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Wendy J. Dunn

Goodreads Author

Born

in Carlton, Victoria, Australia

Website

http://www.wendyjdunn.com

Twitter

wendyjdunn

Genre

Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction

Influences

Mary Renault, Winston Graham, Rosemary Sutcliff, Elizabeth Goudge, Rob ...more

Member Since

September 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/wendyjdunn

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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 suggestion that one of her ancestral families – possibly over three generations – likely knew the Wyatts and Boleyns personally. Wendy is married, the mother of four adult children and the grandmother of two amazing boys. She gained her PhD in 2014 and loves walking in the footsteps of the historical people she gives voice to in her books. Wendy also tutors writing at Swinburne University of Techn ...more

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Wendy J. Dunn’s books

Average rating: 4.15 · 1,403 ratings · 293 reviews · 15 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Light in the Labyrinth: The Last Days of Anne Boleyn. (The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn Book 2) 4.09 avg rating — 388 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dear Heart, How Like You This?: The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn: What is the cost of love? 3.89 avg rating — 349 ratings — published 2002 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Duty of Daughters (Falling Pomegranate Seeds #1) 4.28 avg rating — 298 ratings — published 2016 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	All Manner of Things (Falling Pomegranate Seeds #2) 4.51 avg rating — 191 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life 4.06 avg rating — 88 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Shades of Yellow 4.58 avg rating — 40 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mi hermana, mi reina by Wendy J. Dunn (Goodreads Author), Tatiana Marco Marín (Translator) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 34 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Light in the Labyrinth: The Last Days of Anne Boleyn (The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn, #3) 4.30 avg rating — 10 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	El deber de las hijas by Wendy J. Dunn (Goodreads Author), Coral Yun Arenas de Juan (Translator) 3.40 avg rating — 5 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	El deber de las hijas by Wendy J. Dunn (Goodreads Author), Coral Yun Arenas (Translator) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Wendy J. Dunn's Blog

What Love E’er Meant: Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour.

What Love E’er Meant

Regina, Book #2

by Janet Wertman

Publication Date: Septembre 7th, 2026Publisher: independently publishedPages: 432Genre: Historical Biographical Fiction / Tudor Fiction

A new queen must prove she deserves the throne God gave her, while the path everyone insists will secure it might cost her everything.

Against all odds, Elizabeth Tudor has become Queen of

Series by Wendy J. Dunn

Falling Pomegranate Seeds (2 books)
by

Wendy J. Dunn (Goodreads Author)

4.37 avg rating — 489 ratings

Wendy is Currently Reading

Wendy Dunn is currently reading

The Watchers: A Secret History of the Reign of Elizabeth I

by Stephen Alford

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jun 22, 2026 12:46AM

Wendy Dunn is currently reading

The Fetter Lane Fleece (Red Ned Tudor, #3)

by Gregory House (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Apr 23, 2026 04:38AM

Wendy Dunn is currently reading

Tombland (Matthew Shardlake, #7)

by C.J. Sansom

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Mar 14, 2026 08:33PM

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Wendy’s Recent Updates

Wendy Dunn made a comment in the group Tudor History Lovers — Nominations Open - Group Read for November 2026 topic " [image] [image] [image] [image] ...more "
55 minutes ago
Wendy Dunn wants to read Sappho Wept by Wendy J. Dunn (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 05, 2026 03:31AM · 1 like · like
Wendy Dunn wants to read The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 26, 2026 03:57PM · like
Wendy Dunn rated a book it was amazing El deber de las hijas (Spanish Edition) by Wendy J. Dunn (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 17, 2026 02:54AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of El deber de las hijas by Wendy J. Dunn. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — El deber de las hijas by Wendy J. Dunn <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Wendy Dunn rated a book it was amazing El deber de las hijas by Wendy J. Dunn (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 17, 2026 02:53AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of El deber de las hijas by Wendy J. Dunn. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — El deber de las hijas by Wendy J. Dunn <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Wendy Dunn and 3 other people liked Catherine Mathis's review of Shades of Yellow: "My review will be in the February issue of the Historical Novel Society - though 5 stars is a hint I enjoyed the book"
Sep 13, 2026 08:02AM · see review
Wendy Dunn liked Cel Jel's review of Shades of Yellow: "A meta fiction written in two time frames. A writer travels to England to visit family and to visit sites in person to help her get the feel and carry out more research for the book she is writing about Robert Dudley's wife. Very interestingly interw" Read more of this review »
Sep 13, 2026 08:02AM · see review
Wendy Dunn and 2 other people liked Heidi Malagisi's review of Shades of Yellow: "Have you ever wondered what it might be like for a historical fiction writer during their writing process? How do they balance both their own lives and the lives of their characters? While we can read author interviews to find out what goes on in an " Read more of this review »
Sep 13, 2026 08:02AM · see review
Wendy Dunn voted on a poll in the group Tudor History Lovers What book about the Tudors or their world would you like to have as our Group Read for October 2026? She voted for: Shades of Yellow by Wendy J. Dunn Shades of Yellow by Wendy J. Dunn ...more
Sep 12, 2026 08:23PM · like · take the poll
Wendy Dunn has read Beyond the Snow: The Life and Faith of Elizabeth Goudge by Christine Rawlins (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 10, 2026 03:31AM · like

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Quotes by Wendy J. Dunn (?)

“The Light in the Labyrinth is a beautifully written book, a gem. I savoured every word; words written with so much ‘colour’. Even though I know the story of Queen Anne Boleyn, Dunn’s perspective on her last days is missing in so many other books of the genre. Dunn gives grace to the history and an honest, and very compassionate look at Anne’s last days. I cried in the end, shedding tears for the young Kate, Anne and her little Bess. I have not yet read a Tudor book that has moved me to tears, as this wonderful journey does. Dunn’s dedication and research shines through in this unforgettable book, a book not just for young readers, but also for all.” — Lara Salzano, avid Tudor reader.”
― Wendy J. Dunn, The Light in the Labyrinth

3 likes

“To write a novel is to dream a story and write it down on the page. That’s why the power of a really good story is one of true magic. Good stories engage the reader utterly in the writer’s dream so the dream becomes theirs, too.”
― Wendy J. Dunn

tags: writing-process

0 likes

Polls

What book about the Tudors or Tudor England would you like for our February 2016 Group Read?

The Lost Tudor Princess: The Life of Lady Margaret Douglas by Alison Weir

12 votes, 17.6%

Owen - Book One of The Tudor Trilogy by Tony Riches

8 votes, 11.8%

Elizabeth I by Margaret George

6 votes, 8.8%

Legacy by Susan Kay

6 votes, 8.8%

To Hold the Crown by Jean Plaidy

5 votes, 7.4%

At the King's Pleasure by Kate Emerson

5 votes, 7.4%

Charles Brandon: Henry VIII's Closest Friend by Steven Gunn

4 votes, 5.9%

Edward VI: The Lost King of England by Chris Skidmore

4 votes, 5.9%

Watch the Lady by Elizabeth Fremantle

4 votes, 5.9%

The Last White Rose: Dynasty, Rebellion and Treason. The Secret Wars against the Tudors by Desmond Seward

3 votes, 4.4%

Elizabeth's Women: Friends, Rivals, and Foes Who Shaped the Virgin Queen by Tracy Borman

3 votes, 4.4%

The Temptation of Elizabeth Tudor: Elizabeth I, Thomas Seymour, and the Making of a Virgin Queen by Elizabeth Norton

2 votes, 2.9%

The Light in the Labyrinth by Wendy J. Dunn

2 votes, 2.9%

Between Two Queens by Kate Emerson

2 votes, 2.9%

The Brilliant Stage The Story of Frances Walsingham by Angela McLeod

1 vote, 1.5%

Elizabeth & Leicester: Power, Passion, Politics by Sarah Gristwood

1 vote, 1.5%

Jasper Tudor, Godfather of the Tudor Dynasty by Debra Bayani

0 votes, 0.0%

Jasper Tudor: The Man Who Made the Tudor Dynasty by Terry Breverton

0 votes, 0.0%

68 total votes

2 comments

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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WACKY READING CHA...: Army Surplus Special, Team #6	176	63	May 03, 2015 10:23AM
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Wendy’s Quotes

“To read fiction means to play a game by which we give sense to the immensity of things that happened, are happening, or will happen in the actual world. By reading narrative, we escape the anxiety that attacks us when we try to say something true about the world. This is the consoling function of narrative — the reason people tell stories, and have told stories from the beginning of time.”
― Umberto Eco, Six Walks in the Fictional Woods

tags: context, escape, escapism, fiction, interpretation, narrative, reading, real-world, storytelling

95 likes

“Not knowing when the dawn will come
I open every door.”
― Emily Dickinson, The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson

tags: opportunity

2262 likes

3 likes

“Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”
― Anton Chekhov

tags: broken-glass, glass, moon, moonshine, show-don-t-tell, writing

6011 likes

“Only a generation of readers will spawn a generation of writers.”
― Steven Spielberg

tags: education, reading

2618 likes

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Tudor History Lovers — 3152 members — last activity 55 minutes ago
Anyone who enjoys historical fiction or history books about Tudor England will like this group. Whether you have been all the way to England just to t ...more

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Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more

¡ POETRY ! — 22493 members — last activity 6 hours, 36 min ago
No pretensions: just poetry. Stop by, recommend books, offer up poems (excerpted), tempt us, taunt us, tell us what to read and where to go (to read No pretensions: just poetry. Stop by, recommend books, offer up poems (excerpted), tempt us, taunt us, tell us what to read and where to go (to read it!) Goodreads honors wordsmiths: poets and poetry promoted and prompted here. ~~~ "Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits." -- Carl Sandburg “God has a brown voice, as soft and full as beer.” —Anne Sexton On Clouds – “…what primitive tastes the ancients must have had if their poets were inspired by those absurd, untidy clumps of mist, idiotically jostling one another about…” —Yevgeny Zamyatin “If the poet wants to be a poet, the poet must force the poet to revise. If the poet doesn’t wish to revise, let the poet abandon poetry and take up stamp-collecting or real estate.” —Donald Hall “Poetry is a rich, full-bodied whistle, cracked ice crunching in pails, the night that numbs the leaf, the duel of two nightingales, the sweet pea that has run wild, Creation’s tears in shoulder blades.” —Boris Pasternak “Wanted: a needle swift enough to sew this poem into a blanket.” —Charles Simic “Language is a cracked kettle on which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to, while all the time we long to move the stars to pity.” —Gustave Flaubert “Poetry is not an expression of the party line. It’s that time of night, lying in bed, thinking what you really think, making the private world public, that’s what the poet does.” —Allen Ginsberg. ~~~~~ Amy King, Moderator Amy King is the recipient of the 2015 Winner of the WNBA Award (Women’s National Book Association). Her latest collection, The Missing Museum, is a winner of the 2015 Tarpaulin Sky Book Prize. She serves on the executive board of VIDA: Women in Literary Arts and is co-editing with Heidi Lynn Staples the anthology, Big Energy Poets of the Anthropocene: When Ecopoets Think Climate Change. She is also co-editing the anthology, Bettering American Poetry 2015, and is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at SUNY Nassau Community College. ...more

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The History Book Club — 26559 members — last activity 9 hours, 59 min ago
"Interested in history - then you have found the right group". The History Book Club is the largest history and nonfiction group on Goodread ...more

Australian Women Writers Challenge — 961 members — last activity Oct 29, 2022 10:17PM
AS AT JANUARY 1st 2022, THIS GROUP IS NO LONGER IN OPERATION. This group is for participants in the Australian Women Writers Challenge. Everyone who ...more

Addicted to YA — 66302 members — last activity 6 hours, 16 min ago
“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put bac ...more

Historical Fictionistas — 16578 members — last activity 3 hours, 16 min ago
Welcome to Historical Fictionistas! We want to experience all different kinds of HF with all different kinds of people. The more diverse, the better. ...more

The Second Wife of King Henry the XIII — 45 members — last activity Feb 06, 2016 06:29PM
So you're interested in Anne Boleyn? Great! So is everyone else in this group. This group is for discussing anything and everything about Henry the XI ...more

Q&A with Ellen Ekstrom — 10 members — last activity Feb 13, 2013 09:10AM
Goodreads Author Ellen L. Ekstrom may just have the answers to your questions about what she reads and writes...

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