Join us for another in a series of interviews with winners of awards from our 2023 Awards Ceremony. Our goal is to give you insight into how our fleet’s best simmers write and imagine their characters as well as their out of character contributions and achievements.
This month we’re interviewing the writer behind Marine Captain Michele Winters playing a human woman acting tactical chief assigned to the USS Octavia E Butler. He won the Luminary Award which is “Awarded to members holding the rank of Ensign, Lieutenant Junior Grade, or Lieutenant. Officers qualifying for this award have shown outstanding promise in their future endeavors by displaying their skills in leadership, dependability, and dedication to the community.”
Promontory: Tell us a little about the writer behind the character — where in the world do you hail from and what brought you to SB118?
Winters: I’m in Ann Arbor, Michigan, home of the Wolverines…LOL. As for what brought me to SB118, I was looking for new and fresh ideas to save an RPG group that I was part of which was slowly dying. The group had been together for many years and I was seeking new ways to keep it going. In doing so I found a new game play that I had not ventured into and fell in love with and thus stuck around to build my characters and my writing abilities. Have not looked back since.
Now you recently made a change in the primary character you’re writing with. Can you walk us through that change?
Yes. Jack Kessler has been my PC since I started and after watching several other players take breaks from their PC’s to start a new character I thought I would give it a try. It ended up being a two-fold venture as moving from one PC to another also allowed me to jump into a long term exploration of a new species the Oumuamua and now the Butler will be dealing with in the Gamma Quadrant. Jack Kessler is still very much my pride and joy and with all luck he’ll find a way back into our stories in the future.
I also understand you’re simming on a new ship and were involved behind the scene in fleshing out the ship for launch. What was that like?
Absolutely amazing. I am not well versed in 3D programs or photo manipulation like so many of our great club members are. When it was announced we were changing ships I wanted to contribute in a way that I had not previously and started a detailed deck by deck layout of our new ship. Along with some great help from Lt.Cmdr. Promontory and Lt.Cmdr. Sherlock we now have a complete set of deck plans for the Butler and as our missions progress, will be filling in all the little details within the ship to really make this our own vessel.
Your CO, in bestowing this award said “His dedication… is evident in his active involvement as a staff member, contributing to mission proposals, mentoring multiple players, and offering insightful contributions to discussions” What advice do you have for others who want to helpfully contribute?
Do not hesitate to jump in and ask questions. Make suggestions and be willing to take feedback and criticism. I kind of felt like I wanted to test the waters when I first joined in areas outside of my character and immediately spoke to my mentor and CO about how to do that. Don’t sit back and wait for someone to discover you, step up and show people who and what you are. You’d be surprised at what you can do. I was.
What’s next for you and your characters?
Without giving spoilers away? LOL, A LOT is coming for my characters. Michele Winters is rejoining the Butler and she has Kessler’s shoes to fill, while Jack may be M.I.A. I am really looking forward to seeing how the Trek universe brings him back.
Thanks for your time, Captain Winters!
You can read more about Michele Winters and Jack Kessler on the wiki.
