Excitement and panic are the feelings of the day for me today. The cover image for the George Boleyn biography Clare Cherry and I are working on came back from the illustrator today so Tim was able to work on it and turn it into a book cover – thanks Tim! When I saw it I was torn between excitement, because it looked so good, and panic because this means that we really need to get the book finished and off to the editor – aaaggghhh!
As there is no surviving contemporary portrait or sketch of George Boleyn, and I really didn’t want to use a headless Tudor man, I came up with the idea of using George’s signature, letters he wrote and the manuscripts he presented to his sister, Anne. Tim was able to sketch out a rough concept idea for the artist and we’re really pleased with what she came back with. What do you think? I hope you like it.
The next thing was to decide on a title and we’re still not 100% sure. I don’t like flowery titles, I agree with the Ronseal slogan: “does exactly what it says on the tin” and our book is a biography of George Boleyn. So, here’s what I came up with:
- The Life and Death of George Boleyn
- George Boleyn: A Life
- George Boleyn: A Biography
- The Life of George Boleyn
- George Boleyn
- George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat
- George Boleyn, Lord Rochford
Clare and I would appreciate some feedback, so please do comment below with your thoughts on the cover and title. We’re aiming for a publication date in April, depending on editing, and I will obviously post more information nearer the time. You can ensure that you hear about the book’s release by subscribing to The Anne Boleyn Files – simply sign up in the box in the left hand side menu bar.
Thank you for your support!
Lovely! I like the way the picture is laid out. I would pick it up for further inspection and to read the blurb!
Great cover!
Nice! I like “George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat”, it really says it all.
First, thank you for rejecting the headless man/woman that has been so popular the past few years. I love the use of the signature and the art work looks great. I also agree that George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat fleshes him out beyond his stereotypical role in his sister’s life.
I love the cover and the title ‘The Life of George Boleyn’ looks pretty good on it. I also like the bottom suggestion ‘George Boleyn, Lord Rochford’. Whatever name you decided on I look forward to reading.
I love the cover! I like either “George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat” or George Boleyn, Lord Rochford” for a title.
The signature is a great concept and focuses on his personna specifically, which is your intent. You could even use a much larger pic of the signature, making it the dominant feature of the graphic, so we see that as a focal point at the tip of the feather quill pen–further sparking our imagination as to ‘who was this man?’ This doesn’t then give you the historic setting/background you have shown with the sleeve, candle and so forth, but maybe a really strong signature of George brings an emphasis to your content?
As to title, I do like the name in the title and am tempted to add a tag line that I admit is a bit soapy but maybe DOES describe your approach to the content e.g., George Boleyn–Distinctions of Greatness Revealed, or George Boleyn- Emerging from Shadows, or, George Boleyn-A Life Revealed. I’m sure both authors are bringing us a perspective never seen, so your title can ‘say that’ (if not in the title, maybe inside frontispiece?), since you are presenting him ‘standing on his own,’ and in your words, outside the lens of the rest of the family dramas!
I’m sure this is more than you wanted but it will be eagerly awaited by all your loyal readers to learn more !
I like the cover…….it’s very eye catching.
As for the title I would choose •George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat
The Life and Death of George Boleyn……………..sounds too much like The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives.
Can’t wait to read your latest book.
I’m with everyone else I like George Boleyn:Poet,Coutier and Diplomat
I also like the idea of a bigger signature with the hand and the quill.
I like the Poet, Courtier and Diplomat the best as it illustrates something of a Renaissance man, then the Lord Rochford as I think his title might be a bit more recognizable to a casual reader than just his formal name (though I admit Boleyn should trigger some attention anyway)
I love the cover. It’s beautiful and very eye-catching.
I also like “George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat”. It says it all really and highlights some aspect of George’s life and personality that may not be familiar to non Tudor buffs.
Does the job for me 🙂
I have been listening too books on the wives of Henry VIII and what ever I can find. Can not wait too read this too!!!!
I like the title George Boleyn, Lord Rochford. I think it is simple and classy.
This is my favourite one too Rebecca.
The cover is very eye catching, and gives a clue to what he did in life to those who may not know of him.
Sorry, should have read ‘to those who may not know much about him’,
I can hardly wait to read your book. If I may suggest I would go with a simple title The Life and Death of George Boleyn. Also I love the cover however I would make the books look more aged. They look a bit too new and need to look more Medieval. Again I look forward to the publication of your book.
Thank you! I think we will probably be zooming in more on the image so the books may not even come into it.
I like “George Boleyn: Life”. I somehow feel it says more in simpler word. I’ve never read anything from George’s angle though he of course appears in any book or movie where Ann is concerened. I’ll look forward to read it! 🙂 I think the cover is very attractive – I bet it’ll catch attention of people who are not into the subject as well!
Life and Death for me, sounds dramatic and interesting.
What about a nice Tudor ring on his finger/thumb?
Cover looks great! As for the title, I’d be more likely to read George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier, and Diplomat, because it tells the reader right off the bat that George was far more than simply Anne Boleyn’s brother. Can wait to open it up and dive in!
George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat. I really like the cover. Well done ladies!
Headless George instead of Nearly Headless Nick? I agree with Diane that we are lucky that you decided not to go for the headless figure. Which would have been a little too much anyway!
I like the cover. Should the books etc. look older? I don’t think so. I like it the way it is…
George, A Life, and titles like that, sound a little boring to me. Just George Boleyn will have people wondering what it is…
I vote for George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier, and Diplomat.
I think it should be…. the Boleyn Brother , the life and death of George , I didnt even realize that his wife was later executed as well!
I’d go with ……..The Life Of GEORGE BOLEYN (Defamed Poet, Courtier and Diplomat). How can you not highlight the defamation which is, forgive me, the single reason we don’t know about him, and indeed, why we long to?
I like this one too….
By all means:
The Life and Death of George Boleyn.
Best wishes.
Mariella, from Italy
I really like George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier, and Diplomat! Only choice of titles that 100% caught my attention and makes me want to read the book. The other titles are so common.
“George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat” has my vote. The cover looks great. Well done Clare and Claire!
I like George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat. I agree that the cover looks fabulous!
I love the cover. I think Lord Rochford would be great. X
I love the cover and my pick for the title is:George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat. I think that it gives a picture of George as more than just Anne Boleyn’s brother, who was executed with her. He was a many faceted person and the title shows that.
Thank you!
for me I would like the life of lord rochford George Boleyn.
also I love the cover especially his beautiful hand .
Thank you, the artist did a wonderful job.
Now I see the two covers, yes the second one: G B Poet, Courtier Diplomat grabs the eye.
I like, “George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat”. The Life and Death is just another title version of the Anne Boleyn book, and I think his book should be different.
Thank you!
I do worry that the courtier diplomat title is too similar to the William H Dean thesis…
I don’t think so. I’ve just dug my copy out and it’s called “Sir Thomas Boleyn: The Courtier Diplomat, 1477-1539”, so I don’t think “George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat” is too similar, plus that’s a thesis and not a published book. I’m not worried and I think we’ll go with “George Boleyn: Tudor Poet, Courtier and Diplomat”. To be completely original you’d have to go flowery and I’d prefer the title to sum up what the book is about, i.e. George and fleshing him out as a person in his own right. All of the titles are similar to something, e.g. The Life of Anne Boleyn, Anne Boleyn, The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn, so you can’t be original really. If we went with “Rise and Fall” then it would be like Warnicke. It’s like all The Six Wives books!
That’s true! It’s a pretty cover too.
Thanks, she’s a wonderful artist.
I love the cover.
My pick for the title would be, George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat.
It let’s people know straight up that he was more than just a brother of Anne Boleyn. He had a life and a career at Henry’s court, and it started long before Anne made an appearance. It is long past time that people should know this. This is so exciting. I can’t wait to get this book.
I love the cover. (Please no headless people) My pick for the title is, George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat. It let’s people know right from the get go that George was more than just Anne’s brother who died with her. He had a career and a life all his own. I cannot wait for this book. It has been a long time coming.
I absolutely love your cover idea, & I think “poet, courtier, & diplomat” sums up George beautifully….I think it will also stand out more in library search engines. I cannot wait to read your book 🙂
Hi Claire, I love the cover and I would choose ‘George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat’. Well done!
Hi claire, I would pick “George Boleyn: Poet, Courtier and Diplomat. That title just jumped out at me. Can’t wait to read it. Well done and congradulations.
George Boleyn, A Biography. True, there are thousands of biographies, & this title would just be another one in a long list. But it says everything that anyone needs to know. I’m anxious to read the book.
I like the title “The Life of George Boleyn”