Sea of Hearts & Blood Tides
Sea of Hearts
Blood Tides
By fourteen Hawk remembers little of being captured from a merchant ship six years prior, his father being slain, or his brother, James, being left to die on the burning ship. Instead, he has embraced pirate life and rapidly ascended through the hierarchy. He loves life at sea and desires only to become the last and greatest pirate captain.
Then Anna, a beautiful young prostitute in New Orleans, captures his heart. For the first time, Hawk wonders if there is more to life than his pirate existence. As their love continues to build over the next few years, Hawk’s heart is torn between his quest to rule the sea and his desire to escape with Anna. His world is further shaken when he learns that James is alive and helping to lead the rapidly expanding US Navy in avenging his family and eradicating piracy for good.
In order to follow his heart, Hawk will have to make an impossible choice and be willing to sacrifice everything—including his own life and the lives of the ones he loves the most.
SEA OF HEARTS is a rewrite of BLOOD TIDES, focusing more on the relationship between Henry and Anna and if love can truly conquer all.
KIRKUS REVIEW – BLOOD TIDES
In Sturgill’s (Dreams from the Heart: Tales of Hope & Love, 2013) adventure novel, a young kidnapped boy is raised among pirates while his brother becomes a naval officer and swears vengeance against the marauders.
In the early 19th century, 6-year-old Henry Wellington is traveling from England to the United States with his father and older brother, James, on a merchant ship when pirates besiege the vessel. Captain Bloodstone kills Henry’s father but takes Henry, believing the hawk-shaped birthmark on Henry’s chest makes him “marked by the gods.” James, meanwhile, is saved from the fiery wreckage by the passing USS Enterprise. Henry, now called Hawk, remembers little about his family and grows into a skilled and formidable pirate, but when the teenager meets and falls in love with Anna, a young prostitute, he considers leaving behind the only life he’s really known. Abandoning the pirate life isn’t so easy, however, especially when the quartermaster, aptly named Diablo, is envious of the crew’s admiration of Hawk and would rather see the boy dead than be Bloodstone’s successor, and the U.S. Navy’s New Orleans Squadron, including Lt. James Wellington, who presumes his brother is dead, has been established specifically for hunting pirates. The book doesn’t skimp on the hallmarks that pirate fans look for—there are plenty of eye-patches, peg legs and the occasional “Arrr!” But pitting the two estranged brothers against each other adds substantial depth, particularly since Henry’s birthmark is so discernible and makes the scene in which James recognizes him almost inevitable. There’s also an effective mingling of the notions of good and bad; Henry and other pirates, like his friend Wesley, the cook, look squeaky clean next to Bloodstone and Diablo, who are far more bloodthirsty, while James’ relentless pursuit of pirates recalls Bloodstone’s attack in the beginning, as the Squadron kills men and leaves ships in flames. Henry and Anna are smitten rather quickly, but their burgeoning relationship opens the door for a much more riveting quandary, as Henry must decide between his love for his woman or his love of the sea.
Nails the traits of a classic pirate tale, with romance and family melodrama to hold the story together.
Fact vs. Fiction
Andrew Jackson – Major General that lead the American forces in the Battle of New Orleans, the final major battle of the War of 1812. He enlisted the help of Jean Lafitte and his pirate crew from nearby Barataria Bay.
Barataria – An island in Barataria Bay used as part of Jean Lafitte’s base of operations from 1808 until his eviction in 1814.
Blackbeard, Avery, Kidd, and Roberts – Actual pirates
Biloxi – Actual town in Mississippi.
Blood Seas’s Crew – Fictional
Calico Jack Rackham – Actual infamous pirate. He was one of the last famous pirates hung at Gallows Point in Port Royal. His body was hung in a cage at Deadman’s Cay, a small island within sight of Port Royal, which is today called Rackham’s Cay.
Captain Bloodstone – Fictional, but physically similar to Edward Teach (Blackbeard).
Captain Cord – Fiction
Captain Kragg – Fiction
Chickasawhay – Actual river in Mississippi that feeds into the Pascagoula.
Devil’s Island – Fictional island in the Turks and Caicos Islands chain.
Duels – Disputes were settled on land and the choice of pistol or sword decided by the quartermaster or captain. The articles or captain determined before the duel began if it would be to the death or first blood drawn.
Gallows Point – A promontory on the narrow spit of land that leads out to Port Royal, where many pirate hangings took place.
Galveston Island – Used as the Lafitte brother’s base of operation from 1817 until his eviction in 1821.
Governor Hawthorne – Fiction
Governor Worthington – Fiction
Grand Terre – One of the barrier islands outside of Barataria Bay. It was part of Lafitte’s base of operations in the bay.
Hell’s Fury – Fictional
Henry “Hawk” Wellington – Fictional
Island searches – In 1822, the US government permitted the West Indies Squadron to start searching remote islands for pirates. In 1823, the Squadron could search populated areas, as long as they informed the locals first.
James Wellington – Fictional
Jean Lafitte – Everything mentioned in the story about Jean Lafitte is true, up until his alleged death in a battle with two Spanish warships in 1823. There is some dispute as to whether he survived that battle, although he was never seen or heard from after.
Kingston – Was founded after the earthquake destroyed Port Royal. It later became the largest town and center of trade for Jamaica.
Leaf River – Actual river in Mississippi that feeds into the Pascagoula.
Lieutenant Platt – Actual lieutenant of the USS Beagle.
Marooning – A popular pirate punishment of leaving crewmen on a remote, deserted island. It usually resulted in a slow death of starvation and exposure.
Modifying ships – Pirates were most interested in speed and maneuverability. They frequently removed the upper decks, quarterdeck and forecastle, on captured ships. That also gave pirates an unobstructed fighting platform.
New Orleans – Most of the New Orleans’ description and history, including Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, Cabildo, Presbytere, and Pirate’s Alley, was factual. Only the Treasure Cove and the Thirsty Pelican were fictional.
New Orleans Squadron – The Squadron was formed during the War of 1812 and was based out of New Orleans. It originally consisted of fifteen vessels. They were responsible for evicting Jean Lafitte from Barataria in 1814 and later from Galveston in 1821.
Pascagoula – Actual town in Mississippi, located at the mouth of the Pascagoula River.
Pascagoula River – Actual river in Mississippi.
Pensacola – Became the West Indies Squadron’s headquarters in 1826.
Perfume and pirate dress in cities – Pirates frequently dressed in fine clothing when they went into towns and cities. A pirate’s dress was a statement on how successful they were. They also wore lots of jewelry and even perfume.
Pierre Lafitte – Jean Lafitte’s brother. He ran warehouses in New Orleans to sale smuggled goods from Jean, until Jean’s eviction from Barataria in 1814. He later traveled with him to Galveston Island. He died in 1821 from fever and wounds in a battle with a British warship.
Port Royal – Had been a major pirate haven until the earthquake in 1692. It later became famous for a place where pirates were hanged.
Roberto Cofresi – Considered the last successful Caribbean pirate. He was defeated by the USS Grampus in March 1825 and hung in the same month.
River Junction – Fictional town at the junction of the Leaf, Chickasawhay, and Pascagoula rivers.
Slaves – Runaway slaves were frequently taken aboard pirate ships and treated as equals, and there were a number of famous black pirates. Nevertheless, if pirates captured a slave ship, they would think nothing of selling its human cargo.
The Rock – Fictional, but based loosely on Cat Island, one of the barrier islands off the coast of Mississippi.
USS Avenger – Fiction
USS Beagle – Actual ship in the West Indies Squadron and saw considerable action in pirate hunting.
USS Congress – Actual ship in the West Indies Squadron
USS Enterprise – Most of the information on the USS Enterprise was factual, including patrolling the east coast against British ships, becoming one of the founding ships of the New Orleans Squadron, evicting Jean Lafitte from Galveston, TX, and becoming one of the founding ships of the West Indies Squadron. It was very active and successful against pirates. It became stranded and broke up on Little Curacao Island in 1823.
USS Grampus – The Grampus played a major role in the West Indies Squadron and defeated Roberto Cofresi in March 1825.
USS John Adams – It was the flagship of Commodore Biddle’s squadron. Biddle’s squadron was formed in 1821 and became the West Indies Squadron in 1822.
USS Lynx – Actual ship in the West Indies Squadron
USS Nonsuch – Actual ship in the West Indies Squadron.
West Indies Squadron – Formed in 1822 to fight pirates. It was originally based in St. Thomas and then moved to Pensacola in 1826. In 1835 the Squadron was used in the Second Seminole War in Florida. In 1842 in was combined with the Home Squadron.
West Indies Squadron Withdrawal from St. Thomas – Fact. Most of the squadron was recalled to the United States by January 1824 due to illness. Pirates actually raided St. Thomas in October that year. It returned in 1825.
Glossary of Terms
Aft – The back or stern portion of a vessel.
Articles – Contract signed by pirates when joining a ship. It stated the rules as well as shares of profits.
Astrolabe – A navigational instrument used for taking bearings of the sun and stars.
Backstaff – A navigational tool invented in 1595 that measures latitude.
Baldric – A broad strip of leather worn diagonally across the right or left shoulder that held a sword and sheath at waist or hip level.
Ball and chain shot – Two cannonballs chained together and aimed high in order to destroy masts and rigging.
Belaying pins – A short wooden rod set in the rail to which a ship’s rigging is secured.
Bermuda sloop – A fore-and-aft rigged sailing vessel with Bermuda rig developed in Bermuda in the 17th century. In its purest form, it’s single-masted.
Bilge rats – A rat living in the bilge of a ship. It was considered the lowliest creature by pirates, but many pirates took to eating the animals to survive.
Binnacle – The stand on which the ship’s compass is mounted.
Blunderbuss – A muzzle-loading gun with a distinctive, flared muzzle, common among pirates and privateers and typically loaded with a number of small lead balls, nails, or scraps of metal.
Boarding Pikes – Long spears with wooden handles, between four to six feet long, and common aboard ships. They were most effective against swords and knives in a boarding action.
Boatswain, Bosun – The warrant officer in charge of sails, rigging, anchors, and associated gear.
Bow – The front of a ship.
Bowsprit – Long spar running from the bow of the ship from which the jibs are set.
Broadside – Firing all the artillery on one side of the ship simultaneously.
Brace – A rope used to control the horizontal movement of a square-sailed yard.
Canister shot – A type of antipersonnel cannon load in which lead balls or other loose metallic items were enclosed in a tin or iron shell.
Careen – To lean a ship on its side to clean or repair.
Catboat – A vessel with a single mast mounted close to the bow, and only one sail, usually on a gaff.
Catgut – A natural fiber found in the walls of animal intestines used to stitch up wounds.
Chase guns – Cannon situated at the bow of a ship, used during pursuit.
Club-hauling – The ship drops one of its anchors at high speed to turn abruptly. This was sometimes used as a means to get a good firing angle on a pursuing vessel.
Corvettes – A flush-decked sailing warship of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries having a single tier of guns, ranked next below a frigate.
Crow’s nest – A small platform, sometimes enclosed, near the top of a mast, where a lookout could have a better view when watching for sails or for land.
Cutlass – A short, heavy sword with a curved blade used by pirates and sailors. The sword has only one cutting edge and may or may not have a useful point.
Doublet – A snug-fitting buttoned jacket.
Doubloon – A Spanish gold coin worth four silver pieces-of-eight.
Draft – The depth of a ship’s keel below the waterline.
Explosive shot – An explosive hollow cannonball fitted with a crude fuse that was lit just before it was fired. The intent was for the shell to explode when it reached the enemy ship. Its purpose was to set the enemy ship on fire.
First mate – The second-in-command of a commercial ship.
Flintlock – A pistol version of the musket. These were single shot and most pirates carried more than one.
Fore – The front part of a vessel at the bow.
Fore-and-aft rig – Having mainly fore-and-aft sails, i.e., sails set lengthwise and not at right angles to the ship’s hull, as in the case with square-rigged sails.
Forecastle – A short raised deck at the fore end of a vessel, originally a stand for archers, later the place where seamen were berthed.
Frigate – A fast, 3-masted, fully rigged ship carrying 20 to 50 guns on the main deck with a raised quarterdeck and forecastle.
Furl – Rolling up and securing a sail on a yard.
Galleon – A large three-masted sailing ship with a square rig and usually two or more decks, used from the 15th to the 17th century especially by Spain as a merchant ship or warship.
Galley – The kitchen of a ship.
Gallows – A wooden structure for hanging criminals.
Gangplank – A board or ramp used as a removable footway between a ship and a pier or another ship.
Gangway – A passage along either side of a ship’s upper deck.
Golden Age – The period of roughly 1650 – 1730. It was the greatest upswing in piracy ever, and included famous pirates such as Edward Teach (Blackbeard), Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart), and Henry Avery.
Grenadoes – A hollow ceramic, iron, or glass ball with a fuse, filled with gunpowder and usually small metal objects which exploded into fragments. Thrown onto enemy decks before boarding.
Grappling hook – A hook attached to a rope designed to be thrown on an enemy ship and catch in the rigging or on a rail to pull the two ships together.
Grog – An alcoholic liquor, especially rum, diluted with water.
Gun – Cannon.
Gun deck – The deck below the upper deck on a ship that was primarily filled with cannons that fired out of the gunports.
Gunboats – Small, usually single mast, ships typically armed with one large cannon. They were mostly designed to bombard coastal targets and could navigate in shallow waters.
Gunner – The pirate in charge of maintaining the cannons and weapons aboard the ship, including shot and powder cartridges. He also trained the gun crews.
Gunport – Square winged opening in the hull to aim and shoot the cannon.
Gunwale – The upper edge of the side of a ship.
Hardtack – A large round biscuit that was made with flour, water, and salt.
Hawser line – Large rope used for mooring or towing a vessel.
Heave to – To check the course of a vessel and bring her to a standstill by heading her into the wind and backing some of her sails.
Helm – The tiller or wheel, which controls the rudder and enables a vehicle to be steered.
Hold – A large area for storing cargo in the lower part of a ship.
Impressment – Forcing men into naval service. Common in England at one time.
Jib – Triangular-shaped sail that is attached to the bowsprit.
Jolly Roger – A pirate flag, originally emblazoned with the skull and crossbones.
Knot – Equivalent of 1.15 miles.
Leeward – In the direction that the wind blows.
Linstocks – A staff with a fork at one end to hold a lighted slow match. It was used primarily to light the cannon fuses.
List – A vessel’s angle of lean or tilt to one side.
Lobscouse – A meal of spiced salted meats, vegetables, and biscuits.
Longboat – The largest boat carried by a ship, which was used to move large loads such as anchors, chains, or ropes. Pirates used the boats to transport the bulk of heavier treasures.
Lyres – A stringed instrument similar to a small harp.
Magazine – A small room in the hull of the ship used for storing gunpowder in barrels or kegs.
Mainsail – A sail located behind the main mast of a sailing vessel.
Marine – A soldier trained for service afloat in an (primarily) infantry force that specializes in naval campaigns and subordinated to a navy.
Maroon – To abandon a person on a deserted coast or island with little in the way of supplies. It was a fairly common punishment for violation of a pirate ship’s articles or offending her crew, because the victim’s death could not be directly connected to his former brethren.
Merchantman – Any non-naval passenger or cargo-carrying vessel, including cargo ships.
Moor – To attach a ship to a mooring buoy or post. Also to dock a ship.
Muskatoon – A shorter version of the musket rifle. It was less accurate but easier to use in cramped conditions. It was usually loaded with multiple balls, which spread as the shot traveled, causing devastating damage at close range.
Muskets – These guns were around four to five feet long, were accurate from long ranges, and were used primarily before boarding actions began. They were loaded by pouring powder down the barrel from a powder horn and ramming a ball into the muzzle, wrapped in a patch of cloth to keep it in place. The firing mechanism consisted of flint striking steel and causing a spark to ignite a bit of powder in the flash pan. This in turn ignited the gunpowder in the barrel. The exploding powder propelled the ball.
Navigator – The officer on board responsible for the navigation of the ship.
No quarter – No mercy given to captives; surrender not accepted.
Orlop Deck – The lowest deck of a ship of the line; the deck covering the hold.
Parley – Discussions or conference, especially between enemies, over terms of truce or other matters.
Penny whistles – A six-holed tin whistle similar to a flute or recorder.
Pieces of Eight – Silver Spanish coins used as currency. They were worth approximately $1.
Pirate stew – A watery broth with several types of meat, usually made when rations were running low.
Pitch – A tar-like substance used to caulk the seams of wooden sailing vessels.
Port – The left side of a vessel facing forward.
Powder cartridges – A paper cartridge that contained a pre-measured amount of powder and a ball in a sealed unit. This eliminated having to measure powder during loading muskets and flintlocks.
Privateer – A state-sanctioned “civilian” sailor (or vessel) that was commissioned to attack enemy cities and ships.
Pumps – Used to pump water out of the lower decks of a ship.
Quarterdeck – A deck above the main deck, which stretched from the stern to about halfway along the length of the ship. It was from this deck that the captain and officers controlled the ship.
Quartermaster – Had an almost equal amount of authority as the captain. He was elected and served as the crew’s voice. He maintained order, settled arguments, and distributed supplies.
Rammers – A long rod with a wooden head used to pack the powder charge, wadding, and ball into the cannon.
Rapier – A straight-bladed sword, around a foot longer than a cutlass. Its thin blade could break when used against a heavier sword.
Ratlines – The rope rungs attached to the shrouds forming steps to climb.
Reef – To shorten the sails by partially tying them up, either to slow the ship or to keep a strong wind from putting too much strain on the masts.
Rigging – The term for all the rope lines used on a ship.
Rudder – A flat piece of wood at the stern of a ship that dips into the water and is used for steering. The rudder is controlled at the helm.
Saber – A sword with a curved blade and a large hand guard.
Scallywag – A villainous or mischievous person.
Schooner – A two-masted vessel, fore-and-aft rigged on both masts
Sheet – A rope used to control the setting of a sail in relation to the direction of the wind.
Shot garland – A wooden frame used to hold cannon balls.
Shrouds – The ropes that support the masts and are part of the standing rigging of the ship.
Sloop – A vessel having one fore-and-aft rigged mast with a mainsail and a single foresail.
Slow Match – A slow-burning hemp or flax cord, boiled in saltpeter and dried, used to light cannons. It could be roughly handled without going out and only presented a small glowing tip instead of a large flame.
Sounding leads – A length of rope with a lead weight on the end used to measure water depth.
Spanish Main – The geographical area encompassing the sea and all the islands bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Spar – General term for wooden poles used to secure rigging and sails.
Square-rigged – The principal sails set at right angles to the length of the ship and extended by horizontal yards slung to the mast.
Starboard – The right side of a vessel facing forward.
Stern – The rear part of a ship.
Stinkpot – A grenade-like weapon that makes an awful stink, which is lobbed aboard an enemy ship to sicken and disorient their crew before boarding.
Swab – Person charged with cleaning the decks of a ship.
Swabbing sponger rods – Used to clean the cannon barrel and extinguish sparks after firings.
Swivel guns – A small gun or cannon mounted on a swivel and set on the rail or side of a vessel
Tack – To change the direction of a sailing vessel’s course by turning her bow into the wind until the wind blows on her other side.
Take the wind out – To sail in a way that steals the wind from another ship, overbear.
Thirty-two pounders – A cannon that fired 32-pound cannon balls. Common for shore fortifications.
Topman – Seaman who worked on the masts and yards and manned the crow’s nest.
Topsail – A sail set on the topmast.
Trail guns – Same as chase guns.
Tricorne hat – A three-cornered cocked hat.
Trim – Adjustments made to the sails to maximize their efficiency.
Unfurl – Loosen a sail or free a flag.
Waistcoat – Sleeveless upper-body garment, similar to a vest.
Windward Passage – A straight in the Caribbean Sea between the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola.
Yard – The long wooden spar centered on a mast that supports the sail.