CRISPIN, A(nn ) C(arol)

(1950-)

   US writer who was first known as a competent author of ties, including three for the Star Trek enterprise - Yesterday's Son * (1983) and its direct sequel Time for Yesterday * (1988), along with Star Trek, The Next Generation \#13: The Eyes of the Beholder * (1990) - and three for the "V" sequence - "V" * (1984), East Coast Crisis * (1984) with Howard WEINSTEIN and Death Tide * (1985) with Deborah A. Marshall ("V"). She also collaborated with Andre NORTON on a Witch World novel, Gryphon's Eyrie (1984), before embarking on her first independent work of significance, the StarBridge sequence for older children: StarBridge (1989), Silent Dances (1990) with Kathleen O'MALLEY and Shadow World (1991) with Jannean (L.) Elliott. The first volume of the series (projected to contain at least5 vols) follows the exploits of an extremely bright teenaged girl who becomes involved in problems of galactic scope, and participates in the founding of an Academy for youngsters like herself. The second, rather more interestingly, puts a deaf Academy member of Native American background on an ominous planet where only she can read the signs of ALIEN intelligence. In the third, an alienated male Academy member finds, in a short-lived alien race, challenges that are precisely adapted to his needs. Through these well planned if not strikingly original tales ACC has demonstrated a consistent professionalism about her trade, and considerable generosity about giving good value.

   JC