Writing after “Campus”: Tango dancers, opera singers and a vineyard.

Last year, on July 1st 2007, hanibal and I posted the last chapter of “Campus” to our website, var[title].

Since then, many of you have emailed me to ask me whether “Campus” will be published and whether I’d be writing another story. I thank you for your continued interest.

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As for writing another story: I am already knee-deep in a new novel-length project (not as long as “Campus”, though, since I don’t happen to have seven years spare at the moment) titled “Small Steps” -I’m on page 233 of an expected 300 to 350. The story is for loosely placed within the Spanish Maca/Esther fandom, though stands on its own as an independent story and will be edited as such for a possible publication.

The only way I can squeeze fiction-writing into my schedules these days (days that should be entirely governed by Ph.D. madness!) is in “small steps”, indeed. So for the moment, the story reads more like a serial as the unbetaed A draft is posted in parts at my secret lair in Spanish exile. More on “Small Steps”, which is set in the world of ballroom tournaments and tango classes, in an upcoming separate post.

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The publication of “Campus” is a possibility I will be looking into after I file my Ph.D. for defense (hopefully this summer!). Over the seven years of writing “Campus”, I have received several letters of interest from lesbian-slanted publishing houses and a few of them will definitely be starting points when I start looking at options. Many of you have expressed interest in a printed version (leaving me thoroughly flattered!) and I truly hope that I can make it happen.

What I don’t want is publishing it at any cost. The biggest issue I foresee is that “Campus” in its current form, the one that you have followed and supported for years, would be too long and thus too costly for any publisher to take on. Apart from some necessary tightening and revisions (my writing style did, I hope, evolve during those seven years) the question would be how much “Campus” could be shortened and still be “Campus”. From day one, the story was supposed to be an ensemble piece with sub- and side plots — more like series than a movie, if you will.

It will most likely come down to how much “Campus” can be condensed and how far the publisher in question will be willing to go out on a limb for the project. If it’s impossible (which may well be the case, I know my writing style is not exactly fast-paced and publishing houses need to calculate their page costs, too!), I’d much rather see the story remain unpublished than have it printed in a version that would take away the essence of what “Campus” is and make it unrecognizable to both you and me.

I’ll keep you updated on any news.

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Other stories on the typewriter’s horizon… as some of you may have figured out by now, I did write a few fanfic pieces on the side over the last few years, under the not-so-well-guarded alias of Monique Bartok. They are all available on their own page on var[title] and are near and dear to my heart since they allowed me to try out things in shorter stories that I couldn’t do on “Campus”. Another story under yet another alias, Nordica (I should get myself checked out for multiple personality disorder; I know) was the 2006 novel, “Jungle Fever”, a Maca/Esther Über that might be revised for publication and is also available in its current form on var[title].

The next big new thing after finishing “Small Steps” (and that Ph.D., should I ever make it there) will be another big ensemble piece à la “Campus”. – Yes, that would be the plot containing a vineyard. And possibly opera singers, too. It’s another of those heart-and-soul projects that I’ve been carrying with me for a long time. Fifty pages of drafts and sketches are resting safely sealed in my nightstand (and on a copyright-proof disc, just to be on the legally safe side) and are awaiting the day I feel ready commit to another writing project that might take several years.There might be some more, shorter stories on the side – there are two scenarios on my hard drive in particular that I would like to write out, if time permits – and perhaps some non-fiction essays. I’ll keep you updated on all projects and will likely post teasers and introductions as things shape up.

I hope you will continue to enjoy my work.

Yours truly,

~ by Anik LaChev on February 27, 2008.