Larry Nemecek is author of the "The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion"

Question: what are you working on now?
Dybsca

Larry Nemecek: Working on a big project for England that won't sell here, unfortunately. And magazine writing.

Q: Can you tell us about that project?

Q: Larry, did you work a lot with the Paramount crew to make this book?
Kenneth

LN: Articles for the Star Trek Fan Club magazine, this site, etc. The book: yeah, I HAD to get a lot of help from the creative staff. They were great. The first time in '92 it was done in six months, though. ...
The revision in 94 had a lot more of their comments.

Q: Did you have a chance to meet Gene Roddenberry?

LN: England--hmm, better hold off for now. Except to say it's VERY time consuming. ...

Q: Hey Larry have you gotten any insight to the new movie? Or are you just as much in the dark as the rest of us?
Kenneth

LN: Once. About 1989, for about five minutes in his office, after I'd done my reference zine. HE thanked ME for the help. I'll never forget that.
Oh, I thought a lot more had been leaked out already! Seriously, the buzz is really good. You're going to love it. ...

Q: Good, I can't wait.
Kenneth

LN: Lots of fun, action, surprises... and some fun cameos.

Q: I heard that Paramount went with more action and less content so to speak.
Kenneth

LN: Oh, I can tell you there's a great "Star Trek moment" in this film that all TRUE fans, as we used to say, will adore. But there is a LOT of action.

Q: What's your views on the new uniforms?
Kenneth

Q: are all of the cast appearing
Dybsca

LN: Well, if you look at what happened to the TOS uniforms when they went to movies, they had to mute them -- little screen versus big screen. ...
So going to the gray with a little color is disappointing, but I understand why.

Q: Well I've got to head out. Larry it's been a pleasure talking with you.
Kenneth

LN: Oh yeah, Dybsca, all of them are there. And I mean ALL of them...plus.

Q: do they get decent lines
Dybsca

LN: Sorry to see you head off, Kenneth. Bye.

Q: Are there any members of the TOS cast in the new film?

LN: There are some great lines. Marina (Sirtis) has a great scene .
Nope. Been there, done that.

Q: thanks, that's nice to know
Dybsca

LN: Dybsca, did you not want anymore of them?

Q: i don't quite understand your question
Dybsca

LN: You sounded like you DIDN'T want to see any TOS people.

(Without the TOS cast, there's more time for TNG characters on the screen!)

Q: i didn't say anything about the tos cast
Dybsca

LN: Oh, yes. That's what they're eager to do.

Q: too many stars won't leave any substance
Dybsca

LN: Sorry, got lines crossed. Yeah, Marina has a funny scene that director Jonathan (Frakes) was jealous of!

Q: Did you hear anything from the cast about how they liked Frakes as the director?

Q: Larry, have you ever wrote or wanted to write any episodes for Star Trek?

LN: The cast lobbied for Jonathan when they were trying to get someone. He's great.

Q: How did he do with his first feature assignment?

LN: We -- my wife and I -- sold a story to Star Trek: Voyager, but it's on hold.... but not abandoned...

Q: must be easier to work with him. they know him and vice-versa
Dybsca

LN: So hopefully we'll see it soon.

Q: Wait - doesn't your wife have a Voyager connection?

LN: That's right re: Jonathan. Same as with Leonard (Nimoy) and that cast. They knew the shorthand.
And he sang Volare on the bridge!

Q: lol
Dybsca

Q: Is that in the film?

LN: That's an old TNG story, with Rick Kolbe, BTW.
No, no -- just an old joke. Jonathan likes to sing... A lot.
Hey, Ben, how's my Sooner State?

Q: does he really play the trombone
Dybsca

Q: great hot
mrben2

LN: Yes! That was why they added it.
I bet you forgot HUMID, too.

Q: LOL
mrben2

LN: Greg, how is MSN down under? I haven't got down there yet for a con or anything yet.

Q: any hints to your possible Star Trek: Voyager episode
mrben2

LN: If I say one thing about it, it'll give it away. Just one...

Q: MSN is fairly new here but quite exciting. New things going on line all the time
GregMcR

LN: part of the reason for delay was DS9's 3rd season. That's it!

Great to hear about it. Believe me, MSN is new for me, too!
As is this DOS/Windows "Stuff." But we persevere.

Q: will you be writing a companion type book about ds9
Dybsca

LN: Actually, no. Another writer, Terry Erdmann, has that contract...

Q: What other books have you written?

LN: Pocket Books is trying to spread it around.
Thanks for the kind words, guys. Poe's is about Making of Voyager.

Q: What other books have you read?
jwagoner

LN: I've done a lot of magazine writing, and consulting. Anyone seen my column in the US Fan Club Communicator?

Q: I can't recommend it...more highly!
jwagoner

(We see some of them behind Larry in his picture in the expert forum area)

LN: You're not going to believe this, but I'm not a big SF reader. I did love the Hitchhiker trilogy -- all 4 books.

(I don't believe it.)

LN: I'm more of a history buff, non-fiction type.

(Don't Panic!)

Q: What types of history?

LN: That I don't read SF or that there were 4 books in the trilogy?

Q: Was it interesting writing the article about Laura Richarz the set decorator for DS9 and do you often write for the fan club magazine?

(I thought there were 5 books...)

LN: American, esp. 20th century, esp. pop culture.

Q: What do you think of MSN?
jwagoner

LN: Actually, I think they added the fifth. I may not have read it! Yeah, Laura's great. That was the third or fourth one of those I've done...

(So long and thanks for all the fish!)

LN: MSN -- it's taking a little used to. My total on-line-ness has usually been just sending e-mail, very little chat.

(Of course, Larry's fingerprints are all over here... In spite of his unfamiliarity with the service...)

LN: Oh, I read Fish. Don't grill em on trivia now, though. That was 10 years ago!
OK, have you guys read the bios yet?
My goodness, we have a Super Bynar.

(The character bios are extremely cool!)

LN: Thanks.

(They are told from a 24th century perspective, for anyone who hasn't seen them.)

LN: Have I kept up with everyone's ???

Q: Larry, what were you saying earlier about Klingon foreheads?

Q: Larry, have you written and/or published any fiction
Dybsca

LN: Oh, that Klingon foreheads are sculpted by families...

The Mogh family, the Duras family ...

Q: Because of your knowledge of Star Trek do you have any input or say on Star Trek episodes for continuity?

Q: So each family has their own style of forehead?

(I've noticed that Worf and Kurn have similar ridges...)

LN: AND trivia hounds, why is the House of Duras not called the House of Ja'rod????

(That's a tough one...)

Q: dunno. why?
Dybsca

LN: It's like DNA -- same type hair, etc.

Ja'rod is his father....

Q: Larry, do you prefer to write fact or fiction
Dybsca

LN: Dybsca, I find that non-fiction is easier, it's just my bent. But I'd like to do fiction/scripts.

Q: Have you written scripts for non-Star Trek shows?

What about History-based books?

LN: Back to the Klingon foreheads-- Mike Westmore thought it would be cool to do family foreheads?

but over the years it's turned into a pain! He still loves it, though.

Q: So that's why they had to do surgery on Kurn to change his family affiliation... eh?

LN: No, no non-Star Trek yet. My wife and I are trying, but the Star Trek work keeps us busy!

Q: What projects are you working on now/next?
jwagoner

LN: Yeah... not too mention his memory cortex.

(In "The Sons of Mogh" a DS9 episode)

LN: Check the transcript ... we talked a little. Publicly, I write for a lot of SF magazines...

Q: Larry, there's a "Nemecek" in the Voyager credits - any relation?

LN: uh, back to magazines. The Star Trek Official Fan Club Communicator, Sci-Fi Universe, Starlog's family, and one in the UK, ST Monthly.

LN: Well, Janet is the asst. script coordinator, but she's not on-screen. Did you SEE her?

Well, a few members sneaked in somehow...

(I thought I saw her in the background of one scene on the bridge <grin>.)

LN: Did she have some colored pages in her hand?

(Yes, I believe she did!!!)

LN: HALLejulah!

That's part of her job, getting update pages out. But ENUFF about her...

Q: Was Star Trek: The Next Generation an expensive show to produce?

LN: It stayed constant, about $1.5 mill per show...

Q: Was that more expensive than most?

LN: but as the years went by, less went to production (better tech, stock stuff, etc.) and more went into salaries.

(Only Miami Vice was as high, I heard...and later, The Flash.)

Q: any idea about how much longer DS9 will be around?
Dybsca

LN: A little more, yeah. Paramount just counted on getting it back through syndication, merchandising, video, etc., etc.

Q: How expensive was the original series to produce?
jwagoner

LN: TOS, I'm not up on --- a half-mill?

(they had less money than Mission Impossible, about 190,000 per episode.)

LN: Aha! Thanks....

Q: Have you read Solow and Justman's book on TOS?

LN: DS( is supposed to go at least 6 years. They're starting #5 now...

Q: Who on the cast (TNG) have you spent the most time with/enjoyed interviewing...?

LN: Lots of very down-to-earth recollections, no big soap operas, but a lot of startling truths and myth-busters.