by that I mean that once I stumble over a spoiler, I can't get it out of my head.

Huh, I was spoiled for Darla being knocked up, and discounted it as so ree-cock-u-louse that I forgot all about it.

Now, of course, I'm totally spoiled. Which actually hasn't affected anything much. I normally sit on the things until they're no longer spoilers, if I do write them (and Triptych and Miss Ghost are the only totally spoiler based bunnies, so they waited a month and a few weeks in both cases before they hit lists other than Silverlake. Actually, Miss Ghost didn't go anywhere until after 4x13 aired, and I made some edits to fit it with canon).

Lot of writers are at least mild hos, and most are pretty good at keeping the big spoilers out.

Here's hoping this works.

In helping a friend with his research, honest to God, I'm looking for pre-1984 examples of the word "slash," or pre-1978 examples of the use of K/S.

If anyone here knows, or knows where to look, I would be deeply grateful, the friend I'm doing this lexicographical research for would be grateful, and the store of human knowledge would increase.

Michele, I didn't read through the whole site, but there might be something at the Foresmutters Project

Michele, let me get back to you tonight -- I have a couple of books about fandom, which, although recent, tend to have good source citation from earlier years.

Of course, the actual years you're looking for are when I was in the fourth grade, and preschool, respectively. You know what? I am only a bitter middle-aged fanfic queen, aint I?

A couple places you might check:

Writer's U timeline. Includes stuff like "1974: "A Fragment Out Of Time" is the first known Star Trek slash to be published in fanzine", with citations.

The Foresmutters Project. Includes an early history of K/S.

You might also try the zendom multi-fandom list/group/whatever they are. I seem to remember there being a fair amount of old-time Trekkers on there. last I remember, they were at zendom.diaryland.com.

Also Glass_Onion has a bunch of people on it.

Re: fannish history, I am in legal (if not equitable) possession of three boxes of old Trek zines, originals and reprints, going back as far as 1968.

It's a fascinating collection, not least because I keep stumbling across names I know, like Jean Lorrah, Eleanor Arnason, Lois Bujold, and -- get this, Nutty -- Lee Burwasser. From 1969! Yoiks.

Fascinating stuff, although some of it is in tiny tiny type and very hard to read. When I have time in a few weeks I'll type up an inventory.

I did know about Lee Burwasser! In fact, I think it was Theodosia who recognized the name when I mentioned it, and said she'd been in fandom longer than I'd been alive.

Suela, I want to see those boxes some day. Not just for the coinage of terms, but because I bet one could work up a social history of plot development from them and from later archives.

I bet one could work up a social history of plot development from them and from later archives.

And who says time is wasted on fanfic and college degrees? From such small beginnings are great sociological theories born.

Nutty, I'd love to spend a day poking through them with you, unfortunately you'd have to get out here soonish. They were donated for the Save the Children project Fi's putting together, and I'm inventorying them for auction.

Still, Lois Bujold! Heh. And I had no idea Lee had been around that long. Quite interesting. One of the stories I saw by her was called "The Hoplite" and it was... Bible-fic? I guess. Although weren't Hoplites Greek? Huh. Anyway, it seemed unrelated to Trek but there it was in an old copy of Spockanalia.

There's some great stuff in those collections, though, including some stories I remember reading in The New Voyages compilations.