Fire In the Hole!

by Jennifer Bray-Weber

Have you ever read a book with pirates or watched a pirate movie that didn’t have a sea battle? Not likely. Pirates engaging in battle at sea are as common as bad pirate puns. Arrgh, shiver me timbers!

In my MUTINY OF THE HEART, pirate captain Joelle Quint engages in not one, not two, but three sea battles. Really, what’s a pirate adventure without some live action?  However, did you know that pirates often avoided going into battle?

Sure, pirates are known for their larceny and rioting. Pillage and plunder, yo, ho, ho. But when chasing down ships under sail, pirates preferred tactical strategy over a blood bath.

Once the pirates spotted a potential prize, they shadowed the quarry, following them for hours, and sometimes even days. They did this to determine several things—the country the ship hailed from, where the ship was headed, how fast she could sail, what she might have in her hold, and if the vessel was well-armed.  How did they determine all this? By being fearless, cunning, and bad ass, of course.  These men were experienced in the seas they prowled, became knowledgeable of the trade routes, and had rats, er, informants staked along in every ports. It was just business, after all.

Armed with this intelligence, the pirate crew voted on whether they wanted to take the ship or let her pass.  Should they decide a ship was a worthy prize, they still didn’t attack. Engaging in battle was the last thing they wanted. What good was a prize if she was damaged, or worse, sinking? And no one wanted to die, right? Pirates relied on the elements of speed, surprise, and bullying.

First, they might show their colors by hoisting their jolly roger. If that didn’t scare the bejeebers out of ’em, they’d fire a single warning shot across the quarry’s bow. You’d think that would be enough. Alas, there were some stubborn fools who needed more persuasion. Pirates would then resort to vapouring techniques, terrorizing victims into surrendering. Fierce shouts and fearsome threats, lively battle music, and brandishing weapons were usually quite effective. Think Blackbeard lacing and lighting fuses into his scraggly beard. Crazy. Giving up the goods spared lives. But those who resisted, well, they were shown no quarter.

So what happens when pirates hunt pirates? Things get nasty. Throw in the Royal Navy, dangerous shoals, and a slave hell-bent on stirring up a mutiny, and Captain Joelle Quint  is having a really bad day. It’s no wonder she’s ready to fire all her guns.

About Mutiny of the Heart

Navigating the high seas as the female captain of a pirate ship means always being on your guard—especially when one takes a temptingly handsome slave on board.

Captain Joelle Quint believes the slave claiming to be a cartographer can help her decipher the map her father left her when she was a child. She’s spent years trying to unlock its truths, hoping that it holds the answers to a dark family secret.

Sloan Ricker has no intention of remaining captive. When the fiery, red-headed captain offers him his freedom in exchange for solving her map, what begins as an opportunity to escape becomes a struggle to make the beautiful, intriguing Joelle his mistress in more ways than one.

Amidst a battle with the Royal Navy and a first mate’s jealousy, Joelle also fights her growing lust. And as much as he’d like to deny it, Ricker’s desire for Joelle has overcome his initial disdain. To get the answers, independence and love that they both long for, Joelle and Ricker must relinquish control to each other…or die trying.

Available at: Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, iBooks and Kobo

About Jennifer Bray-Weber

Award-winning, multi-published author Jennifer Bray-Weber has always wished for real life to mimic adventuresome tales. As if being a mother of two wasn’t enough adventure, she writes pirate historical romances and dabbles in erotica fantasy romance. Her next two books in the Romancing the Pirate series are scheduled to release early in 2014. Connect with Jennifer on her website to join her mailing list for sneak peeks, excerpts, and free giveaways.

Jennifer has graciously offered up a chance to win an eBook copy of Mutiny of the Heart to one lucky winner! The giveaway starts now and ends July 12, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. To enter, just click the link below!

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Please be aware that the only way to enter the giveaway is to click the Rafflecopter link above. Any comments on this post will not count towards entering the giveaway, except to verify your Rafflecopter entry.

Don’t forget to check out Heather C’s review of Mutiny of the Heart to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!