CCLaP is currently a one-person operation, put together by me, Jason Pettus; for those who don't know, I studied photography at the University of Missouri in the '80s and '90s, and then became a full-time creative writer myself once moving to Chicago in 1994. Among other fun experiences during those years, I was invited to perform on National Public Radio and at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art; placed second at the 1997 National Poetry Slam as part of the Chicago/Green Mill team; received a grant from the Illinois Arts Council; released three novels, two travel books and a host of miniature "chapbooks;" went on numerous American tours and two European ones; and was featured in such diverse locations as the Canadian Broadcasting Channel, the Frankfurt Book Fair, and Hustler "Leg World" magazine, all while remaining a self-publisher the entire time and without once hiring a publicist or agent.

I put that entire part of my life into retirement in 2004 to open CCLaP; indeed, for the first two years I did nothing but give myself a self-taught education on small business, then in 2006 opened a version of CCLaP under a different plan that unfortunately was not successful. The current version of CCLaP, open now since June 2007, is as a private for-profit company being entirely self-financed; it's for that reason that the center's plans for growth are so slow, and why right now nothing is being done through the CCLaP name other than daily essays published electronically for free through this website, as well as a semi-regular free podcast. Although it's difficult for me to accurately predict start dates for the following, this is at least a chronologically accurate list of the plans ahead for CCLaP, in the order that they will be opened...

--First will be the opening of a virtual photography gallery, manifested in two ways; as both a cutting-edge Flash layout here at the site (including audio "walk-through" interviews between myself and each artist concerning each piece), and also as a 3D virtual environment in the videogame Second Life. Exhibitions will be monthly, and will include not only a free downloadable eBook of each show but also physical print-on-demand merchandise. I am right now recruiting photographers who would like to have solo exhibitions as part of the CCLaP Gallery; please see the submission page for all the details.

--Then will come CCLaP's electronic publishing program, dedicated to such medium-length manuscripts as novellas, long essays and serial stories. Books will be released as standalone downloadable free files here at the website, in a variety of forms (including PDFs for both American and European laserprinters, a special PDF for Sony Readers, PDB for Palm and LIT for PocketPC/Windows Mobile). Again, CCLaP is currently recruiting writers who would like to be a part of this program; see again the CCLaP submission page for the details.

--At the same time as the above two, then, CCLaP also hopes to start its first live-events program here in Chicago -- a modest series of events at first, pure social ones where CCLaP's readers get together and simply have fun, which will most likely take the form of bicycling events, gallery/pub crawls, nighttime museum outings and more. To express an interest in helping out with the organization or running of these events, or to offer your venue as a meeting location, please drop me a line directly at cclapcenter [at] gmail.com.

--After that will come the publishing of CCLaP's first full-length paper book, a novel by a talented beginning-career author that will be hand-published "art book style" and sold directly through the website, at Amazon, at various live events and more. Why yes, CCLaP is accepting submissions for such a novel as we speak; as always, see the center's submission page for more.

The things just mentioned I think will keep CCLaP happily busy at least through the end of 2009; as further years progress, I hope to add classes and workshops, live-audience episodes of the CCLaP Podcast featuring more well-known artists, and the sponsoring of weekly literary events for Chicago performers, hopefully culminating in another five to ten years from now in CCLaP finally owning its own permanent physical space in the city. Remember, as a for-profit company your donations to CCLaP are unfortunately not tax-deductible; since CCLaP falls outside of government regulation, however, we are available for accepting private investment money and private sponsorship/underwriting of various events and podcast episodes. To express a serious interest, please contact me directly at cclapcenter [at] gmail.com.