Special Guest Post By Wendy J. Dunn, Author of Shades of Yellow

Available from Amazon UK, Amazon US

and Amazon AU

During her battle with illness, Lucy Ellis found solace in writing a novel about the mysterious death of Amy Robsart, the first wife of Robert Dudley, the man who came close to marrying Elizabeth I. As Lucy delves into Amy’s story, she also navigates the aftermath of her own experience that brought her close to death and the collapse of her marriage. After taking leave from her teaching job to complete her novel, Lucy falls ill again. Fearing she will die before she finishes her book, she flees to England to solve the mystery of Amy Robsart’s death.

What is the greatest triumph of seeing my fifth novel published; in writing it? All my novels have been mountain climbs—an adventure of mind, soul, and often body. Each novel has a story behind it about how it started and how I wrote it. Writing each of my novels deepened my desire to write a novel about writing a historical novel.

I first acted on this desire in 2010. A dear friend, who has been an important part of my life since our teenage years, was battling breast cancer. Feeling helpless about her situation, I started my novel about writing a novel with the idea I could donate some royalties to breast cancer research (something I still want to do). 

But, when I completed the first chapter, I couldn’t write more. Not when my friend was dealing with so much. (I’m happy to report cancer is well and truly behind her). In 2010, I had also created a situation for my character too challenging (back then) to solve and had other writing projects I was committed to see finished.

 
Fast track to around three years ago, when I was wondering what I should write next. Going through my files, I re-discovered that first chapter and my roughed-out novel plan. I decided I wanted to take up the challenge of writing this book. Because I didn’t want to think about COVID or the world it has birthed, I thought, why not keep the story set in 2010? 

That would allow me to show how much has changed in the last decade plus years, and how much remains the same. And so my mountain climb of producing a novel began in earnest. Ticking off a completed first draft was a lot more challenging because I was also producing Henry VIII’s True Daughter, a nonfiction book commissioned by Pen&Sword Books. That book was published at the end of 2023—which then freed me to focus on my new novel.

I always write first drafts for myself. That is when I allow myself to experiment and play around with ideas. When I arrive at later drafts, it often feels like writing is a collaborative project. I don’t believe writers can do their best work in a vacuum of isolation. I am fortunate to have critical friends who I can go to for feedback about my work. Of course, I am always in the driver’s seat. I take full responsibility for all the decisions made in writing Shades of Yellow.

The days of writing Shades of Yellow became months and then one year and then two, until I had a manuscript I wanted published. Of course, it is never as simple as that. I sought out my critical friends (aka – beta readers) for my manuscript and took on their feedback. From the end of 2023 and through the early months of 2024, I sent the manuscript to literary agents and publishers – and collected a lot of interest in and encouragement for my novel, but no takers. I went overseas and visited the Tower of London, Oxford, Cumnor, Wytham, and other places visited by Lucy, my character, in Shades of Yellow.

I counted my blessings that I had so many wonderful and gifted people who read my unpublished manuscript. I counted my blessings that I had wonderful friends who helped me walk in the footsteps of Lucy. 

Queen Elizabeth’s Walk

I looked out at the cityscape of London from Queen Elizabeth’s Walk at the Tower of London and imagined Lucy doing the same. I imagined Lucy imagining Amy Robsart also there – struggling with the heartbreak of knowing her husband no longer loved her. I visited beautiful churches and one exquisite abbey that were important to both Amy and Lucy’s stories. I fell in love with cowslips and cowslip fairies. I even dream about them now.

Wymondham Abbey

Then in October of last year, Other Terrain Press, a small Australian publisher in its infancy, offered me the great honour and opportunity of seeing Shades of Yellow published as their first ever novel. The journey since then has been akin to a roller coaster ride: truly exhilarating. All along the way, I have been aware of my good fortune. I have so many people I am grateful to—like Tony Riches who invited me to write this piece for his blog.

 
Writing is the thread I hold on to emerge from the journey of writing, reborn once more. I have discovered the truth of Kundera’s words: ‘the writing of a novel takes up a whole era in a writer’s life, and when the labour is done he is no longer the person he was at the start’ (2005, p. 61).

For me, that is very true. Writing each of my novels has made me grow in humanity — and my understanding of myself.

And with every mountain climb conquered, another one beckons. Writing is my life adventure.

Wendy J. Dunn

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About the Author 

Wendy J. Dunn is an award-winning Australian writer fascinated by Tudor history – so much so she was not surprised to discover a family connection to the Tudors, not long after the publication of her first Anne Boleyn novel, which narrated the Anne Boleyn story through the eyes of Sir Thomas Wyatt, the elder. Her family tree reveals the intriguing fact that one of her ancestral families – possibly over three generations – had purchased land from both the Boleyn and Wyatt families to build up their own holdings. It seems very likely Wendy’s ancestors knew the Wyatts and Boleyns personally. Find out more at www.wendyjdunn.com and find Wendy on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky @wendyjdunn.bsky.social