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©2001 Jeffrey M. Mahr -- all rights reserved

The biggest thing this month, is another format change. After nearly one full year trying to get Microstruggle's FrontPage® to work, magically, it decided to work this month. Don't ask me why, I have no idea. I haven't done anything different, but I'm not going to look a gift program in the code, so I hope you enjoy our new look. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

The other really exciting new thing this month -- hey, so sue me for being easily excited -- is that this issue is available in e-book format. That means, you can download TSAT and read it just about anywhere. Now, I should point out that this is a technical miracle brought to you by our Story Editor, Andy Hollis, and that at least a few of you should drop him a line and thank him, especially if you'd like to see this happen again next issue. After all, we are a volunteer publication so thanks are the only payment he's going to get for his efforts here. Do we have it in a format you can use? Check it out.

We also have our second annual writer's contest currently underway. Don't forget to get a story in by the April 30, 2001 deadline. No excuses.

As for stories, we've got a couple of serialized stories. BioScout -- my romantic tragedy regarding the birth of a new superhero -- will finish in this issue. This story universe is open for stories from other authors and I hope at least a few of you will have some fun with it. Click here for guidelines. We also have the third of four parts of Charles M. Bonanno's hilarious Thanks for All the Memories. This time our fearless -- or should I say feckless -- hero meets Lyle, a toothy, young carnivore with what appears to be a definite skin problem. Also in this issue, a new serialized story begins as a new author joins the TSAT family. In this issue we have the first three of twelve chapters of Mark McDonald's bodysuit story, Skin Deep.

Because not everyone likes serialized stories -- I personally don't but you do what ya gotta do, and putting out a quality e-zine takes time -- we do have a couple of stand-alone stories. From the archives of the TG-Fiction list comes Ellie Dauber's excellent story The Fishing Trip. There's a really terrible lawyer joke I could tell that would give away the whole story, but in deference to Ellie's excellent craftsmanship, I'll hold myself back, just this once. I will, however, point out that this story has graphic depictions of sexual behavior and so is not for children.

I hope Andy didn't think I was going to forget him; he's got a new, stand-alone story in this issue too. Mr. Hollis' story is called The Curse of the Teenaged Gypsy Werewolf and it's a wonderfully humorous look at life growing up a bit on the hairy side.

Finally, two brief announcements. First, we're pleased to have another column by Phil Geusz. When the crowd roars -- especially this crowd -- we listen. We went to the Great Rabbit on bended fetlock and begged him and he magnanimously agreed. This one's about how to find those gritty details that make stories realistic. Second, please take a moment to send comments to the author of this issue's cover art. Vicki Silk does good work, doesn't she? There's more in the Art Section.

Jeffrey M. Mahr -- January 31, 2001

ADDENDUM:
And with sincere apologies, I need to also mention a guest editorial by Volk-Oboroten whose excellent commentary was misplaced in the frenzy to get this issue out. I recommend it highly and hope he will forgive us.
P.S. If anyone's counting, there's more than 85,000 words in this issue, just counting stories and columns. Not bad for the price, huh?

Jeffrey M. Mahr -- April 2, 2001


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