From the Editor's Desk

A full year has gone by since the first issue of apocrypha hit the screens, and we're just thrilled to not only be still up and around, but also to be reading some of the best L&O fan fic we've seen yet! So pat yourselves on the back, readers and writers alike, and let's look forward to another year, and another one after that....
We've added a new section to the 'zine: News. While we only come out a couple times a year, timeliness isn't going to be our forte, but if you have any suggestions for news, or inside information you want confirmed, or anything else you think we can use, please let us know! This could become a place to announce new web pages from L&O fans, too, depending on the response. That said, at least one of our news items is a sad one -- a short obituary of one of our best writers, Lori Kern, who published under the name Lori N. Kem, who died this summer after a bout with cancer. As a tribute, we've relinked the two stories in our Fiction section, and we hope that in reading (or re-reading) them, you'll understand that we've lost a real talent.
On other subjects, we've now got a final list of nominees for the first Blue Wall Awards. Go to The Nominees Page page, and read the instructions, and vote! What will they win? Well, we're still working on that. But you have to start somewhere....
As always, we've had beautiful stories submitted to us this issue, and as you'll notice, we've expanded the number of fiction stories we normally showcase. Keep 'em coming! This is very, very encouraging. So keep on sending in -- we love reading what's out there.
Ok, all of that said, time to get to business, a little on our picks for this issue: Korillian chooses, Patients, by Michelle Leslie, and calls it an "interesting first-person vignette." Kitt's pick is A Wind In New York. Kitt says, "Not all stories have to spell out meaning with the first reading. Wind is the kind of story that gets under your skin and leaves you thinking about it long after you've turned the virtual page." The other stories are just as worth reading, of course, so dive in, and enjoy! Write us, write for yourself, and send, send, send! The next issue comes out (tentatively for now) on November 1, 1998. Any comments, just throw them our way here at apocrypha and we'll see what we can do!

Love,
Kitteridge and Korillian

Letters To The Editor
We get letters, we get letters, lots and lots of letters...

Subj:     Zoni's Story
Date:    Sat, Jun 13, 1998 11:48 PM EDT

Zoni's Story is absolutely FANTASTIC.  More, More!
Joystar



Subj:     Mary Dinsmore Logan
Date:    Sun, Jun 14, 1998 2:37 PM EDT

One word... amazing.





Debbie



Subj:     Friend Indeed
Date:    Mon, Jun 15, 1998 6:25 PM EDT

I must admit that in reading Friend Indeed, I was thrown for a loop! 
It definitely took an unexpected turn, as I assume the writer wanted 
it  to, in order to throw us readers off balance.  Kudos to the writer 
and  to you guys for selecting it and letting us fans of L&O fiction 
to get our proverbial money's worth.  Keep up the good work.

Toi



Date:    Mon, Jun 15, 1998 8:51 PM EDT
From:  ZombDet

Enjoyed your interview with Ms. Baptiste.  She is my favorite fanfic 
writier out of all of those you have had. Her stories are hard to put 
down because they really get you involved. You can just picture everyone 
when you read her stuff. Is she published anywhere? She is too good 
to just write fanfic.  She sounds like she is as fun as her writing.

I missed seeing any of her stories in this issue. I hope you will 
have her again soon.

Dawn



Subj:     Some Thoughts
Date:    Thu, Jun 18, 1998 7:35 PM EDT

 Dear Kitt and Kor........I see in Apocrypha that you encourage
response to stories from readers.  And you're right!  My little 
piece of fanmail was such a nice surprise 
I turned around and mailed one off myself to someone else!

I think I mentioned before to you that I have serious reservations
about fan fiction.  Since I made the decision to submit to apocrypha 
I've been forced to examine my reservations more closely.  I 
haven't read any other kind of fanfiction except L&O's and I haven't 
read widely there either so I must admit that my sampling is 
small, but it hasn't encouraged me to explore further.

I find that I often have a cringe/wince response when I read
fanfiction and I think it's elicited by something self-serving 
in the motive to write the story, and consequently limits the 
stories' effectiveness because it's not something honest in the 
material that's being addressed. I don't think Balcer's remark is 
all that off-base (the one on Kitteridge's opening page). There's 
something masturbatory (more or less, directly or indirectly) 
about a lot of fanfiction.  God knows, I understand the impulse....
I have a page or two of Logan erotica somewhere in my files.....but 
I recognize it for what it is.  It *doesn't* arise from the wealth 
of character detail that the show and its writers and actors give 
us.  It comes from somewhere else. 

In order for fanfiction to be successful I think it must come 
from this richness of character and the possibilities it suggests.  
So I applaud your refusal to accept all material and urge you to 
continue to be as discriminating as possible.  (Now that I'm on the
safe side of that one! ;)  )

BTW, I liked Zoni's story "Friend Indeed".  She had a line in her
material and knew exactly where it was and didn't cross it.
 I really like the formatting for Apocrypha that you do, too, and
its seasonal touches.  Its always interesting and pleasing and 
sometimes very pretty (I love the bright nasturtium-like flowers 
against the blue summer sky and those sassy little summer suns winking 
at the top).  It's inviting and easy to read.  

Thanks for all your talented efforts,  Sara

Editor's Note: Sara is the author of Mary Dinsmore Logan.



Date:    Fri, Jun 19, 1998 11:38 AM EDT
From:  MM125
Subj:    friend indeed

The best story I've read yet!!!!



Subj:     Keeping Secrets (conclusion)
Date:    Mon, Jun 22, 1998 4:59 PM EDT

Thank you for a very touching story.  I read it at work and had 
to try hard not to cry while reading it.  You've given Mike Logan a 
new dimension...caring, loving father and I like it.





Judy



Date:    Tue, Jun 23, 1998 5:44 PM EDT
Subj: The Logan Mystique

I think you're damn right!


But I disagree in only one point:


Mike Logan IS handsome.


Not only that, but he is -sexy is not the word- very attractive 
sound much better when it comes to quality speaking, and 
that's exactly what Mike-Chris Noth is: QUALITY... you fill in 
the dots!


By the way my name is Maria, I'm Greek and I'm sure you already 
know that apocrypha is a Greek word and it means secrets 
or, things that are private, things that we try to hide from other 
people. Mystique too, is greek and means almost the same thing: secret.





I'm a new Chris Noth fan, because Law & Order here is on every Tuesday 
1-3 a.m!!! PLUS, they show two episodes in a row, therefore you have to 
know what is on and when, as far as late night shows are concerned, 
otherwise you miss great men like Chris Noth for no reason! But NOW 
that I do know, I don't miss a thing!





Is it just me or is this guy great!



Keep those stories coming!!





Maria Samartzi


Greece



Date:    Sun, Jun 28, 1998 7:27 PM EDT
Subj:    re: friend indeed

WOW!!!!!!
i loved this story.  it was just too beautiful.  congrats to zoni.  
i think that's the author.

thanks for publishing the story.  i got so emotional that 
believe it or not i got a little teary.

sincerely,

elizabeth a.k.a. MORALITO



Subj:     Hello
Date:    Mon, Jun 29, 1998 12:38 PM EDT

I recently found your page while exploring the Chris Noth site. 
You have a fabulous set up !!!!!  It actually inspired a brainstorm of a story.

Kudos, roses, and a shower of confetti to Eunice who wrote the tale 
Reflections!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a wonderful story and I hope she writes 
more of them :)

Take Care,
Bonnie



Subj:     Logan Mystique
Date:    Tue, Jun 30, 1998 2:44 PM EDT

I would say you hit the nail on the head. Logan was great in Law and Order 
and I miss his presence today. As much as I like Jerry Orbach I don't watch 
anything after Logan. So A&E and I are pretty close, it's nice to be able 
to see Logan every night.

Thanks for the insight into Logan,


Cindy Walters



Date:    Sat, Jul 4, 1998 10:30 PM EDT

Hi ...... I like your aprocrypha site.....however, could you please use
some other color for your fonts??? You cannot read the challenge.......
too small font,,,,wrong color, makes your eyes get spots trying to read it!!!!

subpeona
Kathryn

Editor's note: Anybody else having this kind of problem? 



Subj:     The Logan Mystique
Date:    Thu, Jul 9, 1998 5:39 PM EDT

Couldn't agree more-as a relative new comer to Law and Order-
only because of scheduling problems-I have found myself following the 
Logan character more and more closely trying to figure out what makes 
him tick.Also since getting my first computer 3 weeks ago I was pleased 
to find that there is so much information of Christopher Noth on the web. 
Some,like this article, is very well written;some of it I can only wonder 
what the writers were thinking and what kind of back grounds they
had that they for the most part just wanted to hurt him physically and
mentally.And your right he's not the most handsome man but he is very
real and I think very sexy.I'm not ashamed to admit he's given me some
very interesting dreams of late. Keep up the good work.

Friend Indeed: Excellent work, comfortable, readable and for once plausible.

Doreen



Subj:     Susianne Baptiste

Will there be anymore strories by Susianne?  I can't get enough of 
Simone & Logan.

Kellie/Brent Noffz



Subj:     Re: Keeping Secrets
Date:    Sat, Jul 11, 1998 11:48 PM EDT

Keeping Secrets is a very good story.  Like many of the episodes of the


series itself, it was disturbing and doesn't have a nice neat happy ending.
Thanks

Jackie Leaf



Subj:     pride
Date:    Thu, Jul 23, 1998 8:42 AM EDT

loved the idea first time i've ever found anything like this on the net.
wish we could get some closure like this into next season...like lets
show how logan and grown and gets his shield back ...works in the 34 or
wherever...and use the character in some shows just so
we can feel good about him again.  robin knutson

Editor's note: We're not quite sure if she's writing about a story, or 
about the episode "Pride," but our queries went unanswered. Oh well!




Subj:    Keeping Secrets
Date:    Thu, Aug 20, 1998 11:11 AM

This is a wonderful story!  It shows the side of Mike Logan that peeks 
through every now and again when we get brief glimpses of his past!  
I am working on a story with Mike and Lennie and would love to be able 
to make some sort of reference to his late son! 

CJackson



Subj:    Law and Order - Stand Off by Kim Hood
Date:    Tue, Aug 25, 1998 3:10 AM

Good story.  Look forward to reading the second part.

pndragon



Subj:    Mary Dinsmore Logan
Date:    Thur, Aug 27, 1998 4:52 PM

Meriden Bruce did an excellent job on her story!  I was glued to it.  It
leaves me wanting to read more!

I was so caught up in it I felt as if I were there!  Watching as Teresa
did eavesdropping around the corner when Mary got her call from Frank.
And sitting there at the table when she made Michael move from his place
to his father's place. And reaching for the milk and seeing the glass
tumble and the milk splashing everywhere. It made me scared to look up
and face the woman!!

Keep up the great work, Meriden.  I hope to read more.

Brenda

apocrypha welcomes letters from readers. Letters should include the writer's name. Those selected for inclusion may be shortened for clarity and content, and unless otherwise requested, will not include email addresses. Send letters to us here at apocrypha8@aol.com. Only letters clearly marked "not for editor's page" will be excluded from consideration.

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