As much as poetry helps me process my emotions, it has always been my dream to publish a novel. Last year, I finally finished writing my first one - and I’m now working on revising and refining it. I'm currently trying to find an agent and/or a publishing house in Austria, my home country.

Although I wrote the book in German, my mother tongue, and although I am aiming to get it published in that language, I nevertheless would like to present the plot for anyone who might be interested in my work, as I've worked hard on finishing this project. And one day I will definitely be trying to get my book translated into English (as well as other languages such as Spanish and French) - Alas, if you know someone or if you are someone who does book translations, feel free to contact me under constanzewrites@outlook.com. I'd be happy to cooperate with you!

The plot:

The story follows Clara, a 26-year-old Austrian who moved to Paris in her mid-twenties. She works there as a babysitter while trying to pursue her long-held dream of writing a novel - a dream she repeatedly struggles with due to her own self-doubt, until she eventually almost stops trying altogether.

One evening, in a bar, she meets Jaques - a French guy who works as a motivational coach and organizes group workshops in different countries, mostly across Europe, which keeps him traveling for weeks at a time. His lifestyle gradually becomes a problem when Clara and Jaques start a relationship, and it becomes clear that Clara is far more attached to him than he is to her. While he’s away, she constantly texts him or tries to call, but he hardly seems to miss her. Waiting for him to return becomes increasingly difficult, and she finds comfort in her friends from her French class - a group of girls she regularly goes out with to the same bar where she met Jaques, “Mermaids and Divers” (a real bar in Paris).

The time Clara spends apart from Jaques gives her space to reflect on her life and how it has unfolded. She remembers how free she felt in her early twenties, before she was stuck in a job she didn’t like but depended on financially, in a city where even the smallest apartment is barely affordable. Back then, she was traveling, moving through the world without being tied down to anyone or anything.

Slowly, she begins to do things on her own again, without waiting for Jaques to come home. She visits cafés her friends have recommended, takes long walks along the Seine, and goes to art exhibitions.

A year passes. One evening, she sits alone at “Mermaids and Divers” and strikes up a conversation with the bartender, Matthias - a German guy she already knows. She tells him about her relationship with Jaques, whom Matthias also knows, and about how difficult she finds the time they spend apart. In response, Matthias shares the story of one of his past relationships, which began in a similar way: they were stuck in a long-distance relationship and eventually decided to try something new to broaden their horizons while apart - an open relationship.

Clara can’t stop thinking about it. For weeks - almost half a year, in fact - the idea lingers in the back of her mind. One day, during an argument with Jaques, the topic comes up. In the end, she’s the one who suggests it. Jaques hesitates at first, but eventually agrees to the experiment.

Short time after, Clara meets Jorge. What starts as something casual soon begins to feel like more. Because Jorge is, in many ways, everything Jaques is not...

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It’s a story about love, but also about growing up and learning to understand yourself. It explores the complexity of long-term relationships, the loneliness that can come with struggling through life, and of course, Paris - a city that feels like the perfect setting for a story about a love triangle.

Reading sample (in German):

Contact me under constanzewrites@outlook.com!