Beyond Dreams (Star Trek: TOS zine)

Zine
Title:	Beyond Dreams
Publisher:	Beyond Dreams Press
Editor(s):	Jenna & DuskyF
Date(s):	1999-2006
Series?:
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:	WayBack Machine link to publisher's page with extended story summaries
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Beyond Dreams is a Kirk/Spock story anthology zine published by Beyond Dreams Press. It ran for nine issues.

Zine Announcement

The new zine will be called BEYOND DREAMS and I will be only one of the editors, my good friend Dusky will be the other. We hope to have the first issue premiere in late March 1999 at The KiScon, if not, then whenever it's ready to go. The first issue of the zine will be dedicated to Emily Adams. Dusky and I invite everyone, new and experienced authors and artists alike, to send a story or a piece of art or a poem to help us inaugurate our new zine, but we especially encourage submissions from all of you who were regular contributors to Kaleidoscope. We already have an excellent start through the kindness of several writers, but we want more. K/Sers are obsessive that way, you know? The guidelines for BEYOND DREAMS are simple. 1) The material submitted must be K/S, however you define that to be. And 2) The material must be original, and cannot have been published nor posted online previously. So that leaves the door wide open for; Mirror stories, alternate universe stories, death stories, unhappy ending stories. Also classic series stories, movie-based stories, and happy ending stories! Dusky and I agree that we don't want to put restrictions on writers or artists. All of you on-line writers, here's a chance to break into the print world. Your reward? Getting to see your name and your creativity in print, in a zine that you can hold in your hands that will last for years, be re-read if the story is good enough, and of course you also receive a complimentary copy of the zine. All of you already go through a beta reader process, sending a manuscript to an editor is not much different! Come on, give it a try, you might discover you like it!

Flyer

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  multi-paged, undated flyer

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  multi-paged, undated flyer

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  multi-paged, undated flyer

Story Summaries

Some summaries below are by Gilda F.

Issue 1

cover of issue 1, Shelley Butler, see Secret Smile for fan comments

Beyond Dreams 1 was published in March 1999 and is 233 pages long. It was the winner of ten Philon Awards and four STIFfie Awards. Art: the front cover is by Shelley Butler. There are seven pieces interior art by Deeb, Liz, clm, Linda Wan, Kathy Stanis, and Alison Fiddler. Poetry by M.E. Carter, Nefertari, and Robin Hood

From the editorial:

Beyond Dreams 1 is dedicated with love to the memory of Emily Adams, long-time K/S writer and editor who passed away in September 1998. She is mourned by her many friends and by the K/S readers who delighted in her stories. We also all reveled in the beautiful series of zines she produced: first nine volumes of Counterpoint with co-editor Marion Flanders, and then eight volumes of Kaleidoscope. Emily was in the process of gathering submissions for Kaleidoscope 9 at the time of her death. When Dusky and I decided to try to at least partially fill the huge void created by her passing, we asked a few authors who already had stories with KS 9 if they would consider re-submitting them to Beyond Dreams as part of our tribute to her. Likewise, some of the artwork in this zine was originally destined for KS 9. Deeb had worked closely with her on the drawing which is our Frontispiece, and Kathy Stanis was drawing the picture with the trademark kaleidoscope which illustrates the story Call Me Brother in this zine. Both pictures are specially dedicated by the artists with love to Emily.

Also from the editorial:

After the 200th page of proofing for the umpteenth time, everything you ever knew about commas and semi-colons and dashes flies out the window. Hyphen? What's a hyphen? Thank God for Dusky, the Goddess of Punctuation, as she is affectionately known, who knows everything)

I could not have worked with a more wonderful co-editor than Dusky, to whom I cannot possibly express adequate thanks and friendship. My world is a richer place because of her. There was that memorable day when we called one another at least 20 times, not to mention the email messages that flashed between the Midwest and Texas. Long distance editing is...interesting. K/S is a special place of love and desire, longing and hope, friendship and loyalty. We gather in this zine to celebrate the love that unites Jim Kirk and Spock of Vulcan, that special feeling that lingers beyond reality and yet is still somehow within our reach—if we dream. Go beyond dreams. Let the authors, artists and poets in this zine transport you there.

Sweet Dreams…

• All This Time | All This Time by M.E. Carter ("Commissioner Ferris continues to be a problem after the shuttlecraft crew is rescued when he tries to bring Kirk up on charges, convinced that Kirkʼs actions were due only to his affection for his first officer.") (nominated for a 1999 STIFfie Award) (1)
• The Tribble with Troubles by Dana Austin Marsh and Gena Moretti ("You'll laugh out loud as two of fandom's masters of the lighthearted take alook at the lone tribble on board, who is hungry, and lonely looking for love, and very, very pregnant. She Inches her way from deck to deck, until finally she finds the captain's cabin^nd the furry companionship she is looking for.") (34)
• To Defy the Night by C. Liane de Maler ("For years after the fal tor pan, Kirk waits for Spock to return to him, until finally, one night on the edge of the ocean, he can't wait any more. But will Spock bend enough to listen to his human's needs?") (nominated for a 1999 STIFfie Award) (45)
• A Rainy Day, poem by Robin Hood (58)
• Sunshine Beckons, poem by Robin Hood (58)
• A Voice in the Dark, poem by Robin Hood (58)
• Revelation by Phaedra Morgan ("Kirk asks to share a bed with Spock after McCoy gets too friendly in his sleep but then finds that he isnʼt bothered when Spock does the same thing.") (60)
• Enemy Mine by Greywolf the Wanderer ("After Kirk is split by the transporter, his dark side seeks out and rapes Spock.") (71)
• Filk by M.E. Carter (91)
• Command Seminar by Kaki ("At a command training seminar, Kirk and Spock are paired in the course just prior to Kirk taking command of the Enterprise.") (92)
• The Ties that Bind by Dana Austin Marsh ("Kirk is called again and again to Gol for Spockʼs pon farr, and as each time the interval shortens, Kirk fights to bring them together permanently.") (won a 1999 STIFfie Award) (101)
• Why?, poem by Nefertari (109)
• Call Me Brother by Deanna Gray ("Spock takes Kirkʼs claim to Garth that they are brothers literally, but uses the Vulcan meaning of brother to define their relationship.") (110)
• Arecibo Revisited by Dr. T’Rhys ("Barbie and Ken are on board the Enterprise, and Kirk doesn't like it!") (123)
• Odyssey by Rosemarie Heaton ("At the end of the 5 year mission, Kirk finds himself in Greece where he is surprised to find Spock, unaware that the Vulcan has used the link between them to call him." Sequel: Once and For All.) (124)
• Sweet Talk by Gena Moretti ("While Spock is away for 6 months at a conference, he and Kirk stay in touch by subspace radio, their feelings for each other revealed when they find that they can speak more openly when they can only hear but not see each other.") (140)
• Meant for You, filk by M.E. Carter (won a 1999 STIFfie Award) (153)
• And We Fall in Love by Kathy Stanis ("As they sit before a fire at Kirkʼs Iowa home, he and Spock conjure up fantasies of the different ways they could have met and fallen in love in other realities.") (won a 1999 STIFfie Award) (154)
• Pacing the Cage by Jenna Hilary Sinclair ("After the 5 year mission, both Kirk and Spock come to realize their love for each other when posted to Earth, but unaware of each others feelings, both begin to see women.") (won a 1999 STIFfie Award) (171)

• 

  from issue #1, Liz ("After All This Time") for All This Time

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  from issue #1, frontispiece by Deeb, "Crystal Dreams"

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  from issue #1, clm ("Look at Me") for To Defy the Night

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  from issue #1, Linda Wan ("Want a Bite?") for Revelation

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  from issue #1, Kathy Stanis ("Kaleidoscope 9") for Call Me Brother

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  from issue #1, Alison Fiddler ("Quiet Time") for And We Fall in Love

• 

  from issue #1, sample text, title page

• 

  from issue #1, Alison Fiddler ("The Way We Are") for Pacing the Cage

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

See reactions and reviews for All This Time.

See reactions and reviews for Command Seminar.

See reactions and reviews for The Tribble with Troubles.

See reactions and reviews for To Defy the Night.

See reactions and reviews for Revelation.

See reactions and reviews for Enemy Mine.

See reactions and reviews for The Ties that Bind.

See reactions and reviews for Call Me Brother.

See reactions and reviews for Odyssey.

See reactions and reviews for Sweet Talk.

See reactions and reviews for Pacing the Cage.

See reactions and reviews for And We Fall in Love.

[front cover]: The B&W drawing of Kirk embracing Spock on the front cover of Beyond Dreams 1 is an excellent Shelley Butler piece. Spock is in front, nude to the waist, and Kirk is behind him, holding him. Both faces can be seen. Kirk is really nicely done. Spock is just a tad off, but that may be because one never sees him with a smirky, sexy, satisfied expression on his face in the series. I guess the work is called Secret Smile because of Spock’s expression. It is Spock—it’s just not a facial expression we’re used to. If you’re into art, this will be a nice one to add to your collection if Butler is doing prints of it.

[art -- "Crystal Dreams" by Deeb, nominated for a 1999 STIFfie Award]: I liked this intriguing portrait the minute I saw it. In "Crystal Dreams" we see a long-haired Spock holding a small crystal ball which contains an image of a sleeping, shirtless, and seemingly very innocent Kirk. Spock, on the other hand, is smiling knowingly (almost wickedly!) with his eyes and mouth, and he's wearing what might be just another elegant Vulcan meditation robe were it not for the fact that the robe is cut low enough to show off nicely defined collar bones and a hint of dark chest hair. This is definitely not the Spock we see every day: instead, it almost feels as if we're being given a glimpse at Spock's inner fantasy life. Is he dreaming of casting spells over a sleeping Jim Kirk? Of holding Jim's future in his hand? Of being able to watch Jim all the time? Whatever is going on, this not-so-innocent, almost sorcerer-like Spock definitely has some fascinating plans in mind for his innocently sleeping captain, and he seems to be enjoying the opportunity to tantalize us as well with that dark, knowing gaze which jumps right off the page and into the viewer's eyes."

[art -- "Crystal Dreams" by Deeb, nominated for a 1999 STIFfie Award]: What an unusual drawing! Spock is holding a crystal ball that contains an image of Kirk sleeping...and our favorite Vulcan is looking out at the viewer while smiling a most mysterious smile. I love the long-hair (Deeb draws long-haired Spocks so very well), and the hint of magic. Makes you wonder just what’s going in that complicated mind of his. This piece definitely cries out for a story to go with it. How about it, Deeb? Know any good writers out there?

[art -- "Quiet Time" -- page 156, by Alison Fiddler]: Cozy! How would you like to get up early one morning, or in the middle of the night for a snack, glance into the living room as you walk past and see the most attractive males in the known universe cuddled together in an oversize armchair? Could you remember every detail? That Spock's arm was draped casually over Kirk's shoulder? That their legs were entangled as though they were one being? Would you recall Spock's serious expression as he contemplates his future in the dying embers? Would you notice the way Kirk gazed lovingly up at the angular face, eyes half-closed in drowsy contentment? Don't worry. Thanks to Alison you don't have to rely on memory. You can frame this unforgettable glimpse at love and look at it every day.

[art]: AFTER ALL THIS TIME by Liz -- It’s so exciting for us to have so many new K/S artists! And this artist is one of the best. This embracing Kirk and Spock, close-up on a sofa, is gorgeous. Lovely pose and very nicely done bodies with good musculature along with a really good profile of Spock. And something that I personally know is very hard to do—a recognizable Kirk even though most of his face is hidden. Good choice to make this small and framed tightly—it helps create a wonderful, intimate mood.

CRYSTAL DREAMS by Deeb -- Done by one of K/S fandom’s top artists, this gorgeous drawing captivated me from the moment I saw it. I was privileged to be able to have seen the original and it’s a beauty. I adore the mysteriousness—what is Spock doing with this crystal ball? And so sexy to have a naked Kirk asleep within it. And Spock’s expression is wonderful! I read in all kinds of things like “Bet you wish you had him!” I love Spock’s hands and their gesture as he gently holds the crystal ball. I love the slightly off the shoulder robe and the designed sleeves. I just can’t say enough about this piece—definitely one of my very favorite of Deeb’s.

KALEIDOSCOPE 9: by Kathy Stanis -- I get very moved when I see this beautiful work by Kathy because I was there when she decided to create this for Janet’s Kaleidoscope zine, literally days before Janet passed away. It’s beautiful in its own right, however, and the curved kaleidoscope shield is drawn perfectly as well as Kirk’s face especially. The slanted and gradient shaded design in the background creatively frames this lovely work.

LOOK AT ME by clm -- This is a very charming pencil piece done by the author of To Defy The Night, the accompanying story. This woman is definitely a talented person—I loved her story and I find this drawing fanciful and lovely. I especially like the way it’s framed with a thin pencil line and the blanket and pillow extend outside the borders. And a very nicely done older Kirk (because of the hair style)—I love the way he’s looking at Spock— almost timidly, yet provocatively as Spock leans forward….

QUIET TIME and THE WAY WE ARE by Alison Fiddler -- I think I’ve only seen computer generated work by this artist, so it was a treat to see an actual drawing of Alison’s. I think it’s terrific and I love the wonderful intimacy of Kirk and Spock sitting together in the overstuffed chair. I love the completeness of this work, too, as I mention in the comments of Linda Wan’s piece. It’s neat to see the drapes and palm tree in the background—things like that in artwork are very powerful visually—creating a mood and making it seem as though we’re really watching them. I vastly appreciate and enjoy this drawing over any computerized photos, partially because, no matter how expertly done, I’m always aware that it’s photos put together and it doesn’t exist. So I find Quiet Time stylish and filled with loving emotion. A K/S artwork doesn’t have to be perfect in anatomy or form—it’s the feelings that count the most as well as the composition and style. I like the second piece okay, but it’s this “real” art that touches me.

WANT A BITE? By Linda Wan [nominated for a 1999 STIFfie Award]-- Linda is one of my favorites of the new K/S artists. I’ve seen some of her other work as well and you will be in for a treat when these are published. Her work gets better and better and this piece is absolutely adorable. I mean that totally even though I am known to not be a K/S domestic aficionado. (Kirk and Spock housekeeping! Aaargh! Run for the hills!) So even though this portrays Kirk and Spock in domestic tranquility, I think it’s fun and creative. And just what is that that Spock is taking a bite of, anyway? I love the neat touches in this scene—like the tiny Vulcan symbol on Spock’s pajama bottoms and on the oven. I think that’s the oven. Or maybe it’s really the replicator. That’s more like it! Seriously, I really appreciate the completeness of this artwork—and that isn’t easy to do.

[zine, the publisher wrote about selling this zine at the 1999 Shore Leave ]: At the beginning of the con I was braced for nastiness, for confrontations, for folks to challenge me, especially since the cover of Beyond Dreams I is pretty inescapably intimate. (Hey, I like pictures of Kirk and Spock naked, embracing! Don’t you?) But as the hours and days wore on, I realized that wasn’t going to happen, and I became really comfortable. Oh, there were a few twentyish-men who held BD in their hands and said, “I just don’t get it” with a hint of challenge in their voices. But I just said, “If you don’t get it, you wouldn’t be interested, so you shouldn’t buy the zine.” At the suggestion that they might actually buy the zine, they uniformly dropped it like a hot potato and moved on.

Issue 2

cover of issue 2, Shelley Butler -- Starry Night of Love

Beyond Dreams 2 was published in March 2000 and is 232 pages long. It was the winner of five Philon Awards and three STIFfie Awards.

The cover is by Shelley Butler and there are six pieces interior art by: Marianne Mueller, Jackie Zoost, Liz, and Kir'anne. Poetry by S.R. Benjamin, Jin Katkin and Jenna Hilary Sinclair

From the editorial:

Finally bringing a zine to the printer is a little bit like that momentous trek you take with your little one on the very first day of school. The printed word, the art, the presentation must suddenly stand on its own. Finished must be the last-minute consultations with authors, the deliberations over art placement, the scratching-of-the-head over how to gel the computer to format just so. No more agonizing! It's hard to let go. Our baby!

It's funny how this particular baby grew. So much was unexpected. There was the day Robin Hood waved a picture under my nose and asked, "Want it?" Kirk holding Spock while they're wearing plaid shirts, ala City on the Edge of Forever? You bet! We're sharing it with you in these pages.

Then came the unexpected email from an unknown poet whose work, long tucked away in a drawer, was now calling for a home. Would we possibly be interested? Well, maybe. Send it along. Wow! And would we be interested in a piece of art to accompany the poem? What, do you think we're crazy? Of course! Thanks to Killashandra for sending Kir'Anne our way.

I also remember one of the best Christmas gifts I've ever received. On Christmas Eve, out of the blue, a diffident author told us I've been working on this story and thought perhaps you might like to see it, Reading a great K/S story at the end of December is a wonderful way to spend the holidays.

Beyond Dreams 2 is a fascinating mixture with efforts from creative K/S'ers from around the globe. We have art and fiction from the U.S. Brazil, Sweden, Scotland and Indonesia! There are authors and artists in these pages who will be familiar (we won't say old!) to you, and others who are appearing in a K/S zine for the first time. We especially want to say "Welcome!" to those authors who most often participate in the K/S community through posting fiction on-line, whose work is appearing in a K/S zine for the first time. We hope you'll come back—with more!

Thanks to all the authors who cooperated with us with such grace! Not a single one of you sent us nasty notes afterwards, for which we are grateful. But really, we are so proud of the fiction and poetry you have produced for this zine, and we know how hard you worked to make Kirk and Spock real. Thanks to all the artists whose works bring the authors' words to life. What, I ask, is a K/S zine without fabulous renditions of Kirk and Spock, whether clothed or unclothed? Your art makes the zine complete.

• Enterprise Lives, poem by S.R. Benjamin (1)
• Snowman by Michele Arvizu ("The Nexus from ST:Generations is an alternate universe story in which Kirk and Spock are lovers who have been separated for years following his disappearance from Enterprise-B. Spock goes in search of his captain and bondmate. The search eventually brings him to "our" ST universe where he encounters "our" James T. Kirk.") (2)
• A Meal to Remember by kira-nerys ("Kirk knows he isn't supposed to want to make love with his first officer, but when in the privacy of their hotel suite, Spock starts eating strange cucumber-like Vulcan vegetables, whole and with his fingers, well, what is a poor starship captain to do?") (39)
• Ciao, Ciani, poem by Lori Ciani (53)
• I'd Dye for You by M.Stewart, L. Jennings, C. Lowell and B. Villa ("Kirk announces, 'Honey, I'm home!' He's just changed his hair color from Golden Blonde to Auburn Sunset to try to revive Spock's flagging sexual interest, but his bondmate accused him of upsetting the bedroom's color wheel." A farce.) (54)
• The Date, poem by Jin Katkin (57)
• The Silence of Summits, poem by S.R. Benjamin (59)
• Confidential File by Gena Moretti (Post-Amok Time story, reminiscent of a 1970s K/S story with an innocent feel about it. Spock is a classic "clueless" Vulcan. "Spock wonders why he suddenly has the overwhelming desire to touch... someone. Kirk has only been on board for six months, and the first officer's neatly ordered life has already been turned upside down." This is Spock's personal log.) (60)
• Desert, poem by S.R. Benjamin (70)
• The Healing by Islaofhope ("Kirk is kidnapped during a diplomatic mission, and it takes hours for his bondmate to rescue him. The consequences of those few hours apart will ripple through their lives forever.") (70)
• How High is the Sky? by Robbi ("Just how far will Kirk go to ensure the safety of the man he loves? Spock, commanding a science vessel, is mysteriously missing, and Kirk races across the galaxy in the face of disapproval, opposition, and the certainty that he will never be captain of the Enterprise again…") (100)
• The Preview by Gena Moretti ("Kirk wants to buy Spock a skimpy little nothing, but Spock doesn't approve.") (146)
• Moving In, poem by S.R. Benjamin (147)
• Once and for All by Rosemarie Heaton ("Before Spock left for Gol, he and Kirk shared hours of passion, but then the Vulcan shattered Kirk's dreams by cruelly leaving. Now, he's back in Kirk's life, but what sacrifice will he offer, and Kirk accept, to heal the wounds he inflicted?") (148)
• Dessert, poem by S.R. Benjamin (170)
• Reflections by S.R. Benjamin ("The Horta and Spock share memories, dreams and the desperate hope in the meld. But it's love that is the key.") (171)
• To Capture God by Kir'Anne (176)
• And On the Sixth Day by Bersakhi (Kirk and Spock are having a six-day, McCoy-enforced shore leave on a tropical, mostly water planet.) (181)
• "All That We Shall Be" by Anna S. Greener (A 22-page story set in San Francisco after Spock has been brought back to life. He's still having trouble dealing with the experience. In this story, Spock and Kirk are bonded but Spock has no memory of this and has taken other lovers, including an Andorian.) (208)
• While You're Gone, poem by Jenna Hilary Sinclair (231)

• 

  from issue #2, Marianne Mueller ("Holding You") for Snowman

• 

  from issue #2, Jackie Zoost ("Divided") for "Silence of Summits"

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  from issue #2, Liz ("The Morning After") for The Healing

• 

  from issue #2, Kir'anne ("Transcendence") for "To Capture God"

• 

  from issue #2, Marianne Mueller ("Midnight Bath") for And On the Sixth Day

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  from issue #2, Marianne Mueller ("Instinctive Passion") for All That We Shall Be

• 

  from issue #2, sample text, title page

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

See reactions and reviews for Snowman.

See reactions and reviews for A Meal to Remember.

See reactions and reviews for I'd Dye for You.

See reactions and reviews for Confidential File.

See reactions and reviews for The Healing.

See reactions and reviews for How High is the Sky?.

See reactions and reviews for Once and for All.

See reactions and reviews for The Preview.

See reactions and reviews for Reflections.

See reactions and reviews for And On the Sixth Day.

See reactions and reviews for All That We Shall Be.

[zine]: I love the format of Beyond Dreams —the dual columns and typeset are easy to read. I really like the plastic protective cover—it prevents the corners becoming dog-eared like so many of my other fanzines. And Shelley Butler's gorgeous covers deserve the protection. I loved BD1's cover—you can just see Spock's contentment (and delight) and Kirk's possessiveness and determination. BD2's cover of an older Kirk and Spock is equally as powerful. There is a sense of vulnerability in Kirk (but no less sense of possessive determination not to ever let go!). I was also very impressed with IM Mueller's artwork - her illustrations really augmented the stories. Her "Holding You" was very poignant.

[art]: I’m so pleased to see actual titles for all the artwork in this zine. I have always thought it so important to have titles instead of page numbers! Imagine how you would feel if you wrote a story and it was untitled with only a page number. So this is a wonderful detail that Jenna and Dusky paid attention to and one that I really appreciate. Another detail to appreciate is the fine quality of the art reproduction. Robin Hood has long been known for her caring of artwork in her zines and Jenna and Dusky follow in that tradition—without benefit of the finer (albeit more expensive) quality of the photographic process that’s been replaced by laser copying and computers.

DIVIDED by Jackie Zoost. A beautiful headshot of Kirk above an equally beautiful one of Spock. It’s very, very nice pen and ink work—I especially liked the light and shadow stipple of Kirk. It captures his likeness so well as he thinks about his beloved Spock.

HOLDING YOU by IM Mueller. IM Mueller is a superior new K/S artist and this is another of her beautiful pieces. Kirk in a plaid shirt (one of my favorite things) holds Spock against his chest. I loved the detail of the wood in the background and the hint of landscape. Beautiful Kirk face—and his expression is so filled with love.

INSTINCTIVE PASSION by IM Mueller. Mueller. Wow! What a pose! Excuse me while I thrash on the carpet. Okay, I’m back. A pen and ink drawing of Kirk and Spock in the throes of passion—and Spock’s on top! Yes! I love how Spock is grabbing Kirk’s butt and lifting him up. Very sexy. And the cute touch of beads of sweat on Kirk’s brow. The only thing a little distracting is the too hard bed. A comment here on the degree of difficulty of the position of Spock’s head. He is turned away as he kisses Kirk’s neck and the angle is from below Spock’s chin. This is very difficult to achieve, but [Marianne] does it well. I also noticed their legs are slightly angled away from us—this kind of perspective is also really hard to achieve, but she does.

MOONLIGHT BATH by IM Mueller. What a beautiful work. Here we see Kirk standing in a pool that’s bordered by stone (also very nicely rendered). I loved the beautiful play of light on Kirk’s body— very difficult to do and to do so well. And the fine detail of his profile. Of course, one of the most striking aspects of this piece is Kirk’s gorgeous nudity.

THE MORNING AFTER by Liz. A lovely, quiet moment captured beautifully by this artist. The soft light playing over their bodies is expertly done. I know how difficult it is to render this kind of light and dark using graphite pencil, so I fully appreciate this work. Also, I love the delicate gesture of Spock’s hand as it rests on Kirk’s and the excellent way the hands are drawn—again, I fully appreciate how difficult it is to draw hands. Sometimes more difficult than Kirk’s face (which happens to be the most difficult face to draw that I have ever encountered)! And don’t think I didn’t notice the towels wrapped so discretely around our boys!

TRANSCENDENCE by Kir’Anne. This piece, done in a pen and ink line drawing, accompanies the artist’s long poem. I know I’ll need to read the poem (which I intend to do!) to fully appreciate the artwork, but the piece is really nice, nevertheless. Line drawings such as this are deceptively simple. It’s very hard to capture a likeness without benefit of shadings. The artist does it very well here, there’s no question it’s Kirk and Spock, and we can easily tell it’s the time after V’ger. I loved the pose, by the way, as they look deeply into each others’ eyes and Spock is beginning a mind meld with Kirk.

[art by Jackie Zoost:Divided]: I'm prejudiced about the art on p. 58a because I own the two pen & ink pieces by Jackie Zoost that have been combined on this page. I think they are both very lovely pieces. There is a slash across the page and in the upper left hand corner is Kirk and in the lower right hand corner is Spock. Both faces include shoulders and show a hint of the clothing. Kirk's face is half in the shadows, and you can see his uniform is the white one from ST 1. He looks solemn and his eyes look to the right of the page. Spock has long hair blowing in a hot desert wind and looks equally solemn. He's wearing some type of robe. He's actually looking forward, but because his face is turned a little, it looks as if he's looking to the right of the page, too. It's fitting that both are looking to the right because the poem which goes for this is on the right.

[art by IM Mueller: Moonlight Back]: This pencil (I assume) is a very nice three-quarters figure of Kirk, completely nude and definitely full frontal. If you just saw the face by itself apart from any Star Trek stuff, you'd never guess it was Kirk. But Kirk is hard to draw, and, in truth, the face is close enough to Kirk to be credible. Some of my very favorite artists, like Chris Soto, didn't always draw totally realistic faces for Kirk, anyway. The body is just to drool over, and I did.

[Holding You by IM Mueller]: Ohhh. Strong cleanly drawn lines, delicate shading, meticulous attention to detail, exceptionally well drawn hands! I'm no art critic, but I know what I love and this is it. I keep turning back to this page because I simply can't get enough of looking at what to me is a small masterpiece. Its a good thing my eyes can't wear out the paper or I'd already be in need of a new copy of this zine. However this artist must know what I like because she has given us my favorite vision of these two men; rare moments off the ship, casually dressed. Two people who, whether they're going somewhere or just hanging out, are never afraid to let the world see how much they care for one another.

Issue 3

cover of issue 3, Linda Wan: "By My Side". Fan comment on the art for issue #3 from The K/S Press #63: "Spock is looking down on Kirk, who is bare-chested. Spock's right hand is placed on the back of Kirk's neck, and his left arm is wrapped around Kirk. Kirk, in turn, has both of his arms wrapped around Spock's left arm. There's something about the way Spock's right hand seems to be stroking Kirk's neck, and the little half smile on Kirk's face, that again conveys great affection, love, and tenderness."

Beyond Dreams 3 was published in March 2001 and is 298 pages long.

It was the winner of two Philon Awards.

The cover is by Linda Wan. There are eight pieces interior art by: Chris Soto, IM Mueller, Liz, G. Mills, and Ingela.

From the editorial:

One spring morning a package arrived in the mail, unexpected. Great! A novella! Debriefing contains explicit violence (NC-17) yet also presents a compelling Kirk characterization; it knocked our socks off, and we hurriedly wrote to the author. Of course we want your story!

Then came Islaofhope's contribution. Whoever Thou Wouldst Crave, although at that early stage it sported a different moniker. Wow! We exclaimed. Another novella and decidedly different, going where no K/S story has gone before and yet still offering a wonderfully intimate touch. Yes, yes! we emailed the author. Please allow us to print your unique story!

We rubbed our hands in delight. Since we anticipated another 200 page zine, no longer than 230 pages, we already had just over half the zine in hand. We'd be able to print early! Whooppee! But then a peculiar thing happened. Lots of authors contacted us and said: we're writing for you! But the long hot summer dragged on and nothing materialized. We twiddled our thumbs, watched K/S songtapes, re-read some favorite stories, participated in some online chatter, and sweated as we published two other zines, but not a single story for BD 3 showed up in our mailboxes, email or otherwise. Rats.

The leaves turned color, and Spock would have had to put on a sweater. Or long underwear, which we think is not as sexy. Well, were we going to have a zine, or weren't we? Jenna wrote to every author who had said she was composing for BD 3 and asked politely for a status report.

And a very peculiar thing happened. In a very short span of time, our mailboxes were bulging. Watch out, they're bursting open! The zine was full. Overfull. Two hundred pages. Two hundred and forty pages. Two hundred and seventy-five pages and counting....

When JS Cavalcante told us she'd have a story for us soon, we threw our hands up into the air. What the heck. The K/S fates were telling us the zine should be a monster, so a monster it would be. That's why you now hold in your hands 298 pages of K/S fiction, poetry, and art. We hope you enjoy it!

Thanks to all the authors in these pages for your courageous visions and the plain hard work that made them real. Thank you for working so cooperatively with two obsessive-compulsive editors. Hey, we're not so bad if you take us in small doses before breakfast! Thank you to the poets whose graceful work accents these pages, and to the artists whose talent brings Kirk and Spock alive before our eyes.

And thank you to Dusky, the best co-editor anyone could ever have. The time and effort she has poured into every page of this zine cannot be measured, nor can her place in my heart. To be a fabulous editor, the best proofreader I've ever known, and a friend I cannot do without seems an embarrassment of riches for just one person. How glad I am that we met.

Come with us to that special place that is beyond reality, where Kirk and Spock and the love that unites them truly exist, are real and whole and alive. Open the pages of this zine, indulge yourself. Go Beyond Dreams. Let the authors, artists and poets in this zine transport you there.

• Rituals by JS Cavalcante ("After Tomlinsonʼs death during the Romulan attack, Kirk and Spock share a Vulcan ritual that makes Kirk aware of being tʼhyʼla to Spock, of what it means and what Spock wants for them.") (1)
• The Sunbather, poem by Robin hood (30)
• Debriefing by Katherine Cooke ("After being a slave to an amnesiac and unstable Spock on a Vulcanoid planet 5000 years in the past, Kirk must try to find peace within himself and his need for Spock." Sequel: Slow Spring.) (31)
• Rightful Paradise, poem by S.R. Benjamin (96)
• Hour of Freedom by Vanasati ("Kirk and Spock both awaken on a forested planet with no memories of themselves or each other except their names.") (97)
• Chance, poem by Helen (114)
• To End is to Make a Beginning by Rosemarie Heaton ("Stationed together on the Enterprise, Ensign Kirk and Lt. Spock begin a love affair that soon becomes an obsession, causing a break between then.") (115)
• Journey From Gol, poem by Helen (165)
• Cheap Therapy by Robin hood (173)
• Lending a Hand by Dana Austin Marsh ("Just as Kirk and Spock declare their love and plan on becoming lovers, a series of flu strains hit the Enterprise, making time alone together impossible.") (167)
• Hands of Love, poem by Robin Hood (173)
• Footsteps Beckon, poem by Robin Hood (174)
• From the Mouth of a Predator by kira-nerys ("Kirk and Spock are captured by a female Klingon drug runner whose attempt to force them to have sex together creates problems after they are rescued.") (175)
• Need, poem by Helen (233)
• Before Altair VI, poem by S.R. Benjamin (234)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream by Greywolf the Wanderer ("Kirk returns from a night out to the cabin he is sharing with Spock and in his drunkenness goes to Spockʼs bed, revealing his feelings but not remembering their lovemaking the next morning.") (235)
• Queen to Queen's Level Three, poem by S.R. Benjamin (25)
• Whatever Thou Wouldst Crave by Islaofhope ("Kirk is attacked while giving a speech during the negotiations to admit Orion to the Federation and the list of suspects includes Sarek, who disproves of the link between him and Spock.") (251)

• 

  from issue #3, Chris Soto: "Love"

• 

  from issue #3, Ingela: "Solitary Release" (note not just double ridges by quadruple ridges!)

• 

  from issue #3, Liz: "Mine!"

• 

  from issue #3, IM Mueller: "...and to hold on forever"

• 

  from issue #3, IM Mueller: "Dream"

• 

  from issue #3, Ingela: "The Predator"

• 

  from issue #3, IM Mueller: "...comes true..."

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

See reactions and reviews for Rituals.

See reactions and reviews for Debriefing.

See reactions and reviews for Hour of Freedom.

See reactions and reviews for ...To End is to Make a Beginning.

See reactions and reviews for Lending a Hand.

See reactions and reviews for From the Mouth of a Predator.

See reactions and reviews for A Midsummers Night's Dream.

See reactions and reviews for Whatever Thou Wouldst Crave.

[frontispiece by Chris Soto]: By far, the best piece of art—in my opinion — in all of BEYOND DREAMS 3 is the frontispiece by Chris Soto, a delicate pencil. Boy, do I miss her. She was, and still is, one of my top five artists in K/S. This is another alternate universe long-haired Kirk and Spock, basically just their faces. Oh, this is a lovely picture, and both men are gorgeous. Kirk looks at the viewer as does Spock who is resting his head on Kirk's bare chest. Somehow, Chris always managed to make the eyes sparkle and come alive, and this picture is no different. Now that I've mentioned top five artists I'd have to say that I really, really do like Chris Soto, Shelley Butler (still own her to-die-for Alexander), [Gayle F], Pat Stall, and Suzan Lovett. There are many other good artists like Caren Parnes and Fiona Graves, but I do think these five people are among the most talented and have produced lots of wonderful K/S art for us to enjoy. Long live print fanzines and the lovely pages of art in them.

[art by Ingela]: In BEYOND DREAMS 3, between pages 12 and 13 is a Spock chiaroscuro by Ingela. I've never heard of this artist, but then I don't really keep up with the latest happenings in K/S these days. I wouldn't say this was a great piece of art, but it shows promise, and it definitely conveys that it is Spock. The face is right. I think the chest is very well done, but the hands aren't quite on target, in my opinion.

[zine]: This zine is the best by far of all the new zines out. It's like reading the Golden Age of K/S zines in the 80's. It is almost 300 pages long. Chock full of long novellas. The best part for all you Kirkfans out there is that there is a nice long Kirk novella in there. Lots of equal opps with Kirk and Spock as equal and not just all about Spock stories too. The years of drought of no Kirk stories are over. The oasis has been found, and it's in Beyond Dreams 3. If you are a big Kirk fan this is the zine to get. Don't miss out. It is so cool. I give it a ten Vulcan salutes around the galaxy.

Issue 4

cover of issue 4, Shelley Butler -- "Hydrangea Nights" -- "I really liked this picture by Shelley the moment I saw it. Its always hard to say why I liked something exactly but I'll try. I like the way she added the smaller faces and the flowers and stuff—it looks good, though I'm sure its not everyone's cup of tea I certainly like it here. This picture seems rather less 'finished than her usual style (but its impossible to tell if that is so or if that's a result of reproduction), anyway I like it that way. I know that I often like the effects of reproduction on a picture, and I know from Shelley that she often doesn't, but however it happened the finish on this picture looks nice and the picture is not static at all. The texture of the skin is rough rather than smooth and I like that effect a lot. I love the pose too, Kirk staring off into space with heroism and Spock looking like he just can't resist the longing to kiss the back to Kirk's exposed neck. The way Spock's lips are slightly parted is just right, again I don't know if that was intended but it certainly works!! Spock is slightly more 'built' than my fantasy of him is, but I know Shelley likes him that way so that's just fine! I probably tend to draw him more 'feminine' than he is since I see him that way I enhance his delicateness, but for Shelley he is more masculine, so she enhances his musculature. BTW Shelley, was really interested in your comments about gender and K/S, love how its possible for us to see it so opposite to each other, it amazes me how differently we can all see the same thing. Anyway great drawing Shelley!"

Beyond Dreams 4 was published in January 2002 and contains 206 pages. It was the winner of eight Philon Awards for Excellence. The front cover by Shelley Butler, and it has eight pieces interior art by: Liz, Ingela, Virginia Sky.

From the editorial:

Thanks to all the authors and poets, who have been so willing to work with us. We appreciate your effort, your patience, and your inspired imaginings of our two favorite Starfleet officers. Thank you for sharing with us and for not turning us in to the local Society for the Reformation of Very Enthusiastic Editors. Thanks so much to the artists whose work adds zest to our zine; we always want to print your art along with poetry and prose.

We have some color pictures in this issue. Two are from Virginia Sky, who showed these at Shore Leave 2001 at the K/S Press Friday night party art show. One is from the lovely and talented Liz, who has patiently waited for her piece "Home" to be printed. It was difficult finding a prose or poetry work that matched her great picture of Spock, wearing Jim's borrowed bathrobe, standing on the balcony of a San Francisco apartment. (Don't bother asking to buy it, Deanna, Jenna snapped this one up.) Also in this issue is the next installment in Jenna's Sharing the Sunlight series. Is it possible, Jenna asks, that I haven't written an STS story since 1996? Yikes! Time really flies when you're immersed in a million activities. This story, One Night, takes place directly before the events of the third novel, which is being written. Really! I promise! Those of you who attended KiScon: 2001 or Shore Leave 2001 and were fortunate enough to hear M.E. Carter sing her haunting new filk will be pleased to find "Genesis Aubade" in these pages. And there's a collection of poems by Helen that form a sort of cycle, hence our grouping of them together in a poetry portfolio.

Special mention of Deanna Gray who produced her story Shadow Touch in short order. Not only is Deanna a gifted writer, but she produces prose faster than Kirk can whip out his... No, no, no, we mean faster than Spock can handle his.... No, no, no, we mean faster than Scotty can beam his two senior officers to an idyllic shore leave spot where they'll get to spend hours and hours.... My goodness, you readers really have flights of fancy! Of course we meant phaser, scanners, and appreciating each other….

Come with us now to that special place that is beyond reality, where Kirk and Spock and the love that unites them truly exist, are real and whole and alive. Open the pages of this zine, indulge yourself. Go Beyond Dreams. Let the authors, artists and poets in this zine transport you there.

• Genesis Aubade, filk by M.E. Carter (1)
• Treasure Trove by Rosemarie Heaton (reviewed in the letterzine K/S Press, here) ("Kirk and Spock are stranded at a rangerʼs station while participating in a treasure hunt set up between the Federation planet theyʼre orbiting and the crew.") (2)
• Shadow Touch by Deanna Gray ("Kirk is concerned by Spockʼs uncharacteristic behavior after Kirkʼs inprisonment on Triskelion, only to finally force a confession from Spock of a mental “touch” that has formed between them that allowed the Vulcan to find him.") (17)
• poetry portfolio by Helen ("Beginnings, Blue Sky, Miracles, Home (27)
• The Exile by Elise Madrid ("Kirk and Spock are forced out of Starfleet after they are discovered to be lovers, and end up in command of a Vulcan science vessel." Prequel: Evolving Toward Forever. Sequel: Ties That Bind.) (31)
• I Have Feelings, poem by kira-nerys (77)
• Twin Destiny: KIrk, poem by Heidi Manzone (78)
• Twin Destiny: SPock, poem by Heidi Manzone (79)
• Lematya Lessons by S.R. Benjamin ("After his aborted pon farr, Spock is forced to admit to Kirk about the bond that is growing between them so that both can decide on their next course of action.") (80)
• Shall We? by Jenna Hilary Sinclair ("As Kirk and Spock become lovers, theyʼre kept busy wondering what McCoyʼs secret is.") (88)
• Word Play by Cordelia Naismith and T. Jonesy ("Kirk and Spock play scrabble.") (110)
• Domestic Message, poem by Buerste (115)
• The Passing of Time, poem by Buerste (115)
• The Voice of Love by kira-nerys ("In a letter to Kirk, Spock remembers their past after the fal tor pan.") (116)
• When It Alteration Finds by Islaofhope ("After VʼGer, Kirk and Spock have trouble recapturing their relationship from before Spockʼs flight to Gol, and then Spock feels himself entering pon farr.") (118)
• One Night by Jenna Sinclair ("The five year mission over, Kirk is forced to make time for him and his lover between engagements made by Starfleet until their new orders come in." Prequel: Journeyʼs End.) (179)

explicit

• 

  from issue #4, "Cabin Fever" by Virginia Sky for Treasure Trove—see comments below

• 

  from issue #4, "Vulcan's Heart" by Liz for Shadow Touch

• 

  from issue #4, "Captain's Quarters" by Liz for Shall We?

non-explicit

• 

  from issue #4, "Bliss" by Virginia Sky for The Exile -- "Wow! Another color photo manipulation by Virginia Sky. This time Kirk and Spock are resting after a 69er. The picture is mostly black except for arms, legs and faces. Contented faces I might add. I like the look of this, very erotic. Definitely bliss."

• 

  from issue #4, "Home" by Liz for The Passing of Time --"This is a color illo of an older Spock in a blue bathrobe (Jim's bathrobe maybe?). In the background we see the Golden Gate bridge. I adore the fellows older. Spock has the cutest expression on his face. What is so cool is that you can sense Jim's presence in the room. This artist knows her Spock. Nice work, Liz."

• 

  from issue #4, "Forever" by Ingela for When It Alteration Finds

• 

  from issue #4, sample filk

• 

  from issue #4, sample text, title page

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 4

See reactions and reviews for The Voice of Love.

See reactions and reviews for Treasure Trove.

See reactions and reviews for Shadow Touch.

See reactions and reviews for The Exile.

See reactions and reviews for Lematya Lessons.

See reactions and reviews for Word Play.

See reactions and reviews for When It Alteration Finds.

See reactions and reviews for One Night.

See reactions and reviews for Shall We?.

See reactions and reviews for The Passing of Time.

[art]: "BLISS" by Virginia Sky: Wow! Another color photo manipulation by Virginia Sky. This time Kirk and Spock are resting after a 69er. The picture is mostly black except for arms, legs and faces. Contented faces I might add. I like the look of this, very erotic. Definitely bliss.

"CABIN FEVER" by Virginia Sky: (Reviewer's note: I think it's totally cool that photo manipulations are being used more and more in K/S zines. It's definitely an art form not to be ignored. I hope the trend continues and other editors follow suit to keep K/S current with the times.) Bravo Ms Sky! This has got to be one of the best photo manipulations I've ever seen. This is a color picture of Kirk laying on top of Spock exposing his erection as he is pushing off his briefs, while at the same time kissing Spock. It looks just like them. The artist has obviously taken care to find realistic bodies that match Kirk's and Spock's. But then this is the whole point of good photo manipulations, as well as blending, and altering facial expressions if need be.

"HOME" by Liz: This is a color illo of an older Spock in a blue bathrobe (Jim's bathrobe maybe?). In the background we see the Golden Gate bridge. I adore the fellows older. Spock has the cutest expression on his face. What is so cool is that you can sense Jim's presence in the room. This artist knows her Spock. Nice work, Liz.

"HYDRANGEA NIGHTS" by Shelley Butler: "I really liked this picture by Shelley the moment I saw it. Its always hard to say why I liked something exactly but I'll try. I like the way she added the smaller faces and the flowers and stuff—it looks good, though I'm sure its not everyone's cup of tea I certainly like it here. This picture seems rather less 'finished than her usual style (but its impossible to tell if that is so or if that's a result of reproduction), anyway I like it that way. I know that I often like the effects of reproduction on a picture, and I know from Shelley that she often doesn't, but however it happened the finish on this picture looks nice and the picture is not static at all. The texture of the skin is rough rather than smooth and I like that effect a lot. I love the pose too, Kirk staring off into space with heroism and Spock looking like he just can't resist the longing to kiss the back to Kirk's exposed neck. The way Spock's lips are slightly parted is just right, again I don't know if that was intended but it certainly works!! Spock is slightly more 'built' than my fantasy of him is, but I know Shelley likes him that way so that's just fine! I probably tend to draw him more 'feminine' than he is since I see him that way I enhance his delicateness, but for Shelley he is more masculine, so she enhances his musculature. BTW Shelley, was really interested in your comments about gender and K/S, love how its possible for us to see it so opposite to each other, it amazes me how differently we can all see the same thing. Anyway great drawing Shelley!"

[zine]: I just wanted to comment on how much I enjoyed BD4. Firstly, the zine as a whole was nicely balanced with both long and short stories, pics and poems. As always high production values—something I really appreciate! It's great to look down a table of contents and see a list of authors I know and like, plus a couple of surprises. In most zines I find there are one or two stories I really love and the rest are fine, but don't really strike that extra special chord. However with the BD4 I found a real treasure trove of "chord strikers"!!

I was really pleased to read that you are continuing the "Sharing The Sunlight" series. "One Night" was not only an agony of anticipation for Kirk and Spock but for me too. I could hardly bear the way that their precious time together was being wasted!!!! In Jenna's inimitable way, the suspense was well worth it. A special mention for Elise Madrid, a name I'm not familiar with. I don't know whether she is a new author or this is someone we know in a new guise. Whatever the history, I adored "The Exile". I do like a bit of h/c with my K/S and found the tenderness expressed in this tale very rewarding!! Now I have started mentioning authors I feel that I am implying those not mentioned were less appreciated - this is not the case - but I don't want to drone on for pages on end. I got to know some of these ladies via stories posted on the net and I have to say it's great to find them in hard copy. What is also great is that, yes there were "classics" written in the past, but we have a wealth of present-day talent adding to the catalogue with stunning new stories.

Thanks to all of you, and I look forward to the next edition.

Issue 5

cover of issue 5, Marianne Mueller -- "Loving to Touch" --"This is another lovely piece by Marianne. The title is just perfect, because this picture shows the love between Kirk and Spock so clearly. Two strong men tenderly holding each other and touching one another. It’s a peek at a beautiful, quiet moment between them." Another fan writes: ""Loving to Touch" is a great title that perfectly expresses the love and tenderness shown in this cover picture of Spock holding Kirk. It’s revealed in so many little touches. Spock has one hand entwined with Kirk’s, and the other lightly rests at Kirk’s neck. Kirk has raised his left arm, and with his hand is gently ruffling Spock’s hair. These small touches wonderfully express the love between the two men. And I like the way we can just see the edge of a rounded window, and the stars beyond. This is obviously set on the Enterprise, (at least I hope so!) and Kirk and Spock are together among the stars, where they belong.

Beyond Dreams 5 was published in July 2002 and is 192 pages long.

It was the winner of nine Philon Awards for Excellence. The cover is by IM Mueller, and it has nine pieces interior art by Mueller, T'Sharien, Virginia Sky, Liz, Ingela, Animasola, and Helen.

From the editorial:

It wasn't our intention to make BD 5 an art showcase. But one by one the stories came in, and for some of them, the author said: "Oh, by the way, there's this picture that goes with...." How does one catch one's breath in delight and say "No, we've already got too much" at the same time? No way!

So we said "Yes" instead, and basked in the explosion of talent from these wonderful K/S artists. We hope their work will always find a home in our zines.

Just in case you haven't heard, we now have an official website, and we've changed our name officially, too. We are Beyond Dreams Press and our website can be found, quite predictably, at www.beyonddreamspress.com. There you can not only order our zines directly from the site using a credit card through the Paypal process, but you can also read significant excerpts from every single story in every one of our zines. To help in the decision making process. So many zines, so little time....

You'll also find information there on the early history of K/S zines, a K/S zine database that lists just about every zine that has been published over the last twenty-six years, information on KiScon III, the K/S Press, the K/S Zine Library, and lots more. We hope to add more features as time and energy permits, so you might want to check back now and then to see what's new.

A word of caution. Don't forget to include the word "press" in our web address. If you forget it, you'll be taken to a true pornographic site where you might not feel comfortable.

Finally, a word of thanks. There are some folks in the world who go around doing good deeds and don't expect any recompense, not even a public acknowledgment of their good deed doing. We are greatly indebted to one of these extraordinary people; she made our lives in the sometimes-difficult world of zine publishing much easier with an extraordinary act of kindness. We promised not to use her name, but we cannot possibly publish this zine without acknowledging how much we appreciate her help and thoughtfulness. Thank you! We dedicate Beyond Dreams 5 to our unnamed friend.

Come with us now to that special place that is beyond reality, where Kirk and Spock and the love that unites them truly exist, are real and whole and alive. Open the pages of this zine, indulge yourself. Go Beyond Dreams. Let the authors, artists and poets in this zine transport you there.

• A House of Cedar by rac (later Sundara) ("Hoping it will act as a catalyst for Spockʼs still missing memories after the fal tor pan, Kirk leaves Spock an audio tape made many years before of their first time.") (1)
• Harp Solo by Animasola ("Spockʼs thoughts of his missing lover as he tries to decipher the runes from the obelisk.) (25)
• Family Matters by Elise Madrid (While on medical leave, Lt.Spock ends up staying with the Sam Kirk family and meets the newly-graduated Jim Kirk.") (29)
• Leavetaking, poem by S.R. Benjamin (76)
• Rationale, poem by S.R. Benjamin (77)
• Space of Tranquility and Love by kira-nerys ("Kirk and Spock contemplate retirement while on the shipʼs OD.") (78)
• The Actor, poem by S.R. Benjamin (86)
• Discovered by Deanna Grey ("The reason is revealed behind the estrangement between Kirk and Spock during the Klingon peace negotiations.") (88)
• Child's Play, poem by kira-nerys (108)
• A Tree for Two by I.M. Mueller "(Kirk and Spock read while in a tree.") (109)
• Though Stars May Fade by Islaofhope (winner of a 2003 FanQ) ("Once more posted on Earth, Kirk worries that now that Spock is captain of the Enterprise, his own place in the Vulcanʼs life will be pushed to the background.") (113)
• Dawn by Jenna Hilary Sinclair ("Spockʼs POV as he awakens and remembers after the fal tor pan.") (130)
• All I See, poem by Helen (140)
• Slow Spring by Katherine Cooke ("Kirk forces Spock back to the Enterprise, where he hopes to draw the Vulcan back to his side and into his bed." Prequel: Debriefing.) (141)

• 

  from issue #5, "Autumn Loving" by Liz for Discovered -- "Wow! Kirk and Spock. Mouths and groins mere inches, mere seconds, away from each other. It’s almost voyeuristic being privy to such an intimate, loving moment between them, as if you opened the zine without knocking, and now should decently withdraw. I adore the more explicit erotic art our treasured artists come up with, but I understand the comparative lack of it in our zines. Explicit art is hard to sell except to a very specialized market. Most people evidently prefer art that is suitable for family viewing, and that doesn’t have to hide in the closet. (Yes, we are seeing more computerized erotic art these days and some of it is very nice indeed, but dinosaur that I am, the human form drawn by a human hand will always mean more to me.) I have come to be a big fan of this artist. There is such movement and feeling in her pieces, and this one just seethes with it. This drawing illustrates a scene in Deanna Gray’s fine story, “Discovered.” Liz and Deanna have quite a partnership going, one I look forward to enjoying for years to come. Although the story is set in ST VI time, Kirk and Spock appear to me to be of the ages they were in ST:TMP, but since that is a time they were both so deliciously sexy, you will hear no complaints from me. Please don’t ever stop drawing K/S art, Liz."

• 

  from issue #5, "Satisfaction" by Virginia Sky for Slow Spring --"Satisfaction, indeed! Whew, you’ll need a cold shower after viewing this photo manipulation of Spock giving oral sex to Kirk. Love the touch of Kirk’s head thrown back in, er, satisfaction! Nice job, Virginia. Keep those photomanips coming. (Sorry, really, really bad pun but I couldn’t resist!)."

• 

  from issue #5, "The Perfect Touch" by Animasola for Though Stars May Fade -- "Hmmm, another picture that has a title with the word "touch" in it, and a very good one, too! In this picture about touch, Spock is once again holding Kirk. I’m not sure which of the touches shown in the picture are supposed to be the perfect one—Spock kissing Kirk, Spock wrapping his right arm around Kirk’s head and neck as he kisses him, or Spock stroking Kirk’s penis! Kirk looks like he is enjoying all three very much! I love the technique on this one, and not being an artist have absolutely no idea what it is. (Is it pencil? Or charcoal?) The background is all shaded in with swirling patterns, and set against this backdrop is the picture of Spock holding Kirk, all softly shaded to bring out the muscles and movement of the picture. Really, really nice. And I notice Animasola also wrote "Harp Solo" in this issue, which I thought was a very different, unusual and enjoyable story. It hardly seems fair for one person to be able to both write and draw so well!"

• 

  from issue #5, a page from A House of Cedar, an example of Telepathic Dialogue Punctuation

• 

  from issue #5, "A Matter of Truth" by IM Mueller for A House of Cedar -- "This is a Mueller work where both faces are done very nicely. The detail in the center background isn't as well done, but I'm not very concerned about background. Kirk and Spock are in profile, looking at each other very seriously. I like it that Spock's eyelids are slightly lowered, as if in thought, but that Kirk looks directly at Spock. I haven't read the story that goes with this at this time, so I have no clue what point the picture is supposed to illustrate. I am very particular about art, and frankly a lot of art these days in K/S simply doesn't appeal to me at all. I think this work is THE outstanding work in the entire zine of BEYOND DREAMS 5.

• 

  from issue #5, "Love Song" by T'Sharien for Harp Solo -- "Someone who knows something about art (obviously not me!) needs to write LOC’s for the great art in Beyond Dreams 5. There’s lots of it, and some with styles a bit different that I find impossible to describe. Like this neat drawing of Spock playing his lyre that accompanies "Harp Solo". It’s not a super realistic portrayal of Spock, like one of Shelley Butler’s drawings, yet with just a few pencil strokes , T’Sharien has created a drawing that looks just like Spock. How does she do that? It looks a lot more like Spock than some much more detailed drawings I’ve seen. I liked this one a lot!"

• 

  from issue #5, "Desired Rest" by Virginia Sky for Family Matters

• 

  from issue #5, "Child's Play" art by Ingela

• 

  from issue #5, art by IM Mueller for A Tree for Two

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 5

See reactions and reviews for A House of Cedar.

See reactions and reviews for Harp Solo.

See reactions and reviews for Family Matters.

See reactions and reviews for Space of Tranquility and Love.

See reactions and reviews for Discovered.

See reactions and reviews for A Tree for Two.

See reactions and reviews for Though Stars May Fade.

See reactions and reviews for Dawn.

See reactions and reviews for Slow Spring.

[zine]: At the risk of repeating myself, I absolutely love Beyond Dreams 5! It is a gem of a zine, in my opinion the best one in the series. I've never been so moved as I was by those stories. Granted, in a couple of instances I was moved in a direction I didn't want to go, but nevertheless my emotions were fully engaged, my reactions intense. The writing is brilliant in every case, the art enchanting and enriching of the already intriguing stories. In this collection, the characters are drawn with great empathy and imagination. It is an accomplished work full of drama and fierce intelligence.

I guess I'd better explain why all the fervor here. For the past several months my K/S craving has been way out of control. After so many years you'd think it would dim, but no, sometimes it gets worse. Call me crazy but there it was. To ease it, I frantically dragged out some tried and true oldies, read and reread them and drooled over the art. That helped a little. Then the Fates gave me a break—a couple of marvelous new zines came out. I tore into those, was delighted and thought, after I'd digested them, well that's it. No more now for a while. But that wasn't 'it'. BD5 arrived in my mailbox!

Hooray! You can imagine how thrilling it was for me to open the outstanding cover—a tender moment with a protective and very in-control Spock holding his beautiful Kirk—and settle down to feed my craving.

Issue 6

the front cover of issue 6, Shelley Butler -- see the comments for Secret Thoughts

Beyond Dreams 6 was published March 2003 and contains 294 pages. It was the winner of a 2004 FanQ. It has a cover by Shelley Butler, seven pieces interior art by Liz, Helen, Dreadnought, Linda Wan, Animasola, Ingela, and Shelley Butler, and poetry by Helen and Katherine Cooke.

From the editorial:

We welcome two authors who have not been published in Beyond Dreams before: AT. Bush and Dreadnought. We welcome back all our other authors (Deanna, Bersakhi, kira, Elise, and Kate) and poets (Helen and Kate) and the artists who have filled these pages with their passionate visions of Kirk and Spock before. We appreciate you so much!

Occasionally we like to feature a work of art as our frontispiece. For this issue, it's Lonely Warrior by Liz. This piece took first place at the KiScon 2001 art contest. Liz has been very patient waiting for it to be presented to everyone in a zine, and we thank her for that. Isn't it lovely?

In this issue there is art by Shelley Butler, Liz, Animasola, Helen, Dreadnought, Linda Wan, and Ingela. K/S fandom is incredibly blessed to have these and so many other fine artists presenting their vision of Kirk and Spock to us.

A few words about one of the stories in this issue. Starbase Eighteen by Katherine Cooke is a sequel to Deflectors Down, which is in First Time 56. You don't have to read the first tale to enjoy Starbase Eighteen, Also. Kate is planning on a series of stories set in this timeline, so things will be continued. Which you'll be happy to know after you've read of the pickle our poor fellows are in!

• In Any Universe by Deanna Gray ("A power surge and ion storm catch Spock in the act of beaming back up to the ship, and he finds himself swept in to the mirror universe and at the mercy of that Kirk.") (1)
• Your Move by Dreadnought ("Spock disappears while he and Kirk are on a routine check of a Federation colony, and Kirk is sure some of the inhabitants know more than theyʼre saying.") (36)
• Spock's Night Thoughts, poem Katherine Cooke (65)
• Guarantees by A.T. Bush ("Once back on board and free of his link to T'Pring, Spock is cornered into accepting Kirk for his unresolved pon farr when both he and his captain are confronted by McCoy.") (66)
• Hero Worship by Bersakhi "Kirk and Spockʼs courage in the face of the Platonianʼs humiliation of them seen from Alexanderʼs pov.") (88)
• After Today, poem by Helen (97)
• Ease Into Love by kira-nerys ("The thorns Spock took on Vaalʼs planet have an unexpected side effect that puts distance between him and Kirk just as Kirk invites him to share shore leave.") (98)
• Storm Tossed by Elise Madrid ("An injury Kirk sustains while he and Spock visit Kirkʼs mother at the end of the 5-year mission causes unforseen problems in their relationship.") (112)
• Starbase Eighteen by Katherine Cooke ("Now lovers, Kirk and Spock are faced with a threat from both their pasts when a string of murders occur while the ship is in lay-over on Starbase 18." Prequel: Deflectors. Down Sequel: The Hidden.) (175)

• 

  frontispiece from issue #6, Lonely Warrior by Liz

• 

  from issue #6, "If Only" by Helen for In Any Universe

• 

  from issue #6, "The Rescue" by Dreadnought for Your Move

• 

  from issue #6, The Kiss by Linda Wan for Hero Worship

• 

  from issue #6, Shelley Butler for Starbase Eighteen, see comments for Sunflowers

• 

  from issue #6, "Shining Space" by Animsola for Ease Into Love

• 

  from issue #6, "Gol" by Ingela for Storm Tossed

• 

  from issue #6, sample text page

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 6

See reactions and reviews for The Kiss.

See reactions and reviews for Lonely Warrior.

See reactions and reviews for Starbase Eighteen.

See reactions and reviews for Ease Into Love.

See reactions and reviews for Your Move.

See reactions and reviews for Guarantees.

See reactions and reviews for Hero Worship.

See reactions and reviews for Storm Tossed.

See reactions and reviews for In Any Universe.

[poem - After Today]: Ahhh, Gol. Through Helen's inspired words we can see Spock standing on a windswept outcrop, looking up at the sky and vowing solemnly to the red Vulcan sky "After today, I will not think of you...or hear the wind in your voice". Oh, I would love to tell you all that follows, but you need to read it for yourself. This verse flows as smoothly as grains of sand across a dune. What utter and complete loneliness envelops you as you listen to Spock's anguished promise. This is a beautiful work of love by an author that clearly understands the bleakness of this time in Spock's life. It's the best description I've read.

[art]: "SECRET THOUGHTS" by Shelley Butler: Shelley is probably the most talented artist I know of—at least in K/S fandom. Her art is always beautiful, and this cover is no exception. I love the way she manages to incorporate flowers and stars to make her images seem less barren. It doesn't take much for Shelley to make an art piece stand out, but she manages to make them beautiful with those extra little touches.

"IF ONLY" by Helen: Emotionally, this image speaks volumes, and technically it is quite a wonderful composition. Aesthetically, I found myself wishing the pixels weren't quite so rough. Despite that, I think the image fits the story wonderfully and I love the impact composition.

"THE RESCUE" by Dreadnought: At first, I thought Spock's legs looked odd in this picture, but when I inspected the image closer, I saw that it was an illusion. It's perfect, and the drawing is quite well made. I find the technique somewhat unusual, the way shadows and emphases are drawn by crosshatching the lines. As a person who likes to draw myself, I found myself looking at this image with more of a technical eye than with a Spock and Kirk lover's view, but making myself look at it that way it's beautiful and fits the scene of Dread Noughts story very well, too. I found myself liking this image more; the more I looked at it.

"SHINING SPACE" by Animasola: I love this one, and I'm amazed at the audacity of any artist who takes on drawing so many waves. Water is difficult, and this must have taken Animasola forever to draw. Apart from that, this photo in original is one of my favourite m/m images found online. It's erotic, and beautiful, and when it's made into a K/S drawing it just melts my heart, completely. I feel flattered that it was used to illustrate one of my own stories.

"SUNFLOWERS" by Shelley Butler: I like this one even better than the cover art, mostly because I think Spock looks absolutely beautiful in this one. So peaceful. And even though they're nude, the image radiates of love rather than passion, as though this is taking place either right after lovemaking, or they are just content to be together before falling asleep. Very sweet.

[art]: “IF ONLY” by Helen: What a great choice for a picture to go with Deanna’s Mirror story! This photo manipulation is a very effective composition of Mirror Kirk in front looking grim and determined, and our Spock in his blue uniform behind Kirk with his eyes cast down.

“THE RESCUE” by Dreadnought: Well, I hardly think it’s fair that Dreadnought is such a good writer, and she can draw well, too! This picture is the perfect accompaniment to Dreadnought’s wonderful story. Kirk’s despair and anguish seem obvious from the way he is holding Spock, and the expression on his face.

“SHINING SPACE” by Animasola: I really like Animasola’s unique style and love this drawing. The pose is great, with Kirk and Spock in the waves on the beach (a la From Here to Eternity). Great expression on Spock’s face as he arches back in Kirk’s arms. I loved all the waves, it’s a wonderful effect.

“GOL” by Ingela: Very nice picture of yes, Spock at Gol! This is a wonderful likeness. I like the hair, and the way Ingela drew the eyes, nose and mouth, and the lines around the eyes and on the face. An interesting expression on Spock’s face, too. Stern, sad, and rather haunted; perfect for one undergoing the rigors of Gol, and missing Kirk.

“SUNFLOWERS” by Shelley Butler: Boy, Shelley has drawn a great pose in this loving and tender picture. Spock and Kirk are nude, and Kirk is holding Spock in the afterglow of lovemaking. (At least that’s what I see!) What a perfect Spock body—slender, but muscular. I like how Spock has his eyes shut, and Kirk is gazing into space as he holds Spock with one arm and has one arm behind his head. Considering the story it follows, I imagine Kirk is having some serious thoughts about his and Spock’s future.

[art]: I totally agree with you about the lack of art in some zines; BEYOND DREAMS is not one of them, thank the Fates. I loved all the artwork in #6, but forgot to mention in my review of Katharine Cooke's sterling story last issue that I just adored the illo of Shelley's that went with it. Jeeeze, it's terrific! Shelley is a pro for my money and I love all her representations. Somebody talked about her gift for doing flowers, and it's such a wonderful background for our fellows. The illo in kira-nerys story, Ease Into Love is simply wonderful too; the one of them kissing, well, maybe nuzzling is a better word, in the surf. Reminds me of that similar scene in From Here To Eternity. It was pretty hot for those days; wonder what they'd think of this one of Jim and Spock? Animasola has my vote for one of the best artists we have. Lucky, yes, we are. I just wish she'd left off their bathing suits!!

Issue 7

cover of issue 7, Virginia Sky Pleasant Dreams -- " I like this color front cover very much. It’s a photo manipulation of Kirk and Spock against a beautiful starry background. At the bottom of the picture we see a shirtless Kirk’s head and shoulders. Kirk’s arms are crossed, and he has a contemplative look on his face. Spock’s face is shown further up on the cover and he also appears to be thinking of something (or someone?) else. I liked the colors, and the technique used that makes it look more like a drawing than a photo."

Beyond Dreams 7 was published in March 2004 and contains 288 pages. It has a cover by Virginia Sky and interior art by Liz, Shelley Butler, IM Mueller, and Virginia Sky.

From the editorial:

Welcome to this enormous issue of Beyond Dreams 7. We didn't plan it this way, it just happened!

We knew we wanted to produce a zine for KiScon: 2004, and so we invited authors to write and began to wait as patiently as we could. For many months, nothing materialized, and we wondered if we would have a zine at all. Our initial deadline date was December 31, so of course what happened was that for the new year we suddenly received several wonderful manuscripts filled with great K/S. Hey, we could handle this!

Only the torrent didn't stop. Another Hie showed up in our mailboxes. And then another. The zine was getting awfully long. Hey, here's another file. The zine grew even longer. Gee, did we want to publish another Beyond Dreams 3, which was 298 pages long? The answer: why not? And so, behold, Beyond Dreams 7, which tops out at 288 pages. Long live excellent K/S! Words of thanks are in order to Virginia Sky, who produced our new-look cover very quickly. We're experimenting with color covers for a while; please drop us a line and let us know if you like this approach. A few words about some of our stories. “The Hidden” by Kate Cooke is the third story in a four-story series she is writing. The first story is “Deflectors Down” in First Time 56, the second is “Starbase Eighteen” in Beyond Dreams 6, and the fourth story will be finished later this year. Kate promises “Ties That Bind” by Elise Madrid is also part of a series, though hers is open-ended. The first story, chronologically, is “Evolving Towards Forever” in First Time 55. The second story is “The Exile” in Beyond Dreams 4. You don't need to have read any of the previous stories by either Kate or Elise to enjoy their fiction in this zine.

“Leaving Home” by Sundara is written by the same author who penned the Philon award-winning “House of Cedar” in Beyond Dreams 5, It's just that she's changed her pen name.

Welcome to Brianna Falken and Lady Ra, whose work appears in a Beyond Dreams zine for the first time. Hey, you both survived the experience of working with two obsessive-compulsive, anal-retentive editors! Congratulations!

As always, we sincerely thank the fiction writers, poets, and artists who have entrusted the fruits of their creativity to our zine-publishing efforts. It is a privilege to work with each one of you. And a lot of fun, too. We revel in your visions of Kirk and Spock: together.

• “Great Expectations” by Anna S. Greener ("Kirk is frustrated in his attempts to get Spock into his bed by Spockʼs reticence concerning the differences in their anatomies.") (1)
• Hidden Treasures, poem by S.R. Benjamin (17)
• Learning Home by Sundara ("Unsettled after his retirement from Starfleet, Kirk decides to undertake a Vulcan ordeal.") (18)
• La Esencia, poem by Virginia Sky (53)
• Bonds of Love and Hate by Lady Ra (A/R: "Spock begins to distance himself from Kirk after returning from Vulcan, over the pon farr and bonded to TʼPring.") (54)
• Love Hurts, poem by kira nerys (82)
• Don't Mess Around with Jim by Gigi Pinckney ("Kirk, Spock and McCoy share a cabin while on shore leave.") (83)
• Act One: Fission, poem by S.R. Benjamin (116)
• Ties that Bind by Elise Madrid (A/R: "Kirk and Spock return to Earth when Starfleet agrees to review their courts martial after Komackʼs disgrace." Prequel: The Exile.) (117)
• Act Two: Fusion, poem by S.R. Benjamin (170)
• The Hidden by Kate Cooke ("Relieved of his command when his bond to Sybok is discovered, Kirk goes to Vulcan with Spock on the chance that the bond can be broken." Prequel: Starbase Eighteen. Sequel: Chimera.) (172)
• Crying in the Dark, poem by Helen (238)
• “Debt of Honor” by Brianna Falken (A/U: "Six months after being taken prisoner and raped by the Vulcan captain, Kirk finds that same Vulcan is now being assigned as his first officer when peace is declared.") (239)

• 

  from issue #7, Caress of Love by IM Mueller for Don't Mess Around with Jim

• 

  from issue #7, Sweet Dreams by Virginia Sky for Ties that Bind

• 

  from issue #7, My All by Virginia Sky for The Hidden

• 

  from issue #7, The Wish (and the Way) by Liz for Great Expectations

• 

  from issue #7, photo manipulations and poem by Virginia Sky

• 

  from issue #7, by Shelley Butler for Bonds of Love and Hate, see comments for On My Mind

• 

  from issue #7, sample text page

• 

  from issue #7, Just One by IM Mueller for Debt of Honor

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 7

See reactions and reviews for Learning Home.

See reactions and reviews for Don't Mess Around with Jim.

See reactions and reviews for Ties that Bind.

See reactions and reviews for The Hidden.

See reactions and reviews for Debt of Honor.

See reactions and reviews for Great Expectations.

See reactions and reviews for Bonds of Love and Hate.

[zine]: Beyond Dreams 7 rules! I've been dying for it, eagerly looking forward to having its new and bold—and old!—ideas put into my head. My expectations were more than fulfilled! BD 7 is a rich chronicle of, and an exercise in, capital-letter Love. When I pick up a shiny new, really heavy and, in this case juicy zine, I'm unfailingly awed to realize that after more than 3 decades K/S is still alive, vibrant and vastly entertaining. Furthermore, it always amazes me how our fantasy world of fandom manages to make intelligible and meaningful the world we're living in now. It's that way for me, anyway. But did I say fantasy world? I really mean this future world we're creating. Because I truly believe that we are—and I mean all the authors, editors and artists in K/S—actually writing a history of the future, of what we know will one day be. This beauty and meaning is what the reader gets over and over again in this exciting, lovely zine. With these fertile and fanciful thoughts I opened the luscious cover of BEYOND DREAMS 7, a dreamy concoction of blissful, beautiful Jim night-dreaming about his one true love, our equally handsome and adorable Vulcan.

[art and poetry]: I decided I would like to make general comments, rather than reviewing each piece. There are some lovely pictures in the zine. I particularly liked to see Jim and Spock kissing (not surprising!) My feeling about K/S art is that, while I love to see pictures which really look like the guys best of all, I appreciate art where some things are suggested rather than stated. I hope that makes sense. It is the same with poetry and fiction. The really best work doesn't need to state the obvious; if the reader or viewer gets to 'fill in the blanks' she will most likely have a stronger response to the material. Look at K/S, for instance: the series never told us these men love each other, it suggested it in myriad tiny ways, and we just keep responding to that. Another example would be the gorgeous colour cover of BD7. I have no criticism of this but, just suppose the image of Spock had been left out? We would, I think, be able to guess who Jim was day- dreaming about. We don't actually need to see Spock hovering there. This is hard to express and is just my personal opinion. I guess I'm saying: less is more.

And the poetry—my feeling is that concentrating on the senses and imagery and relating this to specific events or situations increases the impact of the poetry. I enjoyed SR B's Act One: Fission and Act Two: Fusion. Here SR takes particular circumstances from The Enemy Within and sets them down with a precise choice of words and never falters in the rhythm or the rhyme scheme. No, poetry doesn't have to rhyme, but if it doesn't it certainly needs to do something else. Oh, I'm lecturing now, so I will conclude this review before I get really pompous!

This was a great zine. Congratulations to Jenna and D'Anne for this labour of love.

[art]: “CARESS OF LOVE” - INTERIOR ART by Marianne Mueller: I like the pose in this drawing. Spock and Kirk are nude, and Spock is holding Kirk. He has his left hand around Kirk’s arm, and the right hand is on Kirk’s shoulder, with his forefinger caressing Kirk’s lip. Kirks’ right hand is clasping Spock’s right arm. I love the intimate feel of this picture, and the tender expression on Spock’s face.

“MY ALL” - INTERIOR ART by Virginia Sky: This is an absolutely beautiful photo manip by Virginia Sky. It looks to be done with the same technique she’s used for some of her other CGA pieces, in which she colors the photo manipulated picture with pastel pencils. I love how it looks, with Kirk’s skin rose tinted and Spock’s more olive toned. A nude Kirk and Spock are passionately kissing. Kirk is lying on top of Spock, and I really like the pose. Kirk has both his hands in Spock’s hair, and Spock is holding Kirk close.

“SWEET DREAMS” INTERIOR ART by Virginia Sky: Sweet dreams, indeed! A very nice black and white CGA of a nude Kirk and Spock lying in bed, discreetly covered by a sheet up to the waist. Kirk is lying on his back, one arm under his head, and he has a very self satisfied, smug smile, while Spock is gazing at his lover. Once again the bodies used for Kirk and Spock are ideal.

“THE WISH (AND THE WAY)” INTERIOR ART by Liz: Very nice composition in this drawing by Liz. The lower left part of the drawing is Kirk and Spock in a familiar pose; Spock sitting at his station on the bridge and Kirk leaning over a bit talking to him. The upper right part of the drawing shows Kirk and Spock nude from the waist up. We see a very nicely muscled Kirk looking down on a sleeping Spock and caressing his back. This is obviously the “Wish” referred to in the picture, and I was intrigued by trying to decide whose little fantasy we were looking at. Is it Kirk doing the wishing, or Spock? Plus, does it represent merely a wish that they be in their quarters making love and not on the bridge, or is it a wish for a relationship that does not currently exist? You can read a lot into this picture!

[art -- "On My Mind" by Shelley Butler]: The black and white pencil drawing entitled "On My Mind" by Shelley Butler accompanies the story by Lady Ra called "Bonds of Hate and Love." This artwork for me is the best piece of art in the whole zine, Beyond Dreams 7. The Spock face is especially good in this piece. It's a simple piece with Kirk sitting in his command chair thinking of Spock. I like Shelley's work, and I think she is currently probably one of the best artists in K/S today-if not the best one. And while manipulated photos and computer art is taking over the world of art in many fandoms, including K/S, I still prefer a nice real artwork to an equally nice computer-type piece of art. I even saw Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and thought it totally sucked, as did many people. It just wasn't real to me. The characters/actors might as well as have been computerized, too, along with the backgrounds. I know this makes me a dinosaur, but I really do prefer art that isn't helped along with a computer.

Issue 8

cover of issue 8, Liz Woledge, titled "Starlight Joining"

Beyond Dreams 8 was published in July 2005 and contains 191 pages. It has an original oil painting cover by Liz Woledge and interior art by Virginia Sky, Diegina, Liz, and IM Mueller.

From the editorial:

Welcome to the eighth issue of Beyond Dreams. We celebrate Shore Leave 2005 with the publication of this zine!

A few words about some of our stories. Chimera by Kate Cooke is the fourth and final story in her Becoming Real series. The previous stories are: Deflectors Down in First Time 56, the second is Starbase Eighteen in Beyond Dreams 6, and the third story is The Hidden in Beyond Dreams 7. Kate has thoughtfully provided a synopsis of the plot so far, so that you can read this last story even if you haven’t had the chance to read the others. By the way. Kale had promised last year that the concluding story would be finished in time for this issue of Beyond Dreams, and we really appreciate her efforts in satisfying the frustrated curiosity of our readers about what happened to Kirk and Spock!

Next, we send our heartfelt appreciation to J.S. Cavalcante. J.S. worked feverishly trying to make our deadline to get a story into this issue and not coincidentally help us create a complete zine on the order of 180 pages or longer. When her story blossomed into a much longer work that we mutually agreed would benefit from special time and attention and a later publication date (a longer Cavalcante story coming to you soon! Whoopee!), she graciously decided not to back out of the issue and instead turned her attention to a half-finished story she had in her files. We don’t know how she did it, but Circumstantial Evidence emerged from her flying fingers and her soaring imagination in just a few days, and she got the story to us at the last possible moment. Thank you so much, J.S.!

We welcome several writers who are being published by Beyond Dreams Press for the first time: Anne Elliot, Jesmihr, Dina Collins, Carolyn Spencer, and Kelly Reiger. Thank you for entering into that unique collaboration between writer and editors that produces fiction and poetry we are proud to present to our readers. Working with two obsessive-compulsive editors isn’t that bad, is it? Please spread the word! We also welcome a new artist, Diegina, who no sooner read one of our zines than she sent a lovely piece of art our way. We love K/S art!

A special thank you to Elise Madrid who line-edited Jenna’s a/u story (her first!) at lightning fast speed.

As always, we sincerely thank all the fiction writers, poets, and artists who have entrusted the fruits of their creativity to our zine-publishing efforts. It is a privilege to work with each one of you.

You will perhaps notice that this Beyond Dreams zine looks different from the others. We’re trying out something new that we hope will improve the readability of the zine while still managing to pack a lot of material in these pages. Hey, we’ve done research! This zine will be easy on your eyes.

• Editorial
• Drowning by Design by Anne Elliot ("Kirk and Spock decide to spend a weekʼs leave in a cabin, but the planetʼs inclement weather and Spockʼs need to make a life altering decision, may ruin their plans.") (1)
• Sixty Minutes, poem by Carolyn Spencer (23)
• Language Lessons by Jesmihr ("Kirk and Spockʼs relationship as seen through Uhuraʼs eyes, from their first tentative steps to the inevitable outcome.") (24)
• Homecoming (or: What if Kirk had Trusted the Process More?), poem by S.R. Benjamin (34)
• Common Ground by Dina Collins ("Spock follows Kirk to Kirkʼs family home when his captain accidentally leaves his medication on board ship and, while there, discovers an unpleasant truth about Kirkʼs childhood.") (35)
• The Perfect Moment, poem by Kelly Reiger (67)
• These Things Take Time by Jenna Hilary Sinclair (A/U: "Kirk is the owner of a small delivery company who meets a fellow CEO from Vulcan when he attends a seminar mandatory for anyone wanting to do business off-world.") (58)
• Heading Out by Allie Benet Atwater ("Day in and day out of star mapping on the Enterprise ends up including an encounter with a new race of beings.") (82)
• Common Knowledge, poem by Carolyn Spencer (113)
• Circumstantial Evidence by J S Cavalcante ("While staying on the Medieval-era planet, Fortress, Spock wakes to find himself naked and sprawled atop his equally naked captain — with no memory as to how he got there or of the sexual encounter they quite obviously had.") (14)
• The Gambler, poem by Carolyn Spencer (inspired by an exchange in Courts of Honor: "Don't you gamble, Spock?" Farrid asked. "Spock gambles," Kirk said with a glint in his eye." He just doesn't gamble for money.") (145)
• Introduction to "Chimera" by Katherine Cooke (146)
• Chimera by Katherine Cooke ("Captured by Sybok, Kirk pretends to be under his bondmateʼs sway, hoping to thwart his plans for galactic conquest." Prequel: The Hidden.) (147)

• 

  from issue #8, Virginia Sky: "Love You"

• 

  from issue #8, Diegina: "Aftermath"

• 

  from issue #8, Liz: "Your Move"

• 

  from issue #8, IM Mueller: "Don't"

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 8

See reactions and reviews for Language Lessons.

See reactions and reviews for Drowning by Design.

See reactions and reviews for Common Ground.

See reactions and reviews for These Things Take Time.

See reactions and reviews for Heading Out.

See reactions and reviews for Circumstantial Evidence.

See reactions and reviews for Chimera.

[art]: "LOVE YOU" by Virginia Sky—Frontispiece: This CGA actually looks as if it were silk-screened on fabric. A very unusual effect. Spock is embracing Kirk from behind while Kirk kisses his hand. Sensual and romantic. The background is different as well. The mirror and chest evoke Kirk’s quarters aboard ship, while the rest of the room is vaguely futuristic. The illo is encased in a plaid frame. I am consistently amazed by what a talented CGA artist can produce.

A lovely piece of work, Virginia.

"AFTERMATH" by Diegina: Kirk and Spock relaxing in that languor after excellent sex. Spock is oh, so gently brushing the hair away from Kirk’s face with his fingers, while it appears Kirk has yet to catch his breath. Kirk is in the foreground, perhaps using Spock’s body to rest his head. The mood is soft and gentle compared to what I imagine preceded it. This must exist in some form on the internet because Liz did a similar illo in Within the Mirror 14 that is equally as lovely. The same pose for Spock with his hand upraised and almost the same pose for Kirk. Of course the Spock in WtM is the Mirror Spock. I like the wide white border that surrounds this picture; almost like a framed snapshot. Diegina is new to the K/S ranks. I hope she sticks around because I definitely want to see more of her work.

"YOUR MOVE" by Liz: Spock seen up close and personal through the tiers of a three-dimensional chess set. His hand is in the foreground of the picture. Mmmm. I’ve always loved Spock’s hands. An unusal view. Of course he is playing against his captain. Just one of the many ways they’ve found to say I love you.

Thank goodness Liz has decided to grace us with her artwork.

[zine]: As far as presentation goes, this zine is just as high quality as all the others are – personally I liked the larger font size and it also contains some very good artwork too, including the colour cover. The only thing different in this particular volume is that all the stories deal with Kirk and Spock in an established relationship – there are no first time stories in this one, although I am unsure as to whether this is by accident or design.

Issue 9

cover of issue 9, Virginia Sky, titled "Second Star to the Right"

Beyond Dreams 9 was published July 2006 and containts 198 pages.

It has a cover by Virginia Sky and interior art by Ivy, Khiori, Diegina, and Liz Woledge.

The art pieces are titled: "Second Star to the Right," "Love Knot," "Comfort," "Not Afraid Any More," and "After the Seduction."

The editorial:

Welcome to the ninth issue of Beyond Dreams. Time surely does fly when you’re having fun tearing your hair out trying to proof stories. It seems like only yesterday that we were proofing Beyond Dreams 1 and discovering what all editors know in their bones: that it is impossible to publish a perfect zine no matter your determination to do so. Something will always escape your eye, Microsoft Word will get slippery on you, the printer will goof up.... But we do try our best. Readers should know that we enlist the aid of our writers to proof stories by sending them a last minute copy of their story along with the urgent plea to help us! They always come through beautifully. Working with K/S writers and artists is truly a great experience.

A special welcome to three writers and one artist who appear in a Beyond Dreams Press zine for the first time: Debbie Cummins, Khiori, Starshadow, and Ivy Hill. Thank you for agreeing to work with us. We know we are sometimes demanding, but, gee, we’re sweet, too, aren’t we?

Debbie is a long-time K/Ser and writer; any reader of zines from fifteen years ago will recognize her name. Khiori is an artist as well as a writer, and one of her pictures, Comfort, illustrates her story. Not by design, though! We tried to place it elsewhere, but it just seemed to fit As Much As Love Asks the best. Starshadow is a well-known net writer who has been posting her stories on KirkSpockCentral, and we are happy to showcase her talents here. The luscious color frontispiece, a CGA, was created by Ivy Hill. We saw it and could not resist sharing it with all of you. Welcome to all four of you!

Special thanks to Virginia Sky for producing a gorgeous color cover for this zine in about the time it takes Spock to calculate how much stimulation a human male can take before.... You know. Isn’t it lovely? We discovered ourselves without a cover at the last minute (Jenna: I should have double-checked!), and Virginia came through with flying colors when we sent out a desperate plea. If this is what we get when we’re desperate, we should try it more often.

There is no poetry in this zine for the first time since we started the Beyond Dreams series. Hey, all you poets out there! We love poetry! Think of us the next time you are inspired to write about Jim and Spock’s love in verse.

We are still experimenting with the look of this zine and have gone to a different font size to see if that produces a better, cleaner, more readable zine. If you have an opinion on the subject, let us know, please.

As always, thank you to all our writers and artists for entrusting the fruits of your creativity to our zine-publishing efforts. It is a privilege to work with each one of you.

Come with us now to that special place that is beyond reality, where Kirk and Spock and the love that unites them truly exist, and where they are real and whole and alive. Open the pages of this zine, indulge yourself. Go Beyond Dreams. Let die authors and artists in this zine transport you there.

• Betwixt Man and Angell by Elise Madrid ("While on vacation in Scotland, Kirk and Spock discover a terrifying connection between the small town theyʼre visiting and the Kirk family." Prequel: In the Season of Renewal) (1)
• Mortal Thoughts / Mortal Thoughts by Debbie Cummins ("A Federation bureaucrat decides to set up Spockʼs assassination when he learns that the Enterprise will be in the vicinity of the planet he knows holds a potentially wealth-making chemical.") (47)
• As Much As Love Asks by Khiori ("Kirk holds vigil at Spockʼs bedside as the Vulcan fights for his life after being bitten by a snake".) (100)
• Transgressions of the Heart by Bersakhi ("On a planet with problems with low fertility, Kirk and Spock find themselves on trial when their relationship as lovers is discovered.") (103)
• New Beginnings by Starshadow ("After their confrontation with VʼGer, Kirk and Spock work to rebuild their relationship.") (144)
• This Side of Purgatory by Dina Collins ("During her stay on the Enterprise after leaving Omicron Ceti III, Leila Kalomi has time to reevaluate her life and her feelings for Spock.") (150)
• Hard Times by Anne Elliot ("Kirkʼs sexual impotence is a frustrating irritation that becomes a frighteningly serious problem when Kirk thinks it might be interfering with his ability to command.") (160)

• 

  frontispiece from issue #9 by Ivy "Love Knot" -- "What reached out to me when I first gazed on this extraordinarily beautiful composition was esoteric in quality, but that quality was firmly anchored, in my reality anyway, by the truth of Kirk and Spock's eternal love. LOVE KNOT is simply stunning. More than stunning were the lush tones that spoke of deeply felt passions. Depleted to be sure but still emanating from their entwined bodies. Where does one end and the other begin! I couldn't tell. But I could feel the dissipating heat shimmering from their bodies and from the darkness enfolding them. Earthy and ethereal, the composition is filled with mouth-watering appeal. Their skin tones seem to be glowing and throbbing. The expertly placed shadows seem to speak of a different kind of lovemaking, but I was not sure; I couldn't make out exactly what those shadows were, even upon close examination. However, the entire composition ignited my emotions, overflowed my senses and brought me endless pleasure. And Kirk's mouth! Ye gods! It's as if he is expelling his exhausted breath after some spectacular lovemaking. His lips seem slack and both men are hanging on to each other and the ecstasy they've created, making them one. I could almost see the fading stars under Spock's eyelids, feel his cherishing heat. In any event, I couldn't stop looking at them: the fusion of limbs, lives, minds and souls. Expressed so lovingly by this gifted artist. There is a message here, a quietly powerful statement that pulses with life. They are a perfect symbol of two lives, two souls and minds made one for all eternity. A stunning addition to my collection K/S collection."

• 

  from issue #9, "After the Seduction" by Liz, opposite page 198 -- "This is the last illo in Beyond Dreams 9, and leaves the reader sighing with happiness. It is illustrating Hard Times, that wonderful story by Anne Elliot that ends the zine. A great choice! Kirk and Spock are shown embracing heads to groins against a background of stars obviously replete with satisfaction after a session of lovemaking. Kirk‘s eyes are closed: Spock‘s are open. Perhaps he is contemplating how miraculous it is that Kirk has come into his very lonely life. I love Spock‘s passion-mussed hair. I also love that Liz always remembers that Spock‘s skin tone is different from that of his captain. So beautiful! Thank you, Liz.

• 

  from issue #9, Diegina, titled "Not Afraid Anymore"

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 9

See reactions and reviews for Betwixt Man and Angell.

See reactions and reviews for As Much as Love Asks.

See reactions and reviews for Transgressions of the Heart.

See reactions and reviews for New Beginnings.

See reactions and reviews for This Side of Purgatory.

See reactions and reviews for Hard Times.

See reactions and reviews for Mortal Thoughts.

[art by Ivy, the frontispiece -- "Love Knot"]: This photomanip is absolutely beautiful. Words will not be able to convey the perfection of this piece, but they will have to do. A black background. Two male bodies entwined. Spock’s face is partially hidden by Kirk. We can’t really gauge his expression, but he is embracing Kirk tightly. It appears as if Kirk is sitting on Spock’s lap, his legs enclosing his beloved. His face rests on Spock’s shoulder, his arms grasp Spock closely to his body. The only word for the expression on Kirk’s face is transcendent. I would love to know from where Ivy got this photo of Kirk’s face. It shines with emotion and adoration. A lovely, lovely piece, Ivy. Thank you. I feel privileged to have seen it.

[art by Ivy, "Love Knot"]: I hear I'm simply one of the bunch of LOVE KNOT admirers and that it was a sensation at the con where it previewed in BD9. There were gasps from all who saw it; I just added mine to all the rest. So don't blush! Especially not from looking at such an erotic creation. Sexual intimacy, enduring love portrayed like this has always been a passion of mine. I have never been embarrassed, ashamed or uneasy about viewing its representation in any form. And that's gotten me in hot water lots of times, especially in the old days! Somebody once said, we are all basically Greeks. Wow! I sure hope so!

[zine]: What a wonderful feeling it is to know that this illustrious series of zines renews my KS spirit with every publication. The latest offering provides a fertile field for my stardust dreams. The selections of stories never fail me. I felt validated and eager to begin them, from first seeing the cover, a replica of one of my favorite compostions of Kirk and Spock: Kirk sitting in his command chair, his arms crossed over that manly chest and Spock standing *really* close behind him, pointing out some logical fact that surely must be adding to Kirk's captainly knowledge. The set of Kirk's lips, as though he were seriously considering his First's information (when does he not?!) took my breath away. Wondered if he could smell him, feel his vulcan heat. Wow! Seeing it drew deep 'ummmmms' from me. Because I have that original photograph framed on my bedroom wall, along with other esteemed real KS artists works. I got it from a very old calendar, from back in the days when the calendars carried large close-ups of our famous duo, instead of the newer ones I don't much care for.

In any case, the cover's lovely center and it's sidebars of decorative patterns, framed by small pics of Jim and Spock from ERRAND OF MERCY, made me smile and brought me into the inner sanctum of stories, art and poems.

That is, after I'd fainted and come to from seeing Ivy's LOVE KNOT frontispiece. (I reviewed that in another issue.) Finally I found the strength to drag the zine up to my secret hiding place and begin reading.