Hat Boy and Daisy Must Die! A short novella of a puppet wedding.

I felt that SLIDERS fans might relate to this story. As SLIDERS fans, we have an interest that is very much a niche subject, even among science fiction fans.

Niche: Adjective denoting products, services, or interests that appeal to a small, specialized section of the population.

Even with SLIDERS itself, our fondness is niche. Of the 88 episodes, even diehard fans only unreservedly like about 15 - 25 of them. SLIDERS isn't a mainstream interest like LOST; it isn't a science fiction mainstream hit like STAR TREK and STAR WARS. A lot of the fun we have here on this message board is behaving like SLIDERS is a STAR TREK level franchise when the truth is, in terms of viewing figures, SLIDERS might find itself competing with STAR TREK novels and the novels might still win.

When we talk about interdimensional travel in other TV shows, we can't refer to it as "sliding" with any certainty that others will know what we mean. I refer to Quinn Mallory as the definitive science hero of the twentieth century, but I am fully aware that the definitive science hero of that era is Mr. Spock, not Quinn.

To me, this puppet wedding concept where all wedding guests were required to puppeteer puppets is an example of two people with a niche hobby (puppeteering) that they are insisting is mainstream and universal; they have vastly overestimated the appeal of an extremely specialized, small-scale interest; they have fallen into magical thinking where they assume anyone who holds a two pound puppet will instantly infuse it with characterization and animation. In reality, an untrained person holding a two pound puppet will get tired and bored after five minutes.

Something a writing mentor once taught me about writing: the best writing comes when a writer creates a scenario and then lets it play out naturally, letting characters act and react according to their natures and the elements around them rather than dictating who does what and what happens.

I feel that HAT BOY AND DAISY MUST DIE! had some strengths and weaknesses. The main weakness, I feel: I don't think the bride and groom have enough characterization beyond their inability to socialize outside of puppetry.

The story is not clear on why these characters need everyone in their lives to love puppets as much as they do; I don't need everyone in my life to love SLIDERS (in fact, I advise against it; SLIDERS is a pretty abusive TV show). At the same time, if the story were to offer an overly sympathetic explanation, the frustration with the couple might seem hurtful.

The story works right now with the couple not knowing where to draw the line: it was reasonable for the professional puppeteers to bring puppets to perform; it was destructive and pointless to demand that civilians also be puppeteers.

Anyway. Every time I visit my niece, she gives me five cards with the SLIDERS logo on it. Each time I mention SLIDERS, she takes away a card and after she has all five cards, I am not allowed to bring SLIDERS up again. "SLIDERS is a niche interest," she explained to me. "It shouldn't dominate the conversation."