Battle Stations!
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Battle Stations! (or "The Avon Apa") |
| Publisher: | Patti McClellan |
| Editor(s): | |
| Type: | APA |
| Date(s): | it was proposed in 1993, but did not make it off the ground |
| Frequency: | was to have been 3x year |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Blake's 7 |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Battle Stations! was a proposed het and slash Blake's 7 APA with a focus on the character of Avon from Blake's 7. It was sometimes referred to as the "AVON APA").
A Twisty Road to Publication
In 1993, this APA's creator, explained why she was not going to go ahead and publish it, and that she decided to offer her non-fiction trib with the same title to On the Wing:
Having been introduced to the world of the APA via On the Wing, and not having nearly enough outlets for my obsession with Blake's 7, it crossed my mind at one point to start a general APA of my own, since OTW is devoted to Tarrant, and I did want to discuss/argue/hear about some of the others as well. Someone wisely pointed out that such an endeavor would really eat into my writing time, and I decided not to give up any more than that. I still have a lot to write, and a lot of fun doing it. So, instead of starting Battle Stations as an APA, I am submitting it as my first contribution to Rallying Call.[1]
In 1994, McClellan wrote to Lysator and Virgule-L and asked for submissions:
BATTLE STATIONS! is an adults-only, Avon-oriented APA. A general tendency toward masochism, (or so I'm told) together with a desire for a forum in which I will not feel awkward focusing on my favorite (though not to the exclusion of the other characters, by any means) has resulted in this desperate move. Memberships will be initially limited to 15 members, in order to keep the APA down to a manageable size. Memberships will be given in order received per postmark until the roster is full. After that, a waiting list will be maintained. WARNING: If you are offended by slash topics, do not join!It is my position that adult includes slash. This is not _only_ a slash APA, but such topics will be discussed freely. The APA will not knowingly admit to membership anyone under the age of 18 years.
For more information, APA guidelines, and/or to reserve a spot, SASE Patti McClellan [address omitted]. Membership Fee will be $11 per year, with publication three times per year. [2]
The fan must have changed her mind and gone ahead with it, because in 1994 a fan wrote:
Patti McClellan reports that there are still two open slots for "Battle Stations," the Avon APA.[3]
In 1995, a fan talks about "Battle Stations" as something that appeared to be recent, and cited two stories that appeared in it:
I still haven't quite figured out why Tarrant was written so I'm told there were only two pieces of fiction in the first issue of Battle Stations, the Avon APA, and both were A/T! One was rather nasty — a Tarrant-rapes-Avon story -- but the other was very sweet. (By the way, does anyone know who "Ginevra Syn" is? She's the one who wrote the nasty A/T. The name sounds familiar, but I can't place it. I'm just curious; I've no intention of mailing her a dead fish or anything, I promise!) [4]
In 1998, McClellan wrote:
I used to call my trib to the late, great Battle Stations apa "The Revenge of the Nerds."[5]
References
- ^ from Rallying Call #11
- ^ from "Avon APA" at Lysator (1 Sep 1994)
- ^ from "Battle Stations Update & zine info" at Lysator (4 Oct 1994)
- ^ from Strange Bedfellows (APA) #8 (1995)
- ^ from "Digest problems; nerds" at Lysator ( 28 Jan 98)