The theme of this month's issue is science vs magic which is why we're very proud of our cover art from Jack DeMule. Check out what our "Taurist" has in his hands.

[Here, Mahr had some glad tidings of (what was then) a new and easier-to-remember URL for TSAT. A bit of a waste now, but if you're curious, you can visit www.cyberium.net/ezine and see if anything is still there.]

The stories this month are also quite excellent...

This continuation of my story, Daughter to Demons, is one of two mysteries in this issue. Can you figure out "who done what" before our transgendered cupid-cum-succubus heroine?

This, the issue's second mystery, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as told to D. Luke Allen and me, involves the Great Detective himself... er, herself, Sherlock Holmes, and some poisoned cigars. The true magic here is Holmes' intuitive skills.

This is a continuation of the story Songs of Power by Paul Carmichael. With Paul's permission, another excellent writer, Andy Hollis has continued it to its logical, if hilarious, conclusion.

Leem is new to our family of authors at TSAT, but damn, he's good. This story is my personal favorite for the issue and all I'll say about it is that the Maiden is a statue and I really like the ending.

In a world where the ecology is being trashed, Eala Dubh, another newcomer to our TSAT family, tells a tale of what might happen if the beleaguered planet decided to act to save itself.

Oren's back and his cheerful, bubbly, otterish style is clear to see in this story of a wistful mechanism who wants something more from life.

I know, it sounds like advertising copy, but it's really true. In addition to our usual columns we are pleased to present The Kitsune Files. Deranged Kitsune pulls from his extensive file of furry material to review a couple of those sites. Expect more in coming issues.

We've expanded our artwork. Oren the Otter returns with ten more comic strips from The Changing Workplace, home office of the Transformation Simplification Agency. In addition, we've begun an archive of transformation-related artwork and invite you, our readers, to submit.

[At this point, the original version of this page plugged the TSAT Store, which no longer exists...]

We've expanded what used to be our guidelines for authors to include guidelines for artists and an assortment of aids for writers and web developers.

Have we tempted you? Happy reading, and don't forget to check out the index for all the stories, columns, and art in or back issues.

Still reading? Then how about some clues as to what will be in the next issue coming October 1? We'll have more great furry links from Deranged Kitsune and Oren will be back with more of his wacky and slightly skewed view of life as an otter-morph and, of course, more new stories.

Jeffrey M. Mahr
July 31, 1999