pirates – Wayne Turmel

Dual Writers for Dueling Pirates: Toni Runkle and Steve Webb

I’ve co-written nonfiction books with some success (The Long-Distance Leader is in its second printing and seven languages.) While Kevin Eikenberry and I get along pretty well, and I’ve managed not to get fired in the process, it wouldn’t work the same when writing a novel. I can fake collegiality as much as the next worker bee, but my fiction is too personal and too dependent on whatever I call “my style.”

So it’s impressive that Toni Runkle and Steve Webb have done several YA novels together. I’ll let them fill in the rest…

So what’s the deal with you two?

Hi, we’re Toni and Steve—and we’ve always loved telling stories. We first met as grad students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, then went our separate ways into the film and TV world. Years later, we were released for good behavior and reconnected. We decided to team up.—not for a screenplay, but to write novels for young readers. Our first book out of the chute, Glitter Girl, was published by Sourcebooks and got a shout-out from Kirkus Reviews for delivering “an empowering message about striving to be true to oneself.” Not a bad start!

These days, we are waist-deep in our biggest project yet: The Pirate’s Curse trilogy, which serves up equal amounts of heart, humor, and (yes) swashbuckling adventure.

A little about us: I’m Toni—I grew up an Army brat, which meant moving all over the world, but it also meant a unique childhood filled with lots of exotic locations and perilous escapades. These days, I love the beach, my garden, and scary movies.
And I’m Steve—I was born in England, raised in South Dakota, an oddity from which I still haven’t fully recovered. I’m a big fan of baseball, cheeseburgers, and not so scary movies.

We’re both married—not to each other, because that would get weird—and we live with our wonderfully patient families in sunny Southern California.

What’s the new book about?

Weight of Souls is the 2nd book in the Pirate’s Curse Trilogy. The first book is Brigands of the Compass Rose. The series is about a group of modern-day teens, mostly outcasts and foster kids, who discover they are descendants of infamous pirates and must band together to fight a 300-year-old curse.

I am a sucker for a good pirate story. What is it about that period that intrigued you?

We were interested in the women pirates of the 1700s, particularly Anne Bonny and Mary Read, who had thrown in with the infamous Calico Jack Rackham. They disappeared from history after Rackham was hanged, and it got us wondering – what happened to them and their descendants? Who would their descendants be now? From there, we wove a tale of magic, curses and modern-day young people who must fulfill their destinies. We use actual history and real characters from the past, which we weave into our modern-day tale.

Officially cool idea. Totally unfair question, but we’re trying to pimp books here. What’s your favorite scene in the book?

There are many. But one of our favorites is a scene when the young Brigands spend an evening hiding out in a swamp with older Brigands and they swap tales of their adventures.

Where can readers learn more about your books and your work?

Our website www.runklewebb.com

Facebook.com/runklewebb

Weight of Souls (The Pirate’s Curse Book 2) by Toni Runkle | Goodreads

X @webbrunkle

TikTok runkle.webb

Whether your tastes run to historical fiction or award-winning urban fantasy, check out all my work on my Amazon Author Page, and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter.

Barbary Pirates and Scottish Lasses with Josanna Thompson

Most of us think pirates and we immediately go to yo-ho-ho and rum and all that. But the Barbary Pirates were no joke. Today’s interview is with Josanna Thompson, who gives us a gripping tale of Algerian pirates and sweet Scottish lassies.

So, Josanna, what’s your deal?

Hi! I’m Josanna Thompson, and I’m the author of A Maiden’s Honor. I’ve been weaving stories for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved history and learning about how people lived way back then. I’m also an avid traveler and was fortunate enough to explore many of these distant lands in my stories. When I’m not traveling, I live a quiet life with my husband in New England.

What’s the story behind A Maiden’s Honor?

It’s complicated to say the very least. What can I say, it’s not in me to write a simple tale. A Maiden’s Honor is no exception. In fact, it’s two stories. The primary part follows the journey of Sarah Campbell. The other follows the journey of my villain, Naa’il Dhar. Their stories eventually intertwine.

Raised by her Scottish father and the natives of a remote island in the South Pacific, Sarah and her father embark on a perilous journey to Scotland. She knew that her life would change when she left her beloved island. Never did Sarah imagine that she would be sold into a harem. With her father murdered and everything that she had ever known gone, only Hassan Aziz, the most feared pirate on the Barbary Coast can save her. But is Hassan willing to jeopardize his secret mission and risk his life and the lives of his crew to shield this intoxicating maiden from slavery?

Naa’il is the Dey of Algiers, a man who has everything including, wealth, power, wives, slaves, concubines. Drawn to two beautiful American captives, Naa’il tests their loyalty to each other. Little does he know that his game will have devastating consequences… especially for him.

What’s your favorite scene in the book?

One of my favorite scenes takes place between Sarah and the hero, Hassan Aziz. Sarah’s father had died early that morning. Hassan returns to his cabin and finds Sarah sitting beside the window looking reverently at her trunk filled with “treasures” from her life on her island. Hassan can tell she is sad, he sits beside her. She opens her trunk and pulls out four objects, a bamboo comb, a flat shell, a sharks tooth and a mat. Hassan gives into his curiosity and asks her about the purpose of these objects. Sarah proceeds to tell him about her life on her island while demonstrating the use of each one.

I love this scene because it’s such a sweet interlude between these two strangers. This is the beginning of their love affair.

Where can we learn more about you and your work?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Maidens-Honor-Woman-Eden-Book-ebook/dp/B076FQ27S8

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JosannaThompsonAuthor/?ref=bookmarks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17238374.Josanna_Thompson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theglobetrottingtiari/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/josannathompson/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JosannaThompson

Look me up. I always enjoy chatting with readers.

Oh, I have a killer website. I built it like a DVD and packed it with lots of extras, including, a blog, interviews with characters, and articles about my research. I also give readers an opportunity to ask my characters questions. They are very chatty and would love to hear from you. (Click on the link below.) Check back from time to time. I’m always adding to it.

My website:

www.josannathompson.com

This is kind of a cool idea. Josanna has a feature on her site that says “Ask my character a question:” What would you ask her? I may steal this idea.

http://www.josannathompson.com/your-questions-for-the-characters

Thanks for interviewing me, Wayne. I had a great time answering your questions!

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Buckle Your Swash with Harry Nicholson and The Black Caravel

Okay, full disclosure. I love pirate stories. Like a little kid, I dig all sailing stories, although I get violently seasick and wouldn’t last two days on a real sailing ship. Doesn’t mean they’re not fun to read, which brings us to this week’s interview with Harry Nicholson, about his newest book, The Black Caravel.

So, Harry. What’s your deal?

I live in Eskdale, near Whitby, in North Yorkshire. My first career was in

Harry Nicholson, looking every inch the old salt that he is.

the British merchant navy as radio officer on cargo ships sailing the huge triangle between Europe, India and the USA. A second career followed in television studios. I now spend time on art, poetry, storytelling, and the teaching of meditation.

I believe the word is eclectic. At any rate, what’s the story about?

‘The Black Caravel’ is my second historical novel. It is double stranded, but intertwined. It centres on a farming family in the North of England at the time of the Pilgrimage of Grace, the year 1536, when the North rose in rebellion against Henry VIII’s seizure of the abbeys and monasteries. The head of this large family, Tom Fleck, is married to an illegal immigrant, a Jewish woman; a dangerous situation in 16^th century England.

We meet his daughter, a blind girl with her dog, on the Durham shore. At home, her mother has a letter from London. Husband, wife and blind daughter must journey to London through the chaos of rebellion. Meanwhile their two eldest sons are crew of a venerable and worn out trading ship, at risk of wreck and the violence of pirates.

It’s funny, I don’t care about the Tudors at all, but love me some pirates. These are the “Barbary” (Moorish) kind. What’s the draw for you?

I’m attracted to this period of history. It is just prior to the recording in English parish registers of the events in the lives of ordinary people. Unless individuals were noble or notorious we have no means of knowing of their existence. I try to bring life, at least a fictional life, to lost generations who are the ancestors of many today.

I try to honour ordinary people, their landscape and the wild creatures that live in it; so perhaps my style has a touch of the poetic and heartfelt.

It’s an unfair question, but what’s your favorite (or favourite, I’m bilingual) scene in the book?

I most enjoyed writing of the ancient merchant ship drifting lost, through dense fog, and the response of her crew when the fog suddenly lifted to unveil the danger they faced.

Where can people find The Black Caravel?

‘The Black Caravel’ is listed on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Caravel-Harry-Nicholson/dp/1535378085/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474038645&sr=1-1&keywords=caravel

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Caravel-Harry-Nicholson/dp/1535378085/ref=sr_1_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1474038710&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Black+Caravel

And on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31804643-the-black-caravel

Please visit the blog that features my writing and enamel art:

https://1513fusion.wordpress.com/

Thank you for reading.