quarterdeck sea adventure & historical fiction newsletter - nov/dec 2008

AuthorInterviews:Julian Stockwin Michael Aye

QuQuararteterdrdeckeck

November/December 2008

CONTENTSNovember/December 2008

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ARCHIVE: 2006 - 2008

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PPrriicceess aarree ssuubbjjeecctt ttoo cchhaannggee wwiitthhoouutt nnoottiiccee..

DEPARTMENTS

SSccuuttttlleebbuuttttThe latest in news about authors and forthcoming titles in

nautical and historical fiction.

BByy GGeeoorrggee!!George Jepson rediscovers Jane Ann.

BBooookksshheellffThe Privateer’s Revenge by Julian Stockwin.

FEATURES

JJuulliiaann SSttoocckkwwiinn ......English novelist Julian Stockwin chats about his new

Thomas Kydd sea story, The Privateer’s Revenge, and his

plans for the series.

MMiicchhaaeell AAyyeeGeorgia-based author Michael Aye reveals the future of The

Fighting Anthonys and discusses his new novel, Barracuda.

RECENTLY LAUNCHED

Mutiny on the Bounty: A Novel by John Boyne

Peter Wicked by Broos Campbell

Treachery by Julian Stockwin (collectible,

signed-and-numbered edition)

The Sapphire Sea by John B. Robinson

A Fistful of Diamonds by John B. Robinson

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5

15

Cover: Detail from a painting by English marine artistGeoffrey Huband for the jacket cover of The Complete

Midshipman Bolitho by Alexander Kent.

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QUARTERDECK | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 | 1-888-266-5711 | www.mcbooks.com

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http://www.mcbooks.com/newsletter.php

JULIAN STOCKWINStockwin’s Maritime Miscellany: ADitty Bag of Wonders from the GoldenAge of Sail by Julian Stockwin,author of the Thomas Kydd sea sto-ries, will be published in the UnitedKingdom in July. Stockwin shareshis love and knowledge of the sea inthis entertaining collection of mar-itime stories and little-known trivia.

DEWEY LAMBDINA new Alan Lewrie naval adventureby Dewey Lambdin, The BalticGambit, will be published in hard-cover in February 2009. It will bethe 15th title in the series, followingTroubled Waters.

JAMES L. NELSONNaval historian James L. Nelson hasbegun work on a new book, tenta-tively titled George Washington’sGreat Gamble. The book will discusshow Washington, whose under-standing of the need for a navalforce was chronicled in George

3QUARTERDECK | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 | 1-888-266-5711 | www.mcbooks.com

SCUTTLEBUTT

NNEWEW BBOOOOKK

PPUBUBLILICC AATITIOONN DDAATESTES

2009 - 20102009 - 2010

US (United States)

UK (United Kingdom)

PB (Paperback)

TPB (Trade Paperback)

HC (Hardcover)

JanuaryJanuary

Troubled Waters (USTPB)

by Dewey Lambdin

FebruaryFebruary

The Baltic Gambit (USHC)

by Dewey Lambdin

AprilApril

For Love of Country (USHC)

by William C. Hammond

When Fortune Frowns (USHC)

by William H. White

MayMay

The Frigate Surprise (USHC)

by Geoff Hunt and Brian Lavery

The Hawk (UKPB)

by Peter Smalley

JulyJuly

Gathering Storm (UKHC)

by Peter Smalley

OctoberOctober

Invasion (USHC)

by Julian Stockwin

Mid-to-Late 2009Mid-to-Late 2009

In the King’s Name (USHC)

by Alexander Kent

Washington’s Secret Navy, finallyunderstood that the RevolutionaryWar was not going to be won with-out naval supremacy. The new bookwill look at the Battle of the Capes,the naval battle that gave the Frenchcontrol of the Chesapeake, and howall the elements came together,briefly and perfectly, to bring aboutthe American victory at Yorktown.Tentative publication date is winter2010.

WILLIAM H. WHITENovelist and maritime historianWilliam H. White’s new novel,When Fortune Frowns, will belaunched in April 2009. It is thestory of HMS Pandora, the RoyalNavy frigate sent after the mutineersfrom HMAV Bounty in 1790.White’s book is based on historicfacts taken from original documentsin the Naval Archives atPortsmouth, England. This little-known story is an important conclu-sion to the Bounty saga. After col-lecting most of the mutineers inTahiti, Pandora, under CaptainEdward Edwards, sailed for Englandby way of the Endeavor Straits justnorth of Australia, where shewrecked on a reef. Edwards, his sur-viving crew, and the mutineers madean open-boat journey to Coupangthat rivaled Captain William Bligh’sown voyage.

ALEXANDER KENTDouglas Reeman, writing asAlexander Kent, is at work on a newAdam Bolitho novel, which will becalled In the King’s Name. The bookis expected to be published in mid-to late 2009 and will be the 28thtitle in the popular naval fictionseries. It follows Heart of Oak.

Nearly a year ago, I rang MikeKiefer, who had built severalwooden boats for us, and

announced that Amy and I were movingback to southwestern Michigan fromIowa and were interested in a new boat.Our thought was that a 14-footWhitehall rigged for sailing and rowing

would fit our needs. Over the ensuingmonths, Mike and I discussed options asour move drew nearer.

By March, our new home was com-plete and the moving process was under-way. The boat ended up on the backburn-er until we could deal with the details ofsettling again in Michigan. Lake effectsnow was still falling, and shifting ourbelongings nearly four hundred miles wasbecoming ever more daunting.

As often as possible, I visited Mike’sshop in South Haven on the shore ofLake Michigan, less than a hour from ourhome. The aroma of freshly cut woods –especially the sassafras – paint, varnishand canvas, plus nearly finished vessels,were reminders that spring was near and a

4 QUARTERDECK | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 | 1-888-266-5711 | www.mcbooks.com

BY GEORGE!

JJaannee AAnnnn

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

new boat was in the offing.As the air warmed and snow melted

away for another season, Mike’s workload increased. One afternoon he askedwhether we could wait for delivery of ourboat – whatever design it was ultimatelyto be – until late summer or earlyautumn. Along with this request came apromise that one of several boats wouldbe available to us throughout the sum-mer. Although we were now in the newhouse, there was much to be done beforewe would call it home. So we agreed todelay delivery.

True to Mike’s word, there were count-less opportunities to sail again. On anearly June evening, we launched his cat-ketch-rigged 21-foot Caledonia Yawl,Whitehawk, in the Black River, whichflows into Lake Michigan. As we motoredthrough the basin in downtown SouthHaven and made a slight turn to star-board for the channel, the barn-red lightat the end of the pier hove into view offour port bow. The boat began to heave asthe current met the lake surge in thechannel. The main and mizzen sails filledwith a moderate southwesterly breeze, theengine was shut down, and we cleared thetwin pierheads, sailing easily into the biglake. It was an exhilerating welcomehome after being away from the GreatLakes for nearly 15 years. Munchingsandwiches and sipping soft drinks, wecoasted along, chatting about plans forour new boat.

By the time we hauled Whitehawk, itwas nearly dark and I was struggling withnagging feelings I couldn’t quite pinpoint.I had enjoyed the feel of having a solid

Rob Pittaway-designed cat-ketch-rigged daysailer ...

THOMAS PAINE KYDD, incommand of His Majesty’sbrig-sloop Teazer, has sunk tothe depths of depression fol-

lowing the tragic loss of his fiancée.Adding to his despair, the young sea offi-cer offends Admiral Lockwood and isordered to sail Teazer to the ChannelIslands for guard duty.

Stockwin deftly leadsKydd – and readers –through stormy emotion-al seas, culminating in theloss of his commandwhen he is brutallybetrayed off the Nor-mandy coast. Kydd’snaval career is seeminglyat an end. “I will not haveyou as an example to myfleet,” says Admiral SirJames Saumarez.

Defamed by treacheryand set ashore, Kydd’sonly solace is the friend-ship of Nicholas Renzi.

Together they begin to eke out a dismalexistence on Guernsey. Desperation leadsRenzi to become involved in covert opera-tions, while Kydd accepts the captaincy ofthe privateer Bien Heureuse, launching anew venture.

Even as Kydd takes the privateer tosea, he has hopes of clearing his name andrestoring his career in the navy he loves.


BOOKSHELF

TThhee PPrriivvaatteeeerr’’ss RReevveennggeeBy Julian Stockwin

After an unsuccessful voyage, investorspull their financial support and Kydd isbeached once again – until a shady char-acter from his recent past appears with afat purse and a proposition. Once again,Kydd finds himself engaged in privateer-ing, this time in command of the wickedWitch of Sarnia, a low and rakish black-hulled vessel, built especially for the tradeand fitted out to his specifications.

Stockwin paints vivid word pictures ofearly nineteenth-century life ashore and atsea in the Channel Islands, based on timespent there in preparation for this latestchapter in the Kydd saga. This is hisforte. He “lives” in the time about whichhe writes, breathing life into his charac-ters, revealing their world layer by layer.

In The Privateer’s Revenge, ThomasKydd suffers the loss of his beloved andstruggles to right himself, while dealingwith a betrayal which seems to be out ofhis control or understanding. Kydd’s met-tle and ability to cope appeals as theauthor continues to develop his character.

The Privateer’s Revenge reveals the ter-ror of Napoleonic France, which threat-ened England from just across the EnglishChannel in the early nineteenth century.Stockwin steeps his tale in surging seas,powder smoke, and the smell of canvasand tarred rigging.

US HARDCOVER | 318 PAGES | $24.00(See UK Collectible Edition on page 16.)

“Stirring stuff, liberally laced with shiploads of salty realism

and superbly written by a master storyteller ...”

Western Morning News

http://www.mcbooks.com/bookstore/product_details.php?id=741



JULIAN STOCKWIN

“Get a life!”“... I hadn’t the

slightest intentionof putting pen to

paper and writinga novel, let alone a

series on the Age of Sail.”

Julian and Kathy Stockwin in front of a portrait of

Admiral Sir James Samaurez during their trip to

Guernsey to research the new Thomas Paine Kydd

naval adventure, The Privateer’s Revenge (published as

Treachery in the United Kingdom).

Julian Stockwin’s new Thomas Kyddnaval adventure, The Privateer’sRevenge (published as Treachery inthe United Kingdom), is set in the

Channel Islands. As with the previousKydd novels, Stockwin and his literarypartner and wife, Kathy, went on location,crossing the English Channel to Guernseyto research the ninth title in the Kyddseries.

The author reflects on his journey as awriter and Thomas Kydd’s amazing careerin the Royal Navy in this interview withQuarterdeck:

JJuulliiaann,, tteellll uuss hhooww yyoouu ttrraannssiittiioonneedd iinnttoo aa lliiffee ooff wwrriittiinnggffrroomm yyoouurr ppaasstt ccaarreeeerrss..

Up until what seems just a few short years ago, I hadn'tthe slightest intention of putting pen to paper and writinga novel, let alone a series on the Age of Sail. I have mywife Kathy (an ex-magazine editor-in-chief ) completely to

blame. After having lived in HongKong for about 10 years (where Ihad moved into the computer field),I returned to the UK to head up abig software project. This was anextremely high pressure environ-ment and in 1996, when I finallysigned off on the work, my life wasabout to change forever. I sank intoan armchair and Kathy thrust a largetumbler of whiskey into my hand,looked me straight in the eye, andtold me in no uncertain terms to“Get a life!” I guess there’s noanswer to that! Without a singlepublished work to my name shesomehow knew that inside I was awriter (and that’s something I didn’tquite see at the time). She persuadedme to give away the systems analysisand take a half-time job at the localcollege as a tutor in computing. Theother half of the time I began learn-ing the nuts and bolts of the craft ofwriting.

Once I had agreed to try myhand at writing there could ofcourse only be one subject for me –the sea! And I chose the period thathad long fascinated me – the GreatAge of Fighting Sail – to be thebackdrop for whatever story I choseto tell, but I needed a focus. This allcrystallized when I came across someincredible statistics. It seems that inthe bitter French Wars at the end ofthe eighteenth and early nineteenthcentury, there were, out of the600,000 or so seamen who servedtheir King and country during thattime, some 200 who by their owncourage, resolution and brute tenaci-ty made the awe-inspiring journey from the fo’c’sle ascommon seaman to King’s officer onthe quarterdeck. This meant theychanged from common folk to the

gentry – becoming a gentleman thisway was no mean feat then! And ofthose 200, a total of perhaps 20became captains of their own ship;and a miraculous five or so attainedflag rank. We can’t be absolutely sureof the numbers as records areincomplete and not a one left anykind of record of their odyssey, howthey must have felt, what impelledthem to the top, but I knew thatthere I had my story. I’d write aboutone of those on his life journey fromcommon seaman to admiral.

I have sometimes been asked

whether I felt regret at not havingbecome a writer earlier in my life,but I think the answer is no.Coming to writing later in life hasmeant that I’ve had varied and richexperiences all around the world,and in a number of careers, all ofwhich I can now draw on to varyingdegrees when I write. Perhaps mostimportantly I have been both a sea-man and an officer in the Navy, andthese very different perspectives cer-tainly help inform Kydd’s life jour-ney.

YYoouurr ccuurrrreenntt bbooookk,, TThhee PPrriivvaatteeeerr’’ssRReevveennggee iiss tthhee nniinntthh iinn tthhee KKyyddddsseerriieess.. AAss yyoouu’’rree ffiinniisshhiinngg tthhee nneexxttbbooookk iinn tthhee sseerriieess ((wwoorrkkiinngg ttiittlleeIInnvvaassiioonn)),, hhooww ddoo yyoouu llooookk bbaacckk oonntthhiiss ““eeaarrllyy”” ppaarrtt ooff yyoouurr ccaarreeeerr??

I still have to pinch myself some-times to remind me that I am apublished author, not just of onebook, but nine. When my tenthbook comes out next year, I willhave over a million words in print!Looking back on the early part ofmy writing career of course I can seesome things in the books that Imight do differently now, but on thewhole I am proud of my creations.Kydd and Renzi seem so real to me(and have been so since the verystart) that they inhabit a sort of par-allel universe.

When I first started writing Iaimed to do something that otherwriters in the genre had not done. Iwanted to take the perspective of thecommon seaman as my point ofview, instead of the more usual offi-cer shouting orders from behind onthe quarterdeck. I had always feltthat justice had not been done tothe memory of the eighteenth cen-tury seaman, and people’s percep-tions were too encrusted with mythsand stereotypes. The real men at seain those days were neither saint norsinner, noble nor brutish, they werecommon foremast jacks who rose tothe occasion, and to me were thereal heroes in those turbulent times.Obviously my central character TomKydd has now moved on andbecome an officer, but it is verygratifying that many readers havetold me how much they enjoyed thisearly focus on the common man, soto speak, and the opportunity as a


JULIAN STOCKWIN

“... many readershave told me howmuch they enjoyedthis early focus onthe common man... and the oppor-tunity to grow andlearn with Kydd.”

reader to grow and learn with Kydd.

CCaann yyoouu ttaallkk aabboouutt tthhee ddeevveellooppmmeennttooff tthhee KKyydddd cchhaarraacctteerr?? AAss yyoouu bbeeggaannwwrriittiinngg tthhee nnoovveellss,, yyoouu mmuusstt hhaavveeiimmaaggiinneedd ssoommee ssoorrtt ooff ccaarreeeerr ttrraajjeecc--ttoorryy ffoorr hhiimm.. HHaavvee yyoouu ““ssttuucckk ttoo tthheessccrriipptt”” wwiitthh KKyydddd,, oorr hhaass hhiiss ccaarreeeerrttaakkeenn aannyy uunneexxppeecctteedd ttuurrnnss??

With my computer background, Istarted with a young man’s life at thebeginning of his career at sea andthen flow-charted out a number ofbooks to cover his life and eventual-ly becoming an admiral. There weresome things I had to be aware of,such as the length of time necessaryto serve before it was possible tomove up to the next rank (or rate)in the Sea Service. I am also veryparticular about following the his-torical record so I could not havehim in every fleet action as thiswould just be unrealistic. On thewhole I have stuck with the script,as you put it, but the deeper I havegot into the research the more I havebecome amazed at just how rich thisperiod is for an author's imagina-tion. My original conception of theseries was that it would be elevenbooks, that number is now revisedupwards, considerably.

TTeellll uuss aabboouutt yyoouurr rreesseeaarrcchh mmiissssiioonnffoorr TThhee PPrriivvaatteeeerr''ss RReevveennggee((TTrreeaacchheerryy))??

The Privateer’s Revenge was pub-lished simultaneously in the US andUK in October. Kathy and I spenta most enjoyable two weeks on loca-tion research in the Channel Islandsfor this book. I am a “visile” in thatwhen I write I need to be able to seethings in my mind’s eye. Also, I feel

there are certain intangibles about aplace – the smells, the colors – youcan only really get from actuallybeing there.

I found the Channel Islands fasci-nating. Due to their geographicalposition, they have close links toboth France and England. The capi-tal of Guernsey, St Peter Port, retainsmuch of its Georgian character, withsplendid residences, many built bysuccessful privateers or merchants ofKydd’s day. And the ancient castle ofMont Orgueil, which features in thebook, still lies at the head of Gorey

Bay in Jersey. As fiercely independ-ent as ever, to the inhabitants of theChannel Islands the loyal toast willalways be not to the Queen, but tothe Duke of Normandy (actuallyone and the same)!

IInn aaddddiittiioonn ttoo ffiinniisshhiinngg aa nneeww KKyyddddnnoovveell,, yyoouu aarree iinn tthhee pprroocceessss ooff wwrriitt--iinngg SSttoocckkwwiinn’’ss MMaarriittiimmee MMiisscceellllaannyy..WWhhaatt ccaann yyoouu tteellll uuss aabboouutt tthhiissnnoonnffiiccttiioonn wwoorrkk??

In the course of my research during

the writing of the Kydd series I con-tinued to come across fascinatingmaterial that for one reason oranother I could not incorporate intothose books. I just squirreled itaway, along with other snippets thatI had found over the years, evenbefore I started writing. I guess thisis what attracted me to the Age ofSail in the first place. It really wassuch a colorful period!

This collection of data continuedto grow and Kathy suggested that itwould make a wonderful miscellany.My agent Carole Blake agreed, too,and I was delighted when EburyPress, the largest publisher of generalnon-fiction in the UK, commis-sioned the miscellany. In the courseof discussing the work with my edi-tor at Ebury, Carey Smith, we decid-ed to widen the project to includethe period from the heroic Voyagesof Discovery in the fifteenth centurythrough the iconic Napoleonic warsto the glorious era of the grey-hounds of the sea, the clipper ships.We also decided to go with blackand white line drawings, many con-temporary to the time, to illustratethe work. It’s been great fun work-ing on this with Kathy and Carey,but I have to be very disciplinedwith my time as you can imagine.

OOff aallll yyoouurr KKyydddd nnoovveellss,, TThheeAAddmmiirraall’’ss DDaauugghhtteerr ggeenneerraatteedd ssoommeeddiissccoonntteenntt aammoonngg rreeaaddeerrss,, aallbbeeiittvveerryy ssmmaallll iinn nnuummbbeerr.. WWhhaatt ccaauusseeddtthhiiss rreeaaccttiioonn?? HHaavvee yyoouu hheeaarrdd ffrroommaannyy ooff tthheessee rreeaaddeerrss ssiinnccee tthhee ppuubbllii--ccaattiioonn ooff TThhee PPrriivvaatteeeerr’’ss RReevveennggee((TTrreeaacchheerryy))??

I have to tell you that The Admiral’sDaughter was a difficult book for meto write, dealing as it does with a


JULIAN STOCKWIN

“... I started with ayoung man’s life atthe beginning ofhis career at seaand then flow-charted out anumber of books tocover his life ...”

terrible personal loss for Kydd.However in the context of the seriesI felt it was important. As happensin real life, I wanted to show thatthings do not always go smoothly.Sometimes people are thrown a realcurve ball, and it is how theyrespond to personal tragedy andhardship that makes them interest-ing human beings. A few readerssaid they felt that Kydd should havestayed at sea just fighting theFrench, that women were an unnec-essary distraction to the story.However I have always said I wouldnever write formulaic fiction, Iwanted to be true both to the timesand to the way sailors really lived inthose times. Mariners did comeashore, and they did have relation-ships from time to time, some per-manent, some transient.

One reader recently got in touchwith me and said this:

“I thoroughly enjoyed TheAdmiral’s Daughter right up to thelast chapter, but the end left me feel-ing shocked and disappointed. I feltlet down by the death of Kydd’ssweetheart. I spent the next yearhoping things would get back ontrack, but concerned that the serieshad taken a turn in a direction thatoffered little hope for the future. Ishould have had more faith in you.Treachery put Kydd right back ontrack. I was thrilled by every twistand turn of the plot. The way mis-fortune turned to vindication wasmarvelous. Having read Treachery Ireread The Admiral’s Daughter andthis time, it was a totally differentread. Knowing that Kydd and Renziwould go on to rise above their cir-cumstances put the whole tragedyinto a new perspective. I now realisethat the ending of The Admiral’s


JULIAN STOCKWIN

Daughter was a brilliant and bravestroke. I almost feel I should apolo-gise to you for doubting your vision.Thank you for creating this wonder-ful series. I cannot tell you howmuch I am enjoying it.”

YYoouu hhaavvee ssaaiidd tthhaatt TThhee PPrriivvaatteeeerr’’ssRReevveennggee ((TTrreeaacchheerryy)) iiss tthhee ffiirrsstt ttiittlleeiinn aa ttrriillooggyy wwiitthhiinn tthhee KKyydddd sseerriieess..WWhhaatt pprroommpptteedd tthhiiss iiddeeaa?? WWhhaatt ccaannyyoouu sshhaarree wwiitthh uuss aabboouutt tthhee ttwwoottiittlleess ttoo ccoommee??

When I started digging deep into

the research for the build-up to thedefeat of Napoleon at the Battle ofTrafalgar I realized there was morethan one story there; in fact I felt itwas a trilogy. In The Privateer’sRevenge (Treachery) we first see Kyddbecoming really aware of the size ofthe French menace. Then inInvasion (book 10) he becomes cen-trally involved in the activities tocounter the fearsome invasion plansof Napoleon. Finally, Victory (book11) deals with the culmination of allthis, and tells the story of one of the

grandest combat spectacles in histo-ry, the Battle of Trafalgar.

WWiitthh IInnvvaassiioonn ccoommpplleetteedd aanndd ssoooonnttoo bbee iinn tthhee hhaannddss ooff yyoouurr ppuubblliisshh--eerrss,, wwhhaatt aarree yyoouurr ppllaannss ffoorr rreesseeaarrcchh--iinngg tthhee nneexxtt bbooookk iinn tthhee sseerriieess,,VViiccttoorryy??

Victory will in many ways be one ofthe most challenging to date. It isthe story of the Battle of Trafalgar.In early December, Kathy and I willtravel to Portsmouth where I havebeen given permission to have spe-cial access to HMS Victory. Ofcourse I already know the ship verywell, but soon I will be familiar withevery nook and cranny. As well, Iwill be consulting various expertsand documentary sources in thelibraries, museums and archives inPortsmouth.

YYoouu wweerree rreecceennttllyy pprreesseenntteedd wwiitthh aabbrriilllliiaanntt ssccaallee mmooddeell ooff HHMMSSTTeeaazzeerr,, TThhoommaass KKyydddd’’ss ffiirrsstt ccoomm--mmaanndd.. HHooww ddiidd tthhiiss ccoommee aabboouutt??WWhheerree iiss tthhee sshhiipp pprreesseennttllyy bbeerrtthheedd??

About a year ago I was contacted bya reader called John Thompson,who told me how much he lovedthe series. We exchanged severalemails and he then made the incred-ible offer to build me a model ofwhichever ship in the series I wouldlike. After I got over the shock ofsuch a generous gesture the choicewas obvious: Teazer, Kydd’s firstcommand. John kept a build logduring the course of the project,which is on our website:

www.julianstockwin.com.

It was truly fascinating to watch the

“... digging deepinto the researchfor the build-up to... the Battle ofTrafalgar, I real-ized there wasmore than onestory there.”

progress of the model from a fewflimsy pieces of wood to the stun-ning creation John presented mewith in October. In total, he put inover 850 hours on the ship! I was approached by the head librar-ian of Devon’s newest library, atIvybridge, who asked whether Iwould consider loaning the modelfor the official opening by HerRoyal Highness Princess Anne? Itwas a great honour, and on the day Ipresented Princess Anne with asigned hardback of Command,which of course is the book inwhich Kydd first meets the lovelyTeazer.

The model is now in our home,taking pride of place in the diningroom, possibly the most nauticalroom in the house (my studyexcepted) as there are many seaprints by Derek Gardner, JohnChancellor and Geoff Hunt adorn-ing the walls.

IIss tthheerree aannyytthhiinngg eellssee yyoouu wwoouulldd lliikkeettoo sshhaarree wwiitthh oouurr rreeaaddeerrss??

Just to say how very privileged I feelto be able to do what I do. When Ifirst started out on this literary jour-ney it seemed so daunting. Could Iwrite one book, let alone a series?Now it is hard to imagine not writ-ing about Tom Kydd and NicholasRenzi.

It always gives me great pleasureto get emails from readers and Ianswer each one personally. Soplease do get in touch if you haveany comments on the books([email protected]). And why not enter the contest for acomplete set of the Kydd books todate? There are two sets up for grabs(see box at right)!


For a chance to win one of two

complete sets of Thomas Kydd

naval adventure trade paper-

backs (US editions) to date

(plus The Privateer’s Revengein hardback), answer the fol-

lowing question: In what year

did McBooks Press publish its

first book?

To enter the contest, send

your answer via email to:

[email protected].

The deadline is December 15,

2008. Winners will be notified

by email.

WWiinn aa CCoommpplleettee SSeett ooffKKyydddd NNaavvaall AAddvveennttuurreess

JULIAN STOCKWIN

British modeller John Thompson built this scale model of Kydd's first command,

the little brig-sloop HMS Teazer, and recently presented it to Julian and Kathy

Stockwin. Visit the Stockwin website (www.julianstockwin.com) for more pho-

tos and Thompson’s project log.


Michael Aye, a retired United States Navy officerwith combat service aboard destroyers duringthe Vietnam War, continues the saga of TheFighting Anthonys and their service to the

King in Barracuda, the third title in the series.The author reveals his plans for The Fighting Anthonys in

this interview with Quarterdeck:

YYoouurr ccuurrrreenntt nnoovveell,, BBaarrrraaccuuddaa,, iiss tthheetthhiirrdd ttiittllee iinn tthhee ssaaggaa ooff TThhee FFiigghhttiinnggAAnntthhoonnyyss,, aanndd ttaakkeess ppllaaccee dduurriinngg tthheeAAmmeerriiccaann RReevvoolluuttiioonn.. HHooww ffaarr iinnttootthhee ffuuttuurree ddoo yyoouu ppllaann ttoo ffoollllooww tthheeAAnntthhoonnyyss??

My intent is to follow the war yearsfrom 1775 to 1783, with at least onebook covering each year. However, Iintend to do two books for the years1778 to 1780, when a lot of eventstook place with France, and laterSpain, entering the war as allies tothe newly united Colonies. I intendto continue with Admiral LordAnthony and Gabe as the main char-acters, but other characters will comeand go, playing key parts in eachbook. I have named characters in

honor of real-life people, but do not base any character on anactual person. I would not invade their privacy by doing sucha thing.

Baseball great Ray Knight, who was the MVP for the 1986World Series Champion New York Mets, and his wife, Hall

Michael Aye with wife, Pat.

“My intent is tofollow the war

years from 1775 to1783, with at leastone book covering

each year.”

MICHAEL AYE

TThhee FFiigghhttiinngg AAnntthhoonnyyss

of Fame golfer Nancy Lopez, arecharacters in Barracuda. These won-derful people have been very gener-ous and supportive of my grandson,who was paralyzed in a four-wheeleraccident a year ago. God truly holdsa place in heaven for them.

My next book, which will betitled SeaHorse, will have two newcharacters. One is based on a friendwhose ancestor was a Scottish Lord(his Ragland Castle still standstoday). The other is based on aWorld War II vet who served aboarda crash boat named SeaHorse in thePacific – a hero in his own right.

Andy Gunnells, the sailing masterin Barracuda, is a pharmaceuticalcompany representative who calls onme. With a name like Gunnells,how could I not include him?

HHooww ddiidd yyoouu sseelleecctt tthhee hhiissttoorriiccaallttiimmee ppeerriioodd aaggaaiinnsstt wwhhiicchh tthhee ffiirrsstttthhrreeee ttiittlleess iinn tthhee sseerriieess aarree sseett??

At the time the series was startednobody was writing about that peri-od. Also, it’s a time in which I’vealways been fascinated, by the dar-ing and willingness of our forefa-thers to take on an overwhelmingpower and risk all that they helddear to be free men, to not compro-mise their beliefs or principles andto stand fast for what they believedto be fair and just treatment.

Being a history buff, I have stud-ied the period to the point I’vebecome quite familiar with it. I’venumerous reference books in mylibrary dealing with both Colonialand British viewpoints. Novelist andmaritime historian James Nelson haswritten several non-fiction textsabout the era and I’ve been surprisedhow closely our interest lies. I would

like to say that while my books arewritten from a British point of view,the main characters have doubtsabout the political views of the pow-ers in London – not unlike some ofthe feelings circulating in this coun-try today. While our main charactershave doubts they do fight for theflag and do their duty as calledupon.

HHooww iimmppoorrttaanntt iiss hhiissttoorriiccaall ccrreeddiibbiill--

iittyy iinn ccrreeaattiinngg eennggaaggiinngg ffiiccttiioonn ffoorrrreeaaddeerrss??

Very much so. I try to write aboutthe little known facts so as to not berepetitive of other works. I havebeen known to move events upwardsor backwards to coincide with mystoryline, but overall I try to remainhistorically accurate. I also try toadd a historical note that ties thetrue events and my story together.I’ve had numerous emails from read-ers telling me they like this and feelit adds a special touch.

WWhheenn yyoouu aarree wwoorrkkiinngg oonn aa nnoovveell,,ddoo yyoouu ffiinndd yyoouurrsseellff ffaalllliinngg iinnttoo tthheeppaasstt??

Yes, much more than I can expressand often to the point my wife hasto break my reverie. I have writtenseveral poems at such times and theyare on my website at

www.michaelaye.com.

One is entitled Battle Fatigue:

BBAATTTTLLEE FFAATTIIGGUUEE© Michael Aye

I take a breath and look around me,I’m grateful to be alive.

The guns, they’re all silent now,But, the smoke still burns my eyes.

There’s a heaviness within me,It takes a heavy toll.

It burns like rum going down,To an empty, aching soul.

HHooww ddiidd yyoouu rreesseeaarrcchh BBaarrrraaccuuddaa??

Some of the research was done dur-ing a fishing trip to St. Augustine,Florida. The rest was done via myreference library and online. Thehistory of Florida is pretty interest-ing, and I’d recommend the fishingto anybody.

DDoo yyoouu ffiinndd yyoouurr ppeerrssoonnaall eexxppeerrii--eennccee sseerrvviinngg iinn tthhee UUnniitteedd SSttaatteessNNaavvyy iinnfflluueenncceess yyoouurr wwrriittiinngg??

I don’t think I could write a seanovel without having my experi-ences in the Navy to reflect upon.The rigidity of the watch, the struc-ture, discipline and organization ofshipboard life is something youdon’t forget. When I write about thesea I want the reader to feel the


MICHAEL AYE

“... it’s a time inwhich I’ve alwaysbeen fascinated, by

the daring andwillingness of ourforefathers to takeon an overwhelm-

ing power ... ”

emotions I felt when facing a situa-tion. The desperate sinking feelingthat grips your soul when you manyour battle station and it’s not adrill; the unease of riding out a hur-ricane or facing any of nature’s ele-ments. Being on water rations, tast-ing food that freshness has longdeserted. The camaraderie of tellingsea stories or smoking your pipe onthe stern with the sun setting on thehorizon. I could never write of thesethings had I not experienced themfirsthand.

HHooww iimmppoorrttaanntt iiss yyoouurr rreeffeerreenncceelliibbrraarryy ttoo yyoouurr wwrriittiinngg??

Very important. While I’ve visitedmost of the places I write about, theway it is now and how it was in1776 is totally different. Boston,Massachusetts is a prime example.So is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania andCharleston, South Carolina. Byviewing maps of the era it’s easier tounderstand how the lay of the landinfluenced events. I have prints ofantique maps, books on weaponry,Revolutionary War medicine, crossreferences that deal with uniforms orin some cases lack thereof. This is inaddition to my many books dealingwith various ships, shipboard life,navigation and sail handling. All ofthem are invaluable in my writing.

WWhhaatt ccaann yyoouu tteellll oouurr rreeaaddeerrss aabboouuttBBaarrrraaccuuddaa,, wwiitthhoouutt ssppooiilliinngg tthheepplloott??

It deals with the AmericanRevolution and British East Florida.Lord Anthony’s squadron finds itselfbalancing the intricacies of protect-ing St. Augustine from Colonialinvasion by both land and sea. It


MICHAEL AYE

NAVAL FICTION

33 -- BBaarrrraaccuuddaaBy Michael Aye

Admiral Lord Gilbert Anthony andhis brother, Lieutenant GabrielAnthony, fighting for the Crownduring the American Revolution,find adventure, daring pirates, anda ghost ship!

The ghost ship Barracuda pliesthe waters off the coast of SaintAugustine, Florida in 1777. TheBarracuda takes no prize and leavesno one alive. Tracking down theBarracuda is only one of the manychallenges and battles the brothersface when assigned to protectFlorida Loyalists.

US TRADE PAPERBACK | 233 PAGES | $16.95

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also depicts Spanish settlers whodecided to stay in St. Augustinewhen the British traded Cuba(Havana) for Florida, some of whomwere believed to be spies. A numberof real persons from that era addauthenticity. Barracuda featuresfamiliar characters so that readersfeel at home even as new charactersare introduced. Gabe rekindles hislove life. The war, now three yearsold, is starting to wear on men andships. I have tried to intersperseaction, adventure, romance, humorand, at times, sadness.

TThhee SSeeaaHHoorrssee iiss tthhee nneexxtt ttiittllee iinn tthheesseerriieess.. WWhheerree wwiillll tthhiiss bbooookk ttaakkeeAAddmmiirraall LLoorrdd GGiillbbeerrtt AAnntthhoonnyy??

The book will open with a ship-board action. This will take place inBarbados. Meanwhile, LordAnthony has taken his squadronback to England for a much neededrefit and R&R. Gabe will have timeat home, as a surprise awaits readers.However, the war continues and theneed for Lord Anthony’s leadershipis greater than ever. Summoned tothe Admiralty, he is given a newflagship, and is sent once more todeal with troubles in the WestIndies. Sir Joseph Ragland will beintroduced as will as a new master,an old salt named George Jepson.An old but not forgotten nemesisalso makes an appearance.

DDoo yyoouu hhaavvee ootthheerr wwrriittiinngg pprroojjeeccttssuunnddeerrwwaayy iinn aaddddiittiioonn ttoo TThheeFFiigghhttiinngg AAnntthhoonnyyss??

I have just completed the first bookin a planned trilogy called MalachiMundy, Book One, Birth of a Nation.The main character is an American


MICHAEL AYEprivateer. It is a Christian novel.Malachi Mundy once commanded abrig in the British Navy during theSeven Year War, or as we Colonialscalled it, The French and IndianWars. During this time Mundy wasable to build up enough prizemoney to purchase a plantation nearBeaufort, South Carolina. Here hemarried and had six sons (namedafter my grandsons). He loses hiswife to illness and faces raising hischildren without their mother, withthe help of an aunt and free blacks.When the Revolutionary War breaks

out Malachi seizes the opportunityto help furnish the Colonial armywith much needed war supplies,while at the same time puttingtogether a great sum of money tosecure the future for his boys andthe plantation, Three Notch. All ofthis is done amid a spiritual strugglewith regard to the war and takinganother’s life. I have included char-acters from The Fighting Anthonysand Isaac Biddlecomb from JimNelson’s series, Revolution at Sea,

(with Jim’s permission of course). Iwould like to thank Jim for hisencouragement and words of wis-dom.

The new series does not yet havea publisher. However, the manu-script has had wonderful critiques.This book was written to fill what Iperceive is a void in available fictionfor the male sector in the Christianmarket. I’m also writing it as a trib-ute to my mom. She said after read-ing The Reaper, “It’s good, but howabout writing something for theLord?”

IIss tthheerree aannyytthhiinngg eellssee yyoouu wwoouulldd lliikkeettoo sshhaarree wwiitthh oouurr rreeaaddeerrss??

I would like to thank the readers forsupporting me by purchasing TheFighting Anthonys. All proceedsfrom the series go to my grandson’strust for spinal care.

I appreciate all the wonderfulemails I get and I will continue toanswer them the same day if possi-ble. Thus far, I’ve received emailsfrom the United States, Canada,Mexico and Great Britain. I’d alsolike to thank my publisher, BosonBooks, for taking a chance on meand Age of Sail. Nobody could havea better group to work with.

I’d also like to thank Carrie Skallafor doing such a wonderful job withthe cover art on Barracuda, her first.Hopefully we will collaborate onmany more.

Finally, I’d like to thank AlexSkutt and the team at McBooksPress for continuing to bring theAge of Sail to loyal readers, even inthese difficult economic times.

Visit Michael Aye online atwww.michaelaye.com.

“... it’s a time inwhich I’ve alwaysbeen fascinated by

the daring andwillingness of ourforefathers to takeon an overwhelm-

ing power ... ”

QUARTERDECK | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 | 1-888-266-5711 | www.mcbooks.com 15

RECENTLY LAUNCHEDNaval Fiction

MMuuttiinnyy oonn tthhee BBoouunnttyyBy John Boyne

DDeecceemmbbeerr 2233,, 11778877,,PPoorrttssmmoouutthh ...

A fourteen-year-oldboy, John JacobTurnstile, has got intotrouble with the policeon one too many occa-sions and is on his wayto prison when an offeris put to him. A shiphas been refitted overthe last few monthsand is about to set sailwith an important mis-sion. The boy who wasexpected to serve as the captain’s personal valet has beeninjured and a replacement must be found immediately.The deal is struck and Turnstile finds himself on board,meeting the captain, just as the ship sets sail. The vesselis HMS Bounty and the captain is William Bligh. Theirdestination is Tahiti.

Mutiny on the Bounty is the first novel to explore allthe events relating to the Bounty’s voyage, from theirlong journey across the ocean to their adventures on theisland of Tahiti and the subsequent forty-eight-day expe-dition towards Timor. A vivid recreation of the famousmutiny, the story is packed with humor, high dramaand historical detail, while presenting a very differentportrait of Captain Bligh and Mr Christian than hasever been shown before.

UK Hardcover | 496 pages | $31.95

John Boyne was born in Ireland in 1971. He is the authorof five previous novels, including the international best-seller The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, which won two IrishBook Awards, was shortlisted for the British Book Award,and has recently been made into a Miramax feature film.His novels are published in over thirty languages. Boynelives in Dublin.

PPeetteerr WWiicckkeeddBy Broos Campbell

Navy Lieutenant MattyGraves is still recover-ing from his ordealduring the slave rebel-lion in the Frenchcolony of Saint-Dómingue when he isordered to Washingtonto answer questionsabout the death of hisformer captain. Onhome soil he must dealwith the mystery andshame surrounding hisbirth, as well as theattractions of his bestfriend's sister. But when he's offered a command of hisown, he seizes the opportunity to make a name and for-tune for himself – even if it means destroying thoseclosest to him.

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McBooks Thrillers

TThhee BBooookk ooff MMaatttthheewwBy Thomas White

A series of horrifying murdersplagues San Francisco.Homicide Inspector ClemsonYao enlists the help of AngieStrachan – a Realtor who is aformer policewoman. Thetwo face off against a ghoul-ish, black-humored serialkiller who whimsically refersto his grotesque, sadisticmurders as "messies."

Gripped by a macabreobsession for a decade, he'sevolved into a grandmaster ofslow agonizing death, roam-ing the globe to catalog themost despicable methods of execution and keeping hisresearch in dozens of leather-bound notebooks.

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Collectible Edition

TTrreeaacchheerryyBy Julian Stockwin

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Please be aware that this book has different titles inthe United States and the United Kingdom. McBooksPress publishes the ninth volume of the Kydd series ina handsome US edition for $24.00 under the title ThePrivateer’s Revenge (see page 5). Hodder & Stoughtonpublishes the same volume in the UK under the titleTreachery.

We are offering a small number of UK first editionssets to collectors of Julian Stockwin’s works. The illus-tration above shows the book cover; the signed, num-bered, and embossed title page; an enlarged detail ofthe embossing; and both sides of the signed commemo-rative postcard. The leather bookmark isn’t shown.

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BY GEORGE!CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

hull underneath us and I liked the roominess of theyawl. A Whitehall, I figured, would be much more ten-der and that was beginning to bother me, anticipatinggrandchildren aboard. On the drive home, my thoughtsturned to a previous boat we had owned, an 18-footgaff-rigged, cat-ketch designed by former MysticSeaport naval architect Rob Pittaway. It had been builtfor us by Mike in the summer of 1996, but had neverreally been satisfactory for the small Iowa lakes. It hadbeen designed for coastal sailing in New England. Acouple of years back, we had traded the vessel – called a“Robin” by her designer – for a smaller craft better suit-ed to conditions on the prairie. The Robin, I reasoned,had many of the same characteristics as Whitehawk, notthe least of which was safety and stability on the biglake.

The next morning, I phoned Mike. Trying to soundnonchalant, I said something like, “By the way, whatev-er happened to the Robin?” Some months earlier, thedrummer from a 1970s rock band had made overturesto Mike about buying her. There was a slight pause atthe other end of the line (as my heart started to sink),and then Mike said, “The deal fell through ... she’s sit-ting in a barn near here, and ...” I quickly interrupted,not even trying to disguise my elation: “What kind of adeal could we make in lieu of a new boat? I think she’sjust what we want ... built for the big lake.” Suddenly,we were both on the same page, stumbling over eachother’s words, wondering why this hadn’t occurred toeither of us sooner.

A couple of days later, the Robin was sitting inMike’s yard, outside the shop, as we sluiced away thelayers of barn dust and dirt. She sure looked good tome. It wasn’t long before the white lapstrake hull withthe bright blue sheerstrake was rigged and ready for asummer of sailing. Over the next three months, wenearly sailed the bottom off her, dropping everything ata moment’s notice on good days. When breezes of 10-20 knots were forecast, Mike would drive to the beachto check out sailing conditions. Last summer they werefavorable more than not. Minutes after planting his feetin the sugar-white sand and assessing conditions, he’dphone to inquire as to how quickly I could be there.

One Saturday morning in August, with autumn onthe horizon, the call came with a report of southerlywinds of 15-20 knots, gusting a bit above that range. By

10:00 AM we had the southerly breeze at our backs asthe Robin surged along on three- to five- foot waves,with an occasional rogue topping six feet, as we jour-neyed along the Lake Michigan dunes from SouthHaven to Saugatauk some 20 miles north. These werethe conditions for which the Robin was designed. Threehours later, we came about and were soon sliding alongin the lee of the breakwater, looking forward to lunchand a rendezvous with Mike’s wife, Sue, who wouldmeet us with the trailer. Although this wasn’t our lastouting of the summer, it was the one that will be mostremembered as we sit in front of a fire this winter whilethe snow blankets our little bit of Michigan.

As for the Robin, she’s snugged down in Mike’s shopas I write. Her bronze hardware and seats have beentemporarily removed. A new flat cockpit sole has beenbuilt and installed, replacing the floorboards that hadfollowed the vessels contours. Soon she’ll have fresh var-nish and paint, along with new rigging, and a new,lighter hollow mizzen mast. After a dozen years, includ-ing almost two in a barn, she deserves a refitting andcrisp livery. The final touch will be a pair of hard-carvednameboards, with her original name: Jane Ann, for ouronly daughter.

GGeeoorrggee JJeeppssoonn

Editor’s Note: As November winds blow and leaves continue todrop, there is snow in the air. I am pleased as punch to be backat the helm of Quarterdeck and look forward to bringing wordof exciting new books and interviews with the talented folks whowrite them in the months to come.

ID Booth Building

520 North Meadow Street

Ithaca, NY 14850

quarterdeck sea adventure & historical fiction newsletter - nov/dec 2008

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