TrekStar Award

The TrekStar Awards were awards given to fanzine fan fiction writers and artists in Star Trek fandom. They were selected by the readers of the letterzine Interstat. 
Like the Fan Q, the award is given to a work created the previous year -- example, the 1981 award was for work created in 1980.
The idea came from Dixie Owen who noted that the FanQ Awards nominations ballot was showing fewer Star Trek entries. from Boldly Writing 
==The Original Proposal==
==Its Place in History==
The TrekStar Awards were created when tensions were high regarding the new existence of media fandoms for things other than Star Trek. 
Star Wars was the second big media to hit the ground, and fandoms for Starsky & Hutch, Blake's Seven, and many other shows were attracting attention from Trek fans, as well as fans who weren't Trek fans at all. Many Trek fans felt these new fandoms were dangerous competition in terms of attention and focus; there was much discussion of these fannish loyalties in letterzines.
 
Another off-shoot of the shifting face of media fandom was the Media Fan Fund, something that was first created as the "Star Trek Fan Fund" a few years earlier. Much of the controversy and discussion about what it meant to be a fan at this time centered around the TrekStar Awards, the Media Fan Fund, and MediaWest*Con. 
For much more discussion regarding these topics, see Interstat during this time. 
==Created in 1980, Awarded in 1981==
 
*Syn Ferguson as best writer for Freedom is Standing in the Light in Sun and Shadow -- other nominees: Laurie Huff for Precessional and Susan K. James for The Souless in Sun and Shadow
*Nan Lewis as best artist for illos in Companion #3-- other nominees: Merle Decker for multiple work, Steve Gallacci for multiple work, Ann Crouch for multiple work, Pat Stall for multiple work, Gayle F for multiple work, Sat Nam Kaur Keahey for Interstat covers
*Laurie Huff as best editor for Galactic Discourse #3 -- other nominees: Carol Frisbie for Sun and Shadow, Carol Hunterton and Ellen Kobrin for Companion #2 and #3, Victoria Clark and Barbara Storey for Nome #2, and Pat Spath for Antithesis
*Rayelle Roe as best humorist for multiple work -- other nominees: Mike Horn for multiple work, Michele Arvizu for her column in Interstat, Merle Decker for multiple work, and Susie Gordon for I Have Tried, Captain in Sun and Shadow
*Crystal Ann Taylor as best poet for multiple works -- other nominees: Ellen Kobrin for works in Companion #2, Susan K. James for "Eclipse" in Sun and Shadow, and Victoria Clark for "Counterpoint" in Starsong
==Created in 1981, Awarded in 1982==
*Nancy Kippax & Bev Volker as Best Editors for Contact (other nominees: Devra Langsam for Masiform D #12, Mary Ann Drach for Mainely Trek #3, Syn Ferguson and Gayle F for The Price and The Prize, and Victoria Clark and Barbara Storey for Nome #4)
*Best writer was Diana King (for Captives) (other nominees: Mindy Glazer for Tales of Feldman, Syn Ferguson for The Price in The Price and The Prize, and Rick Endres for "Human Equation" in Stardate #13)
*Best artist was Gayle F. (other nominees: Merle Decker for Captives, Laurie Huff for "Answered Call" in Contact #7, and Rick Endres for "Human Equation" in Stardate #13)
*Best humorist was Mindy Glazer (for Tales of Feldman, already a FanQ winner) (other nominees: Michele Arvizu for Interstat, A.T. Bush for "Plagued Ship" in Cheap Thrills #2, Collette Mak for "Pea Green" in R & R #16, and Billie Phillips for "The Joy of Spock" in Cheap Thrills #1
*Best poet was Cynthia Drake for "Changeling" in Contact #7. (other nominees: Jean Cabot for "Vision" in Vault of Tomorrow #1, and Dayle Barker for "Dolorem" in Guardian #3)
From the awards organizer: 
==Created in 1982, Awarded in 1983==
 
*Beverly Sutherland for her story "Resting Place" in Another K/S Zine
*Artist Connie Faddis
*Editors Vicky Clark and Barbara Storey of the K/S fanzine Nome
*Humorist Rayelle Roe
*Poet Diana King 
Also nominated:
*Rick Endres for story, "No Place Like Home," first published in Stardate 14 in 1982 
*Rick Endres for artwork, Stardate 15 in 1982
==Reactions and Reviews Regarding Its Proposal and First Incarnation==
Bev C cautions others: 
* Vel Jaeger likes the idea of separate Trek zine awards: 
* Lori Chapek-Carleton is supportive of a separate Trek fan award: 
* Barbara P. G complains about the Fan Q awards, proposing that "The time has come to disassociate Trek fandom from media fandom": 
* Joan V comments on awards: 
* Marilyn P speculates: 
* Crystal Ann T also comments on the subject of ST and multi-media fandom: 
* from Susan R. M: 
* Barbara G is upset about the awards and how they tie into the Media Fan Fund: 
* Roberta R is very unhappy about the direction the newly-formed TrekStar Awards are taking: 
* Teri M, the editor of Interstat, replies to Roberta R's letter in Interstat #47, saying fans were in control of what was nominated, and that it wasn't her fault Roberta had let her subscription to Interstat relapse for a time, plus: 
* Dixie Owen, TrekStar's organizer, also responds to Roberta R's letter in Interstat #47: 
* more on fannish loyalties as it relates to the awards, this time from Jan M. M: 
* Johanna C addresses Roberta R regarding the TrekStar Awards: 
* Roberta R writes that "That loud popping sound you heard was my foot emerging from my mouth!" and that she did receive her Interstats but they were late due to many factors, which is why she felt like the whole topic of the TrekStar Awards snuck up on her: 
* D. Booker writes: 
* Roberta R writes: 
==References==
Category:Star Trek Awards
Category:1981 Awards
Category:1980s Awards