The Book Faery Reviews published my article about writing fiction

Farrah Kennedy at the Book Faery Reviews invited me to write an article about writing fiction, and it was published at her website this morning.

The Challenges and Rewards of Writing Fiction

The Book Faery Reviews provides opinions about a variety of books instead of focusing on a certain genre. Kennedy also includes author interviews and articles written by contributors. It is a very nice website that readers should regularly surf by so they can find new books to read.

Get a little Captain in you - The Pirates of Panama ebook

I've brought up a rare piece of sunken treasure to add to my Ebook Classics collection. It is a true account of life among the pirates of the Caribbean in the 1600s written by John Esquemeling, who served on pirate crews as a barber-surgeon. His amazing experiences offer a rare firsthand view of this compelling era of history when pirates plagued the Spanish Main.

The stunning diversity of the islands and Central America is woven throughout the narrative as various races and cultures mix in a dynamic landscape where an Empire is establishing a new society and driving back an old one. Fascinating glimpses of the genocide of the natives are revealed. Emerging from the society built upon the horrors of the Spanish conquest are the shameless outlaws who prey recklessly upon the vast wealth being extracted by the Spanish.

Here's an excerpt from the account of Captain Morgan's attack on the city of Puerto Bello:

"This effort of the pirates was very great, insomuch that the Spaniards could no longer resist nor defend the castle, which was now entered. Hereupon they all threw down their arms, and craved quarter for their lives; only the governor of the city would crave no mercy, but killed many of the pirates with his own hands, and not a few of his own soldiers; because they did not stand to their arms. And though the pirates asked him if he would have quarter; yet he constantly answered, “By no means, I had rather die as a valiant soldier, than be hanged as a coward.” They endeavoured as much as they could to take him prisoner, but he defended himself so obstinately, that they were forced to kill him, notwithstanding all the cries and tears of his own wife and daughter, who begged him, on their knees, to demand quarter, and save his life."

To get to know the real Captain Morgan instead of the one on the label of liquor bottle, strap on your cutlasses and load your pistols and read The Pirates of Panama.

Getting back to business

After my big move from California to Michigan, I am slowly getting back on track running Falbe Publishing. This morning, I updated my address throughout the Brave Luck Books (TM) site to say Albion, Michigan instead of Chico, California. Thanks to the find and replace function within my web publishing software this task was not a big headache.

While I was offline a lot during the move, I had a sale over at Smashwords. It was nice to see some action out of that marketplace, which I am hoping will take off with readers eventually. It offers ebook readers plenty of formats and all without DRM, which I know annoys many ebook enthusiasts.

I see on my blog here that I will have to work on getting a new photo. I suppose the one of me basking in the California sun is no longer current. Now I'm sticky in the Midwest humidity. Maybe I'll wait until winter to get a photo of me trying to cope with the Great White North after 14 years of a zero-snow lifestyle.