#una mccormack

[master-of-the-game]

It was mentioned in Una McCormack's "The Crimson Shadow" that Cardassians grew fond of coffee and I think it is totally true. Also so-called ikri buns were mentioned. But the catalyst for me to draw this picture, however, was a scene that my mom saw in the street: an ambulance stopped near ice-cream stand and two EMTs went there to buy ice cream. We agreed that this certainly had Bashir & Parmak vibes and I got so inspired that literally next day drew THIS. The Cardassian version of ice-cream stand, but with buns and coffee, ambulance skimmer and two very serious doctors while on duty. And I wonder what else do they sell in such stands... Any ideas on Cardassian street-food? :) UPD: Now with fragments under cut!

[tabbyofwisdom]

Ummmmm…..OMG

[luninosity]

All right, everyone: it's up for pre-order!

Strange Novel Worlds: Essays on Star Trek Tie-In Fiction, edited by Caroline-Isabelle Caron and me! Let's boldly go!

With chapters by Una McCormack and David Mack, alongside our academics! You can pre-order from McFarland (publisher) here! (I know it's a bit expensive - academic book pricing, sorry, we didn't get a say in it!)

Engage!

[obrienmustsuffer]

Happy birthday @unamccormack! My favorite Trek author! 🥳🥳🥳🖖

[eco-lite]

Some mostly out of context funny/sweet/heartbreaking moments from Una McCormack’s Enigma Tales:

[Text ID: “Renel took the other chair and the two guls, both big men, perched awkwardly together on the sofa. Garak had asked for the sofa’s dimensions to be just slightly too small to comfortably seat two adult males. His cruel streak always found expression somehow.” End ID]

Garak forcing stuffy military men to squeeze onto a tiny sofa together. Utterly diabolical.

[Text ID: “My real pride is, of course, my garden. I have worked hard here. Parmak helps, although he has a tendency to kill plants on touch—worrying in a doctor (previous sentences underlined in red by me). He can’t do too much damage. The plants are hardy, the flowers have their own agenda, and not even Parmak can kill dry stone monuments.” End ID]

I love that in The Crimson Shadow, it’s implied that Kelas takes care of Garak’s garden while he’s away, yet here we learn that he’s actually terrible at it. First of all hilarious. Second of all, very sweet that Garak trusts him to keep trying.

[Text ID: “’There might be another route to Garak,’ Alden said slowly, at last. ‘Ambassador, what do you know about Kelas Parmak?’

‘He is the castellan’s close friend,’ said T’Rena. ‘Probably one of his closest advisors—not officially, but certainly they are often together.’

‘Are they lovers?’ said Pulaski.

‘I don’t know,’ said T’Rena. ‘I do know that Parmak was interrogated by the Obsidian Order in his youth, and that Garak may have been involved.’

‘Damn,’ muttered Alden, ‘this place is twisted.’” End ID]

Pulaski just assuming that Garak and Kelas are lovers. A perfectly valid assumption--it’s the same assumption I make myself. Also, Peter Alden pointing out how it is frankly fucked up that they should be lovers considering the circumstances of their past encounter. He’s not wrong... Kelas is just a forgiving angel of a man.

[Text ID: “She picked up the parcel she had brought with her. ‘Hey,’ she said. ‘I’ve got to go now. I hope it’s been good to see me. But I brought you a present. Well, it’s not really from me. Several of your friends got together and found this, and when they heard I was coming they asked me to bring it with me. I hope there’s no injunction on importing livestock. I think I got away with it.’

He was hardly going to unwrap the gift, so she pulled at the paper, revealing the small brown bear inside. She reached for Bashir’s hand again, lifting it and pressing it against the toy, in case the touch stirred some memory. She pressed it against his cheek too, so he could catch the scent. Smell and memory were closely intertwined; smells took you back to places more than anything else. Then she put the bear upon the windowsill, half looking out at the city, half looking back at Bashir. She smiled at it; this little guy had been loved, she saw, and someone had done some stitching that would make a surgeon proud. She reached out and rubbed its ears.

‘He’s an old soldier, isn’t he?’ she said. ‘He’s been through some wars. We’ve all been through some wars.’ She stopped and kissed her lost friend gently on the brow. ‘Come back, Julian,’ she said. ‘We miss you.’” End ID]

Pulaski bringing Kukalaka to comfort the comatose Julian are you kIDDING ME? This scene is so bittersweet.

[Text ID: “’My father would say, all the time, how much I was wanted. How much he wanted me.’

(Next paragraph highlighted red by me) Well, he had wanted something, Garak thought. Telek’s father had not wanted the child he got. And that hurt, as Garak had cause to know; yes, that hurt very badly.” End ID]

Hahahahaaa ouchie.

[Text ID: “Garak realized that he was still holding the phaser. He slipped it back into his pocket, for he would no doubt need it again one day, and then he rested his head against the cool of the window. My poor Julian, he thought. He let himself tremble for a while, allowing his body to process the shock. He might have allowed himself some tears then, too, in the dark while nobody could see, for all that had been lost, for all that he had done; for everyone that he had harmed.

Everyone that he had been unable to save.” End ID]

Despite everything, Garak is a very compassionate person. He very kindly talked down Telek, who was about to kill him, and was sensitive and remorseful that Telek’s Bajoran genetics had been eradicated as a child, at the insistance of Telek’s Cardassian father. And then immediately after that assassination attempt--a moment in which you’re surely allowed to think selfishly--he instead thinks of “My poor Julian,” another man whose father did not want him as he was. And that’s not even acknowledging all the other shit Garak is going through here. It’s a lot.

Love to end on a sad note. But seriously, everybody go read this book! These are just a few great moments among many. Lots of angst, lots of tenderness.

[fuckyeahromulans]

-Sarek speaking to Spock about Romulans in The Autobiography of Mr. Spock by Una McCormack

[thedoctorwhocompanion]

BBC Books Announces Three New Fifteenth Doctor Who Novels

BBC Books Announces Three New Fifteenth #DoctorWho Novels

BBC Books has announced three new Fifteenth Doctor novels starring Ncuti Gatwa’s incarnation of Doctor Who, alongside companion, Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). Each is an original, standalone adventure, published simultaneously in hardback and audiobook. One — Ruby Red — will even be read by Millie Gibson herself! It’s wonderful seeing new novels with the current TARDIS team are on the horizon;…

[asaemoryfanclub]

Metok Efhemy Sketches (he's in Enigma Tales)

I just think he's a real sweetheart in Enigma Tales and I enjoyed making him more colorful then I usually do Cardassians🥹🥹🥹😜😜

[haveyoureadthisscifibook]

vote yes if you have finished the entire book.

vote no if you have not finished the entire book.

(faq · submit a book)

[pilcrowtudinous]

Contrary to popular belief, current English/writing teachers who are also former indie booksellers don't exclusively read fancy ~literary~ books (although literary fiction versus genre fiction is also a whole complex convoluted conversation), nor do semi-reformed children's and YA book experts only read stuff for The Youth™.

My new(ish)found Trek enthusiasm had already wormed its way into audio drama (I'm a Saffi girlie - obviously No Man's Land was a no-brainer) and books by one of my faves (Kate Mulgrew memoirs, obviously) – but taking the step into good old fashioned books took a little longer.

And yet in the past month-ish I've eagerly taken in three Una McCormack novels. 'The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway', 'The Way To The Stars' (Tilly is maybe my launching point into Trek character adoration?? Better examine that later...) and most recently, 'Second Self'.

I knew most of the key plot points already (like I said, Saffi girlie) BUT it was such a delight to read and what a way to fill in some of the missing pieces from on-screen storytelling.

And it helped to finally have context for the I ❤️ Paris shirt references.

Anyway this is just your little reminder that 'tie-in' books to your favourite franchises can be not just fun but REALLY GOOD.

[downthetubes]

Doctor Who: Feel the Literary Love!

Russell Cook checks out the new Doctor Who novels from BBC Books, available now...

Russell Cook checks out the new Doctor Who novels from BBC Books, available now… Season fourteen of new Doctor Who – or season one, if you are a friend of Mickey Mouse –  has just concluded on various streaming platforms, not forgetting terrestrial TV (yes, it still exists!) in its traditional Saturday evening slot. To say that this eight-part series has received a mixed reception would be an…

[ghost-of-books]

[midnightlovestories]

Okay, it might be just me but why Una McCormack's Autobiography of KJ reads like slightly more animated Wikipedia entry? It's so dry omg... should I just get this book audible? Is it better read by Kate Mulgrew or what because I'm baffled by all the 5 star reviews. 🧐

I'm only like 1/4 through so maybe it gets better. Still baffled by 5 * ratings tho.

[obrienmustsuffer]

@unamccormack, thank you very much for your Ups and Downs! We really enjoyed reading your responses. You sound very elegant in Portuguese.

[eco-lite]

Just finished reading Una McCormack’s The Crimson Shadow! Aside from the political thriller of it all, here are three little moments I love very much.

Firstly, I don’t think we’re talking about “culture” here, are we? Kelas knows what’s up. 😏

Best of the Garak and Picard interactions. It’s only now after all Garak's trials and maturation that these two men could possibly be friends and equals. Although it's hilarious to imagine how infuriating it would have been for Picard to interact with the Garak of the past.

And finally, this sweetest of moments between Garak and Kelas. His friendship and forgiveness are the best things to have happened to Garak. I could write a whole essay on this little exchange alone.

[highfunctioningflailgirl]

I’m reading Second Self by Una McCormack and, man, reading that paragraph now that season 3 is almost there and won’t have Rios in it to have Raffi’s back hurts like fucking hell.😢