The Warrior's Heart (Star Wars TPM zine)
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Warrior's Heart |
| Publisher: | Two Vixens Press |
| Editor: | |
| Author(s): | Writestuff |
| Cover Artist(s): | |
| Illustrator(s): | |
| Date(s): | 2002 |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | slash |
| Fandom: | Star Wars The Phantom Menace |
| External Links: | Author's Website (archived) |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Warrior's Heart is a Phantom Menace print zine series featuring The Warrior's Heart series by Writestuff that was published online between 1999 and 2001.
Subtitle: "Before the Dark Times... Before the Empire."
The zine was published by Two Vixens Press between 2002 and 2005. The author wrote in the first issue that the online stories were edited, sometimes heavily, before being included in print:
I've added a new story or two, and completely reworked others so that they might as well be new. I decided to re-edit and, in some cases, largely rewrite the stories before print production for two reasons: First, because in the process of writing the twenty-some stories that comprise the Warrior’s Heart series, I learned an awful lot about writing short stories— though it may not look like it; second, because I'm a slave to canon.
The fanzines have elaborate illustrations and photo manips.
The zines were published in the order given below, in editions of approximately 50-100, first sold at MediaWest*Con.
Publication History
The stories were originally posted between 19 July 1999 - 20 October 2020 to the Master & Apprentice mailing list and archived at the Master & Apprentice archive.
The author also had a website where these stories, as well as other stories, were posted. See The Warrior's Heart.
The stories were also at The Nesting Place.
All are now available on AO3.
Author's Notes and Acknowledgments
The first volume has a long message from the author. It is meant to apply to all three zines; the other two issues do not contain this information.
These three zines represent the codified version of the Warriors Heart series that was originally posted on the Master & Apprentice list and subsequently archived at the Master & Apprentice site and the Nesting Place. Inside, you'll find both the familiar and the strange, if you know the series already. I've added a new story or two, and completely reworked others so that they might as well be new. I decided to re-edit and, in some cases, largely rewrite the stories before print production for two reasons: First, because in the process of writing the twenty-some stories that comprise the Warrior’s Heart series, I learned an awful lot about writing short stories— though it may not look like it; second, because I'm a slave to canon. Yes, I admit it; I read all the Jedi Apprentice novels. The best thing about them was that Qui-Gon's aborted fling with Tahl (I love a man who swings both ways) offers more opportunity for angst and confusion and baggage with regard to his relationship with Obi-Wan, so I decided to work it in. Tahl's death necessitated sonic major rewriting of a couple of stories that deal with Bruck, anyway, so I thought I might as well go whole hog, given the opportunity.A quick word about the disparate lengths of the three books: I broke the story arc up according to themes and because of the length of some of the stories (there are a couple of novellas and one that might as well be) in the middle and latter parts of the arc, the first zine is the shortest in length, although it contains the most stories. All in all, you're getting over 300,000 words in all three zines — too long for a single zine, and too strangely written to break up evenly.
I first started writing these to teach myself how to write short stories (I'm a novelist by trade and inclination); I wound up knowing more about how not to, than how to actually do it, but at least I learned something. What I didn't set out to write was a novel, and this series should not be mistaken for one. Although it has a couple of overall themes, and recurring characters, there isn't enough coherence between these stories to call them a novel. Think of it as “the arc of a love affair," to quote Paul Simon's song about Carrie Fisher, and read it like a set of interconnecting episodes and you'll understand my intentions.
I should also mention that these stories represent my first foray into slash. Up until TPM, I’d been a die-hard gen writer of Star Wars genfic, who was totally squicked by the idea of slash. Then I went to see TPM with a friend who's an academic literary critic and a Star Trek fan from way back, who pointed out in disgust as we were leaving that the only real emotional moment in the whole movie occurs when Qui-Gon is dying in Obi-Wan's arms. "I'd love to see these two slashed," she said coolly, cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth like some noir heroine's. Something in my brain went sproing! The next thing I knew, I was writing Master and Apprentice. After that, I knew these two belonged together, and that I'd have to write about it.
Having said I'm a slave to canon, let me explain Bruck Chun's presence in this series. I'd already worked him into the plot before the JA book in which he dies came out, and decided to just let him be. That's my first concession to AU, which I prefer to think of as "righting George's wrongs." I think Bruck got a raw deal in the JA books, so I've decided it's now my job to remedy that. But I didn't plan on him showing up again in the Fear Exercises, and I sure didn’t plan on ... well, you’ll see. Turns out he's come close to running away with the series at more than a few points. That's just the kind of guy he is. If you're not familiar with the series, I won't spoil it by mentioning my other detour into AU.
Issue 1
The Warrior's Heart - Early Days was published in 2002 (76,000 words) and contains 101 pages. The cover had a gold foil fig leaf across the Fuumin cover in a strategic spot
The art is by Fuumin, Black Rose, Smitty, and Moonshine.
This issue won the TPM Best Zine Sizzler award at ConneXions for TPM Best Art.
Chapters:
- Rightful Owner (1)
- Crime & Punishment (14)
- Ecstasies (29)
- The Anger Exercises (36)
- The Geometry of Desire (47)
- Close Shave (51)
- But For Grace (58)
- Give and Take (75)
- Meditations (80)
- Master & Apprentice (88)
- Nomenclature (99)
from issue #1, Black Rose
from issue #1, Smitty
from issue #1, Smitty
from issue #1, Moonshine
Issue 2
The Warrior's Heart - Trials and Errors was published in 2002 and contains 162 pages (125,000 words).
The art is by Fuumin, EWK, Tem-Ve H'syan, MadByrd, Smitty, Writestuff, Moonshine, and Cynthia Martin.
It won the TPM Best Novel at ConneXions Sizzler as well as a Mediawest a 2003 Fan Q Award for "Best Star Wars Zine - Slash."
- The Fear Exercises (1)
- Willing Vessels (79)
- An Accident Waiting (88)
- Cold Feet (95)
- The Sweet Science of Bruising (98)
- From A High Place (134)
- Artifacts (153)
from issue #2, Cynthia Martin
from issue #2, Smitty
from issue #2, Moonshine
from issue #2, detail from page, Fuumin
from issue #2, MadByrd
Issue 3
The Warrior's Heart - What was Old is New Again was published in 2002 and contains 156 pages.
The story "Masquerade" won a Sizzler award for TPM Best Story ("Masquerade") and the story "Master Class" won for Best Short Story.
The art is by Black Rose, Fuumin, MadByrd, and Smitty.
- Silk (1)
- Birthday Suite (9)
- Master Class (20)
- Masquerade (27)
- For a Good Time, Call (51)
- A Simple Twist of Fate (63)
- Ligatures (75)
- Ceremonials (93)
- Emanciation (as spelled in the table of contents), Emancipation (as spelled on the title page) (109)
from issue #3, Smitty
from issue #3, Fuumin
from issue #3, Smitty
from issue #3, MadByrd
Reactions and Reviews
Reviews and story descriptions can be found here.