Anne's Messages to Supporters
Touched by strong support from readers of her Angélique books, Anne Golon wrote an open letter to members of the official 'fan club', Friends of Angélique, in 1999; issued a general message to her supporters on the internet in the spring of 2001; and, in spring 2002, sent another message via members of the Angélique mailing list.
They are a measure of the strong will of the author as she attempts to overcome previous difficulties, as well as an endorsement of the efforts of her supporters.
English translations of the full messages (courtesy of Marysia Wariwoda and Nadia Golon) are reproduced here:
"Dear Angélique fans, Thank you, thank you a thousandfold for supporting the cause of this author.
Your thoughtful gestures and the encouragement you have shown me have helped to bury the end part of the (old) millennium.
I was very reassured by this and for a while was able to forget the bitter conflict my adversaries subjected me to; some of them wished to appear stronger, by their bestial, wolf-like behaviour, when all the while they were perfectly aware that the literary work entitled Angélique was being exploited on an illegal basis.
It appears that a country such as France which sets out to protect not only her own authors, but those originating from other countries, allows officials to show a certain leniency towards two of their well-known multinationals.
These have been guilty of illegally using the rights to literary property, of false declarations, false writing, false usage and have abused my trust etc. In this country even the Judges, when faced with a request from the authors, Anne and Serge Golon, allowed the Tribunal to strike off the date each time it was submitted by the defendants, from the proceedings, thus delaying the judgement - which in any case is inevitable.
Unless, of course, my adversaries are waiting for the "old lady", which I am, to die.
But my dear fans, believe me when I say that I will not give them that satisfaction. The next volume of Angélique is already well under way and it will be completed. <<>In addition to this I am a long way forward with the editing of the script for the animated film.
I hope that soon I will be able to speak to you all, directly, through the internet.
See you soon.
With best wishes,
Anne Golon
1999"
"Since January 16, I was preparing a message for you. First in my mind, then by writing, but as I couldn't work only on this - having to deal with unpleasant problems - it took a long time.
While re-reading, it seemed too short, later too long... but then those of you who have seen me making dedications know I am not really speedy!
The reason is I can't write 'just like that' to people who are so close to my heart because of their love of Angélique. Thank God I don't have such hesitation while writing Angélique.
I wish to send to each of you - those I know and those I don't - all my gratefulness.
Though words can't express everything, I wanted you to know that during these last months, you have been around me, with me, protecting me with your light - the light of the Friends of Angélique, existing since 1997 when Nadia met Harvey [Adkins] on the Web and organised, step by step and fan by fan, this wonderfull new family.
Since then, Archange International and I dont feel alone.
Several of you have concretely helped me and my agency, Archange, in our struggle, by sending proofs - of books, films, TV shows - which will now be showed to the magistrates and help our lawyers.
Thanks to your help, to your heart and soul solidarity, we will make it.
Dear friends, since the first pages of Angélique, I was writing for you, readers. And during all these years - good and bad - this feeling never changed. I had to write for my readers and couldn't drop them as I couldn't abandon Angélique herself.
Whatever happened in my life, this remained exactly the same, as pure as on the very first day when I decided to begin that novel and went with my husband Serge to the library at Versailles, to explore old manuscripts and put in place the first stone of a new world.
I wish you all a beautiful spring.
Anne Golon
2001"
"Dear friends, dear 'Voices of the sky',
That's what I have called you since the first day I heard about those lost readers flying on the Web, seeking the last three Angélique books.
Forgive me for not being here often, but as some of you know, I must spend too much time defending myself from several intrigues, all organised by our adversaries for postponing all judgements until I would understand the message at last and die politely!
But sorry, I don't intend to enter that plan. Not at all. Not even by being desperate or at least depressed, as they wished, though sometimes...
Thank-you, dear Angélique fans, who have given me constant energy since we met, and helped me stand on my legs and open my brain with your inspiration.
Thanks to the friendship channel, to the friendship miracle, to the hand of my daughter in mine, and to the support of Iva and Regile for many years. And, thanks to your material support, we could repair this computer and be with you again.
I have torn up several messages which I have written for you during the last year. They were too long, too many things to tell you, and I never could end it because there was always something new happening.
It's easier for me to write a novel, so I'll make it short:
Dear all, please know you are with me, and I work for you. For each of you, of whatever country. I never lost inspiration.
I share Angélique's life everyday, by thinking and writing. Every day I write some part of it, whether in her future - the next books - or in her past. I have noticed a lot of omissions in the published books. A lot of my original manuscripts were cut and changed by the agents and publishers, without asking my permission.
I wasn't even aware of it because I never took the time to re-read it again and compare, once it was published. Anyway, how could I imagine that those 'professional' people would do such things, against all laws?
Since I discovered it a few years ago, I have been working on it. It's a tremendous task, but this is my life and my oxygen mask. I tell you this because some of you maybe feel tired of waiting, thinking some concrete reading might never arrive. So I tell you all: I work for you, and, please, I want you to keep on and side with me until the books I'm writing will be published.
You will read the next ones and you will read all the previous ones again, which will be new ones because of all the new content. For instance, Nadia told me some of you were talking about Ninon de Lenclos, or some other much-loved characters, like Lauzun, Mr Wiloughby or others... I love hearing it. Such e-mails do inspire me.
I found, for instance, new things about Ninon, and of course Angélique will... but I won't tell here. You must wait.
I am building not a casle, but a whole town, all together. I build a wall here, and a gate there. It seems to me like Versailles or St Petersburg was at the beginning - built on marshes. It seemed impossible to logical minds, but not to the dreamer who intends to build the future. Louis XIV was one of them. Versailles is here and its golden castle shines forever.
A few days ago, I was walking in the evening with Nadia at the Pieces d'eau des Suisses (ornamental Swiss pool, pictured), where Angélique ran to save her brother Gontran, the painter, from hanging and it was too late, despite the king's mercy.
And I was feeling touched by an endless desease, a mortal desease, because of the new postponing of the case that is now nine years long. I admit I doubted if we would ever get out of it, if the robbers and liars wouldn't be the winners in the end. Because they are big, rich and so influential, French justice and leaders don't want to take the risk of upsetting them. And I heard one of you was very ill, and it made me even more sick.
And suddenly we saw the sunset. The sun was very large, as a big light pink balloon, standing above the earth. So luminous and beautiful. An 'Austerlitz sun' (sorry to you English friends, but for French people it was the symbol of a great Napoleonic victory). All day the sun had shone on the battlefield and so it remained ever since, in all historical memories.
Suddenly, I felt completely different: it was a sun of victory. And it came for us, to show me the way.
Angélique will win. With God's help, we will be victorious, all of us together. Because we are together. Every one of you is a soldier of the Angélique army. Sorry to those of you who are pacifist, but fighting is sometimes obligatory. Those who make such evil things will be punished.
And I will live until I have finished the job, and you, all of you, will live too and read these books. Dear friends, thank you.
Anne Golon
2002"
Original 'World of Angélique' website created by Graham Carter who retains the ©
Archived 'World of Angélique' website can be found at Web Archive Org
This recreation comes under the authority and protection for preservation purposes of www.jannaludlow.co.uk who retains the © of this version
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