New Trekzine - HFO: Personal Logs, Issue 2

[Kirok_of_LStok]

To all things there comes an end and after a difficult delivery...

Hailing Frequencies Open: Personal Logs Issue 2 is now online!
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Go to our new website at http://tupub-books.blogspot.com.au for full details

TrekUnited keeps the grand tradition of Trekzines alive with another issue of Personal Logs! Our cover feature is a powerful action drama by GS Davis, spotlighting characters from his web comic, USS Tamarlane and the art throughout, including specially commissioned portraits by Sean Tourangeau, is stunning ! This massive issue ranges from continuations of Madison Bruffys' "Altered Lives" and Janet Gershen-Siegels' "Freak School" to TL Shulls' poignant "Filling In The Blanks". There is something for every taste by authors both new and established such as Aquarius & Pauline Mac from The Delphic Expanse, Lil Black Dog & Nerys Ghemor from Ad Astra, Naithom, KarraCaz and Simon Arch. 78p. A5 Digest format
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As with everything we produce at TrekUnited Publications, it is absolutely free to download and read. Over the coming week I'm going to take great pleasure introducing you to the people who helped to make this happen, the authors and artists, but it is fitting that I first mention the person who has done the most to keep this on track - Jespah! Not only did she contribute one of the stories, but she set up the graphic for her story which the other mainstay of TU Publishing, Madison Bruffy, tweeked and polished up for her. She also contributed a commentary on the importance of social media for writers - a hot topic in self-publishing circles - but perhaps most importantly she has been proactive in being our voice on Twitter as well as our representative of various fan fiction forums across the interwebs.

After the last Twelve Trek Days of Christmas, I despaired at the apparent disappearance of the Trekzine [Asidozine's have since released a new issue]. I refuse to let it die. I firmly believe that there are writers who have short stories that are well worth printing and that there is a readership niche of Star Trek fans who want to read what they have to say. This takes nothing away from the professional prublication of licensed books and comics by Simon & Schuister and IDW because it tells stories that mainstream publication could not support: adult fiction, drama that takes the road less traveled (or the canon road never taken), original characters that tread the ragged edge of danger, stories that range from one end of the feel-good spectrum to the other, from tragedies and disasters that canon says could never happen to happy endings for romantic pairings that never quite made it on the screen.

I hope you enjoy what you read and if you do, give the authors and artists the thing that is the next best thing to a publishing contract: comment! It is the coin that they are paid by, the reward for their labours. Either here or on their home forums, tell them if you enjoyed their work, what you thought was their best point and (gently friends) what you thought they could improve with.

And if it re-kindles the fire you once had in your heart for Star Trek re-visit it with the re-mastered DVDs, move on to more wonders in the cinema of your mind with a book or role-play as one of the great captains of Starfleet yourself on Star Trek Online. Star Trek and Star Trek fandom is not just a nostalgia fest, for those with the itch to explore there are and always will be new frontiers, new worlds and civilisations.

Come with us as we boldly go...

Kirok of L'Stok
Publisher, TrekUnited Publishing

 

[Kirok_of_LStok]

The above is my "press release" for the Trekzine so, taking on board the critique of my thread on fan fiction, please consider that before talking about "wall of text" posting. I do have a shorter version for tight promo spots but I've given you both barrels here! Just as fan film producers pattern themselves after professional cinematographers, I see our role as publisher as not just making a pretty pdf to look at but to actively promote it across whatever media we can to maximise its impact on Trek fandom (and beyond?).

I'd be interested in feedback on any aspect of the production, such as the individual stories and artwork, but I'd especially like this to be a chance for you to give me input on the delivery media - pdf on Issuu and downloadable from the website - and the idea of Trekzines in general. I see them as periodical anthologies of short stories and supporting artwork, what would you like to see?

K