Looking back through the files relating to The Senders of Shaula I’ve accumulated over the years, I came across letters that reminded me of the true origin of the characters.  In 1990 the television station KTEH 54 had a weekly “Science Fiction Night” hosted by George Sampson.  We regularly tuned in for “Dr Who” “Blake’s 7” “Red Dwarf” and “The Prisoner.”  To increase viewership, George started a series of small contests, in which viewers sent in responses to various instructions.  I was jazzed when I got “First Runner Up” for the first contest (and won a “Prisoner” t-shirt.)  The first contest was “Aliens who land in your backyard will talk only to you and have only enough power to answer three questions. What are your questions?”