Fred Terling

Hey and welcome! Thanks for taking a look at my novel, Maiden Voyage.

I was inspired to write it after watching The Cage for the first time in its entirety in September of 2019. The restored version got me to thinking. "What if NBC Executives would have approved that pilot as is?" It began as a snowball that started an avalanche of ideas, sending my imagination back to the start of the series. Fifteen years prior to the original series and four years before Captain Christopher Pike set foot on Talos IV, there had to be a beginning. This novel results from that spark, that original question.

I'm sure you may be wondering why write something rights-managed that will never see the light of day regarding traditional publishing? I mean, I can't charge a dime for this. The answer is simple, I wanted to. With little to no cannon on the original characters rejected by the network, I was really free to roam with my imagination. So many avenues to explore with the characters, creating new ones and combining the two to form a new crew. And this IS a new crew. With all of that in mind, I began writing my very first novel after a few starts and stops along the way. In March of 2021 the real effort began. It is after all about passion, right? Do what I love and write what I want. It's what we creatives do, or at least are compelled to do with our hearts.

I've written most of my life professionally in multiple arenas. I am a Marine Corps veteran, a frenzied collector of Pops, Marvel Legends and of course, classic Star Trek Mego figures. My favorite comic character is the Vision. That collection spans back to the late 1960s when the character made his first appearance in the bronze age. YES, I do have Marvel Mystery #13 from 1940, King Kirby's original creation.

I hope you enjoy this first go enough to inspire me to launch the next book in this series. I would love to hear from you!