I would not exactly say that as an individual I am a superstar. But at the same time I have been on the front pages of most of the countries national papers. I have had a number of heavy weight business papers write about my activities at various times in the past. I have even written a few business articles myself and had them published in some of Scotland’s business magazines.
Google me and you will get several hundred entries. I am the Chairman of a rapidly growing company whose name is well known in it’s industry.
So am I a living legend, no. Am I famous – go look at the web site and decide yourself.
But I have had a character in a best selling novel named after me and before most of the above had ever happed into the bargain. Oh and did I mention my well known and read blogs? Okay I admit I am scraping the barrel a little here.
Off course they got my surname wrong in the book. But I have a signed copy from the author who posted it to me prior to the publication date into the bargain! And what are you asking does any of this have to do with either the future or Science Fiction? You may well ask!
Well I have to tell you a deep dark secret. I am as well as being a Doctor Who fan also a Star Trek Fan.
The book in question is “Dark Mirror” by Diane Duane, published by Simon & Schuster in 1993. Back in those days I was a very young eighteen. So lets get the boring bit about the book over first and then get back to the interesting bit of talking about me later.
The original series of Star Trek had one episode which I think is on every fans favourite list called “Mirror, Mirror”. The Captain, Dr McCoy, Uhura and Scotty all manage to get themselves transported into a Parallel Universe. By the way folks I am assuming at least a passing knowledge of the Star Trek Universe. While their alter counter points arrive at the same time in our Universe.
Everything is the same except that there is no United Federation only an evil Human Empire. And all the Counter Universe characters are mad, evil and homicidal maniacs. To cut a long story short our heroes can pretend to be uncivilised while their counterparts in our Universe cant. The other thing of interest is the much shall we say lighter dress mode of the female characters. This was of course original series trek and Kirk needs his female eye candy.
Now some years later after a run of successful films and a shuttle named Enterprise, Paramount the company that owned Star Trek had re launched it as The Next Generation. I think that most people are probably more familiar with this version than with the original series as it is now called.
At this time there was no sequel to the new series to the Mirror episode. There would be later in the next series of Star Trek called Deep Space Nine, and the last series called Enterprise. Or rather a two part prequel.
Star Trek has a very long tradition of books set in the Star Trek Universe. Unlike other SF franchises such as Doctor Who, Star Wars or Babylon 5 which treat the books set there as part of the true story in other words in the Star Wars Universe when Chewbacca dies in a book he is actually dead in the Star Wars Universe, here the books are fun but otherwise ignores. This even goes as far as the books ignoring each other as well. But I digress.
So this book in particular is a sequel to the Mirror episode but set in the time of the Next Generation.
And the character named after me is of course called Mark Stewart. Not Mark Kennedy-Stewart, just Mark Stewart. Which did cause some of my friends to doubt that the character was actually named after me until they saw the signed book by the author.
Now traditionally I should outline the plot of the book. But in all honesty it has been over twenty years since I read the dammed book and I can’t really actually remember what happens. Except the important bit – I die! I mean, I die or rather I am dead. So no sequel rights then not that I was ever paid anything for the use of my name.
But thanks to the internet:
“A gripping Star Trek: The Next Generation tale hearkening back to the original TV series episode, "Mirror, Mirror." That was the one in which Captain Kirk encountered his brutal alter ego in a parallel universe, a place where only the alternative Spock showed any humanity. Here, the alternative Enterprise draws Captain Picard's vessel into its alternative space, bent on capturing it and staffing it with a look-alike crew--all to spearhead an invasion of the Federation. Deanna Troi, Geordi La Forge, and Captain Picard outwit the scheme by transporting aboard the other Enterprise and turning its technology against the would-be conquerors. Here's where Duane's novel turns clever, with Picard assuming his doppelg„nger's role and discovering--among other things--just how malicious and threatening a Betazed can be and how bitter the alternative Dr. Crusher can be in the role of the "captain's woman." There's also a particularly nasty alternative Riker and a noble alternative Worf. The true Picard maneuvers his ship back into Federation space, but the alien follows; there's some manipulation of hyperstrings (with the help of a spacegoing dolphin) to send the bad Enterprise back where it belongs. Another capable entry in this series that always seems to be better than one would expect. John Mort --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.”
However there is at least one good bit in all of this. There are two of me in this story. The me from this Universe and the me from the evil Universe. Now just think how good this would be in real life if I could have another of me?
So as I said above there have now many years later been many episodes following up on the original Mirror episode in the various series in the TV series. There has even been a series of books written about the characters and events represented in all of these episodes. And they were quite enjoyable – no I am not going into all of the plots etc. But of course the events in my book were ignored!
So we have got that nasty book review over and done with. Now back to the important subject me!
What great deed did I do to inspire Diane to write about me? Ms Duane was attending a Star Trek Convention. She has written other books set in this large universe you know. I was there as a fan. There was a charity auction and I bit the most, for the right to appear in the book and dutifully paid my money over to the charity. So you see there is a nice side to me after all!
Mark
June 23rd 2007
Links:
http://www.dianeduane.com/ The Author
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror,_Mirror_(Star_Trek) The Mirror Episode where it all started.
Amazon Reviews
Star Trek
Google me and you will get several hundred entries. I am the Chairman of a rapidly growing company whose name is well known in it’s industry.
So am I a living legend, no. Am I famous – go look at the web site and decide yourself.
But I have had a character in a best selling novel named after me and before most of the above had ever happed into the bargain. Oh and did I mention my well known and read blogs? Okay I admit I am scraping the barrel a little here.
Off course they got my surname wrong in the book. But I have a signed copy from the author who posted it to me prior to the publication date into the bargain! And what are you asking does any of this have to do with either the future or Science Fiction? You may well ask!
Well I have to tell you a deep dark secret. I am as well as being a Doctor Who fan also a Star Trek Fan.
The book in question is “Dark Mirror” by Diane Duane, published by Simon & Schuster in 1993. Back in those days I was a very young eighteen. So lets get the boring bit about the book over first and then get back to the interesting bit of talking about me later.
The original series of Star Trek had one episode which I think is on every fans favourite list called “Mirror, Mirror”. The Captain, Dr McCoy, Uhura and Scotty all manage to get themselves transported into a Parallel Universe. By the way folks I am assuming at least a passing knowledge of the Star Trek Universe. While their alter counter points arrive at the same time in our Universe.
Everything is the same except that there is no United Federation only an evil Human Empire. And all the Counter Universe characters are mad, evil and homicidal maniacs. To cut a long story short our heroes can pretend to be uncivilised while their counterparts in our Universe cant. The other thing of interest is the much shall we say lighter dress mode of the female characters. This was of course original series trek and Kirk needs his female eye candy.
Now some years later after a run of successful films and a shuttle named Enterprise, Paramount the company that owned Star Trek had re launched it as The Next Generation. I think that most people are probably more familiar with this version than with the original series as it is now called.
At this time there was no sequel to the new series to the Mirror episode. There would be later in the next series of Star Trek called Deep Space Nine, and the last series called Enterprise. Or rather a two part prequel.
Star Trek has a very long tradition of books set in the Star Trek Universe. Unlike other SF franchises such as Doctor Who, Star Wars or Babylon 5 which treat the books set there as part of the true story in other words in the Star Wars Universe when Chewbacca dies in a book he is actually dead in the Star Wars Universe, here the books are fun but otherwise ignores. This even goes as far as the books ignoring each other as well. But I digress.
So this book in particular is a sequel to the Mirror episode but set in the time of the Next Generation.
And the character named after me is of course called Mark Stewart. Not Mark Kennedy-Stewart, just Mark Stewart. Which did cause some of my friends to doubt that the character was actually named after me until they saw the signed book by the author.
Now traditionally I should outline the plot of the book. But in all honesty it has been over twenty years since I read the dammed book and I can’t really actually remember what happens. Except the important bit – I die! I mean, I die or rather I am dead. So no sequel rights then not that I was ever paid anything for the use of my name.
But thanks to the internet:
“A gripping Star Trek: The Next Generation tale hearkening back to the original TV series episode, "Mirror, Mirror." That was the one in which Captain Kirk encountered his brutal alter ego in a parallel universe, a place where only the alternative Spock showed any humanity. Here, the alternative Enterprise draws Captain Picard's vessel into its alternative space, bent on capturing it and staffing it with a look-alike crew--all to spearhead an invasion of the Federation. Deanna Troi, Geordi La Forge, and Captain Picard outwit the scheme by transporting aboard the other Enterprise and turning its technology against the would-be conquerors. Here's where Duane's novel turns clever, with Picard assuming his doppelg„nger's role and discovering--among other things--just how malicious and threatening a Betazed can be and how bitter the alternative Dr. Crusher can be in the role of the "captain's woman." There's also a particularly nasty alternative Riker and a noble alternative Worf. The true Picard maneuvers his ship back into Federation space, but the alien follows; there's some manipulation of hyperstrings (with the help of a spacegoing dolphin) to send the bad Enterprise back where it belongs. Another capable entry in this series that always seems to be better than one would expect. John Mort --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.”
However there is at least one good bit in all of this. There are two of me in this story. The me from this Universe and the me from the evil Universe. Now just think how good this would be in real life if I could have another of me?
So as I said above there have now many years later been many episodes following up on the original Mirror episode in the various series in the TV series. There has even been a series of books written about the characters and events represented in all of these episodes. And they were quite enjoyable – no I am not going into all of the plots etc. But of course the events in my book were ignored!
So we have got that nasty book review over and done with. Now back to the important subject me!
What great deed did I do to inspire Diane to write about me? Ms Duane was attending a Star Trek Convention. She has written other books set in this large universe you know. I was there as a fan. There was a charity auction and I bit the most, for the right to appear in the book and dutifully paid my money over to the charity. So you see there is a nice side to me after all!
Mark
June 23rd 2007
Links:
http://www.dianeduane.com/ The Author
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror,_Mirror_(Star_Trek) The Mirror Episode where it all started.
Amazon Reviews
Star Trek
