Ask the Author: Madeleine E. Robins
Answered Questions (5)
Madeleine E. Robins
On my mother's side, the family tree is much documented--back as far as the 13th century or so. The Puritans and stalwart yeoman run deep and are well documented. On my father's side... Dad's parents came from Ukraine at the turn of the century. My aunts told me they both arrived at Ellis Island. I even have my grandfather's parents' names on his death certificate. But beyond that, I know nothing. They could be aliens. One or both of them could have been Secret Royalty on the run. Heck, they could be Elvish Secret Royalty on the run.
Now that you mention it, I could write a book...
Now that you mention it, I could write a book...
Madeleine E. Robins
The license it gives you to find out stuff. You never know when a piece of information is going to come in handy (or at least, that's what I tell myself). So I can pry into medieval plumbing, 17th century underwear, 19th century money... and people may think it's weird, but I know it's all research.
Madeleine E. Robins
Thanks so much for reading them! I don't have a Kindle either--but BN.com has an ePub edition available: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-s.... Hope that you enjoy it.
And I'm about 2/3 of the way through a fourth Tolerance, so there will be more.
Best,
Madeleine
And I'm about 2/3 of the way through a fourth Tolerance, so there will be more.
Best,
Madeleine
Madeleine E. Robins
You wouldn't believe how much sleep I lose over this! In fact, the impediments to their getting together have nothing to do with social class--Miss Tolerance is, whatever has happened to her, a gentleman's daughter, and Sir Walter is a gentleman (there was a far larger gap between Miss Tolerance and the Earl of Versellion).
The problem, really, lies in Sarah's own neuroses about her Fall, and her growing sense that she really likes her job, despite its danger and sometime sadness. She feels--deeply--something that wouldn't bother most of us these days: a profound sense of being damaged goods because of her past. She feels that marrying (and she's not going to be happy with anything less than marriage, anymore) would debase the reputation of a man she married; if she loves someone, how could she do that? And she may be able to get past that...she's principled, but not fanatical.
The larger issue is her status as a working woman in a field that would cause conflict of interest if she married a magistrate. There really were no models for working out this kind of dilemma in 1811. A woman of her social class (gentleman's daughter, remember?) rarely worked outside of marriage; the kinds of work she might do (painting, writing) were unlikely to be affected by what her husband does, and vice versa. But for a PI (which is pretty much what Sarah is) to marry a cop (which is sort of what Sir Walter is) causes all sorts of conflicts, as Sir Walter points out in The Sleeping Partner. Plus, I have some things planned for Miss T which would make such a marriage even more complicated...
Me, I want them to have a happily ever after. I'm not planning on introducing any other potential love interest. I just need to find a way--and a series of experiences that pave the way--that convinces me it would overwhelm Sarah's objections.
Good question. Thanks!
The problem, really, lies in Sarah's own neuroses about her Fall, and her growing sense that she really likes her job, despite its danger and sometime sadness. She feels--deeply--something that wouldn't bother most of us these days: a profound sense of being damaged goods because of her past. She feels that marrying (and she's not going to be happy with anything less than marriage, anymore) would debase the reputation of a man she married; if she loves someone, how could she do that? And she may be able to get past that...she's principled, but not fanatical.
The larger issue is her status as a working woman in a field that would cause conflict of interest if she married a magistrate. There really were no models for working out this kind of dilemma in 1811. A woman of her social class (gentleman's daughter, remember?) rarely worked outside of marriage; the kinds of work she might do (painting, writing) were unlikely to be affected by what her husband does, and vice versa. But for a PI (which is pretty much what Sarah is) to marry a cop (which is sort of what Sir Walter is) causes all sorts of conflicts, as Sir Walter points out in The Sleeping Partner. Plus, I have some things planned for Miss T which would make such a marriage even more complicated...
Me, I want them to have a happily ever after. I'm not planning on introducing any other potential love interest. I just need to find a way--and a series of experiences that pave the way--that convinces me it would overwhelm Sarah's objections.
Good question. Thanks!
Madeleine E. Robins
I am in the middle of the fourth book (and already being distracted by ideas for a fifth). A big helping of Life (younger kid going to college, a job layoff in the house, older kid finishing college) has made my writing time scarcer, but I'm working on it. Thanks for asking!
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