Cold Fish and Stale Chips

Cold Fish and Stale Chips, edited by Kate Nuernberg, was a very unusual sort of zine, half letterzine and half writing seminar. It was a home for unfinished stories and story ideas, questions and commentary. Definitely stories were saved by it -- though probably just as often, having published the 'good bit' of an unfinished story and gotten comments on it, the desire to finish the boring parts was lessened. It was a little bit like the idea of WIP Amnesty on Livejournal, except that critical commentary was baked into the concept.
Description from Media Monitor: "Cold Fish and Stale Chips is a Pros letterzine which contains unfinished story fragments, story and songtape ideas, unpublished art, and comments on all that has gone before. Discussion on writing techniques and problems. Published quarterly in Jan., Apr., July, and Oct."
The zine won multiple Huggies during its run as well as a 1990 Fan Q.
The early issues, up to 13, tended to be mostly gen. After that, they included more of a mix of slash and gen. The letterzine ran for 22 issues.
==Summary from the Editor==
From the first issue: 
=="Our Purpose"==
The editor states the mission of "Cold Fish and Stale Chips": 
In 1992, the editor stated in another zine: 
==Trib Copies, Submissions, and Guidelines==
From issue #10: 
==The Questionnaire for Feedback on Fiction==
Regarding submitted fiction ideas: 
==Other Professionals Letterzines==
* Mixed Doubles (gen and slash, Pros and Starsky & Hutch) (1984-June 1989) 
* The Hatstand Express (slash) (1984-1991)
* On the Double (heavy on slash, Pros and K/S) (November 1986- January 1996) 
* Short Circuit (gen and slash) (1990-1994)
* Be Gentle With Us (slash) (March 1991-December 1993)
* Discovered In A Letterbox (slash) (1997-2002)
==Other Letterzines==
For similar publications, see List of Letterzines.
==Fan Reactions and Reviews==
==Issue 1==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 1 was published in 1989 and contains 39 pages.
* Introduction to this letterzine	
* Introduction to I Want My MTV column	("Carrying on with our theme of wishful thinking, this column could also be called "Songtapes I'd like to see, but don't have the Time, Equipment, Patience to do myself". Again, ideas are solicited from you for future columns. These can be as simple as a song title, or as complicated as a line by line description of which scenes you'd use for what.") 
* Introduction to Flesh for Fantasy column, a feature that encourages artists to post art and comment upon it
Draft stories and art:	 	 
* A Chink in the Wall	(part one) by Kate Nuernberg		 
* Untitled I	by Mysti Frank		 
* Untitled II	by Mysti Frank	 	 
* Never Forget Me	by Ruth Collerson 		 
* Untitled	by Emily Ross		 
* Untitled	by Anastasia Browne		 
* Fools and Children	by Kate Nuernberg	 
* Rum-Tum Raymond	by Kate Nuernberg	(Illustration in progress)	 
* Walking Through Broken Glass by	Kate Santovani
==Issue 2==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 2 was published in 1989 and contains 44 pages. 
 
The editor comments that "Some people do not like songtapes because they do not translate well to the written page. But obviously a lot of people do like them, because that's what gained us the most new contributions."
The editor writes: 
The editor wraps it up: 
	
Draft stories and art: 
*Walking Through Broken Glass	by Kate Santovani	
*Half-World Mercenary	by Emily Ross	
*The Smartest Agent in the World by	Kate Nuernberg	
*A Chink in the Wall (part two) by	Kate Nuernberg	
*Flesh for Fantasy feature	by Adrian Morgan	(Illustration in progress)
*Till Death Do Us Join	by Mona Sechrest	
*A Little Learning is a Dangerous Thing	by Ruth Collerson
==Issue 3==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 3 was published in 1989 and contains 55 pages.	 
* Editorial policy	by Kate Nuernberg	 
* LOCs,	Various	 
* Writing in "British"	by Kate Nuernberg	(Article)
* Please, Mr Postman	by Kate Nuernberg	(Request to encourage TPTB to hire LC)
* I Want My MTV feature	 (Various	Songtape ideas)
Draft stories and art:
* Castle in the Clouds	by Eros	
* John 15: 13	by Debra Hicks	
* Untitled	by Janet Walker	
* A Chink in the Wall (part three) 	by Kate Nuernberg	
* Flesh for Fantasy feature	by Suzan Lovett	(Illustration in progress for Master of the Revels)
* Kate Nuernberg	(Illustration in progress)
* Leaving No Crumbs Unturned	by Robbie Sturm	 
* Don't Do Me Any Favours Anymore	by Claudia Rufus
==Issue 4==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 4 was published in January 1990 and contains 52 pages.
* article on writing about character by Kate Nuernberg
* LOCs
* the editor writes about pseudonyms and explicit sex: 
* a fan comments on filks: 
Draft stories and art:
* Trigger Man by Sue Wells 
* Thrones, Dominations... by Kate Santovani
* Dream Lover by Emily Ross
* The Swordsman by Dorothy 
* Anything but Chicken, by Alyx 
* Open Book by HG (a fragment that became a story in British Takeaway)
* Empire of the Senses by Alys- incomplete
* Don't Do Me Any Favours Anymore by Loretta Greco 
* Untitled by Courtney Gray 
* The Odd Couple by Kate Nuernberg 
* Untitled illo by Kate Nuernberg
==Issue 5==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 5 was published in 1990 and contains 69 pages.
 
* a fan comments on another's in an earlier issue -- the subject is pseudonyms: 
* another fan addresses the same issue: 
* the editor responds: 
* a fan comments about straight and slash fiction: 
* a fan comments on another fan's reading preference: 
* two fans are curious: 
Draft stories and art:
* Memorial by Eileen Roy
* Future Present Understanding by Mystery Frank
* Two Bits by K.D. Swan
* The Odd Couple by Ruth Collerson
* The Odd Couple, insert #1 by Frankie
* The Odd Couple, insert #2 by Franklie
* Don't Do Me Any Favours Anymore, continued by Loretta Greco
* The Odd Couple, aka The Prisoner by Eileen Roy
* Untitled by Robbie Sturm
* Unfinished Poem by Emily Ross
* A Chink in the Wall (part four) by Kate Nuernberg
* The Odd Couple, continued by Kris Brown
* Portrait of Doyle by Suzan Lovett (art)
==Issue 6==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 6 was published in 1990 and contains 48 pages.
* the editor writes that she welcomes letters about all sorts of topics, but not "straight vs. slash" and "library vs. zines"
* The editor writes: 
* a fan comments: 
* a fan has become inspired: 
Draft Stories and art:
*Fragment, KIP by DVS
*Changes in Attitude, Changes in Latitude by Ellen Farris
*Don't Do Me Any Favours Anymore by Loretta Greco
*A Chink in the Wall (part five) by Kate Nuernberg
*Limbo by Sue-Anne Hartwick
*Now and Forever by Ellen Farris
*Trigger Man (...a Later Bullet) by Sue Wells
*Sunshine on my Shoulder by Laura Wynne
*Kate Nuernberg (art)
* eaf (art)
==Issue 7==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 7 was published in 1991 and contains 44 pages.
* a fan encourages another to use one of her OCs, though she has some stipulations: 
* a new fan comments: 
* a fan discusses POV in a letter titled "Point of View: A Topic for Rational Discussion" -- one tiny excerpt: 
* a fan tells this this zine's editor: 
* the editor points out that it's okay to be picky in this zine: 
* about TPTB and differing expectations about fannish appropriation: 
Draft Stories, Poems, and Art: 
* Fawlty Reasoning by Mystery Frank
* Untitled by Alys
* Whistling from MacBeth by Kate Santovani
* Tell Me by Robbie
* Been So Long on Lonely Street by Emily Ross (She notes that there is a prior segment in British Takeaway #2, though this is an error. It is in British Takeaway #3.)
* A Dog's Life by Gena Fisher
* Too Late by Robbie Sturm 
* Flesh for Fantasy, this time a full-page piece by Suzan Lovett for Master of the Revels, along with her commentary
* art by eaf
Features:
* Paperback Writer, article about writer's block by Kate (reprinted in A Writers' Exchange #1 as "Tackle That Block") 
* If I Can Dream (vague story suggestions from fans)
* I Want My MTV (songvid ideas with lyrics, commentary, and suggested scenes from episodes)
* Cammie, Tell Me True (fans ask questions about vocabulary, Pros fan news, phrases, fiction reviews...)
==Issue 8==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 8 was published in 1991 and contains 30 pages.
* the editor writes: 
* a fan has been encouraged: 
* a fan writes: 
* about writing in other fans' universes: 
* more about other fans' universes: 
* a fan chimes in on the debate, and argues a bit with herself, about whether to offer free copies of the letterzine to tribbers: 
* a fan comments on a sort of early vid-on-paper: "Thanks to [name redacted] for matching video clips to her MTV selection. I like these the best when you get visuals."
Draft Stories:
*Wee Bit o' Comfort by Sue-Anne Hartwick
*Untitled by Ruth Schubert
*Fragment from Close Call by Sue Wells
*Flesh for Fantasy by Ellen Farris
*...And What I have Failed to Do by Kate Nuernberg
==Issue 9==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 9 was published in 1991 and contains 41 pages.
* a fan writes: "The rape stories aren't my favorite. I really can't see one partner raping the other. Not even on drugs. Not even hypnotized. Not even under the death by poison killer dust-bunny bite."
* a fan comments on fanon confusion: "I first got into this fandom through B/D stories in mixed media zines and then the lending library. I think it was over a year before I saw an episode and it was very confusing at times. I had no way to tell what was in the series and what was the author's addition."
* a fan writes that "I've had a songtape idea for years: scenes of Starsky, Doyle, Blake , Tarrant to the song "Hair"; and Doyle scenes to "Good Morning Starshine..."
* the editor writes: 
* a fan writes: 
* fans comment more about fan fic sequels: 
* a fan makes her wishes about RPF known: 
* more about fans writing in other fan's universes: 
* one fan compliments another: 
* a fan complains of the Everybody's Gay trope as she comments on another's story: 
* a fan writes about other writing in other fans' universes: 
 
Draft Stories:
* The World in His Eye by Gena Fisher
* Hidden Between the Lines by Kris Brown
* Safekeeping by Ellen Farris
* A Well-Used Room by Alyx
* Everybody Loves a Clown by Kris Brown
* The Hidden Heart by Gena Fisher (response to Consequences)
* Quiet Time by Sue Wells
* In the Rest Room by Alyx
==Issue 10==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 10 was published in 1991 (most likely December, as the editor refers to it as a Christmas gift, submission deadline for the next issue is February) and contains 56 pages. The editor notes this issue is exceptionally large and compares it to a phone book.
This issue is the last one to contain "I Want My MTV," a feature where fans offer up song ideas, along with lyrics, for Pros songvids.
* a fan explains her stance on a fan writing in another's universe: 
* another fan comments on writing in another fan's universe: 
* a fan comments on the possible double standard regarding professional writers and fan writers -- 
 
* a fan comments on a pro novel that had first been a fanzine: 
* fans discuss a story fragment in a previous issue in which Bodie cries -- one comment: 
* a fan is thrilled to see a familiar name pop up as the author of a letter here: 
* a fan writes of the recent ZebraCon: 
* a fan has some updates for other fans: 
* a fan quips about prolific fanfic writers: 
* another fan comments on prolific fans: 
* another comment on prolific fans: 
* a fan is concerned about: 
* a fan's concern over other Cold Fish fans getting too picky and serious in their feedback causes the editor to remind others to perhaps be more moderate and understanding: 
Draft Stories: 
* Serbiton in Orbit, or Another Alternate Universe Goes Nova by Lois McDowell
* Compulsions by Alys and Alyx
* One Man's Poison by Liane Beck
* Lonely Street sequel, segment #2 by Emily Ross
* A Sense of Duty by Sue-Anne Harwick
* Let Down by Shoshanna ("I'm currently working on a long story (I expect it to reach forty thousand words) showing the guys working through some complicated issues centering on their ideas of friendship, sexuality, and homophobia..." this is a draft fragment of some of Never Let Me Down)
* Fire to Quench the Ice by Robin Goodfellow
* Burnout by Eileen Roy
* I Tried, Noel by Mystery Frank (a fragment meant to go in Across the Table, but the author admits she "couldn't seem to make it work")
Features:
* I Want My MTV
* Paperback Writer by Alys, about critiquing fan fiction as it is being written, how to edit
==Issue 11==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 11 was published in 1992 and contains 58 pages.
* a fan writes at great length of The Hunting, see that page
* a fan writes of men crying: 
* fan comments on a Pros trope and famous story: 
* a fan writes: 
* a fan, [H G], writes about the current debate on writing in other fans' universes and unauthorized sequels: 
* another fan has this to say about unauthorized sequels, this time tying their legitimacy to origin: 
* another fan has this to say about writing in another fan's universe: 
* a fan is looking for some condensation of fiction: 
* a fan comments on the current debate in this letterzine on POV and has a theory about a writer's nationality: 
* a fan discusses the problem of writing women in Pros fanfiction: 
* Alyx writes about Escapade: 
* a fan writes: 
Draft Stories:
* Serbiton in Orbit: Chapter on "Like Breathing" continued by Lois McDowell
* Untitled by Karen Eaton
* Asshole on the Roof by Gena Fisher
* The odd Couple--A Reunion by [L.P.]
* Left Holding a Stuffed Bunny by [K.R.]
* A Silent and Watchful Eye by Mystery Frank
==Issue 12==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 12 was published in 1992 (submission deadline for next issue is December 1992) and contains 52 pages.
* a fan comments on The Hunting
* there is much discussion on the process of writing
Draft Stories:
* Serbiton in Orbit, Chapter 2 "Time to Go Home" by Lois McDowell
* Scrambled Dominoes by Sue Wells
* The Field by April Pentland
* Tested in the Crucible by Kate Santovani
* A Chink in the Wall (part six) by Kate Nuernberg
* Sword for Hire: A Tale of Long Ago by Felicity M. Parkinson
==Issue 13==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 13 was published in 1993 and contains 36 pages.
* this issue has an article: "Paperback Writer, Dot, Dot, Dot" by Joan Martin discusses punctuation in writing
* the editor writes that due to real life issues, that she does not know the future of this letterzine after this issue
* a fan writes of fanac: 
* there is commentary about The Game and the notion of men talking to each other: 
Draft Stories:
* Home Fires are Still Burning by Gena Fisher (fragment for a story that ended up in Chalk and Cheese)
* ... haven't got a clue by Kate Santovani
* Serbiton in Orbit, Unusual Measures by Lois McDowall
==Issue 14==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 14 contains 38 pages, date unknown, though certainly after July 1993 and before October 1993 (October is the deadline for the next issue's submissions). Many fans comment on there being a very large gap between issues #13 and #14.
* a number of fans discuss how they physically write: longhand, typewriter, word processor...
* a fan notes that a number of fragments from this letterzine became things published in zines: "Metal Fatigue (was an untitled poem)," "Open Book," "The Domino Theory," Home Fires Still Burning," and Never Let Me Down 
* "Paperback Writer" by Kate is a professional article from "The Writer" (January 1993) by Wendy Corsi Staub, in which Kate adds her own fannish comments
* a fan includes many excerpts from a July 1993 article in Time magazine by Jonathan Tolins
* this issue has a how-to article by Sue Wells about vidding with a VCR -- See Making Music Videos (1993)
* the editor writes: 
* a fan writes: 
* a fan comments on her disinterest in pleasing future acafans: 
* Sandy Hereld writes: 
 
Draft Stories: 
* A Rock and a Hard Place by Skye
* Fragment by Joan Martin
* Same Time, Different Channels by Sue Wells
* A Reason to Celebrate by Londa Pfeffer
* Two Unrelated Stories by Sandy Hereld
* Deadlier Than the Male by Gena Fisher
* On the Dark Side of the Glass by Kate Nuernberg
==Issue 15==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 15 was published in November 1993 and contains 26 pages.
Draft Stories: 
* unknown
==Issue 16==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 16 was published in February 1994.
Draft Stories: 
* unknown
==Issue 17==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 17 was published in May 1994 and contains 25 pages.
* a fan writes: "I recall heated, acrimonious discussion among B/D people when zines were first proposed, claiming that zines would do in the circuit stories. Potential editors said a) no, they wouldn't, b) who cares. Zines appeared and the circuit died. There's a moral in there somewhere, but lady knows what it is."
* a fan writes of her own decline in writing LoCs: 
 
* a fan writes of genre: 
* on the universal story and epithets: 
* the editor writes: 
Draft Stories: 
* It's the Story by Gena Fisher (a Brady Bunch/Pros story)
* Curse of the Full Moon by Annie Finagle
==Issue 18==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 18 was published in August 1994 and contains 25 pages.
Draft Stories: 
* unknown
==Issue 19==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 19
Draft Stories: 
* unknown
 
==Issue 20==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 20 contains 60 pages.
Draft Stories: 
* unknown
 
==Issue 21==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 21
Draft Stories: 
* unknown
 
==Issue 22==
Cold Fish and Stale Chips 22
Draft Stories: 
* unknown
 
==References==
Category:The Professionals Zines
Category:1989 ZinesCategory:1990s