I purposely begin this issue with the blunt question above. For those of you who have been following Mac Star Digest for the past few months, I’m sure you’ve noticed the gradual ‘evolution’ of this eZine. Although many things have remained as standard offerings in every issue of MSD, I’ve been making it a point to incorporate new ideas and material... a little at a time. Featuring articles with some mainstream (and therefore “safe”) SF topics every issue certainly helps to maintain the readership we already have. However, there’s no reason we shouldn’t regularly feature unconventional topics either. You never know when that oddball and little-known TV show you’ve been watching lately may become “the next X-Files.”
Back in the days of Mac Star Digest’s very first issue, I never would have thought of gracing these pages with interviews. Sometime after that, contributor Matt Burns gave me a simple advice: do interviews! As in interviews with people in the industry. Interviews with leaders in the field of Science Fiction and its variably-eclectic sister topics. Interviews with pioneers... especially the pioneers.
Well, it’s now the sixth issue. It may be unrealistic to see George Lucas quoted on the pages of Mac Star Digest just yet, but at least I can now present the readership with people who are dedicated, interesting, and stellar in their own right. See for yourself. Check out this issue’s World Building 101 chapter for an incredibly insightful interview with Mr. Mark Underwood of eWorld’s World Building project.
I wouldn’t say that the Star Digest has been an overnight success, but it has grown steadily in the last few months. We now have FTP distribution on the Internet, and some people have been downloading the past issues from AOL and eWorld only to share them with others on their local BBS.
Much of the success, growth and enthusiasm certainly belongs to the talents of contributors. Still, an open-minded atmosphere that welcomes new ideas and explores new material and resources makes Mac Star Digest an even better read.
