the book that started it all was Splinter of the Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster. I read that book when I was about 10 or 12 when it first came out and still have the original copy, albeit with a broken spine from the number of times its been read. :
One thing I enjoyed about this announcement was the tally- 106. Thats how many there are. I quickly when to my selves and counted

seems I have a few more to get...