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It was a time when one of the most powerful rulers in the world wasn''t a government-it was a corporation. It''s official name was "The Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies." Some simply called it "John Company," others "Company Bahadur." But most people knew it as the Honourable East India Company. It was the first major shareholder-owned business enterprise. At its height it ruled more than a fifth of the world''s population, and generated a revenue greater than the rest of Britain combined-including the government. To hold all this together it had it''s own private army and navy consisting of over a quarter million men. But at it''s heart, it was still a "company of merchants" and it was her merchant ships that made everything else possible. This is E. Keble Chatterton''s authoritative account of those ships and the men who helped forge the history of two continents.

THE book on 18th Century Smuggling.Written by one of the leading authorities on nautical history.It is difficult to pick up a modern nautical adventure series without at some point coming across a plot line that deals with "The Smugglers." Whether the hero of the story is "for ''em" or "again ''em," the plot lines will be there.But who were these smugglers? How did they become so successful? How did the King''s Revenue Service try to stop them; and why was it all so important?E. Keble Chatterton has written the definitive book on this period. Working from old manuscripts, logs and journals, he has reconstructed the details of how it worked-and why it worked the way it did.Sometimes the King''s cutters chased the smugglers-and sometimes the smugglers (literally) chased the King''s cutters. Either way, it was a wild time in Britain''s nautical history.The Fine Art of Smuggling is based on Chatterton''s 1912 book: King''s Cutters and Smugglers: 1700-1855, and is being reissued here as a Fireship Press Contemporized Classic.TWith 33 Illustrations.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go back in time? Have you ever wanted to ask an expert what it would be like to walk the streets of ancient Athens or Rome, or serve on one of Nelson''s ships?Now you can via the Now That You Asked... series of books from Fireship Press.Now That You Asked: Nelson''s Navy starts with a tour of a 74-gun ship-of-the-line; and details what life was like for her officers and men. How did they live? What were their duties? What were their rewards and their punishments? How did they eat, sleep, drink, have fun, and express their sorrow? Almost 100 specific questions are asked and answered.This is a "must read" book for anyone interested in nautical fiction, or in understanding the ships and men of the Age of Sail.Now That You Asked: Nelson''s Navy is a Fireship Press CONTEMPORIZED CLASSICT and is based on John Masefield''s 1905 book: Sea Life in Nelson''s Time.

Is the ability to read minds a blessing or a curse?When Antonius’s father dies, he must work to support his family. He finds employment as a servant in the Palazzo Ducal, home of Conte Valperga. Sixteenth-century Pesaro is a society governed by status and Antonius has limited opportunities.When a competition is announced, Antonius seizes his chance. The winner will be apprenticed to the town seer. Antonius shares first place with his employer’s son.The two men compete for their mentor’s approval. As their knowledge of magic and alchemy grows, so does the rivalry and animosity between them. When the love of a beautiful woman is at stake, Antonius must find a way to follow his heart and navigate his future.

When his superiors ignore his warnings of an impending Afghan insurrection in 1841, British army captain Reeve Waterton vows never to return to Kabul. But then he rescues strong-willed Sarah Kane from an ambush and his plans for civilian life and self-preservation unravel around him.At first Reeve dislikes Sarah as much as she loathes him. She's as impudent and disdainful of authority as he, plus she's betrothed to his bitterest rival. It's only after Reeve's closest friend is brutally murdered and the Afghan tribes explode in revolt that he and Sarah discover their desperate need for each other. When the retreating British army is caught between the jaws of Afghanistan's blizzard-wracked mountain passes and hordes of vengeful tribesmen, Sarah and Reeve must rely on their skills, courage, and blossoming love just to survive.

It’s 1938, America is still in a depression and jobs are hard to come by…The Arrow is an old tramp freighter with a diverse crew. Patrick Welch is a young seaman making his first trip on the Arrow and must weather storms and ports of call trying to win the respect of the tough captain and the friendship of the rough and ready crew.Then, when the Arrow arrives in Hamburg, the Nazi movement is making life difficult for those who don’t fit the mold of the new Germany. One of the crew wants to get his family out, but he has to rely on his crew mates. Will they rise to the challenge and bond together in order to outwit the pursuing Nazis? 

It is New York City and the Civil War is brewing. Norah McCabe, an Irish immigrant who escaped the Famine as a child, is now a young widow with a daughter. She is a milliner, struggling to survive in tumultuous times. Norah meets Abraham Lincoln, befriends the extraordinary African-American woman Elizabeth Jennings, and assists the Underground Railroad. She falls headlong in love with Edward M. Knox, son of the famous hat-maker Charles Knox, but he is lace curtain Irish and she is shanty Irish. Edward joins the 69th regiment and leaves for battle. Can their love endure through class differences and war?This is a story of survival, intrigue, romance, as well as, exploring the conflict of Irish immigrants thrust into a war that threatened to destroy a nation. It is about an Irish-American woman who could be any immigrant today, any woman today, seeking to create beauty and make sense of her life.

There is a world that runs parallel to our own; a world in which legends are created…When a New York novelist finds the dusty journal of a lost American legend, he can scarcely believe what he is reading. The story tells of a man having been rescued and raised by a Cherokee shaman named Three Crows, of riding with known gunslingers and a young Teddy Roosevelt, as a Confederate spy working for Mosby’s Rangers during The Civil War, and the horrific conditions he experienced in the deadly trenches of World War I.As the War Between the States ends and our country begins to heal, this American legend returns home to find the remains of his murdered family, swearing an oath of vengeance against everyone responsible.He tells the story of one man and his decades-long retribution to avenge his beloved. Whether seen as a realistic glimpse into our forgotten past—or as the mythic retelling of narratives spun around the mystery that spawned his legend—he is the only man to have walked through the portals of our national history. He is the oldest living human on earth and now his oral collections are told as it was lived. His name is Reuben Shadrack Judah, and he is: The Prophet of Cobb Hollow.

Elspeth has recently landed a nursing position at the 1901 Pan American Exposition Hospital in Buffalo, New York. This is a big boon for her, but things are not going as expected. She has to navigate mischievous patients, egotistical doctors, rival nurses and prejudices. For an Irish girl with a temper, this is no easy feat. Now President McKinley is coming to visit the Expo and everyone is in an uproar. On the home front, her life is no less hectic as she struggles to put food on the table and look out for her younger siblings.When the unthinkable happens, it is a turning point, not only for the medical industry and our country’s security, but for Elspeth personally. With her career and reputation on the line, will she have the courage to overcome the challenges she faces to clear her name and continue to be there for the ones she loves?

Discover the True Stories of the Men Behind the ArtJoe BeelerEveryone’s friend; his cheerful personality and mischievousness covered an exceptional young talent that hit the national scene with canvas and bronze showing the old west of cowboys and Indians in a new exiting way.Charlie DyeA tough nut that grew up in the cowboy world, earned national recognition as an illustrator and gave it up to pay tribute to the cowboy way of western life with his brilliant action driven art.John HamptonThe charmer from Brooklyn New York turned out to be more cowboy than most western cowpokes. Using his incredible talent and charm he got the attention of lovers of the Old West and won plenty of new fans and friends.Fred HarmanA man of many talents with a phenomenal memory. A patriot who served his country as a spy, but mostly known for his alter-ego the comic character Red Ryder and Little Beaver…you betchum.George PhippenThe family man who fought his shyness and blazed the pathway for Southwest cowboy art with his original and authentic works.

Set in the turbulent times of the War of Independence, 'The Long Way Home' follows the lives of Thomas Peters and Murphy Steele who are friends, former slaves, fellows-in-arms and leaders of the Black Brigade. Their real-life story is an epic adventure tale as they battle bounty hunters, racism, poverty and epidemic in their adopted country after the war.'The Long Way Home' has resonated with readers around the world as an unforgettable account of courage, hope and determination triumphing over despair and injustice. Thomas Peters, thoughtful and charismatic, and Murphy Steele, strong and impulsive, lead their followers on an inspirational search for a place where they can be free.

The First Book in the Fighting Sail SeriesA powerful ship, a questionable crew, and a mission that must succeed.In the spring of 1795 HMS Vigilant, a 64 gun ship-of-the-line, is about to leave Spithead as senior escort to a small, seemingly innocent, convoy. The crew is a jumble of trained seamen, volunteers, and the sweepings of the press; yet, somehow, the officers have to mold them into an effective fighting unit before the French discover the convoy's true significance.Based on historical fact, His Majesty's Ship will take you into the world of Nelson's Navy, and captivate you all the way to it's gripping conclusion."Bond has an extraordinary talent for describing the sights and sounds of an 18th Century man-of-war. When you finish this book you genuinely feel like you have been there-and no novel can receive higher praise than that."

HOW DO YOU KEEP THE LOVE OF THE KING OF FRANCE?1676. In a hovel in the centre of Paris, the fortune-teller La Voisin holds a black mass, summoning the devil to help an unnamed client keep the love of the King of France, Louis XIV. Three years later, Athénaïs, Madame de Montespan, the King’s glamorous mistress, is nearly forty. She has borne Louis seven children but now seethes with rage as he falls for eighteen-year-old Angélique de Fontanges. At the same time, police chief La Reynie and his young assistant Bezons have uncovered a network of fortune-tellers and poisoners operating in the city. Athénaïs does not know it, but she is about to be named as a favoured client of the infamous La Voisin. 

The French and Indian War - Who will occupy the New World? 1761: The North American territories have become a tremendous source of wealth for the English, Dutch, and French merchants and nobility, as well as a land of opportunity for humbler men and women. As national rivalries escalate into outright war, the French and their increasing desperate native allies set out to destroy the northernmost British forts, abetted by Dutch and even British traders, who don't care who they sell their wares to. Sir William "Billy" Smithyman has achieved fame, fortune and love on the New York frontier since he arrived from Ireland as a young man, but now all of that is in jeopardy. Billy must coax the decimated Iroquois alliance into remaining loyal to King George, in the very face of what seems imminent victory for the French. Together with his wise and fierce Mohawk wife, Laura Silverbirch, and her warrior brother, Matthew, Billy has to fend off assassination attempts as well as enemy action - with a price upon his head! Will an unsuspected ally in the most unlikely of places defy the arrogance of New France, or will the seemingly invincible French armies and armada sweep away the settlements that Billy and his friends have built? As world powers contend over what was once their homeland, what will befall the dwindling numbers of First People?

1810: The Royal Navy of Great Britain is all that stands between Napoleon and absolute domination of Europe. Royal Marine Captain Thomas Pennywhistle is assigned to HMS Active, part of a small squadron of frigates in the Adriatic Sea. It''s considered a sideshow theatre of the war, but on those waters, one of the greatest naval battles of the age will be fought.As a Marine, Pennywhistle fights on land and sea. He leads his handful of men first against a battalion of Napoleon''s Army and finally against the French fleet in all its terrible grandeur, always leading from the front, fighting not only with weapons but by using his wit - cool and analytical where others are blinded by passion. Pennywhistle''s own passions will be aroused by the beautiful and fiercely independent Carlotta, and he will be tested by conflicts that make him question his deepest principles. HMS Active will take Pennywhistle''s measure. Will he measure up? "This is not just a rousing, edge-of-your seat nautical tale; it is also a powerfully passionate and winningly romantic love story. It is a pleasure to see a heroine who is well rounded, not a mere cipher who exists simply to be put in jeopardy and then rescued. The chemistry between hero and heroine is wonderful to behold." -Sandi Lindstrom

Dedicated to the 60,000 Irish slaves who perished in Barbados, victims of Cromwell''s terror campaign in Ireland during the 17th century.When Michael Redferne pulls the body of twenty year old Maureen Kelly from a frozen Irish lake, something tells him he should leave well enough alone. But fear conquers instinct and he hides the frozen corpse in the ice house on Lord Preston''s estate. Unaware that sinister forces in the persons of Lady Preston and her lover are conspiring against him, he walks into a trap and is shipped in chains to Barbados, known as Sugar Island. Once there, Redferne joins thousands of African and Irish laborers who are forced to work in the cane fields from dawn to dusk under the cowhide whips of brutal overseers. The rising and setting sun becomes a doomsday clock, ticking off Redferne''s slow march to the grave. He must escape if he hopes to redeem his past and save his future.

Millions of readers have thrilled to the high seas adventures of characters such as: Horatio Hornblower, Jack Aubrey and Nicholas Ramage. They are characters in nautical fiction, but their exploits are based on people whose contributions and courage were very real indeed. Could Hornblower have possible been unaware of Rodney’s famous maneuver at the Battle of the Saints? Could Aubrey not have been influenced by Nelson’s technique at the Battle of the Nile? Would Ramage have ever proceeded into a fleet action without the signaling system devised by Howe? Would any of our literary heroes have been unaware of the exploits of Anson, Hawke, Duncan and Keppel? The answer, of course, is no. The great fighting captains of the Napoleonic era¾real and fictional¾were both informed and inspired by the greats that went before them. Presented here are the stories of seven of those great admirals. If you wish to truly understand Hornblower, Aubrey and Ramage, this is the place you must start. Tom Grundner is a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy and a decorated Vietnam veteran. A retired college professor, he is also the author of The Ramage Companion and the Sir Sidney Smith Nautical Adventure book series.

SFC Jared Monti was not the only hero in the battle on Hill 2610. There were 15 other brave American soldiers in the patrol who refused to back down despite the overwhelming odds against them. Jared undoubtedly would have said, "Write about them. There's no need to mention me." At the very least, he would have approved of having this book dedicated to his comrades-in-arms: SSG Chris Cunningham, SSG Patrick Lybert, SGT John Hawes, SPC John Garner, SSG Chris Grzecki, SPC Sean Smith, SPC Franklin Woods, SPC Brian Gonterman, SPC Max Noble, PFC Brian Bradbury, PFC Derek James, SPC Matthew Chambers, SPC Shawn Heistand, SPC Daniel Linnihan, and SSG Josh Renken. As John Hawes says, "Jared would have been proud to have this book dedicated to 'his boys.' He would have wanted it known that we fought together as a team." "It would be a challenge to find a group of soldiers who better represent the legacy of the 10th Mountain Division than the soldiers who fought so bravely on top of that rocky mountain near Gowardesh, Afghanistan," proclaims 10th Mountain Division Commander Major General Stephen J. Townsend. "Although badly outnumbered and separated from their unit, those soldiers refused to accept defeat."

Wiona Rutherford is barely keeping her head above the dust as she struggles to manage her dilapidated ranch, located in the arid, mountain corridor that is the border between Mexico and Southeast Arizona, is a major crossing for illegal aliens. Although Wiona is sympathetic to those who undertake this dangerous journey, she is sick to death of the damage they leave behind. Then she comes upon a lone woman and her just born baby on the cold ground under an oak tree. Gayle Jandrey has created an enthralling human drama... Stokey, a veteran Border Agent, patrols a Darwinian landscape of desperate migrant travelers seeking a better life and the malevolent human coyotes that exploit them. - Cameron Hintzen, Assistant Chief Patrol Agent U.S. Border Patrol (retired)For many years G. Davies Jandrey worked at Tucson Magnet High School, where many of her students were undocumented Mexican nationals. In addition, she worked as a fire lookout in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeast Arizona. These mountains, heavily traveled by drug mules and undocumented immigrants, form a backdrop for Journey though an Arid Land.

Portsmouth, England,1760. Patricia Kelley, the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy Barbadian sugarcane planter, falls from her imagined place in the world when her absent father unexpectedly dies. Raised in a Wiltshire boarding school sixteen-year-old Patricia embarks on a desperate crossing on a merchantman bound for Barbados, where she was born, in a brash attempt to claim an unlikely inheritance. Aboard a merchantman under contract with the British Navy to deliver gunpowder to the West Indian forts, young Patricia finds herself pulled between two worlds -- and two identities -- as she charts her own course for survival in the war-torn 18th century.