Pirates, Heroes, and a Parade
Hollywood always paints pirates as romantic rogues. I wish.
Mostly they were bloodthirsty murderers. A surprising number of them sailed the North Carolina coast. That’s where I set my 4 stand-alone romances – Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge. Most of the books touch on the state’s piratical past, but my latest one, Submission, Secrets, and the Soldier has a pirate parade. Add in the secrets and surprises and a happy every after beckons.
Let’s start with Blackbeard – AKA Edward Teach.
Born in Bristol, England, Teach enlisted in the English navy in 1706. His most famous ship The Queen Anne’s Revenge was a commandeered French Merchant vessel that he’d fitted out with forty guns. A replica sails the North Carolina coast today. Since Blackbeard never killed his prisoners, he relied on phycological techniques to maintain terrifying persona. When Lieutenant Robert Maynard defeated Teach in battle, he ordered him beheaded and his torso heaved overboard. Maynard suspended the head from the bowsprit.
William Kidd sailed North Carolina’s water’s too.
Born in Scotland, Kidd sought riches in the New World. In 1695, he returned to England and became a registered privateer. He was too good at his job. Or maybe he turned from privateer to pirate. His antics prompted one ship owner to complain to the East India Company. Thing went from bad to worse when Massachusetts governor, Richard Coote, ordered him arrested and returned to England. In 1701, he was judged guilty of piracy and hung. His treasure helped fund the Painted Hall at Greenwich, London. An acknowledgement of it is painted on the wall.
My third pirate, Jack Rackham, AKA Calico Jack designed and flew the Jolly Roger—the flag showing the skull and crossbones. His victims were mostly fisherman. He’s better known for having women in his crew. Anne Bonney bore his child, but Mary Read held his interest too. Calico Jack and his crew were captured by Captain Jonathon Barnett. Calico Jack died in jail, but legend has it his corpse was still put on a gibbet and hung. His greatest legacy is the skull and crossed swords flag.
Pirates play a huge part in my story, Submission, Secrets, and the Soldier when Kathryn, the heroine, helps organise the labour day parade. But sush! What happens next is one of the secrets.
Blurb
Luke Roberts, a former army mechanic, has a new sub. She’s shy and inexperienced, but willing. As he teaches her about sensation play, she fears he’ll really hurt her and screams her safewords at him. Her reaction causes Luke to have a flashback. Although he’s clawing his way back to normal, he suffers from PTSD. Determined to get well, he contacts a PTSD specialist in Westhorpe Ridge.
Kathryn Johnson has visited a BDSM club three times. When she hooks up with Luke Roberts, he unintentionally terrifies her. She swears off spankings and goes home to Westhorpe Ridge. The last person she expects to see there is Luke Roberts.
Circumstances force them to share an apartment. Can Luke protect her when danger threatens? Or is she just a temporary sub in residence?
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Excerpt
Inside the dump truck’s hopper, Kathryn screamed as the car sped toward them. “Farlaise. Straight ahead. We’re sitting ducks.”
Luke gritted his teeth and opened the throttle. The dump truck sped up. Solid, but not superfast, it trundled along the road. A brick outhouse came to mind as he headed directly for Farlaise’s car. This was one game of chicken Luke meant to win. Even if he took a bullet, he’d hold his course and keep Kathryn safe. “So, junior leaguer, how’s your pitching?”
She tried for a smile, but it turned into a grimace. “I had one of the team’s lowest earned run averages.”
Luke kept the throttle open wide. The chugging of the engine grew louder, but he’d told her the dump truck had a top speed of less than thirty miles an hour. The wind made it feel faster.
He took a deep breath and yelled, “Hooah. Balls-to-the-wall time. Our dump truck will pulverize their front end. When you’re near enough, lob one of your Molotov things in their direction. Anything to keep them off-balance since I might as well have a target on my chest sitting up here.”
She barely heard him over the engine noise. Adrenaline shot through her. She shivered with a mix of exhilaration, panic, and determination. Protecting Luke mattered more than her safety. Her fear level rose right along with her blood pressure. She could hear her heart race, but she’d keep the driver distracted. No way would she let Farlaise and his henchman hurt Luke.
Kathryn peered out the hopper. The henchman had his gun pointed directly at Luke. No way, buster.
More about Kryssie Fortune
Kryssie is never seen without her kindle. She reads everything and anything she can get her hands on. When she discovered hot, sexy reads, she felt like she’d found her home. The only books she hates are the ones that end with a cliff hanger or have unhappy endings.
Kryssie tries to set her stories in places she’s explored. Hopefully, it adds color to her writing. Anything can spark a story idea. Sometimes she takes liberties though. The North Yorkshire town of Whitby is one of her favorite places. To keep the details of her imaginary town, Westhorpe Ridge consistent, she mentally shunted Whitby over the Atlantic and renamed it Westhorpe Ridge.
When not writing, Kryssie loves to walk on the beach of home town, Bridlington, or potter in her garden. Popping down to London to see her family is her favorite thing to do.
Kryssie currently has thirteen books on general release along with a boxed e-book of the first three Westhorpe Ridge stories. All her stories are M/ F or M/M/F. All are edited by publishing houses in either the UK or the USA. While her stories sizzle with sex, plot comes before bed. Life’s always an adventure going on in Kryssie’s world.
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