Shades of Yellow
By Wendy J. Dunn
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.
Can she find the strength to confront her past, forgive the man who broke her heart, and take control of her own destiny?
Who better to write about a betrayed woman than a woman betrayed?
Publication Date: February 28th, 2025
Publisher: Other Terrain Press
Pages: 350
Genre: Women's Fiction / Literary Fiction
Praise for Shades of Yellow
"Shifting between 2010 and the Elizabethan era, Wendy J. Dunn's compelling new novel Shades of Yellow explores the complexities of relationships, creative ambition, and medical pain through the eyes of two brave women living centuries apart. Forced to confront the decisions that have brought them to their respective crisis points, Lucy and Amy seek to rewrite their own destinies. A treat for lovers of history and strong stories."
~ Lauren Chater, author of The Beauties
An interview with Wendy J. Dunn
What inspired you to start writing?
Love of books – and that started in childhood. I knew I wanted to write at eight.
Talking to other creative individuals, it does seem to me eight is an age when many of us decide the road we want to walk in life. I was so serious about achieving this ambition of becoming a writer I was for ever thinking of things I should do to make it happen. Like the time I was twelve – and read the complete works of Shakespeare. I understood very little of it, but I knew at twelve – don’t ask me how I knew – there were certain works of literature important for me to read if I truly wanted to be a writer – a writer with a capital W.
But if I ever write my autobiography (something I do not ever plan to do), the title would be ‘Writer: Interrupted.’
Early marriage at eighteen, four children, long periods of illness, and so many other things have made it challenging to produce large projects like books.
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
Remembering 2010! I didn’t realise how much research I would need to do to re-create that time.
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
Lucy, my main character! I felt bad that I threw so much sadness her way but arrived at the end of the story very proud of her.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
Ciara Bravo has the right look for my Lucy, Kaitlyn Dever for Amy, Abigail Cowen for Elizabeth Tudor, Finn Cole for Robert Dudley. Goodness, it is lovely to dream, isn’t it?
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
The power of forgiveness. Forgiveness frees us to from the shackles of the past and allows us to let go, move on and write a new page.
Buy this Book
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited
Wendy J. Dunn
Wendy J. Dunn is a multi-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 Dear Heart, How Like You This, 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 holdings. It seems very likely Wendy’s ancestors knew the Wyatts and Boleyns personally.
Wendy gained her PhD in 2014 and tutors in writing at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. She loves walking in the footsteps of the historical people she gives voice to in her books.
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Thanks so much for hosting Wendy J. Dunn today, with a fabulous interview linked to her intriguing new dual-timeline mystery, Shades of Yellow.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club