Dear Heart, How Like You This (2 page)

“When they make the film version of
Dear Heart, How Like You This?
every leading lady in the world will fight tooth and nail for the role of Anne.” —Paul Staff, television producer.

“Sir Thomas Wyatt is my blood kin. I have always had a history of my family with pictures of Allington Castle and stories of Sir Thomas. I had this image of Sir Thomas, larger than life, possessing no human frailties. After reading
Dear Heart
, I realized he laughed when he was happy and cried when his heart was broken, as it often was. While I read, I had to keep reminding myself that it is a work of fiction, but it did not feel like fiction to me. The characters and events are not fiction. It is not fiction that Sir Thomas loved Anne Boleyn for most of his life. Tom’s grandson, George Wyatt, speaking of Thomas and Anne, said Sir Thomas “could gladly yield to be tied forever with the knot of her love.” This book deeply touched me. I do not know what else to say except, Thank you, Wendy.”
—
T. D. Wyatt, descendant of Sir Thomas Wyatt the Elder.

“Many things do not happen as they

ought; most things do not happen at all.

It is for the conscientious historian to

correct these defects.”
—Herodotus

Inspired by a poem of Sir Thomas Wyatt, this

novel is a work of fiction. Historical

characters, incidents and locations are either

used fictitiously or conjured purely from the

writer’s imagination.

Dedicated to the man who made possibilities

possible: my beloved husband, Peter.

Written in the memory of Anne Boleyn, Queen of

England, murdered from this world May, 1536.

Defiled is my name full sore

Through cruel spite and false report,

That I may say for evermore,

Farewell to joy, adieu comfort.

For wrongfully you judge of me

Unto my fame a mortal wound,

Say what ye list, it may not be,

Ye seek for that shall not be found.

—Anne Boleyn

Such a strange thing—here I am, writing another acknowledgement for
Dear Heart
. In the last acknowledgement page, I mentioned Virginia Woolf and her quote about the challenges presented to a woman writer. I am thinking of her again—one of the few writers I can name that actually got to revisit one of her novels after its publication. Now I am revisiting mine—as I said, a strange thing.

I’ve decided it is only right to leave my acknowledgements mostly as I wrote it when
Dear Heart
was first became published, in 2002. However, the list of people I wish to express my gratitude to has grown over the years…

This book resulted from a daydream stalking my imagination for years—from the moment I first thought that I would like to use Sir Thomas Wyatt’s poem as basis for a novel, until I finally put my nose down and did something about it. On this score, I thank my friend Paul Staff who gave so much encouragement during the initial stages of the book.

I owe a debt of gratitude to my brother-in-law Stephen Corneille and dear friend Christina for being willing, and brave enough, to proofread this “novel child” as it took its final shape.

I also gratefully acknowledge another treasured friend, Cindy Vallar, author of
The Scottish Thistle
, who took time out from her own, important historical writing to critique the book from first page to last, writing a minor thesis of notes in the process. Dear Cindy, you have a noble and generous heart. Thank you!

In my life, I have been truly blessed. Not only do I have a precious family (my husband, Peter, and children, James, Timothy, Elisabeth and David—the rest know who they are!) but also supportive friends. The support and encouragement of Glenice, Sandra Worth, Christopher Gortner, Beth, Ingrid and Vikki—my sister in-law—I must mention especially.

I must express my gratitude to Marilee (webmaster of
www.englishhistory.net
) and T.D. Wyatt for their friendship and support, as well as all my good friends at two e-lists: “Tudor Talk” and Anne Boleyn, Regina. I also wish to thank so many of the readers of the first edition of
Dear Heart, How Like You This?
for their encouragement and praise.

I also owe such an immeasurable debt to Kurt Florman, Partner and Editorial Manager of End Table Books and
Metropolis
Ink. Thank you so much for having faith in this novel!

There is one final acknowledgement. Throughout my novel, I have made use of the wonderful poetry of Sir Thomas Wyatt. I wish here to gratefully acknowledge the book used for this purpose:
Sir Thomas Wyatt, the complete Poems
;
General Editor: Christopher Ricks
.

Lastly, I will say dreams do come true, but often their realisation takes a lot of hard work and perseverance. But the harder the work, the greater the perseverance, then the more joy there is when you hold the dream—tangible—in your hands. I know! Thank God for small miracles!

—
Wendy J. Dunn

“I could gladly yield to be tied forever with the knot of her love.”