The Sea Leopard Wins Honorable Mention at the Rainbow Award

The Sea Leopard, the last book in the Pirates of the Narrow Seas series by M. Kei, won an Honorable Mention in the category of bisexual historical fiction. Honorable Mentions must earn at least 36 out of 40 points from a judge to qualify. This is the second book in the series to win a Rainbow Award. "This pirate tale is one of authenticity and chock full of action. One could put it on a par with C.S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower series and Rafael Sabatini’s Sea Hawk and Captain Blood (if either of those two authors had Gay characters). The writing is masterly, the character’s full, the action page-turning. This is the kind of book that GLBT readers have always wanted to read about—their place in the history of adventure."--http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4517839.html

Winners for the 2015 Rainbow Awards will be announced on December 8.

Isam Rais, captain of the xebec, ‘Sea Leopard,’ is on a swashbuckling adventure in the Mediterranean Sea. Battling unfriendly allies as much as his enemies, he plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with a much more powerful frigate, only to see victory snatched from his grasp by the resolution of the opposing captain. In debt and needing to repair his fortunes, he accepts a dangerous commission from the Dey of the Sallee Republic to hunt pirates—Muslim pirates—disloyal to the country that gives them refuge. Isam finds himself on the unpopular side in a battle of corsair against corsair. In the midst of storm and bloodshed, he is rescued by a mysterious veiled woman in a fateful meeting that will change his life forever.

"The storyline is well written, fast paced and hard to put down. It was an enjoyable read which is highly recommended."--Historic Naval Fiction http://www.historicnavalfiction.com/general-hnf-info/book-reviews/review-the-sea-leopard-by-m-kei

Available in print and ebook at Amazon.com and other resellers.

The complete series:

Book 1: The Sallee Rovers, winner, Sweet Revolution Award; honorable mention, Rainbow Awards
Book 2: Men of Honor
Book 3: Iron Men
Book 4: Heart of Oak
Book 5: The Man in the Crescent Moon
Book 6: The Sea Leopard, honorable mention, Rainbow Awards

About the Author: M. Kei is a tall ship sailor and award-winning poet who lives on Maryland’s Eastern shore. He is the editor of Atlas Poetica : A Journal of World Tanka. He was the editor-in-chief of Take Five : Best Contemporary Tanka, Vols. 1–4, and the editor of Bright Stars, An Organic Tanka Anthology. His most recent collection of poetry is January, A Tanka Diary. He is also the author of the award-winning gay Age of Sail adventure novels, Pirates of the Narrow Seas (blogspot.narrowseas.com). He can be followed on Twitter @kujakupoet, or visit AtlasPoetica.org.

The Sea Leopard is recommended reading at Historic Naval Fiction

"The storyline is well written, fast paced and hard to put down. It was an enjoyable read which is highly recommended." -- David Hayes, Historic Naval Fiction


Read the complete review at: http://www.historicnavalfiction.com/general-hnf-info/book-reviews/3862-review-the-sea-leopard-by-m-kei


Isam Rais, captain of the xebec, ‘Sea Leopard,’ is on a swashbuckling adventure in the Mediterranean Sea. Battling unfriendly allies as much as his enemies, he plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with a much more powerful frigate, only to see victory snatched from his grasp by the resolution of the opposing captain. In debt and needing to repair his fortunes, he accepts a dangerous commission from the Dey of the Sallee Republic to hunt pirates—Muslim pirates—disloyal to the country that gives them refuge. Isam finds himself on the unpopular side in a battle of corsair against corsair. In the midst of storm and bloodshed, he is rescued by a mysterious veiled woman in a fateful meeting that will change his life forever.

The Sea Leopard, a Pirates of the Narrow Seas Adventure, Available in paperback and ebook

15 October 2014 — Perryville, Maryland

Keibooks is pleased to announce that The Sea Leopard, the latest and last installment in the Pirates of the Narrow Seas series by M. Kei, is now available in trade paperback and e-book. In The Sea Leopard, we follow Isam Rais al-Tangueli, aka ‘Captain Tangle’ as he sets sails in his new xebec for gold and glory. Adventures season the bold corsair, and he learns that to be truly successful, he must respect and reward the successes of others. 

During a temporary peace with Spain, Isam Rais is cruising off the coast of the Kingdom of Sardinia when he encounters a Sardinian frigate. Eager to test the power of his new xebec, The Sea Leopard, he stalks the Sardinian through fog only to discover he has caught a Tartar. The tables turned, and the hunter becomes the hunted. Desperately making repairs, the Sea Leopard manages to stay one step ahead of her pursuers. 

Broke and in debt, Isam Rais accepts a dangerous commission from the Dey of the Sallee Republic to hunt down Muslim pirates disloyal to their country. Stalking the coast of Africa, Isam succeeds in finding the pirate hideout. He must battle the pirates and quell a mutiny to secure his prizes and turn over the evidence to the Dey. 

Meanwhile, Jamila bint Nakih, the daughter of a butcher, falls in love with the dashing corsair. Adopting a disguise, she embarks on a dangerous journey to win the hand of the man who is barely aware of her existence, only to bring down the fury of her family on her head. Will Isam marry her to save her reputation? Or will he be true to his love for the soldier Kateb?

The Sea Leopard is a complete story that can be read separately from Pirates of the Narrow Seas, or in conjunction with it. Those who already know the characters will be pleased to watch the the dashing Captain Tangle become a leader of men in challenging cirumcumstances. The adventure has all the hallmarks expected from Pirates of the Narrow Seas: diverse and engaging characters, storms at sea, desperate ship fights, hand-to-hand combat, captures, all told with authentic detail.

Praise for previous novels in the series:

Man in the Crescent Moon won an Honorable Mention in the Rainbow Awards category for best gay historical novel. 

“A true literary first: a gay seafaring novel that’s every bit as good with the ‘gay’ stuff as the ‘seafaring’ stuff [...] Pirates of the Narrow Seas has thrilling action sequences, complex, conflicted characters, and a healthy dose of contemporary realism.”—Steve Donoghue, Open Letter A Monthly Arts and Literature Review

“A swashbuckling tale full of colour, adventure and romance – a good read!”—Gerry Burnie, Gerry B’s Book Reviews

“an action-packed swashbuckler of the Captain Blood tradition”—Nan Hawthorne, That’s All She Read

“well rounded individual personalities which it is a joy to follow” and “Recommended Reading”—Astrodene’s Historic Naval Fiction

“Please, Mr. Kei, write us another.”—Candice E. Frook, Amazon.com

The Sallee Rovers, the first book in the series, won a Sweet Revolution Award in the category of “best full cast” and “Judge’s pick”, and also won a 4th/Honorable Mention from the Rainbow Awards in the category of “Best gay historical fiction.”

Available in trade paperback and ebook from: 

Keibooks

P O Box 516

Perryville, Maryland, USA

http://AtlasPoetica.org

Buy the print edition at https://www.createspace.com/4826910, or your favorite online retailer. 

Man in the Crescent Moon Reviewed by Christopher Hawthorne Moss

"Anyone who has read Kei's Pirates of the Narrow Seas series knows his skill with fast paced and heart stopping naval adventure."

"The swashbuckling "Captain Tangle is a very young man following in his captain father's footsteps at sea off the Sallee coast.  Isam, the young man, is living in his uncle's house with his many female cousins.  One of the cousins runs off with a scoundrel, and Isam and his two male cousins go after her to bring her back and punish the man she eloped with.  The three young men find her as well as the scoundrel's manservant with whom Isam has fallen in love and who returns as Isam's slave.  Interspersing this central storyline are naval battles, chases across the countryside, capture by petty rulers, intrigue and sabotage, and a hard lesson in how one treats one's supposed love."

Read the complete review at: http://kitmossreviews.blogspot.com/search/label/MAN%20IN%20THE%20CRESCENT%20MOON%20by%20M%20Kei

Buy Man in the Crescent Moon at: http://atlaspoetica.org/?page_id=340 or your favorite online retailer.

"compares favorably with Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester"

It's been a while since Pirates of the Narrow Seas has received a review, but this one is fabulous.

"Pirates of the Narrow Seas are some of the best fiction I have ever read. Mr. Kei's writing compares favorably with Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester. How's that for praising a new author to the skies? [...] The characters are believable, flawed, and more human than most other authors can achieve. The writing is a pleasure." Read the rest of the review at: http://www.amazon.com/Pirates-Narrow-Seas-Sallee-Rovers/product-reviews/0615521363/ref=pr_all_summary_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

Man in the Crescent Moon - Rainbow Award Finalist - on sale for 99 cents

If you've been thinking about picking up M. Kei's award-winning Pirates of the Narrow Seas series, now is your chance to acquire the prequel for just 99 cents for one week only: December 11 - 18.

Man in the Crescent Moon is the latest adventure in the swashbuckling Pirates of the Narrow Seas series. Isam Tangueli is a gangly youth of nineteen, longing to leave home and become a famous corsair, and trying to understand his attraction to men. He joins the crew of the Grey Wolf and fights the Spanish on land, at sea, and under water. Under the command of the short but feisty Rajet Rais, young Isam learns the skills of navigation and leadership necessary to become "Captain Tangle," the most notorious corsair of the age. The hallmarks of the Pirates of the Narrow Seas series are all present—diverse and engaging characters, storms at sea, desperate ship fights, hand-to-hand combat, captures, rescues, and escapes, all told with authentic detail.

"Isam Agha Hamet saw his father killed and vowed to become a great corsair. But working with his uncle on their galley will not lead to fame and fortune. When Rajet Rais and the Grey Wolf seek refuge and the Spanish attack he must seize the opportunity to fulfil his dream. But will love for a slave stop him."--Astrodene's Historic Naval Fiction

Man in the Crescent Moon is a Finalist for the Rainbow Award in the category of Best Gay LGBT Historical Fiction

Pickup this swashbuckling adventure novel for just 99 cents (regular price $6.99 US) in ebook at: http://www.amazon.com/Man-Crescent-Moon-Pirates-Adventure/dp/0615829236/

Man in the Crescent Moon a Finalist for the Rainbow Awards

Man in the Crescent Moon, my prequel to the Pirates of the Narrow Seas series, is a Finalist for the Rainbow Awards in the category of LGBT Historical Fiction. I'm very pleased to be a Finalist and to be placed in the historical fiction category rather than as a historical romance. Finalists scored at least 32 out of 40 points, showing a very high level of competition among the submissions.

The first novel in the Pirates of the Narrow Seas series, The Sallee Rovers was an Honorable Mention for the Rainbow Awards when it first came out. I'm very pleased at the response of the reviewing community for the Rainbow Awards in recognition of the series.

For the complete list of Finalists, visit: http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/3898883.html

~K~

Man in the Crescent Moon, a Pirates of the Narrow Seas Adventure, Available in paperback and ebook

Man in the Crescent Moon, a Pirates of the Narrow Seas Adventure, Available in paperback and ebook

26 July 2013 — Perryville, Maryland

Keibooks is pleased to announce that Man in the Crescent Moon, the latest installment in the Pirates of the Narrow Seas series by M. Kei, is now available in trade paperback and e-book. Man in the Crescent Moon opens a new story as we meet Captain Isam Tangle as a youth of nineteen, just starting the career that will ultimately make him the most notorious corsair of his age. 

The adventure begins when a Turkish corsair, the Grey Wolf, under command of the short but fierce Rajet Rais, takes refuge in Isam’s hometown. Pursued by a Spanish frigate with guns blazing, the town must defend itself from the unexpected onslaught. Much to the young corsair’s frustration, his uncle is not the aggressive kind of leader he wants to follow. He is drawn to the fiercely effective Rajet Rais and joins his crew. Rajet promises to teach him everything he needs to know to be a successful corsair—including the ways of men between the sheets.

Meanwhile, Isam’s relatives are causing him grief. One of his female cousins runs off with an unsuitable man while Isam falls in love with the man’s Spanish slave. He and two of his male cousins, the clever but untrustworthy Samir and the loyal but dimwitted Umar, must pursue the runaway bride. Unfortunately, their adversary proves to be dangerous and resourceful. He ambushes them at multiple points along the trail, then bears false witness against them so that they are arrested by the local chieftain.

The furious Spaniards have laid siege to Isam’s hometown and are shelling it to destruction. Refugees stream out of the city to be preyed upon by bandits as order breaks down. The sword and musket become the rule of the day, and where a bold frontal attack fails, the Spaniards substitute guile, sabotage, and assassination. Menaced from all sides, not trusted by his own government, Isam must use his wits to triumph over his enemies and defend his home.

Man in the Crescent Moon is a complete story that can be read separately from Pirates of the Narrow Seas, or in conjunction with it. Those who already know the characters will be pleased to watch the mighty Kapitan Pasha came of age, while those who don’t will enjoy the story of a young man with burning ambition. The adventure has all the hallmarks expected from Pirates of the Narrow Seas: diverse and engaging characters, storms at sea, desperate ship fights, hand-to-hand combat, captures, rescues, and escapes, all told with authentic detail.

Praise for previous novels in the series:

“A true literary first: a gay seafaring novel that’s every bit as good with the ‘gay’ stuff as the ‘seafaring’ stuff [...] Pirates of the Narrow Seas has thrilling action sequences, complex, conflicted characters, and a healthy dose of contemporary realism.”—Steve Donoghue, Open Letter A Monthly Arts and Literature Review

“A swashbuckling tale full of colour, adventure and romance – a good read!”—Gerry Burnie, Gerry B’s Book Reviews

“an action-packed swashbuckler of the Captain Blood tradition”—Nan Hawthorne, That’s All She Read

“well rounded individual personalities which it is a joy to follow” and “Recommended Reading”—Astrodene’s Historic Naval Fiction

“Please, Mr. Kei, write us another.”—Candice E. Frook, Amazon.com

The Sallee Rovers, the first book in the series, won a Sweet Revolution Award in the category of “best full cast” and “Judge’s pick”, and also won a 4th/Honorable Mention from the Rainbow Awards in the category of “Best gay historical fiction.”

Available in trade paperback and ebooks from: 

Keibooks

P O Box 516

Perryville, Maryland, USA

http://AtlasPoetica.org

Or CreateSpace , or your favorite online retailer. 

Rough Draft of Man in the Crescent Moon complete

http://www.fictionpress.com/s/3069708/1/Man-in-the-Crescent-Moon

I have completed the rough draft of Man in the Crescent Moon, A Pirates of the Narrow Seas Adventure. It features Captain Tangle as a young man, tall, gawky, and learning the ropes the hard way as he longs for fame and wealth as a Sallee rover. The rough draft of MitCM will remain free on Fictionpress.com until it appears in print this summer.

Note that it is a ROUGH draft; as in, has not been revised or proofread, and parts of it need work. Nonetheless, a few of my diehard fans have been following along and chafing at the delay in getting it finished. Actually, I'm right on schedule for finishing the draft... It's just that I started early on it, so when I had to put it aside to meet my other deadlines, there was a large gap in time until I was able to return to it and finish the draft.

No substantial changes will happen in revision; revision is where redundancies are smoothed out, descriptions are fleshed out, continuities errors are repaired, etc. (If you find a continuity error, feel free to point it out: Keibooks at gmail dot com.)

My thanks to my beta readers Joy, Chele, and Yancy for their support.

~K~

Fire Dragon Reviewed at Shelly's LGBT Book Review

"M. Kei may be the best fantasy/adventure novelist you’ve never heard of… unless, of course, you read gay themed pirate fiction a la his Pirates of the Narrow Seas series. Or, maybe you’re a poetry fan and you are familiar with Kei’s award winning work. I, in all honesty, had never heard of him prior to reading his latest novel (not in the pirate series), the May, 2012 release, Fire Dragon. [...]

"I occasionally decide to step out of my comfort zone and read something that I wouldn’t normally choose. From the first page of this book, I got sucked into the story. It was really hard to put it down."--Shelly's LGBT Book Review Blog

Read the complete review at: http://shellysbookstore.com/2012/10/04/new-fiction-fire-dragon-by-m-kei/

M. Kei Interviewed by Our Story GLBTQ Historical Fiction

M. Kei, author of Pirates of the Narrow Seas, interviewed by Yancy Carpentier for Our Story GLBTQ Historical Fiction. He talks about his latest novel, a gay Asian sf/f tale called 'Fire Dragon,' as well as historical fiction, poetry, and what fiction can offer LGBT readers.

An excerpt from the interview:

The novel takes its name from the ‘Fire Dragon,’ who may or may not be real. It might be a new rogue Spirit, or it might simply be a superstition, or it might be the delusion of a deranged firefighter, or it might be an outright fraud to disguise acts of arson. Shuibai discovers a lot of arson fires set to cover up murder, terrorize the populace, and to destroy munitions belonging to rival forces, etc. No spoilers, so I will simply say, it’s near the end of the novel before we really find out what’s going on and the question of the Fire Dragon is resolved.

Read the complete interview at: http://bookworld.editme.com/M-Kei-Interviewv

Fire Dragon reviewed by Jade at GLBT Bookshelf

"Just when you thought there was no such thing as entirely original fantasy novel, here comes M. Kei -- better known for "iron men in wooden ships" tales of gay heroes under sail -- with a most enjoyable work, FIRE DRAGON.

"The great strengths of FIRE DRAGON are in the sheer originality of the idea -- the formation and development of a fire service in a frighteningly vulnerable city -- and the author’s creative decision to stage the project in a fantasy Asian setting. Picture a lavish cross between China and Japan, anything between the twelfth and eighteenth centuries, in which the height of technology is gunpowder for fireworks. Over the border are enemy hordes … showing up in the city are quite advanced and totally illegal firearms -- not pistols, but revolvers (telling us clearly that this land of swords, clan politicking and bushido has been left behind, in an industrial sense, by the world outside). The Emperor himself is concealing an enormous secret, while the feudal nature of this society is built, pagoda-fashion, from the untouchables on up to the Celestials -- with one more twist."

Read the complete review at: http://bookworld.editme.com/Review-Fire-Dragon-by-M-Kei

Fire Dragon goes on sale June 1, 2012

But readers of this site can get it early by following the links below:

Fire Dragon (Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Dragon-ebook/dp/B008555OMG/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338294833&sr=1-6

Fire Dragon (Paperback): https://www.createspace.com/3784966

Subscribe to Our Story GLBTQ Historic Fiction to catch an interview with author M. Kei, talking about his new novel, Fire Dragon. Our Story is not only inclusive of GLBTQ fiction, they have a broad definition of 'historcal' that includes fantasy and other alternative treatments with a strong sense of history. Visit Our Story at: http://bookworld.editme.com/Our-Story-GLBTQ-Historical-Fiction-Edited-by-Nan-Hawthorne-0

The blurb:

In an exotic and magical land, Shuibai, a lowly bucket-maker, is appointed Fire Warden. He surprise--and annoys--everyone by taking his job seriously. Yet as he attempts to keep his city safe from fire, he finds his own life in peril as he stumbles across dangerous secrets.

Mysterious foes are smuggling illegal guns into his city, and they will stop at nothing, not even arson, kidnapping, and murder, as they wage their secret war. He is helped by the man he loves, the handsome but crippled ex-firefighter, Zashi, a man tormented by demons of his own.

Is the Fire Dragon real, or is the truth far more sinister?

Pirates of the Narrow Seas at Amazon Europe

Good news for all of you in Europe: CreateSpace has enhanced its Amazon offerings, and Pirates of the Narrow Seas now appears on Amazon.co.uk, as well as other European Amazon sites. Fans in the UK and other countries will find it easier to obtain copies of the books now. This is something I've been wanting for a long time, and I'm pleased that the distribution has improved and expanded. In other good news, Bristlecone Pine Press has an ETA of June 1 for PoNS 4 : Heart of Oak. This has been a long time coming, so I'm really looking forward to it. ~K~

Fan Review of Iron Men

Yancy Carpentier has posted a lovely review of Pirates of the Narrow Seas 3 : Iron Men at Goodreads.

"I’m a great admirer of M. Kei’s nautical tales. “Iron Men,” book three of “Pirates of the Narrow Seas,” is a grand and powerful seafaring adventure. [...] I love these stories and have read them often. Rapidly paced, the momentum never falters, and the characters are endearing. “Pirates of the Narrow Seas” is a wonderful seafaring adventure. The nautical detail is extensive, and the ships are magnificent characters in their own right. The Sea Leopard you’ve met. The Amphitrite is called Queen of the Sea and has her own story to tell. I recommend “Iron Men” highly."

Read the whole review at: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/315194646

Our Story GLBTQ Historical Fiction email list launches

Our Story: GLBTQ Historical Fiction is part of the GLBT Bookshelf, a wiki where GLBTQ authors, publishers and artists can share their work, and where those who love to read GLBTQ historical novels can find information and reviews and leave their observations. Learn more about Our Story at . To make this easy for you to follow and keep up with, subscribe to this group to hear about the latest features on Our Story, as well as receiving reviews, interviews, press releases, giveaways, and other items of interest in your mail box. The mailing list is moderated and announcement-only. Authors, Artists, and Publishers who are members of the GLBT Bookshelf are welcome to submit items for consideration by the list. (Not all items will be published.) To learn more or sign up just go to: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/our-story-glbtq

These are characters I love, and books I want to keep.

"These are characters I love, and books I want to keep. [...]

Exceptional in style and quality, M. Kei’s “Pirates of the Narrow Seas” have won a prominent place upon my bookshelf. The stories are a grand seafaring adventure, and the characters – Peter and Tangle, chief among them – are true favorites.

The momentum never stops. These are tales of daring, heroic leaders of men who are also honorable, vulnerable, and caring. The characters are well-defined, and many are intriguing. There is humor in unexpected places. The clothing is beautifully depicted. The routine and activity aboard ship are spiritedly illustrated.

The battles at sea never cease to thrill me, as I follow the action, tracing the map from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea. The warships are vividly described, and the nautical detail is extensive! The vessels – the Ajax, the Amphitrite, the Arrow and the Sea Leopard – are magnificent characters in their own right.

M. Kei is a sailor-poet in the finest tradition. The imagery he creates is a celebration of the tall ships he loves, and a gift to all of us who have ever wished to sail them."--Yancy Carpentier.

Read the full review, covering the whole series, and Heart of Oak in particular, at: http://bookworld.editme.com/Review-Heart-of-Oak-by-M-Kei

New Novel : Fire Dragon

I am currently stumped in the middle of writing Man in the Crescent Moon, so I have set it aside for a while and worked on other things. In particular, fifteen years ago I wrote a novel that didn't quite gel. Pulling it out and re-reading it, I realized what was wrong and how to fix it, so I did. The novel is a gay Asian fantasy/science fiction story called Fire Dragon, and you can read it for free (for a while anyhow), as I post it to Fictionpress: http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2991636/1/Fire_Dragon

It concerns the struggles of a lowly bucket-maker named Shuibai who is unexpectedly appointed Fire Warden. He actually takes his job seriously, much to the surprise--and annoyance--of other people because he pokes his nose into other people's business. He discovers a conspiracy involving contraband guns and a plan to overthrow the government while falling in love with a crippled ex-firefighter.

Speak Its Name Review PONS 3 : Iron Men

Nan Hawthorne has joined Speak Its Name and her review of Pirates of the Narrow Seas 3 : Iron Men just appeared.

"Like the first two novels, number three is full of exciting sea battles, with nautical detail that provides a backdrop without leaving you feeling like you missed something, cleverly imagined and written. Thorton is an unusual protagonist — he is not the preternaturally gorgeous and heroic seafaring man, but instead a refreshingly human, flawed but earnest striver."

Read the complete review at: http://speakitsname.com/2012/01/03/review-pirates-of-the-narrow-seas-iii-iron-men-by-m-kei/

Review: The Sallee Rovers by Top 2 Bottom Reviews

"luminous in detail [...] For lovers of all things nautical in nature, this is exactly the right book to pick up."

Read the complete review at: http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/the-sallee-rovers-pirates-of-the-narrow-seas-book-1/