Darlene's Digest

“Did Anne Bonny’s papa love her?” “As I recall the tale, he did. Sit here next to me and I will find out.” He set her next to him and, reclaiming the book, flipped a few pages then smiled. “See here, Mattie? It’s a picture of Anne Bonny sitting on her papa’s lap, just as you sat on mine. Yes, according to Captain Johnson, he ‘had a great affection’ for the child, but he dressed Anne as a little boy to fool his wife, who’d heard about the birth of a daughter that was her husband’s child. He began living with Anne’s mama and then took them to Carolina where he prospered.” “Was he a pirate in Carolina, like Blackbeard?” “No, a merchant and a lawyer, though given those two professions, he may have had some of the pirate in him.” “I am wondering if this is the best bedtime reading for a child,” Lydia said. He looked down at Mattie. “Well, child? Is it a good bedtime story?” She nodded vigorously. “Yes! I want to hear more about Anne and her pirate ways!” --THE PIRATE'S SECRET BABY (Hig...

The stories also continued at bedtime, and Lydia had to admit, she was caught up in Captain Johnson’s stories of blood, gore and courage. “So Mary Read’s mother, described here as ‘young and airy, met with an accident, which has often happened to women who are young and do not take a great deal of care; which was, she soon proved to be with child again.’” “Was my mother young and airy, Papa?” Captain St. Armand put his finger in the book to mark his place and looked at his daughter. “Your mother was a delightful lady, and I believe ‘young and airy’ is an excellent description of her.” “Did you fall in love?” He hesitated, then nodded. “I loved your mother Nanette as one loves the best of friends. She was someone I turned to for friendship, and for laughter, and we shared that.” “And hugs, Papa? Maman was good at hugging,” she finished, a catch in her voice. “Yes, Mattie, your mama was good at hugging,” he said gently. “I am glad, Papa, that you and Maman were in love and that you were ...

“Avast, ye scurvy dog! Strike your colors or I’ll…I’ll… What will I do, Mr. Turnbull?” “Say, ‘I’ll scupper your ship and use your guts for garters, ye lily-livered—oh. Captain, sir!” Turnbull knuckled his forehead and said, “Um, I have to be off now, Mattie,” before scurrying below. Mattie looked up then and spotted the governess, her face lighting up. She ran over and Lydia Burke squatted down on the deck to open her arms to Mattie’s embrace. “Miss Burke! Miss Burke! I am so happy to see you again!” “I am happy to see you too, Mathilde. I missed you,” she said fiercely, hugging the child to her chest. Mattie drew back her head and looked at her. “I am not Mathilde anymore, Miss Burke. Now I’m Marauding Mattie, the terror of the West Indies!” “Are you indeed, miss?” --The Pirate's Secret Baby (High Seas #3) Today is my favorite holiday, #ITLAP Day, or International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Every September 19 we all get to channel our inner pirates as we contemplate abandoning our da...

The pups were in the scullery and Mattie sat amidst them on the floor as they frolicked about her looking like animated snowballs. Their mother watched them closely, but Daphne came over and hummed to her, scratching her behind her ear, and the dog relaxed. Coquette’s coloring was more varied than Pompom’s, as she sported dark tan ears, a pattern carried over onto some of the pups. Most of them left Mattie to mock-fight among themselves, but one, the smallest of the litter, ran at Mattie, pounced on her gown, then jumped off. He hunkered down on his chest with his bottom in the air, tail wagging as he yipped in joyful play. Mattie scooped the little clown up and covered him in kisses as he squirmed in her hands and tried to lick and bite at her chin. She looked up at them then, her blue eyes wide over the dog’s head. “Oh look, Papa! Look, Miss Burke! It is our puppy!” Lydia leaned over and said in St. Armand’s ear, “ I am not going to tell her she can’t have that puppy.” --The Pira...

He returned with his copy of Captain Johnson and arranged himself on her bed while Lydia took the chair. She didn’t want to admit it to the two pirates, but she also was captivated by the tales of long ago miscreants and their adventures. “As you know, Mattie, Edward Teach, or Blackbeard, was a commodore of pirates, commanding other captains beneath him. He was not a good man at all, but he was a very successful pirate, so successful that the governor of Virginia Colony offered a huge bounty on his head—one hundred pounds!” Mattie’s eyes grew large as her father gave her an edited version of Blackbeard’s life, but even so she was frowning at the end. “‘Here was an end of that courageous brute, who might have passed in the world for a hero had he been employed in a good cause; his destruction…was entirely owing to the conduct and bravery of Lieutenant Maynard and his men.’” “Blackbeard did not treat his crew well, Papa. You are the better captain. I am glad Lieutenant Maynard stopped...

“Not that there is anything wrong with Mathilde,” he assured her. “It is a perfectly lovely name for a young lady. It strikes me though as not being piratical. Women who are pirates have names that are simple, but do not detract from their fierceness. Girls like Anne Bonny and Mary Read.” “There are girl pirates?” If she looked happy before, he feared now she would explode with excitement. “Yes, indeed there are. I will show you Captain Johnson’s book of pirates when we’re aboard the Prodigal Son . So, what shall your name be?” -- The Pirate's Secret Baby My most requested talk is " Good Girls Go to Heaven, But Bad Girls Go to Sea: Women Pirates Through History ". It's no surprise that it's a crowd pleaser. My inbox this month was filling with friends and fans asking, "Did you see the Smithsonian article on swashbuckling women?" I had, and I enjoyed it, just as I've enjoyed tales of women pirates since I first learned about Anne Bonny and Mar...

I enjoyed the monthly Writers Alliance of Gainesville meeting where the guest speaker, UF professor and author Dr. Kevin McCarthy, encouraged us to find our niche. I was leaning toward my next project being an American privateer/War of 1812 tale, and I'm going to delve further into this. In the meantime, I'm still editing What the Parrot Saw . As usual, it's a roller-coaster of moments ranging from "Ouch, I can't believe I wrote that!" to "Hmmm....not bad." More on this as it develops. Also, my books are still available through Amber Quill Press until the end of March, at which time they'll be closing their doors forever. If you're interested in all the stories leading up to What the Parrot Saw , I encourage you to fill your ereader and bookshelves now.

I'm very pleased to announce  The Pirate's Secret Baby   won the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence for Historical Romance. It's thrilling to see my love story of pirates, puppies, poppets and a befuddled governess receive recognition from other writers. This is the second national award for The Pirate's Secret Baby . Earlier this year it received the New England Chapter RWA Readers' Choice Award for best historical. As always, I'm grateful to my publisher, Amber Quill Press , to my editor, Catherine Snodgrass, and most of all, to my many readers and fans. Thank you all for making my books winners. I couldn't do it without you.

"...The stories also continued at bedtime, and Lydia had to admit she was caught up in Captain Johnson’s stories of blood, gore and courage.
 “So Mary Read’s mother, described here as ‘young and airy, met with an accident, which has often happened to women who are young and do not take a great deal of care; which was, she soon proved to be with child again.’” 
“Was my mother young and airy, Papa?” 
Captain St. Armand put his finger in the book to mark his place and looked at his daughter. “Your mother was a delightful lady, and I believe ‘young and airy’ is an excellent description of her.” 
“Did you fall in love?”
 He hesitated, then nodded. “I loved your mother Nanette as one loves the best of friends. She was someone I turned to for friendship, and for laughter, and we shared that.” 
“And hugs, Papa? Maman was good at hugging,” she finished, a catch in her voice. 
“Yes, Mattie, your mama was good at hugging,” he said gently. 
“I am glad, Papa, that you and Maman were i...

Ahoy, Jacksonville and First Coast Florida! I'll be signing books, including Readers' Choice winner  The Pirate's Secret Baby ,  on Friday, May 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at San Marco Books and More , 1971 San Marco Blvd., Jacksonville, FL. The San Marco area is a great place to stop for lunch and browsing, and the booksigning is an opportunity to stock up on your summer beach reading. You know you need more pirates (and happy endings) in your life, so drop on by. I'll also have copies of First Coast Romance Writers Beacon Award winner The Bride and the Buccaneer , my North Florida "road" book. There's nothing I enjoy more than putting the top down on the convertible, driving to bookstores and meeting new people. Tell your friends, and I'll see you there!

The New England Chapter of RWA presented the Readers' Choice Award to The Pirate's Secret Baby at its conference this past weekend. I was thrilled to receive word of the award, and humbled when I saw the finalists, all excellent novels from top writers. It's recharged my writing batteries and I'm back at work on the follow-up tale. I realized this week that I needed to go back and steer my characters in a slightly different direction, ramping up the conflict. However, even though this re-writing puts me behind schedule, it's a lot easier to change what I've got than start fresh. One of my favorite writing quotes is, "You can fix anything but a blank page." For this morning though, I'm basking in the love my pirates received. I'm so happy that readers enjoyed my tale of pirates, puppies, precocious poppets and a befuddled governess. Thank you all for your support!

From the site Pirates and Privateers: The History of Maritime Piracy: "... Set in 1820,   The Pirate’s Secret Baby   is a well-researched historical romance spiced with humor. The story of Robert, Lydia, and Marauding Mattie weaves an invisible spell that tugs at your heart strings, and I particularly liked Robert’s non-violent, but oh-so-typically-piratical solution to thwarting Lydia’s nemesis. Near the end of the story, I thought once or twice it could have ended sooner than it did, but the final scene definitely ices the wedding cake. The host of refreshing, non-stereotypical, minor characters – such as two Mutt-and-Jeff-like seamen who go to school with Marauding Mattie and go her tea party, or the vicar who doesn’t mind if his daughter dons an eye patch and duels with a wooden sword – truly help bring this story to life. I’ve read several of Marshall’s previous pirate tales, but this is the best written and most intriguing one..." Read the full review here , an...

I was plinking away at the WIP this morning, crafting the new scene that came to me while I was out walking on Sunday. Then I realized that while the new scene does help and is necessary, I'm going to have to substantially re-write 35,000 words of what I've already done. Writing is indeed akin to taking weird meat by-products and turning them into sausage. So, while it was a "two steps forward, one step back" morning, it could be worse. I've learned to trust my instincts on these things and I know the new scene (and the re-writing) will make [working title] Mattie's Story even better. Oh, and if you're wondering why I have the cover of The Pirate's Secret Baby as my graphic, you probably haven't read TPSB . That's where we are first introduced to Marauding Mattie, the would-be pirate, so it's a fitting illustration for this post. It helps keep me on track while I'm working on the book, asking myself, "What Would Mattie Do?...

“Avast, ye scurvy dog! Strike your colors or I’ll…I’ll… What will I do, Mr. Turnbull?” “Say, ‘I’ll scupper your ship and use your guts for garters, ye lily-livered—oh. Captain, sir!” Turnbull knuckled his forehead and said, “Um, I have to be off now, Mattie,” before scurrying below. Mattie looked up then and spotted the governess, her face lighting up. She ran over and Lydia Burke squatted down on the deck to open her arms to Mattie’s embrace. “Miss Burke! Miss Burke! I am so happy to see you again!” “I am happy to see you too, Mathilde. I missed you,” she said fiercely, hugging the child to her chest. Mattie drew back her head and looked at her. “I am not Mathilde anymore, Miss Burke. Now I’m Marauding Mattie, the terror of the West Indies!” “Are you indeed, miss?” She stood, still holding Mathilde. While her words were icy, if she were a dragon she’d be breathing flame to protect the child. Rather than make Robert angry, he found it promising she would champion her welfare. M...

I'll be at Satchel's Pizza (1800 NE 23rd Ave., Gainesville, FL) tonight from 6:30 to 8 p.m. for Author's Night, celebrating International Talk Like a Pirate Day with copies of The Pirate's Secret Baby and other piratical novels. Come for the pirates, stay for the pizza!

"Would you care to dance as well?” Light-footed Captain St. Armand was standing behind Daphne, smiling down at her, but before she could answer Alexander said, “Mrs. Murray was about to favor me with a dance, Captain St. Armand.” “I was?” “Indeed you were,” Alexander said, helping Daphne to her feet. She cocked her head to the side, listening to the music. “That music is in waltz time, Dr. Murray. Do you know the waltz? It is my favorite!” “Then it will be my favorite also.” Daphne looked up at him as he took her into his arms, a quizzical grin on her face. “What a charming thing to say, Dr. Murray! I vow, you are becoming quite the gallant.” Alexander said nothing to this, concentrating on the music. Yes, he'd waltzed when ashore. On occasion he'd been invited to balls and assemblies, even a surgeon being a useful man to have when the navy was expected to provide gentlemen at entertainments. But he'd never felt the music, the dance had never mattered so mu...

Robert stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his boot tapping nervously at the flagstones. He heard voices within the kitchen, then she emerged, a child holding her hand. Robert looked down at a miniature version of his mother. Mathilde’s black curls clustered about her head, she had eyes as deep a blue as the ocean surrounding the island, and a firm little chin with a dimple that would someday be a small cleft. Her skin was golden, a legacy from Nanette, but Miss Burke was correct. There was no doubt the child was his offspring. “Greet your father, Mathilde,” the woman murmured. The child looked up at the governess, then curtsied prettily. “Good morning, Captain St. Armand. Miss Burke says you are my papa. Is that so? Am I coming to live with you now?” the girl said, looking up at him curiously. Robert’s mouth opened, then closed. He squatted on his heels to bring himself down to her level. A glance at the governess showed he’d finally done something of which she approved...

My spiffy new website is finished, and it's just in time for the Goodreads Giveaway of The Pirate's Secret Baby , happening now through May 31. And in case you missed the news, Amber Quill Press is discounting the related award-winning novels ( Sea Change, Castaway Dreams ) through April 30. Now that the website's done and TPSB is out and about, my goal for May is to begin writing book number eight, with the working title of Mattie's Book. If you've read The Pirate's Secret Baby (and you know you want to read it!) you'll understand the title. In the meantime, there is some actual spring cleaning going on at my house, much as I've tried to avoid it. It's so difficult to pick up that mop when my TBR shelves are groaning under the weight of all those books just waiting to be enjoyed. Ah well, they'll be my reward for clearing out the dust bunnies and getting ready for summer. Enjoy your springtime, but don't forget to take time to read...

My publisher, Amber Quill Press , overhauled their website and added some great new features to make shopping easier and more enjoyable. From the website:: Changes and additions include... •   Wireless eBook delivery  to your Kindle or Kindle App!   •   A  Wish List  feature   •   We are now accepting  PayPal  along with all major credit cards   •   Our new  Log-In Feature  will retain basic "check-out" information so you'll no longer have to enter your name, address, credit card info, etc. every time you make a purchase.   •   Now you can explore our  Genre Pages  using new filters:  Book Length ,  Paperback Availability , and Series Books . Additionally, you can select how many products will display on each genre page, as well as the order in which books will appear: whether alphabetically by title or by name of author, from the newest to oldest ti...

People always want to know what an author is working on now. Sure, I had a new book come out this month, and the reviews of The Pirate's Secret Baby have been gratifying, but I can't rest on my success. I still have fake people talking in my head. The newest people conversing while I'm cooking, or walking, or sitting staring at my screen are Mathilde St. Armand, aka "Marauding Mattie" and Anthony Woodruff. Mathilde's figuring out her place in the world. It's not easy being the illegitimate daughter of a pirate and a prostitute in the best of times, but in Victorian England, it's a whole different level of difficult. Anthony's just trying to keep Marauding Mattie from using him for shark chum. More on this as it develops. And it is developing. I'm doing #1K1Hr sprints via Twitter to get the story rolling, and its beginning to come together. In the meantime, if you haven't yet read The Pirate's Secret Baby , rush out and get a co...