Star Trek authors and literature fans were saddened by the news that Senior Editor Marco Palmieri was let go in the recent round of Simon & Schuster layoffs.

As reported by TrekBBS, it's no surprise in these troubled economic times to hear of layoffs, but one hit close to home for Star Trek literature fans. Marco Palmieri, the editor responsible for the post-finale Deep Space Nine relaunch, Titan and Vangaurd series of books, was one of the ones furloughed.

Some authors who had worked with Palmieri spoke about the impact he had made on them. "I'll always be grateful to him for the opportunities and consideration he offered," said Allyn Gibson. "He let me crash the Constellations party, and he took a chance on 'Make-Believe,' and I owe him an immense debt of gratitude for that." "I have a deep gratitude for the opportunities Marco has given me," said Scott Pearson, and sure hope things play out in a way that I get to work with him on something, anything, in the future." "My writing career owes an awful lot to the guidance and opportunities I've received from Marco over the last few years,' said Jim Johnson.

Keith R.A. DeCandido was certain that Palmieri had brought out the best in his writing. "I think the three best novels I've written among the thirty-five plus I've penned were all under Marco's editorial tutelage, and that's not a coincidence. He was always good at pushing me to push myself harder. In the discipline of karate I study, the term 'shihan,' which means 'master instructor,' is reserved for sixth-degree black belts. The person who runs my dojo is a 'shihan,' and he also pushes me to push myself harder. Dave Mack has called Marco his 'sensei,' which means 'teacher,' but I think 'shihan' is more apropos."

Others spoke of the man and what he did for Star Trek literature. "I found him to be an enthusiast, a gentleman and a professional," said James Swallow. "He was pivotal in making 'Star Trek' literature what it is today, and brought great innovation, sophistication, and quality to the line," said Christopher L. Bennett.

To read more, head to the thread located here.

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