A Madrigal

Zine
Title:	A Madrigal
Publisher:	Nut Hatch
Editor:
Author(s):	Jane
Cover Artist(s):
Illustrator(s):
Date(s):	1987
Series?:
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	The Professionals
Language:	English
External Links:
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A Madrigal is a historical slash AU Professionals novel by Jane of Australia.

In May 2001, "A Madrigal" was reproduced as an original fiction novel by Filing Off The Serial Numbers. This was with some revision, an expanded ending, and the names changed, published by the Gay Men's Press as "Fortunes of War" by Mel Keegan.

one cover version

another cover version

One Comparison of "A Madrigal" and "Fortunes of War"

A close comparison of a text published both professionally and fannishly reveals that at least one of these differences is in the amount of gender blending that is permissible. Although, Fortunes of War, the professional version of the fan novel A Madrigal madrigal, name for two different forms of Italian music, one related to the poetic madrigal in the 14th cent., the other the most common form of secular vocal music in the 16th cent. , is a longer but virtually identical story, the editorial changes are telling. Fortunes of War certainly does offer the reader gender blended heroes, for Channon is "gentle" and "tender" even though he is a "soldier" (196) who loves his partner Robin as much for "his courage as for his gentleness and affectionate ways" (271). In contrast, the fannish version is considerably less masculine particularly in intimate moments. In both stories, after their first meeting Doyle/Robin dreams of the kiss of Bodie/Channon; in A Madrigal Keegan writes of "one unforgettable point at which he had literally felt a hot, wet mouth bruising his own with a kiss" (18). In Fortunes of War a further masculine image is added and the description becomes of "one unforgettable moment when he felt a man's strength crushing him, and a hot wet mouth bruised his own with kisses" (50). A similar difference occurs when they make love. In A Madrigal: "Bodie slid two fingers inside him. It was difficult to breath and he froze, gasping with the strangeness, the terrible intimacy" (40). The same sex scene in Fortunes of War reads, "He cursed softly as one finger became two and he felt a sting of pain. Strange sensations as Channon had promised" (89). In the fannish version intimacy is highlighted while the professionally published version masculinizes the scenario with the addition of terms such as "curses" and "pain." Indeed, the question of masculinity is directly raised in the professionally published text when Robin asks of penetrative sex, "Is it seemingly for a man?" (88). In the fan fiction version Doyle asks simply, "if you will permit me?" (39). Quite possibly within the community of slash fiction writers and readers, the possibility of feminine associations attaching themselves to a passive sexual role need not be addressed; they are either unimportant or accepted as part of the overall acceptance of gender blended images. Within the more masculine community envisaged by the Gay Men's Press, however, such associations do need to be addressed, perhaps denied, and dealt with. It is possible that in the professionally published text the addition of masculine images may occur because the projected reader is not considered likely to accept such feminine heroes, but it is also important to recall that the professional version of A Madrigal is unable to import, via appropriation, the existing masculinity of Bodie and Doyle.