Moon Silver

Fanfiction
Title:	Silver Lady
Author(s):	Jane Firmstone
Date(s):	1980 or very, very early 1981
Length:
Genre(s):	het
Fandom(s):	Star Wars
Relationship(s):
External Links:
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Silver Lady was an underground Star Wars het story by Jane Firmstone. It was the story sent to Maureen Garrett and LucasFilm that set their antennas twitching about the possibility that fans were writing stories in a less than "wholesome" vein.

"Through the grapevine, it is also learned that an unpublished story outlining the adventures of Han Solo and a highly paid courtesan has been sent to Lucasfilms with less than positive results."

It was the first step in the chain of events that led to Open Letter to Star Wars Zine Publishers by Maureen Garrett.

The author explains:

Well, the latest thing on the burner is the issue of adult-oriented X- rated SW storles/zines. We should be finding out from St. George's legal crew what they will and what they won't allow, very shortly. A fanzine that claims it's going to be an adult SW zine will make it's appearance very shortly at Media West Con and it will be interesting to see what type of re action to Organia is from both the fans and from Lucasfilm. As an editor I was concerned when I first heard that there was going to be an X-rated zine. I had already heard the scuttlebutt that Lucas would make life unpleasant for anyone who committed such an act of outrage. (coff*coff) Then I started hearing really disturbing rumors like Lucas might try to close down all SW fanzines. So, I called Maureen Garrett at Lucasfilm and had an informative, if somewhat expensive, little chat. The upshot of the whole thing was that they had never seen an X-rated SW story and didn't know what they were getting upset about. Idiot that I am, I offered to send them "Moon Silver" my ancient X-rated Han and Silver Lady complete with R-rated illos. Now, this is a bit of erotic fluff that only contains one dirty word. How upset could they get? You don't wanna know. I got a letter from the Vice President of Lucasfilm demanding that I send him a signed statement that I would never have that story published anywhere! Now, I told them in the enclosed letter that I had no intention of publishing it. Why should I when it's already been around the world? If they get this upset about erotica, I don't want to see what they have to say about outright porn. While not having a particularly groveling attitude toward St. George, I can see his point in that these are his characters and he doesn't want to see them used in any way that would bastardize what he's done with them. Perhaps we should just keep the wonderfully smarmy stories under the table and continue to write a story this way if it keeps the dragon off our collective backs, perhaps it's worth it.

Another fan tells others about this story and how it affected her:

The controversy began when I... wrote to one artist, one editor, and a few other people about a possible Han and Luke story. The responded with 'The Word.' They said it was being spread throughout fandom that Lucas did not want Han/Luke stories. They said he objected to homosexuality. They said he objected to very explicit sexual material. They said, they said, they said. But WHERE, oh WHERE, was the WRITTEN WORD?... WHO was responsible for sending 'The Word.' Fear was generated AND much confusion. The next step was taken by one fan who wished to play martyr. She sent her story, an explicit sexual another, to Lucas. She questioned, 'How far CAN we go, Mr. Lucas?' She got her answer -- her story was a no-no. Well, I'd like to know just WHATEVER possessed her to do such a thing?"