Tim Darcy Ellis’s critically acclaimed debut novel, The Secret Diaries of Juan Luis Vives, has been awarded the Blueink Notable Book seal, the coveted Kirkus Star and the Indiereader Approved Star (4.9/5 for writing content).
In December 2020 the novel was announced as a top 40 book in the Kirkus list “Best of 2020: Our Favourite Indie Books.” Vice President of Kirkus Indie Karen Schechner gave the book a special mention:
The Secret Diaries of Juan Luis Vives by Tim Darcy Ellis follows 16th-century humanist Juan Luis Vives as he leaves Spain, his homeland, for England. He must adapt to odd customs, a new, Anglicized name (“John Lewis of Oxford”), and “the shifting tensions between Henry and Queen Catherine of Aragon, whose turbulent marriage becomes the central topic of the land,” says our reviewer. “Ellis writes all of this with marvelous gusto that’s more reminiscent of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall than of a more traditional Tudor novel….A fast-paced and richly engaging story about an intriguing historical figure.”
Tim was invited by the New York Review of Books to post a short synopsis of The Secret Diaries for the indie showcase in their Frankfurt Book Fair edition.
Tim had four radio interviews with BBC in late 2020, two of the interviews can be heard of Tim’s youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxG6OZkw9zrfYGsqcko88iw