Blackbead

Mike Leach has become a symbol of the pirate mystique down here in Texas. His cover photo for the September 2009 "Texas Monthly" featured him sporting an eyepatch and included a piratey quote he gave about pirates beating soldiers. Well, he got canned today after a whirlwind disaster involving an injured player. The facts are flying, along with the fur, and we'll have to see where this ends (Leach and his lawyer are talking lawsuit) but, in the end, at least in Texas, pirates take another hit. I can hear the jokes now - "Well, doctors are now saying that instead of requiring the player to sit out practice in the 'offensive garage' that Leach should have make him walk the plank." "Why didn't Leach just bring out the leeches like they did in 'pirate days'?" "What do you expect from a pirate? At least he didn't hang the kid from a yardarm!" Okay, maybe this is why I'm a poet and not a comedy writer! Blackbead

Out of touch with the modern world, I agree. Which is especially funny since he's the owner of the nuclear power plant. But dead on, pun intended, with his Scottish ancestor!

Oh! I see now why Montgomery BURNS always answers his phone "Ahoy, hoy"! It's the superstitions of the sea that I've always found fascinating. Wren's feathers, not beginning a voyage on certain days, women on board ship, whistling aboard ship, that sort of thing. There's so much history and a sense of tradition to these stories and the resulting beliefs. That sort of thing appeals to me and brings a feeling of order to the life. Blackbead

Beautiful workmanship! Now, how many more do you think you're going to make?

Dear Secret Santa, I finally returned home last night after a long sail to the east and south that took me from Bonham, Texas, to San Augustine, Texas, to Beaumont, Texas, and back. What a delightful surprise to find, waiting on my doorstep, a package from YOU! Inside was a bottle of the most exquisite-tasting lemoncello that I have ever laid lips to! It will definitely be a part of my New Year's Eve celebration and the special friends that I plan on sharing it with! Also, while I haven't tasted it, yet, a packet of the most delicious smelling coffee my nostrils have ever had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with! Whomever you may be and wherever you call home, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and from the center of my taste buds! This was the first year I've been involved with this wonderful tradition but I hope to be celebrating Christmas this way EVERY year from now on! Blackbead

Well now, let me see . . . my extended family is finally understanding that I am desirous of all things piratical so while my beloved bought me a turntable which will allow me to convert my old vinyl into a digital format the rest of the family and friends got me a skull and crossed bones throw which will look great hanging in the booth, some pirate coasters, some pirate napkins, and my in-laws, God love 'em, tried to go out and buy me a sword and I wound up with a rather neat looking wakizashi with a dragon headed pommel which is leading me into the creation of a new costume - 黒いビード: A renegade Korean fisherman who has taken to piracy against the Japanese. The Japanese give him his pirate name because of . . . well, I'm still thinking about that, but it's a start!

The gas to get to my ancestral hometown and back: $89 Acquiring an extra copy of Sid Meier's "Pirates!": $9.99 (At BestBuy) Buying dinner for the family instead of cooking so we'd have some extra time: $140 Standing between my granddaughters (9 and 14) as they play "Pirates!" on two different computers and finding out they think their grandpa is a big deal because he knows a thing or two about the "Sweet Trade": utterly and completely priceless I can only hope that ye all had as incredible a Christmas as I did! Blackbead

I saw "Avatar" tonight. The mythos which made up a great part of the film would say that your loss is as deep as the "loss" of the hunter that releases the stag's soul so that the body can remain and become a part of the people. Personally, I'm a Christian, but I am not one who believes that the soul is confined to the spirit of human beings. Life is where you find it. Take comfort in the fact that the friendly souls that resided in your tail-wagging golden companions has gone back to that place where all the souls mingle and laugh and sing and reflect joy. I looked into the face of a golden retriever last Tuesday . . . she smiled and I smiled. What more can we ask for? Damn . . . this is getting too deep. I'll raise a glass of bumbo to the passing of your chums. Good spirits all around!

Happy birthday! May the coming year be the very best ever for you and yours! Blackbead

In commemoration of this sorrowful occasion, I will be wearing, I mean drinking, "black" for the remainder of this year. And the next. And the one after that. And so long as I live. Blackbead

Ahoy me hearties, it's a wonderful day! The present I chose is on it's way! I wish you Merry Christmas, my unmet friend! And pray that you like what I picked to send! Some might not like to get this as a gift Others, I think, their spirits it'd lift. I think YOU will like it, have no fear, Bilge said it's a fine present for a buccaneer! So prop up your feet, for an hour you can drift, Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, and please enjoy my gift! Blackbead (and Captain Jasper!)

Hmm, m'Lady? How did you get that picture of Miz Peabody in front of your Christmas tree? Did she visit . . . Wait, wait, that can't be her. Not fat enough. Never mind. Blackbead

Lulu.com is at it again! Check out www.lulu.com/Blackbead and see if you're interested in any of the books. If so, you can use the code "Hohoho" at checkout and get TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT off the price of your purchase!! Just a thought . . .

Mine goes out tomorrow!! And I can't wait for mine to get here!

"I saw the book at the grocery store the other day and it was 40% off. But even so, since it's a hard cover, it still comes to almost $20. I wonder if it's worth buying, or if I should rent it from the Library first and consider buying it when it comes out in paperback..." Cap'n McCool - Check it out on Amazon; you can get it for $14 plus shipping. Or, would you be interested in buying my copy? Blackbead

I finished Latitudes over the weekend and couldn't agree with Mission more on this one. This HAD to be a first draft and not something that Mr. Crichton would have wanted to publish without significant rewrite. There were several "Oh, come ON!" moments and even a couple of "Wait a minute; didn't you JUST say?" events. In some ways, I wonder if Mr. Crichton didn't intend this to be a film script from the very beginning. There are plenty of examples of things that we let a creator get away with in movies that we wouldn't sit still for in a novel. I agree with you, Mission, regarding that explanatory aspect of the book. There wasn't a character sitting "outside the plot flow" telling us what was going on and giving the factual basis for some of the events which occurred. Read it; but don't expect a typical Michael Crichton novel.

My dear Feaky Fishmonger, Happy Birthday! BB

Happy Birthday, my friend!

Ahoy, mates! Ready in time for Christmas, you can now order your copy of Echoes From Other Worlds, the newest anthology from Blackbead Books! Over 180 pages of original poetry, short stories and artwork for only $16 plus shipping! If you liked Raising Black Flags, then you'll want a copy of Echoes! Go to www.lulu.com/Blackbead to get your copy AND if you go and purchase your copy now you can get it for 10% off the purchase price! Just use the code "Humbug" when you check out and Lulu will automatically take off 10% of your purchase price! Echoes includes poetry and short stories by Wendy Easterling, Scot Goodrich, Kenneth King, Bobby Matherne, Shana L. Martin, Keith McGraw, Sharon Robb-Chism, Stephen Sanders, Pamala A. Williams, Kittye Williams, and artwork by Sharon Robb-Chism and Rod Lindsey. Come read "It's In Me Blood," "Death or Glory," "The Surgeon's Mate," "Nameless Enemy," "Ghost of the Sea," and more and more and more! Echoes is divided into two parts - "Tales from the Sea" which is all pirate-themed and "Tales from the Mist" which is full of science fiction and fantasy tales and poems. Remember, come to www.lulu.com/Blackbead and get your copy, for only $16 plus shipping! Order now and save 10%!

Through the month of December, Lulu.com is running a sale on all of their books! Go to Lulu.com; search out the books you want - and, hopefully, Raising Black Flags: Original Poetry By and About Pirates will be among them! - and when you go to checkout, enter the code "Humbug" for 10% off your purchase price! And soon, Echoes From Other Worlds, Blackbead Books' second anthology, and this one includes short stories!, will be up for sale as well! Fair winds to ye! Blackbead

I've received a copy from Amazon - I plan on reading it this weekend. More to follow. Blackbead

I just wanted to thank everyone who had logged onto goodreads.com and voted for Raising Black Flags! As I said above, we are currently the number 4 book on their "Pirates!" list and the NUMBER ONE book on their "Swashbucklers" list! THANK YOU ALL! If you are on goodreads and haven't gone by to vote, we would still very much appreciate it if you took the time to do so. Blackbead

Matt - EXTREMELY pleased with the latest issue! Keep up the great work! Blackbead

Ah-HAH! I got me PM and I know who to be putting together the booty for. THis is gonna be SOOOOO great! Blackbead

Emerald, As ye well know, I am a vendor. Speaking from the vendor's point of view, I NEED good entertainers on the faire's stages to attract the customers I want to sell to. If I wanted a flea market, there are millions of them out there and most of them cost a hell of a lot less than what a faire charges for booth fees. A good faire is a balance among all of food-vendors-entertainers with some extras thrown in for good measure. I cannot understand why anyone would rather have five more vendors than a good stage show, unless they are greedy sons of bit*hes that just care about the money and don't really give a sh*t about the event being a faire. If they want to run a flea market where they get to sit back and just charge the vendors booth fees and expect the crowds to pay to get in . . . well, their days are numbered as faire owners. I think most people are going to wise up when they finally realize that they are paying to go into Uncle Willie's Olde Tyme Trade Days. Blackbead