Flip of a Coin/Issues 014-015

Flip of a Coin is a Harrison Ford zine, which includes fan fiction from Star Wars, the Indiana Jones movies, and other films starring Ford such as Witness, Blade Runner, Heroes (film), The Frisco Kid, and The Mosquito Coast.

It is primarily gen but also includes non-explicit adult het stories.

This zine series began after a similar zine, Facets, ceased publication.

"Flip of a Coin" ran for seventeen issues between 1983-1986.

This page is for detailed information about issue #14 and #15. For information about the zine in general, see Flip of a Coin.

For information about other issues of "Flip of a Coin," see:

Issues 001-002 · Issues 003-005 · Issues 006-007 · Issues 008-009 · Issues 010-011 · Issues 012-013 · Issues 014-015 · Issues 016-017

Issue 14

front cover of issue #14, Barbara Frances-Simon

back cover of issue #14, Dani

Flip of a Coin 14 was published in October 1990 and contains 259 pages.

flyer for issue #14

The art is by Wanda Lybarger, Dianne Smith, Dani Lane, Cherie Fontyn, Rebecca Carey and Barbara Frances-Simon

• Hello! (3)
• Reviews, letters of comment (4)
• Assumed Innocent by Susan Zahn (Presumed Innocent) (8)
• Dear Junior (From Dad) by Cypher (Indiana Jones) (13)
• C.O.D. by Elaine Christiani ("A special cargo destined for the grim mining colony of Aneerom becomes a Pandora's Box for Han.") (Star Wars) (14)
• Wall Street by Cypher (Frantic) (28)
• Detour in Time by Phyllis Milby and Carlotta Vaughn ("Deckard is on the trail of a renegade replicant when he suddenly finds himself in another time, another place, and dependent upon an ex-cop with a bad attitude for survival in the Wasteland") (reprinted from Encore!) (Blade Runner) (29)
• cartoon by Goose (Indiana Jones) (73)
• Wanted: Dead or Alive by Christine Haire (Star Wars) (74)
• A Letter from Home by Paula Truelove ("John Book had used his police work to escape the memories of Lancaster until he received a letter from a small boy causing the painful emotions to return.") (Witness) (76)
• Learning by Example by Jacqueline Taero (Indiana Jones) (78)
• Warming Up by Susan Zahn ("Han is recuperating in the medicenter after rescuing Luke from the frozen landscape of Hoth when he receives an unexpected visit from a not-so-frozen Princess.") (Star Wars) (79)
• I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For by Christine Haire (Mosquito Coast) (84)
• SonRise by Ruth Radecki ("Another Utah night has fallen, taking some of the sting out of the loss of the Cross of Coronado. It is also a night for young Indiana Jones and his father to plow some emotional ground and sow a few seeds that promise to blossom into an auspicious future.") (Indiana Jones) (85)
• cartoon by Wanda Lybarger: Rick and Rachael are proud parents of a toaster (Blade Runner) (89)
• Star Witness by Carolyn Golledge ("A crossover story. While tracking an Imperial Officer accused of war crimes, General Han Solo crash lands in Pennsylvania and is mistaken for someone by the name of John Book." Another summary: "Han's ship plummets to earth where he is taken in by a strange group of people... including a woman who continues to mistake him for her husband.") (Star Wars/Witness) (90)
• Tribute to a Sometimes Carpenter, poem by Laurel Meulendyk (Harrison Ford) (129)
• River Odyssey by Karen Estabrook ("Back in Massachusetts, Charlie Fox wades through a river's tricky waters--and his mind's confused thoughts about Mosquitia. And the spirit of Allie lives on...") (Mosquito Coast) (130)
• A Matter of Monikers by Jacqueline Taero (Indiana Jones) (136)
• Echoes by Cypher ("The beautiful widow and her young son were adift in Philadelphia. At first, they were nothing more than part of John Book's job. Soon, however, they became more--much more.") (Witness) (137)
• Austrian Good-Bye, poem by Laurel Meulendyk (Indiana Jones) (147)
• Denouement on a Rainy Day by Elaine Christiani ("The new head of Tyrell Corporation has business to discuss with Captain Bryant.") (Blade Runner) (148)
• cartoon by Goose (Indiana Jones) (151)
• Reminisces by Catherine Anson (" The "other man" in Leia's life returns, bringing Han memories of those earlier days and uncertainty about his and Leia's future.") (Star Wars) (152)
• Desk Set by Cypher (Presumed Innocent) (172)
• Victim by Karen Estabrook ("After settling into a new home, Samuel Lapp discovers he and John Book share something which will haunt--and bind--them always.") (Witness) (173)
• Thoughts of an American in Paris by Cypher (Frantic) (181)
• The Last Adventure by Cypher ("His life had been filled with risks, prizes and women. Now, with his days drawing to a close and his prospects dim, he knew that he had to reach out one more time for his final chance at fortune and glory.") (Indiana Jones) (182)
• cartoon by Barbara Frances-Simon (Star Wars) (185)
• Out of Uniform by Debbie Sandage ("Luke and Lando are ecstatic after the destruction of Jabba's sail barge, but Han and Lei a disagree over a very small matter...") (Star Wars) (186)
• Long, Lean Indy Jones, poem by Laurel Meulendyk (Indiana Jones) (190)
• Island Witness by Cypher ("Badly injured in the line of duty, John Book and Martin Riggs are taken by their friend Tank Tankersley to a sleepy Caribbean island to recuperate. But their vacation takes a deadly turn when a local activist is murdered and the two big-city cops find themselves battling police corruption and the powerful owners of a local resort.") (Witness/Lethal Weapon) (191)
• cartoon by Goose (Witness) (259)
• Notices (260)

• 

  from issue #14, Wanda Lybarger (Mosquito Coast)

• 

  from issue #14, Wanda Lybarger (Blade Runner)

• 

  from issue #14, Wanda Lybarger (Blade Runner)

• 

  from issue #14, Dianne Smith (Star Wars)

• 

  from issue #14, Dani (Indiana Jones)

• 

  from issue #14, Wanda Lybarger: Rick and Rachael are proud parents of a toaster (Blade Runner)

• 

  from issue #14, Rebecca Carey (Witness/Star Wars)

• 

  from issue #14, Rebecca Carey (Witness/Star Wars)

• 

  from issue #14, Barbara Frances-Simon (Witness)

• 

  from issue #14, Barbara Frances-Simon (Indiana Jones)

• 

  from issue #14, Rebecca Carey (Witness)

• 

  from issue #14, Rebecca Carey (Witness)

• 

  from issue #14, Barbara Frances-Simon (Star Wars)

• 

  from issue #14, Dani (Witness/Lethal Weapon)

• 

  from issue #14, Cherie Fontyn (Indiana Jones)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 14

Sorry I can't do a long LOC this time, but I did want you to know how much I enjoyed FLIP 14.

My two favorite stories were "Star Witness" by Carolyn Golledge and "Island Witness" by Cypher. I'm afraid all I can do is repeat myself, but these two are both very good writers whose stories I always look forward to reading. As I hear there will be another LETHAL WEAPON film, I hope Cypher is inspired to continue on with her own series. Her meshing of the WITNESS and LETHAL WEAPON universes is seamless and I enjoy how true the characterization is of both John

Book and Martin Riggs. I hope Cypher can continue on with her series.

Number 14! Great! Many, many good points to this issue. Mostly, the pieces were quiet, enjoyable pleasers (like "SonRise," "Letter From Home," and "River Odyssey," to name a trio). On the cuteness point, "Out of Uniform" wins, naturally.

But I didn't understand "Denouement On A Rainy Day;" what was the point?

"Victim" was a disturbing piece for me, perhaps because it brought something to mind -- what poor Samuel was thinking about the whole thing -- and I found myself wondering why that hadn't really occurred to me before. (Hope I'm not getting too city-hardened!) Now, I wish they'd had time in the movie for some of Samuel's thoughts (and nightmares, I'm sure).

Enjoyed the repayment of the 'debt' to Fedora in "The Last Adventure" (for those lessons), and, of course, the implication of parentage. On a similar point, "Echoes" must be noted for its 'trick' ending and linking WITNESS to BLADE RUNNER (good tie-in).

Oh, and can't forget Taero's fantastic poems, especially loved "A Matter of Monikers" and "Learning by Example."

Naturally, and I'm sure that everyone else will be saying this, too, the perfect culmination (or should I say -- consummation!) of the entire issue was Cypher's "Island Witness"! Wonderful! Never thought the trio's relationship would be solidified (great surprise). On a side note, having glanced through the issue first to read the poems and glance at the illos and cartoons (as I always do), I did not understand the illo on page 259. I sat there looking at it, thinking "Huh?" Finally, upon reading the story, I finally went "Ah-hah!" Perfect!

One little extra tidbit - that toaster illo on page 89 - great!

On my desk sits a small sheet of paper and it reads "write a LOC for FLIP 13." That note has been there for more than a year and now I sit with FLIP 14 in front of me. If I don't do this now, I will have another scrap of paper for 14 when I get 15!

To give you some idea of what I think about FLIP, I bought FLIP 11 a little over a year ago and today I am the proud possessor of 13 of the 14 issues (am missing #3 which I plan to get someday by hook or by crook!) A delightful way to read stories about some of my favorite characters.

As always the zine itself is a well edited, well printed, delightfully illustrated showcase for some of the most readable stories.

I was delighted to see another of the John Book/Martin Riggs stories by Cypher. They're just great. I never would have thought to put those two characters together but she does it with a flair. Keep 'em coming. Cypher. I love them!

"Victim" by Karen Estabrook was a delightful story. Made me want to smile and cry all at the same time.

"Star Witness" by Carolyn Golledge was another excellent story. Han Solo and John Book - two of my favorite characters of Harrison Ford. Usually I prefer Han Solo stories but this time all my favorites seemed to feature John Book. That's okay.

Thanks again, Paula and Jenny, for compiling a zine that is a superstar.

Well, every time I receive a new issue of FLIP, I send back the SASE for the next issue automatically! No second thoughts cross my mind. So here's my SASE for #15.

This issue was worth waiting for! The art and the poetry were first rate. Especially the front cover. I also liked the art on page 75. Of course, there wasn't a bad poem in the lot.

What really made this issue stand out was the way the authors managed to make the seemingly un-workable stories workable. For instance, never in a million years would I have thought of a story where Max and Rick Deckard are both the main characters. No wonder that story became a Classic!

My other favorite was "Star Witness." That was great! At long last, there was a story that answered my question — I always did wonder what would happen if Han was caught in our time frame (a'la James T. in "City On The Edge Of Forever").

The other stories with Henry Jones, Sr., Martin Rigg,s and John Book were tops! Just great!

But there was one story... I never thought I would be totally stumped by a SW story — that really shook me up. I'm even stumped writing about It! That was "C.O.D." by Elaine Christiani. What is everyone's opinion? I'm dying to know! I don't know whether I should like or hate this story! It must be pretty decent because I've been scratching my head over it ever since I read it. "C.O.D." is certainly food for thought.

Being a sports fan, I definitely appreciated the cartoon on page 185!

Well. I could go on and on...I couldn't mention everything or my letter would be three feet long. To those I didn't mention, everything was great!

I'm sitting here watching Michael Jordan sink a few buckets, and all I can say is reading FLIP is as exciting as watching a good ball game! Good luck with #15...

I just finished FLIP 14 and it was another monstrously great issue. The front cover was very well done by Barbara Frances-Simon. In fact, all of the art work was good.

It seemed that this was the issue of a Harrison Ford character either meeting another of his characters or a Mel Gibson one. They were all well thought out and well written.

"C.O.D." by Elaine Christiani was very interesting. Han and a droid? It took a few seconds to get by it when I read it but it was quite creative and good.

I liked The Classics story "Detour In Time" by Phyllis Milby and Carlotta Vaughn. Any story that has two of my all time favorites together just makes it an added bonus.

The cartoon by Goose on page 73 makes me want to go out to the Indiana state border and get that Indiana Welcome.

"Warming Up" by Susan Zahn cracked me up. It was hilarious and I enjoyed it a lot.

Carolyn Golledge's "Star Witness" was a great story. Having Han meet John Book and his family was wonderfully done. Not only does she do her usual trashing of Han but she even gets John into it, too. I loved it!

"Island Witness" by Cypher; Another excellent Book/Riggs/Tank story. I was glad to see them reunited and see that she couldn't choose between the two of them because I know I couldn't.

To mention: I found the smaller print still very easy to read. I had no problems with it at all. Can't wait 'til #15!

FLIP 14 is excellent. I have never written a zine fan letter but this was so good I had to. I have been able to collect all the FLIPs except #1-3. I am hoping to buy them from someone's zine sale. The covers of the zine are wonderful.

"Detour In Time" - This was a good story. I was never that fond of BLADE RUNNER, I liked his sentimental side with the dog. Plus I don't have a lot of the older zines so I like your Classics section.

"SonRise" - I was hoping to see stories with Indy and his father and this did not disappoint. We always knew Henry cared.

"Star Witness" - Carolyn's STAR WARS stories are the best. I loved the idea of two Harrison Fords in one story; too bad we can't have that in the movies.

"Echoes" - That one is sad; John Book gets cheated out of happiness again.

"Reminisces" - That was very well written. It captured what the Han Solo character would have felt being suddenly a part of Leia's world. It was how I would have pictured them starting out after the final conflict.

"Victim" - Oh, this story stole my heart. Book and Rachel belong together. It was sweet the way he took care of Samuel. The ending where he decides to sleep with the boy in his room is just what you would expect John Book to do — or Harrison Ford, for that matter.

Island Witness - This story really got my blood boiling, and my only wish is there was a movie based on this story and I could get to play the part of Tank. I think that says it all.

It was a long wait for FLIP OF A COIN 14 but it was well worth the wait. I look forward to 15.

eFLIP 14 was marvelous. I read it avidly and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The covers by Barbara Frances-Simon and Dani were excellent.

Some nice Han stories in this one. I'm getting more and more fond of Han stories. I think it's because FLIP'S writers have given so many facets and subtleties to his character which the films tended to breeze over, though Harrison took excellent advantage of the opportunities to show Solo's quirks.

"Star Witness" was superb. I love cross-universe stories. I always wanted to read a story about Han coming to Earth and to see how 'backward' we were. More Carolyn Go!ledge, please.

"Reminisces" was a good read. I always like Catherine Anson's Han stories. She captures his complex character so well. And, boy, does she write hot! I, too, would have been very late for that reception.

"C.O.D." Hmmmm, not too sure about this one. I enjoyed it, but I didn't much like the Idea of Han going to bed with the "Bin;" verging on the inflatable doll situation, I thought, but maybe I'm just being prudish. Still a good story, though.

At long last an Allie Fox story. I adored "Allie, A1lie Oxen Free." Typical Allie; loved the concept of "Hell" being afraid Allie would take over.

"River Odyssey" also was good ' Quite sad, yet uplifting that Charlie is so like his father.

I enjoyed "Detour In Time" even though I've never seen any of the MAD MAX films. The author depicted the situations so well, one didn't need to have prior knowledge of MAD MAX's character. I thought Rick's devotion to the dingo pup was sweet.

"Echoes" was a nice story. Liked the twist at the end. One thing about situations like this that always bothers me, though, is this: wouldn't Rick Deckard's mother be very surprised when her son grew up to look exactly like John Book? Sorry, that's the way my abstract mind works.

"Denouement On A Rainy Day" - Maybe I'm really dumb, but I just didn't get it. It didn't seem to have an ending and I was left perplexed. Did I miss something?

"Victim" - What a sweet story. John is a perfect father. I loved it that Samuel called John 'Dad.'

"The Last Adventure" - I started out biased against this one as I thought the aging adventurer was sure to be our Indy. I can't stand the thought of the active archaeologist getting old and rickety. But as I read on, I discovered I'd been taken for a ride and it wasn't Indy at all, but the "Cross of Coronado" thief. The idea of him being Indy's father was quite credible, too. Indy did look rather like him and the way the "thief" looked at Indy as he ran away from the train with the cross (in the film) could easily have been paternal pride.

"Island Witness" - To quote Kenny Boyd: "Whooee! Scintillating!" A wonderful story, as usual from Cypher. I'm sad to hear that this is the last Book/Riggs/Tank installment. Well, Tank finally made her decision and what a decision! Both of them! At the same time! Whew! I'll bet there'd be some performance anxiety there. While I'm on the subject of Cypher, when do we get another Han/Nova/Phloth story. I love those. They're my favorites. It would be fun if Leia got to meet Nova when Han is married to her (Leia, that is).

"Long, Lean Indy Jones" - Amen to those adjectives. A very nice summary of the trilogy.

I could bestow my praises on all the stories but this letter has got out of hand already. Suffice it to say I loved every bit of FLIP.

The illos were, as usual, wonderful. I loved Dianne Smith's Han on page 75. Ooh! That Corellian is gorgeous. Also I liked the smug expression on Lybarger's Allie on page 12. Rebecca Carey put in some great work on "Star Witness" and Dani's work was, as usual, excellent.

I must admit that I was upset by the reduced type at first. After years of squinting at microscopic type in zines, I found FLIP such a relief that I resented any reduction at all. But I realize how difficult it is to contain costs, and you've certainly kept the reduction to a minimum. So if it allows you to bring us more material at the same cost, I can live with it. In fact, I think I'm even starting to get used to it.

So "Island Witness" is the last of the Book/Riggs series? I'm going to miss it, but it's probably just as well. John and Martin get so shot up and/or beat up each time that they probably wouldn't survive another adventure together — although it was their adventure in bed with Tank that nearly did them in this time! Besides, now Cypher will have more time for Nova/Phloth stories, right? (Hint, hint.)

I think Catherine Anson is continually improving her writing. Her dialogue was always right on target, and her narrative has become steadily tighter and clearer. However, I do want to point out that the word "emulate" appears in one tense or another at least three time in "Reminisces," and each time the word needed was "emanate."

Carolyn Golledge combined my two favorite Ford characters in "Star Witness." (Just for the record. Solo comes in first — by a parsed But that's not to take away from Book or any other of Harrison's creations, of course.) I loved the way Book teased Han with "education" information about both driving and flying, and the way Han didn't let being married to Leia stop him from flirting with the flight attendant. Yep, that's Solo.

The story left me feeling uneasy, though. Here's why: Carolyn concocted a fairly plausible-sounding explanation for Solo's appearance on Earth, but even so, it took care of only the "A long time ago..." part of SW. What about"...in a galaxy far, far away..."? Even a non-astrophysicist like me knows that for Han to be able to see the nova and his home star, they have to be in the Milky Way galaxy.

I'm not trying to pick on Carolyn, though; I don't think any writer of a Solo cross-universe story has claimed to do anything more than rationalize a way to get Han and Harrison's other characters together. These stories are pure fantasy — even more so than the rest of fanfic, I mean! And just for fun. It's impossible to take them seriously. But Carolyn has constructed such a believable post-WITNESS world for John Book, and she did such a good job with the characterizations in this story — she just writes so well in general! — that I wanted to take "Star Witness" seriously. Hence my uneasiness. *Sigh.*

I know, I know, I'm taking this whole thing too seriously already. Oh, and one more point: the Unitrans and Oralcomp combination sure came in handy, but I prefer a Solo with a facility for languages. Just my personal view of the character.

"River Odyssey" is perceptive and touching and absolutely beautiful.

I wish I could write something about everything in FLIP, but my hands have reached their limit. Enclosed is a check for $5 and a SASE for FLIP 15. As long as you and Jenny want to publish it, I'll want to read it!

These zines are so rich I've probably gained weight just reading them! Number 14 was super grand.

Covers - beautiful. I loved the LAST CRUSADE montage on the front (what beautiful detail!) and Dani's portrait on the back of our favorite Henry's was one of her best. Cherie Fontyn's inside back cover prompts a worthy giggle!

"Allie, Allie, Oxen Free" - Precisely what Allie would do! The accompanying illustration is priceless (how can I get a copy?) "Dear Junior (From Dad)" - Cypher's getting my serious attention! What a talent. "C.O.D." - Should have been a Deckard story! I'm afraid this one didn't convince me.

"Detour In Time" - What are you guys trying to do, turn me into a Mel Gibson fan? It's working, I think. You really make me want to see Handsome Harry and Melbourne Mel in a film together! Deckard's concern for the puppy was so endearing! Good job. (Why is it that these stories are listed as "Classics"? (ED: Because they are excellent stories which have appeared in other zines and the authors and editors have allowed us to "rerun" them in FLIP. J.) Drawings are superb.

"Wall Street" - Thanks again. Cypher! "Meanwhile At The State Border" - That tears it I'm moving to Indiana! "Wanted: Dead or Alive" - Fun. Dianne Smith's drawing of Han - I d comment if I had any breath left.

"A Letter From Home" - Aww, poor John. I think he ought to head straight to Lancaster and pick up Samuel for the game! The differences between the city children and Samuel was a nice touch.

"Warming Up" - I really liked this because it gives Leia a reason for being so testy with Han when they went to visit Luke in the med center. I always thought she was being terribly unreasonable in that scene, especially considering that Han had just saved Luke s li e. "Learning By Example" - What a chuckle! It does seem that those Joneses age very nicely! "SonRise" - Nice denouement to the opening of LAST CRUSADE. So Henry had a heart after al. huh? "Star Witness" - Nice idea, but the writer doesn't hook me and pull me in. I couldn't suspend disbelief long enough to buy it.

"Tribute To A Sometime Carpenter" - A very nice adaptation.

"River Odyssey" - Wonderfully insightful. It's interesting to see how Mosquitia affected Charlie and how he s holding on to love for Allie while becoming a person in his own right.

"Echoes" - Seems to me I've seen this story in the movies already. "A Matter of Monikers" - Loved it! "Austrian Goodbye" - Really nicely done (the illo is also very good). "Denouement On A Rainy Day" - Interesting twist!

"Reminiscences" - It's got my vote for Best in Zine! Brought out all the old-fashioned school girl romance in me. Truly nice. "Desk Set" - Where does Cypher get al this talent' "Victim" - How appropriate! Naturally, Samuel would have nightmares about his experiences Karen Estabrook skillfully lured me into the bad dream.

"Thoughts Of An American In Paris" - Cypher. 'Nough said. "The Last Adventure" - Too clever for words! Great! Absolutely loved it!

"Out of Uniform" - I liked it. but had a hard time believing Han and Leia would be squabbling so soon after Han's release. Then again, knowing Han and Leia. "Long. Lean Indy Jones" - Really cute!

"Island Witness" - Cypher makes me long to see Book and Riggs on the screen. This talented writer certainly knows how to move around the plot points!

Thanks again. Paula and Jenny, for a wonderful zine.

Issue 15

Flip of a Coin 15 was published in November 1992 and contains 286 pages.

front cover of issue #15, Nicola Pearce

back cover of issue #15, Barbara Frances-Simon

flyer for issue #15

Art by Nicola Pearce (front cover), Barbara Frances-Simon (back cover), Barbara Anderson (inside front cover), Wanda Lybarger (inside back cover).

• Hello! (2)
• Reviews (3)
• Red Sky at Morning by Susan Zahn, illustrated by Wanda Lybarger ("In their stunning Cloud City quarters, Han and Leia share their thoughts for the present and the future -- and make a date for dinner.") (Star Wars) (10)
• Fall (For Mr. Winjam) by Elaine Christiani (The Possessed) (20)
• Confessions of a Fordaholic by Karen Estabrook, illustrated by Barbara Frances-Simon ("The definitive explanation of a Ford Fan!") (20)
• cartoon by Wanda Lybarger ( 28)
• Naked Peril by Cypher/Barbara Anderson, illustrated by Wanda Lybarger ("Han didn't know where he was or how he got there, but Han knew that he was in serious trouble — the least of his problems being the fact that he was bare-assed naked. See Han as he battles various demons from his past in his fight for survival. (And see Wanda's illos!)") (29)
• Journal (For Jack) by Elaine Christiani (Frantic) (47)
• Sweet Dreams by Cat Anson, illustrated by Barbara Frances-Simon ("Daniel and Rachel appear on John Book's doorstep with the news that Samuel has been kidnapped -- and the ransom is Book.") (Witness) (48)
• cartoon by Wanda Lybarger (67)
• Just Part of the Job by Susan Deborah Smith, illustrated by Barbara Frances-Simon ("Han responds to the "occupational hazards" of parenthood when one of his and Leia's children becomes sick in the middle of the night.") (This story is part of the series in Chronicles of the House of Alderaan.) (Star Wars) (68)
• L.A. Haiku (For Deckard and Rachel) by Elaine Christiani (Blade Runner) (73)
• Shiloh Spring by Wanda Lybarger, illustrated by Barbara Frances-Simon ("An encounter with the ghost of Willie Bill Bearden at a Civil War archaeological dig brings to life an old photograph and gives Willie Bill peace to know that his friend Buck had not just left him on the field to die.") (Journey to Shiloh) (74)
• The Chalice by F. Elizabeth Gregory ("As Indy futilely grasped for the Holy Grail, he realized that he'd already won the biggest prize of all -- his father's respect,") (Indiana Jones) (98)
• The Mark of a Lady by Elaine Christiani, illustrated by Barbara Frances-Simon ("Han and Leia spend a few quiet moments in his cabin after the battle with Jabba on Tatooine - where she finally realizes that his eyesight had returned more than she first believed!") (Star Wars) (99)
• Ties That Bind by Cypher/Barbara Anderson, illustrated by Wanda Lybarger ("Tommy, shot by Comancheros, is rescued by Willie Bill, and comes face to face with his long-ago past.") (Journey to Shiloh/Frisco Kid) (103)
• Your Friend is Quite a Mercenary by Cat Anson, illustrated by Barbara Frances-Simon ("The Alliance is on the move again and an ordinary trip aboard the Falcon to the next rendezvous turns into a misadventure as Han, Leia and Luke are forced to land in Imperial territory.") (Star Wars) (133)
• Business Card by Paula Truelove and Barbara Anderson (Jack Ryan) (168)
• Trust Fund by Barbara Anderson, illustrated by Wanda Lybarger ("Severe losses in personnel and equipment lead the Alliance leaders to suspect that an Imperial "plant" has joined their ranks. Han's strange behavior, as well as his steady depletion of the Alliance treasury for extravagant modifications to the Falcon, point their suspicions in his direction.") (Star Wars) (169)
• Haute Couture by Elaine Christiani (Indiana Jones) (286)
• Notices (287)

• 

  from issue #15, Wanda Lybarger (Harrison Ford)

• 

  from issue #15, "conceived by" Barbara Anderson (Indiana Jones)

• 

  from issue #15, Wanda Lybarger (Star Wars)

• 

  from issue #15, Barbara Frances-Simon (a "Fordaholic" tries to explain her addiction to a mundane)

• 

  from issue #15, Wanda Lybarger (a Fordaholic falls asleep by counting Harrison Ford characters, rather than sheep)

• 

  from issue #15, Wanda Lybarger (Star Wars)

• 

  from issue #15, Barbara Francis-Simon (Witness)

• 

  from issue #15, Barbara Francis-Simon (Star Wars)

• 

  from issue #15, Barbara Francis-Simon (Journey to Shiloh)

• 

  from issue #15, Barbara Francis-Simon (Journey to Shiloh)

• 

  from issue #15, Wanda Lybarger (Frisco Kid/Journey to Shiloh)

• 

  from issue #15, Wanda Lybarger (Star Wars)

• 

  from issue #15, Wanda Lybarger (Star Wars)

• 

  from issue #15, Wanda Lybarger (Star Wars)

• 

  from issue #15, Wanda Lybarger (Star Wars)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 15

[Trust Fund]: "Trust Fund" in Flip of a Coin #15 has to be the best SW story I can recall ever having read! It's got it all!. All the characters are included, in character, and each has a part integral to the plot ... and boy, is there one wow of a plot!! Adventure, excitement, a Jedi may not crave these things (though Barbara has Luke disclaiming this! Yes!) but the readers sure do! And Barbara gives them plenty! I particularly enjoyed her refreshing characterization of Luke ... a real flesh-and-blood human being of three dimensions ... and a beginning love life with an equally real lady! (Speaking of which, I want more of Spacer and Luke, Barb, so get to it!) Hence, it came as no surprise to me when "Trust Fund" won the "Best Long Story" Star Award of 1992! Congratulations! So, how's about taking over from Zahn for us, Barbara? Pull...llll...ease!!

[zine]:

I can pretty much sum up my reaction to FLIP 15 in one sentence: It's sensational.

(Okay, I'll expand on that a bit.) It arrived just in time for the weekend, and I spent an entire day reading it cover to cover. Talk about a Ford fix! But this is a healthy addiction, as Karen Estabrook's piece so cleverly points out.

The other stories I just have to mention are the two about Willie Bill, and "Trust Fund." Both "Shiloh Spring" and "ties That Bind" had me in tears by the end. They were just beautifully done. I wasn't sure beforehand how Cypher was going to be able to link Willie Bill and Tommy Lillard, but the way she did it was both believable and heartbreaking. When I got close to the end of each story, I started slowing down and rereading paragraphs because I didn't want to finish them ... and because I knew how they both had to end.

I really slowed down over the last few pages of "Trust Fund," not only because it was a terrific story about my favorite Ford character, but also because it was close to the end of the entire zine! Barbara Anderson did a superb job of weaving several different themes together, even including Leia's struggle with the Dark Side. There's one detail in particular that I really enjoyed, though — the fact that the Falcon is in tiptop shape for once! That poor ship gets at least as beat up as any of the human characters in most stories, and up until now, she hasn't seemed to recover as nicely as they do! And the arrival of the Minradite ambassador had me laughing out loud ... no, I'm not going on any longer because I got it right at the beginning. FLIP 15 is sensational. Period.

[zine]: Let's cut to the chase. "Trust Fund" was a slam-dunk, in-your-face story! Barbara Anderson lit up the scoreboard! After my wild raving about her story, a friend of mine wants to buy FLIP 15.

But the rest of the zine is just as good. "Shiloh Spring" by Wanda Lybarger was a pleasant surprise. She can really take it to the hoop and score! Definitely one of SW fandom's top talents. What really made the story enjoyable is I'm reading Shelby Foot's Civil War Trilogy, and it was neat to see the Civil War covered in fandom as well. "Ties That Bind" and "Red Sky At Morning" are also really great shots in the game!

All in all, a great zine. None of the others, be they artists, poets, or authors, are mere perimeter players -- they can play the complete game. They can do it all!

I can keep raving all night, and send the game into overtime; FLIP is just too good. Let me just say you guys can really sky! Keep up with the great teamwork! (I can't help myself -- I'm in the throes of March Madness Basketball euphoria. The championship was a great game!

Thanks for putting up with the basketball puns.) Take care and thanks for a great zine!

[zine]: Just had to write to let you know that I really loved FLIP 15. It was a great issue and had some good stories on a little known Harrison Ford character.

"Red Sky At Morning" by Susan Zahn was a nice filler for ESB. I don't think I've read many stories that covered that time and enjoyed it. Of course, Wanda's illos were nice.

I laughed at Karen Estabrook's "Confessions of a Fordaholic." I'm proud to say I have all the symptoms and don't want any treatment. I also think I got all ten of the signs in the illo. Hope you'll print a list so we can check ourselves.

Cypher's "Naked Peril" was a good story. I'd like to see the next installment when Han meets up with his captor. What can I say about Wanda's illos for this one but ... THANK YOU!

I always thought that John Book and Rachel belonged together and "Sweet Dreams" by Cat Anson did just that.

The two Willie Bill stories were a nice change. I only saw that movie once and perhaps I'll dig it out again and watch it. I did enjoy both Cypher's "Ties That Bind" and Wanda Lybarger's "Shiloh Spring."

I loved Barbara Anderson's "Trust Fund." It was quite long and full of adventure and action. I didn't want to put it down but things like work kept getting in the way. Wanda's illos were an excellent addition.

All the authors and contributors did a top rate job with their stories, illos and poems that it made the long, long, long wait almost worth it. My thanks to everyone for giving me a few hours of a pure Harrison Ford fix. I anxiously await the next issue and hope the wait will be shorter.

[zine]: Before I begin to tell you that your zine is the very best out there, I don't have to — the Star Awards did it for me! It's so nice to know so many out there agree with me. Yes, FLIP 15 was a long time in getting to us, but I always say perfection takes time.

Speaking of perfection, let's talk about Barbara Anderson and her story, "Trust Fund." Nobody, and I repeat, nobody writes as well as this girl. Yes, there are many different styles and some display a definite flare toward dialogue while others show a real knack for the narrative. Well, this tall (everyone's tall to me), blond-haired, pole-banging, sign-destroying lady is great at it all. I loved her story and Congrats, Barb, on your Star Award. You earned it. With Wanda's good illos, I could see this piece move in 70 mm.

"Red Sky At Morning" by Susan Zahn - I thought this was beautiful. There was such a combination of thoughts versus words that told of the conflicting emotional battle Han and Leia were fighting. Susan did a great job. Also, I would feel remiss if I didn't mention that kiss. Whoa! What a toe-curler. Not to mention what it did to other places.

In Elaine Christiani's "The Mark Of A Lady" I loved the way she portrayed Han's character. Vulnerable, yet still there when Leia needed him. Great ending.

"Confessions of a Fordahollc" I believe says it for all of us. Very, very nice. I really liked the way Karen Esterbrook employed the use of dialogue into the conversation. For those of us that constantly use dialogue. It seems to naturally work that way. There's always a situation that fits perfectly with a line.

"Naked Peril" was on-going proof that the character of Han Is not simply mindless action — without thought. I enjoyed how he worked through each of the obstacles and antagonists thrown at him. Of course my favorite part was the Imagery created In the mind by his mode of undress. Very vivid Imagination. Thanks, Cypher. Too bad Wanda's illos had to have that strategically

placed knee or some other obstruction in the way. I know: PG, PG. "Ties That Bind" was ingenious. Putting those two characters together, and in that format, was wonderful. Really well written (God, I'm seriously jealous of that woman.)

I really enjoyed the glimpse into Daddy and Mommy Solo that "Just Part Of The Job" gave us. Susan Smith did an excellent job. My only issue is, how come I could never get my husband up when the kids got sick?

"The Chalice" by F. Elizabeth Gregory was excellent. You'd be surprised how many people never picked up on the significance of Dad calling him Indiana. Very good piece.

There is no way I should critically or otherwise comment on art because anyone who can draw a line is leaps and bounds ahead of me! But I know what I like. Over the years FLIP has had Barbara Francis Simon grace many a page and cover. She has continually improved on her excellent work. Her back cover was fantastic and it's wonderful to see her work in any context. Nicola Pearce's cover left me staring at the Intensity she managed to portray In those gorgeous eyes. Really terrific. I loved the poems, especially Elaine Christiani's "L.A. Haiku" for Deckard and Rachel. The jokes, as usual, were great but my favorite was Barbara's "A Very Young Indiana Jones." Warped minds think alike.

I want to take this opportunity to let you know how much I appreciate being in FLIP. In addition, how fortunate I feel that Barbara Francis-Simon took the time to illo my stories. Thank you; she did a beautiful job.

(Bet you thought I was closing this.) I'm not sure how many zine readers take the time to notice that extra effort you ladies expend to make FLIP as good as it is. As someone who deals with computers, word processors and such on a daily basis, I notice that not just a spell check is relied on in this zine. This is something many zines trust too heavily. Your stories and art work flow. There are very few typos. If any, and If there are other types of print, layout, or collating errors, they are never seen. Nothing ticks me off more than to be interested in a story, turn the page, and find out it has been accidentally omitted from the zine.

Great job and most deserving of any and all awards.

[zine]:

FLIP 15 Is yet another masterpiece. The quality of stories, artwork, presentation, and lack of typos is absolutely stunning. FLIP OF A COIN is a very professionally put-together zine and you should both be very proud of yourselves.

I was thrilled to see my sketch on the cover. My feet didn't touch the ground for the rest of the day! It gave me a real emotional boost. Thank you!

I loved Barbara Frances-Simon's back cover. Very good likenesses of my favorite rebels. I was particularly drawn to the hand. Hands are, as any artist will confirm, extremely difficult to draw. One fraction of a degree wrong with any angle and they look completely wrong. But Barbara appears to have no trouble at all with this tricky subject, as the hands on this trio are anatomically perfect.

Wanda Lybarger's illos were, as always, faultless. Her talent for drawing Harrison's anatomy -- in any position — is astounding. It makes me wonder if she gets Harrison to pose naked for her when she's drawing (now, there's a thought!) For obvious reasons, I loved her illos for "Naked Peril"! Nice buns!

"Red Sky At Morning" - Nice rendition of the 'between-film-scenes-moments on Bespin. One of my favorite subjects! Unlike Lei a, I couldn't imagine Han being an administrator. I think that being confined to Bespin, by responsibilities, would have slowly killed Han's spirit.

"Naked Peril" - Cypher does it again! She can take the most implausible situation and make it ... well ... plausible! The idea of fooling Han's mind into thinking that he was battling with invisible enemies — and making love to an invisible Ch'thorian (how does one pronounce this? K'thorian or Ch'thorian?) was very inventive, and demonstrates how powerful the mind can be. I liked the personal touches Cypher put into this story, such as Corellians having a very high metabolism. This story also proves the point that in many situations, brains will win over brawn. Had Han's logic not figured out the situation, he'd have been a goner.

"Confessions of a Fordaholic" - A very nice, amusing story, showing Karen's great sense of humour. I had great fun looking for all the famous Ford-phrases from various films. Karen also put into writing something I think most of us have experienced: the very pleasant by-product of fandom — new friends! I liked Barbara's illo for this story, and enjoyed finding the 'Ford things' the fan was wearing. I especially liked the more subtle ones like Halloran's army badge, the '55 Chevy necklace, the "Tommy" charm bracelet, and the teddy bear. (Am I correct in assuming that this refers to Richard Walker's teddy bear? (Absolutely. Jenny) If so, it wouldn't cover much, would it?!)

"Sweet Dreams" - Being a sucker for stories in which John and Rachel are reunited, I adored this one. I liked the fact that John's fellow detectives were so willing to help him. I thought that a realistic touch was that Cat Anson didn't enforce celibacy on Book. Hurting as he was, it was perfectly reasonable to believe that he might turn to another woman for comfort. I have to say that I thought the hostage situation with Samuel was resolved a tad too easily for me, but, all in all, this was a great story. I did feel sorry for Trish, though.

"Just Part Of The Job" - A nice portrait of Solo as a daddy. I can just see him being a big softy with kids.

"Shiloh Spring" - An interesting tale from Wanda. Bitter-sweet, I think adequately sums it up. I hope poor Willie Bill finds peace now he's had a proper burial.

"Ties That Bind" - I'd never before read a Willie Bill Beardon story, and then I find two in one zine. Wow! This was a gripping story. Those Comancheros were a real mean bunch. The letter at the end was a beautiful touch.

"The Mark Of A Lady" - A nice little story with a very funny ending. Scoundrel!

"Your Friend Is Quite A Mercenary" - Another beautifully written Han story from Cat Anson. She depicts Han and Leia's growing feelings with just the right amount of yearning and stubbornness in refusing to acknowledge that yearning. With every story she writes. Cat Anson reveals more and more about her version of Han's enigmatic past, and is doing it admirably. Particularly touching was that Han did not know his actual age, having no proper birth certificate. Evidence of such a difficult life gives credible reasons for Han's hugely independent, and seemingly selfish nature. Poor Han got "trashed" again. A history of having his back whipped seems to be quite a favorite with fan writers for this poor flyboy. I know of two other writers who have Han with a whip-scarred back. Barbara did some lovely illos for this story. I especially like the one on page 186, the expressions on the faces of Han, Leia and Luke speak volumes, especially Luke, who looks like he'd rather be anyplace than with the argumentative couple. Obviously, I love the illo on page 151. An observation about the illo on page 165: Han's weapon looks rather more like Deckard's BLADE RUNNER gun, than Solo's blaster.

I love Jack Ryan's business card. I know what kind of 'covers' I'd like to get him 'under.' Ha ha. Which reminds me, I don't know the official meaning of the initials GIB, but as soon as I saw them, the words "Great in Bed" sprang to my mind, which shows you how my mind works in regards to Harrison!

"Trust Fund" - This has to get my 'Best of Zine' vote. Having read Barbara Anderson's "It's Not Over Yet" in FLIP #7, I feel that this story followed very nicely. The storyline was credible and packed to the margins with action and emotion. I thought Han was very brave, and selfless to alienate himself in order to flush out the Imperial spy. It was a shame that Leia had to suffer, too, but I could see Luke's point.

Mon Mothma had me spitting fire with her prejudice against Han. She seemed to be only too thrilled to have reason to doubt Han's loyalty to the Alliance. I had a good laugh when Han offered her his 'services' for that sensor dish; even Mim wasn't immune to the abundant charms of the caressible Corellian!

I was glad that Luke was given a love interest. In many stories he seems to be doomed to a life of celibacy.

I was pleased with Leia's decision to leave with them. I hate to think of Han being grounded. He needs to be free to roam the galaxy.

I found Leia's worry about 'losing control' with Han both amusing and touching. I knew she couldn't resist him for long, though. Who could? Cartoon-wise, I loved Barbara Anderson's 'conception' on the inside of the front cover. I laughed aloud at Wanda's cartoon on page 67, and as for the cartoon inside the back cover, well, it certainly gives one new incentives to take up fishing as a hobby!

Thank you so much for printing my sketch on FLIP OF A COIN 15. I am thrilled beyond belief! Thanks also for sending me a contributor's copy, and for all the hard work you both put in to bring FLIP to us hungry Ford fans. I'm already looking forward to 16!