Guest Author: Michelle Beattie

This week on Unusual Historicals we're welcoming back Michelle Beattie as she celebrates the release of A PIRATE'S POSSESSION, available now from Berkley Sensation. Michelle has become known for adventurous romances set on the high seas of the 17th century--the Age of Sail. Here's the scoop:

Love and gold have one thing in common: they can only be buried for so long...

Abandoned by her father and married to a deceitful man, Claire Gentry fled from her life. Disguised as a man, Claire wagers all she owns in a poker game to locate the treasure her father sought. While her disguise holds, it doesn't protect her when one of her opponents turns out to be the only man she ever gave her heart to.

Nate Carter is no fool. Raised in an orphanage and sailing as the mysterious pirate Sam Steele, Nate is looking to gamble for a map that will lead him to a treasure. But when he looks over his cards, he's reminded of a past he'd rather forget--and the woman who could have given him everything he truly wanted.

After Nate wins the map, Claire has no choice but to accompany her old love on his quest. But running for their lives soon replaced running from the past. And if they survive the bloody battle for the treasure, they may just realize that what they really have been searching for isn't riches--but each other...

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A PIRATE'S POSSESSION is the third book of your pirate series. How is this one different than the other two?

Unlike WHAT A PIRATE DESIRES and ROMANCING THE PIRATE, most of A PIRATE'S POSSESSION takes place on land. I did that specifically to change things up a bit though of course I have scenes taking place on the ship because it's such an intimate setting. It's hard to avoid each other on a relatively small ship.

What similarities can we expect in this book as compared to the others?

Lots of action, gun battle, sword fights. The lovely, sultry setting of the Caribbean. A strong heroine who can more than hold her own. Villains. I always have a villain and like Sam and Luke from WHAT A PIRATE DESIRES and Blake and Alicia from ROMANCING THE PIRATE, both Nate and Claire have a past to deal with before they can move on.

You mention Luke and Sam, Blake and Alicia. Will we be seeing them again in this latest installment?

Yes. Part of the fun of a series is seeing characters you've fallen in love with come back. They don't steal the show, but you will see them again. They're family. Not all by blood, but this unlikely group of pirates and civilians have become family, so of course it makes sense that you'd see them pop up here and there.

One of the great things in ROMANCING THE PIRATE was the fun camaraderie between Nate, Vincent and Blake. Was that fun to write? And can we expect more of that dynamic in A PIRATE'S POSSESSION?

It was SO much fun to write! I love these men together. They have a real friendship with all the frustration and humour that goes along with it. Writing them together was so easy, it was just a matter of letting them go! You will definitely see much of that continue with Nate and Vincent in this book, and toward the end, when Blake steps in.

What's on your horizon as a writer?

I'm currently switching gears a bit and trying to sell a contemporary that I wrote and have begun another. I'm toying with a few ideas. I really love historical westerns but that market isn't strong right now so I may try a contemporary western. We'll see. First I have to finish this new book.

So no historicals in the future?

For sure! I can't see myself ever NOT writing historicals, but I would like to branch out and write both historicals and contemporaries.

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Are you ready for some pirates? Leave a comment or question for Michelle to be entered in her contest. I'll draw a winner at random next Sunday, who will receive a copy of A PIRATE'S POSSESSION just in time for the new year! Maybe this question to get you started: Who is your favorite pirate in film or literature, or which is your favorite pirate story? Void where prohibited. Best of luck!

Excerpt Thursday: Sarah Parr

This week on Excerpt Thursday we're welcoming back Kensington author SARAH PARR as she celebrates the release of her second 18th century historical romance, HIS FOR THE TAKING. This sensuous pirate adventure travels from England all the way to Bermuda, where Sarah once lived. She'll be here on Sunday to answer questions and give away a signed copy. Join us then!

Persuasion Always Wins...

On a mission to investigate treason, Privateer Marquis Warrick Barry believes he'll have no trouble getting the information he seeks from Karly Bane--the dark-haired beauty the Crown has ordered him to marry. But none of Warrick's tactics work. Unable to deny the hunger the fiery temptress elicits in him, Warrick realizes he must use seduction to persuade his new wife to trust him--both in and out of the bedroom.

When Passion Is the Prize...

As the daughter of a pirate, Karly knows she has nothing in common with the aristocratic Warrick--except an overwhelming mutual attraction. And though Warrick's intentions appear honorable, Karly cannot bring herself to reveal her closely guarded secrets. But when danger threatens to tear them apart, she must decide if she can share herself fully with the man who is now her husband--and if she wants a love that can last forever...

***

For a moment she could forget they were at odds and surrender to safety. He would not harm her, of that she was sure. It hadn't pained to bare her soul before him, his quiet words were comforting. Men weren't like that or was it simply around her? She gathered every shred of logic she could manage and patched the open wound in her heart, taking deep breaths until she was again solid. "I don't normally lose control like that."

"It's time you did. You've been holding tight for too long, not without reason."

Karly sank onto the bench and didn't move when he tucked her hair over her shoulders. Across from them the fountain splashed and water meandered down the wall into a small pool. It was silent, the rain masking the sound. If only she could drown the sound of her racing thoughts as easily. "You should annul the marriage soon. The damage will be less that way."

"How very philosophical of you."

"Will I need to sign anything?"

"No, the matter is entirely in my hands. All I need to do is ask and our marriage will be dissolved within the week. But I don't believe I will." Shadows deepened and then were gone from his face but never seemed to leave his eyes.

She sensed danger, from him and from within her heart. She needed to guide the conversation, before the path became more treacherous. "The rain is slowing."

"Stop running from me."

His voice was like liquid silver in her veins. He stood before her and touched her lips with his finger, then languidly traced their outline. It was all Karly could do not to move or speak. Her body began to tremble with want of words. She could not go back, she could not break the spell he was casting. His touch advanced slowly past her cheek until his hand massaged the nape of her neck. She heard her own sigh and felt the tension ease, replaced by a delicious warmth that spread outward. "I won't fall in love."

Love Affairs: Jack Rackham & Anne Bonny

By Anna C. Bowling

These real life pirates of the Caribbean shared a love affair that ignited like a flash of gunpowder during the waning days of piracy's golden age. Jack Rackham, dubbed Calico Jack by his peers, due to his brightly colored wardrobe, had already enjoyed a piratical career that included taking over a ship previously captained by James Vane when the pirates found themselves pitted against a warship. Jack's crewmates elected him captain in Vane's stead, and Jack led several successful raids on merchant ships before deciding he wanted something else out of life.

His ship put into New Providence Harbor in the Bahamas, and Jack may well have accepted the open pardon offered by Governor Woodes Rogers for all those who would quit their nefarious ways and live as decent men. It was one far from decent woman, Anne Bonny, a quick-tempered Irishwoman from South Carolina, who turned his head and set his life on a far different course when the pair met at one of the many taverns in the port town.

The attraction between the two was intense and instantaneous, finding themselves matched well in temperament, passion and ambition for adventure. There was only one problem: Anne was already married, and even worse, her husband, James Bonny, was an informant for Governor Rogers. Having his wife carrying on with one of the very pirates he hoped to eliminate did not sit well.

James charged his wife with adultery, and her conviction warranted flogging and a charge to return to James. Jack offered to buy Anne from James in a marriage by purchase, but Anne's pride nipped that in the bud. She refused to be bought and sold like livestock and the pair escaped New Providence to take to the open sea.

Anne learned the art of piracy well under Jack's tutelage, to the extent that most historical mentions of Jack's name are as an associate of Anne's, and that of another piratess in male guise, Mary Read, rather than for his own exploits. Anne and Jack's affair proved fruitful, and they put into port in Cuba for Anne to deliver their first child, whose fate remains unknown.

Jack and Anne resumed their seafaring lifestyle, with pirate hunters hot on their heels. In 1720, Captain Jonathan Barnet captured their ship while the male crewmembers were too inebriated to offer resistance. Only Anne and Mary fought to the end, and the entire crew stood trial in Jamaica, facing a death sentence. Anne, pregnant with her and Jack's second child, plead her belly, and had her execution postponed until she could carry the child to term. (A ruling which proved moot, as Anne escaped well before said time.) Jack, however, had no recourse, and his sentence was passed.

The day of his execution, Jack had but one final wish--to see his beloved Anne one last time. The wish was granted, but historical accounts indicate that Anne turned away from her lover after uttering the fateful words, "If you had fought like a man, you would not be hanged like a dog."

Guest Blogger: Michelle Beattie

We're back! Hope everyone had a lovely winter break, as we did here at Unusual Historicals. To get us back in the swing of things for the last week of the year, we've invited Michelle Beattie to talk about her debut WHAT A PIRATE DESIRES, set in the 17th century Caribbean.

A LADY IN DISGUISE...

When her family was murdered by the brigand named Dervish, all that Samantha Fine cherished was swept away in the churning waters of the Caribbean. Driven by revenge, she masquerades as Sam Steele, the most cunning pirate of the seas, striking terror in the hearts of every merchant who dares to cross her path. If only they knew the legendary buccaneer's extraordinary secret...

A MAN IN NEED...

One man has discovered that a fiery female spirit wrestles beneath Sam's fearsome exterior: the pirate, Luke Bradley. He once sailed with the vile Dervish, and now has a score of his own to settle. But as he joins Sam on her journey across the unpredictable Caribbean Sea, Luke is drawn to her loyal heart and courageous strength. Now, making Dervish pay for his sins is second to the quest to win Sam's heart...

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Welcome, Michelle! Tell us a little about how you got started with this swashbuckling idea.

WHAT A PIRATE DESIRES came about due largely to Johnny Depp and his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow. I'd never written a pirate book, it had never even crossed my mind. Can't say they interested me much. Sparrow changed all that. Johnny changed all that, as I don't think anyone else could have sparked my interest the way he did. So, after 18 months of writing drought, brought on by the death of my dad, I now had a drive, a purpose and a story.

How do you come up with the characters names?

Some just come. I take into account the year and the setting, and then often take the first name that pops in my head from there. For Samantha, I thought a little harder. I wanted a name I could shorten to be a man's name and I wanted a tough last name, thus Sam Steele came to be. I since learned there was an R.C.M.P officer named Sam Steele. Honestly, that's a coincidence, but being Canadian and finding out there was a real Canadian Mounted Police Officer by that name is kinda cool too. For Luke, I wanted a name with a hard sound at the end, because it sounded stronger. Since there was already a pirate we all know named Jack, I thought of Luke. It's also how I came up with the heroes in books two and three of the series, Blake and Nate.

And I always try to have names that flow well together, like Sam and Luke. Justine and Luke wouldn't sound as good.

How do you create a character?

I'm more of a plot-driven writer. I usually think of a story first, and then pick people to play the parts. Using Sam and Luke, I knew I wanted a female pirate, and once I had her name, then I thought, all right, what would make her be a pirate? Is she a reluctant one or a willing one? And usually the best conflict between your main characters comes when their goals contradict one another. I knew I wanted Luke to be a man who enjoyed piracy, so right away I knew Sam wouldn't like it. Then I thought, ok, why? Why would she do something if she didn't like it? And from there came her back story.

For Luke, he needed a reason, too. Why did he like piracy? What did it give him that he couldn't find elsewhere? What would it take for him to give up something he loves?

Do you associate a name to a character trait?

Sometimes. The villain in WHAT A PIRATE DESIRES is called Dervish, which means devil. I picked that purposefully as Dervish is a vile and cruel man. Usually I give villains names I don't particularly like, or named I wouldn't ever give one of my heroes.

How much research was necessary?

I have a great dictionary called English Through the Ages. It tells me when a word was invented and what's it meaning was at that time, since meanings change over time. If a word I really want to use wasn't actually used until 1700 and this is 1650, I'll probably use it. But there was one word I wanted that wasn't used until the 1800's and because that was too long a stretch I found another word. As a reader, I don't like words that jar me out of a story by sounding too modern for that time period. However, I try to use less formal words as what may have been used because it should still be about the story. If you have to stop reading to look up a word or have to stop to try to figure out what it means, then you lose flow for the sake of exactness. For me, I'd rather have a well-moving story.

Do you have any other ideas after this series that's not written yet?

Yes. I love westerns, it's what I started writing first and where my heart lies. I have one for sure in my head at the moment. I've also written a contemporary and have new ideas for a few more of those as well.

How did 'the call' come about?

Well, I'd sent off my partial (3 chapters) at the end of January. Less than two weeks later came the written request for the full manuscript. That was sent off immediately, and just under 3 months later, as I was unpacking my daughter's backpack from school, I hit the play button on my answering machine. And there it was. "Hi Michelle, It's Berkeley Publishing calling, we'd like to talk to you about your manuscript."

I'd won two contests with the manuscript and also came in dead last in another. From those two contest wins I had one agent and one editor look at the partial. Neither liked it enough to ask to see the whole thing. I went to a conference, met another agent and editor and neither of those two thought they could do anything with this manuscript. I don't think, for me, that contests and the conference helped, though certainly the contest wins wouldn't have looked bad on the query letter. But I think it was hitting the right editor for my writing on the right day.

Where do you get your inspirations?

From movies, other books, life in general. I started writing after reading a book and being disappointed in a direction she took the story. I thought, "I'd have done that differently," so books certainly influence me. Sometimes, like the first western I wrote, the idea just comes. Other times I'll have a vague idea and will brainstorm it around with friends until it becomes something I can work with.

Does your life resemble Samantha's in any way?

Well, I've never been to the Caribbean or on any sailing ship but I always give each of my heroines a trait I either have or wished I have. Sam is stubborn and when she gets an idea in her head, she goes for it. I'm much the same.

Does your next book continue with Sam and Luke or are there new characters?

My plan is to have this be a five book series. In each book you'll see many of the same faces pop in, and yes, Sam and Luke will be in each, though certainly not as the main players. Each book will have its own hero and heroine and its own story. There is an underlying theme that'll carry through each book and won't be wrapped up until the end of book five, but you'll have to wait for Romancing the Pirate to come out in September before you know what that is!

Selected Reviews

"Mr. Depp did for Pirates of the Caribbean what Michelle Beattie is doing again in her pirate series featuring What a Pirate Desires. This story is filled with lots of swashbuckling action, adventure, mayhem and don't forget the romance." Cheryl, Manic Readers

"What a Pirate Desires is swashbuckling good fun. Luke has charisma and warmth that just oozes. Both characters are wonderful in the way they take chances. With crisp dialogue and romance that sizzles, Michelle Beattie spins an interesting tale that this reader found satisfying." Cherokee, Coffee Time Romance

"Beattie's latest is a treasure trove for pirate/adventure lovers as a daring female brigand and a rugged captain match wits in a sexy battle of wills. Beattie uses rapid-fire repartee, double entendres and a daring heroine and dashing hero to spice up a tried-and-true plotline, turning it onto a nonstop read. 4 stars." Romantic Times

"This very traditional but fun romance features a feisty heroine, a tortured hero and a sassy parrot along with strong doses of betrayal, action and plenty of cunning." Publisher's Weekly

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So, to participate in our last Sunday promo contest of the year, please leave a comment or question for Michelle. Maybe...what do you think of pirates as romance heroes? Any Johnny Depp fans out there? A winner will be drawn next Sunday. Good luck!

Expansion & Invasion: Surrender or Die!

By Bonnie Vanak

They chose death over colonization. Suicide over assimilation.

Leaper's Hill on the Caribbean island of Grenada is a peaceful, lovely cliff overlooking a tranquil turquoise sea. Don't step too closely or you might end up below on the craggy rocks like 40 Carib Indians did in 1651.

For many years, the island was inhabited by the Carib Indians. In 1638, the Caribs faced invasion by the French, who decided they wanted to stay. The war-like, fierce Caribs said, ah, no thanks and drove them away.

The French built a colony in Grenada in 1650, after buying property from the Caribs for knives, hatchets, glass beads and two bottles of brandy. Sure beats today's real estate prices. The Caribs must have decided the price was too low, or the French too annoying, or they didn't like the French brandy, because they engaged the French a year later. However, the French, who now had a stronghold on the island and wanted to expand their territory, decided they weren't going away.

Make us, the French said.

The Caribs could not. The French decided enough was enough, and they were going to wipe out the Caribs. No more brandy or glass beads. Time to colonize to the max. Eliminate the enemy for once and for all.

Against the odds, the Caribs fought. On the northern part of Grenada, forty of the last Caribs made the decision to die. Instead of surrender and assimilation, they went to the cliff and jumped to their deaths.

The French named the hill "Le Morne de Sauteurs," or "Leaper's Hill." They went back to drinking their brandy, enjoying the island's pristine resources and trying to stave off the British, who also thought Grenada was a cool place to roost.

Unfortunately for the French, the British persisted, and they didn't want glass beads or brandy. So the French, instead of leaping, gave the island to the British in 1762.

Standing on Leaper's Hill gives you a sense of strong awe. At least it did for me when I visited Grenada. I envisioned the forty proud, brave Caribs, desperate and empty of hope, facing down the French. Unwilling to surrender their island, unable to hold it.

Unwilling to assimilate and lose their culture. The tragedy is interlaced with a touch of romantic heroism.

As writers, we can use the themes of invasion, expansion and assimilation to explore in our books. We can use our imagination to give them a different spin and twist. The themes don't have to be literal. What about the invasion of a strict parent admonishing an heir to act the part so he can assimilate into genteel society after a long absence? Or a heroine forced to marry and assimilate into a new culture or status?

I use these themes in both my historicals and the paranormals. The Carib's fierce independence that nudged them into making such a drastic and life-ending decision reminds me of Jamie, the heroine in Enemy Lover, my November Nocturne.

Jamie is an outcast who will not join the pack and become the mate of a strong Alpha werewolf. For her, it is better to jump off the cliff of her own loneliness than to assimilate into the dangerous world of the Draicon.

It's only Damian's gentleness, his fierce protectiveness toward her and the demonstrations of his love that enables Jamie to see differently. In Jamie's case, she does surrender and it is a sweet victory for both.

A victory far sweeter than the fate suffered by the Caribs, whose legend lives on in their namesake, the Caribbean islands.

Have you ever used an invasion, expansion or assimilation theme in your book and how did it play out?