Who is Maria Middleton?

[rosiepink]

In chapter 5 entitled "Sisterhood", Paul the narrator talks about Maria Middleton, an American writer who goes to London to start her literary career. I understand that Theroux the author is making fun of the idea that literary circles can make an author. But I wondered who Maria Middleton is base on. At first Maria wants to be a poet. Paul the narrator thinks that she is "batty and house-bound" (201). But she abandons this goal in favor of writing a novel. This made me think of Sylvia Plath, an American poet who also got her literary career boosted in England. (Plath had some of her work published in America, but usually it was rejected and ignored). Plath also experienced her first great success in writing a novel The Bell Jar which was published in England under the psuedonym Victoria Lucas (which is somewhat similar to the psuedonym that Paul uses, Victoria Ashby). Some people believe that Plath used her husband Ted Hughes to boost her own career. However, Paul the narrator says that Maria Middleton got her literary start because it was the 1970's. Plath died in 1963 (although one could argue that her career as a poet took off in the 1970's). I was wondering if Theroux the author is alluding to a specific author. Does anyone know who Maria Middleton is based on? Also what about the novel Sisterhood?

Thanks!