Hello again everyone!
It is now my great joy and privilege to introduce my dear friend Dr Wendy J Dunn and her luminous ‘Shades of Yellow’. It is particularly fitting that we are gathered here in Eltham as much of Wendy’s novel is set in Eltham in England – a little inside joke by Wendy I’m sure!
I know that Wendy needs no formal introduction to most of you. She is an award-winning writer with a longtime fascination for the history of the Tudors in England, with whom she has unearthed a family connection! Wendy is married, with three sons and one daughter and – believe it or not – two grandsons – all of whom bring her great joy and pride!
She is the author of one non-fiction book and four historical fiction novels – two of which are being translated and published in Spanish. ‘Shades of Yellow’ combines women’s fiction, historical fiction and metafiction. Wendy is also an academic and teacher. She gained her PhD in 2014, and she teaches creative writing at Swinburne University of Technology.
Having worked with Wendy as a literary editor – and as a friend of almost a decade – I can attest to her heartwarming and overwhelming generosity – as a mentor, ally and flag-waver. I am indebted to Wendy as the first person to suggest I do my own PhD, and I would not have undertaken it without her great encouragement.
Wendy’s accolades are far too many to mention – amongst them, she was the recipient of the Gold and Silver Medals in the Historical Fiction Book of the Year Awards. She was the First Prize winner in the Chaucer Awards and in the Glyph Fiction Award. She has received the International Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal for Historical Personage. She was a Silver Medalist in the Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Awards; she has twice been a Finalist in the Eric Hoffer Award; and she has also been recognised for her work as a playwright. Despite all of this, her humility is breathtaking – when I asked what she is most proud of, she said her perseverance!
The critics’ and reviewers’ response to this book so far has been outstanding – here are a very few of very many words of praise….
- “An emotionally gripping narrative.”
- “Flows seamlessly from past to present with striking parallels and resonant feeling.”
- “A poignant tale of hope, determination, and the indomitable spirit of a woman who will not allow her circumstances to define her.”
- “A captivating novel that draws readers into its richly woven narrative, compelling them to keep turning the pages long into the night.”
- “With its profound themes and thought-provoking insights, ‘Shades of Yellow’ leaves a lasting impression, lingering in the mind long after the final page has been turned.”
- “considerable skill in narrative construction, engaging the reader through the unfolding drama.”
- “a vivid sense of history.”
- “a rare work of art.”
- “The mastery and creativity of Wendy J. Dunn’s writing are commendable.”
- “Her raw devotion and obligation to bring the past back to life shines through every page.”
- “an utterly captivating and enthralling novel.”
- “A compelling, heart-tugging blend of historical mystery, emotional depth, and artistic reflection.”
- “Exceptional craftsmanship in combining elements of historical fiction with contemporary literature.”
- “Wendy J. Dunn has created something beautiful, lasting, and original.”
- “This novel is a gem — just plain brilliant.”
Huge congratulations Wendy on these well-deserved tributes!
Wendy is of course also a poet – as evidence of this, her book opens with a poem introducing us to her shades of yellow and inviting us to close our eyes and see the magical world she has created for us.
On the face of it, this is a book about the researching and writing of a historical novel. It dextrously interweaves the stories of the present-day author and her sixteenth-century subject, Amy Robsart – the first wife of Robert Dudley, who came close to marrying Queen Elizabeth the First. Centuries apart, these are two women suffering life-threatening illness alongside heart-breaking betrayal by their husbands. Through their stories, this book confronts enduring questions about love, hate, forgiveness and self-determination.
This book also speaks to writing as an act of resilience and defiance. As Wendy’s present-day heroine, Lucy, notes, “the thread will not break without a fight. I will not break without a fight… there are many ways to fight… My novel is one.” “Writing her story helped me. It was the life raft I clung to…” Wendy’s Lucy also recalls the words of Henry Ward Beecher when he said “Every artist dips his brush into his own soul, and paints his nature into his pictures”.
‘Shades of Yellow’ drips with Wendy’s heartfelt soul. It offers us a fascinating window into the world of her painstaking historical research. More than this, she generously grants us a vista into her magical imagination and deeply-felt creative processes. For readers, this is the gift of seeing behind the Emerald Curtain; for writers, it is the benefit of Wendy’s hard-won experience and dedication to her craft.
We see Wendy’s integrity shine through as her present-day heroine grapples with ethical questions: “Do I have any right at all to give voice to a woman dead for centuries?”. ‘Shades of Yellow’ also manifests Wendy’s world-sized empathy. For as long as I’ve known her, Wendy has used her writing, teaching and editorial work as a platform for social justice.
‘Shades of Yellow’ profoundly embodies this. Alongside its overarching questions about despair and hope, it opens up conversations on women’s right to self-determination; on same-sex marriage; on homelessness; and on Australian First Nations justice.
It goes without saying that this book benefits from Wendy’s exceptional attendance to literary craft – her truly authentic voice, her skill at plot and subplot, gripping dialogue, cross-referencing and subtly interpolating researched fact with fiction, foreshadowing – drip-feeding us a tantalising trail of breadcrumbs to craft both interpersonal intrigue and a deathly mystery.
She shifts seamlessly between past and present, skillfully evoking each era through shapeshifting ghosts, vividly drawn characters and mesmerising sensory imagery. As an example – alongside a conversation about atrocities meted out on Australia’s First Nations Peoples, Wendy slips this dripping imagery:
- “Thinking about Jo’s words, she sliced a piece of lamb. Blood juices leaked from it.”
Here are a few more examples of some of my favourite passages:
- “The smoky sandalwood with its taint of cinnamon seemed a heady mix of time. Of memories.”
- “Her howl of grief guts me like a knife spilling out my entrails.”
- “Draughts reached out to her as if from the stones themselves – or from ghosts. She trembled. More ghosts seemed to whisper to her. They whispered to her about the shortness of life; they whispered about death. She trembled again and yanked her coat tighter around her.”
- “A sunbeam illuminated an exquisite Victorian stained glass. The colours flitted like a drowsy butterfly over her hands and coat and the empty seat beside her until they merged into a kneeling Amy in 1560.”
- “On the other side of the living room, floor-to-ceiling windows revealed the outside meadows made golden in the gloaming’s light.”
- “Clouds broke apart in the fading blue sky. Lower, sunlight shimmered and sparkled in the lush, wet meadow.”
- “Three deer grazed… The light of the setting sun delineated their forms and dappled its light on their spotted coats.”
This book is threaded throughout with Wendy’s illuminating wisdom and insights. Amongst many others, this observation has stayed with me:
- “few women are ever inwardly passive”
And for anyone yet to be convinced that historical research is a stimulating subject, I might direct you to pages 307 and following – where the author’s talents for slightly steamier writing are evident – Wendy, you saucy minx!!
I hope you have a literary agent because I think Netflix may just come a-knocking!!
At the very back of the book, at the end of her author’s note, Wendy slips in this little gem:
- “I believe imagination is what will save humanity”.
With work like this, I’m starting to believe she may be right! And on that happy note, I am thrilled to declare ‘Shades of Yellow’ by Dr Wendy J Dunn officially launched. I hope you will shower her with love – as she so richly deserves – by purchasing many, many copies!
Thank you so much again for your kind attention. You will now have the pleasure and privilege of hearing from the author herself – as I invite the fabulous Dr Wendy J Dunn to come up and address you.
