I was very excited last week when I heard a review of Laura Kipknis' book Against Love: A Polemic on National Public Radio. This feminist (I'm told!) author apparently does an intimidating but amusing job of fingering the more questionable aspects of monogamy. I haven't gotten a copy of the book yet, but I'm planning to.
For example, she discusses how a married person can never really leave the house without telling spouse where they are going, for how long, when they will be back, who they will be with, etc., etc.
Meanwhile, a recent e-thread I've seen tackles the question of "whether polys are more emotionally disturbed than non-polys". Apparently someone has collected some non-poly impressions of polys. Responses include: "Poly men seem to have more face hair". "More polys seem to be overweight."
I expected this would be an interesting thread, but...facial hair???. Do people consider me more "emotionally disturbed", because I have a beard? Phooey!
Meanwhile Number Two: I have finished the latest draft of my poly novel, and I continue to read sections of it at our California Writers Club public readings. My colleagues in the club now seem to accept the poly characters. They even tell me, "I'm curious to hear what's going to happen".
But where to publish (after a rewrite or two)? Perhaps I could interest the folks who published Laura Kipnis' book, or the publishers of GLBT-themed books. I recently read Dress Codes, by Noelle Howey, about a woman with a transgender father. An excellent book! The San Jose Mercury News recently ran a long column about Kirk Read's gay memoir How I Learned to Snap. Another book for me to track down! Read is a fellow alumnus of the University of Virginia - I try to imagine him wandering the same paths I walked with my boyfriend. Maybe some of these publishers would be interested.
But - to paraphrase the words of a published novelist who critiqued an early summary of my story: Is the world ready for a novel full of polys, pagans, gays and cross-dressers (along with Christians, Jews, Muslims, and human rights workers)???
Well - at least it's "diverse"!