A recent edition of Doctor Who Magazine contained a feature on the New Adventures, published by Virgin Books between 1991 and 1997. Viewing these as the official continuation of the series I waited eagerly for each monthly delivery and delayed my studies to read. They kept Doctor Who alive in those wilderness years and also developed it in areas that television, with a limited budget and stricter censorship, could not.

I submitted ideas for the range, which were, quite rightly, rejected. The fact that Virgin Books responded put them ahead of other publishers. This was a range that welcomed unsolicited submissions. Many of the writers were published for the first time and some went on to write for the television series when it was relaunched in 2005.

Publishers are still often unwilling to accept submissions, without an agent. Those that open their doors to anyone rarely hire from the slush pile. In the 1990s the situation was worse. The New Adventures created opportunities for new talent and that is their real legacy.