It brings me great pleasure to be hosting the first stop of Sandra Vasoli’s book tour for Truth Endures, the second book in a beautifully written and impeccably researched series about Anne Boleyn. Rather than a guest post, Sandra has recorded a video for us, in which she talks about her new book and shares some insights on Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s relationship.
I’m also delighted to announce that thanks to the generosity of MadeGlobal Publishing, I have a paperback copy of each of Sandra’s Je Anne Boleyn books to give away!
More about these wonderful books…
Struck With the Dart of Love (Book 1)
In a love letter to Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII wrote: “It is absolutely necessary for me to obtain this answer, having been for above a whole year stricken with the dart of love, and not yet sure whether I shall fail of finding a place in your heart and affection…”, but did Anne ever feel that way about the King? Tradition tells us that Henry pursued Anne for his mistress and that she resisted, scheming to get the crown and bewitching him with her unattainable allure. Nothing could be further from the truth. One cold, misty grey day while hunting, Henry and Anne come face to face. It is an encounter that changes everything as Anne, too, is struck by the dart of love. He is powerful and graceful, elegant and witty, and in the King, she finds a passionate consort. But he is married – and the path to their union is fraught with hazard. Only the greatest of commitments will allow them to persevere until they might hope to be together.
Truth Endures (Book 2)
On 1st June 1533, the ancient, traditional rituals of coronation are carried out, and Anne Boleyn emerges as Queen Anne Boleyn, a queen destined to rule alongside her husband, King Henry VIII of England. It’s the culmination of everything the couple have worked for and the reward for their perseverance. And Anne is pregnant. They fervently believe that she is carrying Henry’s longed-for son and heir. The entire world lies at Anne’s feet. But being queen is not easy. Anne is determined to be a loving mother, devoted wife, enlightened spiritual reformer, and a wise, benevolent queen. But others are hoping and praying for her failure. Her status and very life become precarious as people spread downright lies to advance their objectives. But the truth will endure. This story is Anne’s truth.
Conditions of Entry
For your chance to win a copy of Struck with the Dart of Love and Truth Endures, you must be subscribed to On the Tudor Trail’s newsletter (if you are not already, sign up on our homepage where it says ‘Free Enewsletter Subscription’).
Then simply leave a comment after this post between now and 12 September 2016. Don’t forget to leave your name and a contact email. Please note that I have comment moderation activated and need to ‘approve’ comments before they appear. There is no need to submit your comment twice.
This giveaway is open internationally.
A winner will be selected randomly and contacted by email shortly after the competition closes. Please ensure you’ve added natalie@onthetudortrail.com to your address book to avoid missing my email.
Good luck!
Watch Sandra Vasoli’s Video – Truth Endures
Author Bio
Sandra Vasoli, author of ‘Anne Boleyn’s Letter from the Tower’, ‘Struck with the Dart of Love’ and ‘Truth Endures’, earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and biology from Villanova University before embarking on a thirty-five-year career in human resources for a large international company. Having written essays, stories, and articles all her life, Vasoli was prompted by her overwhelming fascination with the Tudor dynasty to try her hand at writing both historical fiction and non-fiction. While researching what eventually became the Je Anne Boleyn series, Vasoli was granted unprecedented access to the Papal Library. There, she was able to read the original love letters from Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn—an event that contributed greatly to her research and writing. Vasoli currently lives in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania, with her husband and two greyhounds.
Universal Amazon book links:
Struck with the Dart of Love – http://getbook.at/dartoflove
Truth Endures – http://getbook.at/truthendures
Be sure to follow the rest of Sandi’s Book Tour!
These books sound absolutely amazing! I unfortunately have not been able to read the first book, but I cannot wait to read them both. I completely agree with Sandra Vasoli and how she describes Anne. Most of the time, I feel like Anne is portrayed very harshly and it is forgotten that she was a woman in love. I seriously cannot wait to get my hands on these books! <3 RIP Queen Anne Boleyn
Thank you Deanna! I so hope you enjoy them! I am always happy to discuss or answer question… find me on fb Je Anne Boleyn Community or twitter queenannefan. xx
Looks like a fabulous book! Would love to win.
It truly sounds as another amazing book about Anne Boleyn. Well done!
Morning Tudor World ! I can’t imagine the ( history feeling ) of observing The letters that Henry VIII wrote to Anne . What a private love token to study .
This sounds awesome!! Huge fan of Tudor history!! I would love to add these books to my collection.
Would love to win – I love the history of Anne Boleyn
Sound great. Would love to get them for my wife for Christmas.
I have many books on Henry the 8th and his wives but not these, I would love to have them!!
Would love this book n haven’t got anything on the go at the mo should I wait for this in anticipation of winning…….. I hope so xx
I loved the video, and so well put! I’m looking forward to reading those books!
I love the reasoning behind the title of the second book, and I’d be honored to win either one of them.
I never win but I figured I would give it a shot! These books are certainly on my reading list! I would love to read them!
I love to read books on Anne Boleyn, both fiction and non-fiction. Would love to win these.
Sounds like an interesting book – I am watching the video now!
Oh, this sounds wonderful. Thanks so much for the chance.
Would love to add these to my Tudor book collection. Thx for the chance!!!
Thank you for your very intuitive video!
Your studies have provided a clear, concise synopsis
of her relationship with Henry.
Looking forward to winning hard copies of the books!
These look delightful!
Thank you for the chance! Anne Boleyn is one of my favorite characters of history!
Sounds good!
My heroine is Anne Boleyn, I have so many books on her and the Tudors. I’ve spent a few days at Hever Castle and was awed to walk in her footsteps. A woman ahead of her time, what a politician she would have made today! Would love these books, a fresh insight into her life and love.
I just found this blog and twitter and I love it! The books sound wonderful.
I agree with Sandi that a lot of people do experience a connection to Anne; whether that be due to her ascension and dramatic downfall, or her position as a catalyst toward the shifting political and religious foundations in England during the period. Nevertheless, Anne is an enigmatic figure. I find a lot of people are intrigued by the fact that (as Susan Bordo has stressed) there are a wide variety of Anne Boleyn’s throughout historiography. Historians are still piecing together a puzzle; one that mostly doesn’t even have Anne’s own hand contributing to it, as a lot of her primary documents were either destroyed or went missing – or in the case of the Tower letter, remain highly debated as to whether she wrote it or not. I love that there are authors like Sandi who wish to channel Anne’s voice and bring it to life through literature. Some of my favourite books are ones that I feel have done well in this area (e.g. The Lady in the Tower by Jean Plaidy and Le Temps Viendra by Sarah Morris). It’s refreshing how much historical fiction can bring the period to life and engage with the topic in a more personal, intimate fashion. I have heard nothing but good reviews about ‘Struck with the Dart of Love’! Definitely putting myself down for a chance to win.
Hi everyone and thank you for your comments! You are very kind…writing about Anne was easy compared to making a video :-0 !! Hope you enjoyed the info, and I really hope you find the books compelling and perhaps change the common misconceptions about Anne – and Henry! Thanks to the wonderful Natalie for hosting me – and for her amazing website which we all enjoy every day. xx from Sandi
Thank you for the giveaway!! I would love to read this book 🙂
I wrote about Anne Boylen and Henry VIII in a paper for my English class in college. It has always been a subject that intrigued me and I have always wondered what the real truth was. Sounds like these 2 books are going to be very interesting and very important. Can hardly wait to read them.
Like the video, thank you, can’t wait to read the books. What struck me the most was your comment in the beginning about people’s spirits being discernible today. I have often wondered why I will take an interest in an historical figure for no apparent reason and will keep reading about them, trying to find out as much as I can, even though I can’t”get to know them”. What a concept that it might be their spirits trying to communicate their truths! Thank you for this!
I watched the video, what a beautiful sentence “Anne is a sole who has projected her energy into the universe” I think that sums it up totally, why else would she still bestow such a place in our hearts and imagination over 500 years after her death. I would love to read this book.
All the books sound fascinating and I really look forward to reading them. Hope to win the book.
What a great giveaway – these have been on my wishlist for a while! Thank you, Sandi, for this chance.
Thanks for the chance to win—the book sounds wonderful!
There’s no doubt in my mind that Anne’s spirit has transcended through time in order to tell “her truth”. Otherwise, I don’t know how a small town girl from Kentucky (my mother) would have passed this passion for Anne on to me. Why would an elementary school aged girl (me) even know about this woman who, centuries before, had shone so brightly for such a brief time, only to have her life snuffed out due to lies and intrigue?
There is so much more to Anne. So much more to explore.
I have always been fascinated by Anne Boleyn and feel it is a shame that we don’t have more of her letters to Henry. Whether you agree or disagree with their motivations, at the end of the day Anne and Henry Viii were two human beings, desperately in love, who were passionate and intelligent and who rocked the world of the Sixteenth century to its foundations. We have lost their thoughts and so we make assumptions like Henry chased Anne and forced her, which is a load of Hollywood rubbish. The original sources are magnificent, to see the eighteen letters that we do have close up must have been a wonderful experience. I don’t believe that Anne Boleyn felt guilty about marrying a King with a wife, it was what she wanted, not to be his mistress but his wife. Yes, the feeling could have been better had the Pope given his blessing, but the political agenda of the time did not allow for this, especially as the wounded party was Katherine of Aragon. Henry Viii and Anne Boleyn were well matched, passionate and fell in love, a human story of a man and a woman with feelings, something we often forget.
I loved it and would like to know more on this new book and just love Anne and i am all ways looking for more information on Anne.
While reading about Anne Boleyn I have always felt some kind of connection and a deep sorrow for her. My fascination about Anne and Henry has grown over time. The tragedy of such a passionate love affair is timeless and very intriguing. I would love to win the giveaway.
nice commentary regarding those books in which I would love to own! Always interested in anything Anne!
Sandra Truth Endures sounds wonderful and I will read it win or not. I see Anne as such a tragic figure but you have brought to light the profound love she and Henry did have for each other. The letters must have truly as you said pointed that out if you thought about what Henry wrote, read between the lines, you could guess what Anne had written to Henry. A different perspective and an intriguing one. Well done.
I’d love the opportunity to read these books. Fingers crossed!!
Would love to win these
I am a huge fan of Tudor history. I’m a member of a historical society and I am collecting both fact and fiction about the Tudor timeframe. I would love to add to my collection!
Pick me!!! Pick me!!!
I normally read my kindle…
But I will make an exception
Ttabarket@yahoo.com
Mt.Pleasant, MI
USA
What an awe-inspiring experience to hold Henry’s actual love letters in your hands! Thank you for the chance.
Love books about Ann Boleyn and anything else related to that time. I like to hear more details about her life and the time she spent wth Henry and her influence on the world around her and Elizabeth, what little time they had.
I would LOVE to read more about Anne Boleyn and her story. She is such a fascinating woman! Thank you so much for the chance to win! 🙂
Would love to win……love all tudor history!!!
It is a never ending fascination to me. To go back in time and see these people with you own eyes would be amazing. I wish Anne’s letters had been kept so we could see more of her feelings. I would love to read these books
Love love the stories about anne and henry and the tudor court. Would love to read by sandra vasoli. Find out how you capture the story and tell it. Cant wait. Hope for a win. Thankyou
Thank you for this very insightful video! Handling Henry VIII’s love letters to Anne at the Vatican Library must have been quite the experience!
I always wonder at the relatively rapid and violent change in Henry’s feelings towards her – from signing off his letters like a love-sick schoolboy to not even affording her the ‘mercy’ of just a divorce, as was arranged for Katherine of Aragon and Anne of Cleves. As explored by various authors, the treason law was extended in an unwarranted manner and it is hypothesized that Henry was, in reality, the prime mover behind Anne’s demise.
This looks really good, im sure these are interesting books, i would love to read one of these! Anne Boleyn was really amazing woman i wish to meet her.
Would love to win copies of these books and add to my Tudor/Anne Boleyn collection
Loved history at school and now recently retired I am reading all the books I can find on the
Tudors. I am learning so much about the world they lived in, it’s just fascinating.