Two Sides to Every Story: The Descent of Anne Boleyn and the Ascent of Jane Seymour

Today I have the wonderful opportunity to welcome Hunter S. Jones, author of Phoenix Rising, to The Maiden's Court with an awesome contribution to the Two Sides to Every Story series.  The perspective here is of the rivalry between Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour and it is presented in such a creative manner.  I hope you will enjoy it!

The Descent of Anne Boleyn and the Ascent of Jane Seymour

Anne Boleyn

We walk down the steps from the queen’s apartments. Sir Kingston walks with me and the ladies walk behind us. The morning sun kisses my face. The daffodils are in bloom and the birds sing like any other radiant spring morning. Surely even Nature would know if the hour of death was approaching for an anointed Queen Regnant of England. It must be a sign of hope for me. I will be rescued at the last moment. This is all part of the public humiliation Henry wishes. He wants all to witness as I bow to his greatness, then he will pardon me for sins against the Crown and banish me to a nunnery, much like Cranmer promised.

If not, then I face the morning with courage. If I am to be punished, it is for my own sins. The last few years swiftly pass before my mind’s eye. What had caused the change? Certainly the miscarriage of a son had been a part of Henry’s outrage. But what made him turn against me in such haste? Again, the unseen troubadour’s voice pleads for the love of his lady; his song is as sweet as the one sung by the birds around me, yet as mournful as the questioning of my own heart.

Surely today was not brought on by the fight I had with that silly Jane. Why had I ever allowed her to bother me? She is nothing more than an empty-minded maid. She has no style and knows nothing more than to follow instructions. She must be the instrument of my enemies. She could otherwise never capture the heart of a king. If I would’ve allowed Henry his flirtation, she would be gone and I would remain in good standing.

The air crackles around me and I breathe in slowly, filling myself with a new energy and a prayer. I must balance and maintain a sense of equilibrium. Courage and strength are to uphold me; that is my silent prayer.

They laughed the way lovers laugh. Henry surely hasn’t pledged himself to her, although he has always been much like a crow, in that anything dangled before him that glimmers will capture his eye. My heart breaks at the thought. If he had fallen for a woman of wealth, taste, or great nobility, I could forgive. But Jane?

Bringing myself from the daydream, I see the crowd that awaits us as we move closer to the edge of the White Tower. One way or another, either death or escape await me. I am ready to face whatever God wishes for me. All I pray for is an answer that will serve the greater good of the king, and an end to my pain.

Jane Seymour

“So sorry for waking you, my great and beautiful lady,” she whispers. I hear the trembling of fear in her voice.

“Oh, there is no need to worry yourself, my dear girl. This is the best of days to wake early. Thank you for waking me. I couldn’t be more delighted. Today is the day for which we have longed! You do me a very great favor. I am to be fitted for my wedding dress on this very morning.”

“Thank you, Lady Jane. May I bring you anything from the kitchens?” she asks.

“Not at this time, but would you move the covering from the window? I wish to invite the beauty of this day into our home and into our hearts. This is the day all of England has waited for. Today, a traitor dies and the king will be free to see his will done for the greater good of us all,” I say.

As the window opens, I hear the spring nearby bubble and churn as the water flows freely over the rocks. The sweet spring fragrances and sounds fill the garden and dance into my room, as all of nature joins together much like a sacred chorus to celebrate this most remarkable of days.

That hateful Anne will be given her punishment as a traitor to her king and country at some time this morning. Henry has promised me. How had a king most good and kind ever loved a woman as hateful as Anne Boleyn? She has style and charm, yes. However, her spirit is harsh. There is little of her that is as a lady should be. She is generous to charities, but her wicked ways outweigh any good she might ever do. The sun rises and I feel my new life begin.

“Is there anything else you wish, milady? May I send your ladies to prepare you for the fitting?”

“Oh, yes, please. That would be a lovely gesture,” I reply. No need for me to waste a smile on someone so lowly. She should be honored to serve me.

Whilst I await the ladies, I wonder how someone like Anne ever captured the king’s heart. She is so selfish. She is too wayward. I know we are cousins, yet we are nothing alike. Why did she ever learn to read and write? Those things are of no use to a woman. We are to do as the men of our families wish.

Even in France, she was so different. I learned the art of flirtation just as she did, yet she took matters to the extreme. That has been her problem her entire life; she simply does not know any limitations to her brazen ambitions. She is so relentless in her pursuits. Now fate has led me to today. It is the wish of God and the king. I am to become the wife of the King of England.

How could any woman think to maintain the affections of a man if all she did was meddle and rant about his business? This is an especially tiresome trait when his business is the future of England.

 Deb Hunter writes fiction as Hunter S. Jones, publishing as an indie author, as well as through MadeGlobal Publishing. She is a member of the prestigious Society of Authors founded by Lord Tennyson, Historical Writers’ Association, Historical Novel Society, Society of Civil War Historians (US), English Historical Fiction Authors, Atlanta Writers Club, Atlanta Writers Conference, Romance Writers of America (PAN member), and Rivendell Writers Colony which is associated with The University of the South. Originally from a Chattanooga, Tennessee, she graduated from a private university in Nashville and now lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her Scottish born husband.  You can find Hunter on the following social media sites: Website | Twitter |Facebook | Pinterest | Amazon |Goodreads.

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 
Book Blurb:

Phoenix Rising

The last hour of Anne Boleyn's life...

Court intrigue, revenge and all the secrets of the last hour are revealed as one queen falls and another rises to take her place on destiny's stage.

A young Anne Boleyn arrives at the court of King Henry VIII. She is to be presented at the Shrovetide pageant, le Château Vert. The young and ambitious Anne has no idea that a chance encounter before the pageant will lead to her capturing the heart of the king. What begins as a distraction becomes his obsession and leads to her destruction.

Love, hate, loyalty and betrayal come together in a single dramatic moment... the execution of a queen. The history of England will be changed for ever.

 
So, are you Team Anne or Team Jane?!




Copyright © 2016 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: The Boleyn Bride by Brandy Purdy

The Boleyn Bride by Brandy Purdy
Paperback, 272 pages
Kensington
February 25, 2014
★★★☆☆

Genre: Historical fiction

Source: Received for review as part of Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour

“At sixteen, Elizabeth Howard envisions a glorious life for herself as lady-in-waiting to the future queen, Catherine of Aragon. But when she is forced to marry Thomas Boleyn, a wealthy commoner, Elizabeth is left to stagnate in the countryside while her detested husband pursues his ambitions. There, she raises golden girl Mary, moody George, and ugly duckling Anne—while staving off boredom with a string of admirers. Until Henry VIII takes the throne. . .

When Thomas finally brings his highborn wife to London, Elizabeth indulges in lavish diversions and dalliances—and catches the lusty king's eye. But those who enjoy Henry's fickle favor must also guard against his wrath. For while her husband's machinations bring Elizabeth and her children to the pinnacle of power, the distance to the scaffold is but a short one—and the Boleyn family's fortune may be turning. . .”

This book was a mixed bag for me – I liked the story but did not care much for the writing style, which actually made it very difficult for me to finish reading the book. I’m going to first address the storyline (which I liked) before moving into what did not work for me.

The Boleyn Bride follows Elizabeth Howard, wife to Thomas Boleyn and mother of Anne, Mary, and George Boleyn. I was intrigued by the novel because I wanted to know more about this woman who brought these three intriguing historical figures into the world. She has to have had an interesting story?! Right?! Well, sort of. It seems the majority of her time was spent trying to find a way to spite her husband. She was a hands-off mother, even when her daughters were favorites of King Henry VIII. She really wasn’t all that interesting of an individual after all – but I did appreciate her outside looking in storytelling. I actually can’t say that I liked Elizabeth – I found that I did not have any real feelings for her; she just came off as cold, distant, and superficial. I also did not like that the author chose to continue to include the rumors about Anne Boleyn – the sixth finger, growth on her neck, and the belief that Anne bewitched (literally) Henry. These are elements that I cannot stand in Tudor novels, especially these modernly written ones.

With regard to the writing style, I almost did not get through the prologue – it alone was 26 pages of a 272 page novel! It felt way too long. The author also uses very long, extremely descriptive sentences full of semi-colons. These sentences slowed the pace of the narrative down and did not necessarily add anything to the narrative. Early on in the narrative, the author establishes Elizabeth as a complainer, a turnoff to me as a reader when the same complaints are repeated over and over. A perfect example of that is that Elizabeth repeatedly says “Thomas Bullen – I mean Boleyn!”. I get that the character is mocking her husband and the first time or two it worked, but each time after that I actually got angry when I read it. Please give me something new!

Overall, I don’t feel that this novel contributed anything to the Tudor literature collection and could easily be passed over.

Author Brandy Purdy also has written The Tudor Throne, The Queen’s Pleasure, The Queen’s Rivals, Vengeance is Mine, The Boleyn Wife and The Confession of Piers Gaveston. You can visit Purdy’s website for additional information about the book.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• The Tudor Enthusiast
• Curling Up With a Good Book

Here are some choices for purchasing the book: Amazon, B&N, RJ Julia (my fav indie bookstore).

You can follow along with the rest of the blog tour by visiting the HFVBT website or on Twitter with the following hashtag: #BoleynBrideTour.

I also have two copies of the novel to giveaway today to a lucky US resident thanks to HFBRT.  Entries are made through the Rafflecopter below.  Last day to enter is March 2nd.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Copyright © 2014 by The Maiden’s Court

Movie Review: Anne of the Thousand Days

Anne of the Thousand Days

Hal Wallis Productions

145 mins.

December 18, 1969

Rating: PG

He was King. She was barely 18. And in their thousand days they played out the most passionate and shocking love story in history!

I find this portrayal of Anne and Henry more believable than those same roles in Showtime's The Tudors. At least in this portrayal they are more of the appropriate age. I liked Richard Burton in this film better than I did his role in Cleopatra - he seemed to exude Henry from every pore and he seemed fully committed to this role. I LOVED Genevieve Bujold’s Anne - she was beautiful and fiery – I would say she is my favorite Anne yet (and I really liked Natalie Dormer’s portrayal). She is the image of Anne for me. You would never know that this was Bujold’s first English speaking role!

There were some things that bothered me, like historical inaccuracies - there were two blaring ones for me.  Near the beginning - when Anne was interested in Henry Percy - they alluded to the fact that both the Boleyn's and the Percy's approved of the marriage. Also, when Katherine of Aragon lay dying, her daughter Mary was right by her side. Both of these things are nowhere near true. But liberties are taken in all things movie, as well as historical fiction, so I can forgive that.

The costuming is beautiful – and it makes perfect sense that they won the Academy Award for costume design.

The execution scene was more of an emotional scene than one designed to shock. There is no great drawn out speech and you don’t see any blood or guts. Very well done.

Overall a decent movie that I would recommend to Tudor fans.

Check out this trailer:

Copyright © 2011 by The Maiden’s Court

Interview with Cinsearae S, Author of Boleyn Tudor Vampire

I have the pleasure today to host an interview with Cinsearae S, the author of BOLEYN Tudor Vampire. This story is an interesting twist to the story that everyone knows about Anne Boleyn and is in a similar vein to Pride & Prejudice & Zombies.

Here is a synopsis of the book before we begin-

"Just the slightest tweak in history makes all the difference in its outcome...

Tudor England. It is during the reign of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. As her time in power nears an end, Anne is greatly disheartened by the false accusations of adultery, high treason and incest she is arrested for, and the cold-heartedness of her father for his lack of defense in her honor. Upon her death, she vows revenge on those who have wronged her, and the simple change of her death sentence from beheading to hanging grants her the opportunity to execute her wish on those who betrayed her.

Unknown forces of inconceivable dark magic abounds. Anne discovers she has risen from her grave because of her denouncement of God just moments before her hanging, and resurrects two others from their untimely, wrongful deaths--her brother, George, and her favorite court musician and dear friend, Mark Smeaton. This unlikely trio will drive Whitehall Palace to madness, bringing those closest to Anne to their knees, begging for mercy and forgiveness.

Once Anne executes her justice among those who have failed her, the last and final question will be whether Anne will finally have peace, or find comfort in haunting England forever" (from author's website).

It seems that everywhere you turn these days we are hearing about a new sci-fi/fantasy adaptation of a classic novel or historical characters. Why do you think that there has been this sudden explosion in the popularity of these types of books?



Perhaps its a curiosity of sorts, more or less a "let's see what happens if we do this..." type of thinking with authors, and then comes the curiosity of the readers in wanting to see what the authors did with such well known and popular characters. But it's like a fad; a sudden explosion of it for a couple months, it runs crazy for a while, and then it dies down. It's the same way with a lot of the movies we see today, as well. I wrote BOLEYN Tudor Vampire out of sheer fun, first starting it back in December. I have a great interest in Tudor history, not to mention Showtime's The Tudors, and it became a huge inspiration. After watching the series a couple of times, my muse wanted me to write a horrific 'revenge' tale for Anne Boleyn. I WANTED her to have some sort of vengeance for all those wrongful accusations she was charged for--hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! Then I tweaked Anne's execution so she'd be able to come back to get said revenge, then from there it became a dark, horrific romp. I don't want the book to be put in a 'mash-up' category, because that wasn't my intent. I simply love vampires, and having Anne Boleyn become one sounded like a really interesting idea. But considering the current events of the popularity of other mash-ups out there right now, I can easily see why BOLEYN could get thrown into that category, if it hasn't already. Bad timing, I guess, lol.

I imagine that many people who read these new adaptations have not read the classic that they are based on. Do you think that with all of these new spins on old classics more people will be intrigued to pick up the classic version as well?

I would hope so! Books that are based on classic novels are a bit of a double-edged sword. Yes, they're getting people to read, and yes, they're a source of literary entertaimnent...but the idea that someone's classic novel has been revamped by another author makes me feel uneasy. I would hope that after reading a revamped classic, that a reader would want to pick up the first book that started it all. It could also help create more reader groups and get people to socialize more and talk about the classics and their tweaked versions.

In your book, Boleyn: Tudor Vampire, the main characters are Anne, her brother George, and one of the other accused, Mark Smeaton. Why did you pick these particular characters for your story? And why vampires?



Well, for Anne it was easy. Being tried for so many heinous crimes---adultery, incest, treason, being called a 'witch'--- I think that's more than enough to get any woman's blood boiling, lol. And since she considered her brother George her best friend, plus knowing he died because of her, it seemed a logical choice. Mark was another victim of circumstance, but also another good friend to Anne. When Anne awakens as a vampire, she resurrects her brother as one of the undead. She does the same to Mark, who refuses to be part of her shambling horde at first, so she returns him to his grave. He joins a bit later as a ghost instead, knowing how much Anne has a dark sense of humor, and wants to help her with her horrific plans for Henry and his followers. Having Anne as a vampire felt sensual, and I could do a lot with that, as her and Thomas Wyatt have a very strained relationship in the story. I couldn't see her as any other type of creature!

What sort of research did you conduct in the writing of this book?



I have books in my own collection, as well as doing some research online. I also had excellent visuals, considering I have The Tudors and The Other Boleyn Girl on DVD.

Do you have any other plans in the works for future books in this style or other works in progress?



I definitely have other works in progress, involving my ongoing urban vampire series, ABRAXAS, and another 'period' story, set in the early 1900's, but I have no intention of creating any more 'mash-ups', lol. BOLEYN, again, was written for fun, and was just a side-project. As long as BOLEYN entertains the readers, and sparks interest in those wanting to investigate Tudor history further, or encourages an inspiring author to get their pen out and start writing themselves, then I've done my job.

Thanks to the author for this wonderful interview. If you want to read an excerpt of the book or to check out more about this book and author, please visit the website.

Copyright © 2010 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Book 2 in the Tudor Court series
Paperback, 664 pages
Touchstone
June 4, 2003
★★★★★

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Collection

"Two sisters competing for the greatest prize: the love of a king When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, she catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled by the king, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realizes just how much she is a pawn in her familys ambitious plots as the kings interest begins to wane and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Then Mary knows that she must defy her family and her king, and take her fate into her own hands."

In the vein of the Historical Fiction Bloggers Round Table I decided to post my review of the book that got me interested in historical fiction as a genre. It wasn’t the first historical fiction book that I read but it was the one I loved the most.

The Other Boleyn Girl is told from the viewpoint of Mary Boleyn – the “other” Boleyn sister, sister to Anne the future Queen of England. There is a focus on the life of the relatively little known Mary as well as the tale of Anne’s ascendency and fall. Mary is initially chosen as mistress to Henry VIII – a role that she is pushed into by her family. When the star seems to be shining on Anne – the family throws Mary aside in favor of Anne. Even though Mary is not the star of the family anymore, they still seek to control her every move – when she marries someone that is not approved of they lash out at her. Even though Anne constantly mistreats her sister, she still comes back to her.

The story of Anne Boleyn is a much told story – but seeing it from the eyes of her sister puts her story into a very different perspective – sort of how I felt about reading about Anne from the eyes of her daughter Elizabeth in The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell. I loved the compassion and general down-to-earthness of Mary, even when the world was spinning out of control. She was a constant character that you could connect with and anchor to in a turbulent world.

Gregory DOES change many events in the book from what is known to have really happened as well as embellished the real story in favor of the best told story. The good thing about this though, is that this is Historical Fiction and that is what I expect. If you are looking for true facts, check out a non-fiction book, but for a good story, try this on for size.

I couldn’t put this book down and as soon as I finished it I picked up The Boleyn Inheritance, the next in the series.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Dear Author
• Historical Tapestry

Where to Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Philippa Gregory:

Author Philippa Gregory also has written many other books – those among the Tudor Court series include:

 

The Constant Princess (Book 1)
[My Review]

 

The Boleyn Inheritance (Book 3)

[My Review]

 

The Taming of the Queen (Book 4)

 

The Queen's Fool (Book 5)

[My Review]

 

The Virgin's Lover (Book 6)

 

The Other Queen (Book7)

 

 

Other Philippa Gregory books I have reviewed:

• The King's Curse (The Cousin's War series)

 

Find Philippa Gregory: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube

 

 

 

Copyright © 2009 by The Maiden’s Court

Author Interview with Robin Maxwell

Reading The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn was like stepping back in time and being able to take a look at Anne from a completely different perspective. Robin Maxwell is the fantastic writer who was able to bring all of the emotion and stories about Anne Boleyn together into this work. I had the great pleasure of getting to speak with Ms. Maxwell and to ask her some questions. She had some great responses and a sneak peak too. So without further adieu…

I noticed that you graduated with a degree in Occupational Therapy and had many other jobs before becoming a full time writer. How did you get started with writing? What made you change your focus in life?



If you would have asked my mother about that, she'd have told you I was a writer from the age of eight. At least, that's when she started collecting everything I wrote, from poems on birthday cards, to my first love story about Bernie the Bagel and Lottie Lox. I had tried my hand at acting in New York City in the mid-`70s, but by the time I moved to L.A. in `76, ideas were starting to flit in and out of my mind. I can date the moment I became a writer to the day I didn't let the odd idea flit OUT of my mind, and instead wrote it down on a scrap of paper. Then I found a manila folder, titled it "ideas" and put my scrap of paper in there. Soon it was full of ideas, some just a title, some a paragraph. It was when I realized that my ideas, fragmentary as they might be, were VALUABLE, deserving of being kept, that I can say that I became a writer.

The first thing I tried was the story of young woman with breast cancer who falls in love with her surgeon, a man named Dr. Finger. I never finished that. I went on to co-write a comedy sketch with a friend who'd worked on the second season of the Robin Williams sitcom "Mork and Mindy." It was called "Jewish Mother" and was about a 30-year-old Jesus living at home with his parents when the three "Wiseguys" who've been lost in the desert for quite some time, finally show up at "Mrs. of Nazareth's" door. I remember there was a joke about what she was cooking - "stuffed hump." I segued into writing comedy screenplays with a girlfriend, Billie Morton, and together we got our first studio deal in 1981 with a movie script for two legendary producers. It was called "Trouble in Toyland," and we're still trying to sell it as of last week. We worked for 15 years writing comedy for all the studios, though nothing of ours was ever produced. Funnily enough, Billie and I are still writing partners, though she now lives in Australia. One of our comedies written 20 years ago this year looks like it's finally going to be produced. And we are just now embarking on our first novel together. Meanwhile in 1985 one of my scripts was made into a Movie of the Week for CBS, called "Passions," and starred Joanne Woodward.

In 1995 I started writing SECRET DIARY OF ANNE BOLEYN (now in its 22nd printing!). This was based on a long, passionate fascination with the woman, whom I believed from my research was deeply misunderstood and horribly vilified. To this day, SECRET DIARY is the most sympathetic portrait of Anne in both literature and film. The rest, as they say, is history.

Do you have a routine when you write? A specific place or time of day?

No, I don't have a routine. Because I have to do so much research for my historical novels, I have to read, read, read - histories and biographies - and surf the web for material. I do that any old time of night or day. I do prefer to write in the morning, after I've eaten a good protein-laden breakfast (which switches my brain on). But I can write morning, noon or night. If the Muse wakes me in the middle of the night I drag myself out of bed and attend her. Once I'm awake I consider these very blessed moments of creativity. I also seem to get my best, most original ideas in that weird time of the morning just before I wake up and the moments just AFTER I wake up. Sometimes I'll only write for a few hours, but most times it's a full 8-hour day. And once in a while, if I'm on a roll, I'll go 12-14 hours.

You have written several books about Tudor England (Mademoiselle Boleyn, Virgin, The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn, Wild Irish, To the Tower Born, and Queen’s Bastard). What about this time period drew you to it?



The simple answer is Anne Boleyn. But once I started writing about her (and doing the necessary research for SECRET DIARY) I was drawn into the characters of Henry VIII, his other wives and his children, especially Elizabeth I. It was just the most outrageous, colorful, passionate, absurd and bloody period in history. And it was in a language I knew. I sort of created an archaic form of English for Anne to write her first-person diary entries in. For the sections on Elizabeth, which were in third-person, it was much more classical in form. When it was time to write my second book, I became fascinated with the rumors (many of them) that Elizabeth and her lover, Robin Dudley, had had an illegitimate son, Arthur Dudley. I really had to scour the libraries (this was before the internet) to find out the facts of Arthur Dudley's life. The result, of course, was THE QUEEN'S BASTARD. Then I wanted to explore Elizabeth's youthful indiscretions with her step-father, Lord Admiral Thomas Seymour - VIRGIN. When I learned about Elizabeth's rival in the later part of her life and reign, the Irish pirate and "Mother of the Irish Rebellion" Grace O'Malley, I just had to write THE WILD IRISH. This is one of my favorite book, and perhaps the closest to being produced as a major motion picture. I adapted my own novel to a screenplay. So keep your fingers crossed!

I got fascinated with the earliest Tudor ancestors for TO THE TOWER BORN, my very original take on the mystery of the lost little princes in the Tower. And to round everything out nicely, three years ago I wrote about Anne Boleyn again, about her and her sister being brought up in the wild and rather lewd French court - MADEMOISELLE BOLEYN. Don't read this one if you're a prude.

Your most recently published book, Signora di Vinci takes place in Renaissance Italy. What about the Renaissance inspired you to move from Tudor England to this period of time and these characters?

I must say, I was nervous about leaving Tudor England, because it had been so rich and colorful. I couldn't imagine a time or place or characters that could top it. But I was so intrigued by the mind of Leonardo da Vinci that when I started researching him and his mother, Caterina (it's her voice and eyes through which readers explore the period) I found that Italy in the 15th century was every bit as fascinating as Tudor England, if not MORE, because this was where the Renaissance was born. In fact, the grandfather of one of my characters in SIGNORA DA VINCI, Lorenzo "The Magnificent" de' Medici's grandfather, Cosimo de' Medici, was the actual man without whom the Renaissance wouldn't have happened AT ALL. He was the one who spent his florins on sending scouts out all over the world to discover the lost manuscripts of ancient Greece and Rome and have them translated. Then he formed a society to study them -- The Platonic Academy. So the movers and shakers of Florence began reading the classics (which became the basis of Renaissance thought). They were toying with some very heretical material as far as the Christian church was concerned -- pagan stuff, Egyptian magic -- all burnable offenses. Put that together with Leonardo and his cross-dressing mother and the Shroud of Turin hoax, and you've got one helluva story. If you want to read some tidbits about these subjects, go to my website http://robinmaxwell.com (the SIGNORA DA VINCI page) and you'll find "Bonus Passport to the 15th Century" pages and you'll get a taste. I've also printed a fabulous recipe on the website that Caterina makes several times in the book -- "grape and olive compote."

Your new book, O, Juliet, comes out next year. What can you tell us about this book? Have you finished writing it yet?



It's finished, and it'll be published in February of 2010. It's the first time an historical fiction novel has ever been written about the Romeo and Juliet story -- the greatest love story ever told. I adored writing it, and because I decided to make both of my protagonists not only Dante freaks, but amateur poets themselves, I was forced to write poetry in both of their voices. Aaaiiigghh!

Here is the cover (it's actually a cover in two parts -- pull back the first flowery one, and you see the lovers. I'd be interested to know if your readers like the cover.

Their love was the stuff of legend. But the legend is only half the story...

Before Juliet Capelletti lie two futures: a traditionally loveless marriage to her father’s business partner, or the fulfillment of her poetic dreams, inspired by the great Dante. Unlike her beloved friend Lucrezia, who looks forward to her arranged marriage into the great Medici dynasty, Juliet has a wild, romantic imagination that takes flight in the privacy of her bedchamber and on her garden balcony.

Her life and destiny are forever changed when Juliet meets Romeo Monticecco, a soulful young man seeking peace between their warring families. A dreamer himself, Romeo is unstoppable, once he determines to capture the heart of the remarkable woman foretold in his stars.

Thank-you Ms. Maxwell for that delightfully detailed interview. What do you all think of the cover for O, Juliet? I think the flowers are beautiful and appropriate. Hope you all enjoyed it.

Robin Maxwell grew up in New Jersey, graduated from Tufts University School of Occupational Therapy, and practiced in that field for several years before moving to Hollywood to become a parrot tamer, casting director and finally a screenwriter. Working for the major studios and networks she wrote comedy, drama and even feature animation for Disney. Her credits include "Passions," a CBS movie of the week, starring Joanne Woodward.

But somewhere along the line, the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and women "ahead of their time," became Maxwell's private obsession.

You can visit her at her website for more information at her works.




Copyright © 2009-2011 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell

The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell

Paperback, 281 pages

Touchstone

May 28, 1998

★★★★½☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Collection

One was queen for a thousand days; one for over forty years. Both were passionate, headstrong women, loved and hated by Henry VIII. Yet until the discovery of the secret diary, Anne Boleyn and her daughter, Elizabeth I, had never really met.

Anne was the second of Henry's six wives, doomed to be beloved, betrayed and beheaded. When Henry fell madly in love with her upon her return from an education at the lascivious French court, he was already a married man. While his passion for Anne was great enough to rock the foundation of England and of all Christendom, in the end he forsook her for another love, schemed against her, and ultimately had her sentenced to death. But unbeknownst to the king, Anne had kept a diary.

At the beginning of Elizabeth 's reign, it is pressed into her hands. In reading it, the young queen discovers a great deal about her much-maligned mother: Anne's fierce determination, her hard-won knowledge about being a woman in a world ruled by despotic men, and her deep-seated love for the infant daughter taken from her shortly after her birth.
In journal's pages, Elizabeth finds an echo of her own dramatic life as a passionate young woman at the center of England 's powerful male establishment, and with the knowledge gained from them, makes a resolution that will change the course of history.

There have been many books written about Anne Boleyn, but I don’t think one has been written in this manner. The present time in this book is the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth I – she is 25, in love, and newly come to the throne. One day an old woman comes to her presence chamber with a diary for her – the diary of her mother, Anne Boleyn. In this diary, Anne wrote of her life from before her ascendency to the throne right up to just before her execution. As Elizabeth reads through this diary she learns a lot about the mother she doesn’t remember and learns many valuable lessons that she will apply during her reign as Queen of England.

I thought that this was an amazingly well written book. I enjoyed how the story bounced back and forth between the present time with Elizabeth and the time while Anne was alive, in the diary. As Elizabeth learned things from her mother she would then apply them to how she ruled her kingdom. It would be neat to think that this was actually the case. It’s a unique way to look at such a sad story.

The character of Anne Boleyn was written in a sympathetic manner. She is not depicted as a cunning, power hungry woman. Instead, she is written as a woman who didn’t really want what happened to her and absolutely loved her daughter. There are several touching scenes between mother and daughter that happen through this diary. Elizabeth learns about her mother first-hand, as opposed to what she has always been taught about her mother being a whore, traitor, and a witch. Elizabeth understands more of whom she is and where she came from and that forms the way she will carry herself from that point on.

I really enjoyed this book, mostly for the connection between mother and daughter and for the depiction of Anne as wholly human. I look forward to reading more of her books, I have Signora da Vinci on my shelf.

 

Other reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• All Things Historical Fiction
• Devourer of Books

Where to Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Robin Maxwell:

 

Mademoiselle Boleyn

 

Jane [My Review]

 

O, Juliet [My Review]

 

The Queen's Bastard

 

Signora da Vinci

 

Virgin

 

The Wild Irish

 

Find Robin Maxwell: Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

 

Copyright © 2009 by The Maiden’s Court

Miscellaneous Tudor Musings

Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a great weekend. I just spent the nice sunny day poolside with my boyfriend's family to celebrate the 4th of July. I also finished reading The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell this evening on the ride home. My review will likely be posted tomorrow. I'm a little too tired for that tonight. But in the meantime I thought I would post some random thoughts that have come to me from reading this book as well as others about the Tudor period.

Nan Bullen
I have seen Anne Boleyn called this in several places. Sometimes I have seen it used by commoners but I have also seen King Henry call her this. So far I have found 2 possible explanations for this. The first, relating to the commoners, is that this was a name used for her because they did not like her. This was used as well as "the Great Whore". I have also heard that Bullen was the actual family name until an ancestor changed it to Boleyn to actually sound better and more regal. What is your opinion?

Execution Fee
I have also read that people had to pay the executioner for their execution. It sounds very ironic to me that the person who has been sentenced to death by beheading would have to pay the executioners fee. Talk about really rubbing it in your face!

Anne Boleyn's Execution
There are 2 things here that I want to address. First of all she asked if she could be beheaded by sword as opposed to an ax. It might just be me not knowing too much about swords and axes, but I would think that an ax would have more leverage and be sharper... but apparently I am wrong. The French were talented in beheading with swords and there were less horror stories of these long drawn out executions. As Anne was kneeling with her blindfold on the executioner supposedly yelled out "Where is my sword" or something similar and then struck her so that she would think that she still had a few moments and not expect it. I'm not sure how true this is.

Also, the night before the execution, Anne and Henry's marriage was annulled and declared void - as if it never happened. Following this theory she shouldn't have been executed, because if the marriage never existed, then she couldn't have committed adultery, therefore not having committed treason. But we all know Henry really didn't care for those fine points.

Well that is all I have for now, be sure to stay tuned for my review tomorrow! Enjoy the rest of your weekend.




Copyright © 2009 by The Maiden’s Court

Teaser Tuesday

Hey everyone! Another Tuesday down - only 2 more workdays for me and then a 3 day weekend for Independence Day! I love short weeks.

This week's teaser is from The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell.

"'It is a diary. Your mother Anne Boleyn's diary.'" At once the skin on Elizabeth's body began to crawl and her heart heaved. Her mother!" (pg. 21)

Hope everyone has a great rest of the day!




Copyright © 2009 by The Maiden’s Court

Similarites Between the Court of Akhenaten/Nefertiti/Kiya and Henry VIII/Anne/Katherine

So as I have started to look into the life of Nefertiti a little bit more and have began to read the book I have noticed some very striking similarities to the Tudor Court of Henry VIII. It's amazing how these similar circumstances play out in different places and times.

First, there is a distinct love triangle/battle for power. In Egypt this is Pharaoh Akhenaten, his Great Royal Wife Nefertiti, and his Second Wife Kiya. In England there is King Henry VIII, his Queen Katherine of Aragon, and his Great Love Anne Boleyn (before she became Queen). The battle for power came not only from the women themselves but also their families - Nefertiti's family and Kiya's family are constantly fighting for power, as are the Norfolk's/Boleyn's.

Second, there is the power that Anne Boleyn and Nefertiti held. Historically, mistresses and even queens tended to have relatively little power over their husbands in issues regarding policies, but these two women were at the forefront of both. It also appears that, for awhile at least, their Kings were happy to share some of this power with them.

Third, both Anne and Nefertiti were known to make a lot of noise when their men would return to the bed of their wife. Anne, before she became Queen, would get upset when Henry would still occasionally visit Katherine's bed (being his wife) and Nefertiti would also get upset when Ahkenaten would visit the bed of Kiya (his lesser wife).

Fourth, Anne and Nefertiti constantly tried to get pregnant, and hopefully have a son, to put their child in the front of the line of succession. Having a son would also get rid of the issue of the King's other children. For Nefertiti: Kiya had already had a son and she only had daughters. For Anne: there was the Princess Mary in the way and she also only had a daughter, Princess Elizabeth.

Fifth, there is the issue of a change of religion and the role that the women had in this venture. Akhenaten wanted to change the religion from many gods led by Amun to one god, Aten. Nefertiti was instrumental in convincing the people to follow with this radical change and appeared to wholly embrace this change. Henry wanted to break from the Catholic Church in order to obtain his divorce, and Anne encouraged him to create the Church of England.

Finally, if you look at the book Nefertiti and The Other Boleyn Girl, the stories are told from the viewpoint of the sister (Mary Boleyn and Mutnedjmet).

My how themes stay the same over time!





Copyright © 2009 by The Maiden’s Court

Anne Boleyn's Sixth Finger?

So I thought today I would address a topic that has come up in a couple of books I have read but I find it hard to believe. I am reading Plain Jane by Laurien Gardner right now and this is a quote from it

"'Mistress Jane,' Anne said, extending her very pale, well groomed hand towards Jane. It was the deformed hand, and on the side of her finger, Jane could see a little show off nail that was the vestiges of a sixth finger" (pg 168).

In the circumstances of this book Jane Seymour is relating the sordid details of Queen Anne's deformity. I find it hard to believe that Anne Boleyn would have a deformity on her hand. I find it hard to believe because there is no way that a man as lustful and full of pride as King Henry would select a Queen with a deformity. It would not be accepted by society and if she did have this extra nail, she certainly would have been very careful at hiding it, not letting it be seen by courtiers.

It is likely that these rumors came about during her fall from grace and after her death as a way to smear her memory. It also would have been more evidence of her being a witch and possibly cursing Henry to not have any sons. Because of this I find it a little weird that the author would have Jane talking about this deformity during an early point in the story when this idea likely didn't exist yet; but I guess it is a interesting tidbit to gossip about.

What do you think?

Copyright © 2009 by The Maiden’s Court