Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Box
Title
Manuscripts
Date(s)
- 1993 - 2009 (Creation)
Extent
1 box
Name of creator
Biographical history
Victoria McManus is a resident of Philadelphia, PA. She writes both fiction and nonfiction, under the names Victoria Janssen and Elspeth Potter, and includes both novels and short stories. Her first novel was the alternate-world fantasy The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom and Their Lover (2008), which has been translated into French, German, and Russian. Her next novel, The Moonlight Mistress (2009), features the early days of World War One and werewolves; it has been translated into Italian and has an electronic-only sequel available, “Under Her Uniform.” McManus' third novel The Duke and the Pirate Queen (2010), is a sort-of sequel to The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom and Their Lover, focusing on different characters. In 2021-2022, under the name of Victoria Janssen, she released A Place of Refuge, a new science fiction queer romance space opera consisting of three books: Finding Refuge, Accepting Refuge, and Embracing Refuge.
Her first published short story was "Water Music" (2000), which appeared in Best Lesbian Erotica 2001 from Cleis Press, and she has since written a number of other stories that have been anthologized in various erotica collections. Her nonfiction mostly appears at the blogs Heroes and Heartbreakers (romance) and The Criminal Element (mystery, suspense, and thrillers). She also reviews anonymously for Publishers Weekly.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
1-1/1: Assorted handwritten notes, 1993 - 1996, undated
1-1/2: Assorted notes, 1996
1-1/3: Writing exercise typescript, 1997
1-1/4: "Xenogamy" (later revised as "Water Music", 2000), reviewer correspondence and feedback, 1997 - 1998
1-1/5: "Camera" (2001), manuscript notebook draft, undated
1-1/6: "Free Falling" (2002), typescript
1-1/7: "Wire" (2003), typescript
1-1/8: "Imperial Service" (later revised as "Ducal Service", 2004), typescript with handwritten reviewer comments [reviewer 'Judith'], 2003?
1-1/9: "Imperial Service" (later revised as "Ducal Service", 2004), typescript with handwritten reviewer comments, 2003?
1-1/10: "Imperial Service" (later revised as "Ducal Service", 2004), typescript with handwritten reviewer comments, 2003?
1-1/11: "Imperial Service" (later revised as "Ducal Service", 2004), typescript with handwritten edits, undated
1-1/12: "Imperial Service" (later revised as "Ducal Service", 2004), reviewer critiques, 2003
1-1/13: "Worship" (2004), typescript
1-1/14: "The Princess on the Rock" (2005), typescript, 2002
1-1/15: "The Princess on the Rock" (2005), typescript with handwritten reviewer comments [reviewer 'Judith'], undated
1-1/16: "The Princess on the Rock" (2005), typescript with handwritten reviewer comments, and reviewer critiques, 2001 - 2002, undated
1-1/17: "The Princess on the Rock" (2005), typescript with handwritten edits and reviewer comments, undated
1-1/18: "Detox" (2007), typescript
1-1/19: "17 Short Films About Hades and Persephone" (2007), typescript with handwritten edits, and typescript, undated
1-1/20: "The Magnificent Threesome" (2007), typescript, undated
1-1/21: "Poppies Are Not The Only Flower" (2008), typescript
1-1/22: "Toy" (2008), typescript
1-1/23: "Place, Park, Scene, Dark" (2008), typescript, undated
1-1/24: Ducal Service [later titled The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover, 2008], notebook, 2007 - 2008
1-1/25: Ducal Service [later titled The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover, 2008], typescript with handwritten edits and revisions, June 2007
1-1/26: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), synopses [under old title The Duchess and the Stableboy] with reviewer comments, 2006
1-1/27: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), typescript, pages 1 - 76, October 2007, with editorial notes, May 2008
1-1/28: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), typescript, pages 77 - 181, October 2007
1-1/29: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), typescript, pages 182 - 211, October 2007
1-1/30: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), editorial comments from Susan Swinwood, May 2008
1-1/31: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), typescript, pages 1 - 91, June 2008
1-1/32: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), typescript, pages 92 - 166, June 2008
1-1/33: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), typescript, pages 167 - 234, June 2008
1-1/34: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), revised typescript with handwritten edits by editor, pages 1- 129, June 2008
1-1/35: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), revised typescript with handwritten edits by editor, pages 130 - 263, June 2008
1-1/36: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), revised typescript with handwritten edits by editor, pages 264 - 438, June 2008
1-1/37: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), typescript editor's copy with handwritten edits, pages 1 - 185, July 2008
1-1/38: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), typescript editor's copy with handwritten edits, pages 186 - 384, July 2008
1-1/39: The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom, and Their Lover (2008), handwritten notes, 2008
1-1/40: Other Skins [later titled The Moonlight Mistress, 2009], typescript draft with reviewer comments [reviewer 'John Schoftstall'], June 2008
1-1/41: Other Skins [later titled The Moonlight Mistress, 2009], typescript draft with reviewer comments, June 2008
1-1/42: Other Skins [later titled The Moonlight Mistress, 2009], typescript draft pages with handwritten edits, June 2008
1-1/43: Other Skins [later titled The Moonlight Mistress, 2009], typescript draft with handwritten editorial comments, September 2008
1-1/44: Other Skins [later titled The Moonlight Mistress, 2009], handwritten reviewer comments [reviewer 'Ann'], 2008?
1-1/45: The Moonlight Mistress (2009), typescript submitted revision draft, pages 1 - 123, February 2009
1-1/46: The Moonlight Mistress (2009), typescript submitted revision draft, pages 124 - 268, February 2009
1-1/47: The Moonlight Mistress (2009), typescript submitted revision draft, pages 269 - 329, February 2009
1-1/48: The Moonlight Mistress (2009), typescript with handwritten edits, pages 1 - 143, 2009
1-1/49: The Moonlight Mistress (2009), typescript with handwritten edits, pages 144 - 296, 2009
1-1/50: The Moonlight Mistress (2009), typescript with handwritten edits, pages 297 - 385, 2009
1-1/51: The Moonlight Mistress (2009), typescript with handwritten edits and reviewer comments, undated