Let us Talk of Many Things; of Books and Queens and Pirates, of Mystery and Kings...: My Coffee Pot Book Tour Guest: The Duty of Daughters by Wendy J. Dunn

Thursday, 30 July 2026

My Coffee Pot Book Tour Guest: The Duty of Daughters by Wendy J. Dunn

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About the Book

Book Title: The Duty of Daughters

Series: Falling Pomegranate Seeds

Author Name: Wendy J. Dunn

Publication Date: November 17, 2019

Publisher: Poesy Quill

Pages: 310

Genre: Historical Fiction

Any Triggers: Adult themes and situations.

Castile, 1490.

Doña Beatriz Galindo is an uneasy witness to the Holy War of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband, Ferdinand, King of Aragon. A holy war pushing the Moors out of territories ruled by them for centuries.

Beatriz does not want a life like other women. She desires power over her own destiny. Even if this means walking a far harder road.

A passionate and respected scholar, Beatriz serves her friend Queen Isabel of Castile as her advisor. She also tutors the queen’s youngest child, Catalina of Aragon.

Dedicated to Queen Isabel and her children, Beatriz guides the young Catalina of Aragon to walk her own hard life road.

But can she prepare Catalina to be England’s queen?

Buy Links:

Universal Buy Link – The Duty of Daughters: https://mybook.to/FPS

Universal Buy Link – El Deber de las Hijas: books2read.com/u/mVoKBA

Author Bio:

Award-winning Australian author of Tudor historical fiction, specialising in Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon novels.

Wendy J. Dunn is an award-winning Australian author, playwright and poet 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 narrating the Anne Boleyn story through the eyes of Sir Thomas Wyatt, the elder. Her family tree reveals the intriguing fact that one of her ancestral families – possibly over three generations – had purchased land from both the Boleyn and Wyatt families to build up their own holdings. It seems likely Wendy’s ancestors knew the Wyatts and Boleyns personally.

Her second novel, The Light in the Labyrinth, set during final days of Anne Boleyn's life, revisits the Anne Boleyn story through the eyes of her niece Catherine Carey. The Duty of Daughters and All Manner of Things tell the story of Katherine of Aragon. Shades of Yellow tells the story of a woman writing a novel about Amy Robsart.

All Dunn's award-winning works weave together the lyricism of poetry with the pulse of history, creating stories of love, loss, and the endurance of the human spirit.

Author Links:

Website:

http://www.wendyjdunn.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/authorwendyjdunn/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/wendyjdunnauthor/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@wendyjdunnauthor

Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/wendyjdunn.bsky.social

Book Bub:

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/wendy-j-dunn

TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyjdunn

Amazon Author Page:

https://amazon.com/author/wendyjdunn

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/197156.Wendy_J_Dunn

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-wendy-dunn-6358181a/

Newsletter:

https://wendyjdunn.substack.com/

read an excerpt

Excerpt 3:

Men shouted in sudden warning. Whips cracked, oxen bellowed in pain. The andas pitched forward and then violently to the left. The queen grabbed onto the stiff tapestry behind her, sewn securely into the wall. Her head whipping around, she looked at her daughters, as they fell hard against one another, crying out in pain and fear.

Flung one way and then another, Beatriz snatched at the stiff tapestry, grasping for a handhold. Loud cracks, snapping leather, bellowing oxen muffled the incoherent cries of her companions.

The andas jerked again, jarring to one side. Josefa, seeing her daughter perched perilously on her seat, reached out to little María. One more time the andas tottered, tilting over to one side. Josefa lost her balance and toppled between the facing seats. Her body thudded loudly on the floor, her cut-off cry smiting all to a terrible stillness. Josefa remained there, unmoving, silent.

“Mamá! Mamá!” her daughter cried, her eyes entreating the queen for help.

A babble of voices rose to a crescendo outside. The andas now steady, Beatriz, with caution, followed the queen, moving from her place on the upward slope. Crouching over Josefa, they gently rolled her over to her back. She lifted her eyes to meet the queen’s eyes. Queen Isabel waved Josefa’s daughter back without even glancing her way. She gently shook Josefa’s shoulder. “Cousin?”

Fanning out her hands either side of Josefa’s belly. Beatriz let out a breath of relief. “I felt a kick. The babe lives!” she said.

Josefa moaned. Beatriz gazed at her friend’s white face and now opened eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. Her pupils enlarged and skin as white as pure alabaster, Josefa looked terrified, and in great pain.

Beatriz helped the queen seat the dazed Josefa between them. Outside, men’s voices boomed, shouting over one another until the sound became a cacophony of confusion. Horses squealed and snorted, their hooves thundering around the andas like a violent storm.

One side of the andas opened up with a loud slap of leather. Beatriz blinked her eyes at the sudden rush of light. Josefa’s husband appeared, the strong angles of one side of his face all harsh shadows, the other bathed in light. After an anxious glance at his drooping wife, he vanished from sight. Beatriz heard him take charge. “Heave! Heave! Heave! Come on, men, work together. Get your backs into it, keep it steady. Right that wheel on its axle! You – over there. Check the ropes of the oxen. Remember, the queen is inside!”

With another violent jerk and shake, the andas became level again. Emitting a soft whimper, Josefa’s head fell against the queen’s shoulder. Queen Isabel bit her bottom lip and glanced aside at Beatriz. “How far to Sevilla, my friend?”

Trying to hide her growing fear and alarm, Beatriz lowered her head. “Hours away, my queen.”

“Shall I call a physician?” asked Queen Isabel.

Placing her palm on Josefa’s chest, Beatriz concentrated on counting the beats of her friend’s heart. She rubbed her face. Mother of God, help me. Josefa’s heart beats too fast. She gazed at the four infantas. Even Juana stayed still and quiet. It seemed a door had opened to a part of life none of them wanted to see. Even Isabel, a woman full-grown and old enough to be mother of both Catalina and María, kept her eyes fixed upon her lap.

Beatriz turned to Queen Isabel, keeping her voice down. “My queen, you know I speak the truth when I humbly say I am as learned as them.” She smiled grimly. “Remember, the two physicians accompanying us today were both once my students at Salamanca.” She put her hands upon Josefa’s belly. “I can care for her. I do not think her labour has started, but she’s hurt. I cannot easily judge how badly this might be while we remain cramped up here. The sooner we reach Sevilla the better.”