About the author

Trix Wilkins

<p>I am one of those readers in that awkward category of being utterly in love with Louisa May Alcott&rsquo;s <em>Little Women</em>, while longing for an Austen-esque ending.</p><p>I loved <em>Little Women</em> Part 1, and had no idea Part 2 (<em>Good Wives</em>) existed, until years later. Jo was my favorite character &ndash; her penchant for writing, striving for independence, and pushing against societal expectations, resonated with me. I liked Laurie because he despised &ldquo;fuss and feathers,&rdquo; and for his liking Jo best of all because of her character.&nbsp;</p><p>I was disappointed with how things turned out. I had hoped Jo would write and travel abroad. It was difficult to read of Laurie&rsquo;s frittering away his talent and money. They had so much potential &ndash; Jo as an author, Laurie as a musician. And I started to wonder - under what circumstances might Laurie not been so frivolous at college, and Jo received a deeper education to further her writing?</p><p>I also thought that if either did ever marry, it would have been to the other &ndash; a possibility I came to suspect hung on that moment when Marmee advised Jo that she and Laurie were not suited for marriage. And I started to imagine - what could Marmee have possibly said, that would have allowed Jo to love Laurie, had she chosen? How could Laurie have possibly proposed, in a different manner?</p><p>And Beth&hellip;how was it that the Laurences did not seem to do more to save her? This made sense in the context of Louisa&rsquo;s history, as she had lost her sister Elizabeth &ndash; which agitated me to amend at least fictional history, even if I could do nothing about saving Elizabeth in real life.</p><p>But I didn&rsquo;t plan to write a book! I was sitting on the couch with my husband while on holiday, doodling possible conversations&hellip;And as I wrote, I found the characters saying and doing things I hadn&rsquo;t planned &ndash; and to find out what happened next, I had to keep writing. I felt almost like the story wanted to be written.</p><p>How this came to be a book started with just one comment &ndash; and I am so grateful for that timely line of encouragement! I have thoroughly enjoyed revisiting the lives of some of my favorite literary characters, and imagining what might have been.</p>