Recent Posts

A Review of ‘Young and Damned and Fair’ by Gareth Russell

Young and Damned and Fair Guest Review by Wendy J. Dunn Something is not right, rife with errors from top to bottom, leading to suspicion of motive. If the authorities knew about the problems and chose not to prevent them, then clearly something is rotten in the state of Denmark ~ Marcellus in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act I I confess to not liking Henry VIII. Reading Gareth Russell’s Young & Damned & Fair, my view of Henry Tudor has not changed, but only been reinforced. Whilst it can … [Read More...]

Giveaway Time!

Thanks to the generosity of my publisher The History Press, I have a copy of ‘Colouring History: The Tudors’ to give away! Rather than ask entrants to leave a comment here on the blog, Kathryn Holeman (aka illustrator extraordinaire) and I thought we’d do something a little different. Since our book’s release in May, some very kind folk have been sharing pics of their finished colouring pages with us on social media, using the tags #colouringhistory and #colouringtudorhistory. We … [Read More...]

Anne Boleyn’s Final Journey

Early on the morning of 19 May 1536, Anne Boleyn, resplendent in a grey damask gown lined with fur, made her final journey from the Queen’s Apartments at the Tower of London, where she’d been imprisoned for the last 17 days, to the site of the scaffold. Escorted by Sir William Kingston, the Constable of the Tower, and four attendants, she made her way past the now lost King’s Hall, the setting of her lavish coronation festivities just three years earlier, and, more recently, her and her brother … [Read More...]

Did Anne Boleyn Suffer From Gender Disappointment?

To celebrate the upcoming release of Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession, the second novel in Alison Weir's Six Tudor Queens series, Alison has written a guest post, which explores whether Anne Boleyn may have suffered from gender disappointment after the birth of Elizabeth in September 1533. I'd love to hear what you think, so be sure to leave a comment after Alison's guest article. DID ANNE BOLEYN SUFFER FROM GENDER DISAPPOINTMENT? By Alison Weir On 7 September 1533, Henry VIII’s second … [Read More...]

Colouring History: The Tudors

Last week saw the UK release of ‘Colouring History: The Tudors’ and already I have some very exciting news to share. Our book is currently listed in the top 20 bestselling books on The Book Depository! This is quite an achievement and Kate and I are so very thankful for your support. If you haven’t yet picked up your copy, it’s currently on sale – 45% off RRP to be exact – over at The Book Depository, which offers free worldwide shipping. That’s right, whether you live in Spain, North America, … [Read More...]

Historical Novel Society Australasia

The 2017 Historical Novel Society Australasia Conference is being held on Saturday 9th – Sunday 10th September 2017 in Melbourne, and will explore the theme of Identity: Origins and Diaspora. The full programme can be found here. Some more information from the Historical Novel Society’s blog: Over 60 fabulous speakers In a celebration of the historical fiction genre, our three day informative and interactive weekend program will showcase over 60 speakers discussing writing … [Read More...]

Queen Anne Boleyn’s Friendship with Margery Horsman

A ‘great friendship’ between Queen Anne Boleyn and Margery Horsman by Sylvia Barbara Soberton In my newest book, Great Ladies: The Forgotten Witnesses to the Lives of Tudor Queens, I’m focusing on the forgotten ladies-in-waiting who led interesting lives but who are often only footnotes in history. I’ve always been interested in Anne Boleyn and her women, and I was particularly keen on researching her relationships with them. One of the women with whom Anne was especially close was … [Read More...]

Catherine Howard’s arrival in York: following the Queen in the silver dress

I am thrilled to welcome British historian and writer Gareth Russell to On the Tudor Trail. Gareth, author of Young and Damned and Fair: The Life of Catherine Howard, Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII, joins us today with a guest post about Queen Catherine Howard's visit to York in 1541. Be sure to leave a comment after Gareth's guest post to go into the draw to win a copy of his wonderful biography! Conditions of Entry For your chance to win a copy of Young and Damned and Fair, … [Read More...]

In the Footsteps of Jane Boleyn: Hampton Court Palace

I am delighted to be hosting the third day of Adrienne Dillard's book tour for her novel, The Raven's Widow: A novel of Jane Boleyn. To mark the occasion, Adrienne has written a wonderful guest post about her recent visit to Hampton Court Palace. I’m also excited to announce that thanks to the generosity of MadeGlobal Publishing, I have a copy of Adrienne's book to give away! (See conditions of entry below). Book Description The river was as calm as I had ever seen it. Ordinarily, the tide … [Read More...]

20 Questions with Elizabeth Fremantle & Giveaway!

I am delighted to share with you my interview with Elizabeth Fremantle, author of four captivating novels set in Tudor England. Elizabeth very kindly answered my 20 questions, and the lovely folk at Penguin Random House UK have very generously given me 5 copies of Elizabeth's latest novel, The Girl in the Glass Tower, to give away! To go into the draw, simply leave a comment after this post. Good luck! Book Description Elizabeth Fremantle's The Girl in the Glass Tower is a stunning … [Read More...]

The Turbulent Crown: The Story of the Tudor Queens – Book Tour and Giveaway

I am delighted to be hosting day five of Roland Hui's book tour for his latest book, The Turbulent Crown: The Story of the Tudor Queens. To celebrate the release, Roland has written an informative guest post that dispels some of the myths about Anne Boleyn's incarceration at the Tower of London. I’m also excited to announce that thanks to the generosity of MadeGlobal Publishing, I have a copy of Roland's book to give away! (See conditions of entry below). Book Description Ten remarkable … [Read More...]

Joan of Navarre: Duchess of Brittany, Lancastrian Queen

I am delighted to be hosting the final day of Conor Byrne's book tour for his latest non-fiction book, Queenship in England: Gender and Power in the Late Middle Ages. To mark the occasion, Conor has written a fascinating guest post about Joan of Navarre: Duchess of Brittany. I’m also excited to announce that thanks to the generosity of MadeGlobal Publishing, I have a copy of Conor's book to give away! (See conditions of entry below). Book Description  Between 1308 and 1485, nine women … [Read More...]