ASC Awards Digest 293: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
Stephen Ratliff
The Following is a Digest of ASC Awards Comments.
To comment, go to:
http://www.trekiverse.org/awards/ASCAwards/voting/
or post/e-mail a response to the posted ballots
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Digest 293: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
name = Rabble Rouser
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A70 Karmen Ghia ... Talljet Quartet
comment = Karmen's works run to the epic. Her Talljet Quartet's well worth
the time.
name = Rabble Rouser
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A79 Lori ... Unspoken
comment = Lori is a talented writer who does both romance & comedy well. I
loved One Leave on Risa.
name = Rabble Rouser
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A93 monkee ... Ex Luna, Scientia
comment = Before this year I had never read a story of Monkee's. My loss.
BIG one. She joined an e-group I'm a member of and that's where I got my
first taste of her with her ENTfic. No ENT story of 2001 impressed me more
than her "For a Minute There." I like authors taking chances and carefully
walking the line. That story is among the most intense I've read this year
and especially in light of 9/11 was chilling in its portrayal of hatred and
paranoia. I'm glad she didn't pull her punches. "In Space, No One Can Hear
You Whimper" was a charming Porthos tale and Monkee has definitely been one
of those who got ENTfic off to a wonderful start. I'm particularly happy
though that her ENTfic has led to my discovering her wonderful Voyager
tales. I've now spent many happy hours on her website catching up and
wouldn't now miss one of her J/C tales for the world. I thought "A Place in
the Universe" was one of the best J/C post-Endgame tales. Not only was it
beautifully written but it neither slights Seven nor lets Chakotay off easy.
For sheer absolute fun I don't think any tale this year can match "Antarian
Cider and Black Nail Polish." And few tales convey the wonder of exploration
like "Ex Luna, Scientia" did. Monkee--I'm glad I finally discovered you.
name = Rabble Rouser
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A101 Paula Stiles aka The Snowleopard ... Triage
comment = I always enjoy whatever Paula puts her hand to--I just wish there
were more stories from her this year. Whether writing about her favorite
character Bashir, or an original character like Alex Sawalha, Paula makes
you care. I loved both "Triage" and "In Coventry" for their gritty,
realistic portrayal of
war-time medicine.
name = Rabble Rouser
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A102 Penny Proctor aka EJ Andrews ... Settling In
comment = There are few other authors that fill me with the sense of
delighted expectation I feel when I find something new from them. I'll make
time for Penny's stories because I know she'll take me on an adventure and
give me a vision of the characters that makes me want to cheer. Lucky for us
Penny's a pretty prolific author. Last year it was her "Revisionist History"
that was my doorway into Voyager. This year Penny has written stories in
almost every series category. Her "Shaking it Off," one of the earliest
ENTfics, set a high standard to follow. Her TNG story "Whatever It Takes" is
one of the best I've read in that fandom. TOS is my first love and Penny has
made some wonderful contributions there. Her Kirk Pairing story, "Special
Assignment," was one of the two I thought were the standouts this year. The
story was genuinely sexy w/o being sleazy and treated Kirk's character with
intelligence and affection. It was funny and at the same time a bit
chilling. "Origins" was amazing--one of those rare stories that has become
part of my personal canon and I loved "Reprieve" with it's look at a younger
Spock. That takes us back to Voyager and in that series there are too many
stories of Penny's I loved to mention them all so I'll just have to
highlight a few. My favorite of all her stories this year has to be
"Pre-emptive Strike" which left me stunned and breathless in it's
reinterpretation of the events hinted at in Endgame. A very different and
moving take on Endgame can be found in "I Will Come Again" And finally, no
better response to "Endgame" can be found than her contributions to Virtual
Season 7.5 where she enthralled me from the very first story, "Wrongs Not
Forgotten." AFAIC, Penny is among the very best authors to have posted on
ASC and few have contributed as many quality stories, particularly this
year.
name = Rabble Rouser
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A116 Rocky ... Ties That Bind
comment = I know before I ever glance at a story of Rocky's that it's going
to be good. She's never disappointed and I thought her stories this year
really showed her skills at their sharpest. I loved her contributions to
Voyager Virtual Season 7.5. I thought that in particular "Ragnorak"
displayed a wonderful talent for writing exciting and gripping
action-adventure yarns. The battle scenes were handled deftly and Rocky
doesn't skimp on things like character development in such tales. I love
her Tuvok and in such stories like "Ties that Bind" and "Out of the Box" she
gives him the dimensions TPTB neglected. "Brain Drain" showed that Rocky has
a dangerous wit and can make you laugh so hard it hurts and a story like
"Best Destiny" shows that Rocky has few peers in her understanding and
insightful portrayal of Janeway. It also displays her deft handling and
interweaving of personal and political themes. Rocky's "The Way We Were" was
remarkable for its moving and poignant picture of regret and opportunity
lost. Rocky is definitely one of my favorite ASC authors. I am glad that
her muse has given us so much and is still going strong.
name = Rabble Rouser
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A127 Seema ... Stay
comment = Seema is one of those rare writers whose style can really be said
to be simply lovely. I can't pin point it but there's always something
lyrical and flowing about her writing that captures you. She also always
leaves you with an insight into a character that makes you sit up and take
notice. It's often not something you'd at all expect and sometimes it's one
you'd resist at first. But then you'd see something later and it would take
you back and it would click. I remember when I first read Seema's take on
T'Pol in "Irrational" It seemed at the time an overly emotional portrayal.
But then I watched some eps again and then especially after seeing "Fusion"
I thought "damn that works." Her Picard in "The Season Between" was not
exactly what you'd expect either. I like that--that Seema can take chances
in style and characterization and often bring me along with her. In Voyager
she has a particularly lovely way with Paris and Torres. I've found much of
P/T overly sentimental or domesticated but Seema never falls into that trap
and always makes you feel for both as people in stories like "A Map of You"
and "Stay." I thought "Not That Kind" and "Erosion" gave us the most
affecting and believable stories of a Chakotay and Seven romantic dynamic.
But it was her post-WYLB DS9 story "All Things" that most impressed me and
that alone could earn her a place among the best ASC authors this year. I
thought it was the best DS9 story this year and one of the best stories
posted on ASC period. Rarely have I read a more moving story or one that so
eloquently spoke of grief. Absolutely wonderful. Seema is another writer who
has made a significant contribution to the newsgroup in more than one
series.
name = Rabble Rouser
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A149 Una McCormack ... Closure
comment = Una's Closure was stunning & Wholesale gripping. No one does Garak
better than Una.
name = Rabble Rouser
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A152 Ventura33 ... Refugee Camp Voyager
comment = The way Ventura has of conveying an alien point of view never
ceases to impress me. But it's her stories in particular that feature the
Borg that simply awe me. The very style of her writing when she writes of
them suggests with its economy and precision that relentless drive for
perfection that burns everything away. Her "Imperfection" was I thought far
and away the best TNG story this year. I remembered it vividly from many
months ago and it was if anything more powerful on re-reading. Her novel
"Refugee Camp Voyager" was I think one of the best Voyager stories this year
and I'm only sorry it wasn't read more widely. It's a novel, which does mean
an investment in time, but it's one that very much pays off--a real
"page-turner." You won't be able to turn your eyes from the screen until
finished. I thought her two stories regarding the Borg and Seven in MIS "A
More Efficient Configuration" and "The Nature of Reality" were also powerful
and moving. Ventura can also move you to laughter as well as tears--as her
sequel to "Rocky Road," "Ladies Man," proves. Whether it is Hortas,
Vulcans, Klingons, or Borg, I can count on Ventura to put me into their
heads and hearts.
name = Rabble Rouser
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A155 Wildcat ... Thaya
comment = Wildcat's my gold standard when it comes to narrative and
descriptive skills. She also does a better Spock voice imo than anyone &
manages to write him in love while staying in character. All those skills
are in display in "Sparrows" a lovely and poignant look at Spock & an affair
he had long ago. "Thaya," a look at Saavik as an adult, had some nice
insights.
name = Penny Proctor
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A23 Christina ... Voyager Death Challenge #2
comment = Okay, I admit it: I envy Christina's imagination and vision. It
comes through not only in her stories, which are uniformly high quality and
good reads, but also in her leadership at the Season 7.5 project (where my
favorite of her stories is "Countdown," a taut cliffhanger). She has an
uncanny sense of what works and what doesn't for Voyager and a rock-solid
grasp of the characters. To the extent that people think that project is
working, she deserves a whole lot of the credit.
name = Penny Proctor
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A109 Rabble Rouser ... Separate Corners--Broken Bow
comment = Rabble Rouser had only a few stories this year, but my, they were
good. I thought she nailed the best of ENT when it first premiered,
producing "Separate Corners" so quickly. I think my favorite, though, was
"The Third Way," in which she managed to reconcile some ENT sloppiness with
Vulcan biology, but "Transitional State" is also a winner, looking at Trip's
changing perceptions as he goes through some unexpected physical changes as
well. Rabble Rouser's got a great sense of character and of *rightness*
that permeates all her stories. The flip side of writing fanfic is
feedback, and Rabble Rouser is generous and thoughtful with her feedback on
an every day basis, which is something that helps all of us. I hope this
year she'll have more time to share her talent with us all.
name = Penny Proctor
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A79 Lori ... Unspoken
comment = When I grow up, I want to be Lori - at least, I would love to be
able to *write* like Lori. "The Captain and the Counselor" series is an
amazing body of work, taking a pairing that was never even hinted at on
screen (IMO - I think she might argue that point) and making it seem not
only possible but somehow inevitable. Each story is long, carefully
plotted, and fully realized. She gives us satisfying reads with confident
characterizations and emotions that run the gamut of human experience.
Political intrigue, action, and romance - yes, it's all there. And then,
too, she has such a wonderful sense of humor! Her funny pieces seem almost
freeform as you read them, but on inspection one sees that they have been
carefully controlled for full comic effect. My hat's off to her.
name = Penny Proctor Miller
category = ASC Awards: Alara Rogers Award for Best Author
story = A93 monkee ... Ex Luna, Scientia
comment = I love reading Monkee's stories, whether VOY or ENT, because you
never know what you're going to discover. Serious romance? "A Place in the
Universe" is one of the most touching and real post-Endgame stories around,
if you're of the J/C persuasion, and "With Every Mistake" actually makes C/7
understandable. A profound friendship story? "Stones Left Unturned" is
magnificent, and "Onyx, Quartzite and Turquoise" is simply fun. Good
natured humor? "Antarean Cider and Black Nail Polish" fits the bill nicely.
Not so good natured humor? Check out "Seven of Nine Meets the Church Lady"
and "Just Plain Mean," both of which a sharp, dead on and very, very
pointed. In the mood for a tale of space adventure? "Ex Luna, Scientia"
fits the bill. Then she moved on to ENT and gave us some keeps: "In Space,
No One Can Hear You Whimper" pokes fun at some gaping plot oversights, but
"For a Minute There" was an intense examination of the dark pockets hidden
in the human psyche. Monkee's stories are sweet but not cloying, cute but
not cutesy, touching but not sticky and when she wants to be funny, she's
hilarious. Most of all, her stories are always perfect in their
characterization. I think that it’s the fundamental honesty way the
characters interact that makes her style seem deceptively simple. She's a
talented writer who ranks with the best in the NG.
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Last Comment in Digest Submitted:
Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 18:58:39 -0400
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Stephen Ratliff 2001 ASC Award Coordnator
ASC Awards Run every March - April. Current Status:
MIS,Overall: Runs April 10th to April 24th
Awards Close at 12:01am. Results arrive April 29th