Many of Gladys’s direct statements are also included. She did indeed think “education smooths a life” and most of the barbs directed at Churchill are taken verbatim. Several of her letters are quoted throughout this novel, as are comments and opinions made by others. In the words of Virginia Woolf: “One does fall in love with the Duchess of Marlborough. I did at once.” I know exactly what she means.
I tried to stick closely to another character in the book—Gladys Deacon’s final home. As depicted, the Grange was in fact a run-down monstrosity and Gladys every bit as welcoming as her fictional likeness. The real woman treated visitors to reams of chicken wire, hails of bullets, and at least one “fuck you” sprayed in the lawn with weed killer. The contents of Tom’s barn and Tom himself are also taken from fact.
Alas, this is a work of fiction so I did fudge dates and other elements for the sake of the plot. And while she had a difficult relationship with her stepsons, the true Marlborough family is no doubt far more delightful than what is portrayed in these pages. All other inaccuracies and fabrications are mine alone.
If you’re intrigued by the woman who inspired this novel, I encourage you to read Vickers’s biography. For a look at Gladys Deacon through the eyes of a probable “frenemy,” check out The Face on the Sphinx by Daphne Fielding. All that plus a little Googling will show exactly why Gladys Deacon was once considered the most beautiful—and tempestuous—woman to ever exist. There’s even a selfie or two to prove it.
One of my characters says “I always had the sense she was more legend than woman.” While that could well be true, I personally found the craziest stories the most believable. Of course, the duchess would try to persuade us otherwise. When Hugo Vickers tracked “Mrs. Spencer” down in 1975 to inquire about her life: “she looked at me with a twinkle in her eye and said slowly: ‘Gladys Deacon?… She never existed.’”
It is exactly the comment one would expect from a woman who insisted: “I was not born. I happened.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The best part about finishing a book is getting to write the acknowledgments. I’m so grateful to all of the people who’ve helped along the way.
I have to begin with a gigantic thank-you to my fantastic and shrewd editor, Laurie Chittenden, for taking my extremely vague idea (“this duchess is crazy!”) and helping me shape it into a bona fide story.
Always a tremendous thank-you to my agent, Barbara Poelle, for being smart, tenacious, hilarious, and a good friend. Thank you for always fighting for me, sticking with me, and telling me when I’m doing it wrong. And, speaking of agents, a shout out to Heather Baror-Shapiro for her hard work on foreign rights.
Thanks to the hardworking, savvy team at St. Martin’s Press, including Melanie Fried, Laura Clark, Whitney Jacoby, and the amazing Katie Bassel, the best publicist in the business. The entire St. Martin’s team has been so incredibly kind and gracious and cool, not to mention they grace me with the world’s most fantastic covers. The pressure’s really on now!
Thank you to Leslie Rossman, Emily Miles Terry, Sara Beigle, and the rest of the team at Open Book Publicity for doing so much to market my work.
A special thanks goes to my cousin Drew Thompson and his wife Amy for providing a little “artwork” for this book. Thank you also to Scott and Lisa Hourin for their insight into what the Marines were doing post-9/11. Scott, I hope I’ve used your intel believably and I apologize for any civilian mistakes!
To my funny, kind, and scary talented fellow San Diego writers: Sue Meissner, Tammy Greenwood, Margaret Dilloway, Jennifer Coburn, Jan Moran, Juliette Sobanet, and especially the wonderful Liz Fenton, for being such great friends and always having my back. You guys are all so inspiring, not to mention fun to hang out with. And thank you also to my wonderful local bookstore, Warwick’s in La Jolla, Julie Slavinsky in particular, for the tremendous encouragement and support.
A thousand thanks to two great organizations, the Women’s Fiction Writer’s Association (WFWA) and Barbara Bos’s Women Writers, Women’s Books for not only supporting me but other writers worldwide.
And to two old (but not old) friends, fellow Tri Delts Elaine Turville Kropp and Anna Dinwiddie Hatfield for your support and getting people to attend my signings. Always huge thanks to Karen Freeman Landers, the best friend and greatest co-Chargers-season-ticket-holder a gal could ask for. Thank you also to Wendy Merry who not only sends people to my appearances but also Hollywood producers to my door.
Thank you to the people at Ellie Mae, especially Ed Luce and his wife Ann, for supporting this second career.