Book Tour: Fascinating characters in the story of ‘I am Henry’

Fascinating characters in the story of ‘I am Henry’

Part of a blog series about ‘I am Henry,’ the new novel and award-winning short film of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, by Jan Hendrik Verstaten & Massimo Barbato.

Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn are the two main characters in the book. Catherine of Aragon and her first living son Henry, the Duke of Cornwall, who tragically died within two months of his birth, also contribute to the story in an important way. These four characters each tell part of the story in their own voice and from their perspective, with Henry and Anne being the most consequential and frequent ones.

There are a lot of other characters that appear in the book. Who are they?

The other wives of Henry VIII

From the four other wives of Henry VIII Catherine Parr and Anne of Cleves are only mentioned briefly in the book. Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard both make a short but memorable appearance and share their opinion on their former husband and king. Jane Seymour, Henry’s third wife who gave him a son and an heir, does this in a soft spoken but unmistakable way.

Catherine Howard does not hide her passionate temperament and just like Henry’s other ex-wives, does not shy away from handing out the truth as she sees it.

Other family members from Henry VIII

Henry’s parents, Elizabeth of York and Henry VII, appear early in the book. Together they were the founders of the Tudor dynasty and both were equally zealous and dedicated to the Tudor cause. Henry’s father speaks in an earnest and loving way to his son.

A more surprising encounter takes place with Henry’s brother Arthur, the Prince of Wales who was destined to be the king. Henry VIII was always thought of as the spare, but due to Arthur’s untimely death Henry’s fate changes dramatically.
From Henry’s children it is Elizabeth I who in the end, just as in history itself, concludes the story.

Two remarkable visitors for Anne

George Boleyn, Anne’s bright elder brother visits her. His fate was very much dependent on his sister’s. Early on, when she had to decide what kind of relationship to have with the king, his advice played a deciding factor. Later, he was accused of incest with Anne and of conspiracy to kill the king.
Anne’s first love, Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland, also comes to see Anne. They kept their love a secret. When it became public knowledge, their love was forbidden, and the two were separated.

Other figures of importance from Henry’s life

Several religious figures, but also friends and members of his privy chamber, show up in the book. Their identities are occasionally disguised at first only to be revealed later,as the plot unfolds. With them, historical events are brought back to life. Like the Carthusian monks who were publicly executed during the dissolution of the monasteries.

The Vice-Admiral of the warship Mary Rose George Carew shares with Henry and re-lives the fateful sinking of the ship.

Others like Henry’s closest friend and ally Charles Brandon who later became his brother-in-law after he married Henry’s sister Mary Tudor, are briefly present, as is his chief minister Thomas Cromwell.

‘I am Henry’ is an innovative retelling of the story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Due for release in paperback and e-book format by MadeGlobal Publishing, in April 2023.


Click on the cover for ordering information:

For more information about the novel and the short film go to linktr.ee/iamhenryfilmandnovel

Upcoming book tour for ‘I am Henry’

I’m happy to be hosting a stop on the book tour for I am Henry coming up next week! It’s been a while since I’ve been able to participate in something like this, but as I strive to achieve more work/life balance I’m trying to make more time to get back to my old interests and hobbies.

Here’s the full schedule:

April 17: The Anne Boleyn Files

April 18: History… The Interesting Bits!

April 19: English Historical Fiction Authors

April 20: TudorHistory.org Blog (here!)

April 21: The Tudor Society

April 22: Book Launch Day!

Upcoming Books, Exhibitions, and Events for April 2023

Happy Spring for my northern hemisphere readers and happy Autumn for our friends in the southern hemisphere!

Books

Quite a few books this month, including some that I expected in May in the US, but now they are coming out in April instead.

Tudor Children by Nicholas Orme was released in February in the UK and will be out on April 11 in the US:

The latest Tudor book from Amy Licence, The Sixteenth Century in 100 Women will be out in early April in the US and was released in March in the UK:

And The Marriage Bed of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, edited by Peter N. Lindfield has already been released in the UK and will be out on April 20 in the US. This is a collection of articles on the research into the bed, which was rediscovered in 2010.

The US release of Shakespeare’s Book: The Story Behind the First Folio and the Making of Shakespeare by Chris Laoutaris will be April 25, two days after the probable date of the Bard’s birth (and definitely the date of his death). It was released in the UK in March with the title Shakespeare’s Book: The Intertwined Lives Behind the First Folio.

And finally, Edward VI: Henry VIII’s Overshadowed Son by Stephanie Kline will be out at the end of April in the UK and will be out in the US in the summer.

Continuing Exhibitions

Hever Castle has a new exhibition that debuted when it reopened for the year on February 8 – Catherine & Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers. Admission to the exhibition is included with tickets to the castle. There is also a companion book available which can also be purchased from the online shop.

The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England which was recently on display in New York has now moved to the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio. It opened on Februrary 26 and will run through May 14. If the exhibition continues to tour, I hope it makes its way down to Texas now that I finally have a reliable car to drive to Houston or Dallas if it goes to one of those cities.

Upcoming Books, Exhibitions, and Events for March 2023

Yes, a little late again this month because the not-serious-but-annoying health issues have continued except this time it WAS Covid, but thankfully a mild-ish case. (Probably due to the fact that I had a booster a little less than three months ago.)

Books

One release that I missed last month was Courting Scandal: The Rise and Fall of Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford by James Taffe, which came out in early February in both the UK and US:

Joanne Paul’s The House of Dudley: A New History of Tudor England, which came out a year ago in the UK, is now finally out in the US on March 7.

Next up, Roland Hui’s Anne Boleyn – An Illustrated Life of Henry VIII’s Queen came out in late February in the UK and will be out in March in the US:

Nicholas Orme’s Tudor Children was also released in the late February in the UK and will be out in April the US. I’m always happy to see more work on topics like this!

2023 is the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more books about it coming but this is the first one I’ve come across – Shakespeare’s Book: The Intertwined Lives Behind the First Folio by Chris Laoutaris, which will be out on March 30 in the UK. It will be released in the US in April with the slightly different title Shakespeare’s Book: The Story Behind the First Folio and the Making of Shakespeare

And finally, Amy Licence’s newest work The Sixteenth Century in 100 Women will be out in the UK at the end of March and in May in the US:

New(ish) Exhibition

The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England which was recently on display in New York has now moved to the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio. It opened on Februrary 26 and will run through May 14. If the exhibition continues to tour, I hope it makes its way down to Texas now that I finally have a reliable car to drive to Houston or Dallas if it goes to one of those cities.

Continuing Exhibitions

Hever Castle has a new exhibition that debuted when it reopened for the year on February 8 – Catherine & Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers. Admission to the exhibition is included with tickets to the castle. There is also a companion book available which can also be purchased from the online shop.

Upcoming Books, Exhibitions, and Events for February 2023

Sorry this is a little late this month – things have been a bit of a mess the past few weeks including some non-serious but quite annoying health issues (thankfully not Covid) and a lovely little ice storm. The upshot though is my newly-found confidence using a pole saw to deal with all of the downed tree branches!

Books

There are a couple of books that have previously come out in the UK that are out in the US this month:

The Boleyns: From the Tudors to the Windsors by Amanda Harvey Purse came out last fall in the UK and is out in mid-February in the US:

And Amy McElroy’sEducating the Tudors came out last month in the UK and will also be released in mid-February in the US:

And it looks like Elizabethan Rebellions: Conspiracy, Intrigue, and Treason by Helene Harrison is now out in the US too. I originally had it down as coming out in early spring, but it looks like it was released back in January at the same time as the UK release.

Exhibitions

Hever Castle will feature a new exhibition when it reopens for the year on February 8 – Catherine & Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers. Admission to the exhibition is included with tickets to the castle. There is also a companion book available, including from the online shop. (I just wish international shipping from the UK hadn’t gotten so ridiculously expensive!)