Star Trek: Before Destruction - Readme
"Star Trek: Before Destruction"* Copyright 1991 by Michael Rossi
To all potential "Acting" Agents/Trek fans: March 1, 1993
(Yes, believe it or not, I'm addressing you who are reading this!)
Before you read this novel "Star Trek: Before Destruction!" I would like to inform you of my intentions in contacting you this way. I am attempting to have this novel published by Pocket Books, and I have need of your assistance in accomplishing this. It is my hope that when you finish reading this you will be willing to become my potential "Acting" agent. I will explain in detail further down. It is also my hope that this will be rewarding for all who wish to involve themselves in this project.
I am soliciting your help, should you decide to accept my proposal, in demonstrating to Pocket Books that not only is this novel that you are about to read enjoyable, well written, and publishable, but also that I am not the only person that believes this to be so. I am attempting to offer you, my potential "Acting" Agent/Trek Fan (I am again referring to you: the reader of this) the opportunity to become part of this unorthodox means of letting the publisher know what the "Fan" wants to read. Agreed, this is similar to Ross Perot's "Volunteer's" that changed the course of national politics this last election year. (I use this only as an example. No political implications of any kind are intended, but this is a campaign of sorts, and an opportunity to voice your opinion. I will, however, state and give fair warning to the reader that this novel is written with the characters of, and in the tradition of the "Original Series" and therefore, is definitely not "Politically Correct".)
My proposal to you, the potential "Acting" Agent/Fan:
1: Read ALL 19 chapters of my novel and decide for yourself if you would like to see it in print. (Thus finding out how it ends.)
2: If you enjoyed what you have read, print the file, entitled "ST-AGENT.TXT" (included with the 19 chapters). Fill out the first page and send it to Pocket Book's "Star Trek Editor". You may also include a letter of your own to accompany it, if you have a favorable comment to express to the Editor with regards to my novel.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: (PLEASE DO NOT mail this letter to the on or after September 1, 1993).
3: Next, fill out the second page (along with any comments you may have on my novel) and send it to Mike Rossi (Me, the Author of "S.T.: Before Destruction!") The mailing addresses are on each page of ST-AGENT.TXT. This will cost you the amount of two first class stamps, two envelopes and your time... but nothing more.
4: Pass all of these text files on to other potential "Acting" Agents/Fans or Up-load to another BBS for that purpose.
(Please make an attempt to get the SYSOP's permission first. The SYSOP might even wish to call attention to it, if it is approved for use on his/her BBS.)
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*** Spreading this to other potential "Acting" Agents/Trek Fans is ***
*** crucial. The more voices that are saying the same thing, the better ***
*** our chances are that Pocket Books' "Star Trek Editor" will hear. ***
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(Please encourage the potential "Acting" Agent/Fan to read the novel with haste and pass it on again.)
Note: If you are a Teacher, Professor, in a club, a "Frat." or a "House", this may make an interesting group project. Please have members wishing to help, sign an individual form of their own.
5: If you do not like my novel, you are not obligated to do anything. (Even if you like it, you aren't obligated. Many agents turn down material for many reasons.) You may, if you so choose, print the last page of the "ST-AGENT.TXT" file and send your comments to me. I will be reading all letters sent to me and will be glad to hear your constructive criticism. (Please see next section.)
6: This offer is void if not acted upon by September 1, 1993
My promise to you, the potential "Acting" Agent/Trek Fan:
- You are all absolved of any legal ties to myself and this work. Although I have contacted a lawyer concerning the legalities of this venture and been informed that this is a legal way of soliciting this kind of representation, I do not wish to bring trouble to any of you should any arise.
- If this novel is well received and is published I promise to begin writing the sequel. It is already in my head but what's the point of putting it to paper if 'this' novel does not make it? By the way... The sequel's title will be "S.T.: The Once and Future Kirk!"
- If I receive an excessive amount of negative replies, I promise to cease and desist in any further writing of "Trek" novels. I humbly place my career in your hands as I would any other agent acting on my behalf.
The benefits of becoming a potential "Acting" Agent/Trek Fan:
Benefit #1. You will know how the novel ends if the project is successful and the novel ultimately is published. (However, you will have to buy a copy of it for yourself. Sorry but Pocket Books will want to know that you are eager buyers of this book as well as assisting in getting it published by collectively representing me.)
Benefit #2. You will be a part of this endeavor and thus, a part of Trek history, continually in the making. It was a campaign similar to this that prompted the network executives to keep the original Series on the air in the late 1960's.
Benefit #3. You will receive (if the novel is published) a "Thank you for 'Acting' as my agent!" check amounting to 1 share of 10% of the net profit that I might receive in the first year of the novel's printing, less postage.
What the heck does that mean? This:
Let's say 500 people assist me in this project. That would be 500 shares. Let's also say that 10% of my net profit is $5,000 and at present, postage is 29 cents. This boils down to Each person eventually receiving a check for $9.71 : ($5,000 divided by 500 = $10 - $.29 = $9.71) I will disclose the total number of people assisting me and my total net profit to all, when and if it becomes time to mail the checks or inform you of it's status via BBS from time to time. Look for "ROSSI-*.TXT" files, download them and pass them on to other BBS's. Compare the dates so you know if it is an up-to-date copy. Remember, only those who send the signed letters from the ST-AGENT.TXT document to both myself and Pocket Books' "Star Trek Editor" will be considered my potential "Acting" Agents/Trek Fans. I will compare the letters I receive to the one's the "Star Trek Editor" receives.
Note: If the dollar amount comes to zero or is less than $1 per person, you have my extreme gratitude but you will receive no check. However, concerning compensation, remember this: You have already been allowed to read 19 chapters at no cost to you.
Benefit #4. You may be able to say "Yes, I helped S.T.: 'Before Destruction' get published!"
Some background (History) on this unorthodox venture:
This novel was started in October of 1988 and completed on Aug. 17, 1991. It was submitted to Pocket Books in June of 1992. It took 10 months to find an agent that would deal with Pocket Books because most agents do not want to handle something that they know is a one shot deal.
I call it a "one shot deal" because Pocket Books is now the sole publisher of Trek novels, thus making any submissions to them for "Trek" publication an "all or nothing" shot. Please understand that most novels, when submitted to a publisher and rejected, the work is merely sent to another publisher until it is accepted or judged by many publishers as "Unworthy" of publication.
I knew this dilemma when I submitted the novel to Pocket and placed my bet of nearly "three years work" on the wheel with them. After 7 months, of waiting, I was told that I had lost the bet. I knew the odds and continue to face the results of them. However, like a certain Starship Captain... I don't like to lose, and I believe that not only I, but the potential readers lost as well. I am attempting, therefore, to (lawfully) alter the rules by which I have been forced to play. It is my belief that the word of one agency or one Editor may not be objective enough (in many cases at least) to make a determination of this magnitude. Therefore I turn to you, the potential "Acting" Agent/Trek Fan to make the determination. I am fully prepared to take your collective word as to the worthiness of this novel you are about to read. You will be the jury and be given the opportunity to tell either myself, or Pocket what to do with this novel.
If you should vote that the novel is worthy, we will be sending that collective message to Pocket Books' "Star Trek editor". If you vote that the novel is unworthy, well... I need to know that too, don't I?
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Mike Rossi
Legalities
All warranties, with regards to "ST-NOVEL.ZIP" and associated files either express or implied, are entirely disclaimed.
BBS Down-loads and Up-loads to other BBS's are encouraged by the author, but the refusal of and or the deletion of "ST-NOVEL.ZIP" and associated files by the SYSOP or BBS hardware owner is entirely at their discretion.
Note to the SYSOP: If you wish to have this file on your BBS, it is requested that the file "ST-NOVEL.ZIP" be called attention to and directed specifically towards "Potential 'Acting' Agents/Trek Fans". You may call attention to it by any means you wish, be it Intro. Screen, Bulletin, Memo, Mail, Newsletter etc... In addition, it is requested that this file be removed from your BBS on or by September 1, 1993. I thank you for your assistance.
"ST-NOVEL.ZIP" SIZE:178,401 DATE:3/1/93 Files within "ST-NOVEL.ZIP" are:
File: Size: Date: | File: Size: Date:
|
CHAP#1.TXT 32,597 3/1/93 | CHAP#11.TXT 27,252 3/1/93
CHAP#2.TXT 10,291 3/1/93 | CHAP#12.TXT 13,753 3/1/93
CHAP#3.TXT 19,906 3/1/93 | CHAP#13.TXT 28,822 3/1/93
CHAP#4.TXT 13,639 3/1/93 | CHAP#14.TXT 17,933 3/1/93
CHAP#5.TXT 12,602 3/1/93 | CHAP#15.TXT 13,125 3/1/93
CHAP#6.TXT 29,636 3/1/93 | CHAP#16.TXT 25,989 3/1/93
CHAP#7.TXT 9,832 3/1/93 | CHAP#17.TXT 33,024 3/1/93
CHAP#8.TXT 18,148 3/1/93 | CHAP#18.TXT 15,233 3/1/93
CHAP#9.TXT 28,346 3/1/93 | CHAP#19.TXT 45,133 3/1/93
CHAP#10.TXT 22,250 3/1/93 | ST-AGENT.TXT 4,179 3/1/93
README.TXT 14,567 3/1/93
VIEW.EXE Copyright (c) 1991-2 by Gary D. Moore and VIEW.DOC are included.
VIEW.EXE IS 13,080 Bytes and VIEW.DOC is 3,475 Bytes. My thanks to Gary.
DESC.SDI and FILE_ID.DIZ are file descriptions for BBS use, as a way of keeping the file descriptions constant on all BBS's. You (as an up- loader) will not need to worry about keying in a detailed file description.
No file(s) within "ST-NOVEL.ZIP" and including "ST-NOVEL.ZIP" are to be altered in any way except by the Author of that file. The file entitled "ST-AGENT.TXT" may be printed and filled out but not altered in the file itself. The signature on letter(s) must be by your own hand in ink.
No money or payment in any form is to be exchanged or received for any file(s) within "ST-NOVEL.ZIP" nor for "ST-NOVEL.ZIP" itself.
All, not part, of the files within and including "ST-NOVEL.ZIP" are to be given freely to any potential "Acting" Agent/Trek Fan for their evaluation.
Anyone knowing the ending or having had access to the complete novel from past or pre-published contact with myself or any of my manuscripts had better keep the information to themselves or there will be heck to pay. All copies of the manuscript and data files have been text coded from the beginning to be able to trace each individual manuscript in the event of either hard-copy or data file theft.
Special Thanks to my friends, Steve Harmon: Greenfield, IN. and Dennis Beach: Crawfordsville, IN. for their assistance in this BBS Distribution.
