The William Shatner Connection NewsZine

The William Shatner Connection NewsZine (also "The W.S. Connection") is a gen club newsletter. 
It was published by the fan club of the same name, The William Shatner Connection.
This zine had the approval of William Shatner and was very much a mouthpiece for him, his wife Marcy, and their interests.
The plan was for this newsletter to be published quarterly (July, October, January and April), but it was not as frequent as that schedule.
This zine was revamped and became The Best of Times in December 2001.
From the second issue: 
==Issue 1 (v.1 n.1)==
The William Shatner Connection 1 was published in Summer 1991.
* an interview with William Shatner
* an interview with Ralph Corpe
* Let's Chat, a column by Marcy Shatner
* HELP Column
* an article about an eclipse
* Animal Corner
==Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1==
==Issue 2 (v.1 n.2)==
The William Shatner Connection 2 (v.1 n.2) was published in Fall 1991 contains 28 pages.
The staff: Joyce Mason (editor), Evelyn De Biase and Lorraine De Martino (other staff), La Vena Kay Kidd (cartoonist), Anne McLean (graphics), and Patti Byther, Mary Jo Fernandez, and DJ Hinson (contributors).
* Editor's Greeting
* Scrapbook (a collection of favorite pictures)
* Animal Corner: Life with Sharkes [sic], Eels, Dogs and a Husband (about two people named John and Meghan who have a lot of animals and are living in "God's country")
 
* Bill Shatner: A Very Special Message: "I Danced with an Orca," an essay about animals and unity
* France: Here We Come!!!, an interview with Shatner (a reporter from for the French TV Guide was also present), it takes place at the "stables where Bill usually rides," topics were Star Trek and upcoming plans for another film, T.J. Hooker, and TekWar books (which Shatner described as "It is a science fiction story. It is, in essence, TJ Hooker in the future."), and much more)
* Bill's Calendar Since Last July
* Marcy Lafferty Shatner: On Yoga, Horses, and Beauty Hints
* a photo of Marcy Shatner on a highly-managed horse named Santana's Starbright
* Guest Interview: Adam Malin (one of the creators of Creation Con)
* Looking Back, an essay by D.J. Hinson (about Shatner and "important roles" and destiny)
* It's Time for Miracles: Ahead With Horses, article by Joyce Mason (includes photos)
* Adopt-a-Charity: A Rare Look at Love
 
Image:wsc2-1-1.jpg|from v.1 n.2
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==Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2==
==Issue 3 (v.1 n.3)==
The William Shatner Connection 3 was published in Winter 1991 contains 28 pages. 
 
The staff: Joyce Mason (editor), Evelyn De Biase (staff), La Vena Kay Kidd (cartoonist), Anne McLean (graphics), and Patti Byther, Mary Jo Fernandez, and DJ Hinson (contributors).
From Joyce Mason: 
* Editor's Greeting
* Scrapbook (a collection of favorite pictures)
* Animal Corner: Mugsy and Bugsy, Bill the Cut Up (about some pets)
* Letters of Comment (most are addressed to Shatner Himself, and state adoration)
* Talk Trek Boldly Goes Where No Radio (or TV) Show Has Gone Before, article by Mason explaining this fan endeavor
* Bill Calling: A Letter from Bill (comments on current events, some promotional content, and "I am so proud of Joyce Mason and the job she's doing on the Connection. It's a great joy to work with her and I'm so happy that all of this is working out the way it has. I'm very busy and happy and my horses are doing well. My wish is for all of you to be good to each other and I'm looking forward to seeing you all later in the year." And: "On the loss of Gene Roddenberry. Gene Roddenberry was a physically large and impressive man. His stature was superseded by his towering imagination. 1 want to express my deepest, heartfelt sympathy to his family. The Star Trek phenomenon will be his legacy and will live on forever.")
* What Has Become of My Favorite Place, an essay by Shatner about pollution on the beaches of Santa Monica
* information about fan clubs for other cast members
* an ad for "Lifesize Color Standups of Captain Kirk and Mister Spock" mounted on die-cut board with attached easel, discount for club members!
* a photo and short essay by Shatner about one of his horses named Time Machine 
* The American Saddlebred: A Most Precious Jewel, article by Marcy Shatner (has a focus of animal rights, cruelty to animals, and how these kinds of horses are artificially mananged by weighting their feet and docking their tails (not hers, of course, well, not all the time) to gain their distinctive looks and gait 
* The Artist Collection: fanart by Paul Privitera (sp?), Linda King, and Jane Carmen
 
* Guest Interview: Spice Williams (appeared in the fifth Star Trek movie)
* Marcy: Health and Beauty Tips
* Hands Autographs, Cement, a report by a fan of going to the Star Trek cast's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony
* The Shatnered Weekend ("Join the Shatnered Weekend: Friends Reaching Out")
 
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==Issue 4 (v.1 n.4)==
The William Shatner Connection 3 
==Issue 5 (v.2 n.1)==
The William Shatner Connection 3 
==Issue 6 (v.2 n.2)==
The William Shatner Connection 3 
==Issue 7 (v.2 n.3)==
The William Shatner Connection 3 
==Issue 8 (v.2 n.4)==
The William Shatner Connection 3 
==Issue 9 (v.3 n.1)==
The William Shatner Connection 3 was published in April 1995 and contains 22 pages.
Staff: Joyce Mason (editor), LaVena Kay Kidd (cartoonist), Ursula Reist (graphics), MaryJo Fernandez and Lynn Smolen (contributors).
From the interview, the first and last paragraph by Mason: 
* Scrapbook, two pages of photo collages of Shatner in screen roles 
* a review by Joyce Mason of the film Star Trek: Generations
* Kirk is Not Dead, essay by Ursula Reist
* Welcome Star Trek Voyager, essay about the new series
* Attention: Bill Calling, 3-page interview with Shatner, includes commentary by Joyce Mason (topics are the film "Star Trek: Generations" (acting and filming choices, success at the box office, the ending), an invitation for Shatner to be in a CD ROM game about the film, his plans to make a series of CD ROM games about TekWar through a company called Intercorp, the book "Ashes of Eden"
* William Shatner Calendar (January-July 1995)
* a flyer for Shatnered Wester Weekend (no.3)
* a photo collage of Shatner on various horses
* William Shatner at the Grand Slam Convention (Pasadena, March 25, 1995), five pages photos and short descriptions of his presentation, by Ursula Reist
* Twenty More Reasons Why Kirk is Better Than Picard
* The William Shatner Pictorial and Video Series (photo sets and videos of Shatner at Creation Con in Los Angeles in late January 1994)
 
Image:wsc3-1-1.jpg|from issue #9
Image:wsc3-1-2.jpg|from issue #9
==Issue 10 (v.3 n.2)==
The William Shatner Connection 3 
==Issue 11 (v.3 n.3)==
The William Shatner Connection 3 
==Issue 12 (v.3 n.4)==
The William Shatner Connection 3 was published in July 1996 and contains 30 pages. 
Excerpts from the long interview: 
* "I spent a long time thinking the matter over before I arrived at my decision to join the Fan Club." (the first sentence of a very long letter from a Polish fan)
* Attention: Bill Calling by Joyce Mason ("One day in early June I received a call from Dan Madsen, Editor of The Communicator, Star Trek: The Official Fan Club's magazine. Dan asked me if I would be willing to do an interview with Bill for their Star Trek Thirtieth Anniversary issue. In all honesty, I was thrilled to accept the assignment. The Communicator has a circulation of well over 200,000 and is highly respected in the field. The OFC obviously could not print the entire interview because of their restraints with space. The WSC does not suffer from that affliction, however, and so, the following is the uncut version of that incredible interview.") 
* An Event to Remember by Lynn Smolen (a nine page, very detailed account of the 1996 Shatnered Weekend, includes photos of fans, of children on horses, of Shatner, of Shatner's office, of Shatner's daughter and son-in-law, and more)
* MANY photos from The Hollywood Charity Horse Show 
* William Shatner Credits Update (1992-1996)
* an ad for Shatner scrapbooks, photos, and videos
==References==
Category:Club Zines
Category:Star Trek TOS Actor-centric Zines
Category:1990s