Fanon:Margaret Plumb

 Margaret Niamh Plumb (NEEV) was, in her day, Sunset Valley's most renowned author. She was also one of the most prolific. She wrote a total of twenty-seven novels, mostly in the science-fiction and fantasy genres.

Early Life
Though Margaret Plumb is associated with Sunset Valley, where she built her career, she actually spent her early years in Riverview. Born somewhere in England (the exact location is still disputed) to Nigel Plumb and his then-wife, Carolyn Amanda Finney, she emigrated as a young girl with her family. Since her parents were nearly complete polar opposites, they argued nearly daily, and often in front of her. In addition, since Carolyn never wanted a child to begin with, she treated Margaret quite poorly, a fact Margaret repeated in her unfinished autobiography. She seemed to find fault with the child constantly, teasing her for her red hair, glasses, and freckles. On the other side of the ledger, Nigel adored his daughter and showered her with gifts and affection. Just before Margaret turned teen, her parents divorced. This event had a profound impact on her as it necessitated her move to Sunset Valley with her father.

Teen Years
The Plumbs' move to Sunset Valley turned out to be beneficial in several ways. First, it enabled Nigel to move on from his painful divorce and find some measure of comfort and peace. Second, and most important, it enabled Margaret to begin her writing career in earnest. As a teenager Margaret managed to juggle her schoolwork and a part-time job at Divisadero Budget Books, the local bookshop. In addition, she made several clumsy efforts at storytelling, writing short stories and improving her skills. Her first novel, Paloma of Plumbob Farm, was published while she was still a teenager. A modest success, Paloma got Margaret's 'foot in the door,' so to speak. Two sequels, Paloma of Plumbob Palace and Paloma of Plumbob Manor, were published in Margaret's late teens. She was earning a steady income from writing, her job at the bookstore, and making high marks in school. She had no time or desire for a social life.

Adult Life
Margaret's writing career began to take off into her young adult years. She was able to quit her part-time job at the local bookstore, while at this time she was writing the series of books for which she is most famous, the Moon Colony novels. In these books, the protagonist, Syna (pronounced like 'sheena') DeLorean, leads an expedition to found a colony on the moon. (As of this writing the first Moon Colony book is being optioned into a movie.) When her father passed away, Margaret did not remain in the farmhouse, as he had hoped. Instead, with her earnings she purchased a house near the beach, on the cliffs of Sunset Valley. The only known romantic relationship in Margaret's life was a brief dalliance with Malcolm Landgraab.