<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> T H E B O S U N ' S C H R O N I C L E The official Ezine of the Thomas Kydd Shipmates' network <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> VOL. 5, ISSUE 8, September 2005 No author works in isolation - and we're dedicating this issue to everyone in the Thomas Kydd Shipmates' network - from editors to booksellers to readers. We hope you enjoy meeting some of them ... 1 DISPATCHES 2 MEET THE EDITOR 3 BOOKSHELF 4 FEATURE 5 SALTY SAYINGS 6 MEET THE REVIEWERS 7 CONTESTS 8 MEET THE BOOKSELLER 9 NEW ON THE WEB ==================== 1 DISPATCHES + Collector's edition We're delighted to announce a special signed and numbered UK first edition of TENACIOUS. Placing an advance order is recommended, either through the website, or a specialist bookseller, as the number available is strictly limited. Further details on the website. + New limited edition prints Art Marine is bringing out limited edition prints of the covers of QUARTERDECK and TENACIOUS. Based on the superb original artwork by Geoff Hunt, they will be available next month. www.artmarine.co.uk And while we're on the subject of maritime art, two books out this month mark "diamond jubilees": "A Celebration of Marine Art. Sixty Years of the Royal Society of Marine Artists." Bounty Books. ISBN 0753711397. First published in 1996, this highly anticipated revised edition includes over twenty additional artists. "The Wapping Group of Artists. Sixty Years of Painting by the Thames." ISBN 0954706250 Seafarer Books. A splendid chronicle of London's famous river in all her moods and modes. www.seafarerbooks.com + The Rope The Rope is Japan's oldest ship modelling club. It recently celebrated its 30th anniversary and Julian was honoured to be invited to send a congratulatory message to its members, many of whom are great fans of the Kydd series. Take a look at some of the stunning models on their website. http://www.geocities.jp/ropepage/index.htm ===================== 2 MEET THE EDITOR Earlier this year Julian and McBooks Press publisher Alex Skutt announced that McBooks had acquired American rights to QUARTERDECK and six subsequent books in the series. QUARTERDECK is published next month in the States. The Bosun recently caught up with Jackie Swift, Editorial Director at McBooks. Jackie was born, raised and educated in the Midwest, which she describes as "the flat heartland of the country where people value plain speech and hard work and where 'old' is anything that's lasted more than 50 years." As well as having a love of animals and nature, Jackie enjoys gourmet food, which, she says, she discovered in Belgium and which she relishes these days with "a fiendish delight". Jackie admits that when she visited Trafalgar Square in the 80s she didn't know much about the British hero atop the tall column: "Little did I know just what he would come to mean to me, and how very much I would come to respect him." She is delighted to be Julian's American editor: "I'd actually read a couple of Julian's books before we ever knew he might be looking for a new publisher. I immediately thought they were something special, that the Kydd series had all the right elements to build a large following, and I had some discussions about it with co-workers. About nine months later Alex Skutt announced that he was in negotiations with Julian and I have to admit a great big grin spread all over my face. "One aspect of Julian's work that makes it stand out from other nautical series is Kydd's background. He's not a gentleman; he's a tradesman, someone who knows how to work for a living, and at the same time he's very intelligent and creative-in short, what Americans call a go-getter, a self-made man. We love this kind of character because we all like to think he's us, or perhaps he's our ancestor who came to the 'new world' to pull himself up to the top, far away from the cloying, unfair class structure of Europe. Never mind that America had (and has) its own class structure that can be just as constricting, our national psyche is primed to embrace Kydd as one of our own. Then, too, seeing him slowly work his way up the naval and social ranks is very gratifying. He's had much further to go than the usual midshipman-to-captain, Kydd's journey is really a social transformation journey, and that is quintessentially American." We have two copies of the US edition of QUARTERDECK to give away. For a chance to win, see CONTESTS. www.McBookspress.com ==================== 3 BOOKSHELF The Battle of Trafalgar by Martin Robson. ISBN 0851779794 In this, the first in Conway Maritime's Compass Series, eyewitness accounts and documentary evidence are interweaved throughout the narrative. As well as actual coverage of the battle, two actions, ignored in many accounts - that of Sir Robert Calder and Sir Richard Strachan - are given the prominence they deserve. Look forward to future titles in this excellent new series! For a chance to win a copy of "The Battle of Trafalgar", see CONTESTS ==================== 4 FEATURE The Italian Connection Julian was recently invited to give a talk to an Italian cultural group: the topic - Italy Through the Eyes of a Novelist. Julian began the evening with a quotation from another novelist, E M Forster - "One doesn't come to Italy for niceness, one comes for +life+." He went on to explain how initially he had only planned on location research for one book, but had found so much wonderful material that the +Italian connection+ spans two books, MUTINY and TENACIOUS - and possibly more in future. The two cities that feature in these books are Venice and Naples. Julian said in writing about Italy, one of his biggest challenges was to capture the sensory elements, the spectacle, the beauty and the vitality that he felt was the essence of much of that country in the eighteenth century. When Julian spoke about his first trip to Venice, there was a special look in his eyes. "One of the most memorable moments I've ever experienced was coming into Venice one evening in late January 2002. As it was off-season Kathy and I had the water taxi to ourselves, mist hung low over the lagoon, a whiff of the sea was on the air. We passed shrouded islands, then the majesty of Venice opened up. Neither of spoke for a long time as we took it in." (Later, in MUTINY, Julian described approaching Venice through his hero's eyes: "The spreading morning vision took Kydd's breath away; an island set alone in a glassy calm some five miles off, fairy-tale in the roseate pale of morning, alluring in its medieval mystery.") He went on to read two of his favourite passages from MUTINY; the first sees Kydd and Renzi ashore in Venice on a mission to rescue an important diplomat. The scene is set at the point where Bonaparte is about to fall upon the city and end its 1000 years of supremacy. They venture into the streets - and the time of Carnivale! [You'll find it towards the end of chapter three, beginning "The evening, drawing in...] In the next excerpt Julian chose, Renzi is tormented by his former time in Venice [Chapter four up to "... and then, just as purposefully, drew him to her."] Italy was +the+ primary destination of the Grand Tour. If you were of noble birth it was the done thing to complete your education with a period of European travel, lasting from several months to several years. Renzi had been on the Grand Tour when he moved in quite different circles, and in TENACIOUS we learn that he once stayed with a very important diplomat in Naples, Sir William Hamilton... A common saying of the time was "See Naples and die." An apt tribute for such a vibrant city, full of music and colour, wonderful food and wine - yet with the smoking Vesuvious always there in the background. After visiting Naples, what more could there be to experience in life? One of the most vivid passages in TENACIOUS is Julian's re-creation of the rapture that greeted Nelson's triumphant entry into Naples after the victory of the Battle of the Nile. ==================== 5 SALTY SAYINGS Cut of his jib Today, if we say "I don't like the cut of his jib", we are judging a person on his outward appearance, often taking an instant dislike to him. The origins of this expression are definitely salty. In Kydd's day, for an experienced sailor, the cut of a jib (a triangular sail set on the stays of the foremast) could indicate the type of ship, and sometimes the nationality; French and Spanish ships often had their jibs cut very much higher than those of British ships. ==================== 6 MEET THE READER REVIEWERS Last month we announced the six winners of the contest for TENACIOUS reviewers. Here's a brief bio of each of them - and what they had to say about the book. + Jeff Closs Jeff lives in British Columbia, Canada, and is a computer technician; he's also studying for a Bachelor's Degree. In their spare time, he and his wife Patti are deejays on a game related internet radio station called Society of Sound. "It is difficult for me to choose a favourite from the KYDD series, but TENACIOUS does stand out. Nelson's victory at the Nile is so clearly written that I found myself understanding points of strategy that I had not grasped while reading history books. The Nile is just the beginning though; we get to see some real maturity in our characters in this book. Also present is the layer of the KYDD series that draws me to this day - the sentimental side. Stockwin portrays the rough and often violent world of Kydd's naval life so vividly that when we see the emotional effects of lost friends we empathise. All too easy it is for the modern military author to marginalize casualties and allow them to become simply numbers. Stockwin, through this whole series, manages to balance the scales. Shortly after turning the last page, (and what a page it was) I had to go pull my copy of KYDD off the shelf and turn back to page one." --- + Patricia Fray Home, for Patricia, is Hampshire, England. As well as her career in the pharmaceutical world, Patricia enjoys horse riding, art, and SCUBA diving. Her great uncle William Brailey was a pianist in the band of the ill-fated SS Titanic. "Be prepared for a more confident Kydd, able to command respect from officers and men alike. Informing at so many levels, the narrative of TENACIOUS moves effortlessly between ships-of-the-line commanded by Admiral Nelson, eighteenth-century European politics, fine social gatherings and bloody carnage. A magnificent read to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar." --- + David Pinsent David was originally apprenticed as a wood turner/cooper in Plymouth, Devon. He is now based in Dartmouth where he is a qualified commercial skipper; he also teaches sailing and navigation. Archery and horse riding are among his other interests. "Like a kid with a new toy I opened the pages of TENACIOUS. Immediately I am back on board, alongside Kydd and his fellow officers. Well-known characters of history are brought to life and in the ensuing battles the story unfolds - and you +become+ part of the adventure, such is the power of Julian's writing. This is the series I would like to see on the silver screen!" --- + John Brown John lives in California. He grew up on a farm in Iowa and served in the Marine Corps. John now manages a procurement department for a large motorcar company; his hobbies include Akita dogs and Kung Fu. "It's a dangerous world in 1798 - but Kydd rises to the demands of the age. TENACIOUS is a superb read and one you will likely repeat again and again." --- + Barbara Spencer Barbara lives in the English county of Bedfordshire. Her love of books sees her regularly attending most of the major Literary Festivals in the U.K. In the past, Barbara entered many sailing races with her father, but these days she says she likes to travel by larger ships! "The cover of TENACIOUS is beautifully illustrated, and the content is brilliantly evocative and accessible, even to followers who have little technical knowledge of naval matters. Julian Stockwin conveys to his readers a deep and certain knowledge of the sea - and at the same time delivers an excellent read." --- + Michael Arnold Michael is 25 years old, and works as a software tester for an insurance company in Guildford [Kydd's birthplace]. Michael lists football and squash among his interests, and he says though he's not a big fan of seafaring novels the Kydd series has got him hooked! "TENACIOUS - another triumph in this enthralling series! It must be challenging to keep plots fresh when dealing with the same core group of protagonists, but Julian has managed it once again. TENACIOUS is a gripping read, delving into the development of Kydd's career, while simultaneously thrusting the reader into the horrors of battle and its aftermath. Not only a great yarn, TENACIOUS is pivotal to the Kydd saga at large. While the success of Kydd's future may turn on the events described in TENACIOUS, so will the course of history. The engagements and characters involved are known to us, as a modern readership, and vividly evoke one of the most important periods in our not so distant past." ==================== 7 CONTESTS Deadline: September 25. Emails to Bosun@JulianStockwin.com Please include your postal address. + For a chance to win a copy of "The Battle of Trafalgar" email the Bosun with the answer to this question: Villeneuve lost in battle to Nelson victory more than once. What was the year of his first defeat? + If you'd like your name to go into the draw for a copy of QUARTERDECK email the Bosun with the name of the town in which McBooks Press is located. + And, if you missed out winning a signed postcard of TENACIOUS last month, email the Bosun with "postcard" in the subject line. First twelve out of the hat September 25 win! Congratulations to the winners of our August contests, Paul James and Jim Hewitson. (The correct answers were: the foreword to "The Island Nation" was written by Ellen McArthur; the number of products featuring Julian's writing offered at the Audiobook Collection is 12.) =================== 8 MEET THE BOOKSELLER On a glorious summer day last month Julian and Kathy travelled to the historic coastal town of Falmouth in Cornwall for an author book-signing at the Falmouth Bookseller. Named "British Independent Bookshop of the Year" in 2003 at the prestigious British Book Awards, it is very much part of the fabric of the local community - and a favourite stop for visitors looking for holiday reading. Bookstore owner Ron Johns has been in the book trade all his life; he started his career unloading lorries at the wholesale division of WH Smith (where he was called "Lil" because of his long hair) then became their first book rep in Devon and Cornwall. He started the Bookseller when he was twenty-one, with a loan of eight hundred pounds from his father. It is now a family concern and the original one shop has grown to three (the other two are the University Bookseller in Plymouth and the St Ives Bookseller) plus a website for signed books. When he's not reading books (around his bed he has "Norwegian Wood", "Adventure with Fate", "Conversations in Bolzano" and "Predator's Gold") Ron enjoys gliding (he's a full rated instructor) and Citroen motor cars of the sixties. He has a Citroen DS 1974 and a Citroen Sports Maserati 1973 which he takes to club events. www.Falmouth-bookseller.co.uk === Julian is very concerned about the number of independent bookstores around the world now having to close their doors and would like to add his personal plea to please support your local store! =================== 9 NEW ON THE WEB We've added a page about Ship Modelling in Japan. -> SEA -> LINKS -> SHIP MODELLING And a new face appears in the Shipmates Album this month. Capt. Philip Warner USCG Licensed Master was snapped aboard the US Coast Guard vessel "Hannah Rose". Philip is greatly enjoying the Kydd books but says he misses Joe Bowyer, who he felt was "a real sailor's sailor". [Julian admits he feels his loss, too, but says when he was writing KYDD he felt it was important to show that the sea has no favourites...] =================== There's a special Nelson/Trafalgar issue next month. Yours aye, THE BOSUN ++ Back issues of the newsletter downloadable from the website ++