Shane Johnson (Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise)

Discussion in 'Trek Tech' started by FalTorPan, Jun 6, 2016.

  1. Lora4October

    Lora4October Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2016
    Thank you...that book was an early one :)

    Lora
     
    Ryan Thomas Riddle likes this.
  2. Lora4October

    Lora4October Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2016
    Thank you for your kindness...my Alamo build was a labor of love, and I was honored to be able to create it for the University.

    Visiting all of you on this board is a pleasure. I'm happy to answer any questions I can :)

    Lora
     
  3. Lora4October

    Lora4October Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2016
    Oh, one little note...

    In a thread somewhere on this board (I think it was), someone assumed I didn't like the TMP uniforms because they were omitted from Mr. Scott's Guide. Quite the contrary...those are my favorite of the film uniform designs, and TMP (the Director's Edition DVD, not the unfinished theatrical release) is my favorite of the original-cast films.

    Unfortunately, Pocket Books got cold feet early in the writing of the book and asked me to cut the page count from the 160 pages I had proposed down to 128. A lot of things, including those uniforms and fold-out deck plans of the ship, were dropped in order to reduce printing costs as much as possible. The books surrounding the release of TMP had sold dismally (that is why there were so few publications supporting Wrath of Khan two years later), and the publisher was unsure whether things had improved much in the six years since.

    As it turned out, pre-sales for Mr.Scott's Guide were so good that it went into a second, larger printing before the book was even released. So, technically, the first and second printings were both 'first printings' that shipped on the same day. The book spent a respectable period of time on the New York Times bestseller list, went on to enjoy several more printings, and proved that Star Trek books were viable once more. :)

    Lora

    PS -- There was only one edition of Mr. Scott's Guide. While the red page headers were later dropped in favor of black ink and a heavier paper stock was used, every printing of the book included the Star Trek IV logo at the bottom of the front cover and the appendix section dealing with the 1701-A. I've seen people state that these were later additions, but both were there right from the beginning.
     
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2016
  4. Mytran

    Mytran Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2009
    Location:
    North Wales
    Wait - there were to be fold-out DECK PLANS? Now I feel really cheated!

    You don't happen to have any extracts from there that you'd be willing to share, by any chance do you? :angel:
     
  5. Lora4October

    Lora4October Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2016
    No, those items were cut very early on and never produced. The deck plans, however, were updated and completed (with the help of David Ziels, Tim Palgut and David Schmidt) and I'd love to find a way to get them published :)

    Lora
     
  6. Firebird

    Firebird Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2005
    Location:
    On the Cinerama screen, in glorious Technicolor.
    I'm hoping beyond hope and wishing every wish that the members of this board could help make a new expanded and updated edition a reality.
     
    Avro Arrow and DonIago like this.
  7. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2008
    Location:
    Omaha, NE
    Wait, what? A new manual?
     
  8. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2008
    Location:
    Omaha, NE
    Lora, welcome! I'm a little late to the party, but a question, please?

    At the end of the guide, it says that 1701-A was renamed thusly from the USS Ti-Ho. Had you meant a fictional Ti-Ho, or had you meant Taiho, which I believe was a Japanese warship from World War 2 era?

    And there was also fan speculation that 1701-A was a renamed USS Yorktown as well. I was curious as to your take on that.
     
  9. Lora4October

    Lora4October Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2016
    The Ti-Ho was a Federation starship a dear friend of mine designed in the 1970s. Angular and streamlined, it varied somewhat from the few we had seen in Star Trek. I named the 1701-A's origin ship after it as a tribute to my friend, who had died in an auto accident a few years earlier. The entire book was dedicated to him, as well.

    He collected waterline models of WWII ships, and I believe the name was indeed derived from the Japanese aircraft carrier.

    At the time of Mr. Scott's Guide's writing, no name had yet been determined for the source vessel, leaving one of many gaps I had to fill in creating a fluid narrative. For several years following the book's publication date, Ti-Ho was 'official.' The Yorktown nomenclature came later.

    So, it may no longer be considered canon by a lot of people, but for me the ship began as the Ti-Ho and I will always think of her that way. :)

    Lora
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2016
  10. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2008
    Location:
    Omaha, NE
    Excellent explanations! My condolences for your friend; that's quite the way to honor him, incorporating "his" ship. I wasn't sure when the Yorktown thing came into play, but Ti-ho works for me. Thanks!
     
  11. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2010
    Location:
    publiusr
    I've heard Levant as well
     
  12. DougWare

    DougWare Ensign Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2009
    I can't begin to tell you the hours that I spent pouring over the technical details and nuances of this book as a child. I've been looking for a copy at a local used book store weekly for a couple of months.

    Last week I got lucky, and found a hardcover and a mint condition paperback. I bought both!

    [​IMG]

    Doug
     
  13. drt

    drt Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2013
    Never realized there was a hardcover, is it a book club edition?
     
  14. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2010
    Location:
    publiusr
  15. Mark_Nguyen

    Mark_Nguyen Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2006
    Location:
    Calgary, Alberta
    Excellent find! My copy of the Guide - still proudly accessible on my bookshelf - followed me around on many a family roadtrip and convention excursion. It was one of the formative parts of my fandom headcanon and I can't imagine how so much of my inner nerdity could have survived without reading it a million times. :)

    Actually - I challenge everyone to post a picture of their Guide. I wanna see how my copy measures up. :)
     
  16. MarsWeeps

    MarsWeeps Fleet Captain Premium Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2011
    Location:
    MarsWeeps
    I don't remember what happened to my copy. Probably boxed up in the closet somewhere. I need to pick up another.

    Edit: Just picked up a paperback version from eBay for $11.00. Looking forward took going through it again.
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2016
  17. Lora4October

    Lora4October Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2016
    Hi...

    Earlier in this thread, a question arose about my Mr. Scott's Guide floor plan of the Deck 8 docking port/airlock. As I now recall, my forward bulkhead for that room was based on the brilliant (and fascinating) Kimball cutaway poster of the ship, which was the only reference for it I had at the time. A widescreen copy of the film would really have come in handy back then :)

    Lora
     
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2016
  18. starburst

    starburst Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2007
    I snapped this picture a couple of weeks ago but forgot to upload it... My rather well read copy

    [​IMG]
    In a bit of a sorry state now and is most certainly the Star Trek book of mine which got read the most and it shows!

    Watched the NEP interview with Lora earlier, found it really interesting hearing about the obstacles that were in front of you in writing this and what it could have been if the Publisher had given you the book as originally planned. As is obvious from the condition of my copy this was my favourite bit of background literature on I would assume most peoples favourite Starship and if only they would get in touch with you to create them a version 2.0 (lets call it a Writers Cut) with everything you wanted the first time round (not to mention that rumoured 1701-A follow on).

    Im assuming there is a part 2 based on title of the podcast, looking forward to hearing more!

     
    RAMA and F. King Daniel like this.
  19. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 5, 2008
    Location:
    A type 13 planet in it's final stage
    That was awesome to listen to, looking forward to part 2! My appreciation for MSGttE grows knowing what a struggle it was to get done on time!
     
  20. Lora4October

    Lora4October Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2016
    Part two is now available :)

     
    F. King Daniel likes this.