Six Things You Should Know About Lackbeard

With release day drawing nearer and International Talk Like A Pirate Day happening this week, we thought we should share some information you should know about our upcoming pirate adventure novel, Lackbeard.

1. Lackbeard isn’t the first time authors Cody B. Stewart and Adam Rocke have written together

Cody and Adam previously worked together, with Mark Rogers, on Rex a middle grade novel about an eleven-year-old boy named TJ who finds a dinosaur egg in the Florida Everglades. Like Rex, Lackbeard contains adventure, humour, and kids getting into precarious situations.

2. Lackbeard has a diverse cast of characters

While Carter and his crew all come from an orphanage, they all have different backgrounds, ages, and personalities. Each brings different things—skills, resources, or attitudes—to the group, which certainly makes for an interesting journey when they’re all aboard the same (stolen) ship.

3. Lackbeard will test your pirate vocabulary

Lackbeard is full of pirate talk and sailing terminology. Carter takes on a pirate brogue when instructing his crew and taking on enemies, so expect to hear everything from “shiver me timbers” to “hoist the mizzen”—and the notorious pirate “Arr,” of course.

4. Lackbeard features a real pirate expert

Carter begins his journey at the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum, where he steals a copy of The Pirate Handbook by Pat Croce. While Carter and his crew are fictional, Pat Croce is not. He’s a real pirate expert, the real author of The Pirate Handbook: A Rogue’s Guide to Pillage, Plunder, Chaos & Conquest, and the real owner of the real St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum.

5. Lackbeard is set in areas with pirate history

Carter and his rag-tag crew of orphans are from St. Augustine, which is a fitting location for wanna-be pirates not only because of its proximity to the high seas, but also because of its history.

St. Augustine was founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers. It was sacked in 1586 by privateer Sir Francis Drake and then again in 1668 by buccaneer Robert Searle. St. Augustine was also the base of Nicolás de la Concepción, an escaped slave who became a pirate and was active around 1720.

The novel also takes place in the Bahamas, which was a haven for pirates in the 18th and 19th centuries. Notable pirates who were active in the Bahamas include, Edward Teach (Blackbeard), John Rackham (Calico Jack), Anne Bonny, and Mary Read. So, Carter has a lot of figures to look up to.

6. Lackbeard sets sail in December

Just in time for the holidays, Lackbeard will be on sale December 3rd, 2018 of this year. Mark your calendars or pre-order now!