Of Twihards and Trekkies

So, as I’m sure we can assume, based on the direction my previous two posts went, where this one is going.

We’ve hit my beginning footsteps into the fandom.  We’ve hit the point when I jumped in and started fanfic-ing (however tentative that intial step was).

So now, we’re here.  What am I doing *here* at Ad Astra.

As I mentioned in the previous installment, I’m active duty Air Force, and currently stationed in Oklahoma City.  My wife moved in a few months prior to our wedding, and we’ve now been here for the past four years.  So, go back four years.  What was popular back then?

That’s right.  JJ-Trek released.  Let me tell you, I bought into the craze.  I saw that movie a whopping 9 times in theatre.  Once in IMAX around opening weekend, and then 8 more times, all here in OKC, about once a week.  Every weekend.  For two months.  I loved it.  My love for Star Trek was rekindled, you could say.

Also popular?  Twilight.  And let me tell you, my (now wife) loved it.  Not really because the books were *great,* but because she got involved in an online fan group that called themselves Twihards.  They talked about the books.  They talked about the movies.  They talked about crazy fan girls.  They talked about how ridiculous the directors were.

And, they wrote and read fan fiction.  That was the first I had learned about the *possibility* of Fan Fiction.  My first knowledge was of fan productions, like Hidden Frontier, Aurora, Phase 2.  They were fan made, but they were still movie/television “series” type of shows.  They weren’t pen and paper; it was all still visual and audio.  I never considered it “fan fiction.”  This was the first I learned that fan fiction – fan produced writing – existed in MANY different genres.

Fast forward about two years.  I’m deployed, on what I’m thinking is a six-month long stint, away from home.  Internet sucks, so trying to watch shows is out.  And I had only a few burned movies in my possession.  I needed something to help occupy my time.  So, I Googled “Star Trek Fan Fiction.”  I figured, “hey, why not.  [The wife] loves fan fiction.  I’ll see what people have done for Star Trek.”

First or second, in the list of responses to my search, was Ad Astra.  I clicked.  I checked out the featured story (I forget what it was now).  I saw the monthly challenge – a JJ-verse story.  I read jespah’s entry, which was our first introduction to the wonderful (and my favorite) Eriecho.

“I can totally do this.”

The result?  “Star Trek; After Darkness – USS WHISTON.”  My first piece of proper fanfiction.

Since then, I’ve gotten heavily into my Star Trek Online universe that I play in, helping to add another universe for the people of our community to enjoy.  I’m active in the forums and on the site, contributing to monthly challenges and, now, the Twelve Trials.  I’ve gotten some awesome reviews.  I’ve gotten some criticism.  I’ve read some series and stories, and (I’m ashamed to say) had to turn away from others.  Just because I can’t stand cliff hangers and need to know “what happened next,” I’ve sorta put reading other people’s series on hold until I finish Gibraltar’s “Star Trek Gibraltar” series (which, I just learned, is getting ANOTHER story added to it currently.  I think I’ll finish…eventually.)  After that, I’m certainly game for suggestions, but I know I need to read SLWalker’s Scotty stories, and trekfan’s stuff (I need to know more about Bethany now that she’s part of the family over here!  It’s so cool!).  I’ve loved the community since I joined, and it’s been eye opening and inspiring to see all the different styles of writing, all the different takes on the central Star Trek theme.

With Archangel still waiting to be created and Rafale well in the works (I have, ready to go, the possibility of 12 more proper stories in the series), I am enjoying this new chapter in my Trek life.  I’m almost afraid, if a new series were to be made for TV, I wouldn’t enjoy it.  It wouldn’t be the same as the incredibly original series and one-shots that have been created by some of the coolest people I have ever met.  And now that I’m dragging a friend into the mix, I’ll be one of three authors to write in the Star Trek Online universe, and in the same vein as our United Trek brethren, in that our two series would be in the same universe within STO as well.  I love where I’ve come, and I love the community I’ve joined.

Keep your eyes peeled for more.  I haven’t come this far to just stop when one story is done.  I’ve still got a whole other series to create and share.

That said…any artists want to help?  My comiccing skills leave much to be desired.  🙂

2 thoughts on “Of Twihards and Trekkies

  1. Eriecho and I thank you.

    She knows that Vulcans aren’t supposed to smile, but she’ll smile anyway. 😉

    And so will I!

  2. Excellent stuff. And yay to jespah for making a good impression on you of our fair Ad Astra. And for all the knocks and criticisms AOS Trek gets it brought lots of people into the fold and that’s all for the good surely.

    And as all these recent meta blogs have done, they have me looking forward to the future of your writing and stories. Good luck TS.

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