May Agnes Fleming (
pseudonyms, Cousin May Carleton, M. A. Earlie; November 15, 1840 – March 24, 1880) was a Canadian novelist. She was "one of the first Canadians to pursue a highly successful career as a writer of popular fiction."[citation needed]
Biography
May Agnes Early[3] was born in Carleton, West
Saint John, in the Colony of New Brunswick, the daughter of Bernard and Mary Early. May Agnes began publishing while studying at school. [4]She married an engineer, John W. Fleming, in 1865.[2] She moved to New York two years after her first novel, Erminie; or The gypsy's vow: a tale of love and vengeance was published there (1863).[5]
Under the pseudonym "Cousin May Carleton", she published several
serial tales in the
New York Mercury and the
New York Weekly. Twenty-one were printed in book form, seven posthumously.[6] She also wrote under the pseudonym, "M.A. Earlie". The exact count is unclear, since her works were often retitled, but is estimated at around 40, although some were not actually written by her, but were
attributed to her by publishers cashing in on her popularity.[7] At her peak, she was earning over $10,000 yearly, due to publishers granting her
exclusive rights to her work.[8]
Silver Star; Or, The Mystery of Fontelle Hall: A Tale of New Jersey in the Olden Time (1861)
The Queen of the Isle, Or, Sybil Campbell (1861)[9] A.K.A. An Awful Mystery; or Sybil Campbell, the Queen of the Isle. A.K.A. The Queen of the Isle, Or, Sybil Campbell
Victoria; Or, The Heiress of Castle Cliff (1862)[10]
The Baronet's Bride; Or, A Woman's Vengeance (1868)
Estella's Husband; Or, Thrice Lost,Thrice Won (1869)
^"Fleming, May Agnes". Canada's Early Women Writers. Simon Fraser University Library (digital.lib.sfu.ca). Retrieved 15 April 2012.
^
ab"May Agnes Fleming". American Women's Dime Novel Project: Dime Novels for Women, 1870–1920. Center for History and New Media at George Mason University (chnm.gmu.edu). Retrieved 3 November 2010.
^"Obituary". St. John Weekly Sun. May Agnes Fleming, a native of St. John, was a very prolific writer of romances for the story papers, and a large number of her novels have been published by the cheap libraries, as well as many that are not hers, but having been written since her death, have been accredited to her in order to give them circulation.