Valjiir

[Valka]

[In reaction to mention of Mylochka's Star Trek art.]

That name looks familiar, like an artist who has been illustrating the Valjiir stories online... Bingo!  (just checked the membership list and deviantArt page) I love the way she interprets those characters! I've been a Valjiir fan ever since the days of snail-mail ordering the zines from Minnesota back in the '80s, when my grandmother was freaking out because I was receiving parcels from "Intergalactic Underground Press"!

[BUncle]

I've helped her plot a few Valjiir stories - the one about DelMonde and the baby doomsday machines was my idea.  She knocked that one out of the park.

[Mylochka]

Hola, Valka!  Buster's Uncle (my brother) just ran into the room to excitedly announce that not only had you heard of me, but that you are a Valjiir fan!  Coolness!!! I never seem to run into anyone who's heard of the series...

[Valka]

It's an interesting chain of events regarding the Valjiir series. I met a Star Trek fan named Deloris Booker back in 1981, after calling the information number on a poster advertising a convention in Edmonton (not ST; the conventions in Alberta tend to have authors as guests). It was too late to arrange to attend that year, but she and I got talking... I went to the next year's convention, where I found a flyer for a fanzine called In A Different Reality. I'd been desperately wanting fanzines ever since reading about them in Star Trek Lives!, so I made contact with the IADR writers and ordered their zines. Along came the Valjiir series, and I was instantly hooked. The reason I mentioned Deloris' name is because she occasionally contributed poetry to IADR.


Fast-forward a number of years... I eventually lost contact with the IADR authors when they ceased print publishing, and it was frustrating because I knew I'd missed the last issue and had no way to find it. Many years later I got online, and years after that, found TrekBBS. As I mentioned, I just asked a question in the Fanfiction forum, hoping - but not really expecting - an answer. After all, I was one of only two people I knew who were into IADR/Valjiir.


To my surprise and delight, it was Dave Petterson who answered my question (he goes by a different name on TrekBBS). He sent me the link to the Valjiir site, and I was absolutely bowled over by how much more material has been added (and changed; some of those stories definitely wouldn't have seen print in IADR!). By now I've read most of what's there, and am completely in awe of all the talent shown in writing, artwork, and the dedication it takes to keep this going over so many years.


I love the relationship between Noel DelMonde and Jeremy Paget! I found the idea of baby Doomsday Machines really creepy and disturbing, so your story worked.


I'm not sure what you mean by a separate membergroup - do you mean a usergroup? An area of the forum that's members-only for the members of that group?

[Mylochka]

It's an interesting chain of events regarding the Valjiir series. I met a Star Trek fan named Deloris Booker back in 1981, after calling the information number on a poster advertising a convention in Edmonton (not ST; the conventions in Alberta tend to have authors as guests). It was too late to arrange to attend that year, but she and I got talking... I went to the next year's convention, where I found a flyer for a fanzine called In A Different Reality. I'd been desperately wanting fanzines ever since reading about them in Star Trek Lives!, so I made contact with the IADR writers and ordered their zines. Along came the Valjiir series, and I was instantly hooked. The reason I mentioned Deloris' name is because she occasionally contributed poetry to IADR.


Fast-forward a number of years... I eventually lost contact with the IADR authors when they ceased print publishing, and it was frustrating because I knew I'd missed the last issue and had no way to find it. Many years later I got online, and years after that, found TrekBBS. As I mentioned, I just asked a question in the Fanfiction forum, hoping - but not really expecting - an answer. After all, I was one of only two people I knew who were into IADR/Valjiir.


To my surprise and delight, it was Dave Petterson who answered my question (he goes by a different name on TrekBBS). He sent me the link to the Valjiir site, and I was absolutely bowled over by how much more material has been added (and changed; some of those stories definitely wouldn't have seen print in IADR!). By now I've read most of what's there, and am completely in awe of all the talent shown in writing, artwork, and the dedication it takes to keep this going over so many years.


I love the relationship between Noel DelMonde and Jeremy Paget! I found the idea of baby Doomsday Machines really creepy and disturbing, so your story worked.


I'm not sure what you mean by a separate membergroup - do you mean a usergroup? An area of the forum that's members-only for the members of that group?

That's very close to my own experience. I also discovered fanzines via Star Trek Lives! IADR was one of the first 'zines I ordered.  It and Valjiir quickly became my favorite.  After the print 'zine scene began to crumble and/or migrate online in the late '90s, Valjiir was one of the titles I would google periodically in hopes that they would eventually establish a website.  There was much gleeful clapping of hands on the day I finally found it... and more when the answer to my timid "Could I possibly do some artwork for you?" was answered with a "Yes! Please!"

I'm so glad you liked the Baby Doomsday machine story! Jer and Del are particular favorites of mine to write and  yes, creeped out by the baby monsters was the reaction we were aiming for.  Buncle really contributed a lot to helping me work out the nature and structure of those critters and came up with excellent suggestions on how to defeat them.

Things have been pretty quiet on the site this summer, but Cher just posted a new story, "Midas Touch" Sunday night.  There's a new story by me called, "Kiss the Cook" that will be out as soon as she can convert it into html and I've started working on illustrations for "Old Fashioned Man."

So thrilled to meet another Valjiir fan!!

[Valka]

Just a usergroup - if there was a reason to have a "Groovy all-girl world now!" private folder, that would allow me to make it visible to only the wimmin members, but my purpose here is only to replace the postcount-based rank that displays under your handle, ("Drone" until you make another post) with something Ladylike...

Ah, I see. I'm used to the terminology used on IPB forums, since all the forums I run or moderate use "usergroup." Yes, that would be nice.


@Mylochka: How would I go about begging for the alternate Shadow Captain stories to be finished - the ones where instead of accepting the Captaincy, Spock, Ruth, Sulu, and Jilla all resign from Starfleet and decide to search for Kirk on their own?

[BUncle]

Hey Valka - I've been talking to Mylochka since Sunday about what it would involve to add a comments section to the site -Cheryl misses the fan community from the 'zine days, and would like a lot more feedback- and then went on to talk about what they should really do is host a Valjiir forum, especially if they can get a sucker or two to run it for them, Cher not being the right temperament, really, and Mylochka not interested in the time and work.  Then it struck me today that you're precisely the sort of sucker they need.  A little forum could be like the good old days for Valjiir fandom in the 80's only faster and better.  Just throwing that idea out there...

[Valka]

I'd be delighted! I have to wonder, though, if there would be enough people willing to commit to active participation on at least a semi-regular basis (just curious, since I know so few people both in RL and online who have even heard of Valjiir). Sadly, I've lost contact with all two people I ever knew offline who regularly purchased the zines or wrote for them.

It would be wonderful to have an easier way to give feedback to the authors. There are so many things I've wanted to ask for decades (literally)!

[Mylochka]

Yes, that's something I've thought about too.  Like I said, you're the first Valjiir fan I've run into in... almost ever.  Buncle has lots of ideas for getting out and finding folks, though.

Until then, I'm happy to answer or relay questions.  Cher and I write back and forth almost every day, so I could get a quick reply.

Was the alternate story you wanted to see more of "Secret Seas"?  I liked that one too.  I'll pass along the request, if you like. Feedback really helps get her engines going. 

Now, for me, the best way to persuade her to do a story is to do some illos.  For example, here's a couple pictures for a not-yet-written story about Sulu making the decision to join Star Fleet...

[BUncle]

Somebody really ought to tell Cher about the forum plan.  It kind of needs Dave to set it up...

[Valka]

Was the alternate story you wanted to see more of "Secret Seas"?  I liked that one too.  I'll pass along the request, if you like. Feedback really helps get her engines going.

Yes! That's the one. I've been checking back every now and then, hoping there would be more, but alas... if you could please let her know that an old fan from 25+ years ago would really appreciate the story being finished, that would be great!

[Mylochka]

Just emailed her!  Will let you know when I get a reply.

[BUncle]

In the meanwhile, you two please work out a name for the womans' usergroup - maybe something like "Power Princess" w/ the same magic lady icon Mylochka is already sporting from the GotM group?

[Mylochka]

Cher was really thrilled to hear from you!    Her initial reaction was, "SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

She said she remembered Deloris and her poetry very well.  About the story, she said, " Ah yes, alternates....  I'll consider myself begged."

She also said, "Damn, I'm so thrilled I could just PLOTZ!  Ya think I could get in touch with her?"  So if you'd like to correspond with her directly, pm me and I'll give you an email address.

[Mylochka]

In the meanwhile, you two please work out a name for the womans' usergroup - maybe something like "Power Princess" w/ the same magic lady icon Mylochka is already sporting from the GotM group?

I don't really have any strong preferences.  I'm sure that whatever Valka would like will be fine by me.