Publication Date: April 14, 2020
Paperback & eBook; 681 Pages
Series: The Rebels and Redcoats Saga, Book #4
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis
The man who wants everything gets nothing…
July 1755
War is brewing between England and France. Impressed into the Royal Navy, Lieutenant Merrick, against all odds, advanced through the ranks to become an officer—but he is not a gentleman. A man with a tainted past from a traitorous family, cast down by King George—a stain no man can remove.
Merrick’s thrust into the role of captain, when the HMS Boudica is attacked by pirates off the coast of Nova Scotia. On a captured enemy vessel he discovers a King’s ransom in treasure and a woman chained in the hold from a passenger ship that mysteriously disappeared at sea.
Beautiful, defiant, and hell bent on revenge, India makes a deal with Merrick to uncover the pirates’ scheme, promising him everything he desires: fortune, glory, and the chance to bring honor back to the McKesson name.
Now, they race against time to uncover a plot that links those in the highest ranks of the British aristocracy, to a failed rebellion that is once again trying to topple the monarchy and place an old pretender on the throne. But all that glitters is not gold as passions stir and an impossible love blooms, threatening to undermine all Merrick and India have done to protect their King and a country on the brink of war.
Available on Amazon
Guest Post:
Staging Man of War, The Prequel to The Rebels and Redcoats Saga
“For I am a Man of War, and the HMS Boudica is my Queen…”
MOW has two main settings, first on a fourth-rate ship of the line, or better known as a Royal Navy Man-o’-War, and New York City in 1755. The setting is important for this story because the HMS Boudica is a character in the book, and we see her through both Merrick’s and India’s eyes, but in different ways. For him, the Boudica is freedom, opportunity, and a home he’s never had—and there’s something fanciful about that. As we think back to the age of the sail, and those incredible ships with canvas whipping on the wind and an oaken hull that cuts through the waves, it has a romantic edge doesn’t it? But in truth, life in the Royal Navy was anything but romantic; it was hard, regimented, often painful, and the cause of many deaths in service to the King. As I started my research, I really wanted to understand not only the makings of the ship, but what it was like to be a sailor (both of the wardroom and below decks, because those lifestyles were very, very different), and that’s reflected to us through India, our heroine’s, eyes. Much like myself behind my computer, India is trying desperately to understand how these men live, day in and day out, under the strict rules of a Royal Navy ship, and why they’d choose to endure such difficulty. As we learn in MOW, just as India does, many of these men didn’t choose this life; they were impressed into the Navy and forced to serve against their will.
I was fortunate to have lots of research friends along the way when creating the HMS Boudica, and I’d like to give a shout out here to Lorna Richmond and Katherine Bone for all their help finding resources to create the ship. I also have to thank my editor, Jo Michaels, for drawing the incredibly detailed maps you see in the beginning of the book. These three women were indispensable in my process, and I can’t thank them enough. First of all, you have to understand the difference in the types of ships in the Royal Navy, their sizes and their purposes. A ship of the line was just that, a war ship that lined up in formation within the battle theater, and the ratings were based on the number of guns and gun decks (FYI, gun is 1755 speak for cannon). While the floorplans for these ships were relatively similar, based on the class, they were also very different—depending on when the ship was created because of the advances the Navy had in ship building over the years.
Yes, by this time in research, my mind was spinning. How does one figure out what the ship looked like and which one Merrick would captain? I chose the fourth rate because it was considered a war ship, but it was smaller, and these ships were also known for doing reconnaissance, which is exactly what the Boudica is up to when MOW starts. Then, I needed to know what ships were assigned to the Blue Squadron in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1755. Fortunately, Lorna hooked me up with the Royal Navy archival site, and she helped me pull records on the different squadrons and ship floorplans so I could get a sense of how a fourth-rate ship would’ve been laid out. I then traveled to Portsmouth, UK, and toured the HMS Victory, which is actually a first-rate ship of the line, much larger than our Boudica, to get a sense of what it was like to actually be on one of these mighty war ships. As I walked the decks of the Victory, it was truly sensory overload, and I decided I wanted to give that back to the reader. I could smell the aged wood, feel the closeness, stoop as I walked the lower deck and climbed the steep companionways, helping me to create the environment in its beautiful, yet disturbing, entirety. I was in awe of the Victory, her power, her strength and her size, much the same as Merrick was of the Boudica in MOW. It’s incredible to think people lived on the Victory, almost eight hundred at one time, and on a fourth-rate like the Boudica, there would’ve been five hundred! Unbelievable. This is where I got the idea for the Boudica to be a character in MOW. Her name was simply chosen in relevance to the Celtic warrior Boudica, and it made sense with Merrick’s reverence to her as his beloved Queen.
It took me over a year to learn what I felt I needed to know about the Royal Navy in 1755, and yes, it is different from the time of Lord Nelson, which readers tend to be more familiar with. All authors say, you learn more data than you actually use in a story, but I did my damndest to add as many facts about sailing as I could to give the reader the gritty, realistic experience of what it would’ve been like to live on a ship in 1755. I even had to learn the language of the sea, which is unique in itself. Also, what was life like on a ship? How did they bathe? How did they eat? Where did they sleep? What were their day-to-day duties? Who did what job? So many questions I asked, and I purposely draw attention to these things, and the characters’ roles, as you pass though the chapters of MOW. The Boudica was a micro society, and every member of the crew had a job to do to keep her ship shape and in Bristol fashion.
Now, let’s talk the Big Apple. Most people forget NYC, specifically Manhattan, is an old historic city with an amazing, colorful past. I’m not a native New Yorker, lol, but as I started my research for the Rebels and Redcoats Saga, I fell in love with the hidden Revolutionary War history of Upstate NY and NYC. (I’d like to think after my 4 books about NY history, the State of NY would adopt me) Seriously, I truly believe in another life, I was right next to the locals pulling down the King George III statue on the Bowling Green. And as MOW is a prequel, it only made sense to show the reader where and why we are in NY in the later books and how the characters got there from England. New York City experienced a great fire in 1776 which destroyed many buildings and lots of archives; however, there’s still a good deal of information from this time period. I pulled a map of NYC in 1755 from the Library of Congress and used that to start research. Funny, most of the streets still bare the same names in Lower Manhattan and are located in the same places as in 1755. I was fortunate to travel to NYC last year and take a research tour with some local historians, giving me a real sense of what Lower Manhattan looked like at the time, and what it would’ve been like to live there. In MOW, we see India shop in the fashionable Hanover Square, travel to the Fort George to meet Governor DeLancey, and attend a ball at the Royal Exchange. We also see James McKesson run the familiar streets at night, past all the Dutch and Colonial style houses, to stop at the infamous Bowling Green. In all these great moments, this incredible, historic city infuses it energy into MOW and creates a mystique and romance that only the Big Apple can provide.
I must finish with a shout out to my muse city, NYC, as they face their incredible battle with COVID-19. So much has happened to this majestic, beautiful old lady over the years, but she always manages to endure. I can’t wait till I can walk your streets again, marvel at your history, and visit my favorite historical sites. This Detroiter sends her love and prayers to the people of New York and the rest of the world. We shall overcome, and so will NYC.
Huzzah, sailors. I hope you enjoyed this look into the settings of MOW.
Peace and Love,
T.J. London
About the Author
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Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, April 27
Guest Post at A Darn Good Read
Tuesday, April 28
Review at Gwendalyn's Books
Wednesday, April 29
Excerpt at Donna's Book Blog
Thursday, April 30
Interview at The Book Junkie Reads
Friday, May 1
Review at Books, Writings, and More
Saturday, May 2
Feature at Just One More Chapter
Monday, May 4
Review at History + Fiction + Adirondack Spirit
Tuesday, May 5
Feature at The Lit Bitch
Wednesday, May 6
Feature at I'm All About Books
Thursday, May 7
Guest Post at Curling up by the Fire
Friday, May 8
Review at Hoover Book Reviews
Saturday, May 9
Feature at Reading is My Remedy
Monday, May 11
Review at andreajanel_reads
Wednesday, May 13
Feature at What Is That Book About
Thursday, May 14
Excerpt at Books In Their Natural Habitat
Friday, May 15
Review at Passages to the Past
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Thanks so much for hosting TJ London today! This series is amazing!
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HF Virtual Book Tours
A pleasure - I loved her guest post! Can't wait to get into this series!
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