"Rotsler's religion is the joy of life"
- Robert Silverberg

"...a genius and a remarkably gifted talent dealing in evocative symbolism"
- Robert Bloch

"To say Bill Rotsler is a remarkable man is a sad bottom-line indeed; inadequate"
- Harlan Ellison

"...amazing and a great talent"
- Stan Freberg

The Original Cover For Bill Rotsler's To The Land Of The Electric Angel!

Take a look at this first edition cover of Bill's To The Land Of The Electric Angel - a new edition is coming soon from Digital Parchment Services!


William Rotsler Obituary - Excerpt From Locus Magazine, November 1977



William Rotsler, 1926 - 1997

William Rotsler, author, artist, sculptor, photographer, and cartoonist extraordinaire, died suddenly October 18, 1997, at the home of his friend, Paul Turner. He recently had throat cancer surgery. In the last few years, he had a heart attack and bypass surgery, and various other severe illnesses.

Rotsler's cartoons and drawings delighted and amazed friends and fans for 50 years. In 1996, he was given Hugo and Retro-Hugo awards for work 50 years apart. He won his fifth Best Fan Artist Hugo Award just this year. His spare, laconic drawing style masked an ability to look at life, described by Harry Warner in A Wealth of Fable, as "funny on the surface, terrifying a millimeter beneath to anyone whose eye could penetrate."

William Rotsler was born 3 July 1926 in Los Angeles, California. He worked on a ranch in Camarillo as a teenager, and served in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1945, learning the profession of photographer. He discovered fandom in the mid-'40s and was part of the Los Angeles fan scene for over 50 years. He attended Los Angeles County Art Institute, 1947-50, and worked as a sculptor of mainly outdoor modern work from 1950 to 1959, then gave it up to become a photographer, filmmaker, producer, director of commercials, documentaries, etc. He worked mainly in the "erotic" industries, selling photos to Playboy, writing columns for Knight and other men's magazines, writing, directing, or acting(!) -- or some combination of these -- in such movies as The Agony of Love (1966), Notorious Daughter of Fanny Hill (1966), Shannon's Women (1969), and The Secret Sex Life of Romeo and Juliet (1970). He frequently used fan friends as extras in his movies. This part of his career mostly ended by the '70s. During all this, his prodigious output of cartoons and drawings continued unabated. He was fan Guest of Honor at the World SF Convention in 1973.

He also became a professional writer in the '70s, first producing non-fiction book Contemporary Erotic Cinema (1973) and then his first and best novel, Patron of the Arts (1974). To the Land of the Electric Angels (1976) was also noteworthy. He collaborated with Gregory Benford on Shiva Descending (1980). Most of his books were movie and TV tie-ins or children's fiction such as Tom Swift books with Sharman DiVono under the name of Victor Appleton, Jr. His most recent book was Science Fictionaries (1995), a collection of sayings and quotes from SF writers.

(posted 21 Oct; excerpted from the obituary to appear in Locus Magazine, November 1997)


" A Night at the Movies" By Daddy X, Inspired By Celebration Of ReRelease Of William Rotsler's Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema

This is very touching: master erotica author Daddy X penned a little story inspired by attending the recent three-week special celebration of William Rotsler's adult film work and the rerelease of his classic The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema 

For the story itself click here - or go the NSFW William Rotsler blog here.



A Night at the Movies
Daddy X

I could mention a hotel window I know in Verona. But all that would do is inspire me to sing opera. While I’ve never been good at singing, or particularly fond of opera, I am fond of sex. Yum. Not that I wouldn’t want to have sex in Verona while hanging (banging?) out a window. Singing.

But never mind all that. I found an inspiration much closer to home.

On June 6, I attended an evening at the San Francisco Center for Sex and Culture, promoted by M. Christian through his involvement in Digital Parchment Services. Quite inspiring. The speaker that night, Chris’s partner in the project, was Jean Marie Stine who worked for the sex film industry in the 60’s and 70’s. Her droll delivery and wry sense of humor was both entertaining and enlightening.

Most of William (Bill) Rotsler’s films were, compared to today’s standards, soft-core, featuring simulated sex. Although he did some hard core stuff toward the end of his movie career, he was known more for the simulated variety. There were no home computers and VCR tapes were just being developed; so if anyone saw his films, they likely saw them at porn houses. At that time it was all considered transgressive.

Rotsler was more than a filmmaker, proficient at many things, a true renaissance man. One of his many mainstream accomplishments was the novelization of the film “Arachnophobia”. His stories won five Hugo awards. His sculpture occupies public space in Los Angeles and he designed the Nebula Award trophies.

Watching sex films featuring all those cute hippie chicks who I fell in love with back in the day makes me want to have sex. Or at least to write about it, given I can’t always find a willing partner at this age. (Thank goodness Momma X still comes across :>)

So, here’s a flasher inspired by that night at the (smut) movies

DPS RE-RELEASES WILLIAM ROTSLER'S CLASSIC The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema (1959-1972)


FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS
DPS RE-RELEASES WILLIAM ROTSLER'S CLASSIC
The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema (1959-1972)

William Rotsler’s book "from the start of the porno-chic age provides contemporary perspectives and valuable insights into soft- and hard-core." -John Minson, Bright Lights Film Journal

Digital Parchment Services and the estate of William Charles Rotsler are proud to announce the republication of The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema (1959-1972) (originally published as Contemporary Erotic Cinema) – a groundbreaking examination and celebration of early adult films by the man who helped make those years so special!

William Rotsler (b. 1926 – d. 1997) was truly a renaissance man: acclaimed sculptor, filmmaker, photographer, reporter, novelist, illustrator, cartoonist, and the recipient of multiple awards and award nominations.

But first and foremost, William Rotsler was a visionary erotic filmmaker, acclaimed for such "cult classics" (Wikipedia) as Agony of Love, Lila (Mantis In Lace), Street of a Thousand Pleasures, The Godson, and Like It Is!, among others. During the 1960s he directed dozens of short and feature length films. Frequently working with Harry Novak of Boxoffice International fame, William Rotsler filmed many of the legendary actresses and models of his time, including Diane Webber, Virginia Gordon, Vincene Wallace, Pat Barrington, Gloria Saunders, Cathy Crowfoot, Joanne Rotolo, and Vicky Dee.

Back in print for the first time in 40 years, The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema is William Rotsler's view of the rise and flowering of adult filmmaking in the 1960s, beginning with the films of Russ Meyer, through to the phenomenal success of Deep Throat – the movie that put adult films on the map – to Behind the Green Door, and so many others. It takes readers behind the scenes for a look at the making of erotic movies, presents up-close-and-personal interviews with stars and producers, and concludes with an "Erotic Cinema Checklist" rating the heat level and and quality of over 100 erotic movies of the era!

Over the years since its original publication The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema has as achieved the status of a classic on its subject. Eric Schaefer, Associate Professor of Visual and Media Arts at Emerson College hails the book for its "valuable insights" and unique lived perspective..."

And William Rotsler was a man uniquely qualified to write it. "His experience [as writer and director] within the sexploitation industry made him a prominent commentator on the screen's explicit sexual realism," writes David Church in "Between Fantasy and Reality: Sexploitation, Fan Magazines and William Rotsler's 'Adult Only' Career." In his writings, Church says '...Rotsler knowledgably ... championed the underground cinema movement for creating 'sexy and beautiful' films that 'say ... important things' as a visible part of broader social changes in sexual mores..."

Join William Rotsler as he takes you behind-the-scenes of Golden Age adult films to cover:

Deep Throat
Behind the Green Door
The Devil In Miss. Jones
Linda Lovelace
Russ Myer
The Mitchell Brothers
Marilyn Chambers

–And much much more!

The republication of The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema is a major event. It’s a "must-have" for any one interested in erotic films, their history and making.

The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema (1959-1972)
http://amzn.com/B00XYWRTBO
$5.99
FREE on Amazon Unlimited for a limited time
Paperback edition coming soon!

#

The estate-authorized William Charles Rotsler site (http://www.williamcharlesrotsler.com)

The estate-authorized William Charles Rotsler site – featuring his adult films and photography (http://rotsler-erotic-cinema.blogspot.com)

Digital Parchment Services (http://digitalparchmentservices.com)

For information please feel free to contact mchristian@digitalparchmentservices.com

The Celebration Of The Re-Release of Bill Rotsler's Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema Was A Hit - and Then Some!

Thanks to the Center For Sex And Culture, the Estate Of William Rotsler, The William Rotsler Virtual Museum, and all the great folks who came out over the last three weeks to check out some great Bill Rotsler's artwork and photographs, enjoy his marvelous adult movies - and help celebrate the re-release, after 40 years, of The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema!

We'll be posting pictures, videos and a lot more very soon but in the meantime check out these shots - and be sure and pick up a copy of this beautiful new edition of Bill Rotsler's definitely book on The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema ... out now!





FINAL NIGHT: Come See William Rotsler Erotic Films And Photos At San Francisco's Center For Sex And Culture!

If you are anywhere in the Bay Area be sure and come by for the final night of our celebration of William Rotsler's adult films and photography and the re-release of his classic Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema at the Center For Sex And Culture!

First Night Celebrating ReRelease of William Rotsler's Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema Was A Hit!

Thanks to all the great folks who came out to the first night of the three week celebration of the rerelease of Bill Rotsler's Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema!  It was a blast and a half!

And if you couldn't make it last week, a special retrospective of Bill's erotic work - plus one or two of his films - will still be shown this Saturday, May 30th ... and there'll be very special concluding event on Saturday, June 6th with guests and door prizes!

For tickets to these fun nights just click here

Check out this fun video of last Saturday's event!




New York's Short And Sweet/Sex Files On The “The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema” Event

The great Ralph Greco at Short and Sweet NYC's Sex Files did a wonderful write up, and interview with Digital Parchment Services Publisher, M.Christian about the upcoming celebration of the erotic films and photographs of William Rotsler ... part of the monumental three week event launch of the re-release of Bill Rotsler's Golden Age of Erotic Cinema!



The estate of William Rotsler, San Francisco’s Center For Sex And Culture, and Digital Parchment Services are proud to announce a very special three week series of events (May 23 – June 6) celebrating the launch of a new, enhanced edition of the legendary writer-director’s controversial look at the 1960’s birth of the adult film: The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema (1959-1972). The dates are Saturday, May 23 (special book launch party); Saturday, May 30; and Saturday, June 6 (doors open at 6PM, show beginning at 7PM and concluding at 10PM).

Back in print for the first time in 40 years, The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema is William Rotsler’s view of the rise and flowering of adult filmmaking in the 1960s, beginning with the films of Russ Meyer, through to the phenomenal success of Deep Throat – the movie that put adult films on the map – to Behind the Green Door, and so many others. The republication of The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema is a major event and this is why Digital Parchment Services and The Center For Sex And Culture are planning the special three-week-long event to celebrate.

I spoke with M. Christian, author, anthologist, editor and one of the officers of Digital Parchment about acclaimed sculptor, filmmaker, photographer, reporter, novelist, illustrator, cartoonist, and visionary erotic filmmaker, William Rotsler and this must-attend event (get your ass to San Francisco!) I also learned exactly what Digital Parchment is getting into…and it’s not just naughty book publishing!

So, as the title of William Rotseler’s book states…did a golden age of erotic cinema exist in those 12 or so years?

Well, it’s always a matter of opinion, but I do think there was a wonderful window of adult films around that time: before then, films were of pretty poor quality and afterwards the quality went up but also the limitations of censorship pretty much vanished … which meant that any kind of focus on story and eroticism was gone. I’m not saying that censorship is good-far from it-but during this window a lot of filmmakers, like Rotsler, had to focus on character and atmosphere and work around what they could and couldn’t show. True, a lot of these films fit into the category of sexploitation but a lot of them were pretty daring and imaginative for their time.

And you are reissuing it through Digital Parchment Services, which is also sponsoring the big weekend; can you tell us a little about the company. You are a certainly a unique publishing house.

Unique is a pretty good way of putting it. Even though we’re made up of people with about 30 years of cumulative experience in editing and publishing, DPS is a very special endeavor: we’re reaching out to authors and estates we feel did truly excellent work but who didn’t get their well-deserved shot at popularity.

How does one acquire an older out-of-print book and release it. Can you take us through a little of the process?

It can be a bit tricky, that’s for sure. Luckily, often books revert back to the author or, if they’ve passed away, their families. So you need to track them down–which can involve a bit of detective work–and then approach them with the idea of getting these books back out into the world. We are truly fortunate that pretty much each and every author and estate we’ve approached hasn’t just been willing but actually shared our excitement in bringing back these treasures.

Tell us about The Center for Sex And Culture where the event is taking place.

We are tremendously fortunate to be working with the Center for our Rotsler celebration. Founded by Dr. Carol Queen and Dr. Robert Morgan Lawrence, the Center for Sex and Culture (to quote their site) “provides judgment-free education, cultural events, a library/media archive, and other resources to audiences across the sexual and gender spectrum; and to research and disseminate factual information, framing and informing issues of public policy and public health.” I really can’t rave enough about the Center For Sex And Culture. They are a noble and important organization who needs and deserves attention and support. Donate if you can and, if you’re in the Bay Area, swing by and check out their other fun events.

What other things does D.P. have planned?

We have lots of great things coming actually. We just released Locus Award author Ernest Hogan’s Cortez On Jupiter and am going to be publishing his High Aztech and other novels very soon; we put out Nebula Award nominee Arthur Byron Cover’s Autumn Angles and will be putting out his East Wind Coming and the rest of his great books in a few months, we are going to be re-publishing Jody Scott’s Passing For Human and her I, Vampire and other brilliant books from her estate very soon … plus more collections of stories from Fate Magazine and Amazing Stories. In addition to publishing William Rotsler’s Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema we just released his novels Patron Of The Arts (a Hugo and Nebula finalist) and Far Frontier and am going to be putting out his other SF novels plus collections of his stories and other treats.

So lots more than just an expose’ of early adult films.

Yes, lots more. We are also working on some great other properties … so stay tuned at our DPS site and blog for updates.

And come out to the event this weekend.

Oh yes, definitely! We want everybody in on this big celebration of a great artist and wonderful book

To Pre-Order Tickets for the event, go here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1565296

Setting Up For the Celebration Of William Rotsler's Adult Films And Photographs - And The ReRelease of Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema!

Check out these fun photos of our prep for the very fun three week celebration of William Rotsler's adult photos and films ... as well as the new edition of his groundbreaking Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema.  

The event should be fun-and-then-some!  See you then for a video tribute to Bill Rotsler, some of his adult films and shirts, a gallery of his magazine work and photos, door prizes and so much more!






Reminder: Special Three-Week Event Celebrating The Adult Films And Photography Of William Rotsler!


Digital Parchment Services Is Proud To Announce
The First Re-Publication In 40 Years
Of William Rotsler's Classic Look At
The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema (1959-1972)

A Special Three-Week Program Featuring
The Adult Films And Photography
Of William Rotsler!
Kicked-off May 23rd with a Book Launch Party
With Door Prizes

For Immediate Release:

The estate of William Rotsler, San Francisco's Center For Sex And Culture, and Digital Parchment Services are proud to announce a very special three week series of events (May 23 – June 6) celebrating the launch of a new, enhanced edition of the legendary writer-director's controversial look at the 1960s birth of the adult film: The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema (1959-1972).

Reserve the dates of Saturday, May 23 (special book launch party); Saturday, May 30; and Saturday, June 6 (doors open at 6:00PM, show beginning at 7:00PM and concluding at 10:00PM).

William Rotsler (1926 – 1997) was truly a renaissance man: acclaimed sculptor, filmmaker, photographer, reporter, novelist, illustrator, cartoonist, and the recipient of multiple awards and award nominations.

But first and foremost, William Rotsler was a visionary erotic filmmaker, acclaimed for such "cult classics" (Wikipedia) as Agony of Love, Lila (Mantis In Lace)Street of a Thousand Pleasures, The Godson, and Like It Is!, among others.  During the 1960s he directed dozens of short and feature length films.  Frequently working with Harry Novak of Boxoffice International fame, William Rotsler filmed many of the legendary actresses and models of his time, including Diane Webber, Virginia Gordon, Vincene Wallace, Pat Barrington, Gloria Saunders, Cathy Crowfoot, Joanne Rotolo, and Vicky Dee.

Back in print for the first time in 40 years, The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema is William Rotsler's view of the rise and flowering of adult filmmaking in the 1960s, beginning with the films of Russ Meyer, through to the phenomenal success of Deep Throat – the movie that put adult films on the map – to Behind the Green Door, and so many others.  It takes readers behind the scenes for a look at the making of erotic movies, presents up-close-and-personal interviews with stars and producers, and concludes with an "Erotic Cinema Checklist" rating the heat level and and quality of over 100 erotic movies of the era!

Over the years since its original publication The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema has as achieved the status of a classic on its subject.  Eric Schaefer, Associate Professor of Visual and Media Arts at Emerson College hails the book for its "valuable insights" and unique lived perspective..." while John Minson in Bright Lights Film Journal says the book, "from the start of the porno-chic age," provides "contemporary perspectives and valuable insights into soft- and hard-core..."

And William Rotsler was a man uniquely qualified to write it.  "His experience [as writer and director] within the sexploitation industry made him a prominent commentator on the screen's explicit sexual realism," writes David Church in "Between Fantasy and Reality: Sexploitation, Fan Magazines and William Rotsler's 'Adult Only' Career."  In his writings, Church says '...Rotsler knowledgably ... championed the underground cinema movement for creating 'sexy and beautiful' films that 'say ... important things' as a visible part of broader social changes in sexual mores..."

The republication of The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema is a major event!

That's why Digital Parchment Services and The Center For Sex And Culture are planning a special three-week-long event to celebrate it beginning Saturday, May 23 with a don't-miss book release party featuring a video recap of William Rotsler's life and work, including trailers for his erotic movies, personal reminiscences from friends, a showing of one of his notable films, and wine and cheese afterward.

The following two Sundays will feature more clips and trailers plus one or more of William Rotsler's ground-breaking erotic films. And throughout all three weeks, there will be a special gallery exhibition of posters for his movies, samples of his erotic photography, and reproductions of his adult cartoon work on display at the San Francisco's Center for Sex And Culture!

Be sure to join us for the May 23 kick-off book release and the special video presentation on William Rotsler's life and work.


WHERE:
The Center for Sex And Culture
1349 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103

WHEN:
Saturday, May 23 (book launch party): Doors at 6:00PM.  Event 7:00PM to 10:00PM
Saturday, May 30: Doors at 6:00PM.  Event 7:00PM to 10:00PM
Saturday, June 6: Doors at 6:00PM.  Event 7:00PM to 10:00PM

DONATION (suggested):
$10 per evening

The estate-authorized William Charles Rotsler site (http://www.williamcharlesrotsler.com)

The estate-authorized William Charles Rotsler site – featuring his adult films and photography (http://rotsler-erotic-cinema.blogspot.com)

Digital Parchment Services (http://digitalparchmentservices.com)




For information please feel free to contact mchristian@digitalparchmentservices.com

"Bill" By Any Other Name


A few folks have asked questions about the name of this tribute site ... as well as the URL we have used. 

Even though legally born Charles William Rotsler (in 1926), in all the wide-ranging communities and interests he enjoyed – photographer, cartoonist, illustrator, sculptor, adult filmmaker, novelist, short story author, fanzine editor, beloved science fiction fan and so much more – he always referred to himself as William Rotsler. 

It is to reflect this, and the wishes of his estate and family, that we refer to him as William Rotsler ... or fondly as Bill to so many.

The reason the URL we have chosen www.williamcharlesrotsler.com for this celebration of Bill's life and work is because there is already an excellent site at www.williamrotsler.com, and because he occasionally referred to himself as William Charles Rotsler. 

We would also like to take this opportunity to invite anyone who knew Bill to contribute their photos, artwork, stories, reminiscences, and anything else they'd like to share to help us keep the memory of this brilliant, charming, and so full-of-life friend to so many alive. 

If you have anything to share, please write us at m.christian@digitalparchmentservices.com. 


Special Three-Week Event Celebrating The Adult Films And Photography Of William Rotsler!


Digital Parchment Services Is Proud To Announce
The First Re-Publication In 40 Years
Of William Rotsler's Classic Look At
The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema (1959-1972)

A Special Three-Week Program Featuring
The Adult Films And Photography
Of William Rotsler!
Kicked-off May 23rd with a Book Launch Party
With Door Prizes

For Immediate Release:

The estate of William Rotsler, San Francisco's Center For Sex And Culture, and Digital Parchment Services are proud to announce a very special three week series of events (May 23 – June 6) celebrating the launch of a new, enhanced edition of the legendary writer-director's controversial look at the 1960s birth of the adult film: The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema (1959-1972).

Reserve the dates of Saturday, May 23 (special book launch party); Saturday, May 30; and Saturday, June 6 (doors open at 6:00PM, show beginning at 7:00PM and concluding at 10:00PM).

William Rotsler (1926 – 1997) was truly a renaissance man: acclaimed sculptor, filmmaker, photographer, reporter, novelist, illustrator, cartoonist, and the recipient of multiple awards and award nominations.

But first and foremost, William Rotsler was a visionary erotic filmmaker, acclaimed for such "cult classics" (Wikipedia) as Agony of Love, Lila (Mantis In Lace)Street of a Thousand Pleasures, The Godson, and Like It Is!, among others.  During the 1960s he directed dozens of short and feature length films.  Frequently working with Harry Novak of Boxoffice International fame, William Rotsler filmed many of the legendary actresses and models of his time, including Diane Webber, Virginia Gordon, Vincene Wallace, Pat Barrington, Gloria Saunders, Cathy Crowfoot, Joanne Rotolo, and Vicky Dee.

Back in print for the first time in 40 years, The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema is William Rotsler's view of the rise and flowering of adult filmmaking in the 1960s, beginning with the films of Russ Meyer, through to the phenomenal success of Deep Throat – the movie that put adult films on the map – to Behind the Green Door, and so many others.  It takes readers behind the scenes for a look at the making of erotic movies, presents up-close-and-personal interviews with stars and producers, and concludes with an "Erotic Cinema Checklist" rating the heat level and and quality of over 100 erotic movies of the era!

Over the years since its original publication The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema has as achieved the status of a classic on its subject.  Eric Schaefer, Associate Professor of Visual and Media Arts at Emerson College hails the book for its "valuable insights" and unique lived perspective..." while John Minson in Bright Lights Film Journal says the book, "from the start of the porno-chic age," provides "contemporary perspectives and valuable insights into soft- and hard-core..."

And William Rotsler was a man uniquely qualified to write it.  "His experience [as writer and director] within the sexploitation industry made him a prominent commentator on the screen's explicit sexual realism," writes David Church in "Between Fantasy and Reality: Sexploitation, Fan Magazines and William Rotsler's 'Adult Only' Career."  In his writings, Church says '...Rotsler knowledgably ... championed the underground cinema movement for creating 'sexy and beautiful' films that 'say ... important things' as a visible part of broader social changes in sexual mores..."

The republication of The Golden Age Of Erotic Cinema is a major event!

That's why Digital Parchment Services and The Center For Sex And Culture are planning a special three-week-long event to celebrate it beginning Saturday, May 23 with a don't-miss book release party featuring a video recap of William Rotsler's life and work, including trailers for his erotic movies, personal reminiscences from friends, a showing of one of his notable films, and wine and cheese afterward.

The following two Sundays will feature more clips and trailers plus one or more of William Rotsler's ground-breaking erotic films. And throughout all three weeks, there will be a special gallery exhibition of posters for his movies, samples of his erotic photography, and reproductions of his adult cartoon work on display at the San Francisco's Center for Sex And Culture!

Be sure to join us for the May 23 kick-off book release and the special video presentation on William Rotsler's life and work.


WHERE:
The Center for Sex And Culture
1349 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103

WHEN:
Saturday, May 23 (book launch party): Doors at 6:00PM.  Event 7:00PM to 10:00PM
Saturday, May 30: Doors at 6:00PM.  Event 7:00PM to 10:00PM
Saturday, June 6: Doors at 6:00PM.  Event 7:00PM to 10:00PM

DONATION (suggested):
$10 per evening

The estate-authorized William Charles Rotsler site (http://www.williamcharlesrotsler.com)

The estate-authorized William Charles Rotsler site – featuring his adult films and photography (http://rotsler-erotic-cinema.blogspot.com)

Digital Parchment Services (http://digitalparchmentservices.com)

For information please feel free to contact mchristian@digitalparchmentservices.com

Read About SciFi Fan Favorite William Rotsler's Legendary Sculptures - When He Was Just 25!

Here's an extra special treat: an article on William Charles Rotsler from the Tuesday, May 17, 1955 Oxnard Press-Courier reporting on Bill Rotsler's creation of a bronze sculpture for the Beverly Hillon Hotel in Los Angeles.  (a tip of the hat to the William Rostler site for the original article)

 County Sculptor Completing Giant Task

By Stan Mandel

In the sun-drenched. Santa Rosa Valley, six miles cast of Camarillo, a youthful artist this week will complete a decorative sculpture piece in metal which will adorn the entranceway to a plush Beverly Hills hotel scheduled to open this summer. To William Rolster it will be the "biggest thing" he's done in his live years of sculpture work, and he's "proud of it."

The sculpture piece, consist­ing of three "ancient-type" tow­ers constructed of bronze will be placed in an eight-inch deep circular pool near the entrance of the Beverly Hillon Hotel at Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards.

The hostelry, another addition to the world-wide Conrad Hil­ton chain, was originally sched­uled to open June 3. Delays are expected to postpone the gala opening until later in the summer.

Big Project
One tower will he 25 feet high, a second will reach skyward for 21 feel.   Both will be composed of four giant "balls" of stripped bronze pieces.    A third tower of one such "bail" will be 14 feet high. 
The three towers will be placed close together within the 32-foot pool to form a colorful fountain.
Six-Inch pipe will run up the center of the towers carrying water to the top of each, allowing it to flow down the brass plated sides. A pumping system installed beneath the pool will circulate the water.
Colored tiles will cover the bottom of the pool and colored lights, operated by electronic dimmers, will be placed inside of the towers to present a con­tinuously changing lighting ef­fect through the flowing water.

YOUTHFUL ARTIST, William Bolster, holds model for his sculptured bronze fountain piece which will adorn the en­tranceway to the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Bills. The three towers will be placed in a circular pool. One tower will be 25 feet high, second 21 feet high, and the third 14 feet high.

$15,000 Job
Construction of the pool and fountain will cost the hotel own­ers $45,000 including the pump­ing system, lighting and finish­ing touches. Rotsler will receive $6,500 for his part of the display.
The 28-year-old artist began work on the project some six months ago at his father's 200-acre walnut and citrus Rancho Santa Rosa in the valley.

The youth's workshop in a large corrugated building which is used by his father, Charles Rotsler, as a storage shed during harvest season. When not busily engaged in sculpturing, young Rotsler doubles as fore­man on the ranch,

Rotsler's art background dates back to 1950 when he completed 3 1/2 years of study at the Los Angeles County Art Institute. Before that he had attended Ventura College for a year studying some art. He gradu­ated from Oxnard Union High School in 1944.

Little Sculpturing
"The funny thing about my art education," Rotsler commented, "is that I never studied any sculpturing. It was always some other phase of art.

"I started doing sculpture work five years ago," he said, "but its been only during the past three years that I've been earning most of my income from it."

Beginning with sculptures in both wire and metal, Rotsler now specializes solely in metal work.
Most of his past work has been metal wall murals. Only few have been in wire. He also has several smaller fountains to his credit.    His work adorns facades in Chicago, New York, Florida and in the Los Angeles area.

His work was all done at the Ventura County ranch.  He will ship the parts to the site with full instructions for assembly.
SURROUDNED by Giant Bronze "Balls" to be used In the construction of a sculptured fountain, is William Rotsler, artist of Santa Rosa Valley. Behind him is a storage shed used as his workshop on his father's walnut and citrus ranch,

How They're Made
In constructing the giant "balls" for the towers Rotsler began with smooth sheets of one-eighth-inch thick bronze. The sheets were then cut into strips about six inches wide and tapered at the ends where they were welded together to form the "balls."

Roister then used hot torches to "puddle" the bronze to build up the surface to form an illu­sion of depth. Heat applied to the top side of the strips melted the bronze and splattered the metal to produce a rough sur­face pattern.

He expected to complete the project this week and send it down to Los Angeles by truck.  It will take a week to assemble it there.

Rotsler noted that he spends an average of seven hours a day at his sculpture work. Assisting him with the project is a friend, John Irving of Los Angeles.

Living with Rotsler at the ranch is his wife, Abney, who is an artist in her own right. Using the professional name of Abney Stevenson, she has done dancing and singing in the mov­ies. They have a six-month-old daughter, Lisa,

Also preparing artwork for the hotel is Bernard Rosenthal, creator of the recently complet­ed controversial statue at the Los. Angeles Police Building. He is preparing a sculptured 11-foot wide star-type piece for the hotel's lobby. He has visited Rotsler at the ranch on numerous occasions to confer with him on the fountain. 

William Rotsler ...Artwork and Tableware

Courtesy of the great William Rotsler site comes these sweet images of William Rotsler's playfulness: "Rotsler art from the collection of Ken and Aileen Forman. Presented with their permission. These pictures were originally submitted to Michael Bernstein's Rotsler.com (Archived on the Wayback Machine)  The plates and cups of hotels hosting conventions were not safe from being drawn on."








Sheryl Birkhead Fondly Remembers Five Time Hugo Winner William Rotsler

Here's a wonderfully sweet reminiscence of William Rotsler by Sheryl Birkhead from A Mimosa Fanthology Part 2 (2002):


Vintage Rotsler

by Sheryl Birkhead

"Some wines are ageless!"

"And some just turn to vinegar."

Um...er...well, I consider Rotsler to be one of fandom's priceless assets. When I first got into fandom, way back in the Dark Ages, it took a while to figure out the fannish patois. A Neofan's Guide helped with the written word, but there was never any doubt illo by Ian Gunn and William Rotslerabout the content of the simplistic Rotsler cartoons. Don't ever confuse simple with simplistic. The man is about as chary as they come with lines, but packs a deceiving wallop in content.

Alas, I cannot do much more than appreciate the man and, sadly, I don't have any juicy anecdotes to relate. I have never even been privy to one of his legendary dish renditions, when he mystifies all, waiters and mundanes alike, by turning innocent and unsuspecting dishes into fannish 
illo by Teddy Harvia and William Rotslermementos. However, I have seen the man at various conventions and watched in awe as he participated in fanartist duels. He wields his felt tip as he would a sword, and has an economy of motion that is a beauty to behold. Few can keep up with him in sheer volume, and none can match his contributions to fan publications over (literally) decades.

I have never seen a biography of this phenomenon, but in bits from various articles have gleaned a bit of understanding of just how versatile and diverse an individual Rotsler is. But he's more than just that. Bill Rotsler has been a delight to fandom for over a half century that he's been in fandom. And there's only one word that adequately describes such a person of lasting, superior quality...

Vintage!

illo by Joe Mayhew and William RotslerLots of readers commented on the feature, with the most amusing one from David Bratman: "It's like reading Partners in Wonder, only shorter and funnier." It was all a surprise to Rotsler, who had no clue we were planning this stunt. He wrote to us: "My God, what egoboo! What a conspiracy! It is unique, fun and flattering!" And then he was gone, dead of cancer just a few months later. Living a continent-width away from him, we had no real idea that his condition had been so dire. And we also didn't know that within three years, two of the artists who contributed to the article would also be gone.

And that wasn't the end of it. Fandom is now into its ninth decade, and the unfortunate truth about the aging of fandom is that every year brings depressing news of the deaths of more and more of those who, in previous decades, were the shapers of what fandom is today. One such person was Lynn Hickman, active in fandom from the 1950s onward, collector extraordinaire and friend of all. Here's more about him:

Top illustration by Sheryl Birkhead and William Rotsler
Middle left illustration by Ian Gunn and William Rotsler
Middle right illustration by Teddy Harvia and William Rotsler
Bottom illustration by Joe Mayhew and William Rotsler

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LIMITED TIME ONLY - READ THE OFFICIAL DOSSIER OF STAR TREK'S UHURA FROM WILLIAM ROTSLER'S AUTHORIZED STAR TREK TOS BOOK "BIOGRAPHIES"

In 1982, William Rotsler was approached by Wanderer Books, an official, licensed publisher of Star Trek TOS related books. Could he write an authorized biography of the seven principle members of the Enterprise crew in three weeks? Rotsler, a well-known Hugo and Nebula Award finalist science fiction writer and long-time fan, as well as a Star Trek TOS fan, said "yes". Here is how he described the experience:


"I simply did not want to rehash old material. I wanted to give the fans something new ... and I didn't want to bore myself doing it. So I conceived the "dossier" format. This included full name, serial number, birth place, dates, commendations, etc. This format, then, required the addition of first names, family, serial numbers, and so on where they had not previously been noted. I used (1) my own memory; (2) Bjo Trimble's Star Trek Concordance; (3) Bjo's memory; (4) other obvious sources. So if it wasn't in the series, the two movies, the Concordance, or behind-the-scenes-"well-established"-fact, I ignored it. The whole idea was to use all reasonable sources, to make it fit in. I used some starship names from another book."

 Below is the biography Rotsler wrote for Uhura. Since he needed a first name for her dossier entry, he chose the most appropriate he could imagine. Nyota (Swahili for "Star"). But before making a final decision, he decided to get input from the show's creator and the actress who portrayed her, Roddenberry and Nichols. Both enthusiastically endorsed the name.

Rotsler was also the author of several science fiction novels of interest to TOS fans. You will learm more about them at the end of the entry.

UHURA, NYOTA

SERIAL NUMBER: SP111-712

PRESENT RANK: Lieutenant Commander
BORN: Nairobi, United States of Africa, Terra; 24 October

2140
FATHER: Damu Pua
MOTHER: M'Umbha Makia (deceased)
SIBLINGS:
Malcolm Marien Uhura
(Nyota Uhura)
Uaekundu Uhura
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
CHILDREN: None
EDUCATION: Primary Nairobi; secondary Cairo;
University of California at Irving, California, Terra;
Starfleet Academy, Class 101
STARFLEET ACADEMY GRADE AVERAGE: 3.4
PRIMARY LANGUAGE: Swahili and English; also Universal
English, Kikuku, French
COMMENDATIONS:
Vega Award of Merit, Meteor Class Starfleet Unit Citation, with Two Clusters Starfleet Commendations: 18
AWARDS OF VALOR:
Procyon Order of St. Mark
Starfleet Citation for Exceptional Gallantry Federation Exceptional Service Medal United Federation of Planets Star of Valor CONDEMNATIONS: None
STARFLEET ACADEMY DEMERITS: One
INTERESTS: Music; song writing; art; languages; African history; Arizal sculpture; running; Orion-derived dancing; plays both Terran and Vulcan harp
STARFLEET ASSIGNMENTS:
U.S.S. Elst Weinstein, NCC-6005 (Transport), Assistant Communications Officer
U.S.S. Azrael, NCC-517 (Destroyer), Communications Officer
U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701 (Heavy Cruiser), Chief
Communications Officer Starfleet Academy, staff
U.S.S. Hornet, NCC-1714 (Heavy Cruiser), Chief
Communications Officer
U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701 (Heavy Cruiser), Chief
Communications Officer
U.S.S. Antares, NCC-1820 (Heavy Cruiser), Chief
Communications Officer
U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701 (Heavy Cruiser), Chief
Communications Officer

Excerpt, Romance in the Stars, by Diane Russell:

The Africa of young Nyota Uhura was not, in some ways, much different from the Africa of her distant ancestors. An hour's aircar flight from the gleaming, air-conditioned towers of Nairobi, you could see a herdsman tending his flock, hear the drums, smell the dust and flowers.

The Africa of Tarzan, of Stanley and Livingstone, of the two-dimensional motion pictures was still there, although you had to search for it. In the great animal preserves of Kenya time had not moved all that much. True, the last remaining elephants were tagged with transponders, their wanderings tracked by satellite. The wardens patrolled in silent aircraft, the visitors were closely watched, the poachers few and ineffectual.

The real Africa of Uhura's childhood was in the great pits of the mineral mines, the forest loggers, the humming factories and power centers of Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Salisbury, Johannesburg, Gambia, and Kinshasa. But still, there were the festivals, the recreations, the cultural parks that preserved and relived the common ancestry. To hear drums while watching a holographic story about space travel was not uncommon.

The young Nyota—whose name means "Star" in the common trade language, Swahili—had feet in both worlds. Her roots were in the soil of an ancient land, but her heart was in the stars.
In My Voyage in the Enterprise, Lloyd Alden recalled a conversation with Lieutenant Uhura after a relaxing evening in the recreation room with friends. "She said, 'I used to love to go to Kenya, to the great park there. They had restored it to the way it was in the nineteenth century, with rough, dusty roads and villages. My first time there I went out at night—I must have been seven or eight—and I was just stunned! I had never seen so many stars. I had lived in Nairobi all my life, and like any great city, the lights block out the stars. The Milky Way, the lens of the Home Galaxy seen on edge, was the most spectacular sight I had ever seen! I knew then I had to go there.'"

In his autobiography, Where No Man Has Gone Before, James Kirk spoke of Uhura's early longing for the distant stars. "It was no secret that Uhura was a romantic. But that is hardly an uncommon condition aboard any starship. Romantics are basically restless, they want to see what is on the other side of the hill, the other side of a sun, the other side of the galaxy. It was just, perhaps, more obvious with Lieutenant Uhura."

In Space, the Final Frontier, Uhura's own account of her years on the Enterprise, she wrote: "I went into the stars expecting. Expecting . . . what? I had no idea. Something. Something different. Something new. I certainly achieved that goal. There were more `somethings' different' to be found than I could have possibly imagined."

Letter, Nyota Uhura to Maryanne Chungwa, a childhood friend, 19 March 2157:
I can't believe it! I received the notice from Starfleet Academy yesterday and I've been floating ever since! I've been accepted!

I know the work will be difficult. The drop-out rate is amazing, I've heard. The failure rate is even higher. But when you have gotten through the Academy, you have done something!
I guess I can tell you this now, but when you dropped out of good ol' Cairo U. to take an engineering post on that supply ship going to the moons of Jupiter, I envied you! Oh, I was so jealous! You were out there, seeing things for the first time, from space, and I was slugging it out at UC-Irvine and HAD NEVER EVEN BEEN OFF THIS MUDBALL OF A PLANET!

But now—aha!—now I'm going to Starfleet Academy. Look out, stars, here I come!

Letter, M'Umbha Malkia Uhura to Nyota Uhura, dated 12 June 2158:

My dear daughter:

Congratulations on completing your first year at the Academy! Your father, brother, and sister join me in wishing you well. We are sorry you cannot come home this summer, but we understand your desire to attend further classes in music, which you could not have time for during the regular semesters.

Your brother says that he must reluctantly report the death of Bruce, your favorite elephant, up in Kenya Park. Uaekundu says that she met a very nice young man while jetboating on Lake Victoria and that his brother is in your class at the Academy. Do you know a Fimbo Pua van Veer?
Father says the coffee crop is excellent this year and that we should do well on exports.

My love to you.

Excerpts, African Heritage, by Garrett Tubman Jacanarat:

. . . And our daughters, too, went into space. Uazuri Ngumi rose to the rank of Captain, commanding the Laura Reinecke in the Ceti-4 incident. Ingrid Tandiko was the Medical Officer aboard the transport ship Bernard Zuber, which brought the body of Richard Daystrom home to Earth. Mia Kinywa was the First Officer on the Monitor during the Schirmeister crisis.

But perhaps best known of all is Nyota Uhura, who served two distinguished tours of duty aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.

. . . On the second tour, which began inauspiciously as a training exercise, the Enterprise was commanded by Captain Willard Decker, who was superseded by Admiral James Kirk. The story of their incredible journey into the heart of the fantastically vast complex that was "V'ger" has been told again and again, but it is to be noted that Lieutenant Commander Uhura served with distinction.

. . . And on completion of the task and the reprogramming of the V'ger complex, the Enterprise set off again on a limited tour of duty before Nyota Uhura was transferred temporarily to the Hornet.

Letter, Nyota Uhura to Maryanne Chungwa, circa October 2164:

I've met someone. Yes, that kind of "someone." He's handsome and strong, and so intelligent! When I say handsome I don't mean "pretty," like Henry Ngouabi. Handsome men are just as wrapped up in themselves as beautiful women so often are. Both are often shallow, as they have never had to stretch much—things were given to them, opportunities offered, events happened, lives disrupted simply because these beautiful creatures moved among us.

No, he's not pretty, but he certainly is handsome. A strong face, definite and clear, like he meant every feature. Nothing wishy-washy about him. Oh, his name, I forgot to give his name! Jomo Murambi. Isn't that a name? Shades of early twentieth century!

He's an officer in the Army of the United States of Africa, a captain no less. His unit is a special one, the Special Forces. He's Baker company commander and was wounded at Dar es Salaam in the riot there a year ago, the one started by the Tanzanian separatists.

I don't know where to start telling you about him. Remember when we used to talk about our Perfect Man, how he could do this or that, be good at such-and-such and just as expert at something else? "Too perfect to ever exist." Isn't that what you said? Well, my childhood companion, you were wrong!

He has a good basso voice, loves to sing, plays the drums, the Terran and the Vegan guitars, has composed a few songs—but they were really marching songs for his company. He plays chess, is rated Computer Minus Three, which isn't bad, since Computer-Equal is as good as you get, really. He was a tree toppler in his teens, a roustabout in the Nudian Desert oil strike, and shipped out to the Martian Colony on a transport ship. But he got in trouble with a super there and they shipped him back. He's a black belt in traditional karate and would love to study null-gravity karate.

He reads! I mean books, not just 1000-line screen adventures. He has an original paperback edition of The Butterfly Kid and Cops and Robbers, hardcovers of Cirque, Timescape, and two Heinleins. He loves early science fiction, Louis L'Amour, Donald Westlake, Robert Parker, M'keel von Schroeder, Tasmeel the Andorian, and Kipling. The books have all been preserved, of course. Oh, and he likes old twentieth-century picture magazines!

He collects photos of nineteenth-century Africa and India, has the most beautiful greencat plant I've seen, and the most wonderful eyes.

I guess by now you are thinking, "Oh, over the edge—!" Well, you may be right. We went dancing last night at Hotel Casablanca, in that famous Sky of Stars room where they have the most beautiful projections on the dome, just like being in space, traveling through the stars. It seemed as though we were alone, although there were a lot of eyes on us. We danced and danced, and there was nothing to jar anything.

He was so handsome in his black uniform with the Special Forces tabs. I wore that gold dress you called "super-slinky," and we were a pair, let me tell you, Marryanne. Oops! A typo! Well, maybe that's Dr. Freud slipping through! Heaven knows he's the first man I've met who I'd even consider giving up space for. (Did I tell you I'm Communications Officer on the Azrael now? We're retrofitting the new phaser cannons in construction orbit, so we all have leave.)

There is one fact facing me that I just cannot dodge, however. One of us must give up his or her job. Either I stay planetside—or at best, take just months-long trip around the Solar System—or he does. The difficulty is, he has no desire to go into space, at least as a career.

It would not be the first time a woman gave up her career for her man. Maybe I'm just jumping ahead too fast! Maybe this is just a passing fancy for both of us. (Or one of us!) But he could not move easily into space. He'd be perfect as commander of security aboard some heavy cruiser, like the Constellation or the Enterprise, leading ashore the troops and all.

Yes, I know, we are not a military force, though we use military discipline. But it would be insane to go into unknown territory—really unknown territory—without the greatest variety of options possible. It would be like having only a stick of dynamite to kill a bug. You need all sorts of weapons, and the discretion to use or not use. A good sharp group of security personnel is just the right thing for planetfalls where you don't know what might happen.

But that means he'd have to go to Starfleet Academy or at least Security Forces Training Center, and that would be after he wanted to go into space. Even then there would be no real security that we'd be stationed aboard the same starship. Starfleet does try to accommodate married personnel, but you know bureaucracy.

So I don't know. But I think I'm in love, Maryanne, in love, really in love, for the first time.
I'm going back up to the Azrael tomorrow for a week's duty and I'll write more then. It will give me time to think. Meantime, Jomo has gone off to some little fracas at the border, but he has promised to bring me back something from Cairo.

Excerpt, INS report, dated 16 October 2164:

Dateline Obbia, Somalia Province, United States of Africa: Fighting broke out today in the troubled Somalia Province in East Africa when Tanzanian terrorists seized a supersonic jet with 312 aboard, including the Consulate General of the Arab Republic and Kenda Porter, the sultry star of The New Thief of Bagdad and Queen of Sheba.

The jet, grounded at Obbia International Airport, was successfully attacked by a crack unit of the U.S.A. Special Forces. All terrorists were killed, two passengers were slightly wounded, and the only Army casualty was its leader, Captain Jomo Murumbi, a veteran of nine years’ service.

Miss Porter pronounced the dead captain a "true hero" and said that she would make his life story her next holographic feature.

Letter, Nyota Uhura to Damu Pua, dated 5 March 2166:

Dear Father:

My next assignment is very exciting. I'm to be Chief Communications Officer aboard the Enterprise! It's a fine ship with a good record, and we will be beginning a five-year voyage not long after I arrive. I don't know now whether I will be able to get down to dirtside (as we say in Starfleet) or not. I hope so, but my connections are going to be tight.

I'm leaving the Azrael here at Pollox VI, taking a scout ship, the Selinger, to Upsilon Xi III. There I hope to catch a commercial liner (they tell me either the Charles Lee Jackson II, the Falcon, or the Thrush, depending; maybe even Queen Elizabeth III!) to Levitz-5. Then a short hop to Earth via Alpha Centauri! Is that not a 3-D map of Sector 9?

But to get aboard a cruiser going on a five-year—!

So just in case I can't get leave or arrive too late, I want you to know I love you all and hope you understand. This is the really big chance! Almost all of my other trips have been in and around space that was known, tamed, unsurprising. (Note that "almost." I'm so glad some, at least, were in uncharted territory.)

The new Starfleet policy of not sending survey ships into areas that have not been at least given a once-over by a heavy cruiser is probably a good one. The big ships can handle a lot, take a lot, and, if they must, put out a lot.

So I'm really looking forward. 

My love, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX!

Excerpt, Offworld, by Hikaru Sulu and B. I. O'Katwin:

We were on our way to Beta Aurigae when Uhura reported a distress call from Camus II. Captain Kirk took us there at once, but the landing party found only two left alive, Dr. Janice Lester and Dr. Arthur Coleman.

The surviving archeologists who had been exploring the ruins there were beamed aboard and told of the others dying of celebium radiation. What we did not know at the time was that Dr. Lester knew the secret of entity transfer.

It was to Uhura, in private, and later to others, that Dr. Lester revealed a grudge that had haunted her for years. Uhura told me, "She knew Captain Kirk when they were cadets at the Academy. She's very ambitious and they were once, briefly, in love. But her ambition was too raw for our captain, and he walked out on her. She never forgave him."

Uhura went on to say that Dr. Lester never realized that her own passions had forced the issue between them. "She spent years studying ship operations and thought a captaincy was her due," Uhura said. "She never understood that knowing how to pilot a starship is hardly the only factor in being a captain."

What happened next happened swiftly. Dr. Janice Lester effected an entity transfer, trapping Captain Kirk in her body while she was in his. She effectively had taken over the Enterprise. She tried to kill her own former body with Kirk trapped within it, but was prevented by the return of the remainder of the landing party.

Dr. McCoy put "Janice" into sickbay, thinking that in some fashion she had gone insane, claiming to be Jim Kirk. Sedation effectively neutralized our real captain while the Lester/Kirk controlled the ship. The imposter decided to abandon "Janice Lester" at the Benecia Colony, thus getting rid of both her former body and the troublesome Kirk personality.

But the diversion of the ship made several of us suspicious. Commander Spock affected a mind meld with the imprisoned "Janice Lester" and found that, indeed, James Kirk's personality was within the female shell.

The Janice/Kirk became hysterical and tried Mr. Spock for mutiny. During the testimony both Dr. McCoy and Mr. Scott became convinced that an entity transfer had somehow been achieved and they were charged with mutiny. When Janice/Kirk called for a death sentence, we all knew that our real captain was not in command.

When we refused to obey the commands of the usurper, the entity transfer began to weaken. Had Janice/Kirk been able to leave her former body behind, the retransfer could not have taken place and she would have been safe.

Dr. Coleman was appealed to by the now nearly hysterical Janice/Kirk, who agreed to "her" demands to kill everyone. But before that could hap pen the transfer broke, returning the real Janice to her own body and our captain to his body.

"She was insane with hatred," Uhura said. "She made a desperate, last, sad attempt to kill Captain Kirk, but collapsed in tears. Doctor Coleman was in love with her, and he promised to take care of her ever after.

"It was a very sad affair, but she had always thought the reason she had not been advanced to her own captaincy was that she was a woman. She never understood—in fact, she was probably incapable of understanding—that the real reason was that she had of very narrow understanding of other humans."

I remember Uhura sighing, then saying, "I can understand loving someone, and I can understand hating them when that love died. But I can't understand wanting to destroy someone you once loved."

Excerpt, The Tribble Manual, by Gerald Davis:

Tribbles come in a variety of colors: blond, beige, white, tan, and deep auburn, as well as a variety of soft pastel hues. They are small furry creatures that were introduced by a somewhat shady startrader named Cyrano Jones. He repeatedly refused to divulge the source of these almost featureless animals for fear of his monopoly being broken.

My theory is that they are a genetic construct of the facile scientists of the Romulan Empire, for while they seem warm and cuddly to human/humanoid races, they react adversely to the presence of Klingons, who are their genetic brothers.

Naturally, being liked by humans and humanoids, they would be carried to the far reaches of the human empire. They are highly prolific and are, in effect, born pregnant. (See "The Genetic Overlapping of Tribble Gestation," in Science, Vol. XXIV/C/ 23-5.)

The genetic engineering of the tribbles seems to be oriented toward complete compatibility with "anything that moves," as Dr. Leonard McCoy wrote, "Except Klingons, who refer to them as 'parasites.'"

The first encounter of human and tribble occurred aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, Captain James T. Kirk commanding. The starship received an order from Starfleet Command to protect Space Station K-7, which had a load of valuable quadrotriticale grain in its storage bins and a gang of Klingons in its recreation rooms.

Under the terms of the Organian Peace Treaty, Klingons were allowed Rest & Recreation at this class of space station and at certain planetside bases of the M-3 class or higher. Their presence, however, made the manager of the station very nervous.

Captain Kirk was aware that the rare wheat was important, for it is a high-yield, perennial, four-lobed hybrid, the only kind that can grow and successfully survive on Sherman's Planet, a famine-struck Federation world near enough to the neutral zone to be in contention between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.

Involved as he was in an ongoing argument between a Federation Undersecretary for Agriculture, the Station manager, and his own distrust of the Klingons, Captain Kirk did not notice what was to develop as a far greater threat: the introduction of tribbles into human space.

Cyrano Jones had routinely docked at K-7 and had been much taken with the beauty and charm of the Chief Communications Officer, Lieutenant Uhura. "They seemed harmless enough," Nyota Uhura said later. "All they do is eat and, uh . . . multiply."

Dr. Leonard McCoy, Chief Medical Officer, said, "I discovered that they seemed to be born pregnant, an overlapping of functions which seemed astonishing and which I at first disbelieved. The more they ate, the more tribbles they had. Their amount grew logrithmically, not arithmetically."

James Kirk wrote, "They overpopulated the ship in no time from the single specimen brought aboard quite innocently by Lieutenant Uhura. There were tribbles all over the space station as well. Suddenly we were up to our communicators in soft, furry, cuddlesome tribbles! They especially loved the hybrid grain. I opened a storage bin and was inundated by tribbles—dead tribbles. It was then I discovered that the Klingons had poisoned the grain, hoping for a devastating famine on Sherman's Planet, and an emergency evacuation, to be followed by a swift Klingon takeover.

"When I discovered that Klingons do not like tribbles, and very much vice-versa, I was able to uncover a Klingon disguised as a Terran bureaucrat who had poisoned the grain.

"We forced the Klingons to back down, and my resourceful Chief Engineering Officer, Montgomery Scott', managed to beam aboard the remaining live tribbles, then lock tight our defensive screens. Our imaginations went wild as we thought of the Klingons extreme discomfort at the agitated tribbles. Mr. Scott said that they would be `no tribble at all.'
"
Lieutenant Uhura was agitated herself to have to give up her delightful tribble, but knew it was for the common good. "If they weren't so marvelously fertile," she said, "they'd make the warmest of pets. But . . ."

Interested in reading more by Rotsler? Try his two science fiction adventure masterpieces:


Patron of the Arts is the Nebula and Hugo finalist saga of a man who searches the solar system for the woman he knew he loved only after her mysterious disappearance. "A fine novel." -Harlen Ellison "Rotsler at the top of his form." -Gregory Benford




An enthralling novel of the men and women of the far frontier! Uses the classic TOS trope of a planet with parallels to Earth history, sure to please all Star Trek enthusiasts.

“A vivid, fast-paced story, rich with color, insight and passion.” —Robert Silverberg

“Good, fast space opera. What science fiction is supposed to do.” —Larry Niven

Bonus: An interview with William Rotsler about writing science fiction, Star Trek books & media-tie-ins.