Tall ship sailor available for readings, signings, and pirate talks

The following is my promotional letter sent to bookstores in hopes that they will be interested in hosting a reading, book signing, or talk by yours truly.

If you're a bookstore manager, special event coordinator, or otherwise interested in having me appear (East Coast venues only, unless you're willing to provide train fare), please contact me at: Keibooks (at) gmail (dot) com.

The pitch:

I'm the author of an exciting trilogy of nautical novels, the Pirates of the Narrow Seas, which feature the adventures of a gay officer in the British navy during the Age of Sail. It's a swashbuckling nautical adventure that takes places somewhere in the misty seas between History and Hollywood. Reviewers have likened my works to Master and Commander, Hornblower, and Captain Blood.

"the narrative is very fresh [...] giving us a strong insight into the world of galleys, lateen rigged vessels and the world from the corsair point of view [...] The various characters are given well rounded individual personalities which it is a joy to follow" --Astrodene's Historic Naval Fiction

The first book in the series won a Sweet Revolution Award and has been very well reviewed in both the straight and gay press. It is suitable for mature readers 17 and up (no explicit sex, but there are adult situations, sexual references, and violence (naval combat)). All three books are available in print through Ingrams and other major distributors, and the first is available as an ebook. The other two books will be released as ebooks later this summer and fall. All ebooks are enabled for text to speech for readers who would rather listen to their books than read them.

The series is: Pirates of the Narrow Seas

"Pirates of the Narrow Seas was a dashing good tale full of adventure and mayhem"—Sage Whistler, author of 'Broken'

and the books are:

Book One: The Sallee Rovers

"nail-bitingly intense . . . I highly recommend that you rush out and get this book."—Alex Beecroft, author of 'False Colours'

Lt. Peter Thorton of the 18th century British navy must struggle to come out gay while surviving storms at sea, ship to ship battles, duels, kidnapping, and more in his quest for true love and honor. Pirates of the Narrow Seas is an expertly crafted swashbuckler brimming with authentic detail and fully realized portraits of life at sea, written by a tall ship sailor and internationally acclaimed poet.

Winner of a Sweet Revolution Award for 'best full cast' and 'Judge's Pick'


Book Two: Men of Honor

Peter Thorton and his lover set out on a quest to rescue a captive duke who is the pretender to the throne of Portugal. Thorton is arrested and placed on trial for desertion and sodomy. Men of Honor continues the further adventures of a gay officer during the Age of Sail, replete with perils, excitement, and nautical detail.

Alex Beecroft, author of 'False Colors,' says it's "a book which can stand comparison with C. S. Forester’s Hornblower."


Book Three: Iron Men

Back in service with the British navy, Lt. Peter Thorton suffers misfortunes in love and war. Temporarily placed in charge of His Britannic Majesty's frigate Ajax, he is badly outnumbered by the vengeful Spanish and must fight his way free with the assistance of the dishonored HMS Resolute. On the way back to England he must ferret out mutiny and balance friendship against honor, only to be arrested once again, and face a final showdown with his old nemesis, Captain Bishop.

"It is a story that makes me almost see the people, see the times. I was so entranced that I almost felt the waves and swaying of the ship. I can't wait for the others to be published and released." -- a reader

I'm a tall ship sailor in real life, currently crewing with the Kalmar Nyckel (since December 2009). Prior do that, I did five years with the Skipjack Martha Lewis on the Chesapeake Bay. Unlike any other author of gay nautical fiction today, I have experienced many of the perils that face my characters, having been to the top of a swaying mast, been aboard a sinking vessel, and spent eight hours in an open boat in the middle of winter.

I'm available for readings of my own work, to sign books, or to participate in other events you might be hosting. I can also do my event in historic sailor/pirate costume, carrying the tools of my trade (sail knife and marlinspike). I photograph my voyages, and can provide photographs of anything from the ship's cats to sails.

In addition to discussing my own work, I can also discuss history and mythology of pirates, such as the little known fact that 'The Star Spangled Banner' was written to celebrate Americans foiling the British attempt to 'wipe out the nest of pirates' (aka 'Baltimore'). In addition to the song, Baltimoreans also celebrated by building the world's smallest fully rigged ship, the fifteen foot Federalist. They sailed it to Mt. Vernon and gave it to George Washington, but it was promptly destroyed in a hurricane.

I look forward to finding how I can entertain your patrons and promote the love of reading.

~K~

M. Kei