I Care

Zine
Title:	I Care
Publisher:
Editor(s):	Anne Marie Gazzolo
Date(s):	1998-2002
Series?:
Medium:	fanzine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Wars
External Links:	WayBack Archive link to flyers , WayBack link for one of the artists/writers, website
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

I Care is a gen anthology of Star Wars fan fiction.

Some of the stories are archived at the Dragon Library and the Dark Vs Light Archive.

The Zine's Focus

The zine's focused on family relationships.

It advertised itself as: "The continuing celebration of the love in Star Wars." In an LoC in the fourth issue, a fan commented: "I have noticed how you have quoted from Catholic sources in I CARE. I've really enjoyed how the stories in your zine have an underlying Catholic morality to them."

The editor of this zine series had comments in an issue of Snowfire complaining about a tasteful nude, non-explicit nude of Leia Organa as well as her unhappiness at some religious imagery. Gazzolo also had positive comments in Snowfire regarding what she felt were the pro-life messages of at least one story in that zine series.

Submission Request

Submissions are being accepted for love stories, poems, filk and art. No sex, no pornography, no rape, no incest, no language, no violence.

Nothing but good old-fashioned love in all its myriad forms - between brothers and sisters, friends, husband and wife, father and son, mother and daughter, etc. Re-read James Kahn if you're wondering what I'm looking for.

Stories, poems and filk must be typewriten. Stories must be double-spaced. Cover art wil be color, inside art wil be black and white - no larger than 8 1/2 by 11.

Characters from the movies, novels, etc. are preferred, but I wil consider others You can use any timeline - past, present or future.

I love the novels (except Shadows), but their main fault is that our heroes rarely share the same page together and that's a shame - hence one of the reasons for this zine. Think of the possibilities! Re-write Shadows!

Put words to "Luke and Leia" or any of the other themes!

Change history and bring Brakiss back to the light!

Continue the story of Wedge and Qwi Xux!

I cannot guarantee I wil accept everything, but I welcome your submissions.

Please include a SASE or e-mail address if you wish an acknowledgment.

No submissions, including artwork, wil be retumed, so send copies.

An accepted story of four or more pages, three poems, cover art or two or more inside art wil give you a free copy! Anything less will be 50% off.

There is no minimum or maximum of pages, but longer stories (more than twenty double-spaced pages) will be spread out over succeeding issues.

Issue 1

I Care 1 was published in November 1998 and contains 78 pages. The illos are by Linda Budinger and Karen Ong.

cover of issue #1

Editor's dedication:

First to God, for the gift of writing. May I always bring You glory.

[snipped]

To my nephews and nieces. Even the one who can't talk yet 'sings' the music.

To Padme Skywalker, for your courage and great love in giving up your children so they could live in freedom. Your tremendous sacrifice was not in vain. It is from you that your daughter has her strength and your son his great capacity to love.

To Luke Skywalker, dear, sweet knight, you I love the most. I share your father's pride in the man you have become and your sister's need for you to be happy. You have struggled to be your best and have inspired others to be their best. I have grieved at your pain, that your greatest wish of being a husband and father has remained unfulfilled. You will be so wonderful at both.I know you love being an uncle as much as I love being an aunt. I hope whoever you find realizes how lucky she is. I wish it was me.

To Leia Skywalker Organa Solo, you have the best of all possible worlds - sister, soulmate to twin and husband, wife and mother. Someday, you'll be an aunt, too. To Anakin Skywalker, for saving your son's life and your own soul by accepting his love and forgiveness.

To Owen and Beru Lars and Bail Organa and his wife, you lovingly raised your foster children with your own values so they would be strong and shine against the fall of night. They are as proud of you as you are of them.

To Wedge Antilles, a representative of all who fought the scourge of the Empire.

• Catharsis, fiction by Kristyn K. Rose (Shows what Shadows should have been about.) (4)
• Luke and Leia, fiction by Michelle Lunsford (Shows what Shadows should have been about.) (28)
• Tatooine Morning, fiction by Sinead Reilly (Gives you the opportunity to eavesdrop on a conversation between Owen and Beru Lars about their foster son.) (33)
• Friendships Forged, fiction by Mary Jo Fox (How Luke and Wedge cemented their friendship after the destruction of the first Death Star.) (37)
• Reunions and Partings, fiction by Anne Marie Gazzolo (40)
• Promises Kept by Matt Kirkby (A tender story of Admiral Girndt and his love.) (45)
• Echoes of the Past, Hope for the Future, fiction by Anne Marie Gazzolo (Relives the pain and love of those nights on Endor and the second Death Star that changed the lives of Anakin, Luke and Leia Skywalker.) (50)
• You, poem by Yvette Ghilan (57)
• To Share, poem by Yvette Ghilan (58)
• Come with Me, poem by Anne Marie Gazzolo (59)
• Hope, poem by Anne Marie Gazzolo (60)
• Consolation, poem by Yvette Ghilan (61)
• Anakin, poem by Anne Marie Gazzolo (62)
• Dark Vader, poem by Linda Budinger (63)
• The Call to Adventure, poem by Denise M. Roper (65)
• A Mother's Lament, poem by Anne Marie Gazzolo (67)
• Red Five, poem by Anne Marie Gazzolo (68)
• Tears, poem by Anne Marie Gazzolo (69)
• On That Walkway, poem by Anne Marie Gazzolo (69)
• Some Kind of Hero, poem by Denise Roper (70)
• Leia, poem by Anne Marie Gazzolo (71)
• A Letter to Luke from Han, poem by Wendy Schwartz (73)
• Dear Luke, poem by Karen Wiles (74)
• Why Haven't We Heard from You?, filk by Wendy Schwartz (75)

• 

  from issue #1, Linda Budinger

• 

  from issue #1, Linda Budinger

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

Thank you very much for I Care. You made a fine zine, it looks proper with the nice quotations on the cover.

I love the idea of your zine! You're right... "Catharsis" was made for it. And your compliment about this story being how "Shadows should have been" really means a lot to me. I wrote it before Shadows of the Empire, and was disappointed in that book when I read it. I love writing about the relationships in Star Wars, which are really the heart of this whole storyline. I really liked it! I'm so glad you stayed away from the "trashy" stuff that so many people write about in SW. That was refreshing! And you were SO nice in the things you said about my story....thank you. I enjoyed the other writing in it, too. Quite fun. Good job!!! I look forward to another I Care. Keep up the good work!

Compliments on a good job with the zine. Great stories (even if I have read half of them on the Internet) and poetry in there, yours especially. Great work on I Care and I'm looking forward to issue #2.

[From Linda Budinger, who went on to do the covers for #2-#5]:

I would LOVE to be a contributing writer for I Care. While there are many good SW fanzines out there, most focus on the "shoot-'em-up" aspect of Star Wars and neglect the softer sides of Han, Luke and Leia. I believe in what you're doing with / Care and would love to be part of it.I'm hoping that now that I have more time on my hands my writing will flourish. And I Care seems like a perfect canvas.I especially liked "Luke and Leia" by Michelle Lunsford. The twins acted very true to their characters and I thought the story gave new insight into the situation of finding Han.

Sinead Reilly's "Tatooine Morning" was particularly enjoyable, as it helped to add to what that final morning must have been like for Owen and Bern. Of your own work, I thought "Reunions and Partings" was spectacular — it really added to Luke's departure in ROT J Having all of that mental dialogue was really new and exciting to explore. "Echoes of the Past, Hope for the Future" was also very intriguing — I loved the comfort Luke and Leia shared in the story. The language was also very vivid and colorful, but not overdone. Mary Jo Fox's work was also fun to read. Of the poetry, I enjoyed Yvette Ghilan's "You" and Denise M. Roper's "The Call to Adventure"and "Some Kind of Hero". The artwork was tasteful, although there needs to be more of it, i my opinion. But that will surely be remedied in #2 — I will contribute art if you need it, as I like to draw. Astoundingly, I can think of absolutely no criticisms to provide you with — I was very happy with the zine and I look forward to #2! It's great to know that so many talented writers have come together to work on a zine that strays away from the mainstream, shoot-'em-up hodgepodge of garbage that's out there. There are few SlTzines that I feel really live up to the stand^d George Lucas set. That, I believe, is because too few of us get what SW is really all about. It is about the caring and the hope for the future. As Lucas once said, it was a saga for a generation growing up without fairy tales. In I Care, we continue to write that saga. I believe that I Care is one of the few zines out there that provides the kind of quality, talented fan work that long-time fans deserve! Congratulations on a marvelous success, Anne Marie! You are very talented and deserve it! I will be sure to contribute some good work!

I think you've got a great idea for a zine. The zine was really excellent! It's refreshing to read and porn/no slash/no rape zine. There's a lot of offensive stuff out there in fandom and I try to avoid it. That incest stuff is just too gross! The only thing worse are those Luke and Han slash epics. Yuck! I avoid 'em like the plague. Your zine is an oasis of wholesomeness in a fandom which definitely has a dark side. I see you don't welcome any Callista stories. Great! I was glad when she dumped Luke. He deserves someone better than her. I think that one woman's soul occupying another woman's body is an abomination akin to Palpatine's quest for immortality by occupying clone bodies and coveting the body of baby Anakin Solo in the Dark Empire series. I really enjoyed the premiere issue of I Care. You should be commended on the excellent editing job you did on this zine and all of your contributors should be complimented on their submissions. This zine was definitely quality throughout! I hope there will be many more issues to come."Catharsis" by Kristyn K. Rose was very impressive. The opening dream sequence was quite"real" at first. The loud thrumming and the faint whir of servomotors in Luke's right hand were great clues to allow both our hero and the reader to realize that this is not "reality" but a dream.This device really pulled me into the story. Nice job. I think Luke and Leia were characterized very well in this story. I especially enjoyed the brief flashbacks of Luke's youth on Tatooine and vague memories of his mother. That Luke's frustration at not being able to discuss his father's true identity with anyone would lead him to confide in Artoo was a nice touch. Both Luke and Leia are wounded in spirit after the events of TESB. In this tale, they seem to exemplify that the wounds of the soul take longer to heal than the wounds of the flesh. Vader also shares their woundedness and comes across as a sympathetic character, especially at the conclusion of this story when he realizes who Leia really is and feels guilt for his crimes against her. This contradicts ROT J if taken at face value. However, if Vader kept his knowledge of Leia's relationship secret from the Emperor, then he could have deceived Palpatine in ROTJ by pretending to "discover" this information by reading Luke's mind."Luke and Leia" by Michelle Lunsford also deals with the twins confiding in each other during this post- TESB period. I liked the way Luke has matured in his feelings toward Leia in this story. That they were able to express their love for each other in such a mature fashion was refreshing and touching. This was an enjoyable read. The pro novels could use a few more moments such as these."Tatooine Morning" by Sinead Reilly was a very believable extension of Owen's and Bern's last conversation in ANH. I wonder how many of Owen's "opinions" about Ben will be justified in the light of the upcoming prequels. Is Obi-Wan really the liar that Owen believes him to be or is Owen's dislike of the Jedi the result of some other factor? Jealousy? Sibling rivalry?"Friendships Forged" by Mary Jo Fox was a nice glimpse at the "humanity" of Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles, a couple of "regular guys" as Wedge would say it. After the events of this story, Luke will face the greatest tragedy and triumph of his lifetime and eventually become aJedi master possessing incredibly power, with ability to perform seemingly miraculous feats with the power of the Force. It's nice to know that Luke will always have Wedge for a friend,someone who relates to him as a human being, someone who will probably always think of him as a "regular guy." Luke needs friends like that.I usually don't care for "Imperial" stories, but Matt Kirkby's "Promises Kept" was a good sentimental tale that showed the human side of one particular Imperial officer. One can definitely sympathize with the enemy in this tale.Anne Marie, both of your stories were very touching and tied in nicely with Kristyn's and Michelle's interpretation of Luke and Leia's feelings toward each other. I especially liked the Alderaanian "terms of endearment" in "Echoes of the Past, Hope for the Future". Gina Goad's"Confiding in Leia" was a nice post-script which neatly summarized the theme of the story section of this zine. Leia says it best, "We're only human, after all." Indeed, they are. That's why they care.I enjoyed the poetry section, too. Yvette Ghilan's focus of Luke and Leia's closeness tied in nicely with the majority of the stories on this zine that illustrate how they confide in and sympathize with one another, each drawing strength from the other. Anne Marie, your work also fits into this category. I liked your poems which expressed Vader's guilt and his wife's sorrow.I though "A Mother's Lament" was especially moving. I liked the other poems in this section,too. Thanks for publishing my two. It's nice to see my first "serious" fan poetry in print. And in regards to Wendy Schwartz's filk; I totally agree! Once again, good job everyone. Let's all hope I Care will continue to celebrate the love for a long time. I am definitely interested in buying your next issue.

You are very talented. Your talent shines through whether you are familiar with the subject or not. I am going to watch the films to get all the nuances.

I think it's fabulous that you publish a fanzine-what a neat project.

I immediately read I Care after opening and it was most enjoyable. The cover was a bit bland,but the red on white made a statement. The various quotes seemed appropriate."Life is too short for bad poetry"? Has nothing to do with SW, but I like it nonetheless.CATHARSIS: It was sad...yet it was poignant. I liked how the stored threaded between several viewpoints...that gave it a good readable quality. Kristyn really got into the mindsets of the characters. LUKE AND LEIA: Their relationship certainly evolved over the saga. The farm boy and princess romance from ANH seemed logical at the time, but who would have suspected they were family? This look at the two relying on each other in that steady fashion is perfectly in character. Each is so strong in public, yet has a sensitive side which needs replenishment from another...and who better than a sibling? TATOOINE MORNING: Bern is such a quiet woman...one has to wonder what her attracted her to Owen? Of course, we knew the ending of this story in advance.FRIENDSHIPS FORGED: Mary Jo is a good writer...and this was a good story.REUNIONS AND PARTINGS: A nice reworking of the scenes from ROJ and most enjoyable.PROMISES KEPT: I've not read this story since I submitted it and I'd forgotten how sad and semi-tragic it just was. ECHOES.. Another reworking of known footage, yet still good. CONFIDING; Echoes my comments on replenishment and exterior images from L&L.YOU: Yvette is a really good poet.

The zine turned out really well, with a good mix of stories that are refreshingly off the beaten fanfiction path. I don't like overly-sentimental material, and thankfully most of the stories avoided getting too syrupy. Fd have to say my favorites were "Catharsis," "Tatooine Morning," and"Promises Kept." As for the poems, I especially enjoyed Yvette's, Denise's, Anne Marie's work.Wendy Schwartz's filk was especially timely! Keep up the good work everyone!

Issue 2

I Care 2 was published in October 1999 and has 204 pages. Cover art by Linda Budinger. The interior art is by Gina S Goad, Linda Budinger, Karen Ong, Amanda Palumbo, Jason Lagoa, and "My Oldest Niece."

l cover of issue #2, Linda Budinger

The editor notes that it is "Y2K compliant."

The disclaimer:

No infringement upon the exclusive right of Lucasfilm, Ltd. or anyone else is intended. The copyright protects only the original thoughts presented here. No money is being made on this zine. We are just showing our love for the people we met "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away."

From the publisher's online flyer:

The continuing celebration of the love in Star Wars is available. It includes masterpieces such as "Restoration" in which Luke and Leia discover their half-brother Kaleb; "Soulmates", a tale of what Shadows of the Empire should have been about; "Welcomed Fragment of the Past", Darth Vader reunites with his mother; "Willing to Change", a story of Luke and Mara; "Empire of the Heart", the sequel to "Promises Kept" which appeared in Issue 1 about Grand Admiral Gimdt and his love; plus art galore and some of the best poetry this side of Mos Eisley.

• Restoration by Gina S. Goad (In which Luke and Leia discover their half-brother Kaleb.) (10)
• Soulmates by Anne Marie Gazzolo (A tale of what Shadows of the Empire should have been about.) (92)
• Lifeline (Bespin) by Linda Budinger (100)
• Missing You by Mary Jo Fox (101)
• Welcomed Fragment of the Past by Selinthia Avenchsca (Darth Vader reunites with his mother.) (102)
• Life Line by Anne Marie Gazzolo (116)
• So Far from Home by Anne Marie Gazzolo (153)
• Children by Anne Marie Gazzolo (155)
• Anakin's Remorse
• Forgiveness by Amy S. Farmer (157)
• To My Best Friend by Amy S. Farmer (157)
• My Son by Anne Marie Gazzolo (158)
• Nightmare by Gina S. Goad (162)
• I Wish I Could Go With You by Anne Marie Gazzolo (163)
• Mother by Yvette Ghilan (165)
• If I Could by Gina S. Goad (166)
• Kinship by Anne Marie Gazzolo (167)
• The Call by Yvette Ghilan (168)
• Father Please by Amanda Palumbo (169)
• Vader's Deathby Yvette Ghilan (172)
• Farewell by Anne Marie Gazzolo (173)
• Light and Dark by Anne Marie Gazzolo (176)
• Hearts Calling Out, Two Souls Answering by Anne Marie Gazzolo (175)
• Willing to Change by Gina S. Goad (A story of Luke and Mara.) (178)
• My Husband by Anne Marie Gazzolo (183)
• Complete by Anne Marie Gazzolo (184)
• Empire of My Heart by Matt Kirkby (The sequel to "Promises Kept" which appeared in Issue 1 about Grand Admiral Gimdt and his love.) (185)
• Anakin's Awakening by Gina S. Goad (189)
• Padawan by Gina S. Goad (191)
• Heart of Darkness by Anne Marie Gazzolo (197)
• Discoveries by Anne Marie Gazzolo (202)
• wILL by Anne Marie Gazzolo (204)
• Beloved Skywalker by Amanda Palumbo (207)
• Under the Weather by Gina S. Goad (208)
• Blood Bond by Linda Budinger (212)
• Revelry by Mary Jo Fox (215)
• Summoning by Amanda Palumbo (218)
• Luke by Karen Hamill (204)

• 

  from issue #2, Linda Budinger

• 

  from issue #2, Gina S. Goad

• 

  from issue #2, Gina S. Goad

• 

  from issue #2, Amanda Palumbo

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

I'm sure it's a terrific zine judging by the writers and quality content you strive for... thank you for putting out what sounds like a good, clean zine. I've been reading some Leia/Han zines lately that have near soft-porno in them, and it's making me uncomfortable to see fan fiction move in that direction.

Your second issue seems to have doubled in size! It was nice to see Gina Goad's "Restoration"finally find a home after all of these years. I would have to say my favorite story this time around was "Welcomed Fragment From the Past" by Selinthia Avenchesca. She always comes up with interesting stuff. I also enjoyed tremendously Matt Kirkby's "Empire of My Heart" sweet and heartbreaking. In fact, I think most of the stories had a sad, bittersweet tone to them. The poems as well.All in all, a very solid #2. Lots of luck on issue #3.

I just finished I Care #2 and it was amazing, simply dazzling. "Soulmates" by Anne Marie Gazzolo with a real 4 star story. Leia said in ROTJ that "somehow [she'd] always known..." that Luke was her brother, but no scenes in the original trilogy really supported/demonstrated tha tbut I am convinced that this piece is the missing link!"Missing You" by Mary Jo Fox was obviously from Shmi to Anakin, but was so good that it nonetheless reminded me of a friend I lost just over a year ago. Played on the emotions without being fluffy . Kudos on this and on "Revelry", Mary Jo!A nice surprise was "Welcomed Fragment of the Past" by Selinthia Avenchsca — wow! Vader meeting his mother? This was by far a more interesting piece than the dozens I've read outside of I Care. It was tastefully done, believable...I hope to read more of Selinthia's work in the future! She really has a handle on Shmi's character and I loved how Anakin shone through Vader s black armor....Overall, I loved #2 — amazing contributors, artwork and masterpieces. Great work to everyone who was involved!I really believe in /Care and I think it displays some of the best fan fie writers out there. I Care 2 was phenomenal...It's gorgeous and it's huge!! I am SO EXCITED....wow, am I happy! I didn't except my monstrosity of a story to be first — I am so honored!

What amazes me most about your writing is the depth of the relationships you write about. It is my opinion that very few people experience these feelings in their life (I think mainly out of fear of dealing with their most inner thoughts)and that even fewer would be able to appreciate and understand the love that you write about. I m just amazed whenever I read your stuff.

I was so glad to get my copy of the second issue. Thanks a lot! It looks quite good and there is more art work than in your premier issue. I Care #2 turns out to be a good mixture between stories, art, and poetry!

Love the cover. I think #3 is superior to the understatedness of #1, but I have a preference for art-laden covers. I didn't' love every story and poem in the zine. I must admit to liking the "shoot em up action/adventure" stories more than the love-laden tales. But this zine did have several worth noting -- and rereadings!

LIFELINE - I liked its simplicity.

WELCOMED FRAGMENT OF THE PAST - The best story in the zine. I never expected to see Shmi again and thought that this meeting with her son was perfectly in character. How would Shmi have felt learning that her son was one of the most evil beings in the galaxy? How would Vader react to seeing her again?

SO FAR FROM HOME - A mournful lament by Amidala.

ANAKIN'S REMORSE - I was shocked and horrified when I read that seen in VP... the Heroes never die. Leaving Chewie behind has got to be far worse on Anakin than we can imagine.

REVELRY - My second fave story in this collection. I loved it. I could see the action exactly, hear the voices they spoke.

I just finished reading I Care 2 and I enjoyed it, especially the poetry.... I never encountered such a large amount of good fan poetry in one zine before!... I lked the stories, especially the ones featuring Luke and Mara (Lifeline and Willing to Change). I can't wait for the next issue!... Keep those great Luke stories coming!

Issue 3

I Care 3 was published in December 2000 and and contains 260 pages. The cover is by Linda Budinger. There is no interior art.

l cover of issue #3, Linda Budinger

From the publisher's online flyer: "Continuing to celebrate the love in Star Wars, now available with another stunning cover, "A Father's Kiss", a moving take in which Luke and Mara almost lose a child, "Soiree", about a dinner party some months after Bespin that Luke, Leia and Vader attend with some very interesting conversations taking place, "Episode I Revisited: The Skywalker Menace" which I think is a better version of events than the original, "Full Circle"--what if Han and Leia had had a fourth child?, "Attachment of Hearts", a Luke and Mara story, "Reflections of a Son"--a poem of Luke's thoughts about this father and family, "Promises Made"--a prequel to the story of "Promises Kept" that was in Issue #1 about Girndt and his love, Shadur, plus filks, tons of poems and much more."

• A Father's Kiss by Ray Lin Djo (Solo, Luke and Mara almost lose a child.) (6)
• Soiree by Kathryn Olsen and Anne Marie Gazzolo (About a dinner party some months after Bespin that Luke, Leia and Vader attend with some very interesting conversations taking place.) (9)
• Reflections of a Son by Michelle Lunsford (A poem of Luke's thoughts about this father and family.) (24)
• poems by Michelle Lunsford (24)
• poems by Anne Marie Gazzolo (25)
  • A Soul in Agony (26)
  • Father (26)
  • Let Me Look Upon You with My Own Eyes (28)
• Episode I Revisited: The Skywalker Menace by Nicole Niemiec (29)
• For Those of You Who Tuned in Late by Nicole Niemiec (29)
• A Teacher's Farewell by Mary Jo Fox (75)
• Realization by Mary Jo Fox (70)
• A Sister's Joy (80)
• A Better Union by Ben Hazard (Luke and Mara's wedding, plus what happened to her parents.) (81)
• Attachment of Hearts by Anne Marie Gazzolo (A Luke and Mara story.) (104)
• Wedded Bliss (102)
• Soulmates (103)
• A New Generation by Ray Lin Djo Solo (126)
• Tangled Web by Kathryn Olsen (131)
• Anakin's Plea/Amidala's Lament (146)
• The Prophecy by Yvette Ghilan (147)
• A Mother's Regret by Dianora (148)
• The Twins by Anne Marie Gazzolo (150)
• Reunion (161)
• Connected (162)
• Walking with Ghosts (164)
• He is Gone (165)
• Last Rites by Yvette Ghilan (166)
• Accepting the Shadows of the Past - Valerie Vancollie (Luke and Leia try to come to terms with their parentage and its implications.) (167)
• Vader's Daughter by Yvette Ghilan (185)
• Full Circle by Gina S. Goad (What if Han and Leia had had a fourth child?) (186)
• When All the Stars Were Falling by Kathryn Olsen (223)
• filks by Wendy Schwartz
  • Saying Goodbyes (Luke's Song) (232)
  • Where've You Been? (234)
  • You're in Love (238)
  • We Were Stars Wars When Star Wars Wasn't Cool (259)
• Grief by Mary Jo Fox (235)
• Anniversary by Matt Kirkby (236)
• Promises Made by Matt Kirkby (A prequel to the story of "Promises Kept" that was in Issue #1 about Girndt and his love, Shadur.) (239)
• Who Gives This by Kathryn Olsen (240)
• Same As Always, Only Sweeter by Wendy Schwartz (249)
• Unspoken Love by T.J. Perkins (253)
• Wordmatch by T.J. Perkins (257)
• My Luke by Karen Hamill (260)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

I Care was absolutely the best zine I've read in a long, long time! It was truly outstanding.

"Soiree" by Olsen and Gazzolo featured a great interaction between Leia and Vader. I especially liked the insertion of Leia's quote from the ANH novelization, "They were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Naturally they became heroes." The displays of affection between Luke and Leia throughout the story were very touching. I also thought the intense scene between Luke and Vader was superbly written. These were some of the best Luke, Leia and Vader scenes I've read in fan fiction. Wonderful!

My favorite poem in the zine was "A Soul in Agony" (Gazzolo). The lines that really stayed with me were: "My heart has been flayed raw/My identity has been destroyed." You really captured Luke's pain in this scene.I don't generally like time travel stories, but Nicole Niemiec's "Episode I Revisited: The Skywalker Menace" was very convincing. I especially liked Luke and Mara's thought-provoking discussion of time travel theories (p. 38-39). The prequel characters and characterization ofLuke and Mara were handled very well.

I also thought Niemiec's "For Those of You Who Tuned in Late" was very cute.

I loved the romance and humor in "A Better Union". Being of fan of that comics mini-series,I was curious about Ben Hazard's version of the story. Parts of it were laugh-out-loud funny!

The poems "Wedded Bliss" and "Soulmates" (Gazzolo) were beautiful. I liked the way you used these to introduce "Attachment of Hearts". I liked the romance in this story, and it's nice to see Luke and Mara are finally parents.

"To Our Child" was a good follow-up to that story. I liked the font you used, and the use of the "Skycrawler" nickname for the baby.

Other stories that I enjoyed were "Tangled Web" and "When All the Stars Were Falling" by Kathryn Olsen, "The Twins" (Gazzolo) and "Accepting the Shadows of the Past" by Valerie Vancollie. I thought Wendy Schwartz's filk "Saying Goodbyes" was very good and I can really relate to her "We Were Star Wars When Star Wars Wasn't Cool".

In summary, I Care #3 was excellent, really outstanding! I really enjoyed it - I think it was one of the best zines I've ever read!! All of your contributors are to be commended on a job well done!

Within 24 hours, I had read the entire issue of I Care ^3. This in itself is a compliment, as getting through some other fanzines tend to take days while I sift through the unworthy contributions. You have really outdone yourself! I was so happy to ready all the great work in#3... I Care has once again produced 100% noteworthy, talented submissions in all categories.

I was surprised by the lack of artwork, but the stories more than made up for that. Unique and intriguing were "Soiree" by Kathryn Olsen and Anne Marie Gazzolo and "Episode I Revisited; The Skywalker Menace." I especially liked the warm, fun tone of Nicole's work "For Those of You Who Tuned in Late." Often authors explore Luke and Mara as parents, but rarely do they envision them as grandparents. I also thoroughly enjoyed Anne Marie's "Attachment o fHearts" which showed a lot of detailed, affectionate interaction between Mara and Luke. RayLin Djo Solo's "A New Generation" was also refreshing. How often do we get a good story with Anakin (Solo) as the centerpiece?

Mary Jo - way to go with "Grief"! I just finished all the Jedi Apprentice books myself and seeing a story dealing with that series is refreshing. There is a lot of substance to the kids'novels and I think more people should try and produce some fan fic to go along with what's already out there.

Anne Marie and Yvette Ghilan are extremely talented in their poetry. My favorite was probably "Last Rites" by Yvette, since it flowed so easily.Much props to all those who worked hard on #3! I hope everyone contributes again next issue.

I look forward to reading your masterpieces!

I was blissfully happy to arrive home and find the 'zine in my pile of mail. Nothing like opening to the first page and seeing your name in print. Sigh... I love the story wherein you used the truly happy quote. Overall, it was an awesome compilation.

Thanks for the copy of I Care 3. I...read the first piece ("A Father's Kiss") and liked it. The only point that makes me a bit sad is the lack of artwork. But as long as I don't find the time to do more than the cover art, I feel I can't blame the other contributors. I read the poems (instead of the spoiler warning you gave. I am too curious!) in I Care.

Love the cover...All the great Skywalker Jedi...and Amidala of course. Bright and colourful...and very nice.Another great collection of stories and poetry this time around. Always nice to see familiar authors return, and of course be joined by first-timers.

SOIREE has to be my fave story this issue. What started as a standard diplomatic mission so quickly became so much more. You and Kathryn got into the characters and made them come alive. You made Vader a human... poignant and touching, with his memories of his wife. His casual brutality was there, and yet a sense of innocence almost when talking with Luke about his fall. Bravo!Nicole's

THE SKYWALKER MENACE was another great story...! gotta admit to a certain fondness for Star Trek-like time-space rips and time travel and this was a spectacular story. I can see Mara (of that time period) willing to sacrifice everything to prevent the rise of the Emperor. I really loved seeing Mara interact with Senator Palpatine, knowing full well the depths of his evil even at that time. It was also neat to see Luke interact with Anakin, also knowing what darkness lay in store for the young boy.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO TUNED IN LATE is yet another in a long line of fairy tales turned into SW stories...or vice versa. And this is still interesting.

A BETTER UNION was an ok view of the wedding. I'd like see more of Talon Kaarde and Shadaa in a future issue!

ATTACHMENT OF HEARTS was good too. I wonder if the official novels will manage to write Mara's pregnancy with equal quality and care?

ANAKIN'S PLEA was a great poem...in his final moments of life, what sorrow must Anakin have felt at all the evil he had caused for the last twenty-odd years.

A MOTHER'S REGRET was good too. We can only imagine what Amidala went through after Anakin's fall.

WALKING WITH GHOSTS flowed well. It had a good pattern to it.

I quite enjoyed ACCEPTING THE SHADOWS OF THE PAST. I can see Luke being far more accepting of Anakin's redemption than Leia.

VADER'S DAUGHTER is a wonderful poem.WHEN ALL THE STARS WERE FALLING was another excellent story. I enjoyed the humour in the story - the give-and-take between Han and Leia for example. ("A princess needs a retinue, might as well be a horde!")

GRIEF was short and touching. I loved the JA books and this story fits into them perfectly.

WHO GIVES THIS was great. I liked how Winter kept making the wedding preparations perfect and commenting on it with her dry wit. ("We pulled rank.")I look forward to the next issue and am already working on some new stories. (And no, they won't be about Gimdt and Shadur this time).

WOW!!! It's huge! I love it! I'm enjoying reading all the other material in it and I have to admit I am surprised to find stories from the New Jedi Order series. It's so big it's gonna take awhile to get through...It's great to see a journal dedicated to good, clean Luke and Mara fanfic. Thanks again and keep up the great work!

Thanks for sending me a copy of I Care. It is wonderful. I couldn't put it down. You should have seen me. I was jumping up and down when I realized what it was. Some of the poems are really great. I can't wait to send you some more of my writings. You're the greatest.

I enjoyed Mary Jo Fox's "Realization" vignette on pg. 79 - cute! Also nice were your poems"Wedded Bliss" and "He is Gone," especially the latter with its mother/daughter perspectives. I wanted to congratulate you on all of your poetry, whether among my favorites or not; you are such a prolific poet that I find it amazing how you can keep writing such long pieces without running out of ideas or repeating yourself or becoming stale...! liked the storyline of "When All the Stars Were Falling" by Kathryn Olsen, and I liked that time period and setting and the strong bond felt between the three; their fast friendships and bond felt true to the movie. However, I thought it was way too talky; I don't think Leia and Han would've had that kind of emotionally revealing, all-topics-up-for-discussion type of conversation that early in their friendship (and discussing Darth Vader's childhood seemed really out of left field to bring up in general conversation)....My favorite pieces of the entire zine were Yvette Ghilan's beautiful "Vader's Daughter" and the excellent "Last Rites". Again, Yvette's poetry is stunning.... There was a serious lack of art in this zine (intentional???), but other than that, a nice, sweet read. Thanks.

Issue 4

I Care 4 was published in 2002 and contains 332 pages. The cover is by Linda Budinger. There are some interior illos by Gina S. Goad.

l cover of issue #4, Linda Budinger

From the editorial:

A word of warning: Those who are regular readers of this zine will know how fond I have been of stories the mushier, the better. "Darkness Falls" is, however, not all sweetness and light asyou can tell from the title. If you don't like dark stories, I would avoid it, but at the risk of showing a great lack of humility since I co-wrote it, if you do not read it, you will be missing one of the most powerful stories in here.

• A Small Measure of Comfort by Mary Jo Fox (7)
• Legacies by Kathryn Olsen (8)
• This Quiet by Gina S. Goad (13)
• Hold Me by Anne Marie Gazzolo (15)
• Knightfall by Anne Marie Gazzolo (16)
• Wonderings by Anne Marie Gazzolo (68)
• Nativity by Yvette Ghilan (69)
• This I Know by Gina S. Goad (70)
• Anniversary Reflections by Valerie Vancollie (72)
• The Last Days by Anne Marie Gazzolo and Kathryn Olsen (75)
• You're Who? by Anne Marie Gazzolo (116)
• Hero - Valerie Vancollie (Overwhelmed by his sudden hero status after the Battle of Yavin, Luke tries to escape it all for a little while.) ("This story was written as a response to a challenge posted on the FanfiX mailing list.") (117)
• Family Ties by Anne Marie Gazzolo (121)
• High Tension by Solo Jones (122)
• Darkness Falls by Anne Marie Gazzolo and Gina S. Goad (141)
• Lessons Learned by Anne Marie Gazzolo (172)
• Three Stories by Yvette Ghilan (173)
• The Journey Home by Anne Marie Gazzolo and Kathryn Olsen (174)
• Ask Me Again, Sometime... by Yvette Ghilan (284)
• Points of View by Anne Marie Gazzolo (285)
• The Force's Way by Wendy Schwart (288)
• Victory Down by Anne Marie Gazzolo and Kathryn Olsen (289)
• A Night to Remember by D.L. Slaten (306)
• Happy Birthday, Papa by Michele (310)
• A Mother's Love by Anne Marie Gazzolo (319)
• Best Friends by Anne Marie Gazzolo (320)
• Love, Me by Wendy Schwartz (321)
• My Favorite Things by Wendy Schartz (322)

• 

  from issue #4, Gina S. Good

• 

  from issue #4, Gina S. Good

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 4

I have noticed how you have quoted from Catholic sources in I CARE. I've really enjoyed how the stories in your zine have an underlying Catholic morality to them. Will there be more Luke and Mara stories next time? Those are my favorites!;) Keep up the great work! I'm looking forward to the next one.

It's simply fabulous!!! And so large!

I received...your fanzine "I Care" (which included my "Happy Birthday, Papa" story) and I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated it. This was the first fanzine I've ever had and I was really impressed by it. I haven't had a chance to read every story yet, but I read several already and enjoyed them immensely. There's just something nice abut being able to curl up in a comfy chair with written pages, instead of staring at a screen.. .Once again, thanks for "I Care" #4.You are all talented writers, poets and artists.

I just finished reading "I Care" #4 and I really enjoyed it a lot! I haven't had a lot of time to read any good "SW" fanfic for a while so this zine was a delight for my fic starved mind. I must also say that I loved the new type of spine you used for the zine as well, it made it a thousand times easier to read and enjoy the zine!I liked "A Small Measure of Comfort" by Mary Jo Fox, it was a nice little glimpse of what else transpired between Padme and Anakin in "TPM.""This Quiet" by Gina S. Goad was also a really nice vignette. I am not much of an Obi-Wan fan but this story was great and gave a good insight into Obi-Wan's mind after "TPM"! (Even though there were a few mistakes in it.). Her vignette "This I Know" was also beautifully written although I must confess I was confused for a while. At first I thought the person to be Luke and then Obi-Wan before I realized it was another Padawan. But a very nice glimpse of what the other Jedi must think during the Knighthood's fall.The poem "Hold Me" by Anne Marie Gazzolo was terrific. A gorgeous poem on love that so nicely describes the feelings between the Skywalker couples. While "Wonderings" is another lovely poem which expresses Amidala's thoughts very well! I also like the way you brought up the twin connection in "You're Who?" that worked very well with Leia's words in "ROTJ"when Luke tells her of their relationship. Bern's part in "Family Ties" was also very nicely done. I can just see her thinking like that about Luke and who he is while knowing that he has to be kept safe. But my favorite poem was definitely "Points of View." Probably because it involved all three Skywalkers from the Original Trilogy and really shows their connection to each other and their love for each other. I also enjoyed "The Last Days" a lot.The poem "Nativity" by Yvette Ghilan was also beautifully done. Very touching and full of emotion. As was "Three Stories." A nice way to sum up all the different versions of his father Luke was told and believed.I can't wait for the next issue!

I Care is a great fanzine! The idea of putting thoughts and ideas from statesmen etc. in the mouths of Star Wars people is very intriguing!

I received "I Care" 4 some time ago and am extremely happy. Thank you so much for all the effort you put into it. Great job to all the other writers as well! Wonderful stories! I can't wait for the next issue.

Issue 5

I Care 5 was published in 2002 and contains 332 pages. The cover is by Linda Budinger. The interior art is by Marion Mand/Ambersky, Gina S. Goad, and Linda Budinger.

l cover of issue #5, Linda Budinger

• Send Me an Angel by Anne Marie Gazzolo (5)
• Love by Anne Marie Gazzolo (7)
• I Stand Alone by Ben Max (8)
• You'll Be in My Heart by Bria (10)
• Goodbye, Little Baby by Jaina-Jude (12)
• Destiny by Anne Marie Gazzolo (13)
• The Decision by Yvette Ghilan (14)
• The First Time by Yvette Ghilan (15)
• Burden of Choice by Kathryn Olsen (16)
• Fate's Hand by Solo Jones (140)
• Sister to Brother by Linda Budinger (169)
• His Pain by Princess Kylye (171)
• Return to Light by Anne Marie Gazzolo and Valerie Vancollie (172)
• Awakening by Yvette Ghilran (199)
• Illusion and Disillusion by Anne Marie Gazzolo (200)
• Sonlight by Anne Marie Gazzolo (201)
• Going Another Way by Sue Parsons (202)
• Union by Anne Marie Gazzolo and Gina S. Goad (228)
• The Wedding Night by Mary Jo Fox (326)
• You're Too Old for This by Michele (328)
• Mothers and Sons by Anne Marie Gazzolo (331)
• Rebus Puzzle by Wendy Schwartz (332)

While it is not in the table of contents, this issue may contain The Worth of Useless Junk - Valerie Vancollie (Anakin manages to turn a potentially dangerous situation to his advantage.) ("This story was written as a response to the challenge posted on the FanfiX mailing list to do a story of 1000 words or less which included a rainstorm, a pit droid, a purple cloth of any sort and five coins. It is 996 words long.")

• 

  from issue #5, Ambersky

• 

  from issue #5, Gina S. Good

• 

  from issue #5, Ambersky/Marion Mand (also printed in Only Hope #4)