OK, I figured it's about time to make an update on Byzarium's status. I'm sorry it's taken awhile to get this update out, but I wanted to make sure that I'd thought through my decisions, and that they were the right ones for me to make.
First off - I want to give a shout out to all the people who stepped forward with condolences and advice. It's very much appreciated!!! Now then...
I've decided NOT to delete the site. My husband and I had a long talk about it, and we've agreed that the cost of maintaining the site is negligible. As of this time (KNOCK ON WOOD!!!) we can afford to keep the site online. In the event something happens and we CAN'T afford the site anymore, I will make an announcement and run a fund-raiser before deciding to take the site off-line.
Second - All of the archives are currently open, and likely to stay that way. I'm removing the subscription aspect of the site. If I'm not going to be updating the site for awhile, I'd like for writers to be able to have their work accessible to readers. Please note -- if you have a story published on Byzarium and FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER you need to request that we take it down, don't hesitate! Please just let me know, and I'll happily oblige you. At the end of the day the story belongs to no one but yourself, and if you've managed to sell a reprint, I'm nothing but pleased for you. I'd probably even be willing to link to the publication it appears in.
Third - the real issue with Byzarium is the time involved for me. Both Barbara and I are getting more and more wrapped up in our own writing. It's getting harder and harder to make the time to go through the slush pile. At least for myself, there are several projects that I anticipate will eat into my personal time significantly (though not in a bad way, of course) in the near future. So, right now, I'm planning on taking a 6-8 month hiatus from the site. At the end of that hiatus, I have two thoughts I'm knocking around.
1) Open the site back up for submissions, with the understanding that I will probably have to take a regular hiatus every year.
2) Take on additional editor(s). I'm actually getting advice from people regarding this possibility, as I'm not quite sure how to go around officially looking for someone. Up until now, it's mostly been very informal, "Hey, how would you like to..." among friends.
These are my thoughts as of this time, and what I'm tentatively leaning towards doing. Whichever of these plans I ultimately go with, I would like to continue editing Byzarium. I've met a lot of fabulous writers while editing the site, and I've learned a lot about the whole process of writing. It's just difficult achieving a do-able balance between my dayjob/personal creative projects and the site.