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Whatever happened to the Duchess of York's novel?

Thursday, January 15, 2009

What's happened to the Duchess of York's historical novel that she apparently co-wrote with Dallas writer Laura Van Wormer? Last July I noted that Hartmoor had changed title to Wingfield and that publication had been delayed to September 4 this year. I even had to tell Amazon to update their records. They didn't.

Now I don't see the novel listed at all for publication. I may have imagined it, but on her blog last year Laura seemed just a little exhausted by it all: she didn't moan, just drew our attention to how much time the novel had taken to write, depriving her other books of her literary attention. Now in a January posting she doesn't mention the book title at all, and as for the Duchess project she has this to say: "The Duchess and I are reconsidering our original publishing plan and are weighing a number of factors and options for the short term and also for the long run. As soon as we come to a decision about which path we are to take, you shall know straight away!"

I have no idea what this means - even whether she's talking about the novel. Laura then goes onto plug upcoming books of her own, especially Riverside Park, due out in the summer. Laura's agent Loretta Barrett Books Inc still lists Hartmoor down for publication in the spring - this can't be right. There's much misinformation on websites: Borders, for example, has Hartmoor down for September 3, 2015! A slip of the key surely. The Macmillan site sheds no clue, and while Amazon.co.uk lists Hartmoor for September 4 I assume this is redundant, because Laura said last year the novel was now Wingfield.

Would someone look into this.

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