====================================== S T O P - P R E S S Win an unabridged audiobook of KYDD ====================================== "THE BOSUN'S CHRONICLE" --- emailed to Shipmates the first week of each month --- VOL 2, ISSUE 7, July 2002 Avast there - and welcome aboard from the Bosun of the Thomas Kydd Shipmates' Network! 1) DECKLOG 2) HANDS TO MUSTER 3) NAUTICAL WEBSITE OF THE MONTH 4) ANATOMY OF A MAN-O'-WAR 5) ON THE STOCKS 6) SIGNALS FROM FOREIGN PARTS 7) DAYS OUT 8) REPORTS ==================== 1) DECKLOG --- events and activities --- Julian's author tour of the East Coast of America begins July 20 at Mystic Seaport. Full details are on the website. The Bosun will report back in a future issue. ===================== 2) HANDS TO MUSTER --- Behind the Thomas Kydd series is a great team; each month "The Bosun's Chronicle" goes behind the scenes to talk to Shipmates who have been involved in some aspect of the book --- HATCHARDS, Piccadilly This month we visit Hatchards in London, one of the oldest (founded in 1797) and most famous bookshops in Europe - and booksellers to the Royal Household. The book-selling team of sixty-five manages around 100,000 titles at any one time. Hardbacks are particularly sought after by customers, many of whom are from overseas, and in fact Hatchards holds and sells more hardbacks than any other bookshop in England. Following on the success of KYDD last year, ARTEMIS has been in Hatchards Top 10 since launch. Floor Manager Stephen Simpson has a particular interest in naval fiction: "Books about the sea are very popular with our customers and we have special sections both in the hardback and paperback departments." The original shop opened at 173 Piccadilly, just a few doors down from the present site. Piccadilly in the latter part of the eighteenth century was very much the up and coming area of the capital. The principal thoroughfare leading West out of the city, it resounded to the hoofbeats of horses and the clattering wheels of stagecoaches going to Guildford, and beyond. Literary figures have always frequented Hatchards - Lord Byron, Macaulay, Kipling, Chesteron, Oscar Wilde - and many more. Julian has enjoyed meeting readers at several signing sessions there and on almost any day of the week a favourite author can be found in the store. Aided perhaps by the shortness of his name, Sir Alec Rose, the yachtsman, signed 1250 copies of his book during just one session, a record still unbroken! In its early days, Hatchards was a publishing house as well as a bookseller - and somewhat of a Gentleman's Club. Julian has dropped hints about Nicholas Renzi being found there at various times perusing copies of his favourite philosophers or pamphlets of the political gossip of the day. But you'll have to wait for a future book. NEXT MONTH: Next month the Bosun goes behind the scenes at Bookpoint, the vast warehouse from where UK editions of the Thomas Kydd series are shipped around the world. ==================== 3) NAUTICAL WEBSITE OF THE MONTH --- Every month Julian talks about a website with sea links --- National Maritime Museum This is the site of the largest maritime museum in the world. A wonderfully rich source of information about the sea and maritime history. There's a "What's New" section listing many fascinating exhibitions such as the history of tattooing - its European popularity dates from Captain Cook's encounters with South Sea islanders. Colin White has recently joined the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich as Director, Trafalgar 200. His main responsibility is to co-ordinate the planning for the commemoration of the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar in 2005. Colin is a highly respected Nelson scholar and you can now read a special essay on this site in which he unveils Nelson's newly discovered Trafalgar battle plan. ==================== 4) ANATOMY OF A MAN-O'-WAR --- The sailing ships of Kydd's day were the most complex machines on the planet at that time --- SHIP ROUTINE In Kydd's time, the ship's day began at noon, when the ship's position was fixed by a solar sighting. The day was divided into seven watches (one of the afternoon watches was divided into two in order for men to be able to be rotated in their duties). Watches were measured by a four-hour sand glass kept at the door of the captain's cabin, and then into "glasses", measured by a half-hour sand glass. Each time it emptied the midshipman of the watch turned it and the sentry rang the bell, once for the first half hour, twice for the second and so on. Between four bells and six bells in the morning watch (6am and 8am) the watch below were woken to wash and scrub the decks. At eight bells hands were piped to breakfast; most captains allowed one glass (half an hour) for breakfast. At noon the issue of grog was to tune of "Nancy Dawson" on the fife and drum and the pipe of "up spirits" from the bosun's mate. Ship routines followed both Navy tradition and the custom of the individual ships. Some had regular days for training men in seamanship or for washing and cleaning. Usually Thursday was "make and mend"; in the afternoon the men were allowed to repair and adorn their clothes. Most seamen took great pride in their appearance. The only official requirement was for church to be rigged on Sunday. After the captain's inspection, a church pennant was hoisted at the peak and the service conducted. Often the captain gave the men Sunday afternoon to themselves, "wind, weather and the malice of the enemy permitting." ==================== 5) ON THE STOCKS --- News of upcoming books, foreign translations, audio versions, other products --- Unabridged audiobook of KYDD, published by Magna Story Sound, UK This month sees the launch of Magna's unabridged audiobook of KYDD, read by Geoff Annis (see the February issue of the newsletter for an interview with Geoff). The audiobook (listening time approximately 12 hours) is available in either Cassette or CD format from Magna Story Sound, (+44) 1729 840225, . In Cassette format there are 9 cassettes, ISBN: 1 85903 538 8, GBP38.95. In CD format there are 10 CDs, ISBN: 1 85903 552 3, GBP46.50. CONTEST Here's the question: In what UK county is Magna Story Sound based? Answers to . First correct answer out of the hat on July 31 wins his/her choice of either CD or cassette format. +Congratulations to Joe Campbell of Newcastle, England, last month's contest winner of a signed limited edition print of ARTEMIS by Geoff Hunt RSMA. ==================== 6) SIGNALS FROM FOREIGN PARTS --- We welcome news and views from Shipmates around the world --- The Thomas Kydd series is attracting a growing number of female readers. This month the Bosun chats with Naomi Johnson of Columbus, Ohio. Naomi is a financial risk analyst for a pharmaceutical company. +Bosun. What drew you to the nautical fiction genre? +Naomi. The Hornblower series on TV about three years ago. That made me want to know more about how ships were built, operated and maintained, what was the culture of an 18th century warship - a thousand questions! I began devouring fiction and non-fiction on the period. +Bosun. Why do you think the sea has such a powerful attraction for so many people? +Naomi. I sometimes wonder if we knew the mystery of the attraction would we still feel that primal pull the sea exerts on us? There's a line by songwriter Dan Fogelberg that appeals to me: "I spend my days in wandering the reaches and the reefs - And my soul becomes so quiet I can hear my own beliefs." Maybe that's why man goes down to the sea in ships, not to find wealth, or adventure or notoriety, but just to find himself. +Bosun. What particularly attracts you about Julian's writing? +Naomi. First and foremost, he tells a good story and he tells it wonderfully well. Second, there's a paradoxical quality to his writing that draws me in. He has a gift for describing things or events to which my mind says I ought to react in one way, but his words actually elicit a different reaction. For example, when "Artemis" is beginning the turn around Cape Horn, the pictures he paints of black waves the size of mountains, the incredible noise, the physical and mental toll of endless hours of struggle, the fearful men washed away forever - shouldn't all this evoke anxiety, anguish, sympathy? I do feel all of that but to a greater degree I find myself envying Kydd, right down to my socks! I wanted to know the joy of that wild voyage, to be there myself clinging to a lifeline and feeling the bite of salt and wind. And in my heart I know I'm a wimp and I'd never make it. But just for those minutes I'm reading, I get to live it! +Bosun. The books appeal to both men and women readers, possibly for differing reasons - what are there universals in Julian's writing? +Naomi. The universals - man against nature, man against man, man against himself. Julian's books cover all of these. The great thing about Kydd and Renzi is just when they think they've nailed down the answer to one universal, the universe spins again and they - one or both - have to re-think the whole issue. +Bosun. Who is your favourite character? +Naomi. Kydd, of course. He'll keep me coming back for book after book, I have no doubt, and it's because he is learning all the time I get to learn right along with him. He's having fun with it now, after a rocky start, but he's a great mix of open warmth and masculinity and curiosity. And steady, now that he's found himself. He's true north. I have to say that in ARTEMIS my second favourite character (much to my surprise) was not Renzi, as I had expected, it was "Artemis" herself. After the battle against "Citoyenne", the circumnavigation of the globe, the battle to round the Horn, to get so close to England and then to lose "Artemis" so needlessly, just about broke my heart. I think this is the first book I've read that really gave me a feel for what the ship meant to her men. Julian would love to hear from you. Contact ==================== 7) DAYS OUT --- Each month we visit somewhere around the world of special nautical interest --- Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth Until the mid-19th century most of those who joined the Royal Navy as potential officers went directly to sea, largely unprepared for life in a warship. In 1857 Captain Robert Harris persuaded the Admiralty to introduce a training programme in a stationary ship, followed by an examination. This experiment led to the use of several ships and in 1896 the decision was taken to build a training establishment on land. The College was opened in September 1905, but not to universal admiration. One observer described the brick and stone facade overlooking the town of Dartmouth as "a cross between a workhouse and a stable." At the heart of the College lies the Quarterdeck, a large hall somewhat church-like in appearance. Custom dictates that in any ship the Quarterdeck symbolises the Royal Navy and is the focus for its ceremonial. Here in the Middle Ages a crucifix was placed, the first object seen when boarding a ship. It was this figure of Christ that officers and men would salute and from this stems the practice of saluting on entering and leaving a ship today. The Senior Gunroom provides an impressive setting for a young officer's first experience of a formal mess dinner. The ceiling displays a series of beautifully modelled bosses, which have been painted and gilded and are illuminated by spotlights at night. Special tours of the College are offered. Worth a detour next visit to Devon! (A view of the College and also the Quarterdeck may be seen ->Establishments) =================== 8) REPORTS Since its launch the Thomas Kydd series has attracted a great deal of notice - and many column inches in publications all around the world. These published reviews are on the official Julian Stockwin website Here's some of the latest reviews of ARTEMIS: + Nelson in Victoria Newsletter "The book opens with a magnificent battle scene which matches or exceeds anything that Kent or O'Brian has written. Julian Stockwin has definitely written a place for himself in the seafaring tale genre." + Kirkus "Likable Tom and his shipmates make a snug fit in that page-turning Forester & O'Brian tradition - thanks to retired Royal Naval author Stockwin." +Publisher's Weekly "Period dialect and seagoing argot aplenty add credibility to the adventure and the unworldly Kydd is an apt lens for the reader's journey. Fans of naval adventures will surely continue to follow the series." + Historical Novels Review "This is the triumphant sequel to the excellent KYDD. ARTEMIS is a page-turner full of adventure." ================== Yours aye, THE BOSUN ++ Back issues of the newsletter can now be downloaded from the website++ P.S: The next issue of "The Bosun's Chronicle" will be emailed middle of August due to Julian's Canadian/North American publicity schedule.