BOOK EXCERPT We were only about thirty leagues from the Straits of Gibraltar. Adjusting the sails and riggings of our twelve-man ketch, Intrepid, we made in the morning of August 2, 1801, seven days after we left Greece, ready our departure from the Mediterranean and entrance into the Atlantic. We were on our return voyage to Boston when our passage was blocked by two Muslim pirate ships. Each was a three-masted xebec, with crews of about one hundred and fourteen cannons. The

BOOK EXCERPT Chapter 1 “Esther,” Daddy called. “It’s time to go.” I didn’t want to go. I wanted to stay and even though it was the first day of summer, I wanted to go to Meadow Springs School and sit next to Dorothy Hoover just like I, Esther Hopkins, had done ever since my first day of school. Why, the alphabet itself had pre-ordained that we would be best friends for life! But no one ever listened to what I wanted. My voice didn’t seem to matter. When I finally climbed into

BOOK EXCERPT From Chapter 7: Setup: After five years of civilian life, Gil is back in training. The first big test is to march through the unforgiving Western Sahara in Algeria. Five years of civilian life made him soft, and he hated it. Rocks. Gravel. Scrub brush. That’s all Gil saw for miles once Fort Ste. Terese disappeared behind the hills. The singing had long since stopped, replaced by the low-level grumbling of soldiers on the march. They reached the top of a low rise

BOOK EXCERPT As we rode out of the town on the wagon, I noticed that the road ahead was made of logs side-by-side, rattling our teeth and making it nearly impossible to speak. The further away from the houses, the closer to the road the monstrous trees came. I had never seen trees so large or green in my life. The invasive smell of pine nearly erased the odor of smoke. It was dim and the trunks played tricks on my eyes, making me think I was seeing people or animals walking t

BOOK EXCERPT Sam Clemens Arrives on the Scene John Dee took out his kerchief and wiped perspiration at his brow. Who were these Burtons? This situation was spiraling and not in a good way. “So, you are going to write out a statement about Ricky’s death?” “My cub pilot Sam Clemens is gonna record my statement. Yours too. And the squaw singer’s. He’s damned good at writing things up.” The door opened and a young man with wavy red hair entered. “You called for me, Captain Martin

Author Bio: Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing. Her first...