Tanzanite's Castle Full of Books

I'm happy to welcome Helen Hollick back to the castle to share some thoughts about the differences in researching  historical novels and her pirate "fantasy" novels, The Sea Witch Chronicles.

My Sea Witch voyages are historical adventure with a touch of fantasy – which in plain language means they are imaginative, nautical yarns set in the early eighteenth century. I wrote the first one, Sea Witch, because I wanted to write something lighter than my serious historicals – something that was fun to write and read. I am aware that not all lovers of historical fiction are tolerant of “fantasy” – but then, there are many interpretations of what ‘fantasy’ actually is. C.S. Lewis, Alice In Wonderland – Treasure Island – are “fantasy” – they do not contain real, factual, events. In my case for the Sea Witch Voyages, I do not have wizards with pointy-star-studded hats and a magic wand, there will be no fairies, dragons or talking horses (although I was tempted to use a vampire in a future story, but I’m not sure about that yet.)


There is “magick”, for my main female character is Tiola Oldstagh (pronounced Teo-la Oldstaff) a White Witch, but her Craft is more akin to the use of natural energy as the ‘Force’ in Star Wars, not the magic spells of Harry Potter.

I do use the elemental spirits – Tethys, the goddess of the sea, and her daughter, Rain – but I defy anyone to tell me that at times it does not appear that the sea is actually alive, waiting and watching. And ask any sailor if he (or she) thinks of the ship as a living entity….

Time-slip, supernatural, both these are not “real”, they are fantasy, but when combined into a historical novel they can often become perfectly acceptable. I suppose it depends on whether the overall tale is believable.
And they key to “believable” is the quality of the writing and the depth of the research.  I cannot say about the quality of my writing, as that must be for my readers to decide – all I can say is I try my best to write as well as I can, and hope that my editors pick up on the errors I make.

I have been as meticulous with my research for Sea Witch, though, as for any of my “straight” novels. The sailing references are as correct as I can get them – I thank my expert friend, author (and sailor / rigger /part time re-enactor pirate ) James L. Nelson for ensuring they are right – and rely on a number of Tall Ship sailing books. It is hard work ensuring Jesamiah and his crew weigh anchor, run out the guns or “clew up” in the correct nautical manner. I research the clothing of the early eighteenth century – even going so far as asking a (good) friend of mine, again a re-enactor, to show me how a man buttoned (and unbuttoned) his breeches! You might notice I use the term three-cornered hat in my stories. This is because they were not called a “tricorn” until later in the century.

Places are equally as well scrutinised. Twice I have visited Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia; I was lucky enough to be permitted ten minutes alone to explore the gaol there (a scene in Bring It Close, Voyage Three.) The route Jesamiah was taken on from the gaol to the Governor’s palace is authentic – as is the interior of the palace, although I had to ask a friend of mine, who fortunately for me actually lives in Williamsburg, to re-check it. She snuck down there in the early hours of one morning, just after dawn and snooped around the outside of the John Brush House. She reported back that the atmosphere was fabulous, and she naughtily walked on a part of the property that is genuine eighteenth century - and out of bounds for the public. Research has its illicit compensations!

However, I am not always as strict with the use of “fact”.

My aim is to offer a good adventure yarn, combined with action, a slight touch of humour and a topping of romance. I describe my main protagonist, Captain Jesamiah Acorne, as a blend of Sharpe, Hornblower, James Bond and Indiana Jones. What I’ve done, is try to tell a romping sailor’s yarn of a tale about a charismatic rogue and the woman he falls for, give him some hair-raising adventures and stir in a supernatural storyline - but use genuine history as the foundation of each story.  I alter a date here and there, or shift the place it happened, but when I do change historical fact I make mention of it in my author’s notes.

Here in the UK we had a famous TV comedy duo, Morecambe and Wise (the re-runs of their Christmas Shows are still as funny today as they were a couple of decades ago.) One scene shows Eric Morecambe about to play the piano as part of a classical orchestra piece. The conductor was the, then, famous Andre Previn. The orchestra starts – Eric goes to play, and the noise that comes from the piano keys is all wrong. Mr Previn is duly annoyed and says sharply; “You are playing all the wrong notes!”  Morecambe takes a deep breath and responds with: “I am playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order.”

So – I am using all the right historical facts, but not necessarily in the right historical order.

I enjoy the challenge of taking events that happened and weaving them into an exciting adventure story. As fact, several Spanish Galleons went down in a storm off the coast of Florida. Pirates flocked to the site like sharks to blood – it was this event that basically triggered the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean. Renegade men, deserters from the Navy and such, found an easy “get rich quick” way of life – which until the Navy managed to get its act together proved to be “a short but merry” one.

One pirate, Henry Jennings, thought it a waste of time scrabbling around in the shallows trying to salvage the spilt treasure from the Galleons. Far easier to let the frantic Spanish do all the work of gathering it together and storing it in a warehouse along the coast, then sail in and take the lot. Which is exactly what he did, making him the equivalent of a modern day millionaire.  Who is to say that my Jesamiah was not actually the brains behind that escapade?

In the third voyage, Bring It Close, Jesamiah becomes involved with that famous pirate Blackbeard. We have extensive historical fact about him. Real name Edward Teach – because the records have survived.
Trouble follows Jesamiah like a ship’s wake, and in this story, now that he has accepted Government amnesty, all Jesamiah wants is a quiet life with Tiola, but apart from being haunted by the ghost of his father, arrested for acts of piracy and facing the noose, Blackbeard has a bone to pick with him. Coerced into aiding Governor Spotswood of Virginia, Jesamiah devises a plan to attack Blackbeard and his crew in their lair on the Ocracoke. On one condition; Lt Maynard of the Royal Navy must take all the credit for himself and make no mention of the name Acorne in his log book. Maynard agreed, so you will not find Captain Jesamiah Acorne recorded anywhere in the surviving Virginia archive.

I love using the real facts and turning them to my own – or rather, Jesamiah’s personal use – it’s great fun!


You are welcome to visit my website http://www.helenhollick.net/

join me on Facebook -

www.facebook.com/helen.hollick

or come aboard the Sea Witch page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Helen-Hollick-Author/101822116574750

The Sea Witch Chronciles have recently been republished by Silverwood Books and are available from the publisher directly or from Amazon/Amazon UK. 


As part of her blog tour to celebrate the republishing of the voyages of
Captain Jesamiah Acorne & his ship, Sea Witch, Helen is giving away a copy of the second volume, Pirate Code (choice of ebook or printed book for UK/Europe; ebook for everywhere else).  To enter, please complete the information below by midnight, July 25, 2011. 


About the book:

Ex pirate, Captain Jesamiah Acorne, is in trouble. Big trouble.


All he wants is to marry his girl, Tiola Oldstagh, and live contented aboard his ship, Sea Witch. But her husband refuses to grant a divorce unless Jesamiah agrees to retrieve some barrels of indigo and smuggle them out of the Spanish-held Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The Governor of Nassau wants Jesamiah to go there too, to help incite a rebellion, and Captain Henry Jennings wants him to find a lost spy. To cap it all, Commodore Vernon of the Royal Navy wants to expand his fleet and craves the Sea Witch for himself.

As Jesamiah’s hopes for a quiet life tumble about him, the onset of war with Spain scuppers everyone’s plans. Hispaniola is governed by a tyrant who has promised to hang, draw and quarter Jesamiah if ever he sets foot there again, while the lovely widow, Señora Francesca Escudero would prefer to seduce him.

Intrigue, fights, betrayals and romantic passion follow Captain Acorne like a ship’s wake - not the ingredients for a quiet life; and not Jesamiah’s idea of the rules of the Pirate Code!

Pirate Code contains all the traditional elements of a pirate novel – fights, rum, wenching, intrigue, storms at sea and men being tossed overboard. It has exciting adventure, passionate romance and daring heroism, all intermingled with a blend of believable fantasy. A dashing rogue of a pirate captain, a white which and Helen Hollick’s master ability at story-telling – what better ingredients for an exciting read?


 

 
About the Author:
 
Helen was born in North East London, England, and started writing pony stories as a young teenager. She moved onto science fiction and fantasy and then discovered the delight of writing historical fiction.


Published in the UK and the US with her books about King Arthur and the 1066 Battle of Hastings, Helen also writes a series of historical adventure seafaring books inspired by her love of the Golden Age of Piracy.

Helen still lives on the outskirts of London with her husband, Ron, adult daughter Kathy and a variety of pets, including a dog, a cat, and three horses.