AUSXIP Network - Xena: Their Courage Changed Our World

Copyright 2020 AUSXIP & Mary D. Brooks All Rights Reserved

Xena: Their Courage Changed Our World

First Edition: September 04, 2020

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations for use in a book review.

Xena: Warrior Princess is trademarked and copyrighted to Universal Television Group LLC. Universal Television Group LLC. is a subsidiary of NBCUNIVERSAL Media, LLC

Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC.

Photography from Xena: Warrior Princess is Courtesy of Universal Studios Licensing LLC

Editing: Rosa Alonso

Cover Design: Linda Callaghan & Mary D. Brooks

Cover Illustration: Lucia Nobrega

Interior Design / Typesetting: AUSXIP Publishing

eBook: 978-0-6485709-9-8

AUSXIP Publishing

https://www.ausxippublishing.com

Its been an enormous honor and a privilege to create, produce, and publish this incredible book! It has literally taken an Amazon Village to bring it to fruition. Thank you to all the contributors who gave of their time, talent, and enthusiasm to make that little idea that swirled around my head in late 2015 come into being. It has been the most challenging project Ive ever undertaken and one of the most rewarding. I have quite a few people to thank in the production of this book:

Rosa Alonso What can I say other thank you mate! You are indefatigable. Nothing is ever too big or too problematic that it cant be done. Thank you for tackling this massive body of work from multiple contributors without breaking a sweat. You deserve a warehouse of Tim Tams and a trip on The Ghan... No hay suficiente chocolate en el mundo!

Ann Sund I have an idea is my battle cry, and what comes back is positivity all the way. I am blessed for having met you and having you as a dear mate. You are always with me every step of the way. Bless you.

Ian Pitt Thank you for all your help and for making this book all the more incredible. Youre a dear mate. It would not be the same without your help. Thank you for your friendship and support.

Lucia Nobrega It was a life-changing day in 1999 when we first connected. Thank you, mate! You inspire me and encourage me every step of the way. I value your friendship in ways too numerous to mention. Muito obrigado!

Michele vanRoosendael Thank you for being so generous with your artistic talents, beta reading and for your friendship.

Jay Tuma Thank you for all your hard work and beta reading. Youre a star! Battle on!

Last but not least, thank you to Universal Studios, Renaissance Pictures, and the Xena: Warrior Princess cast and crew. If not for all of you, the Xenaverse would not exist, lives would not have changed so dramatically, and this book would never have been created. Serendipity

BATTLE ON!

1. Evolution of a Fandom and Nerdy Sequoias, by MaryD

2. The New World Order How We Accidentally Invented the Rules for Fandom, by Lee Winter

3. I Am Not A Xena Fan, by Steven L. Sears

4. When The Xena Horde Gathers Xena Conventions, by MaryD

A SEQUOIA TREE starts its life as a tiny seed. It grows into the tallest tree imaginableit has been measured at 115.55 meters or 379.1 feet. Yes, that is interesting, but its not why you picked up this book. Why am I writing about giant sequoias?

Our world needs heroes (and at the writing of this introduction, our heroes are scientists, doctors, nurses, and front line staff in the fight against the dreaded COVID-19). Twenty-five years ago, our world was less complex (although not less lethal). Our thoughts were not on self-isolation and avoiding catching the coronavirus du jour. People were trying to make the best of it when troubles would befall them. We needed an escape from the many issues occupying our minds, from our world, even for a little while.

We were looking for a hero; escapism in the form of a television show. That weekly hour-long respite transported us back to Ancient Greece to a time of ancient gods, warlords and kings, when the land was in turmoil and cried out for heroes. We found themthey were Xena and Gabrielle, a Mighty Princess and her Amazon Warrior Bard. Their power and their passion ignited a fandom that would change our world. That show was Xena: Warrior Princess, and the fandom was the Xenaverse.

Now, back to my sequoia tree. My ideas start off as a tiny seed and explode into giant sequoias. I gave up long ago the notion that I can ignore the little ideas fermenting in my noggin. It never works, so I surrender to these ideas and see where they lead. Thats how the plan for a book about Xenas 25th anniversary began its life. On December 15, 2015, my website, Australian Xena Information Page (also known as AUSXIP) celebrated its 19th anniversary. In internet years, that was like being as old as Methuselah.

An idea started to germinate. Coming up to AUSXIPs 20th year in 2016, why not write a book about the history of AUSXIP and the Xenaverse? It sounded like a great idea to me. I could go back into the AUSXIP archives to conduct research since it was a veritable time capsule of the Xenaverse. AUSXIP was born only eight months after the birth of the Xenaverse.

The book was going to be called BATTLE ON! History of AUSXIP and the Xenaverse and I created a cover. I let it marinade for a little while. Between December 2015 and April 2016, that idea morphed into something far bigger. I was at the Xenite Retreat in Lake Hughes, and I gave voice to the idea for a book to Kym Taborn (creator of Whoosh!). Kym and I were chatting and figured this was the right time to let this idea spring forth. Would you be keen on writing about Whoosh! and how it impacted the Xenaverse in a book Im going to put together for the twenty-fifth anniversary? I saw Kyms eyes light up, and she said, Yes! Tell me more. The little sequoia seed had been given a growth hormone, and it went BOOM!

During 2017, the plan started to grow. Getting the Xenaverse involved in this epic adventure wasnt difficult. I pitched the idea of various chapters to people I have known for two decades, and the positive response just added to my excitement. My beloved editor, Rosa Alonso, and my dear friend Ann Sund came on board the speeding train, and there was no stopping it.

I announced the plans for the book to the Xenaverse, and the overwhelming support that came back made me more than a little emotional. Having received Universals approval, it was the start of an epic project, and the biggest challenge I have ever undertaken. No pressure, right?

With sixty-eight chapters that have been written by fifty-seven fans (plus a chapter written by