Helen Hollick - Love me, love my character

Today’s honoured guest talking about her fascinating character is multi-published author and indie advocate, Helen Hollick. Helen lives on a 13 acre 18th century farm in North Devon, with a variety of pets and her family. She has been a published author for over twenty years and doubts she will ever find the time – or inclination – to retire.

Helen is also the genius behind the Discovering Diamonds Reviews website, which reviews exciting new historical fiction, mostly indie, but includes traditionally published stories as well. A true treasure island of reading!

Welcome back, Helen! Do tell us why you wrote Pirate Code –  intriguing title!
Pirate Code is the second Voyage in my nautical adventure Sea Witch series. When I wrote the first one (Sea Witch) I had no idea that this one novel was going to expand into a second … and a third … and then a series. I wrote Sea Witch because I wanted to read a novel that was the same sort of theme as the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, something that was a sailor’s yarn about pirates, with lots of swashbuckling fun adventure and a mixture of historical fact with plausible fantasy – but for adults with some adult content. The truth is, of course, by the time Sea Witch was written and published I had completely fallen in love with my pirate, Captain Jesamiah Acorne – so I had to keep on writing about him.

Why do you think your main character is like he is?
Jesamiah is the stereotypical tall, dark, handsome rogue of a charmer. You know – the ‘phwor’ type eye-candy character. He is quick to laugh, formidable when angry and trouble follows him as close as a ship’s wake. You know he will always be in a scrape of one kind or another, but the fun comes with wondering how he will get out of it. (And when I start writing a story, I haven’t a clue how this will happen!)

He is the sort of guy you could slap one minute, then forgive when he grins impishly at you. He is capable – give him something to fix and he’ll fix it. He is also a so-and-so for the ladies: he is too easily tempted by a pretty face and a large pair of bosoms, and therefore has difficulty keeping his breeches buttoned. On the dexter side, he is loyal to his crew and friends – even his curmudgeonly old steward, Finch, and would put himself in danger without a second thought for those he loves. I’m not sure if that includes me or not!

And what does Captain Jesamiah Acorne think of himself?
(Looking in a mirror and smoothing his moustache between thumb and finger) ‘Andsome lookin devil ain’t I? (laugh). I’ve got my faults; too quick a temper I guess, and I don’t suffer fools or pribbing clay-brained jolt-headed toffs either, especially Royal Navy officers who barely know one end of a ship from the other. I ain’t too patient at tolerating laziness either. I guess I shouldn’t take quite so much notice of the ladies, especially now I’ve got Tiola, my own angel of a woman, but sometimes those itches that need scratchin’ just won’t stop itching…

I know I will have to settle down some day, if the noose doesn’t do for me first. I would like a son, no, maybe a daughter? I don’t give much chance for any frothy young cockerels coming round to take her a-courtin’ though. Taking liberties with the daughter of a pirate? Not the brightest thing for a barnacled swab of a hedge-pig to try!

My wife’s the love of my life, but I love my ship as much. If ever I had to choose…? (heavy sigh) aye, well, it would be Tiola, not the ship. There are always other ships, there’s only one sweet lady like Tiola. Though why in hell’s pits she puts up with me I have no idea.

As for the wench who writes about me: I keep her sweet with wine and smile at her a lot. That seems to do the trick to keep her chained to her job… but I wish she’d stop getting me into all those not very pleasant situations. A long, lazy snooze on a sun-warmed beach with a bottle of rum by my side would be nice.

I guess that wouldn’t make much of an exciting adventure though would it? Aye, you’re right. I’d soon get bored and be off, seeking trouble to get into and out of again…

(Sounds a charming rogue, doesn’t he?)

Thank you so much Helen (and Jesamiah)! Now about Pirate Code…
Ex-pirate Captain Jesamiah Acorne is in trouble. Big trouble.
All he wants to do is marry his girl, Tiola Oldstagh, and live contented aboard his ship, Sea Witch, but Tiola’s husband refuses to grant her a divorce unless Jesamiah retrieves some barrels of indigo and smuggles them out of the Spanish-held Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The governor of Nassau wants Jesamiah to go there too, to assist in starting a rebellion, and Captain Henry Jennings wants him to find a lost spy.
Add to that, Tethys, the spirit of the sea, wants Jesamiah for her own and sets her daughter, Rain to go fetch him.

To cap it all, Commodore Vernon of the Royal Navy wants to expand his fleet and craves to own Sea Witch for himself. As Jesamiah’s hopes for a quiet life tumble about him, the onset of war with Spain scuppers everyone’s plans.

Intrigue, fights, romantic passions and betrayals follow Captain Acorne like a ship’s wake – not the ideal for a quiet life, and not Jesamiah’s idea of the rules of the Pirate Code.

Pirate Code the second Voyage in the Sea Witch Series.

Amazon author page

Connect with Helen: website   blog    Facebook
Twitter @HelenHollick

Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers, INCEPTIO, PERFIDITAS, SUCCESSIO and AURELIA. The fifth in the series, INSURRECTIO, was published in April 2016.

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