like Battlestar Galactica. I'm not ignoring these fans. I want to acknowledge as many worlds of science fiction as I can (space permitting, lol). My point after this long rant? A tiny bit of holiday advice: don't forget the joy in enjoying your favorite show. It can carry us through good times and bad. Of course, all of you already know this, because you ARE science fiction fans (brainy, clever, resourceful, err…did I forget something?) Pat yourselves on the back for being as clever as you are, to be fans of something that can bring you and others joy all year long. Happy Holidays, and may all your best hopes for the future come true.

Science Fiction Genres -- Is Comparison Really Necessary?

(For the purpose of this article, "story" means any book, television show, movie, or form of media that conveys the ideas, characters and plots of science fiction or any fictional work).

Do we, as science fiction fans actually need to compare one science fiction story to another? I know that everyone has their preferences, and to me, that is a wonderful thing (it proves we're paying attention) However, if we as fans subscribe to the notion that "my favorite story is better than yours" - aren't we really wasting time? Is it truly necessary to believe that some other story isn't as "good" as the one we like the most?

I know many people will use comparisons, such as special effects, writing, and popularity. After all, if one story is more popular than another, shouldn't it logically be more fun to watch?

On the face of it, popularity (as a comparison) is a reasonable argument. Television can popularize a good story in an amazing short space of time. However, television can also steam roll most people's attentions away from other science fiction, such as books, audio dramas and even movies. Should this really be a criteria for comparing favorite stories? Should there be a comparison at all?

My own personal opinion is there is nothing wrong with having a favorite story or stories, as long as we can keep our minds open to other possibilities. Because, after all, that is what science fiction brings us. Other possibilities!

As a teenager, I started reading Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein as school assignments, and kept reading their books out of the sheer entertainment the stories gave me. However, if I hadn't been a Star Trek fan first, I don't think I could have appreciated Heinlein or Asimov as much. After that, Arthur C. Clarke, Ben Bova and the science fiction novels of C.S. Lewis (Perelandra is one example) carried me further into other worlds and other imaginations. However, if I had never read Heinlein, I would never have thought to read the others. (Can anyone spell "snowball effect"?)

Will you, as a science fiction fan, allow yourself to watch, read or otherwise absorb a science fiction story other than that of your favorite? How many science fiction stories can one person care about? Is it the genre you love, or will only one story fit into your life? If you have an opinion about this subject, we'd love to publish it in the Admiral Mudd and Friends Site Ring Newsletter.

Organized Fandom?

I have been a science fiction fan since I was six. I won’t tell you how old I am, but let’s say this spans some decades. : ) In all that time, I have read over a thousand science fiction novels, seen every Star Trek and Star Wars movie, watched V, Dune, The Doctor Who Movie, Terminator, and many, Many others! And yet, in all that time, I have only been to one convention. Being a Trekkie, you would think it was a Trek convention, but no, it wasn’t.

Last year, I attended the 60th annual World Science Fiction Writers Association Convention , in San Jose, California. I met, not hundreds, but thousands of people who were dedicated science fiction and fantasy fans and creators. It spanned the gamut from filkers late at night, to serious symposiums about "Religion and Science Fiction"—from "What’s the Future for Buffy?" (???) to the "Costumers Ball".

The event was five wonderful days long. And what was my impression of it all? My first: It was impressive, interesting, and expensive. Everything there was set up for the dedicated fan. Except for one, very important thing: access to information for people who could not, from either work or family constraints, or from monetary considerations attend this event. Now, I, and my fellow conventioners were lucky. We had the money and access to do and see all these wonderful things. Sadly, most fans do not. Most people have to work, or go to school, or save, or have commitments that do not allow them to travel to major conventions and experience the sheer joy of being around other fans.

My second: Many people there were under the distinct impression that the only fans that counted were "organized" fans, people who often attended events like this one, or were the actual organizers/leaders who made the events happen. I can see how someone with a parochial attitude and perhaps even limited education could make such an assumption – but for goodness sake! These are science fiction fans! They were intelligent, literate, and eager to acquire and share information about their favorite subject. Why would someone who had spent their life searching for (let’s face it) the truth through fiction, make this sort of judgement about his or her fellow beings? At first, this attitude baffled and confused me. Then I realized that many people at this event were always able to go to conventions, and never had to make a choice between say, buying your childrens’ school clothes for the season or going to a convention.

Times are harder now. People who were comfortable once are now struggling to get through the month and pay their bills. I would venture to say if anyone has this attitude, they need to rethink it.

Do you have a definition of the kind of science fiction fan you are? Do you place monetary constraints on fandom? Are real fans the ones who attend conventions and club meetings, or can you be a dyed-in-the-wool fan just because you love the books and/or shows? Could you be an avid science fiction book reader if you had to borrow rather than buy the books? All direct responses to this article will be featured in "Letters to the Editor for July, 2003" in the Admiral Mudd and Friends Site Ring Newsletter.

Has Science Fiction and Fantasy become a blur on Television?

Fictional literature is defined by how its characters solve problems. In science fiction, the characters rely on more or less plausible scientific or technical means to find solutions. Are television shows like Buffy, Angel or The X-Files considered sci-fi?

I would guess that most fans are not extremely picky about how their favorite shows are categorized. After all, the point is to have fun with it, and if you should happen to learn something, or be inspired by something, so much the better. Right?

From what I have heard from organized and non-organized fandom, it all depends on your perspective. If you are a stickler for scientific and techie detail, you may not classify shows such as Buffy or Hercules as sci-fi.

Fantasy and Science Fiction have been walking hand and hand since the early days of sci-fi's conception. Fantasy is, by far the oldest form of telling tales and certainly has garnered numerous fans. Shows like Buffy, Angel, Hercules, Xena and Harry Potter are very definitely within the realm of fantasy. Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Babylon 5 and Lexx are very definitely within the realm of science fiction. But where do shows like The X-Files, or The Twilight Zone, or Roswell Files fit in? They are full of references to magic and the occult but heavy in sci-fi themes.

I am hoping to open a debate about which shows or movies are or are not science fiction. Would you like to see your letter in the next AMAFSR Newsletter? Send me an email at kinda@msn.com, with Re: Captain k'alaa's Corner for June, 2003 in the Subject line by the 10th of the month for the edition you wish your views to be published in. Every AMAFSR Newsletter comes out on the 20th of the month! We'd really love to hear from you.

Science fiction fans are basically optimists. You know, your standard "glass is half-full" people . Every science fiction fan I have met seems to enjoy (even more than the story) the positive aspects of his or her favorite show or book. And then suddenly, at that point, most fans diverge in opinion. Where one person will base their life on, for example, a certain friendship in Star Trek, another person will dismiss it as derivative and call only stories found in books "true science fiction". While all opinions have their valid points, I must point out that the very nature of science fiction itself invites, even demands divergence of opinion. Why do I say this?

Number one: the example of H.G. Wells springs to mind. His idea of the future was one of wonder, excitement and surprise. Several generations of science fiction writers were strongly influenced by his work.

Number two: From the 1930's to the 1970's, there was a group of science fiction writers who came up with most of the basic principles (the ABC's) of science fiction as we know it today. They are the pioneers who defined modern science fiction and fantasy. Each writer had his or her own take on spinning tales...but the main philosophy of exploring the unknown remained the same. Gene Roddenberry, Sidney Wilson and Verity Lambert, Douglas Adams, and George Lucas are the direct inheritors of this legacy. These people have themselves said they were inspired by the science fiction of their youth.

Number three: Science Fiction and Fantasy has basically opened our minds to events and circumstances impossible to find in everyday life. I would go so far to say as this is the main appeal of science fiction...exploring the unknown in the safety of a book or movie without the chance of nasty sand fleas jumping on your skin . Want to ride a rocket? Discover the cure to a disease? Create a world? The possibilites go as far as the creator's and the reader's imaginations will allow.

But...what does all this have to do with inviting divergence of opinion? My answer is that every story is a human story. Every word put to a page, whether it be to describe a different world, to examine a relationship formed among the characters, or to expound on a plot device is put there to form a human idea.
Human stories and ideas by their very nature are divergent. Science fiction at its best explores those divergent viewpoints. How many human ideas does it take to make a believable world? How many human stories does it take to make a believable universe? Ideas, by their very nature often conflict with one another. Other times, they often see a problem, an event or a person from an angle not readily apparent to the casual viewer.

To build a world in a few pages takes skill and imagination. Hard work, ingenuity and stamina! Let's remember as fans all the hard-working, intelligent writers, actors, directors and producers that make science fiction possible.

Suspend Disbelief, Use Real Ideals

The great thing about science fiction is the idea that we can suspend disbelief long enough to enjoy whatever television show, book, movie or audio drama we are listening to, and in the deepest part of our beings hope, even wish that some of it could come true or may come true. I know that most people over the age of eleven are aware that it is science Fiction….but it is the Science part we latch onto. In its many forms, sci-fi takes us to other worlds, other realities, other points of view, adding to our world and sparking our imaginations. How many times have any of us heard a science fiction fan say what their favorite story inspired them to do! Astronauts, doctors, engineers, actors, lawyers, politicians…the list is endless.


The Man In The Mirror

I think we as fans tend to also underestimate just what a good story can inspire us to achieve. There are two sides of the coin. Most people turn on a science fiction show, or any television show to escape reality, even if it is only for thirty minutes. If we could capture what it is that keeps us watching, that bit of inspiration that makes a television show a positive habit, and use it in our own lives to make the world a better place, I believe it would improve our lives and our outlooks as well. We are all the "man in the mirror"…we look at ourselves everyday, but what do we see? Do we see ourselves in our favorite science fiction? Do we hear the ideas and philosophies of good science fiction viscerally, and pay no heed, or do we take them into our hearts and souls and use those good ideas to help ourselves and others?

I ask that we look more deeply into the ideals of whatever your favorite science fiction brings, find the positive traits that are so appealing, and use them as best we can in our everyday lives. It’s not necessary to quote your favorite show ad nauseum, til your friends, family, school mates or coworkers tease you or turn away in frustration. Use the objective part of your brain. Suspend disbelief long enough to look at the motives of the characters, and the ideals the show seems to be bringing to you. Then, when you make decisions, or in your dealings with your fellow human beings, bring some of the wonder, compassion, curiosity and fun to play. It can make a difference in someones life, it has in mine. I have listened to groups of Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars and Babylon 5 fans talk about their favorite shows (not to leave out quite a few others). The same theme seems to run through all these conversations. The theme of caring for your fellow beings, making a difference in other lives, and teaching us to be curious about the universe. The quest to know, and the inspiration to learn. The idea that what someone does can make a difference.


Getting Back To Our Roots…Looking To the Future

Science fiction began in books and newspapers. One thing I think all true science fiction fans should do is open their minds to the past. Read and watch other science fiction stories. Pay attention to science fiction in as many forms as possible. Old science fiction can tell us how far we have come, and new science fiction can tell us where our favorite genre is headed. Also, biographies and backstories of our favorite stories can show us what it takes to make good science fiction, and to appreciate the real human effort involved in these projects.


Do You Have A Creative Streak?

Write. Draw pictures. Take photographs. Do whatever it takes and wherever your interests lie to keep your creative spark flowing. When I was a kid, I wrote stories just for fun. I had no intention of allowing anyone to read them. I did this for my own enjoyment. A friend of mine is an avid "air guitarist"! Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has a spark of creative imagination that should never be allowed to wink out.

I can almost hear someone say "but I’m…", as in "but I’m too old…" "but I’m too busy…" "but I’m not talented…" Tell yourself you will not say "but I’m". Give yourself the rare and beautiful gift of trusting in your creative spark. Even if no one else sees or appreciates it, it is your gift to yourself that counts.

Ever since I was six, I have been a science fiction fan. It has sparked my imagination for decades. As I have gotten older, I have learned to appreciate more aspects of science fiction. I hope we all learn to appreciate more as time goes by, and integrate the things we like most into our lives in one form or another. Positive ideals and goals can enrich our lives and make our spirits soar.

I must admit, I am on the "far side" of 30. Admitting this, I can say that I have been a Trekkie since I was six years old, the same year Star Trek was first broadcast on television. At that time, science fiction was a kiddie thing. It was never taken seriously by the film industry or by most fans. Of course, also at that time most Americans had no idea Doctor Who was already in its third season, and went on to air for twenty six unbroken years after that. Science Fiction came of age in the 60's. My wonderful hubby, Admiral Mudd, has been a Whovian since before he can really remember. He has taught me all I know about Doctor Who (which I admit freely, is not as much as I know about Star Trek). I have also had the opportunity to talk to a few American DW fans at the 60th Science Fiction Writers Association Convention in September, 2002. It seems that PBS has been spreading the word about the good Doctor to the scifi fans over the pond (in the US) for some time now...however, it is not shown in all markets. I would suggest checking it out to any kind of science fiction or fantasy fan...even if it is just to see a bit of British broadcast history. To those who have no idea what I am talking about, visit some of our member sites featured in this month's edition of the Admiral Mudd and Friends Site Ring Newsletter.