Sara Whitford's Blog, page 16

Captured in the Caribbean “is a real page turner”

Early review from Phil Molloy (MGySgt Retired, USMC): “If I had to describe this book with one word, it would have to be WOW! I do believe we have us a real, honest to goodness author on our hands.“Sara’s latest novel, Captured in the Caribbean, is a real page turner with action and intrigue in […]

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The Real Blackbeard: Get ready to have everything you thought you knew turned on its head

In The Smuggler’s Gambit, one of the characters turns out to have a history with the pirate Blackbeard. As he recounts the experiences of his youth, he tells a different story than what legends and myths have had many of us believe over the years. I credit my good friend, Kevin Duffus, author of The […]

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Smuggling in Colonial America: What drove good men to do it?

Before I ever started working on The Smuggler’s Gambit, I had done a lot of studying about not only smuggling in the colonial era, but what prompted otherwise law-abiding men to do it. It happened in all sorts of ways and by men you might otherwise not expect. In May 1764, the month followingthe passage […]

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Five things you DIDN’T know about Blackbeard

In The Smuggler’s Gambit, one of the characters is revealed to have a past connection to one of the most famous pirates who ever lived, Blackbeard. Growing up in eastern North Carolina, I heard all kinds of Blackbeard stories growing up. He had a close connection to the families in our coastal region, so it […]

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The Spanish Invasion of Beaufort: How slaves turned settlers became pawns in Spain’s hand

On Adam Fletcher’s first day as an apprentice, he is placed under the instruction of Boaz Brooks, senior cooper and second-in-charge at the shipping company. Adam learns that Boaz was also forced into an apprenticeship when he was younger. As they share their personal histories, one of the topics that arises is the 1747 Spanish […]

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The Last Days of Black Beard the Pirate author Kevin Duffus endorses The Smuggler’s Gambit

Kevin Duffus, author ofThe Last Days of Black Beard the Pirate and 2015 NC Historian of the Year has this to say about The Smuggler’s Gambit. “The Smuggler’s Gambit will transport you in timeto a formative period in our nation’s history, when young Colonial Americans like Adam Fletcher bravely faced life-changing choices, moral perplexities, and […]

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Bonus: Tour the Topsail Tavern and learn about real colonial-era taverns like the Green Dragon

Whether you’ve read The Smuggler’s Gambit and want to learn more about the world of Adam Fletcher, or you’re just interesting in finding out more about the novel before reading it, this new featurewill serve as your personaltour guide to the locations from the story. About colonial era taverns These days the word tavern oftenrefers […]

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Five Questions About The Smuggler’s Gambit

Q: What are the characters like in The Smuggler’s Gambit? Sara Whitford: Our hero,Adam Fletcher, is a 17-year-old boy who has been raised by his single mother, Mary Fletcher, in the Topsail Tavern. He’s an impetuous young man who means well, but his impatience often gets the better of him and his mouth gets him […]

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Creative Ways of Protecting Women’s Property and Interests in 18th Century America

Many elements of The Smuggler’s Gambit were inspired by real incidents that I uncovered while doing genealogical research—from the idea of forced apprenticeships, to the truth about Blackbeard, and many other bits and pieces of information. In the book, there is a reference to one of the female characters being an heiress, but being bound […]

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Capt. Horatio Sinbad gives his hearty endorsement to The Smuggler’s Gambit

A well-known figure on the pirate re-enactments circuit, as well as a ship-builder, author, and certified ‘Pirate-Privateer’, Captain Horatio Sinbad knows a thing or two aboutadventure on the high seas, as well as in coastaltowns like Beaufort, North Carolina, the home port of his ship,MEKA II. Now, he lends his hearty endorsement to The Smuggler’s […]

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