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Quarterdeck
CELEBRATING HISTORICAL LITERATURE & ART
Inside
Michael Aye
Rick Campbell
Julian Stockwin
July /August 2016
Contents
Quarterdeck
A B-M J
J / A 2016
INTERVIEW
9
Rick Campbell
Former United States naval officer Rick Campbell describes
the story behind his writing career and new submarine thriller
T S
C
COLUMNS
3
4
Scuttlebutt
News from nautical and historical fiction, naval and maritime
history, maritime museums and marine art
EDITOR & MANAGING DIRECTOR
George D. Jepson
[email protected]
By George!
Coastal Treasures
5
Dispatches
Novelist Michael Aye reports from Barbados in the Caribbean
16
Essay
Julian Stockwin describes a day in the life of an author
DEPARTMENTS
14
Review
Ice Station Nautilus by Rick Campbell
15
Review
On the Account by Helen Hollick
19
Sea Fiction
23
Historical Fiction
25
Sea History
29
Music Tribute
Quarterdeck is published bi-monthly by
Tall Ships Communications
6952 Cypress Bay Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
269-372-4673
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
Amy A. Jepson
[email protected]
McBOOKS
press
Quarterdeck is distributed by
McBooks Press, Inc.
ID Booth Building
520 North Meadow Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
PUBLISHER
Alexander Skutt
607-272-2114
[email protected]
www.mcbooks.com
ART DIRECTOR
Panda Musgrove
[email protected]
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EMERITUS
Jackie Swift
ON THE COVER:
Watercolor “The Darkening Sea” by
English marine artist Geoffrey Huband,
which served as cover art for the
Alexander Kent novel of the same title
in the Richard Bolitho series.
2 | July / August 2016
Scuttlebutt
JULIAN STOCKWIN
E
nglish novelist Julian Stockwin has two
new novels coming out in late summer
and early autumn.
The seventeenth Thomas Kydd naval adventure, Inferno, will be published in the U.S.
by McBooks Press and by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK in October. Napoleon
Bonaparte’s ambitions for world domination
are growing, and when Captain Sir Thomas
Kydd returns to take up command of his
ship, Tyger, he finds himself part of a great
armada on a mission of the utmost urgency.
Britain is alone and isolated in Europe. If the
kingdom is to thwart a deadly threat she
must move very quickly to secure her position with neutral Denmark.
The second title in Stockwin’s Game-Changers Series, The Powder of
Death, will be published by Allison & Busby in the United Kingdom. It follows The Silk Tree. The standalone novel tells the story of the re-discovery of gunpowder, one man’s obsession with the powder of death, and
Edward III's determination to use it to his advantage. He does so at the
Battle of Crecy, the first full-scale battle at which guns are deployed in
the field. The nature of warfare is changed forever, and the world hears
the death-knell of knightly chivalry.
New Book
Launches
2016
US (United States)
UK (United Kingdom)
TPB (Trade Paperback)
PB (Paperback)
HB (Hardback)
EB (Ebook)
NF (Nonfiction)
JULY
A Dawn Like Thunder (USTPB)
by Douglas Reeman
On the Account (USTPB)
Helen Hollick
AUGUST
The Flag of Freedom (USTPB)
by Seth Hunter
The Commodore (USHB)
By P. T. Deutermann
JOAN DRUETT
N
ew Zealand-based author Joan Druett
has written a biography of William “Bully” Hayes, a legendary nineteenth-century
character. Famous throughout the Pacific,
from the U.S. to Australia, Captain Bully
Hayes has been the inspiration for writers
ranging from Robert Louis Stevenson to
James A. Michener and Frank Clune. Rousing
films have been based on his life, and his
name adorns bars and hotels across the Pacific. But the truth is both less noble and
more intriguing than the myth. The Hayes
legend was a product of the popular press,
which was determined to construct a romantic figure to feed their readers’ appetites. This, the first proper biography of Hayes, simultaneously sorts the facts from the fantasy and
recounts an amazing true story of a genuine rogue and adventurer,
against the backdrop of the Pacific during the great age of trade under
sail. The book will be published by HarperCollins in August in Australia
and New Zealand. Watch Scuttlebutt for the release of the U.S. Edition.
3 | July / August 2016
The Powder of Death (UKHB)
by Julian Stockwin
SEPTEMBER
The Time of Terror (USTPB)
by Seth Hunter
The Tide of War (USTPB)
by Seth Hunter
OCTOBER
Inferno (USHB/UKHB)
by Julian Stockwin
Tyger (USTPB)
by Julian Stockwin
By George!
CoastalTreasures
Photo by the author.
I
warm
morning in Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia, whose colonial
roots date back to 1608. The
historic port city along the Elizabeth
River, which lies across from Norfolk,
was coming alive, with the arrival of
spring.
Birds sang under an azure-blue sky
filled with sunshine, as Amy and I
strolled along quiet and peaceful High
Street. We were headed toward Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery
to collect a beautiful carved white
whale table lamp we had ordered.
Stepping into the shop, a bell jingled, announcing our arrival. My first
reaction was like that of a young child
in a sweet shop or bakery. My eyes
brightened as I scanned the resplendent
showroom, which brimmed with nautical artifacts and marine art.
The proprietors, Joe and Alison Elder, founded the unique establishment
thirteen years ago. Their approach to
conducting business is a throwback to
an earlier, simpler time, which immediately reminded Amy and I of our
days at the helm of Tall Ships Books.
We were soon sharing experiences from
our mom-and-pop operations.
It wasn’t surprising that Joe’s passion for things maritime started in part
as a boy reading nautical adventure
stories. In one section of the shop, the
Elders carry a selection used and new
maritime fiction and nonfiction. Customers traversing the Intercoastal WaT WAS AN UNSEASONABLY
Allison and Joe Elder
terway along the Atlantic often visit,
looking for reading materials on the
voyages.
In the course of our discussion, we
learned that Joe is the co-author of a
novel, The Legend of Hornigold’s Treasure (see page 27).
As we chatted, my inquisitive nature
took over, and Joe agreed to an interview about Skipjack, an uncommon
business anywhere in the world.
What was the genesis of your interest
in the nautical world and maritime artifacts?
4 | July / August 2016
I'm not really sure when that would
have been. I did not grow up in a maritime world nor do I have a navy family
background like so many of my childhood friends. I believe it stemmed
from reading books and watching old
movies about pirates and the life
aboard tall ships. That’s a fascination
that has been with me since my childhood. The actual artifact aspect was
from visiting maritime museums like
the Mariners Museum in Newport
News, Virginia and going aboard replica vessels like the Susan Constant and
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
Dispatches
BARBADOS
Michael Aye’s Caribbean Report
Georgia-based novelist Michael Aye, author of The Fighting Anthonys naval adventure series, makes an annual research trip to somewhere in the Caribbean, where much of
the action in his novels takes place. This year, his destination was Barbados, which he and his wife, Pat, visited in
advance of beginning work on the next title in the series,
Leopard. This is Aye’s report on the island.
dies and Bahamian islands we have previously visited.
The tourist industry is a major source of revenue. A
new cruise ship entered or exited the Deep Water Harbor in Carlisle Bay every day we went to Bridgetown,
the capital and largest city in Barbados. The marina
there was full of luxurious yachts.
Driving around the island, we were amazed at the
number of roads. A major east-west four lane divided
ASTER CAME EARLY THIS YEAR. Pollen
highway crosses the southern portion of the island.
counts in South Georgia have been extremely
However, the northerly central or coastal roads are not
high. So, rather than face the IRS and spoil
much more than very narrow pig trails with dangerous
our annual research
curves. Navigating these roads was
trip, we left earlier than usual. Our
highly frustrating. While there is
destination was the island of Baran abundance of roads, directional
bados.
posts and signs are scarce.
Several of my books in the
The islanders are very friendly
Fighting Anthony’s series have had
people and speak English, but their
the main characters based in Bardialect makes it very difficult to
bados. Some of my descriptions
understand. They always seemed
were based on the memory of a
happy to stop whatever they were
young sailor from nearly forty
doing to help a lost tourist.
years ago. As Leopard, the next in
The population is near three
the series, will be based on actual
hundred thousand full time resievents and places on Barbados, I
dents. While tourism is a big infelt it was time to revisit the island,
dustry, sugar cane has been a big
so that my descriptions would be
part of the Barbados economy
Michael Aye
accurate.
since the island was settled by EuBarbados is a pear shaped island, twenty one miles
ropeans. It remains so today. Acres upon acres of sugar
long and fourteen miles wide at its greatest width. The
cane filled the sides of roads. The industry is mostly
island sits thirteen degrees north of the equator so the
mechanized today, but we still saw tractors and trucks
sun is very bright and hot. Unlike most other Caribbean
loaded with farm hands. Some trucks also carried tons
islands, Barbados is not volcanic, but composed of deep
of harvested cane.
ocean sediments covered by coral limestone. The south
Sugar cane fields are burned before harvesting, as
and west coasts have endless beaches. The east coast is
they were two hundred years ago. This simplifies harfull of rugged cliffs and dangerous Atlantic surfs.
vesting, reducing the need for manual labor. When the
Barbados is much more advanced than the West Infields are set on fire, nearly eighty percent of the straw,
Photo by Pat Fowler
E
5 | July / August 2016
Photo courtesy of the author.
Photo courtesy of the author.
Ragged Point, Barbados
Ragged Point Lighthouse
the tops, and the green and dry leaves are burned. Pests
and micro-organisms are also killed. On one occasion,
Pat and I drove down a road where the fields were being
burned. The smoke was black and visibility was minimal, even with our headlights on. The smell of smoke
encompassed most of the central island.
Sugar is big business for the island. Both local brown
and refined white sugar have a wonderful taste. Molasses is also made from the sugar cane. Mount Gay rum,
which is produced on Barbados, uses large quantities of
the locally produced molasses. Established in 1703, the
rum is distributed worldwide.
In addition to sugar cane, we saw acres of banana
trees, large fields of planted vegetables and even one
field of planted cotton.
Livestock also seemed to be plentiful. Several times
we observed pastures full of horses and cattle. We were
unexpectedly surprised to sighting oil wells. Passing one
sugar cane field, we approached a section that was
mowed clean, with three oil wells sitting in the middle.
Researching this, I found that the island’s oil has been
nationalized and produces a little over one thousand
barrels per day. Gas, however, is still not cheap, costing
$2.25 per liter in Barbados dollars.
6 | July / August 2016
Photo courtesy of the author.
One of our primary reasons for visiting Barbados was
to explore Harrison’s Cave. It plays an important part
in Leopard’s storyline. Harrison’s Cave was first mentioned in 1647 by historian Richard Ligon, who stated
that the island caves were frequently used by runaway
slaves. The cave was named for Thomas Harrison, who
owned the land in the early 1700s. In 1733, he established what is known today as Harrison College.
While the existence of the cave has been known for
years, Tony Mason, who grew up in Saint Thomas Parish, is credited with exploration of the cave along with a
Danish explorer, Ole Sorenson. It has become one of
the top attractions on Barbados. A gallery of stalactites
hang from the cave’s roof. Huge formations of stalagmites – some of them pure white – rise from the floor of
the cave.
Unlike many Caribbean islands where water is undrinkable and in poor supply, Barbados has an abundance of water. Rainwater flows downward through the
island’s gullies into the coral rock. Eventually, the
ground water accumulates in aquifers, which are visible
throughout the cave. Streams of crystal clear water runs
through the cave, forming small lakes and emerald pools
in places.
At one spot, Barry, our guide, showed us a thirty-foot
waterfall. Harrison’s Cave was all I hoped it would be
and more. Barry told us he drinks the water in the cave,
which tastes better than any bottled water you can buy.
Green monkeys are numerous on Barbados. Like
dogs and cats in the United States, they will unexpectedly dart in front of you. This happened to us. Pat
wanted to see the monkeys up close, so we drove to the
Barbados Wildlife Reserve. This lies in the northern
Saint Peter Parish. The roads to the reserve were some
of the worst we encountered.
Dwellings along the road were shacks constructed of
various materials. There was no indoor plumbing. Each
village along the way had huge water tanks, with most
located just off the road. Women carried jugs of water
on their heads. One young boy had a wheelbarrow full
of plastic gallon jugs that he was filling.
Once at the reserve, we were greeted by the monkeys,
who were not afraid. They would take fruit from our
hands and then scamper off to eat. Bananas and grapes
appeared to be their favorites. Peacocks, flamingos, and
pelicans also walked the grounds. In addition, we observed small Brocket deer, turtles, iguanas, and other
The Nelson statue in Bridgetown was erected 1813.
small rabbit-like animals, along with huge, brightly-colored parrots, cockatiels and small birds.
One day, despite the cruise ship crowds, we went to
Bridgetown for a walking tour, where we learned that
Barbados was first settled by the English in the 1600s.
Bridgetown was founded in 1628. It was initially named
Indian River Bridge because of the structure that
crossed the Constitution River.
It was not an ideal location, as it sat on a mosquito
infested swamp. In 1654, over twenty thousand people
died from cholera. However, the area looked out over
Carlisle Bay, so the settlement stayed and the port was
developed. During the seventeenth century, it was one
of the main ports in the world.
National Hero’s Square was originally called Trafalgar Square. It was renamed in 1999 to honor the national heroes of Barbados. Nelson’s statue is the only
real vestige of the Royal Navy I found on the island.
Native Bajans (as native Barbadians often call them-
7 | July / August 2016
8 | July / August 2016
Photo courtesy of the author.
selves) had a strong affection for
Nelson who visited Barbados just
six months before his death. His
statue was erected in 1813.
Downtown, we visited the Parliament Building and Museum. The
latter is housed in the former British
military prison, Saint Ann’s Garrison. The entire museum deals with
the resolution of slavery and the
island’s early leaders.
From the museum, we visited the
Barbados Garrison. In 1785, Britain
established permanent land forces
in the Windward and Leeward Islands with Barbados as the headAncient cannons pointed seaward at Charles Fort
quarters. The Georgian building
dates back to 1802. Today the focal point of the garriful. Surf along the shore at Bathsheba looks like white
son complex is the Central Savannah, the island’s only
milk, and is said to be rich in health-giving minerals.
horse racetrack, which is managed by the Barbados Turf
Pools have been carved by the sea out of the inshore
Club.
coral reef, where rum punch parties at the pools are said
Leaving the Garrison, we visited the George Washto be an unique experience.
ington House. Barbados is the only foreign country
Surprisingly for such an out-of-the-way location,
Washington visited. He traveled to the island with his
Bathsheba was overrun with mostly older tourists. The
brother, who was suffering from consumption (or tuvillage is also called the Soup Bowl, where championberculosis). It was thought that the island’s clean air
ship surfing competitions are held in the big rolling Atwould aid his brother’s recover – it did not. While on
lantic waves.
the island, Washington developed a case of smallpox.
Oistins is a small fishing village at the southern aspect
He recovered, giving him immunity for life, which may
of Barbados in Christ Church Parish. On Friday nights,
have prevented a life threatening case later in life.
it’s the home of the fish fry. Tourists arrive in huge tour
Our next stop was Charles Fort. A line of cannons
buses. The entire town is packed and traffic is bumper
mounted on the seawall, which are aimed out into the
to bumper. The food is the main draw. All types of fish
harbor, are all that remains of the structure. At one
– tuna, marlin, mahi-mahi, and lobster – are served
point, we could see several cannons in the surf at the
grilled or fried. For those who don’t like fish, chicken is
base of the seawall. Wayne, our museum guide, told us
served. Flames leap out of grills, as you pass down the
that old cannons have been found all over the island.
walk. Plentiful seating consists of rustic old tables and
About four hundred have been found in gardens, celbenches, rickety chairs or upside down buckets. Music
lars, on beaches and in the surf, as well as buried below
blares from speakers. It might be calypso, Jimmy Buffet,
old outposts and fortifications.
or an islander singing Garth Brooks. A plate of fish and
Along the rugged east coast on the road to Bathshea beer cost about fifteen to seventeen U.S. dollars.
ba, a small fishing village, the Ragged Point Lighthouse
On our last day on Barbados, we went to Crane
stands sentinel over the sea. It was built out of coral
Beach,
which is considered one of the top beaches in the
stone in 1875. While it is closed now, the edge of the
world. I’d not go that far, but with piña coladas in fresh
cliff on which it was built offers a fantastic view of the
coconuts, lounge chairs and an umbrella, we had to
Atlantic and the high cliffs along eastern shore.
agree it was nice.
Legend has it that Bathsheba, wife of biblical King
Until next year, fair winds.
David, bathed in milk to keep her skin soft and beauti-
Credit: Kimberly Drooks Photography
Interview
Rick Campbell
RICK CAMPBELL
by George Jepson
A
proved to be the
impetus that launched former United
States naval officer Rick Campbell on a
passage to becoming a published author,
whose submarine thrillers are compared to Tom
Clancy’s The Hunt for Red October.
It began when he returned to
Cocoa, Florida, for his twentieth high
school reunion, says Campbell. “Our class advisor,
an older and wiser man, took the microphone at the
end of the night and posed a question to us all:
‘What would you do if you weren’t afraid?’ I felt like
he was talking directly to me, and I resolved that
TRIP BACK IN TIME
moment to write that book.”
“That book” eventually became The Trident Deception, which was published in 2014 by St. Martin’s Press,
and was followed in 2015 by the sequel, Empire Rising.
The third title in the series, Ice Station Nautilus (see review on page 10), has just been released in
hardback.
Campbell’s naval career spanned
more than thirty years. During that
time, his varied assignments and experiences created a
knowledge on which the authenticity of his novels rest.
After graduating from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, he was accepted into the
Navy’s submarine program, with an initial assignment
9 | July / August 2016
aboard the ballistic missile submarine USS John Adams. Over the
course of his naval career, Campbell
served aboard four nuclear powered
submarines and completed tours in
the Pentagon and with the Undersea Weapons Program Office. In his
last submarine, he was one of two
officers whose permission was required to launch the boat’s twentyfour nuclear warhead-tipped missiles.
Campbell, who resides in the
greater Washington, DC, area with
his wife and three children, recently
shared the background behind his
writing career with Quarterdeck:
Once you were determined to write
a novel, what was the genesis of
your first effort?
told me that writing officer fitness
reports qualified me as a fiction
writer.
Was The Trident Deception your
first attempt at writing naval fiction?
It was my second attempt at writing, but my first attempt at naval
fiction. The book I resolved to write
at my high school reunion I call
book zero, because it went nowhere.
However, I decided to give it another try, and there’s an adage in writing that says, “Either write what
you love, or write what you know.”
I’d written what I loved and no one
else loved it, so I wrote what I
How do you research your novels?
Two ways. The first is through
interviews with subject matter experts in the areas where I’m not an
expert, such as aircraft carrier operations, fighter pilot scenes, SEAL
operations, submarine rescue, etc.
For more standard stuff, thank God
for the Internet. Or maybe Al Gore.
There’s an amazing amount of information readily available now that
would have taken months of research in libraries and additional
interviews to obtain. It’s particularly
useful when a scene occurs in a foreign locale you’ve never been to,
and you don’t want to spend several
thousand dollars to take a look
around. Google Earth is pretty
helpful.
“The book I resolved to write
at my high school reunion I
call book zero, because it
went nowhere.”
I had a story rolling around in
my head for twenty years, but I
could never put pen to paper,
because I thought I had zero
chance of getting it published.
I had no background in writing; my education and training is in
engineering and I didn’t know the
first thing about writing a book,
and even if I did write it, how was I
going to do a better job than the
tens of thousands of people who
have degrees in journalism and creative writing and years of experience
in the writing profession? Basically,
I figured a snowball had a better
chance in hell than me getting a
book deal.
Had you written much during your
years in the Navy?
Not at all, except a lot of one-page
point papers and officer fitness
reports. However, someone once
knew. That turned out much better; I ended up with a two-book
deal – The Trident Deception and a
sequel.
Do you write the sort of story you
would like to read, or do you write
strictly for readers?
My first two books were written
solely based on what I thought
made a great story; something I’d
like to read. For book three, I made
a few modifications based on reader
feedback, and I intend to take into
account what works and what
doesn’t from a reader perspective in
future writings.
10 | July / August 2016
Do you plot out your novels
before beginning to write?
Very much so. I complete a
detailed outline, by chapter,
before starting writing. All the
events are mapped out.
At what point in the process do you
begin writing?
As soon as the last book is turned in
and revisions are complete, I’m free
to start writing, assuming the outline
is done. Sometimes I have to delay
writing the next book until I wrap
up the promotional efforts for the
book that just came out. I technically have a year to write each book, but
that year is divided into three efforts:
promoting the book that just came
out, supporting the editing and production phases of the book I just
turned in (revisions, copyedits, and
interior design proofing), and writ-
ing the next book. So I really only
have four to five months to write
each book.
Please describe where you write?
I have an office at home. However,
I still have a teenage daughter, and
our house is the local hangout for
her friends, it seems. Thankfully, I
can close the door to my office
when I need to concentrate.
Are there fiction or nonfiction projects you would like to pursue in the
future unrelated to your present
work?
I’d like to publish book zero, which
has morphed into a five-book
series. It’s different from the
military thrillers I write now,
and the main problem is that it
doesn’t fit neatly into any
genre. It’s technically a military
science-fiction paranormal romance (and I wonder why I
didn’t get an offer for it). I’d
also like to write naval non-fiction
at some point, when I have more
time. Maybe five to ten years in the
future.
reversed it. The Hunt for Red October was written over thirty years
ago. What would it look like in the
twenty-first century, with the Soviets hunting down a U.S. ballistic
missile submarine? The basic problem with that storyline is that the
Soviet Union doesn’t exist any more
and the Russian Navy is a shell of
its former self. My assessment was
the Russian Navy could not find a
U.S. ballistic missile submarine hiding in the Atlantic Ocean. So I decided to switch oceans, to the
Pacific. But I had the same problem. The two major navies are Chinese and Russian, and neither have
the ability to find one of our submarines in the deep, blue-water ar-
have been more pleased with the
comparison.
Did you find your second and third
novels – Emprise Rising and Ice Station Nautilus – easier to write?
Each book was difficult to write in
its own way. The Trident Deception
was very difficult, because I was still
learning how to write, and it went
through several tortuous revisions
before I figured things out. Empire
Rising was challenging, because I
was not a subject-matter expert on
the scenes required. Empire Rising is
an all-out naval war between the
U.S. and China, and in addition to
submarine scenes, I had to write
aircraft carrier, pilot, and SEAL
scenes that were impossible to
do correctly without assistance
from others. Thankfully, I was
able to connect with the necessary experts who guided me
though the scenarios. Ice Station Nautilus was difficult, because it was the first book I’d
written under a deadline with only
a few months to complete, whereas
I had many months to tinker with
my first two books, based on their
release schedule.
“. . . I started with the gold
standard in the genre . . .
Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for
Red October.”
Once you decided to write The Trident Deception, how did you proceed to develop your storyline? Was
additional research required beyond
what you already knew?
When I decided to write a submarine thriller, I started with the gold
standard in the genre, in my opinion – Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for
Red October. My first thought was,
“Why didn’t I think of that?” Then
I wondered what the story would
look like if you modernized and
eas of the Pacific. I came to the
solemn realization that the only navy that had the ability to find a U.S.
ballistic missile submarine in the
middle of the Pacific Ocean was the
U.S. Navy. DING! That was it. But
that created an even greater challenge for me. How do you get to
the point where the president orders
the Pacific Fleet to hunt down and
sink one of its own submarines, and
have the reader believe it could actually happen? That was a tall
mountain to climb, but I apparently
did a decent job, because Booklist
proclaimed The Trident Deception
as the best submarine novel written
in the last thirty years – since The
Hunt for Red October. I couldn’t
11 | July / August 2016
What is on your horizon after Ice
Station Nautilus?
I’m under contract for a fourth
book, due out in 2017, and I’ll be
up for a contract for books five-plus
later this fall. My plan is to keep
writing naval thrillers for many
years, and somewhere around book
ten push to get my book zero series
published, assuming I can find a
publisher foolish enough to be interested in a military science-fiction
paranormal romance.
Do you have a regular writing routine? Are you a rapid writer?
I write whenever I have time –
when I’m not distracted from promotional efforts for the book that
just came out or supporting the
book I just turned in. I need large
blocks of time; if I don’t have at
least a three-hour block, I can’t
even get going, as I have to settle
into the plot and how the scene I’m
working on hooks into everything
else. Once I get going, I prefer writing in large blocks of time, and it’s
not uncommon for me to write
twelve to fourteen hours a day.
Overall, I’d say I’m a slow writer. I can spend all day and have
only five hundred words to
show for my effort, while other
writers can end up with thousands.
Was it difficult finding your
writing voice?
experts I interviewed for the book,
letting them provide feedback to
ensure the scenarios are plausible
and the details are correct. As I get
towards the final manuscript,
there’s a cadre of fellow writers I
turn to, who provide feedback on
the prose and identify notable deficiencies in the plot.
Do you have a personal research
library?
I have only a small selection of
books, because much of the information I need isn’t available in
books. For example, I’ll need to
know the launch sequence of an
F/A-18 from a carrier deck, what a
ing a shower, and especially right
before I doze off to sleep. I keep a
sticky pad and pen on my nightstand, because it seems the best
ideas and problem resolutions pop
into my head just before I fall
asleep.
What sort of reader were you as a
boy?
I was an avid reader, easily devouring a book in a single day. But I
read mostly science fiction and fantasy, so those are my favorite authors – Tolkein, Herbert, Asimov,
Burroughs, Heinlein, Eddings,
Donaldson, McCaffrey, Piers Anthony, etc.
“Overall, I’d say I’m a slow
writer. I can spend all day and
have only five hundred words
to show for my effort . . . ”
Yes, because I don’t know what it
is. I apparently have one, because
my editor has commented on it, but
I don’t have a clue as to what it is.
I just keep working on the prose
until it “sounds right” to me, and I
guess the end product is my voice.
Do you bounce your manuscript
drafts off anyone as you write?
Not as I write. The end product
looks nothing like the first draft, as
I’m just trying to get the story
down on paper. Once it’s done and
through a few cleanup revisions, I
break it apart and send the applicable chapters to the subject matter
SEAL team does on a mission using
one of their mini-subs, and the dialog and reports from an aircraft carrier as it’s under attack. The details
that are available are incomplete
and pigeon-holed in numerous
books. It’s a whole lot easier to interview an F/A-18 pilot, a SEAL
Delivery Vehicle (SDV) SEAL, and
an aircraft carrier Operations Officer.
Are you able to set your manuscripts aside while you were working on them or are they always in
your subconscious?
Once I start working on it, it’s always there – when I’m driving, tak12 | July / August 2016
What is the last book you read
for enjoyment?
I don’t get to read as much as
I’d like to due to time constraints. I read mostly for research, gleaning information to
support what I’m writing. But
the last book I read for pleasure is a
book by Patrick Lee, the fantastic
New York Times bestselling author
of Runner and his latest book, Signal. If you like espionage style
books, with a touch of Sci-fi, pick
up one of his books.
Who are writers you most admire?
The writers with book deals. Actually, it’s the writers without book
deals who never give up. I have
friends who kept writing in the face
of endless rejections from literary
agents and editors, then got an offer
on their ninth or tenth book. I
don’t think I would have lasted that
long.
Name three historical figures, living
or dead, whom you would enjoy
chatting with over dinner.
RICK CAMPBELL FICTION
The first two would be my mom
and dad, who died when I was in
my thirties. I left home and joined
the Navy when I was seventeen, and
when I made it home the next few
years, I was more interested in
hanging out with my high school
friends than my parents. In later
years, I moved around and was deployed so much in the Navy that I
rarely had time to visit. By the time
I settled down and had the time
and inclination, they were gone,
and only now do I really appreciate
who they were what they did for
me. It’d be great to be able to
spend time with them as an adult.
As for the third historical figure,
I’ve never made a list; there are so
many people I’d love to talk to. Jesus Christ comes to mind, as it’d be
a fascinating discussion. I’d love to
get the straight scoop, plus I probably wouldn’t have to worry about
running out of wine during dinner.
(St. Martin’s Press, $9.99, U.S. Paperback /
$12.99, Kindle / $2.99, NOOK) On a routine
patrol, the USS Kentucky, a Trident ballistic
missile submarine carrying a full complement of nuclear warheads, receives a
launch order. What the Kentucky’s crew
does not know is that the order did not
come from the U.S. Government, but from
a rogue intelligence group – one with operatives secretly embedded within Western
intelligence organizations who are intent
on using the Kentucky to carry out a devastating agenda. Iran has completed its first
nuclear weapon and, in ten days, will detonate it. The target is Israel.
The rogue operatives plan to use a false code to send the submarine
to destroy Iran. But the Kentucky is not responding to the recall codes.
And time is running out . . . Now it’s up to a senior Navy officer,
whose own son is aboard the Kentucky, to find, intercept, and neutralize the sub before it unleashes a nuclear attack. As the conspiracy
slowly unfolds and the deception grows ever deeper, it’s up to one
man to save millions of lives – and the fate of the world itself.
Is there anything else you would
like to say to our readers?
Time for a book promo plug. If you
enjoy submarine novels and military thrillers, I recommend you
check out my series, starting with
The Trident Deception, followed by
Empire Rising. Both books were
Barnes and Noble Top 20 bestsellers, and are among the highest rated
submarine thrillers on Amazon.
Visit Rick Campbell online at
www.rickcampbellauthor.com
The Trident Deception
Empire Rising
(St. Martin’s Press, $9.99, U.S. Paperback /
$9.99, Kindle and NOOK) After a long, secret military buildup, China launches a swift
and deadly attack on Taiwan. But that’s only their first move in a much deadlier game.
Chinese president and party secretary Xiang Chenglei has both a problem and a
plan. China’s limited supply of oil is threatening to derail its economic growth and
prosperity. Having failed to win access to a
greater supply diplomatically, he sets his
backup plan in motion. And what is war,
but diplomacy by other means? The U.S.
Pacific Fleet is sent in to repel the invading Chinese forces, which the
U.S. military expects to be an easy operation. But China is able to
overwhelm the American fleet. In fact, China all but wipes out the U.S.
Pacific Fleet – leaving them free to turn to their real objective – invasion and expansion across Asia, starting with the four main islands of
Japan. It falls to an unlikely alliance of three people to stop this incursion and prevent an all-but-inevitable global war: National Security
Advisor Christine O’Connor, Captain Murray Wilson, commanding officer of the submarine USS Michigan, and Navy SEAL Jake Harrison.
13 | July / August 2016
Review
A NEW COLD WAR
by George Jepson
S
date
back to Run Silent, Run Deep
by Edward L. Beach, a World
War II novel, which rapidly
ascended The New York Times bestseller list in 1955.
Nearly three decades later, The Hunt
for Red October launched Tom Clancy’s writing career during the Cold
War. President Ronald Reagan called
the book “a perfect yarn.”
Two years ago, former United States
Navy submarine officer Rick Campbell
breathed new life into the genre, with
his debut novel, The Trident Deception.
The sequel, Empire Rising, firmly established his credentials as heir apparent to Beach and Clancy.
Campbell’s new novel, Ice Station
Nautilus, is galvanizing and timely, as
our world drifts toward a return to the
Cold War days. Russia has a robust
submarine building boom underway,
while its fighter aircraft have lately
made threatening gestures toward
American warships and planes in international waters and airspace.
Campbell’s storyline, though fictional, is laced with enough reality, including actual ships, fighting units and
combat capabilities, to give one pause
in light of recent events.
The pride of the Russian fleet, Yury
Dolgoruky – the navy’s new Borei-class
ballistic missile submarine – is about to
sail for the first time, after years of delays, replacing the aging Typhoon-class
and Delta-class boats. Stretching 170
meters, the sub is designed to carry sixUBMARINE THRILLERS
ICE STATION NAUTILUS
St. Martin’s Press, $26.99,
U.S. Hardback /
$12.99, Kindle and NOOK
teen Bulava ballistic missiles.
Off the coast of Russia’s Kola Peninsula, Yury Dolgoruky, carrying a secret
of vital interest to the United States,
submerges in the Barents Sea, shadowed by the stealthy Virginia-class fast
attack submarine USS North Dakota.
Under the polar ice cap, the Russian
boat performs a complicated underwater ballet in an effort to evade the trailing American boat. When the two
high-tech behemoths collide, both are
severely damaged.
The United States dispatches the
14 | July / August 2016
Ohio-class guided missile submarine
USS Michigan, with its SEAL team,
while a surface rescue party flies to the
ice cap to organize and secure a base,
Ice Station Nautilus.
The Russians send two additional
nuclear submarines and a Polar Spetsnaz Unit – special forces – to neutralize
the American camp and assure that the
U.S. does not gain access to Yury Dolgoruky. The secret that lies concealed
within her hull must be preserved at all
costs.
The Spetsnaz sweep into Ice Station
Nautilus with overwhelming lethal
force, gain control and set off in the
American undersea rescue vehicle to
capture North Dakota and her crew.
Michigan and her SEAL team arrive,
countering the Russian presence, while,
the lives of Dolgoruky’s officers and
sailors, and those aboard the North Dakota, remain at risk. The arrival of two
more Russian subs further complicates
matters, threatening all involved.
Ice Station Nautilus moves at a staccato pace, fueled by spare, crisp prose,
brief chapters, and authentic submarine scenes. Spellbinding action flows
deftly above and below the ice, pitting
the United States against Russia in a
deadly high-stakes scuffle that may not
end the way either side desires.
Rick Campbell’s mastery of the
techno-thriller, writing for a twentiethfirst-century audience, pays homage to
those who preceded him in the genre.
If a new Cold War is on the horizon,
his fiction could well become reality.
Review
SEA WITCH VOYAGES
by George Jepson
T
installment
in the Sea Witch Voyages is another delightful
guilty pleasure, a journey back to the early 1700s, from
the pen of English novelist Helen
Hollick.
On the Account is Captain Jesamiah Acorne’s fifth voyage, replete
with Hollick’s stylish blend of mystery, betrayal, intrigue, smuggling,
murder, love, sex, Barbary pirates,
and mysticism – all neatly wrapped
in a spirited sea tale.
The previous title in the series,
Ripples in the Sand, drew to a close
in early 1719, with Acorne’s treasured Sea Witch laying aground
below Crow Point at the mouths of
the River Taw and the River Torridge on North Devon’s rugged
coast in the Bristol Channel. As his
wife, Tiola, watched from a distance, he was seized, shackled and
marched away by King George’s
militiamen.
The redcoats were lying in wait,
alerted that Sea Witch carried a man
claiming to be James Francis Edward Stuart – King James III – returning to England from exile
during one Jacobite Rebellion.
Locked in the Bristol gaol, awaiting trial on charges of treason and
smuggling – hanging offenses –
Acorne learns that the “king” was
HE LATEST
ON THE ACCOUNT
Silverwood Books, $26.99,
U.S. Trade Paperback /
$12.99, Kindle and NOOK
an imposter, sent as a decoy, while
the real James sailed with a Spanish
invasion fleet, planning to enter the
country by “the back door.”
While Acorne despairs, Tiola – a
witch of the White Craft – lies injured on the moors near the cliffs
overlooking the Atlantic, where she
is found by Maha’dun, a Night
Walker, a man who, like her, possesses other-worldly qualities.
The mystical aspect of Hollick’s
stories are much like Diana Galba15 | July / August 2016
don’s highly popular Outlander
novels and television series, allowing
readers to indulge their imaginations.
Maha’dun reveals that he seeks a
black box made from the Bones of
the Devil’s Own, which must be
destroyed to release the souls within
and end their suffering.
In Bristol, the arrival of an alluring woman in court – an English
spy – along with her private tête-àtête with the judge in his chambers,
finds Jesamiah once again at liberty,
but with a debt to pay.
Stalked by a mysterious murderer, Jesamiah is bound to recover a
lost boy and a valuable box, which
is sought by many others. With Sea
Witch repaired in the shipyard of
John Benson (a real figure in Devon
maritime history), he sets a course
for the Spanish coast by way of the
Channel Islands.
Acorne’s quest leads him into
treacherous seas in pursuit of Barbary pirates aboard the Safeena
Hambra (the Red Ship), who have
captured Tiola and carry a human
cargo – kidnapped children.
Helen Hollick’s Sea Witch Voyages are beautifully written, beguiling yarns, which are spiced with
fanciful twists. Captain Acorne will
next appear in Gallows Wake, the
sixth adventure in the series.
Essay
A Day in the Life
By Julian Stockwin
Quarterdeck asked Julian Stockwin, author of the Thomas
Kydd naval adventures, to describe a typical day in his
writing life. Stockwin’s next Kydd novel, Inferno, will be
published in October in the U.S. by McBooks Press and in
the UK by Hodder & Stoughton. His latest standalone
novel, The Powder of Death (see review on page 14), the
second title in The GameChangers Series, will be released
in August in the UK by Allison & Busby.
Yes
and no. There is generally a core period
of writing – after all, 100,000 words has
to be delivered to the publisher for each
book, and on time – but there’s a lot more to a wordsmith’s schedule than this. Of course it depends on the
time of year – pre-publication is especially busy with
store visits, book signing, media engagements. I enjoy
this very much, meeting readers gives an author a special buzz but it can be tiring on the signing hand. I’ve
had to invest in a special squeezy ball and wrist strap to
prevent a repetitive strain injury!
If Kathy and I are off on location research we have to
be very focused on gathering as much relevant visual
and background material as we can, given that we’re
unlikely to be able to return in the near future. You
can’t find yourself sitting down to write a particular
scene and be at a loss to recall the details from a visit.
This is where my digital camera is invaluable. I can snap
hundreds of pictures at no cost. Mind you these all have
to be identified and labeled. This is one of my tasks at
the end of the day on location research. Before the sun
sets over the yardarm I input the day’s work into my
laptop. I also make use of a small dictaphone to take
notes in situ.
But getting back to the writing aspect, I was a computer systems developer in a previous life and am structured in the way I collate my research material and how
Photo by Steven Draper
D
O AUTHORS HAVE A TYPICAL DAY?
Julian Stockwin in his working study at Corinthia, the Georgianera home he shares with his wife and literary partner, Kathy, in
Ivybridge, Devon.
I plan each book. So for illustration purposes for this
article, I’ve taken a typical day mid-way into writing a
manuscript. I will have done extensive research, consulting numerous primary and secondary sources, and undertaking location research. Kathy and I will have
already mapped out the narrative arc of the story on a
large white board, discussed what characters from previous books will play a role, where Kydd will sail, what
Renzi will get up to, etc.
Once this broad picture has been created, I break it
down into phases and then individual scenes. Each of
16 | July / August 2016
17 | July / August 2016
Photo courtesy of the author
these warrants another
discussion and afterwards
I write up the scene development as a series of bullet points, incorporating
citations to specific research sources. Only then
do I start actually putting
pen to paper, so to speak.
My writing routine
starts when I’m in the
shower and I start having
thoughts about what I’m
going to write that day.
Then I have to impatiently wait until after breakfast and our two Siamese
cats have had their quality
time before I can actually
fire up my computer and
Julian Stockwin and Kathy Stockwin with 32nd (Cornwall) Regiment of Foot re-enactors during a restart work.
search trip in Tavistock, Devon.
I’m very lucky to have
a superb writing environand then resume work until lunch at 1:00 PM. Followment. Recently we moved my study to one of the larger
ing my practice in the Navy, I often take a forty-minute
rooms in the house and it now contains nearly all my
nap after lunch, and then we may take a stroll into Ivyresearch material (there is a bit of an overflow into
bridge. (We live just a couple of minutes’ walk from the
bookcases in the hallway and other rooms), my treacentre of the village). I find I’m at my most creative in
sured eighteenth century naval artifacts; the superb
terms of writing in the morning, so afternoons are
model of HMS Teazer, Kydd’s first command; and othmostly reserved for research and correspondence with
er salty memorabilia.
readers.
I’m a “visile,” and I have to see, in my mind’s eye,
Reading my growing library of resource material is a
what I’m writing about before I can put the words
necessary, but most enjoyable, part of the job. I treasure
down. This means I have to mentally go back to the
my reference library, which is the result of many years’
eighteenth century and really feel part of Kydd’s world.
collecting, and now runs to many hundreds of volumes.
I have a huge interest in the period and find that now I
There are some books that I consult on a daily basis –
can travel there quite easily. Even when I’m not specifiwonderful works like Falconer’s Dictionary of the Macally writing, I often idly daydream about the Georgian
rine and Admiral Smyth’s The Sailor’s Word Book; othAge. Kathy knows the look well by now, especially
ers I may just take down from the shelves occasionally,
when I’m pushing the trolley behind her doing the subut they are all of immense value to me in my writing.
permarket shopping!
Of particular resonance with me are what few written
She and I work together in separate studies and our
diaries and recollections exist from the lower deck of
systems are networked, which is very helpful. She was a
Nelson’s time, and actual ship’s logs. A certain phrase,
professional magazine editor, so I have my own live-in
or a doodle in the margin by a bored watch-keeper, ofblue pencil! This is her main task, followed by research
ten set the creative juices flowing as I try to piece toand operations in general, releasing me for pure writing
gether a moment in time.
– a priceless asset. We both aim to be at our desks at
But I find inspiration in many things; my collection
8:30 AM. Around 11:00, we usually take a short break
The Happiest Day of My Life
of eighteenth century sea artifacts provide a tangible
link to Kydd’s day. As I take a long sniff of a special
piece of tarred hemp rope, if I half close my eyes it is
not long before I’m well away at sea. Looking at the
work of maritime artists hanging on my walls helps me
capture the many moods of the Neptune’s Realm and
the majesty of a ship under sail.
I delight in what the modern world of electronics can
offer me as a sea writer. I now have the most up-to-date
ships electronic charts system installed in my computer
Photo by Josep Renalias
P
robably the happiest day
of my life (our wedding
aside) was April 3,
2001. That was when I stood
before over one-hundred guests
at the launch party for Kydd,
my very first book. It was held
in the historic Admiralty House
in London, which had been the
official residence of the First
Lord of the Admiralty from
1788 to 1964. There certainly
could be no more splendid venue to honor a novel set in the
Great Age of Sail! As I stuttered my speech of
thanks, around me I could feel the ghosts of all the
great sea heroes of the past that noble building had
seen.
Naively, as I walked out in a daze into the night, I
thought I would now just return to my writing. But
then it all started – interviews on radio, television
and with print media journalists. Literary festivals.
Book signings. My feet hardly touched the ground
for the six weeks after the launch. By nature I’m
somewhat reticent, especially when answering questions about myself, but a strange thing happened – I
found that when I started talking about the world of
Tom Kydd my inhibitions disappeared. I have a
huge respect for the eighteenth century seamen, and
Admiralty House in London
I take particular pleasure when people can share with
me the challenges and fascination of their hard
world.
The events to which I have been invited have taken me all over the world, from press lunches in Manhattan to English venues ranging from a 900-yearold Minster in Nottinghamshire to the seaside resort
of Southwold, and on to Hay-on-Wye, the tiny market town in the Welsh Marches that hosts probably
the world’s most prestigious literary festival.
I feel privileged to be able to earn my living writing, a profession that I enjoy immensely and one
from which I cannot see myself retiring for quite
some time.
Julian Stockwin
and can call up and plot all of Kydd’s journeys with the
press of a key. The familiar paper charts that I used
when I first started writing the books have been carefully stored away.
Social media has become so much more active since I
took up writing so I do spend a part of each day (usually afternoons) on Facebook and Twitter, as well as answering personal emails. I love hearing from readers, so
do get in touch if you have a comment on one of my
books.
18 | July / August 2016
Sea Fiction
August
July
The Flag of Freedom
A Dawn Like Thunder
by Seth Hunter
by Douglas Reeman
(McBooks Press, $19.95, U.S. Trade Paperback / $12.99,
Kindle and NOOK ) 1797: This is the fifth book in the
Nathan Peake series. Britain stands alone against the
forces of Revolutionary France. A victorious French Army, led by the youthful Napoleon Bonaparte, is poised
to invade Britain. And in his country’s darkest hour,
Captain Nathan Peake finds himself imprisoned by his
own side on the Rock of Gibraltar charged with treason.
To prove his innocence Nathan must uncover the great
deception that masks the French war aims. Is the great
armada being assembled in Toulon bound for the shores
of Great Britain or Egypt? His secret mission to discover
the truth about Napoleon’s invasion plans will hurl him
into two of the greatest battles of the eighteenth century.
(McBooks Press, $17.95, U.S. Trade Paperback / $12.99,
Kindle and NOOK) Burmese Coast, 1944 . . . After four
years, the tide of war is turning in North Africa and Europe. The conflict in Southeast Asia, however, has
reached new heights of savagery. The Special Operations mission off the Burmese coast requires volunteers.
Both men with nothing to live for as well as men with
everything to lose. Men like Lieutenant James Ross,
awarded the Victoria Cross for his work in underwater
sabotage, or the desperate amateur Charles Villiers, heir
to a fortune now controlled by the Japanese. The twoman torpedo – The Chariot – is the their ultimate
weapon in a high-risk war. Cast loose into the shadows
before an eastern dawn, the heroes or madmen who
guide it will strike terror into the heart of an invulnerable enemy, or pay the ultimate price for failure.
19 | July / August 2016
Sea Fiction
August
Available Now
The Commodore
Pacific Glory
by P. T. Deutermann
by P. T. Deutermann
(St. Martin’s Press, $26.99, U.S. Hardback / $12.99,
Kindle and NOOK) P. T. Deutermann’s previous novels
of the U.S. Navy in World War II – Pacific Glory,
Ghosts of Bungo Suido, and Sentinels of Fire – have been
acclaimed by reviewers and readers for their powerful
drama and authentic detail. In The Commodore, the Navy in 1942-1943 is fighting a losing battle against Japan
for control of the Solomon Islands. Vice Admiral William “Bull” Halsey is tasked to change the course of the
war. Halsey, a maverick, goes on the offensive and appoints a host of new destroyer commanders, including a
wild-card named Harmon Wolf. An American Indian
from a Minnesota reservation, Wolf has never fit in
with the traditional Navy officer corps. But under
Halsey, Wolf’s aggressive tactics and gambling nature
bring immediate results, and he is swiftly promoted to
Commodore of an entire destroyer squadron. What
happens next will change Wolf's life, career, and the fate
of his ships forever.
(St. Martin’s Press, $11.95, U.S. Trade Paperback /
$9.99, Kindle and NOOK) A thrilling, multi-layered
World War II adventure following two men and an unforgettable woman, from Pearl Harbor through the
most dramatic air and sea battles of the war. Marsh,
Mick, and Tommy were inseparable friends during their
naval academy years, each man desperately in love with
the beautiful, unattainable Glory Hawthorne. Graduation set them on separate paths into the military, but
they were all forever changed during the Pearl Harbor
attack on December 7, 1941. Glory, now Tommy’s
widow, is a tough Navy nurse still grieving her loss
while trying to save lives. Marsh, a surface ship officer,
finds himself in the thick of terrifying sea combat from
Guadalcanal through Midway to a climactic showdown
at Leyte Gulf. And Mick, a hotshot fighter pilot with a
drinking problem and a chip on his shoulder, seeks redemption after a series of failures leaves him grounded.
20 | July / August 2016
Sea Fiction
Available Now
Available Now
A King’s Ransom
Brewer’s Luck
by Victor Suthren
by James Keffer
(CreateSpace, $9.99, U.S. Trade Paperback / $2.99, Kindle and NOOK) This is the second volume in the Paul
Gallant saga. The Spanish have sent La Nuestra Señora
de la Concepción, a bejeweled gold statuette, to France
to seal their pact of loyalty and insure Spain's dominance on the high seas. But the statue has vanished, and
Gallant receives orders: Find it! Was La Nuestra Señora
captured by the British? Was she lost in a storm? Or has
she fallen prey to marauding pirates? Gallant’s search
leads him from the high seas to a British dungeon in
Fort Louisbourg, from the arms of a beautiful Micmac
squaw into a pitched battle with his greatest enemies.
The fearless captain of the Écho must overcome the
treacherous waters of Louisbourg and match wits with
the Royal Navy in his quest to retrieve the golden virgin. He is a brave and courageous navigator, but this is
his greatest challenge. Whoever finds the statue rules the
seas.
(Penmore Press, $17.50, U.S. Hardback / $4.99, Kindle /
$9.49 / $5.50, NOOK) This is the first title in the
Hornblower Legacy series. After gaining valuable experience as an aide to Governor Lord Horatio Hornblower,
William Brewer is rewarded with a posting as first lieutenant in the frigate HMS Defiant, bound for American
waters. Early in their travels, it seems as though Brewer’s greatest challenge will be evading the wrath of a tyrannical captain who has taken an active dislike to him.
But when a hurricane sweeps away the captain, the
young lieutenant is forced to assume command of the
damaged ship, and a crew suffering from low morale.
Brewer reports their condition to Admiral Hornblower,
who orders them into the Caribbean to destroy a nest of
pirates hidden among the numerous islands. Luring the
pirates out of their coastal lairs will be difficult enough;
fighting them at sea could bring disaster to the entire
operation. To succeed, Brewer must rely on his wits, his
training, and his ability to shape a once-ragged crew.
21 | July / August 2016
Sea Fiction
The Privateersman Mysteries
by David Donachie
D
avid Donachie sails into a breach in the naval line, firing as he bears, with an exciting
new twist on the chronicles of the Age of Fighting Sail. blending seagoing adventure
with the mystery and twists of a whodunit, his Privateersman Mysteries Series re-invents
the game.
1 - THE DEVIL’S OWN LUCK
3 - A HANGING MATTER
5 - THE SCENT OF BETRAYAL
(McBooks Press, $20.95, U.S. Trade
Paperback / $4.48, Kindle / $5.49,
NOOK*) Harry Ludlow, sailor turned
privateer, sails with his brother
James aboard the Magnanime. A
dead officer is found, arousing suspicion and secrets on the troubled
ship.
(McBooks Press, $24.95, U.S. Trade
Paperback / $5.49, Kindle and
NOOK*) Seeking a well deserved
rest, Harry and James find themselves harassed by an unseen enemy
in Deal, a picturesque town that
seethes with corruption and violence.
(McBooks Press, $24.95, U.S. Trade
Paperback / $5.49, Kindle and
NOOK*) Set in New Orleans and environs, Harry Ludlow must save his
ship, while treachery abounds within
the governor’s residence, throughout
the back alleys of the city, and even
in the American hinterland.
2 - THE DYING TRADE
4 - AN ELEMENT OF CHANCE
6 - A GAME OF BONES
(McBooks Press, $23.95, U.S. Trade
Paperback / $4.48, Kindle / $9.49,
NOOK*) Intrigue, avarice, danger and
the deadly charms of a beautiful
woman intermingle with a murder
investigation in Genoa in which Harry
Ludlow finds himself mired.
(McBooks Press, $25.95, U.S. Trade
Paperback / $5.49, Kindle and
NOOK*) 1795 . . . As war spreads
across the globe, Harry Ludlow joins
the struggle for the richest trade in
the world. Then half his crew is illegally pressed into the Royal Navy,
and Harry sets off in pursuit.
(McBooks Press, $22.95, U.S. Trade
Paperback / $7.99, Kindle / $5.49,
NOOK*) A desperate fight to get one
last easy prize as Harry Ludlow’s ship
sails home is a precursor to danger at
home as the Royal Navy has reached
a state of full mutiny.
* Allison & Busby is the Kindle and NOOK publisher for these titles.
McBooks Press offers all titles on its website at 30% off list prices: www.mcbooks.com.
22 | July / August 2016
Historical Fiction
Available Now
July
Blood on the Sand
The King’s Assassin
by Michael Jecks
by Angus Donald
(Simon & Schuster UK, $15.00, UK Trade Paperback)
This is the second novel in Michael Jecks’ new series.
The Siege of Calais, during the Hundred Years’ Wars,
1346. Berenger Fripper and his men are stationed in the
ancient port city, a city under English control and surrounded by enemies. They are here to defend their newly won territory from the French and their allies the
Genoese. Enemies are all about them, but there is also
trouble within. Someone is leaking vital information to
the French, jeopardizing not only the safety of the men
but also the future of the war, and Berenger must find
out who before it’s too late. And when the vintaine is
attacked at sea and captured by the Genoese it looks as
though their luck has run out. Can Berenger defeat the
enemies that surround him and keep the English victorious?
(Sphere, $11.99, UK Trade Paperback) King John is
scheming to reclaim his ancestral lands in Europe, raising the money for new armies by bleeding dry peasants
and nobles alike, not least the Earl of Locksley – the
former outlaw Robin Hood – and his loyal man Sir Alan Dale. As rebellion brews across the country and Robin Hood and his men are dragged into the war against
the French in Flanders, a plan is hatched that will bring
the former outlaws and their families to the brink of
catastrophe – a plan to kill the King. England explodes
into bloody civil war and Alan and Robin must decide
who to trust – and who to slaughter. And while Magna
Carta might be the answer their prayers for peace, first
they will have to force the King to submit to the will of
his people.
23 | July / August 2016
Historical Fiction
July
Available Now
The Black Widow
Journey to Munich
by Daniel Silva
by Jacqueline Winspear
(Harper, $27.99, U.S. Hardback / $14.99, Kindle and
NOOK) New York Times #1 bestselling author Daniel
Silva delivers another stunning thriller in his latest action-packed tale of high stakes international intrigue
featuring the inimitable Gabriel Allon. From its shocking opening in Paris, The Black Widow reveals itself as
Silva’s most timely and powerful novel yet. Master novelist Daniel Silva has thrilled, entertained and educated
readers with eighteen thoughtful and gripping spy novels featuring a diverse cast of compelling characters and
ingenious plots that have taken them around the globe
and back – from the United States to Europe, Russia to
the Middle East. His brilliant hero, Gabriel Allon – art
restorer, assassin, spy – has joined the pantheon of great
fictional secret agents, including George Smiley, Jack
Ryan, Jason Bourne, and Simon Templar. Following
the success of his smash hit The English Spy, The Black
Widow showcases Silva’s consummate skill and brilliant
imagination.
(SOHO Crime, $26.99, U.S. Hardback / $12.99, Kindle
and Nook) Working with the British Secret Service on
an undercover mission, Maisie Dobbs is sent to Hitler’s
Germany. It’s early 1938, and Maisie Dobbs is back in
England. On a fine yet chilly morning, as she walks towards Fitzroy Square, she is intercepted by Brian Huntley and Robert MacFarlane of the Secret Service. The
German government has agreed to release a British subject from prison, but only if he is handed over to a family member. The Secret Service wants Maisie, who bears
a striking resemblance to the man’s daughter, to retrieve
the man from Dachau, on the outskirts of Munich.
Maisie’s nemesis, the man she holds responsible for her
husband’s death, has learned of her journey, and is also
desperate for her help. Traveling into the heart of Nazi
Germany, Maisie finds herself questioning whether it’s
time to return to the work she loved. But the Secret Service may have other ideas.
24 | July / August 2016
Sea History
Available Now
July
In Pursuit of the Essex
The Jutland Scandal
by Ben Hughes
by John Harper and Reginald Bacon
(Naval Institute Press, $46.95, U.S. Hardback / $25.00
Kindle / 14.49 NOOK) On 26 October 1812, during
the war between Britain and the United States, the frigate USS Essex set sail on the most remarkable voyage in
the early history of the U.S. Navy. After rounding Cape
Horn, she proceeded to systematically destroy the British South Seas whaling fleet. When news reached the
Royal Navy’s South American station at Rio de Janeiro,
HMS Phoebe was launched in pursuit. So began one of
the most extraordinary chases in naval history. In Pursuit of the Essex follows the adventures of both the hunters and the hunted, taking into account the host of
colorful characters that crossed their paths. Traitorous
Nantucket whalers, Chilean revolutionaries, British
spies, a Peruvian viceroy and bellicose Polynesian islanders all play a role. The brilliant Captain Porter of
the Essex, his nemesis Captain James Hillyar of the
Phoebe, and two young midshipmen, David Farragut
and Allen Gardiner, serve as principal narrators.
(Skyhorse Publishing, $24.99, U.S. Hardback / $14.38
Kindle / 13.99 Nook) Two high-ranking officers defied
the British Admiralty to tell the tale of World War I’s
first naval battle against Germany. The Royal Navy had
ruled the sea unchallenged for one hundred years, after
Nelson triumphed at Trafalgar. Yet when the Grand
Fleet faced the German High Seas Fleet across the gray
waters of the North Sea near Jutland, the British battleships and cruisers were battered into a draw. The Grand
Fleet far outnumbered and outgunned the German
fleet, so something clearly had gone wrong. The public
waited for the official histories of the battle to be released to learn the truth. Questions were raised in Parliament, yet still no official report was produced. This
led to Admiral Bacon producing his own account of the
battle, called The Jutland Scandal, in 1925. Two years
later Rear-Admiral Harper, published his account under
the title The Truth about Jutland. Both books are now
published as one volume for the first time.
25 | July / August 2016
By George!
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
the Godspeed at Jamestown. I love it and simply had to be around it.
My wife and business
partner Alison did grow
up in a nautical world
spending weekends and
holidays as a child aboard
her father’s classic motor
yachts.
26 | July / August 2016
Photo courtesy Joe and Alison Elder.
It stems from my parent’s
business, the 1740 House
Antiques that was located
in Charlottesville, Virginia. There, they inventoried in part great early
Above: Skipjack showroom in Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia. Below: the carved white whale lamp
is an example of the original maritime art Joe and Alison Elder seek for their shop.
maritime paintings,
weaponry like swords and
nautical decor because it is easy
flintlock pistols, eighteenth century sea
to purchase and, to be quite honchests and other maritime-related periest, that seems to be what the
od furniture and furnishings, so I was
majority of people are buying.
exposed to authentic nautical antiques
We have held fast with our direcfor decades prior to opening Skipjack.
tion, though we have expanded
A move back to my hometown of Virand now offer a much wider vaginia Beach in 2002 spurred the interriety of items for coastal homeest in opening up a business that was
owners. We are one of just a few
solely nautical. Obviously, there is way
maritime dealers left in the world
more involved in this answer but it
that actually handles such wares.
would take a book’s worth to really
answer it.
How did you and Alison meet?
What is Skipjack’s mission?
We were both members of the
Maritime Archeological and HisWe started Skipjack in 2003 with the
torical Society (MAHS). This
goal of primarily dealing in ship salvage
organization assists underwater
and authentic nautical wares, original
archeologists working on historic
marine art and other maritime items
shipwreck and other underwater
that customers would want for their
Devil Divers in Charlottesville, VA.
sites. Alison was one of the more active
coastal homes. Many of our old comWe were holding the MAHS Introducmembers, and was involved for many
petitors started out with an interest in
tory Course to Underwater Archeology
years before I came along. I was inhandling authentic items, but through
at my Charlottesville residence. Alison
volved in an organization called Sea
the years ended up inventorying new
Photo by the author.
How did you originally
get into the nautical
wares business?
By George!
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
was driving down from Annapolis,
Maryland, each week as part of the
course instruction. One thing led to
another!
Well, out of the bazillion responsibilities that we handle each and every day,
this is the primary split. Alison is in
charge of most facets of Skipjack’s store
management from shipping to accounting. She also is Skipjack’s web
store administrator and designer. Alison is in charge of new inventory acquisitions and will be the person that
you will talk to on the phone nine out
of ten times. And, believe it or not,
Alison is also the person that produces
our custom furniture, makes the custom lamps and lighting and even our
custom navigational chart lampshades.
She also makes our mariners rope
bracelets, identification lanyards, Skipjack’s shirt embroidery and on and on.
We split the marketing responsibilities. Alison provides excellent service to
our customers and goes over the top to
make each and every one happy!
My role is a lot simpler. I focus on
the acquisition of the vintage and antique items for the store, as well as
oversee the marine art division. I do
the appraisal of our items – I am an
appraiser – and handle the lion’s share
of the photography of the items that
you see on Skipjack’s web store. I also
prepare and upload images and descriptions of inventory for our website.
I create most of the showroom displays, handle social media, and write
Skipjack’s Nautical Living blogs, as
well as several others. I’m typically the
head bottle washer, the cleaner and
polisher of the vintage and antique
items, carry out the trash and the
mountain of boxes from incoming
Photo by the author.
How do you split business tasks?
Joe Elder describes a grouping of maritime artifacts.
The Legend of Hornigold’s Treasure
by Allen B. Graves and C. Joseph Elder
T
he EcoExplorers, a young adult
adventure club, travel to Andros
Island in the Bahamas for a marine
biology course at the Rockwood
Field Station. Scuba diving and snorkeling are at the top of the agenda,
but the adventure quickly takes on a
new direction when shady characters are encountered, a mysterious
log and treasure manifest are discovered, and lost riches hidden in
one of the island's famous blue
holes wash the story in intrigue.
John Dettor, a local marine archeologist with an agenda of his
own, invites the students to pursue the pirate’s booty with him
“under the guise of a scientific survey,” and soon they are racing
against ruthless treasure hunters to discover the buried riches
of the notorious eighteenth century pirate, Benjamin Hornigold.
The Legend of Hornigold’s Treasure builds to a climax on the
high seas, with gripping, non-stop action.
EcoExplorers, $16.95, U.S. Trade Paperback /
$4.95, Kindle and Nook
27 | July / August 2016
By George!
inventory.
How do you find the artifacts offered
in your shop and online?
Actually, most of it today finds us.
That’s part of the advantage of being in
business for a long time. We get calls
and emails non-stop from those wanting to sell their nautical items, from a
single piece to whole collections. We
brought in a lifelong collection (The
Arthur Rebman Maritime Collection)
a few years back that was close to fivehundred items! Also, being located in
an area that is a major hub for Navy
and Coast Guard bases, we get a lot of
calls from those that are getting up in
their years and wanting to downsize.
Please relate the story of the day you
told Alison that you had sold a cased
ship model with a custom stand (for
which you expected her to build).
Like most businesses in your beginnings, you do whatever you can to create business. Years ago, we had a
relationship with a small company that
imported exceptionally fine ship models – museum quality models. A customer wanted to buy one for his
beachfront home, but needed an appropriate table to display it on. He also
wanted it protected with a glass or
plexiglas cover. So, I showed him images of a custom ship model stand similar
to those used in museums. We added
the idea of a mirrored top to display
the beautiful ship’s hull too. To make a
very long story short, I suggested to the
customer that we could produce the
display table and we did. Alison made
the first of these custom stands (there
have been many others since then).
Like all of her furniture, the finished
product was a true work of art. Sometimes you just have to plunge in head
Skipjack has a wide variety of original maritime pieces.
first and rise to the challenge. Now this
might sound a bit far-fetched, but you
have to understand that Alison had all
of the woodworking skills and raw ability to produce produce a beautiful custom ship stand, or I would have never
agreed to take on the challenge. It was
the first of what would be many exceptional custom stands and ships grate
tables that Alison has produced with
great customer satisfaction!
What’s the greatest joy you’ve experienced with the business and the low
point you’ve experienced?
Well the low is an easy one. It was December 20, 2007. Alison’s parents had
just driven up from Florida and arrived
the day before for my birthday and for
a Christmas visit. That night, the
church located next to our building
caught on fire. The Zion Baptist
Church, an historic nineteenth century
church flanked our building on two
sides, in the back and on our right side.
The fire started in the sanctuary and
quickly spread throughout the additional church buildings. It completely
destroyed the historic structure. The
28 | July / August 2016
build-up of heat on the third floor exploded, and a portion of the church’s
third story wall collapsed on our roof.
Fortunately, everyone got out in time
including our two cats and two dogs,
but no one would have thought that
when we exited the building and
locked the door that it would be for
the last time. Just about everything that
we owned from both our residence and
the store was gone. To top the disaster,
the City of Portsmouth hired a demolition company during the day and by
day’s end had come in and demolished
our building without our permission
and destroyed everything in it!
The greatest joy is having the opportunity to create and build a business
like Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine
Gallery, working each day side by side
with Alison. This store is one hundred
percent our creation, and has been
built by the two of us. We really enjoy
being together, and it is a wonderful
experience to build something like
Skipjack with the person that you love
– your partner for life.
Visit Skipjack online at
www.skipjackmarinegallery.com.
Musical Tribute
B
ritish folk musician John Armstrong spent decades enjoying
Alexander Kent Bolitho naval
adventures. A few years ago, Armstrong
channeled his interest in the novels and
eighteenth-century history into the heroic ballad “Hyperion Cleared the Way,”
which refers to Richard Bolitho’s ship,
the 74-gun Hyperion. The ship first appears in the novel Form Line of Battle.
The heroic ballad is mentioned numerous times in the Kent novels, but never
actually sung.
“Many years ago I began to wonder
Detail from “Form Line of Battle,” an oil painting created by English marine
artist Geoffrey Huband for the cover of the Alexander Kent novel of the same
what this unheard two-hundred -year
old song would have sounded like, and
in 2008 I realized that the only way to find out would be to write it,” said Armstrong. “So I did. Songs like this were
dashed-off and printed in large numbers and sold by street vendors whenever the opportunity to celebrate or deride
arose throughout the eighteenth century. The ones that proved popular evolved over time, sometimes into parodies
completely twisting the original intent. In addition to the lead voice, there are seven backing vocals, two guitars and a
tambourine. Imagine an off-watch gun crew in the evening gloom of the gun deck, around their table after their peaseand-grog.”
The battle referred to in “Hyperion Cleared The Way” takes place in Kent’s Honour This Day, while the final verse
relates to events in Sword Of Honour, which is ten years later in the series. Recording under the name Break The Line,
Armstrong followed the Hyperion ballad with an instrumental tune “Battle Of The Saintes,” which ended in a British
victory over the French in 1782, in the West Indies. This was during the American Revolution and occurs in Kent’s
To Glory We Steer, while Richard Bolitho was a young frigate captain. This instrumental piece has tension, rejoicing
and wistful melancholia, all with just two guitars and a little percussion.
Downloads of the music are available online at www.cdbaby.com.
29 | July / August 2016