Saddle up for Tuesday Talk with pony-story writer Susan Count

Susan Count writes at an antique secretary desk which belonged to the same grandmother who introduced her to horse books as a child. Today, she shares her love of horses through the pages of her award-winning Dream Horse Adventures series... and is a welcome guest here on Tuesday Talk. 

Susan, where did you grow up? 

I’m proud to say I am the daughter of a career Army officer. We moved every nine months except for one assignment in Hawaii. Transferring schools in the middle of terms meant being constantly disoriented and translated to only having superficial friendships of convenience. But the lifestyle galvanized me with tremendous strength and confidence to take on unknown challenges. I think the experience gives depth to my stories.

Did you read a lot as a child? 

My father was twice deployed to a war zone and left the family in his hometown—Falls Village, Connecticut. His mother, Charlotte Dann Count worked as a librarian there. She recognized in me a love for horses and supplied me with the classic horse books. It wasn’t that I loved to read as much as I wanted to experience a life with a horse and the only way that could happen was in a book. 

What were some of your favorite authors and books? 

Anything horse. Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, Misty. And Saturday morning television fed my equine addiction with Fury, Flicka, The Lone Ranger, and Roy Rogers. Back in the day, all heroes rode horses.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I knew at an early age my gifting was in composition. While I had a natural aptitude for vocabulary, punctuation skills evaded mastery. I used what literary skills I had in my everyday life, but had no career aspirations. When my children were born, I was completely, exclusively devoted to their well-being and education.

How did you get started writing? 

I’m always surprised to hear myself say, “I’m an author,” because I wrote a book by accident. In fact, if anyone had told me to write a book, I would have scoffed at the notion. Now there are three, soon to be four, novels in the Dream Horse Adventures series.

I started writing in a season of grief. Some days I wrote 100 words and others 800. The pain of my loss lifted and was replaced with sweet joy. I realized I was finally doing what I was born to do. I loved the story that seemed to magically flower on the page. It took me only three months to write my first book – Selah’s Sweet Dream. Then it took nearly two years to take it chapter by chapter to a critique group to shape it into an award-winning novel.

Why do you write books? 

I write because God has blessed me with gifts and abilities that He expects me to use for His glory. In the process, He gives me a great joy, a sense of a job well done, and a certainty that I have pleased my heavenly Father.

The real Selah and her painted dream.

What do you like best about writing? 

Three things: My heart is completely blessed to read my stories to my grandchildren. Second, it’s a sweet satisfaction when a child runs to my book table and expresses delight in discovering a new horse book. Also, I’m greatly humbled and appreciative when readers take the time to drop me a note or leave a review on Amazon to tell me how much they loved the book. All these things give me great joy and encourage me to write on.

What makes a good story? 

Experiencing the struggles of life through a character and seeing how the struggles change them. The relationship between Selah, her horse, and her grandfather is tender and endearing. It is my calling to write wholesome books that take readers on a wild ride.

Where do you get your inspiration? 

The beauty of old age is the wealth of life experiences that enable me to layer nuance into a story so that it connects with readers of all ages. My grandchildren and my equine treasures keep the stories real.

Horses have a strangle hold on my heart. I’m not sure if I was born with a love of horses or if I fell in love at first sight. I can’t imagine my life without my pasture ornaments and I hope to be able to ride them on the forest trails all the days of my life.

Can you share a little about each book? 

Though Selah’s Sweet Dream is book 2 in the series, it was the first one written. It’s the story of the bond between a horse-crazy girl and a mare with a major attitude. Then I had to know the backstory of Selah’s grandmother and it became Mary’s Song. It tells the story of a young artist who falls in love with a lame foal and is willing to sacrifice everything to save it. Selah’s Painted Dream takes us on a ride of desperation to save her equestrian aspirations. Selah’s Stolen Dream will break your heart when one girl’s triumph is another’s tragedy.

What else are you writing? 

My grandboys are clamoring for stories about them and have given me some hilarious moments to paint into their own adventure story. The Firefly Warriors Club has captured my heart because it has given me the opportunity to connect with the boys on their level. I hope to release it in 2020.

Saddle up and ride along! 

For more information about Susan Count and her books, visit www.susancount.com.

Susan is offering a free giveaway of Mary's Song

 in audio book format available 

for both US and UK. 

The offer is open to the first ten people to claim a copy

 direct from Susan on

susancountauthor@yahoo.com

Don't Santander Bank On It and PC World is obviously out for the day...

Remember my 13 days spat with British Telecom a while ago?
Well, here we go again, but this time with Santander Bank and PC World (Currys) Both individual matters - but connected.

SANTANDER
Daughter Kathy is severely dyslexic. She can't handle things like bank statements. She started getting letters a few months ago from Santander about something, but as we thought the account was empty - and closed -  we followed the last line of letter which said 'to ignore the letter if the problem had been dealt with.

(As an aside, I have given up trying to close my old Santander account because you can't just go online and click 'close account'. I tried that, the account didn't close. I still get statements saying £00.00 ... what a waste of paper!)

Anyway... these letters have started again  but we still have absolutely no idea about the reason behind them.

SO

I wanted to talk to someone. Phoned yesterday. Got nowhere because of security. I put Kathy on the phone to give permission for me to speak on her behalf. Security questions - which she couldn't answer because we have no idea of any recent transactions or what direct debits there are on the account because there aren't any and we thought the account was closed! I gave up.

Best option is to speak to someone face to face? Yes, in theory but...

I phoned Santander this morning to make an appointment with our local (hah 14 miles away) branch manager. I had to phone the general number (they don't give out individual branches.)

I was asked:  "What is the appointment for?"
"I need to make a complaint about the poor sorting out of an issue and to see if it can be resolved quickly and easily."
"You need complaints."
"No I want to speak to a branch manager. I need an appointment."
"We can't make appointments. You can go in and ask to speak to the manager."
"What and wait for hours? No. I need an appointment."
"You can't make an appointment. You have to go in to your branch" (repeat this line of conversation several times)
Me: "So, you are telling me that the branch manager is not at all busy and I can just walk into the bank and see him/her fairly quickly without having to wait for ages?"
"No our branch managers are very busy."
Me: "Which is why I want to make an appointment."
"You can't. You can speak to someone else at the bank."!
"No, I can't. The last time we tried that the minion was an imbecile and didn't know how to handle this issue. I need to speak to (well Ok shout at, but I didn't say that) the manager."
Him: "We can't make an appointment for that issue."

(me deep breath.)
"Right, I want to make an appointment for a different issue."
"We can't do that you've already raised an issue. You need to go into your bank."
"So if I put the phone down and call back in one minute I can raise a different issue and make an appointment?"
"yes."
(Give me strength)

1 minute later:

 I redialled. Got someone different.
"I wish to make an appointment with my nearest branch manager."
"Certainly madam. Which branch and may I ask why?"
"Barnstaple and to sort out an ongoing muddle with my disabled daughter's account."
"Certainly. I'll get the branch manager's diary up on screen.."

The scream you might have heard reverberating through the ether was me...

Round three will be tomorrow. Watch this space.

PC WORLD CURRYS BARNSTAPLE.

TEN OR SO DAYS AGO...
Went into store about ten days ago. Gave the assitant details of the new PC that I wanted. Fine. Paid, booked an appointment for tomorrow to collect it and have a 1 hour session with their technician to assist me with setting it so that I can use it (my sight problem is a problem).

Got home, discovered that he'd ordered the wrong one. an i3 not an i5.

Phoned the central number, aked tobe put forward to Barnstaple, Devon.
Them: "Where?"
Me: "BARNSTAPLE. DEVON."
"Darnstaple?"
"NO Barnstaple. B for bugger " (OK I said Bertie but thought the other one.)

Eventually got through. Explained situation. OK we'll order the correct one and have it here for the 28th at 11.30.

Yeah right, believe that when I see it.

TODAY
Middayish

Well of course, the appoinment with the above mentioned elusive branch manager at Santander bank, Barnstaple is at the same time as my appointment at PC world... wouldn't y' just believe it!

Phoned the central number again.
"Where?"
"Barnstaple, Devon."
"Darnstaple?"
B BBBBB Barnstaple!"
long wait....
"They are not answering."
"Well I need to speak to them urgently."
"You could go to the store."
"It's fourteen or so miles away. I need to alter an appointment."
"I'll email them and get them to call you back."
"When will that be?"
"Don't know. I'll mark it as urgent."

That was at about midday.

Two-clock. 
I phoned again.
At least the chap had heard of Barnstaple...
No answer from the store.
"I'll keep trying." He said. "If I can't get through I'll call you at three o'clock."

Me: "Alexa. What's the time?"
Alexa: "It's 4.01 pm."
Reult for PC world, they called at 5pm... yes the new PC is there. Yes the appointment can be changd.

So now to just battle Santander... wish us luck!

Like I said....

Tuesday Talk - A Little Bit of Time

Time. 

We never seem to have enough of it. The alarm goes off at silly o’clock, we get up, go to work, come home, cook dinner, go out, go to bed, can’t sleep… until it’s time to get up again. But are we ruled by Time? Is Time the master? How many times (LOL) do we hear ‘Oh if only there were thirty-six hours in a day!’

But how was it in the past? How much did Time – the telling of it, or lack of it, affect our ancestors?

Most ancient civilizations kept track of the hours and seasons via the sun and moon, with the first ‘calendars’ created by stone-age hunter-gatherers: Stonehenge in England’s Wiltshire as a possible example. (I say ‘possible’ because we don’t actually know for certain what Stonehenge was for!)

Sundials were among the first timekeeping tools, the oldest known being discovered in# Egypt's Valley of the Kings in 2013 and dating back to circa 1500 BC. Egyptian shadow clocks divided daytime into twelve parts with each further divided into more precise parts, the sun cast a shadow over the marks as it moved across the sky. The drawback for sundials is that you need the sun to create a shadow in order for them to work. OK for Egypt, not so good for Britain. Ancient dials had straight hour-lines of varied lengths with a day divided into twelve equal segments regardless of the season, therefore, some hours were shorter in winter and longer in summer. Using hours of equal length throughout the year was adopted in 1371, and appeared in Western sundials from around 1446. 

 To deal with the night or overcast days, there were water clocks and a system for tracking star movements. Water clocks were much used in ancient Greece and the Romans adopted a similar idea. An advantage of the water clock (apart from the weather or night) was that they could function indoors. 

Clocks have used a variety of power sources aside from the sun and water - gravity, springs, and electricity. Mechanical clocks were widespread during the 14th century when they were used in medieval monasteries to keep to the scheduling of and calling to prayers.

The earliest mention of candle clocks comes from a Chinese poem, written in ad 520 with similar candles being used in Japan until the early 10th century.The candle clock most often mentioned is attributed to King Alfred the Great, consisting of six candles made from seventy-two pennyweights of wax, each twelve inches (30 cm) high, and of uniform thickness. These were marked at every inch (2.54 cm). The candles burned for about four hours, so the marks conveyed a time keeping of about twenty minutes. They were placed in wooden framed boxes to prevent the flame from blowing out. Al-Jazari had highly sophisticated candle clocks by 1206. 

The hourglass was a reliable method of measuring time while at sea, possibly used on ships from as far back as the 11th century, although undisputed evidence dates back to 1338. From the 15th century, hourglasses were used at sea, in churches, industry, and cooking; they were dependable, reusable, fairly accurate and constructed easily. Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan used eighteen hourglasses on each ship when he circumnavigated the globe in 1522.

Medieval European clockmakers were Catholic monks. The Church required accurate

clocks to regulated daily prayer. Mechanical clocks were often wound at least twice a day to ensure accuracy. Monasteries also broadcast important times and durations by the use of church bells, which was the start of a wider-spread method of time-keeping for those living outside of the more personal sphere of timekeeping. With the coming of the need for regular prayer came the need to be aware of the hours of the day, throughout the day – and night.

Salisbury cathedral’s clock, dating to circa 1386, is one of the oldest working clocks in the world. It retains most of its authentic parts, although its early mechanism was converted to a pendulum, which was then replaced with a replica of the original in 1956. It has no dial, as its purpose was to strike a bell at precise times. 

Salisbury Cathedral

and the clock

Early clock dials showed only hours with minutes and seconds evolving much later. A clock with a minutes dial is mentioned in a 1475 manuscript, and clocks indicating minutes and seconds existed in Germany in the 15th century. Timepieces indicating minutes were not common until an increase in accuracy became possible by the pendulum clock. Astronomer Tycho Brahe used clocks with minutes and seconds in the 16th century to observe the position of the stars.

One of the earliest references to an 'arm watch' was given to Queen Elizabeth I by Robert Dudley with the idea for wristwatches dating back to the 16th century and almost exclusively worn by women. Men had the pocket-watch. Watches were highly prone to damage from the elements, so were kept safe in a pocket, particularly when the waistcoat came into fashion at the court of Charles II. 

In England, the pendulum longcase clock (the grandfather clock) was created by William Clement in 1670/71, with a concentric minute hand added soon after by Daniel Quare, a London clock-maker, and then the Second Hand was introduced. The minute hand was added to pocket watch faces around 1680 in Britain, 1700 in France.

A major need to improving the accuracy and reliability of clocks was for precise time-keeping where navigation at sea was concerned, but this did not come about until 1761.

One debate for the writers of historical fiction is whether to use the expression of seconds or minutes in narrative and dialogue. The concept of ‘seconds’ was rarely used prior to the early 1700s, minutes perhaps by the mid-1600s. But did ordinary everyday folk use, or even have need of, minutes and seconds? Dawn, noon and dusk were the essentials. Without education – or accurate clocks – timekeeping outside of the hour, quarter-hour and half-hour were meaningless. So dialogue of things like “I’ll be there in a minute" for a 14th-century character is an anachronism. Maybe use ‘moment’ instead? And "she froze for several seconds" prior to the mid-1700s is again, not a good idea – heartbeats instead of seconds perhaps?

But what about narrative? Is it acceptable for us to use “he stood and watched her for several minutes" in a novel set in Tudor times OK? Or isn't it?

What do you think?

Helen Hollick

To Celebrate Talk Like A Pirate Day

"Arrr! 'Ere's to tha Jolly Roger me ol' mates!"

available now on an Amazon near you

"...a lot of fun to read whilst being an excellent opportunity to find out exactly what went on in the golden era of the pirate.Helen Hollick has an inimitable style which informs at the same time as being amusing and easily digestible."

a conversation with
Captain Jesamiah Acorne: Pirate
and
Governor Woodes Rogers: Pirate Hunter

Ahoy Captain! Permission to come aboard? 

What’s that? [peers over the side of the ship. Grins.] Oh, it’s you! [laughs.] You come to ask more of them impertinent questions of yours? Come on then, I’ll give you half a turn of the half-hour-glass. But as soon as the tide changes I must be on m’way.

Can you introduce yourself to those who don’t know you yet?

[raises one eyebrow] What? You mean there are still folks out there who don’t know me? I am Captain Jesamiah Acorne. I am in my mid-twenties and I used to be a pirate but I signed my name in a Book Of Amnesty. Except I’ve found that I’ve been in more trouble, had more fights, been in more danger ever since the day I did so! I was born in England but spent my first fourteen years at my father’s tobacco plantation in Virginia. I had a rotten childhood, thanks to my evil half-brother … but I don’t want to talk about that sea slug, apart from to say I beat him to a pulp a few months before my fifteenth birthday and then ran away to sea. Best thing I ever did, for I found the freedom and the joy of a life I love – to be aboard my ship.

I have a wife, well she was my girlfriend for a while, her name is Tiola (say it Tee-o-la) and she is very special in more ways than one. She is a midwife and a healer, and, well, like I said, she’s special. [Changes the subject, for Jesamiah will never reveal what Tiola really ist]. I suppose I ought to confess that I often enjoy the thrill of danger, trouble seems to follow me like a ship’s wake, although there are times that the danger gets too dangerous if you follow my drift. The hangman’s noose has come a bit too close for comfort on occasion! I’d not give this life up for a cosy one ashore, though. 

As a famous sea captain, we imagine you know Captain Woodes Rogers. How did you meet and what was your first impression about him? 

[snorts] Rogers? Oh aye, I know him. He has some good ideas but he can be a pain in the backside [touches his three-corner hat] if you excuse m’language ma’am. My first impression of him, when we met in Cape Town, Africa, was that he was a bit of a blustering idiot. He liked the sound of his own voice, got grumpy with anyone who disagreed with him. And he hated pirates. Just as well he didn’t realise that I was a pirate, back then eh? [laughs].

And what is your opinion now? 

Oh, he’s an even bigger pain the arse, but I admire him. He is doing his best to rid the Caribbean of piracy – we had our day, but to tell the truth, it all got too out of hand, too violent, too much need for greed, and too many incompetents making a mess of things and turning the merchants against us. I guess it was inevitable that it would have to end sooner rather than later. I signed my name in Rogers’ Book Of Amnesty and ceased being a pirate, although the bloody, excuse me ma’am, man decided I could do other things instead in order to help him out occasionally – things that run too close to the wind in the getting me killed department!

Have you ever believed that his promises would have worked to straighten the pirates out, or do you think a wolf’s true nature can’t be changed after all? 

Oh aye, I think he’s doing the best he can. He is a sailor – a good one – he circumnavigated the world, came back with a vast fortune from raiding the Spanish. His failure was to trust the British Government though. They took most of that fortune, and promised to finance his ideas to turn Nassau into a respectable and worthwhile trade centre – free from the threats of piracy – but they broke their word and never backed him financially. He’ll become ill and go bankrupt eventually because he’s financing everything himself, silly bugger. I feel sorry for him. He has good ideas, good intentions, just poor support. 

One last question: what kind of role do you believe you have in Woodes Rogers’ personal story, where he would be the protagonist instead? 

[Laughs] I’d have a very short part to play in his story I reckon – he’d as soon hang me as a pirate if he knew about some of the things I get up to! Mind you, his life would make a good story if someone was to tell it… Well, that’s it, the tide has turned, I must weigh anchor and be about m’business. It’s been good talking – mind y’step as you go ashore. 

available published under new colours! (Penmore Press)
viewbook.at/SeaWitch  

Part two: Governor, Captain Woodes Rogers 

Excuse me, Governor. Can you receive me? 

Eh? What’s that? Speak up I’m a bit deaf y’know – it’s the great guns, they dull the hearing y’know, ha ha! Come you in to my study. Can I serve ye a glass of wine? Finest Madeira y’know. Sit, sit! Sit y’self down. I can’t be standing for long, gout y’know. Pains me along with wounds received in battle against the Spanish. Now then, what is it ye be wanting, eh? 

Can you introduce yourself to my readers?

What? [frowns] Introduce m’self? I am Captain Woodes Rogers, Governor of the Bahamas, based here in Nassau. My job is to rid the seas in these parts of pirates, and protect these shores from the Spanish – both be a  bit of a task t’tell ye the truth! There’s some who say I was a pirate in m’younger days – not so, not so! I sailed as a privateer with full authority from Her Majesty, Queen Anne, God rest her soul, to have at the Spanish with whom England was at war. I was successful too – sailed around the world I did, though I got wounded for m’troubles. Nay, nay, I were never a pirate, I never attacked English ships, only the Spanish. Though I guess them Spaniards say I’m a pirate, what? Ha ha!  

We know you have quite the friendly acquaintance with Captain Jesamiah Acorne. What can you tell us about him?

[frowns again ] Hmm, not sure I’d say ‘friendly’, he’s a bit of a rascal you know. Can’t say I would trust him further than I could toss a cannonball! But, he has been useful, very useful, and I’m hoping he’ll continue to be useful in the future. I need to put an end to piracy y’see and the best way to do that? Set a pirate to catch a pirate! Though our Captain Acorne usually takes a bit of persuading to do as I ask. I think’ blackmail’ is the common term? Still wouldn’t trust the scamp, though, wouldn’t trust him. 

I noticed that Captain Acorne seems to have a bit of a problem with authority. Do you think offering amnesty will make an honest man out of him? 

[laughs] Never on your life! Once a scamp always a scamp, though I do admit to you (do not tell him I said this!) he is a decent man underneath it all. He has a sense of honour – oh not to King, Country or me, but to his ship and his pride. He is probably one of the best sailors I know, one of the best, and I know a lot of sailors I can tell ye! And I admit this, he is a darn good man to have at your side in a fight – if you ever want someone to cover your back, get Acorne. You’d probably have to threaten him or pay him a chest of gold to do it, mind you! Man’s a rascal, a right rascal. Reminds me of m’self when I was his age, ha ha! 

What pushed you into such a bold move, probably in disagreement with most powerful men of your era, of offering every pirate who would accept it a pardon?

It seems sensible to me, and you are right, it took a lot of persuading of those lump-heads in the English Parliament to see it my way. Too many of ’em are merchants of course, who have lost fortunes to the pirates. But what is the alternative? Send the Navy to fight? Don’t make me laugh! Those useless swabs of the English Navy couldn’t fight their way out of a bathtub, let alone the Caribbean! There are not enough ships, not enough trained, disciplined men, not enough experienced captains or officers. No, no, the best way is to offer amnesty. Most of the pirates have had enough anyway, few of ’em see the fortune they were expecting – the novelty of it, you see, is wearing off. When I arrived in Nassau they welcomed me with open arms – a free pardon, a chance to live instead of hang. Over two-thousand of ’em signed my book you know. Oh, there were a few like Blackbeard, Charles Vane and Jack Rackham who defied me, but I’ll have ’em, you’ll see them hang, mark my words.  

One last question: what do you believe is your role in Jesamiah Acorne’s story? 

[chuckles] To keep the scamp on the straight and narrow I’d say! For all his signing of my book, he attracts trouble – aye and not always from the Spanish or other pirates! He’s too fond of the ladies is that one, and we all know how much trouble a woman, or her husband, ha ha, can be don’t we! Nay, I’ll keep an eye on the lad – he’s too useful for me, you see. I need him to carry out some of my plans…

"Well then ye swabs, while ye be swiggin' tha rum 

would ye be interistid in readin' a foo art'cles about tha sea 

an' us pirates?"

It's Fun To Be A Pirate... Or Is It?

https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2017/04/its-fun-to-be-pirate.html

How Sea Witch Set Sail

https://www.helenhollick.net/bookshelf_seawitch.html#bookshelf0Origin

What's In A Name? Pirates and Their Names

https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2018/09/tuesday-talk-whats-in-name-by-helen.html

What Pirates Needed Was A Book Of Boat's Names!

https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2018/02/tuesday-talk-with-helen-hollick-what.html

The Black Heart of Blackbeard

https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-black-heart-of-blackbeard-tuesday.html

Charles Vane - A Reign of Terror

https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2018/04/p-is-for-piratestarting-occasional.html

SOME HANDY PIRATE TERMS!

All nations: a mixture of the dregs of alcohol left in bottles.

Anne’s fan: a disturbance or thumbing your nose at the rules.

Bagpiper: a long-winded talker.

Bark at the moon: to waste your breath.

Bear garden jaw: foul language.

Beggar maker: a publican or taverner.

Belly gut: a greedy or lazy person.

Bring to one’s bearings: to see common sense.

Bull calf: someone who is clumsy.

Calfskin fiddle: a drum.

Cat sticks: thin legs..

Clodpoll: an idiot.

Cold cook: an undertaker.

Dutch concert: everyone playing or singing a different tune.

Eternity box: a coffin.

Fire a gun: to speak without tact.

Fish broth: saltwater.

Fly in a tar box: excited.

Full as a goat: very drunk.

Grog: watered rum.

Grog blossom: a drunkard.

Groggified: very drunk.

Gundiguts: a fat person.

Gut-foundered: hungry.

Handsomely: quickly or carefully.

Hang the jib: to pout or frown..

Hempen halter: a noose.

Higgling cart: a special cart used by hawkers or peddlers.

Hog in armour: a boastful lout.

Hornswaggle: to cheat, or trick.

Horse’s meal: food without a drink.

Hot: a concocted mixture of gin and brandy served warm.

Jack Ketch: an English executioner, his name became synonymous with hanging.

Jaw me down: a talkative fellow.

Loaded to the gunwale: drunk.

Look like God’s revenge against murder – very angry.

Lumping pennyworth: a bargain.

Marry old boots: to marry another man’s mistress.

Measured fer yer chains: to be imprisoned..

Ope: an opening or passageway between buildings..

Paper skull: a fool.

Pipe: a wine cask which held up to 105 gallons.

Pipe tuner: a crybaby.

Pump ship: urinate.

Rabbit hunting with a dead ferret: a pointless exercise.

Remedy critch: a chamberpot.

Ride to fetch the midwife: be in haste.

Run a rig: to play a trick, to cheat someone.

Rusty guts: a surly fellow.

Scallywag: a scoundrel.

Snail’s gallop: to go very slowly.

Soose: a coin.

Spanish trumpeter: a donkey.

Take a caulk: take a nap.

Tilly tally: nonsense.

Trodden on your/my eye: a black eye..

Turned off: hanged.

e-book only
buy from Amazon

Not Pirates - Smugglers!

www.helenhollick.net

Helen's books are Indie Brag Medallion honorees

and

Chill With A Book book of the month winner