Black Bart

I think this is really extremely well-written about one of the most infamous of all pirate chieftains. I dont know if you are still on the site , but I really enjoyed it . Watchlisted.We have the same interests I have written a book called 'A Buccaneer', would you be kind enough to take a look at it , with best wishes , Strachan Gordon

Excellent job on 'Black Bart'. I really enjoyed it. Backed with pleasure.

Richard Bard
BRAINRUSH

Joe, your prologue and first two chapters are a smooth read. My only minor nitpick is the use of "off of" in the second paragraph of the prologue.

Happy to back your work.

Joffrey (The Silver Spoon Effect)

Bravo!
This is an excellent beginning, and an exciting subject. Smoothly written, with believable dialogue and an interesting main character. I definitely will shelf it, and return to finish what you've posted here (I wish it were more.)

Small errors:
"Any figures walking about the ship would be taken as one of the pirate crew." This should read "taken as members of the pirate crew".

"such was the supposed equality of the pirate's life, that all were equal..." Obviously, one too many equals here.

Re Thomas Anstis:
"There were definitely unfinished business there..." should be "There was..."

Chapter 2:
"he welcomed the momentary peace outside, which was a sharp contrast to what the raucous inside the tavern." Obviously an editing error.

More than once, you use the word invite rather than invitation. Was this intentional? Invite as a noun is slang, and seems a bit out of place here.

But these are tiny matters. I think you have a winner here.

Wendy Bertsch
(Once More...From The Beginning)

SHELVING you because Tim did. I can use your comments on my book when you can get a chance. Cheers!

JC
The Obergemau Key

Hi,

I backed your book some time ago.
I wonder if you might have a look at mine
Good luck with it.

Tim Chambers
Moonbeam Highway: With Apologies to Miguel de Cervantes.

Hi,

I backed your book some time ago.
I wonder if you might have a look at mine
Good luck with it.

Tim Chambers
Moonbeam Highway: With Apologies to Miguel de Cervantes.

Good concept, excellent writing...the promise of much great swashbuckling fun--all this put your book on my watchlist. Best of luck with it. Harvey Ardman

Black Bart

Hi Joe,

This is great, swashbuckling charm. You plunge us into the action with a wonderfully careful eye for historical detail, but you do not thrust it down our throats. What a heroic character you have created here, fun, accessible, rip-roaring and see easy to read that I got through the three chapters posted very quickly. Very happy to support your book, thank you for uploading to authonomy, a great fun read that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Best wishes and good luck
Andrew W
(Sanctuary's Loss)

This rolled up on the homepage - and between your pitch, your user name, roberts and princess -- I just couldn't help but read with a nostalgic smile on my face.

The prologue was short enough that I thought it useful (overall I'm not much of a fan of them). Chapter 1 read well, and I liked the end of chapter 2 in particular. You've captured the traditional terms and dialogue well. Overall a nice light read to end my evening with. Good luck with this.

This is a book with a very interesting setting and plot. Pirate stories are currently very popular, since Captain Jack Sparrow (whom you mention in your pitch) came on the scene, so you have a head start with this one. Roberts is a great character. You bring him to life well, not always easy with a historical character, and I was especially interested in the story of how he was more or less forced to sign on as a pirate by his old friend Davies. Your action scenes are gripping, and you use some excellent hooks to draw us on, for instance when Roberts meets Davies on the quarter deck, and, ' A click to their left made them aware of other pirates on the quarterdeck, pistols aimed.' The encounter with young Marcus sparkles with life, and the back history between Roberts and the others is introduced easily and naturally. I think you might consider giving the Welsh dialogue in English, saying something like, 'Davies said in Welsh.' Footnotes are a bit awkward in a work of fiction, maybe? You might also think about splitting up the long chapters. You write well, in a good style for this type of story, fluent, not stilted, but with a certain formality in the narrative, and easy, natural sounding dialogue. Backed,
Gerry McCullough,
Belfast Girls.

I love this. I love pirate stories. I do. I am in love with them and I am in love with this.
Pirate Roberts encompasses everything a pirate should be.
I adore the imagery throughout this, you really paint the scene well. Such an enjoyable read.
Backed
T.L Tyson-Seeking Eleanor

This is of a publishable standard. Fabulous. Loved the gunfight, was subtle, yet really clear in my head. Your writing style makes me jealous!

Andrew

You certainly have a more serious set of pirates than I do. lol I really enjoyed your story and found dread-pirate roberts very believable. I am a firm believer of giving help on this site if I find something so here I go I'll wallk the plank! Only one spot--you tell us that the sailors weren't in uniform and so were not distinguishable from the pirates--could you find away to make that come alive as part of the story?
loved it--backed it!
Barbara
The Sea Pillow

Well I could not resist this one could I? Back with more comments soonish.
Barbara
The Sea Pillow

Evocative. Well written, strong opening and a sustained pace.
However, You need to have a little more faith in your reader. A person, especially a Captain, is never 'on board' a ship, he is 'aboard'.
A 140 ton slaver. (ship) the word ship is redundant.
Bravo, You've a light hand on the tiller, and a good grip.

Mike Hart
Captain of the sailing vessel 'Labarca'

Joe,
You have some very good writing here and a lot of build up with the setting. But I was expecting adventure. I would open a pirate story of this type with ships blowing up, swords slashing throats, masts falling in the sea, blood and guts, a battle royal to get the readers attention. You can sprinkle all that background information along the way. Your narrative paints beautiful pictures and I expect you are more interested in writing a history lesson, but most readers want to see something explode. Fun read, good luck with it.
Steve Ward
Test Pilot's Daughter: Revenge

Joe
Pirate , piracy, written 9 times in your pitch....I dont think your short pitch and long pitch should be so similar.

Your novel is very well written...i think secretly you'd have liked to have been a pirate yourself.....I can see you've lived inside this story.....I've never heard of Black Bart...I'm now curious enough to go and find out more... Perhaps a short bio on his life as a prologue would help the reader get in character......

I read a book on the Vietnam war a while back...If the author had not given a brief run down on the conflict I would have been seriously disadvantaged......

Best of luck with this...Shelved with pleasure.

An interesting tale. I agree about the Welsh. You could just use a few well chosen phrases and translate them immediately. I think that would help. My WIP is set in the early 1700s; a sequel to my "Huguenots". I like the research you have done here. BTW: I saw your pirate wedding. It was very pretty. You really are a pirate fan. Shelved since yesterday.

Betty K "The Huguenot's Destiny

Most pirates were cruel ruthless thugs, so having a pirate as a hero is interesting. I think this well written and believable and would like to back it.
BADD

Welcome to authonomy. With this fine piece I am sure you will do well. A bit of history and told in such a compelling way. Keep you on my shelf for awhile. C.P

Well written! The only place I had a problem was with the Welsh. Even though you footnoted it, it made things a bit difficult at those spots. Good Luck with the book. I have shelved you. Regards, Jedward

Well written! The only place I had a problem was with the Welsh. Even though you footnoted it, it made things a bit difficult at those spots. Good Luck with the book. I have shelved you. Regards, Jedward

Be gentle!