Spin Dizzie

Zine
Title:	Spin Dizzie
Publisher:	Spin Dizzie Press
Editor(s):	Marilyn Johansen, and see below
Date(s):	1978–1984
Series?:
Medium:	print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Spin Dizzie is a gen Star Trek: TOS anthology.

a flyer for the first issue, artist is Christine Myers

The name of the zine comes from "Spindizzy", a term coined by James Blish.

General Reactions and Reviews

Average stories with an occasional very good one. My favourite is 'The Feegrun Effect' by Carol Christensen in #2. In this, the Federation and the Romulans together dispose of a dangerous weapon. There is some wonderful characterisation of Scotty—perhaps the best Scott story I have read. 'The Gift' by Lynda Carraher in #3 is also good. The Big Three are on a mission to catch predators for a rodent infestation and get caught up in tribal customs. A nice story of the developing rapport of the three.

Issue 1

Spin Dizzie 1 was edited by Kay Brown and Marilyn Johansen and published in 1978.

cover of issue #1, Marilyn Johansen

• "I am a Dreamer" by Nikki Cadwell (2)
• "Missing, Presumed Dead" by Jan Greville (McCoy has escaped an alien prison only to crash land on a planet of underground cave dwellers. Although befriended by these people, he is lonely and isolated and longing to return to the Enterprise. The Klingons decide they have an interest in this planet and McCoy is caught in the middle of the conflict.) (3)
• "Requiem to a Starship" by Debby Chapman (17)
• "Lenore's Lament" by Dayle S. Palko (18)
• "Sea of Tears" by Nikki Cadwell (While swimming, McCoy is claimed by Nerissa, the sea nymph. She plans to keep the doctor for herself but changes her mind when the doctor's friends come searching for him.) (19)
• "Don't Stare at His Ears" by Virginia Zanello (21)
• "From the Lost City" by Carolyn Seaton (22)
• "An Acceptable Number of Casualties" by Carol Christensen (23)
• art by Gerlinde Junggunst and Marilyn Johansen

• 

  from issue #1, Gerlinde Junggunst

• 

  from issue #1, Gerlinde Junggunst

• 

  from issue #1

• 

  from issue #1

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

A new zine that's primarily fiction with a touch of poetry and art; this is a very nice first effort. In 'Missing—Presumed Dead,' McCoy separated from the Enterprise, is saved from death by natives of a strange planet. Despairing of ever returning to his old life, the doctor adapts himself to his new one and learns to cherish his new found friends. But then intruders arrive—Klingons—and McCoy must find a way to overcome them. 'Sea of Tears' is a lovely vignette about McCoy, a sea maiden, and bittersweet love. And in 'An Acceptable Number of Casualties,' the fate of a planetary kingdom lies with Sulu, or does it? A well-written, well-plotted tale with a twist at the end. This zine also has poetry by Caldwell, D. Chapman, D. Palko, V. Zanello, and C. Seaton. Very much worth a try.

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by SD#1. I think it's really good for a first issue. Although it's pretty short in length, it's very attractive in appearance, and the contents are well written.... I liked the two long stories, especially 'An Acceptable, Number of Casualties'. It was entertaining and interesting to read. It's good to read ST stories that contain humor. ft seems that so many deal with heavy situations in such a way that by the end of the story I feel sad or depressed. I like serious stories, but I also welcome stories written in a lighter vein. The fact that these two stories featured McCoy added to my enjoyment. He isn't my favorite ST character, but I do like him very much. I also liked 'Sea of Tears'. Short pieces like that are nice when well done. And, of course, 'Don't Stare, At His Ears' was also amusing. I guess that kind of slip really does happen. I only have two minor complaints. The first one concerns spelling and grammar. It appeared the authors (And editors-ed. note.] made a few errors: 1) 'would of' for 'would have' 2) 'jidders' for 'jitters' and 3) 'recessitlon' for 'resuscitation'. Actually, it should be 'artificial respiration' instead of 'artificial resuscitation'. It's 'mouth-to-mouth resuscitation'. The second thing I wanted to mention concerns 'Missing: Presumed Dead'. It was somewhat confusing to have the male cave dwellers' names begin with K since there were also Klingons in the story.

Issue 2

front cover of issue #2, Marilyn Johansen

back cover of issue #2, Gerlinde Junggunst

a 1979 flyer printed in Saurian Brandy Digest #20

Spin Dizzie 2 was published in June 1979 and contains 86 pages. It was edited by Marilyn Johansen, Kay Brown, Nikii Cadwell, and Carol Christensen.

This issue contains some zine reviews. The reviewer includes this statement:

The order of the zines in this column is not to be construed as an evaluation ranking of any kind. Zines come in all kinds and sizes. Hopefully, I've helped direct someone to the one's he'll (she'll) enjoy most. If you're a zine editor outraged at my description of your zine, or a fan furious at my unmitigated audacity to comment on the work of individuals whose credentials in the world of fandom are far better than mine, please address all complaints and/or threats to Carol Christensen [address redacted]. If, on the other hand, you're impressed by my incisive analysis and gentle wit, please write and tell Marilyn so she'll let me keep my column.

• The Wolves of Eos by Lynda Carraher (One summary: The Enterprise becomes involved with a Romulan-backed rebellion on an [allied] planet and Spock finds himself intrigued by the planet's fierce telepathic princess." Another summary: "McCoy thinks Spock is suffering from a 'knight in shining armor complex' when the Vulcan come to the rescue of a dethroned princess and attempts to return her kingdom to her.") (3)
• The Observation Deck, zine reviews by Carol Christensen (31)
  • Star Trek Nuts & Bolts (various issues), see that page
  • Alpha Continuum #2, see that page
  • Saurian Brandy Digest #15, #17, see that page
  • Fans, see that page
  • Berengaria (various issues), see that page
  • Ship to Shore, see that page
• The Peegrun Effect by Carol Christensen (One summary: "When the Romulans and the Federation work together to dispose of a dangerous substance, an accident leaves Mr. Scott and a Romulan guard sealed in a cave and lethally contaminated; the Enterprise must find a way to treat the effect or be forced to leave the two to die." Another summary: "Scotty becomes a walking bomb when he and a Romulan officer are buried alive with peegrun, a highly unstable explosive that is absorbed into the skin.") (34)
• The Praetor's Challenge, poem by Dayle S. Plako (54)
• I Didn't Go to Space to Do the Laundry, poem by Virginia Zanello (55)
• To Sleep, Perchance to Dream by Linda Knights (One summary: "McCoy and Spock work to find a cure for a strange nerve disease that threatens Kirk." Another summary: "The Enterprise races against time to return her dying captain to Star Fleet Central, but could the cure that awaits him contain a fate worse than death?") (57)
• Admission, poem by Kay Miller Brown (81)
• Nixie by Dayle S. Plako (82)
• ads (83)
• The Last Word from the editor (86)
• art by Randy Ash, Teri Thorowgood, Gloria-Ann Rovelstad, Gerlinde Junggunst (back cover), Marilyn Johansen

• 

  from issue #2, Randy Ash

• 

  from issue #2, Teri Thorowgood

• 

  from issue #2, Teri Thorowgood

• 

  from issue #2, Marilyn Johansen

• 

  from issue #2, Gloria-Ann Rovelstad

• 

  from issue #2

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

I was really impressed with Carol Christensen's 'The Penguin Effect', and am glad to learn she will have more fiction in SD#3. Teri Thorogood's artwork for the story was first-rate; I think her portrait of Sulu on p.47 was the best piece of art in the zine. (A close second was Gloria-Ann Rovelstad's Spock-McCoy standoff on p.65.) Virginia Zanello's 'I Didn't Go To Space to Do The Laundry' was fun; I hope we'll see more of her work in the future. Back to Carol for a minute—'The Observation Deck' was as enjoyable as a coffee klatsch with a fellow Trekker. By all means, let's encourage her to keep more of the same coming

Issue 3

cover of issue #3, Marilyn Johansen

Spin Dizzie 3 published in February 1980 and contains 66 pages.

flyer for issue #3

It was edited by Marilyn Johansen, Kay Brown, Nikii Cadwell, and Carol Christensen.

The art is by Barbara P. Gordon, Gloria-Ann Rovelstad, and Marilyn Johansen.

From the editorial:

I can't believe this is actually our third issue. After numerous trips between Eden Prairie, Minneapolis, and West St. Paul, having to contend with part-time Klingons and trying to type while rocking the baby and carrying on a conversation with a two jrear old, it's finally finished. But it was lots of fun.

And I've had lots of help, for which I am very thankful. I picked us two new co-editors, Kay Brown and Nikki Cadwell, who have woriced very hard with me on this issue. Unfortunately, Nikki is moving to Ashland, Wisconsin next summer, but I'm sure we'll find a way of keeping her busy up there.

Just when we were lamenting the fact that this issue would have no poetry, the mailman delivered two beautiful poems by Jane Freitag. If that wasn't enough the next day he delivered one fran Virginia Zanello (she hasn't missed an issue). I decided to include Virginia's poem in "The Observation Deck" as it is actually a review of the much awaited MOVIE.

Besides writing "The Observation Deck", Carol Christensen has also written another Star Trek story, "Journey to Dostra". Carol hasn't missed an issue, either. In fact, she was the first writer to ever submit a story to me~three of them to be exact. And this is the last of the three (get busy Carol).

Speaking of Carol's column, this may be a good place to mention that the views of our critic and guest reviewers are not necessarily the views of the editors. I for one, enjoyed Joel Davis' M*A*S*H story. I thought it was very well written and very funny. What's more the humor was very much in keeping with the series.

I also liked STTMP. And after seeing it for the second time last night I can safely say, I loved it! And I know I speak for Nikki and Kay when I say that it just keeps getting better. (I think they've seen it at least 10 times between the two of them.) Yesterday, when I was making a rough draft of this column, I was going to admit the movie had a few flaws, but the second time around I found myself enjoying the parts I had disliked the first time around. My biggest complaint had been the special effects. They could have had less of that and more Kirk/Spock/McCoy scenes. But I don't think I could ever get enough of them, and I did like the alien this time. I think the reason I enjoyed it more this time was because the first time I was too nervous. I kept asking myself, is this any good? am I bored? is it a flop? I now heartily recommend that you all go see it at least twice. It just keeps getting better, and we all know that from watching the series. Episodes I didn't much care for have become great favorites with me after several viewings and my favorites are not always very well liked by other fans. So, if you didn't like it the first time, give it another chance.

Lynda Carraher has also returned for an encore, entrusting me with a little (little?) gem called "The Gift". If you liked "The Wolves of Bos" I know you're going to love this one. Joy Mancinelli is appearing in Spin Dizzie for the first time with a lovely Uhura story called "Homeward Bound". She has also contributed a Scotty story, but you'll have to wait until the next issue to read that.

And not to leave anyone out, we also have some great artwork by Gloria-Ann Rovelstad and Barbara Gordon. I also tossed in a couple of drawings of me own.

Carol did a review of Jim Rondeau's CLIPPER TRADE SHIP this issue. I have to admit to having a soft spot for Jim and TCTS. He was the first editor I ever contributed anything to. Not only did he accept the story, but he also helped me to improve on it. I only hope that I can return the favor to other writers and be as nice and as prompt as Jim was. So I hope you won't hesitate to contribute to the next issue of Spin Dizzie. I promise a prompt reply and any help that I can give promise not to bite. You'll also get a free copy of the issue your contribution appears in. So please think of us in the future.

Many thanks again to all our contributors and supporters.

Spin Dizzily, Marilyn

The author's note for "The Gift":

Of all the Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations that make STAR TREK so delightful and so eternally ... fascinating ... (if I may be permitted the use of that word), one of the most diverse and delightful is the Kirk/Spock/McCoy relationship. It's the essential nugget in that realm of gold we wander in with such pleasure. But how did it develop?

Yes, I know. Gene Roddenberry sat down one day and said "What if...?" Then, aided and abetted by some very, very talented people (whose names would make a list from here to yonder), he fleshed it out and made it live for us. Together, they showed us how that very special relationship, that very special mingling of diversities, worked. But they never showed us how it began.

"The Gift" is my own attempt to explain that beginning. As such, it's not "what if?" so much as "how come...?" And though this particular version of "how come?" is the squalling child of my own somewhat warped imagination, it was nurtured in part by the works of two other wanderers in those realms of gold, Leslie Thompson and Walter Irwin. Anthologized in "The Best of TREK" (Signet, 1978), Leslie and Walter set up a working timeline for Mr. Spock's rise to the position of First Officer and Dr. McCoy's appearance on the Enterprise. Acknowledgement is due both these writers, and is hereby offered with gratitude.

• First Word, editorial (1)
• Journey to Dostra by Carol Christensen (4)
• Lament of a Retired Captain, poem by Jane Freitag (20)
• Homeward Bound by Joy Mancinelli (21)
• The Observation Deck, zine comments and reviews by Carol Christensen (27)
  • Sublight Reading
  • Ship to Shore #2, see that page
  • Clipper Trade Ship #26, see that page
  • Odyssey #3, see that page
  • Archives #3, see that page
• Star Trek, the Movie -- a Review, poem by Virginia Zanello, see Star Trek: The Motion Picture (29)
• The Gift by Lynda Carraher (includes a bit of meta at the end that breaks the fourth wall) (also in Archives #5 (Winter/1980) (30)
• The Vulcan Remembers Rayna, poem by Jane Freitag (63)
• ads (64)

• 

  from issue #3, Barbara P. Gordon

• 

  from issue #3, Barbara P. Gordon

• 

  from issue #3, Barbara P. Gordon

• 

  from issue #3, Marilyn Johansen

• 

  from issue #3, Gloria-Ann Rovelstad

• 

  from issue #3

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

This zine was a very nice surprise. The extremely reasonable price makes it available for everyone, and the stories are of superior quality. The zine is simply put together yet it does not look cheap. It is, admittedly, a small zine with only 65 non-reduced pages, but those 65 pages are packed with three stories (one quite long), three poems, a zine news column, a zine listing in the back plus a dozen or more pieces of artwork. 'Journey to Dostra' centers on Chekov and is well put together and interesting. The second is an Uhura story and the third story, 'The Gift' is a long but fascinating look into the early stages of Kirk and Spock's friendship. The only fault I find with the zine is the artwork is not quite up to the standards set by the stories. Hopefully, this will improve as Spin Dizzie develops. I recommend this zine highly and am looking forward to future issues.

I love the cover! It's a little startling, but then, so was Ilia! Also was very impressed by the silhouette for 'Lament of a Retired Captain'. And howcum you don't credit whoever does your calligraphy? It certainly gives the zine a "pro" look. 'Homeward Bound' was probably my favorite this time, though Uhura's motivation for leaving Starfleet after umpteen years was a little fuzzy.

SD#3 is, as usual, excellent. 'The Journey to Vostra' and 'Homeward Bound' were good but I was especially taken with 'The Gift'. It was exceptional! If, as Linda says, 'the Kirk/Spock/McCoy relationship is that nugget in the realm of gold, we wander in with such pleasure,' then her story is the vein from which the nugget comes. I read it and immediately turned to the beginning and read it again. Lovely! Lovely! Her descriptions and phraseology—Ghu, how I wish I could write as she does, apparently so easily; the words seem to flow. Your cover of Illia was clever and the best of the art. Keep having an occasional cartoon. I love them! 'Got your ears on?' Indeed! Now, I know that wasn't a cartoon, but I grin each time I see it.

Issue 4

back cover of issue #4, Marilyn Johansen, "I must agree, Doctor, we do seem to sell more Spin Dizzies this way."

front cover of issue #4, Marilyn Johansen

Spin Dizzie 4 was published in 1980 and contains 72 pages. It has art by Barbara P. Gordon, GAR, Caro Hedge, and Marilyn Johansen. It was edited by Marilyn Johansen, Kay Brown, Nikii Cadwell, and Carol Christensen.

• Editorials (2)
• "Starbound" by Jimmy Galli (5)
• "Opening Gambit" by Rayelle Roe (6)
• "A Purchase Worth the Price" by Lynda Carraher (11)
• "Scotty's Quest" by Joy Mancinelli (17)
• "The Shield" by Merlin Thomas (22)
• "Constant Companions" by Kay Miller Brown (24)
• poem by Liz Bowling (35)
• "The Observation Deck" by Carol Christensen (essay and reviews of Interstat, Back Trekkin', Star Shadows, Emuebsor, see those pages) (36)
• "On Being Late Or Having to Wait" by Liz Bowling (43)
• "Side Trip" by Virginia Zanello (46) (Answers the question of how would the crew of Enterprise would act if an actual Mary Sue showed up on the ship.)
• "Lost Child" by Jimmye Galli (69)
• "Bonkers in the Twilight Zone" by Nikki Caldwell (Comedy) (70)

• 

  art from issue #4,
  Barbara P. Gordon

• 

  art from issue #4,
  Marilyn Johansen,
  Spock encounters the CB radio craze of the late 1970s

• 

  art from issue #4,
  Marilyn Johansen

• 

  art from issue #4, GAR

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 4

[Side Trip]: A realistic portrayal of what would happen if a Mary Sue character really got aboard the Enterprise. In this story, the regulars cannot understand why this female crewmember is literally falling all over Mr. Spock, and they all sincerely wish she would stop.

The two main stories deal with a new security guard's impressions of the friendship between Kirk and Spock, coloured by the security chief's opinions, and what reads like a marginal Mary Sue–a new Galley attendant, having developed a 'crush' on Spock to the point where he feels she is always watching him, finds herself stranded on a shuttlecraft with him... and then captured by Klingons.

Tigriffin does not wish to infringe upon other 'Forum' columnists whose business it is to chart the current path of fanzines in advice articles or reviews. But this zine is a fine example of where today's typical zine editor is putting her emphasis. Thankfully, individuality is the watchword. Marilyn Johansen is putting her own tastes first in choosing her style and selections and making sure all inclusions meet certain standards of quality, though it has taken her some time to accomplish this. Spin Dizzie #4 is the first of her efforts that Trigriffin can give unreserved approval to. Tigriffin hopes Spin Dizzie will continue its rapid rate of improvement and wishes Marilyn well in her quest towards the perfect fanzine. This issue includes Editorials: typical, and par [for] the fannish course, but palatable on the whole... 'Opening Gambit': the friendship between Kirk and Spock had to start somewhere. This story is a plausible beginning but it ends too abruptly. Still enjoyable, however. 'A Purchase Worth the Price': this poem is flawed in that it adds 20th century Earth morality to a recital of Vulcan history. The main difficulty is a woman who feels that the sacrifice of her life and her sworn word is preferable to a sacrifice of sexual favor which will aid Surak's dream of Vulcan. This piece has thoughtful points to make, nevertheless. 'Scotty's Quest': too many people have made a ridiculous joke of Scotty's propensity for alcoholic beverages. This story does not. It is entertaining and completely in character without debasing our favorite engineer. 'The Shield': a brief portrayal of the emotions Spock feels in ST:TMP upon his arrival aboard the Enterprise. 'Constant Companions': unusually fine story about a new Enterprise security guard. There are several beginner's mistakes here, the worst is the overstatement of the theme — does Kirk care more about Spock's welfare than the crew's? But the story managed not to sink under the weight of them. 'Observation Deck': Reviews. Ms. Christensen is adept at making the review reader desire to purchase copies of the zines reviewed, a talent Trigriffin admires. 'Side Trip': once again some beginner's flaws, but on the whole, the main character is engaging and the adventure is not too ridiculous to believe in temporarily. Best of zine award. 'Bonkers in the Twilight Zone': this story is about a common fannish fixation. One of these days those characters we've done horrible things to will revolt!

Another fine issue! At the risk of swelling your heads, I want to repeat (and you may quote me)—SD is one of the best-looking zines around, and the quality of the contents live up to the promise of the format. As a nit-picking perfectionist, I get very upset by zines which are apparently put out by people who have nothing going for them except good intentions and access to a mimeo machine. Awful stories, wooden dialogue abysmal grammar, and splotchy, typo-filled copy abound—unfortunately. You may all pat each other on the back for a job well done. (Now, if we could just get Marilyn to quit writing alot when she means a lot. ...] Please tell Caro I'm very, very pleased with the designs she did for 'A Purchase Worth The Price'. They are just lovely; so delicate and yet powerful. They really complement the text, too. And T'Paal did indeed manage to be 'ethereal and mysterious', Marilyn. I do like the style you are working into! 'Side Trip', 'Bonkers in the Twilight Zone', and 'Constant Companions' were high points—'Constant Companions' particularly, with its fresh viewpoint of an 'outsider' looking in. But I think my favorite this time was 'Scotty's Quest. I kept thinking, 'Gee, I wish I'd written that!'

'Scotty's Quest' by Joy Mancinelli is cute. I love to see stories about Scotty and had one of my own written, but it needs lots of work....At any rate...Joy clearly captured Scotty's spirit and I could easily picture every scene in the story. She is an imaginative writer with a lot of style. 'Constant Companions' by Kay Miller Brown takes a third party story and ties in well with the Big Three. It is imaginatively done. She gives us a convincing third party in Daddario Exley and in Ensign Barrie. The story is well developed and the plot line believable. I always enjoy reading reviews and so 'The Observation Deck' was interesting, especially as I found that they tended to echo my own feelings on many of the zines. 'Side Trip' by Virginia Zanello had to be the high point of the zine. I was in stitches many times. Thelma is what I would be on a starship I'm sure. And the perfect foil to Spock. The story combined the correct amount of drama and seriousness with the lighthearted tongue-in-cheek drama of Thelma's distress to keep me interested. Again all the secondary characters are well developed and lack the shallowness of most fan writing. A very well done effort. 'Bonkers in the Twilight Zone' by Nikki Cadwell was funny. I have seen this type of story done frequently and as a rule, don't like it. But Nikki managed to add the mind meld in and made an 'ok' story into a good one. I enjoy the fact that she did not think the reader so dumb that he/she/it would not recognize an old Twilight Zone, plot. Twice in recent months, I have read stories of this type that proposed to be original ideas. Now either the authors were much younger than me (impossible) or they may have honestly forgotten where they saw the idea originally. At any rate, Nikki gave credit where it was due and that is refreshing. The artwork is definitely some of the best you have published. The quality of printing and the lack of typos was great also. Especially in a market that appears to be going backward away from professional quality.

SD#4 was up to your usual high standards. Rayelle Roe's work is always great—that imagination of hers has a real original streak that no one else quite, matches. 'Opening Gambit'—loved the way Spock came to the conclusion he needed a friend... and his approach. 'A Purchase Worth the Price'—when done right a poem done along the lines of primitive mythology can be pretty powerful stuff. This is excellent and I like the 'humanization' (you should pardon the term) of Surak. 'The Shield' a perfect exploration of Spock's—er feelings—on first returning to the Enterprise. 'Constant Companions'—I've read a couple of stories on this theme recently (one in Star Canticle). Both were extremely well done, and the crew members personality well developed. 'Side Trip' was also great. The whole thing hinged on Thelma being believable—and she was. Also nice to get a view of an aspect of running a starship not usually presented. 'Bonkers in the Twilight Zone'—about time someone did for 'get' stories what's been done for pon farr ones. But somehow lllya and Napoleon don't quite seem the same....

Overall, I would say that SD#4 is a good 'zine, I would recommend it, and I would venture to say it would compare favorably with any Trekzine in the U.S. It is definitely as good as, or better than, most of the 'zines in my collection. (In contrast, I felt that SD#2 and #3 were poorer than most, and after reading them I would not recommend them.) In short, SD#4 is a marked improvement; keep up the good work. Other overall comments: the format was clean and easy to read, the layout was good, and I thought the artwork was good too. There was less artwork than I normally see in a Trekzine, so if you think you can add more art next time, you might consider doing so. Specifics: I thought 'Opening Gambit' was nice, but it reads like two stories spliced together (and I liked the first far better than the second). Each was not developed enough. We should've seen the aliens all the way through, and we should've seen the start of the Kirk/Spock relationship at the beginning of the story. 'A Purchase Worth the Price' was dull. This is simply a matter of taste; as you know, most poetry is lost on me. I have two little quarrels with 'Scotty's Quest'. The first is that I don't think McCoy would think that anyone throwing up for any reason as something funny. Second, I think the p.21 illo should be on p. 19. True, the illo would've come before the scene it illustrated, but this is not unusual for a fanzine. Putting it where it is, it is more difficult for the reader to make a connection between it and the story. 'The Shield', I think, should've been developed more.'Constant Companion' was a fantastic story, as you already know. It moved well, it captured and held the attention. 'The Observation Deck' and the mention of other 'zines is much appreciated, I'm sure, by your readers. 'Side Trip' was a far better story than you led me to believe. I thought it was a very good story. Spock reacted to the crewmember realistically (as compared to his unbelievable reactions in Lynda's story in an earlier issue). The crewmember reacted realistically. Further, I didn't see anything humorous in it—I thought it was a good adventure story. I 'm grateful for the fact that the author wrote a good Mary Sue story without resorting to the 'Spock is stuck with a woman he could care less about, tee, hee,' sort of approach. 'Bonkers in the Twilight Zone' was also one that I had read and enjoyed prior to publication. Again, keep up the good work.

SD#4 arrived yesterday....Nice try on the cover. It didn't quite come off as well as the poster, but then the piece must have been damned hard to do in the first place. The vignette by Rayelle was nice, though I wish she'd sent you one of her stories rather than something so short. 'Scotty's Quest' was cute, too. I think Kay's story was my favorite piece. Both Kay's story and the one by Virginia were themes that have been done before by numbers of fan writers, but I think Kay handled her material better. (Of course, I'll admit I'm not partial to twits who have a thing for Mr. Spock.) I found the poetry of better quality than average in fanzines, especially the stuff by Jimmye Galli. The limericks were fun. They help provide a fannish sense of proportion that I wish more zines had. Nikki's story is behind the times. That last line should have read 'Starsky and Hutch slogged...' Over all it wasn't a bad ish, but you were missing contributions with meat to them....

SPIN DIZZIE #4 opens logically with 'Opening Gambit' by Rayelle Roe, which treats us to an earlier view of the Kirk/ Spock relationship and how it, possibly, took form into the closeness of later years. A short story of believable exchanges between a novice starship captain and an uncomfortably stiff Vulcan commander. 'A Purchase Worth the Price' is a ballad of Vulcan ancient history set during the time of Surak. I have read a similar tale elsewhere, but do not remember it handled so neatly. It parallels medieval song styles and carries the story smoothly and rhythmically. 'Constant Companions' deals with the notorious security mortality rate on the Enterprise, and what the chief of security suspects as the reason. A new ensign ponders the revelation and fears he is doomed as a result of his superior's observations, but encounters a welcome surprise as this provocative story concludes otherwise. 'The Observation Deck' is a feature of SPIN DIZZIE as a whole and lists zines with a short description of each for the convenience of the readers. The sampling would offer assistance to the novice Star Trek reader who might be unaware of the large number of zines available. I found many of my favorites listed and don't feel that one could go astray in using these pages for a guide to good Trek reading. 'Side Trip' by Virginia Zanello is (almost) a Mary Sue story that may change your ideas about Starfleet's careful screening of technicians assigned to various star ships, the Enterprise included! Thelma is the ultimate clumsy-klutz, a fumbled-fingered technician who seems to have a black cloud following her wherever she goes as she, in turn, follows Spock (who else?) with adoring glances and harmless intent. We are led from one incredible faux pas to another, including capture by a most sinister Klingon! A surprising twist in the story did not quite ring true to me, but I couldn't think of any other 'out' either so must grant the author creative license at least. The story covers a lot of ground in a relatively short time but is undeniably entertaining. The zine concludes with (shades of SPOCK'S BRAIN) whimsical "Bonkers in the Twilight Zone!" and Nikki pulls it off admirably in my estimation. Anyone who has struggled over story and poem, artwork and editorial, must appreciate this one. Marilyn's editorial covers a personal meeting with Leonard Nimoy backstage after the play VINCENT, a tidbit of interest to Spock fans as a glimpse of the actor himself comes through in her words. Further coupled with poetry and excellent artwork (although I would have like more illos) this zine passed my own personal tests of pleasing appearance and good story material. Of course, every reader evaluates according to taste, but I feel there is enough variety in this zine to appeal to all.

... unreduced xerox (?); some other kind of print than offset, anyway. Clear and readable. Art and calligraphy by Barbara Gordon, Caro Hedge, and the editor. Good layout, sturdy covers with nice artwork based on the ST:TMP logo. Genzine. This small zine has been a delight to watch in its evolution. From #1 with its brave 38 slightly smudgy pages carefully edited and nicely calligraphed, it has shown promise; its stories are always strongly plotted and its aims high. Each issue has been better, with more features added, more appropriate artwork. (All are still available, the first three in Xerox, from the publisher). This issue consists of stories (two long ones, three short), poetry, zine reviews, and a really remarkable unclassifiable 'dje-kalla ballad' called 'A Purchase Worth the Price' by Lynda Carraher. This song both details Surak's problems with pre-reform Vulcan and tells a powerful cult-hero story in classical terms. The story 'Side Trip' by Virginia Zanello has the unmistakable whiff of a witty marysue about it—whenever a 'somewhat pudgy' short new crewmember appears who spends all her time chasing Mr. Spock, the reader has a right to be suspicious. That's not to say it's a bad story or poorly written, though the humor of the first part quickly degenerates into melodrama as the story wears on; it's always fun to watch the ship's operations from a lowly crewman's point of view, but it is hard to see how this birdbrain ever made it into Starfleet to begin with. That aside, hers and Spock's adventures as Klingon captives make a pretty good yarn, and I was secretly pleased to see the heroine finish up like she began: unloved by the Trio, still in her menial galley job, and with only her memories to sustain her. In 'Bonkers in the Twilight Zone', the Trio shows up to defend itself against further hurt/comfort stories written by the author Nikki Cadwell, unnerving her completely and delighting the reader. 'Constant Companions' by Kaye Miller Brown features a new security man as its hero, and weaves an interesting serious story around the possibility that when there was a choice to be made, the Captain freely sacrifices security men to protect his first officer. The plotline is reasonable, the idea well developed, all from Ensign Barrie's point of view. All in all, this young zine is a good buy, and I look forward to future issues.

Issue 5

back cover of issue #5, Nancy Gervais

front cover of issue #5, Marilyn Johansen

Spin Dizzie 5 was published in February 1981 and has 105 pages. It was edited by Marilyn Johansen and Kay Brown. The editor says this is the first issue in which there are death stories, and she notes there are three of them.

"What would you give to be a fly on the wall when Spock and McCoy are trapped in the turbolift together? Meet a strange flowered creature that causes havoc for Chekov's roommate, and has Kirk finally met his match in Captain Devra Prentiss?"

• Editorials by Marilyn Johansen and Kay Brown (2)
• Letters of Comment (4)
• The Final Voyage by Hazel A. Williams (10)
• The Silent Sitter in the Sun" by Judy Darnell (story) (10)
• Turbo-lift Review by Rayelle Roe (15)
• Daydreams by Jimmye Galli (story) (15)
• The Severing by Kay Miller Brown (story) (20)
• Time Travels by Carolyn Rafferty (44)
• Silent Night, Lonely Night by Judy Darnell (45)
• The Observation Deck by Carol Christensen, zine reviews (46)
  • Trek Continuum #1 (05/1980) Oversize Issue, see that page
  • Time Warp (multifandom zine)|Time Warp #4 (1980), see that page
  • Guardian #2 (09/1979), see that page
  • Sublight Reading #2 (01/1981), see that page
  • Friends & Strangers, Near & Far, see that page
• How to Get in Touch with Other Star Trek Fans by Joan Marie Verba (article) (50)
• Other Windows, Other Worlds by Lynda Carraher (article, reviews of pro science fiction books) (51)

flyer for issue #5, click to read

flyer for issue #5 (and some mention of earlier issues), click to read

• To Seek Yet Not Find by Jimmye Galli (53)
• A Partnership of Lions by Lynda Carraher (story) (54)
• The Unknown Technician by Virginia Zanello (81)
• A Song for the Doctor by Jane Frietag (82)
• Wallflower by Joan Marie Verba (story) (83)
• Goodbye, Mr. Spock by Mary A. Smith (96)
• Poem by Pati Hall (95)
• Enigma by Virginia Zanello (106)
• art by Dawna Snyder, Caroline Hedge, Vel Jaeger, Marty Siegrist, Kathy Marschall, Christine Myers, Nancy Gervais (back cover), Marilyn Johansen, and Joan Marie Verba (calligraphy)

• 

  art from issue #5, Christine Myers

• 

  art from issue #5, Vel Jaeger

• 

  art from issue #5, Vel Jaeger

• 

  art from issue #5, Marilyn Johansen

• 

  art from issue #5, Marty Siegrist

• 

  art from issue #5, Christine Myers

• 

  art from issue #5, Vel Jaeger

• 

  art from issue #5, Kathy Marschall

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 5

'The Turbo-Lift Review', McCoy and Spock are trapped in the turbolift for hours, and at such close quarters, the sniping is bound to begin. The bridge crew eavesdrops via an intercom, placing bets on who will emerge undamaged. The by–play is hilarious.

This is the first SD I've read, so I can't compare it to earlier issues, but I really like the way it's put together. The art is fair to excellent and all of the illustrations pertain to the story it appears in. As I've stated before, poetry isn't one of my loves, however, there are several clever pieces in this issue. Two of the stories, 'The Final Voyage' and 'Goodbye, Mr. Spock,' are of the Kill Off Kirk/Spock, etc.) variety and both are very well executed (Ahem!) Still, I have often wondered why Spock and Kirk are treated by so many authors as such interdependent personalities; so much so as to not be able to go on without the other. 'A Partnership of Lions' is the most compelling in the zine. Kirk meets a female Captain who isn't out to castrate him while still coming off as an intelligent competent Commander. 'Wallflower' is a very cleverly done Chekov story involving an animal aboard the Enterprise. 'Turbo Lift Review' is an exploration into what happens when Spock and McCoy are trapped in the turbo lift for several hours—a very funny and fun story. One story, 'Severing Ties,' gives us the reason for Spock's decision to undergo Kohlinar, interesting but I'm not sure I'm convinced. 'The Observation Deck' is the review column and there are several very good reviews. All in all, I'd say this is a very good issue, worth the money and, more important, worth reading.

SD #5 starts off humorously with a limerick by Dr. McCoy (about the transporter, of course) leading into the editorials which are interesting bits as well. A few pages of LOCs give a reader new to this press a chance to decide whether or not to catch up on back ishes. In 'The Final Voyage' by Hazel William, Kirk is faced with death and must deal with Spock's knowledge of that fact with all the emotional agony and anger of leaving a friend behind. The ending is easily plausible. 'The Severing' by Kay Miller Brown handles hurt/comfort and guilt as Kirk comes out on the short end. Here, at last, we find out why Spock rejected the friendly World of Starfleet and chose the isolation of Kohlinahr. 'A Partnership of Lions' by Linda Carraher is a slight cross between Mary Sue and the feminist movement, but interesting reading at any rate. Kirk and Spock take a strange ship into mock battle supervised by 'Simucom' (a cousin of THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER, I believe) against an all-female contingent of Lyrans to prove that the Lyran women would qualify for Starfleet duty if their home planet joins the Federation (this condition is primarily responsible for the training joust which Kirk resignedly accepts). When Kirk runs into difficulty and is forced to ask assistance from the all female ship (his own consists of an all male crew, naturally), he squelches his male chauvinism arid grits his teeth characteristically. When real calamities begin to occur, both captains must combine forces to defend themselves against a mysterious enemy plotting to prevent the Lyrans' entry into the Federation (of course); and their counteractions result in the somewhat expected triumph. This piece is also admirably illustrated by our own TREKisM editor, Vel Jaeger. A delightful 'Wallflower' tests Mr. Sulu's sanity and rivals the tribal for first place in the unusual–pets–aboard–the–Enterprise category. Joan Mary [sic] Verba spins the amusing story around routine duty, red alerts, ion storms and a grateful casualty. 'Good-bye, Mr. Spock' by Mary A. Smith embodies a spectral visit and a dangerous mission to rescue a stranded landing party. McCoy realizes the precarious position which the Vulcan has chosen, and this time says 'Good luck' as Spock turns command over to Scott and embarks in the shuttle. A haunting tale you won't want to miss! I seem to be discovering more excellence in each subsequent zine that I sample, and SD #5 is no exception. Good artwork, poetry, and story material—with very few errors, make this a quality publication with a reasonable price.

Issue 6

Spin Dizzie 6 was published in April 1982 and contains 98 pages. Cover: Marilyn Johansen, back cover: Mel White. Art by Diane Christensen, Ann Crouch, Nancy Gervais, Marilyn Johansen, and Mel White.

back cover issue #6, Marilyn Johansen

front cover of issue #6, Mel White

From the editorial: "I am sorry to say this is going to be the last issue of 'Spin Dizzie'." There was, however, one more issue, one that consisted of a single novel.

• "An Obligation" by Rosalie Blazej (Spock has undertaken a mission on a planet with an atmosphere of Epsilon wave radiation which is fatal to Vulcans. McCoy blames himself far letting this happen and when Spock returns, the doctor is prepared to allow him a 'dignified death' without attempting treatment which would be useless. An enraged Christine refuses to allow this to happen.) (p. 4-20)
• "Drums on the Wind" (poem) by Judy Darnell (p. 20)
• "To Do, For You"(poem) by Crystal Ann Taylor (p. 21)
• "The Gift" by Joy Mancinelli (McCoy and Scotty's expensive, elaborate and exotic gift for their Captain ends up being given unexpectedly to another member of the Enterprise crew.) (p. 22-28)
• "The Bells Are Jingling" (poem) by Denise Habel (p. 28)
• "Dream With No Name" (poem) by Dian Hardison )p. 29)
• "A Question of Loyalty" by Virginia Zanello (p. 30-39)
• "You Have to Say Hello Before You Can Say Goodbye" (poem) by Judy Darnell (p. 39)
• "Fair Exchange" by Carol Christenson (p. 40-46)
• "Leila's Song" (poem) by Judy Darnell (p. 47)
• "Tales of Wreck and Wrong" by Rosemarie Eierman (p. 48-50)
• "Brief Encounter" (poem) by Judy Darnell (p. 51)
• "A Child in the Night, Cries" (poem) by Rene Arceneaux (p. 52)
• "The Last Gift" by Carol Maschke (Spock, attempting to rescue McCoy, is now stranded with the doctor. Both are victims of a rapidly acting poison. McCoy strives to devise a means to keep them alive until the return of the Enterprise.) (p. 53-60)
• "Starship" (poem) by Linda Neel (p. 61)
• "Perceptions" (poem) by Linda Neel (p. 61)
• "Kirk Enslaved" by Rayelle Roe. Kirk and Spock make an undercover visit to a planet where Vulcanoids run the government. Several hilarious episodes result. (p. 62-75)
• Filk Song by Linda Lakin & Sandra Randant (p. 76)
• "Come to Me Spock" (poem) by Pat Seiler (p. 77)
• "The Legend of Werner's World" by Denise Habel (p. 78-79)
• "Orphan's Father" by Carol Christensen (p. 80-85)
• "A Civilized Man" by Lynda Carraher (McCoy is on a fishing trip with an alien friend. A Ka'ardeshi kills his friend and takes McCoy captive. The Ka'ardeshi maintains that to kill is instinctive and that McCoy would kill him if he could. When the Ka'ardeshi is badly burned, McCoy proves he is a civilized man by doing his utmost to save his enemy.) (p. 87-96) (also inArchives #7 (Fall 1983))
• "Transition" (poem) by Sharon F (p. 96)
• "Reena, If Only I Could Forge"t (poem) by Nancy Gervais (p. 97)
• Ads (p. 98)
• "Reruns" (poem) by Virginia Zanello (p. 98)

• 

  art from issue #6, Marilyn Johansen

• 

  art from issue #6, Ann M. Crouch

• 

  art from issue #6, Diane Christiansen

• 

  art from issue #6, Nancy Gervais

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 6

• "An Obligation" Enterprise is sent to see about saving the dying Lorn, a single immortal being symbiotically linked to the Stiven people. The planet is lethal to Vulcans due to radiation. However, a telepath is required to communicate with the Lorn, and the one assigned to the job turns out to be a Klingon spy who blows up the briefing room, nearly killing Kirk and putting McCoy out of commission. So Spock goes. McCoy figures out the danger too late. The Lorn uses Spock to give the Stiven its knowledge of their history, the evil it had protected them from along with the good. Christine gets Spock back to the Enterprise. McCoy gives up, deciding to let the Vulcan die with dignity, but Christine refuses to go along with him, and they manage to dig a cure out of the Fabrini work. Some good philosophical agonizing, despite a rather silly premise.

• "The Gift" Charming romp. Scott & McCoy order a spare-no-expense night of R&R for Kirk, only to discover that he gave his reservations to Chekov.

• "A Question of Loyalty" A half-Klingon crewwoman comes into the clutches of the Imperial Secret Service and must trade her loyalty for her mother's life. She acquits herself honorably by giving away the secrets of the meatloaf recipe. And the honorable captain lets her go. Nice touch is the Klingon parting wish: May we never meet in battle.

• "Fair Exchange" In order to investigate the necessity of evacuating a non-technological society on a volcanically active planet that keeps swallowing up communities, a landing party dresses up as cheese traders on the recommendation of the sociologist. It turns out that the cheese traders are actually bride-traders. And that the men in the party are expected to prove their worth by firewalking in a lava river. Very cute.

• "Tales of Wreck and Wrong" Laments of an Enterprise cook trying to fatten up Spock on McCoy's orders, during & post-Vejur.[sic]

• "The Last Gift" McCoy get-'em. Spock, beaming down to check on a missing landing party, finds two dead at the hands of the locals and McCoy trying to escape with Tomkins, who was about to be sacrificed. They escape but both McCoy and Spock are poisoned, and the Enterprise will not return [in time] before it kills them. McCoy uses his only dose of starin, a drug that suspends diseases for a time but has its own lethal effects later, to keep Spock alive until the ship returns. The shuttle gets to them five minutes too late for McCoy, who dies saying to Spock: 'Prepare yourself... I love you.'

• "Kirk Enslaved" A howler romp. To investigate a culture of not-quite-bright vulcanoid masters and happy humanoid slaves, Spock & Kirk beam down as a gaudy gem trader and his slave. One silly situation leads to another until Spock tries the local narcotic, loses his inhibitions, and sells Kirk. He then must try to win him back at the gaming tables.

• "The Legend of Werner's World" Shaggy dog story with punch line: Take Flime to smell the towers.

• "Orphan's Father" The legal parents of Chekov's illegitimate daughter Heather are killed in a traffic accident. In explaining to Chekov that he has no legal right to have anything to do with his daughter (to keep him from resigning), McCoy takes the opportunity of that pain to push him into reconciling with his own parents, using a little 'creative reminiscence' at Kirk's expense - an example of a captain driven with remorse for not having reconciled before his father died.

• "A Civilized Man Chased", captured and abused by a Thonlonn who has just killed his guide and friend, McCoy must face his own beast within when he frees himself by burning his captor's eyes out. He keeps trying to insist that he can decide 'not to kill today,' while his enemy keeps insisting that we are all killers. Wounded, McCoy keeps hauling his enemy over the desert, but the Thonlonn is dead when they are found.

'Spin Dizzie 6' is the last of the series, which is a pity because, although always a reliable zine, this issue is particularly good. It's always difficult not to [appear] unfair to select 'best stories' so let the criterion be 'stories that linger in the mind'.

I enjoy Rayelle Roe and her 'Kirk Enslaved' is a lovely example of the genre. (The title speaks for itself!) At the other end of the emotional scale, 'A Civilized Man' by Linda Carraher is an outstanding story of McCoy, a man who considers himself to be eminently civilised, in conflict with an alien who cannot understand the concept of 'we will not kill today'. It is very difficult for any writer to turn one's stomach without over dramatics but the author achieves this perfectly - a memorable piece.

'An Obligation' by Rosalie Blazej deals with the symbiotic, telepathic relation ship of the single Lorn with the race of Stiven. The decline of the Stiven and Spock's sacrifice to save them are sensitively dealt with, even if the treatment of the knowledge imparted to the Stiven of their violent heritage is perhaps too easily dismissed for a happy ending. Another interesting feature is the conflict between McCoy and Chapel over professional conduct in the face of Spock's impending death. Chapel is proved right and is given new status here.

This zine contains a well balanced mix of stories touching not only on the 'big three' but also on others serving on board. In 'A Question of Loyalty' the viewpoint of a half-Klingon member of the Enterprise crew is thoughtfully put by Virginia Zanello, although the suspicious reactions of fellow workers are not in accord with the usual picture of acceptance in the series,

"Orphan's Father', on the other hand, is a sensitive short portraying the relationship between Chekov, Kirk and McCoy when Chekov learns that the mother of his-illegitimate child and the girl's legal father are dead. Chekov wishes to give up his career to care for the child, although he has no legal claim (an interesting point of Federation law) and is in conflict with his own parents. Neither Kirk nor McCoy believes that he should leave Starfleet and the problem is handled in a mature fashion by Carol Christensen.

Thus Spin Dizzie is a satisfying read of balanced, well-handled stories. Perhaps the only major weakness is in the poetry, which is sometimes lacking in form and discipline resulting in rather unmemorable verse.

The typeface is close set but attractive and easy to read. The cover illo of McCoy by Marilyn Johansen reveals a compassion and sensitivity sometimes lacking in comparable studies.

Issue 7

cover of issue #7

Spin Dizzie 7 is a 110-page novel,"Kin of the Same Womb Born" by Rosalie Blazej. It was published in August 1984 and is the zine "Spin Dizzie Seven". Illustrated and edited by Marilyn Johansen. Co-editor: Kay Brown. It was nominated for a 1986 Fan Q winners for both Best Star Trek Zine and its author for Best Star Trek Writer.

Its original/working title was "Out of the Dark."

Summaries: 'The story involves Romulans and life-entity transfer (putting a personality in a different body)."

'A Spock and Christine story, this is a 'what if?' novel that tackles some very basic questions about identity, interweaves those with a delicate and touching love story, and sets the whole thing against a convincing and wondrous other-worldly backdrop.'

'The device is awesome. Its potential for good is great, making possible Spock's survival, but its potential for evil is even greater. Spock and Christine hold its secret, Kirk its trigger. The enemy wants both.'

The author writes:

I wrote KIN OF THE SAME WOMB BORN because it was the kind of story I wanted to read and because, once having started writing it, I couldn't stop. I had no way of knowing how it would be accepted. A year later, I still had little idea. Recently, the story was nominated for a Fan Q award. Although that nomination was later disqualified because Kin was published in 1984, not 1985, the fact remains that people I don't know cared enough for what I had written to nominate it. I find that amazing, heart-warming, and wonderful. Thank you.

• 

  art from issue #7, Marilyn Johansen

• 

  art from issue #7, Marilyn Johansen

• 

  art from issue #7, Marilyn Johansen

• 

  art from issue #7, Marilyn Johansen

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 7

One of the best stories I've read recently is KIN OF THE SAME WOMB BORN... This is a very interesting story about Spock and Romulans. Christine also appears -- a more mature and believable person that one usually finds her. The plot is complex but holds together and the writing is excellent. I think this one will definitely be in the running for the Fan Q. And it's not expensive, either!"

I can't say how glad I am that I received Treklink #2 (10/1985). If I'd missed it I might also have missed one of the best zines I've ever read. This novel by Rosalie Blazej is well-written, exciting, and even poetic at times. I—dare I admit this?—even pushed a dinner date back a couple hours to finish it the day it arrived. Her portrayal of McCoy is sensitive and appropriate. She creates a nice Spock—neither machine nor messiah. (I hate stories with perfect, all-knowing Spocks.) Her Chapel is by far the most sophisticated, mature and interesting I've encountered. (And, bless Rosalie, she even has a sense of humor.) Kirk also receives a sober yet amusing treatment. Uhura has a few nice cameos— and it is nice to see the Chapel-Uhura friendship suggested in 'What Are Little Girls Made Of' (and~ um, is it 'The Changeling'?) revived in this story. I should also mention that she managed to create 2 original, non-series main characters that didn't irritate me. I cannot begin to tell you how rare that is. Right off hand, I don't know anything else Blazej has written—but I do know I'll be looking for her name in the future. One additional treat: some lovely illustrations by Marilyn Johansen. I particularly admire the restraint of these pieces. They are nicely done but sparing enough to leave it to Blazej's prose and your imagination to create the scenes.

The best zine I have read since I came back is Kin of the Same Womb Born by Rosalie Blazej. She writes like a pro, and the premise is far, far off the beaten path. I recommend it strongly, especially to Spock-Chapel fans.