The Silk Tree: Fact v Fiction
Posted on October 23, 2014 3 Comments
My standalone historical fiction The Silk Tree is somewhat of a departure from my seafaring tales but has been a hugely enjoyable project, not the least being the research. As in all historical fiction there is a certain leeway for an author but I firmly believe you have to thoroughly do your homework first and establish what facts are known. Then the historical fiction writer’s creative challenge is to craft a page-turning story, filling in the gaps between what is known to be fact, to offer a plausible and entertaining tale.
The Silk Road (that actual term wasn’t used until the nineteenth century) began very early. An organised camel-based commerce was in place at the time of Alexander the Great’s feats of conquest. There was regular early Roman trade which was interrupted by the Parthians and Persians after which it fell off until the medieval golden age of Marco Polo. It declined terminally when Vasco da Gama found a trading route to the east around Africa in 1498, although the last camel caravans lingered on until modern times. Relics of the Silk Road are still in existence. I visited an ancient caravanserai on the Anatolian plateau and many can still be found dotted along the old routes into Central Asia.
Just what is known of the story of silk? China kept the secret for all of a thousand years and legend there tells of a princess who smuggled eggs out in her headdress when married to a prince of Khotan. In the West accounts generally agree that it was two monks who returned from China in 551 with the secret of silk – I have this from three sources. However these documents vary in their details, each providing tantalising references and with no one version standing out as definitive. My tale is based on these.
Where we do have verifiable historical information I have taken some pains to ensure veracity. Many of my characters in The Silk Tree did exist and it was fascinating researching their lives.
I’ve picked just five to highlight:
Emperor Justinian was a towering figure in antiquity who did much to restore the respect and standing of the Roman Empire in the East, and his codifying of laws is the basis of much jurisprudence today. He was, incidentally, the last emperor to speak Latin as a native first language.
Belisarius was his loyal and gifted military general who some claim was ill-used by a jealous Justinian. It is undisputed that it was largely his genius that allowed Justinian to reclaim much of the Western Roman Empire, giving rise to his nickname of ‘Last of the Romans’.
The warlord-turned emperor Wen Hsuan was a genuinely unpleasant individual, the range of his barbarity grim and shocking. He poisoned the deposed emperor ten months after assuming the throne and his blood-soaked reign lasted for another nine years. Stability only came with the glorious Tang dynasty 70 years later.
Antonina was daughter and granddaughter of charioteers and became an actress, much derided by my historian Procopius for her lewd performances. She oddly became friend and confidante to Theodora, the wife of Justinian and became privy to court secrets. Belisarius saw her and fell in love and she gave up her wild life to follow him in his campaigns.
Ts’ao Fu was a poet of stature in the murderous times before the dawn of the great T’ang dynasty. These men, inheritors of a continuous cultural past, that was well over a thousand years old at this time produced works of great beauty that are still revered to this day.
The Silk Tree will is available in both hardback and ebook
UK : Waterstones Foyles Amazon and other independent bookstores around the country
Australia
South Africa
Book Depository
The Silk Tree Facebook page
The Silk Tree Pinterest Board
Reviews
‘Fascinating story full of colour and incident’
– Historical Novel Society
‘A …tale of great power and entertainment’
– Firetrench Reviews
Copyright notices
Every effort is made to honour copyright but if we have inadvertently published an image with missing or incorrect attribution, on being informed of this, we undertake to delete the image or add a correct credit notice
So where am I now…?
Posted on October 17, 2014 2 Comments
Being an author with quite a few published books under my belt can sometimes be a bit of a strain on the old grey matter when a reader corners me at a book signing or talk and asks about a specific incident in a book I wrote five or ten years ago. They may have just read that particular book and vividly recall it while it might take me a few moments to bring it to mind!
Out and about with Pasha signings
This taxing of the little grey cells is further compounded by the fact that this year not only do I have a backlist of 15 titles in print but I have two new books out – Pasha and The Silk Tree.
When I’m writing I find I have to totally immerse myself in the work, taking myself back in time to whatever year and location the book is set in. Fortunately I have Kathy as my ‘reality manager’ when this intense writing is going on and she deals with the demands of modern life while I am away in the eighteenth century or wherever…
2014 has been a busy year but I’m certainly not complaining. Location research for Pasha and The Silk Tree took me to the fascinating city of Istanbul and other parts of Turkey, a country so rich in history and culture. I’ve been fortunate indeed to have seen so much of the world now in the course of my literary career.
Toasting the upcoming launch of The Silk Tree with Susie Dunlop, Publishing Director, Allison & Busby
At the moment, as well as preparing for various promotional events I’ve been hard at work on the new Kydd title to be published in 2015. I’m not allowed to divulge anything about this one just yet, though. The first draft is nearly finished and then it’s a very thorough edit and cross-checking etc. to meet the January 1 deadline for delivery of the manuscript to my publisher.
So, where am I now?
- 1. Pasha is just out, bringing the number of Kydd titles in print to 15.
2. The Silk Tree is officially published on November 6 and there’s a special launch party in London at Goldsboro Books on October 30 at 6:30 where you can buy an early copy which I’d be delighted to sign on the night.
Goldsboro Books is one of my favourite London bookshops. Set in the heart of the West End in the picturesque Cecil Court, it’s just a short walk from Leicester Square.
Do get in touch with me on email if you’d like an invitation – I have an allocation for fans!
3. Stockwin’s Maritime Miscellany, my little non-fiction tome is now out in paperback and available as well as an ebook.
Future writing?
It’s full steam ahead for more Kydd titles, one a year foreseeably. And following on from The Silk Tree I’ll be writing more standalone historical novels that are thematically linked – each focusing on an important pivotal point in history.
So for 2015 it’s going to be haul taut and stand on for me and my doughty crew…
Re-readers: around the buoy again!
Posted on October 13, 2014 8 Comments
As I travel around various events for the launch of Pasha I’ve been struck – and humbled – by the number of readers who tell me they’ve read the earlier titles in the Kydd series all over again in anticipation of the new book (sometimes more than twice). This is a large investment in terms of their time – some 1.4 million words or 150-200 straight hours!
A recent book signing for Pasha
‘Just a quick note to say how much I enjoyed recently reading Command again. Brought back very clear memories of being first in command myself. I enjoyed the description of the voyage down from Sydney, including the ‘southerly buster’. Have experienced the impact of that wind myself!’
I’d love to hear which is your favourite title if you’re a ‘re-reader’. And what particular characters – or incidents – stand out for you.
And while we’re on the subject of feedback…
Did you find the maps and glossaries in the last few titles useful?
Is my author’s note something you read after finishing the book or do you dip into it before getting into the story?
Please email me at julian@julianstockwin.com with any thoughts on these – or reply to this blog if you prefer.
As a small thank you for your feedback I’ll have a draw of all respondents at the end of the month for an unabridged audiobook set of Caribbee.
It’s Pasha Publication Day!!
Posted on October 9, 2014 6 Comments
Today Pasha is officially launched in the UK; publication in the US and other countries follows.
In a few minutes, Kathy and I will be heading off with Hodder Southwest Regional Sales Executive Julia Benson for a busy day visiting bookstores around the region.
Team Stockwin will be raising a glass (or two…) tonight!
As always, on Launch Day evening, the Stockwins will be cracking a bottle of champagne and toasting the ongoing adventures of Kydd and Renzi. I vividly recall my first book contract for four Kydd titles – on sober reflection it seemed an enormous undertaking! Not that I didn’t have faith in my vision of around a dozen books all told, I did, but a new writer’s nervousness did creep in at times. But, as I got deeper into the historical record I saw that there was even more scope than I had at first thought. That initial estimate of the number of Kydd titles has now doubled.
One of the things that especially pleases me is the relationship Kathy and I have developed over the years during the creation of the books. It was Kathy who first started me on the path to becoming a published writer and she is now a very integral part of the writing process. As well as her role in hands-on editing – and many other things – for a large part of the time she keeps the real world at bay, allowing me to deeply immerse myself in the writing. It truly is Team Stockwin!
Having been a magazine editor-in-chief Kathy has a very strong sense of what makes for a good story. Once I’ve done the ground-work in terms of delving into the historical record and laying out the plot we get together and develop my initial thoughts into a strong beginning and a satisfying end, as well as fine-tuning the narrative arc of the book. Then I start the actual writing; along the way we often walk and talk the parts in the beautiful Longtimbers by the Erme River, making sure the right tension, personal stakes etc. are present and correct.
Pasha does have a few surprises in store for the reader and I’d be delighted to hear from you after you’ve read it.
Meanwhile, in between book signings, I’m cracking on with the next book, scheduled to be published this time next year. Not allowed to divulge anything about this one yet but again, I think I can promise a few more surprises in the lives of Kydd and Renzi!
You can check out Pasha extra for details of where to buy the book, early reviews, press interviews and more.
Pasha Facebook page
Pasha Pinterest page
The Silk Tree: Getting a Historical Mindset
Posted on October 6, 2014 5 Comments
It’s just a month today to the launch of The Silk Tree, my upcoming historical novel set in the time of Emperor Justinian.
On location, The Silk Tree
All of my Thomas Kydd books have been based in the Georgian era, 200-odd years ago. I now know that period pretty well and can mentally go back in time there with reasonable ease. However, when I decided to write The Silk Tree I recognised that I faced a challenge – I would need to get my head around a time not 200 but 1500 years in the past. And across two very different great civilisations – China and Byzantium!
With such a very different writing project I have to admit I was somewhat nervous as to whether I could pull it off, but the early feedback has been very encouraging. One reviewer described it as ‘Conn Iggulden meets Robert Harris.’ Quarterdeck magazine pronounced: ‘Stockwin’s page-turning prose, vividly drawn characters and ability to draw the reader right into those ancient times create a grand and compelling historical epic.’
And this email just arrived from one of my Kydd fans, Brian Chellis, who’d won an advance proof copy and took it with him to Cyprus on holiday. ‘What an enjoyable, well written book… Couldn’t put it down, totally intrigued with what was going to be next. Having read the complete Kydd series twice, I was a little concerned that The Silk Tree would not come up to par, but I was wrong! Potential for a sequel! I suspect a lot of us devotees will be crying out for one soon.’
The genesis of The Silk Tree lies in the magical city of Istanbul. On location research there for the Kydd series Kathy discovered in the Grand Bazaar a rather lovely silk scarf. While she was chatting with the merchant I idly wondered how silk was brought from China to the West. Intrigued, I later did some ferreting around and the creative juices started flowing – and I knew I had another story I just had to tell…
If there’s one thing I’ve learned since becoming a wordsmith it’s that all life’s experiences are grist to the mill for a writer – and for The Silk Tree I was able to call upon my admiration of Chinese calligraphy which goes back to the time I lived and worked in the Far East. And all those hours of dry study of ancient Greek and Latin at grammar school came in handy, too!
I guess the hardest part of getting a historical mind set for this book was to internalise the limits of the known world in those far far away times. Stripping away the trappings of modernity. Getting an empathy with my main characters Nicander and Marius and where they saw their horizons.
Turkey has world-class museums and archaeology sites and being able to actually see ancient Greek and Roman domestic artefacts and priceless Byzantine treasures up close and personal went a long way to bringing the period really alive for me.
Then there was the physical location research in Istanbul and other places. I’ll never forget standing on the Galata bridge as the sun was setting and looking up the whole length of the Golden Horn, gradually taking my mind back in time through the vistas of history it must have seen. I saw beautiful and mysterious goods from all over the known and unknown world arriving in ships of all kinds: red sails, tripod masts, galleys.
Justinian the Great
Then my eyes travelled to the city itself, first founded by Byzas in 667 BC and having seen the Athenians, Lysander, the pax romana – it gives you pause to know that when the empire was moved there by Constantine, the city was already 1000 years old.
The Hagia Sophia
And later, of course, visiting the glorious Hagia Sophia. Among other things, just standing in the entrance and looking down at stone steps worn in deep curves by feet over a continuous one and a half thousand years…
Read chapter one
A Collectors Edition of The Silk Tree is being offered, strictly limited to 150 Sets – but don’t delay if you’re interested, it’s nearly fully taken up!
The Silk Tree is published by Allison and Busby on November 6
And if you’re in London on October 30 you are cordially invited to the Launch Party at Goldsboro Books. I do hope you can join me to raise a glass to Marius and Nicander’s epic adventure!
The Silk Tree Facebook page
The Silk Tree Pinterest Board
Copyright notices
Hagia Sophia image: By Arild Vågen (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons; Justinian image: By Meister von San Vitale in Ravenna [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
Every effort is made to honour copyright but if we have inadvertently published an image with missing or incorrect attribution, on being informed of this, we undertake to delete the image or add a correct credit notice
‘Now holidays are always planned to spend as much time by the sea as possible!’
Posted on October 1, 2014 4 Comments
One of the aspects of feedback I get from readers that especially pleases me is that the Kydd books are seen not just as being for male readers; in fact I now know I have quite a large number of female readers following the adventures of Kydd and Renzi. One such is Kate Ross, the October Reader of the Month.
Kate lives in North Yorkshire with her husband of three years. As well as being drawn to Age of Sail fiction Kate is a passionate participant in the performing arts and runs a business providing educational classes to local children in performance.
I had the pleasure of meeting Kate Ross at a recent book signing during the Falmouth Tallships regatta and later got in touch again to ask her more about her passion for the genre.
Over to Kate…
As a woman what draws you to Age of Sail fiction?
Kate in Kefalonia
I’ve had a long-standing interest in all things historical, compounded by my undergrad degree in history from the University of York. That said, I think there is a true magnificence about the Age of Sail both in terms of the ships themselves and the sheer strength of the human spirit – and it is that which has always drawn my interest. Despite the male-dominated nature of most of the famous stories I think the notion of the ‘hero’ and the demonstration of endurance in the 19th century navies cannot fail to capture people’s interest.
Initially I had read C S Forester’s Hornblower novels which whetted my appetite for the genre when I was just 14. Since then I have been enjoying the adventures of Kydd, having previously read Alexander Kent’s Bolitho adventures and Sean Thomas Russell’s Charles Hayden Novels.
Do you have any connection with the sea yourself?
Not really… Family holidays have usually involved a beach and I love watching boats, ships and busy ports. Having lived in West Yorkshire most of my life opportunities to be near the sea always meant a long car journey but now holidays are always planned to spend as much time by the sea as possible!
What did you most enjoy at the Falmouth Tallships event?
With Kate at the Falmouth Bookseller
That was AMAZING! Meeting a special author… Taking a three hour sailing trip on the magnificent tall ship Mercedes. We helped set sails, walked the deck whilst out at sea and learned so much about the workings of the vessels and life aboard. Having the opportunity to explore the ships, take tours and soak up the atmosphere of a town celebrating its heritage made for a truly great holiday.
In the Kydd books do you have a favourite character?
I’m still working my way through the titles but so far it’s Renzi. Simply because of the clever mix of education, philosophy and ‘gentleman’ he brings to the between-decks environment. He is a clever balance to Kydd’s practical intelligence and robust outlook. That said, I think the interaction between the two of them is what really brings the reality to the stories.
Anything else you’d like to add?
I really enjoyed Kydd – the gritty descriptions of the brutality of the foremast life were such a refreshing contrast to the officer stories you find in other books in the genre. Kydd’s career is a very different journey so far, and it has brought a new appreciation to me of the hard circumstances necessary to keep that crucial naval dominance with the British.
Would you like to be a candidate for Reader of the Month? Just get in touch with a few sentences about your background and why you enjoy the Kydd series!
PASHA Extra
Posted on September 29, 2014 8 Comments
Selim III
Pasha is the fifteenth title in the Kydd series. Captain Kydd finds himself in a critical sphere of interest: the Dardanelles and I think I can guarantee a few surprises in this book… Constantinople – or should I say Istanbul – is one of the world’s genuine iconic locations. It is surpassingly beautiful and has a beguilingly romantic air, tinged with Oriental mystery. It was one of my life’s special moments when, on location research for this book, I stood on a balcony of the Topkapi Palace on Seraglio Point and looked out over the Golden Horn, across to Asia and up through the Bosporus in the direction of the Black Sea and Russia.
Overview of Pasha
The Sublime Porte for receiving foreign envoys in the Ottoman Court
An Admiralty summons to England cuts short Thomas Kydd’s service in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. While the crew of L’Aurore can look forward to liberty and prize money, a shadow hangs over their captain: the impending court martial of his one-time commander, Commodore Popham, who led a doomed attack on South America.
Following Nelson’s death two years earlier, England is in desperate need of heroes and Kydd’s Caribbean exploits are the talk of London. Feted by the king and a grateful country,
Sebastiani, French ambassador
Kydd is soon on detachment in a new and dangerous sphere of interest: the Dardanelles, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea and providing a route to India. The French have long coveted this route, knowing that it could be the key to toppling the British Empire in India. When they successfully whip up such strong anti-English sentiment that the British ambassador to Constantinople has to flee to L’Aurore, a deadly stand-off ensues.
Meanwhile Kydd’s closest friend, Nicholas Renzi, has assumed a new role that he can never make public. Sent under alias on a mission to Constantinople, Renzi must engineer a coup that will turn the tables on the French. But when he’s taken prisoner, only Kydd’s superb seamanship and sheer bravado can save the day.
What three advance reviewers have said
“Stockwin has not only continued the Kydd series in fine fashion but he has exceeded expectations. In Pasha, Thomas Kydd and Nicholas Renzi have risen to their great potential. Not only are these fictional characters believable, but the author’s attention to historical detail is superb.”
“I just finished Pasha and all I can say is “WOW”!! So many twists and turns. So many questions answered. So many things set to rights, and then it’s all a whole new set up!! Totally unexpected and totally enjoyable.”
“I have enjoyed the Kydd series immensely, but Pasha is my favorite. I love the new developments in Renzi’s life. I will say no more!”
Publication schedule, hard cover and ebook
UK/Europe: 9 Oct; Australia & NZ: 14 Oct; US: 1 Nov; Canada: 12 Nov; South Africa: 15 Nov
The Quarterdeck Interview
In conversation with George Jepson about Pasha, as well as my other book coming out this year, The Silk Tree. You can download and read the interesting feature article here
Buy the book
Pasha will be widely available from online and physical bookstores, as a hardback and ebook.
A selection of outlets:
UK : Waterstones; Amazon
US : McBooks Press; Barnes & Noble; Amazon
Australia : Fishpond
Canada : Chapters
Worldwide : Book Depository
Book Signings
I’ll be signing at :
- October 11 Torbay Bookshop, 2pm
7 Torquay Road
Paignton
Devon
TQ3 3DU
01803 522011
October 18, Waterstones Drake Circus, 12 noon – 1pm
Drake’s Circus
Plymouth
PL1 1EA
01752 669 898
And finally, here’s an excerpt of Pasha to whet your appetite!
Copyright notices
Selim III image: By Joseph Warnia-Zarzecki 1850 (French) (Details of artist on Google Art Project) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1923. Sublime Porte image: By Philippe-Joseph Tassaert (1732-1803) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Sebasitiani image: By Philippe-Joseph Tassaert (1732-1803) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Every effort is made to honour copyright but if we have inadvertently published an image with missing or incorrect attribution, on being informed of this, we undertake to delete the image or add a correct credit notice
BookPick: A History of the Royal Navy Series
Posted on September 23, 2014 3 Comments
Three titles in the series have been published to date
Three titles have been published to date* with eleven more to follow:
A History of the Royal Navy: The Age of Sail
A History of the Royal Navy: The Seven Years’ War
A History of the Royal Navy: The American Revolutionary War
A History of the Royal Navy: Empire and Imperialism
*A History of the Royal Navy: The Napoleonic Wars
A History of the Royal Navy: The Victorian Age
A History of the Royal Navy: The Royal Marines
A History of the Royal Navy: The Nuclear Age
A History of the Royal Navy: Air Power and British Naval Aviation
A History of the Royal Navy: The Submarine
A History of the Royal Navy: Women and the Royal Navy
A History of the Royal Navy: World War I
*A History of the Royal Navy: World War II
*The Royal Navy: A History Since 1900
Given the period I write about (1793-1815), I was particularly interested in The Napoleonic Wars title, ably penned by Martin Robson. This looks at the history of the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from a broad perspective, examining the strategy, operations and tactics of British seapower. A helpful appendix of sources for each chapter, along with a bibliography appears at the end of the book. It will certainly join the list of books I recommend as enlightening overviews of this fascinating period.
A History of the Royal Navy Published by I B Tauris
Caribbee: A return to turquoise seas
Posted on September 18, 2014 4 Comments
A regular feature looking back on each of the Kydd titles – with story background, research highlights, writing challenges and more.
And thank you for all your kind comments on the post about my thirteenth book, Betrayal.
The fourteenth book in the series is Caribbee which sees Kydd and Renzi back in the torquoise seas last visited in Seaflower, when they were sailors before the mast.
Two dockyards, two fates
Location research for this book took me to the Caribbean and as a former naval shipwright I was particularly interested in what remained of the naval dockyards of Kydd’s day.
Old Port Royal, Jamaica
It was once ‘the richest and wickedest city in the world’. Originally just a sand spit, it was favoured by the Tainos, the indigenous people of the area, as a fishing camp. When the Spaniards arrived in Jamaica, they used the spit for cleaning, refitting and caulking of their sailing vessels.
The British took Jamaica in 1655 and, realising its strategic importance, put fortifications in place and began careening their naval ships there.
By the 1660s buccaneers, cut-throats and prostitutes made up most of the 6500 residents of Port Royal. There was one drinking house for every ten residents, along with merchants, goldsmiths, artists – and even several places of worship!
Although he died well before Kydd’s time, Henry Morgan’s reputation as one of the most notorious and successful pirates/privateers in history, ensures his name lived on
However on June 7, 1697 disaster struck; Port Royal was destroyed by an earthquake. A large portion of the town sank into the sea and two fifths of the population perished.
The houses and fortifications were rebuilt on what by then was an island separated from the rest of the Palisades, but in 1703 a fire destroyed the settlement. Although the town was largely rebuilt, hurricanes in 1712, 1722 and 1726 ensured that Port Royal would never again rise to its former glory as all the merchants shifted across the harbour to settle in Kingston, a less healthy but safer site than Port Royal. The Royal Navy continued to use the area for careening however, and a number of naval storehouses and accommodations were erected.
After the Napoleonic wars Port Royal diminished in importance and the Naval Dockyard eventually closed in 1905 and slowly sank into disrepair.
At the careening capstan, Nelson’s Dockyard
Historically its position on the south side of the island meant it was well positioned to monitor the neighbouring French island of Guadeloupe and it afforded good protection against hurricanes.
By 1707 naval ships were using English Harbour as a station but it wasn’t until 1728 that facilities were built for maintenance and repair. Construction of the modern dockyard began in the 1740s and grew to include mast houses, saw pits, stores and all the various specialist facilities required to service the ships. (Nelson’s tenure in the dockyard was from 1784 to 1787.)
In 1889 the Royal Navy abandoned this dockyard but it re-opened in 1961 after extensive restoration and is now a world-class tourist attraction.
In Kydd’s footsteps…
It’s given me great pleasure to learn that after reading Seaflower and Caribbee a number of readers have travelled to the Caribbean and followed in Kydd’s footsteps, so to speak. There is still much to be seen that has changed little and I commend a visit!
Previous posts on Caribbee
King Sugar
The story of the cover of Caribbee
The birth of Caribbee
Seaflower and Caribbee
Copyright notices
Captain Morgan image: By Alexandre Exquemelin ,an artist known for making book about pirates (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/137078382381276155/) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Port Royal image: By Old_Port_Royal_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_19396.jpg: John Masefield derivative work: Beao (Old_Port_Royal_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_19396.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Every effort is made to honour copyright but if we have inadvertently published an image with missing or incorrect attribution, on being informed of this, we undertake to delete the image or add a correct credit notice
BETRAYAL: the tide turns
Posted on September 9, 2014 3 Comments
A regular feature looking back on each of the Kydd titles – with story background, research highlights, writing challenges and more.
And thank you for all your kind comments on the post about my previous book, Conquest.
The thirteenth book in the Kydd series is Betrayal, a book I enjoyed writing because it was dealing with events within the Napoleonic wars that are little known and offered an exotic canvas for telling a story. After the victory in South Africa in Conquest it was certainly a different outcome for the British! But that was part of the challenge of writing this book. Defeat and disappointment are part of life – and this was certainly as true in the Georgian era as it is today!
Praise for the book
‘Once again Julian Stockwin has come up with an excellent, fast flowing story of Captain Kydd as he goes about his ventures of derring-do off the South American coast… This little known side-show within the Napoleonic Wars allows Stockwin to use his excellent seafaring knowledge… A cracking yarn… in the best traditions of Hornblower and Aubrey’ — Pennant magazine
Dramatis Personae
As usual, my cast of characters includes a number of real-life personages. Here are six from history that I found particularly interesting to research for this book:
Beresford
Beresford
William Carr Beresford, later Viscount Beresford, entered the British Army in 1785 as an ensign in the 6th Regiment of Foot and the next year he was blinded in one eye due to an incident with a musket. He remained in the service being promoted to captain by 1791 with the 69th Regiment of Foot. He distinguished himself at Toulon (1793) and in Egypt (1799-1803). A straight talking warrior he was possibly not best placed to handle the complex situation he found himself in Betrayal. He went on to a more illustrious future in the Peninsula war.
Sobramonte
Sobremonte
Liniers
Liniers
Baird
Baird
David Baird was born in Scotland and entered the army in 1772. He was a major-general when he commanded the expedition to take the Cape of Good Hope. He liked to wear a curved blade taken from the body of Tippoo Sahib after he stormed Seringapatam during the Anglo-Mysore wars. Another caught up in the failed attempt on a South American empire, he also did not deserve his fate – to be removed from his governorship of Cape Town, never to be employed at that level again.
Popham
Popham
Sir Home Popham was born in Gibraltar, and allegedly had 20 siblings. He entered the navy in 1778, was highly intelligent but often rubbed those in authority up the wrong way, and had an uneven military career. He eventually attained the rank of rear admiral. One of the most scientific seamen of his time, he did much useful survey work, and was the inventor of the code using signal flags adopted by the admiralty in 1803 and used at Trafalgar and for many years afterwards. A gifted and unusual personality he went on to ensure Wellington’s victory in the Peninsula that ended in the advance on Paris and capitulation.
Fox
Fox
Charles James Fox was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned thirty-eight years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and who was particularly noted for being the arch-rival of William Pitt the Younger. Fox had little interest in the actual exercise of power and spent almost the entirety of his political career in opposition. After Pitt’s death in January 1806, Fox served briefly as Foreign Secretary in the ‘Ministry of All the Talents’ of William Grenville, before he died on 13 September 1806, aged fifty-seven.
Research for Betrayal
My research for this book involved poring over a large number of reference books and Royal Navy histories. And, as usual, my Admiralty electronic charts and pilots brought to bear on the developing story were invaluable. I write on my main computer and I have another computer at my right hand side with the relevant sea chart at hand and can navigate my ‘ship’ as the story dictates. Oh, the long-ago days when I only had paper charts and had to spread them out on the dining room table and do navigational computations by hand…
Speaking of things that weren’t around when I started writing, social media is, I think, a boon to authors. Writing is necessarily a pretty solitary occupation and the occasional break to check on Twitter, Facebook etc. provides a light diversion. Twitter has also come to my aid in the form of one of my Twitter friends, Sarah Callejo, a translator based in Spain. Sarah very kindly helped out with some of the more obscure Spanish phrases that I came across in my research yet I’ve never met her!
Copyright notices
Beresford image: William Beechey [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons; Sobromonte image: By Ignacio CavicchiaCatálogo Acceder (uploaded by User:Alakasam) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons; Liniers image: By Anonymous [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons;
Baird image: By Sir John Watson-Gordon (died 1864) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons;
Popham image: [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons; Fox image: By Karl Anton Hickel (died 1798) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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Julian Stockwin 