Aidan, Pamela [A pseudonym]

(Pamela Mogen)

PERSONAL: Divorced; married second husband; children: (first marriage) three; stepchildren: three. Education: Millersville University of Pennsylvania, B.S.; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, M.L.S.

ADDRESSES: Office— Wytherngate Press, Inc., P.O. Box 3134, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83816. E-mail— pamela_aidan@hotmail.com.

CAREER: Worked as a librarian for more than thirty years; currently a director of a library in Liberty Lake, WA; Wytherngate Press, Coeur d’Alene, ID, owner.

WRITINGS

“FITZWILLIAM DARCY, GENTLEMAN” TRILOGY

An Assembly Such as This, Wytherngate Press (Atlanta, GA), 2003, reprinted, Touchstone/Simon 8 Schuster (New York, NY), 2006.

Duty and Desire, Wytherngate Press (Coeur d’Alene, ID), 2004, reprinted, Touchstone/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2006.

These Three Remain, Wytherngate Press (Coeur d’Alene, ID), 2005, reprinted, Touchstone/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS: A librarian by profession, Pamela Aidan became an author when she penned a trilogy based on a Jane Austen character from Pride and Prejudice, Fitzwilliam Darcy. Originally, she published the “Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman” trilogy through a company she created, Wytherngate Press, but they were later reprinted by the Touchstone imprint at Simon & Schuster. The books tell the same story as Pride and Prejudice, focusing on Darcy and his growing love for Elizabeth Bennet. Aidan, who strives to mimic the same tone and writing style that is characteristic of Austen’s book, adds to the story by including new characters and adding insights into Darcy’s inner emotions and personality. “Her original contributions. . .,” as Kathy Piehl noted in a Library Journal review of the first installment of the trilogy, An Assembly Such as This, “infuse humor into the plot and reveal Darcy’s humanity.” “Austen fans will relish the tale’s retelling from Darcy’s perspective as well as new characters,” concluded Booklist reviewer Patty Engelmann of the same book.

In the second novel of the trilogy, Duty and Desire, Aidan follows Darcy through a period of time in which he was absent in the original Austen story. Darcy has left the Pride and Prejudice setting of Netherfield to visit his sister and becomes involved in an unusual mystery, which is solved with the help of his intelligent valet, Fletcher. “Plenty of period detail, witty dialogue, humor. . . and elements of the gothic will keep readers entertained,” according to Mary Ellen Quinn in Booklist. A Publishers Weekly contributor praised Aidan for, “instead of imitating Austen, convincingly makes Darcy’s story her own.” Aidan concludes her trilogy with These Three Remain.

Aidan told CA: “Many years ago when I was in junior high, a friend of mine, who was as enamored with the original broadcasts of the television program Star Trek as I was, suggested that we write our own Star Trek stories. I took up the challenge and penned a 100-page script that only she ever saw. I treasured the surge of creative energy that I felt at the time but took the practical route of professional librarianship, which has resulted in a very satisfying career. But thirty-five years later, I decided that it was the time to make a serious attempt to write. I had intended to write children’s books. The veer into Austen and novels for adults was unexpected and my success a wonderful surprise.

“At this point in my writing, Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer have been the main influences. As I leave that genre for other sorts of writing, that will change. What will not change is the generous influence of my husband, who is my best critic and coach. Although I would not wish to be categorized as a ‘Christian writer,’ I find that my writing is motivated by the struggle for influence of mercy, hope, and love in our everyday life and culture.

“Since I have ‘traipsed after Jane’ for most of my writing to this point, I have yet to develop a writing process. I have found that the best preparation for writing is to have a firm grasp on the characters of my protagonists and the historical context of my story, then make a cup of tea, retreat to a quiet, softly lit area, and listen to some music. Then it is just a matter of starting to type.

“The most surprising thing I have learned is that there are times when the characters take over and the writing is easy and sweet—I find myself riding a rhythm different than anything I’ve ever experienced.

“My favorite book of mine is Duty and Desire, the second book in the trilogy, because it is my own creation rather than the other side of events in Pride and Prejudice. In it I could flesh out my ideas, create characters, and otherwise stretch my writing wings. “My purpose in writing the trilogy was to answer a question: Who is Fitzwilliam Darcy, and how and why did he change? As I disclosed the struggles of this much admired literary character, I began hearing from readers since the very first chapters were posted online in 1997. Most expressed that I have made Austen’s story fuller or more understandable, and as a result, they have come to appreciate her work more and been encouraged to read the rest of her oeuvre. This is high praise! Others have written that my books have helped them through difficult times in their lives, providing an island of peace and pleasure. What more could a writer hope for?”

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES

PERIODICALS

Booklist, May 1, 2006, Patty Engelmann, review of An Assembly Such as This, p. 69; September 1, 2006, Mary Ellen Quinn, review of Duty and Desire, p. 53; December 14, 2006, Mary Ellen Quinn, review of These Three Remain, p. 20.

Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 2006, review of An Assembly Such as This, p. 423.

Library Journal, May 1, 2006, Kathy Piehl, review of An Assembly Such as This, p. 74; September 1, 2006, Kathy Piehl, review of Duty and Desire, p. 132.

Publishers Weekly, June 5, 2006, review of Duty and Desire, p. 28; November 13, 2006, review of These Three Remain.

ONLINE

Jane Austen Centre Web site, http://www.janeausten.co.uk/ (November 24, 2006), reviews of An Assembly Such as This and Duty and Desire.

Literature Classics.com, http://www.literatureclassics.com/ (November 24, 2006), review of An Assembly Such as This.

Wytherngate Press Web site, http://www.wytherngatepress.com (November 24, 2006), brief biography of Pamela Aidan.