Owen Tudor’s illegitimate son, Sir David (Davy) Owen, lived a real and well-documented life but his mother is unknown, as is the woman who lit candles around Owen’s severed head in the Hereford marketplace but I have always liked the name Myfanwy, ever since reading John Betjeman’s poem of that name! Except for Jane’s family and the farm at Tŷ Cerrig and Jasper’s ‘secret’ sister Meg, her house and family, all other locations and people are drawn directly from historical sources, although their characters are fleshed out from the skimpy recorded detail and some of their actions are fictional, just as ruined buildings are restored and empty rooms refurnished in order to bring history to life. Such is the nature of historical fiction!

Queen Marguerite of Anjou has been well and variously depicted in fiction but I have chosen to use her French name throughout in order to differentiate her from Margaret Beaufort, another essential element of this story and a character who will have plenty more to offer in my next novel. I have also had Marguerite insist that her son be called by the French version of his name so that he is not confused with (King) Edward of York. Besides, I think Marguerite was a stroppy enough character to fly in the face of English bias against the French!

The Earl of Warwick is believed to have revelled in his sobriquet ‘The Kingmaker’ but I’m afraid I hold to the belief that Jasper performed that task just as ably as Warwick and also, although faced with far greater trials and set-backs, remained steadfastly loyal to the king he served. It was hardly his fault that in combat he was saddled with two notoriously self-serving Lancastrians; Harry Holland, Duke of Exeter and James Butler, the ‘Fleeing Earl’ of Wiltshire. Readers of my next novel may be happy to discover that Jasper was not always defeated in battle!

Finally, dear reader, if I have omitted to explain any further fictions or anomalies please feel free to tax me with them via my Facebook Page (Joanna Hickson), my Twitter account (@joannahickson) or on Goodreads, where I will endeavour to respond as soon as possible. Meanwhile if you have enjoyed First of the Tudors I hope you will consider reading young Harri Tudor’s story in my next novel which, while being very much Harri’s story, will pick up where this one finishes; so you will discover more of Jasper, Jane, Elin, Sian, Davvy and Margaret Beaufort, as well as many ‘new’ historical characters.

Thank you for reading!

Joanna

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS