As I looked at my diary this morning, it suddenly dawned on me that it was on this day in 2009 that I wrote the very first post on this blog.
The post’s title was “In Search of Anne Boleyn” and it explained my purpose in starting The Anne Boleyn Files: “My purpose in starting this blog is to record and share my journey of discovery, my mission to expose the real Anne Boleyn.” It was a personal mission and I didn’t even consider the fact that other people might find my blog and interact with it!
It’s been quite a journey but my mission hasn’t changed. While I don’t believe that we can ever really “expose the real Anne Boleyn”, I try through my research and writing to challenge views that are based on suspect sources or fiction by pointing people at what the historical sources say. It is an ongoing journey and is quite a rollercoaster at times. I’ve made some wonderful friends on the way, I’ve interacted with Tudor history lovers from all over the world, I’ve visited places I never thought I would, I’ve spoken to historians and authors I’m quite frankly in awe of, I’ve written books and worked with other authors, and I’ve been able to immerse myself in historical sources for the last nine years! I am truly blessed.
Thank you for coming along on this journey with me. Thank you for contributing to this blog with your comments. Thank you for your patience with me when I get on my soapbox and have a bit of a rant. Thank you for bearing with me when I’m busy with a project. Thank you for the encouragement and support that have kept me going. Thank you for being there and caring about the woman who was Anne Boleyn.
