In the winter of 1535, young Kate Carey lives with her mother and her new family, far from the royal court. Unhappy with her life and wanting to escape her home, she accepts the invitation of Anne Boleyn, the aunt she idolises, to join her household in London. But the dark, dangerous labyrinth of Henry VIII’s court forces Kate to grow up fast as she witnesses her aunt’s final tragic days — and when she discovers a secret that changes her life forever.
Milestones
I’ve been thinking a lot in recent days about this writing road of mine. On September 7th, a new edition of The Light in the Labyrinth, my second Anne Boleyn novel, is stepping out into the published world with a lovely new cover, two short stories, and even a poem, all inspired by Catherine Carey.
I’ve been thinking a lot in recent days about this writing road of mine. On September 7th, a new edition of The Light in the Labyrinth, my second Anne Boleyn novel, is stepping out into the published world with a lovely new cover, two short stories, and even a poem, all inspired by Catherine Carey.
Also stepping out into the published world in September is Mi hermana, Mi reina, the Spanish translation of All Manner of Things (the second part of my Katherine of Aragon story through the eyes of Maria de Salinas) – not forgetting its audio book. Then Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life, my first full length nonfiction work, also about Catherine Carey, is available for pre-order before its publication at the end of November. They are all important writing milestones. Treasured milestones.
The new edition of The Light in the Labyrinth is a milestone because it marks nine years since this novel first stepped out. Dear Lord — nine years! The nonfiction book because it is my first full length nonfiction work. And, of course, having a novel translated into another language — both written and spoken — is simply a wonderful and exciting milestone.
Writing a nonfiction book about Catherine Carey was truly an unanticipated detour on my writing road. I never expected to be approached on twitter by Pen and Sword Books and offered three projects to choose from to write. Writing about Catherine Carey was one of these projects. I couldn't pass up this opportunity to prove – to myself and others – that she's Henry VIII's daughter and learn more about her.
Researching the work was not an easy feat. Thanks to two very long Melbourne COVID lockdowns not forgetting not having the money to travel, I was stuck in Australia. So, distance and lack of money made it impossible for me to research Catherine Carey's life in British library archives — or to discover letters written by Catherine herself. Fortunately, the internet gave me access to primary materials that salved my frustration somewhat and enabled me to complete my book.
So, I have been thinking about my other important writing milestones — from the time I signed my first publishing contract in 2002 until now.
Passion drives writing. I am passionate about the Tudor people I write about — especially Tudor women.
The Tudor period kept so many women silent in their patriarchal society. This was a time when fathers, brothers and sometimes sons controlled and determined women’s lives. Catherine Carey is a perfect example of how history can write the life of an important Tudor woman as a brief footnote to the lives of her male kin. Even recently, I read an old Tudor history book that described Francis Knollys as Elizabeth I's cousin, but failed to mention Catherine, who was her real cousin and maybe half-sister.
We cannot ignore how this male control shaped the lives of Tudor women — too often in ways they did not want or desire. Tony Riches’ vivid Penelope Devereux in Penelope - Tudor Baroness, his most recent novel, offers a powerful illustration of a noble Tudor woman’s life — and the fetters placed upon it. As a writer, I find it fascinating how women – women like Penelope and her grandmother Catherine Carey — have resisted and overcome societal control throughout history.
It was a very different experience in writing a nonfiction work about Catherine Carey to imagining her early life in 1536, when I imagined her witnessing the final days of her aunt Anne Boleyn in my novel The Light in the Labyrinth. There is very little known about Catherine Carey in 1536. We are not even certain about her exact age. It presented me with an enormous gap for my imagination to step into and imagine. A nonfiction book demands something else from a writer. Whatever we write must be backed by evidence or for us to make a good argument for any theory that we put forward in the work.
For me, writing – whether fiction or nonfiction – is always an adventure. Exploring the lives of these women, through the crucible of Tudor times, also results in me ending up making sense of my own life. I may be wrong, but I doubt I will ever write a novel set 100% in the contemporary world. Short stories, yes, but for the larger canvas of a novel I need the fire of passion, heart, soul, and mind to write it. Tudor history does that for me — it gives me the passion to commit to writing a novel. Even my work in progress – which is 75% set in 2010 – is inspired by my Tudor passion.
Yes, writers need passion to write. We need to find those stories which drive us passionately to write them. The stories of Tudor women provide that passion for me, as well as enough material to keep me busy until my last writing breath.
So, again I think about the many wonderful milestones I have passed in this writing road of mine. Writing is a craft which calls for commitment and passion – especially if you desire to find true fulfilment as a writer. I see writing as my calling, and I am committed to growing in my craft. Like for many writers, walking this writing road has not been easy. That is why celebrating all those milestones is so important. It propels me forward to reach the next milestone.
It is true. Perseverance furthers.
The new edition of The Light in the Labyrinth is a milestone because it marks nine years since this novel first stepped out. Dear Lord — nine years! The nonfiction book because it is my first full length nonfiction work. And, of course, having a novel translated into another language — both written and spoken — is simply a wonderful and exciting milestone.
Writing a nonfiction book about Catherine Carey was truly an unanticipated detour on my writing road. I never expected to be approached on twitter by Pen and Sword Books and offered three projects to choose from to write. Writing about Catherine Carey was one of these projects. I couldn't pass up this opportunity to prove – to myself and others – that she's Henry VIII's daughter and learn more about her.
Researching the work was not an easy feat. Thanks to two very long Melbourne COVID lockdowns not forgetting not having the money to travel, I was stuck in Australia. So, distance and lack of money made it impossible for me to research Catherine Carey's life in British library archives — or to discover letters written by Catherine herself. Fortunately, the internet gave me access to primary materials that salved my frustration somewhat and enabled me to complete my book.
So, I have been thinking about my other important writing milestones — from the time I signed my first publishing contract in 2002 until now.
Passion drives writing. I am passionate about the Tudor people I write about — especially Tudor women.
The Tudor period kept so many women silent in their patriarchal society. This was a time when fathers, brothers and sometimes sons controlled and determined women’s lives. Catherine Carey is a perfect example of how history can write the life of an important Tudor woman as a brief footnote to the lives of her male kin. Even recently, I read an old Tudor history book that described Francis Knollys as Elizabeth I's cousin, but failed to mention Catherine, who was her real cousin and maybe half-sister.
We cannot ignore how this male control shaped the lives of Tudor women — too often in ways they did not want or desire. Tony Riches’ vivid Penelope Devereux in Penelope - Tudor Baroness, his most recent novel, offers a powerful illustration of a noble Tudor woman’s life — and the fetters placed upon it. As a writer, I find it fascinating how women – women like Penelope and her grandmother Catherine Carey — have resisted and overcome societal control throughout history.
It was a very different experience in writing a nonfiction work about Catherine Carey to imagining her early life in 1536, when I imagined her witnessing the final days of her aunt Anne Boleyn in my novel The Light in the Labyrinth. There is very little known about Catherine Carey in 1536. We are not even certain about her exact age. It presented me with an enormous gap for my imagination to step into and imagine. A nonfiction book demands something else from a writer. Whatever we write must be backed by evidence or for us to make a good argument for any theory that we put forward in the work.
For me, writing – whether fiction or nonfiction – is always an adventure. Exploring the lives of these women, through the crucible of Tudor times, also results in me ending up making sense of my own life. I may be wrong, but I doubt I will ever write a novel set 100% in the contemporary world. Short stories, yes, but for the larger canvas of a novel I need the fire of passion, heart, soul, and mind to write it. Tudor history does that for me — it gives me the passion to commit to writing a novel. Even my work in progress – which is 75% set in 2010 – is inspired by my Tudor passion.
Yes, writers need passion to write. We need to find those stories which drive us passionately to write them. The stories of Tudor women provide that passion for me, as well as enough material to keep me busy until my last writing breath.
So, again I think about the many wonderful milestones I have passed in this writing road of mine. Writing is a craft which calls for commitment and passion – especially if you desire to find true fulfilment as a writer. I see writing as my calling, and I am committed to growing in my craft. Like for many writers, walking this writing road has not been easy. That is why celebrating all those milestones is so important. It propels me forward to reach the next milestone.
It is true. Perseverance furthers.
Wendy J. Dunn
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