Interview with Mary Louise Dodge
| Interviews by Fans | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Interview with Mary Louise Dodge |
| Interviewer: | |
| Interviewee: | Mary Louise Dodge |
| Date(s): | 1981 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom(s): | Star Trek: TOS |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Interview with Mary Louise Dodge was conducted in 1981 and printed in Neutral Zine #1.
Excepts
What is your opinion of STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE?
I loved it -- but I'd read 3/4 of the way through the novelization before I saw it, so I could fill in the gaps in the plot, and appreciate particularly Shatner's excellent acting performance. Like most other people, I'd have liked more film of the cast and less of special effects, but after seeing it four times now, it doesn't bore me; in fact I enjoy it more each time.
Have you seen any resurgence of interest in STAR TREK since the movie came out?
There's a lot of new fans out there, some people who never watched the original series but were attracted by the qualities of the movie. The STW is getting lots of letters now, begging to know when the next movie or TV series will be coming — yes, there's been a lot of interest, but at the same time, some of the oldest fans seem to be dropping out. It seems as if they are jealous of so many new faces invading their territory, and even of the movie which didn't correspond to their views of what the future of the series should have been. By and large, there are more new fans coming than old ones leaving — fandom is really increasing.
You have been very involved in STAR TREK fan fiction, authoring (and co-authoring) many works for the Delta Triad series and a novel. The Castaways. Could you tell us a little about your past creative efforts and what you have in the works currently regarding STAR TREK?
I began by writing some new episodes of STAR TREK for young members of my family, then loaned them out to other fans, and eventually got a Kentucky flavored phone call from Laura Scarsdale and Melinda Shreve who wanted to start a zine, using my stories. This last couple years after five Delta Triads and about twenty-five stories, life was becoming so complicated with our jobs and other duties we decided to suspend DT because we didn't want the see the quality lessen. I've done some stories since: an Uhura story for Winston Howlett's Probe, which isn't out yet [1], a Kirk story for the William Shatner Fan Fellowship annual zine [2]; and I'm trying to get some work done for Teri Meyers, who wants to print a zine, using the Delta Triad name, sometimes this next year.
I also have about sixty pages out of some 350 on a TREK novel which Bantam suggested a couple years ago, and which I still have not had time and may never get time to get on paper!
What is your opinion of current STAR TREK fiction, both fan written and professional?
I don't read a lot of either because I've been so disappointed in the past. However, neither form seems to be fulfilling Roddenberry's wish that they use the future for commentary on the problems of the day. The professional novel is often more off-character than the fan-written efforts; and the fan novels are too often imitations of what the writer has seen in the movies and television. There isn't much imagination in either category.
What do you see as your future with STAR TREK and STAR TREK fandom?
I'm doing my best to cope with the Welcommittee work and a six day a week job, and I think that my STAR TREK writing may have to go in the face of my professional work. It's fun in writing STAR TREK but the house needs a new roof, and the kitchen floor has got to be replaced, and unless Pocket Books expresses some interest, I think my zine activities will have to be curtailed. But if we do get a new STAR TREK TV series, or a second movie, and Pocket Books finally comes along with some new novels which should be better since Roddenberry has to approve them, fans should have enough food and won't need so much zine material.