Books published by Fireship Press

How much do you really know about your golf clubs? Did you know that: * The lower the loft on your driver, the farther you''ll hit it? * Your new driver has a larger "sweetspot?" * You are playing a stiff shaft, because it says so on it. * Women''s clubs are designed for women? Fine, but the problem is... NONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE TRUE Tom Wishon, one of the world''s leading club designers, takes you on a guided tour of the golf club, explaining in lay language how and why golf clubs work the way they do. Perhaps of even greater importance, he explains what to look for-and what to look out for-when you buy your next club. "...the average golfer knows little more about golf clubs than what he or she reads in advertising or sees in Golf Channel infomercials. This lack of golf equipment knowledge results in millions of golfers attempting to play an already difficult game with equipment that not only won''t, but CAN''T POSSIBLY allow them to play to the best of their ability." It turns out the latest cutting-edge frontier in golf... is plain old-fashioned custom club fitting. Do you think: * That clubheads made from harder metal will hit the ball farther? * The faster you swing, the stiffer your shaft should be? * That your clubs are "just like the ones the pros use?" Find out WHY those things are not true and learn the things they do NOT tell you in the golf club ads!

Out of Print for Over 150 Years. Howard''s Memoirs of Sir Sidney Smith Who was the greatest British admiral of the Napoleonic Era? Horatio Nelson? Perhaps. But, great as Nelson was, a strong case could be made that Sir Sidney Smith was at least his equal. His exploits were every bit as daring as those of Nelson, and in some ways he accomplished even more. But Nelson got the "good press" and Smith did not, and does not even today. In 1793, during the retreat from Toulon, Smith destroyed more French ships than had been destroyed in any British fleet action prior to that. Yet, he was blamed by Nelson and Collingwood (neither of whom were there) for not destroying more. The first person to defeat Napoleon on land-head-to-head-was not Wellington; it was Smith at the Battle of Acre. Everyone knows about Nelson at Trafalgar; but few people realize that there would probably have been no Trafalgar if Smith had not stopped Napoleon in the east. In 1839, Edward Howard, a writing colleague of Frederick Marryat, wrote the first of two seminal biographies that have appeared of Sir Sidney Smith. It was the only one seen and approved by Smith prior to his death. This valuable source document is reprinted here in it''s entirety. A portion of the sale of this book is being donated to The 1805 Club for the maintenance of Sir Sidney Smith''s tomb in the Pere LaChase Cemetary in Paris.For more information go to: www.FireshipPress.com

It''s the dark days of World War II. The Norwegian resistance had been fighting a quiet battle against their Nazi occupiers by sending vital information back to the allies. But when they start taking a more aggressive role the occupiers decide they must be eliminated.The liberty ship John Ireland, after surviving the dangerous North Atlantic and Arctic trip to Murmansk, is chosen to become part of the effort to rescue Norwegian civilians and carry them to safety in England before the Nazi''s can carry out the order to wipe them out.Based on a real, but little-known mission during World War II.

Newport Rhode Island: 1765 The Seven Years War is over but unrest in the American colonies is just heating up.

A fast, fun, twenty-four hour, gaslight adventure.1872. When virginal Jenny Crispin is dumped at the altar by a chauvinistic cad, she does what any other modern Victorian girl would do-ditch her corset, move to New York City, and join Glorianna Talmadge's free love presidential campaign. But free love and women presidential candidates aren't particularly popular with the powers that be, and Jenny finds herself chased by a sadistic vice detective through the back alleys of New York. Homeless and penniless, she seeks out the one person in the city with the guts and knowledge to save her: a brothel hopping, virgin fearing, explosives expert named Britt Salter. Too bad he's tied up trying to assassinate the visiting King of Egypt.

For twenty-five years, Helicopter Utility Squadron Two (HU-2) called the Naval Air Station Lakehurst home. They did good in Lakehurst, but their best work was done at sea aboard navy ships where they completed a number of missions, including their primary job: that of saving lives. For this, they earned the name Fleet Angels.Here is their history, their struggles, their heroics, and their humor. Some of the stories came from reports, and some from magazines and books. But the best—the ones that show the heart, courage, and determination of these sailors to get the job done, regardless of the cost—came from the men and women themselves who sent in their recollections for this book.

Five-star book adventures in the mid-1700s begin now."...no mustache-twirling villains or simpering damsels in distress, no, these are real people, with real personalities and motivations."--GoodReadsIn late summer 1742, shipwright Abraham Robinson leaves London to work at France's great shipyard in Brest where his life changes dramatically. There he falls in love with Yvette, only to lose both his position and lover as war begins. Returning to England, the navy presses him to serve as a ship's carpenter, tearing him from his plans. Great sea battles, dangerous escapes, and ravaging fires challenge Abraham and Yvette's lives from London to the colonies of North America. Throughout, historical and fictional characters cross their paths to help and hinder, but not all survive to achieve their goals in this first book of the Tween Sea and Shore Series.A free PDF Addendum to the book can be downloaded at: https://stockmanbooks/downloads that contains a character list, nautical glossary, ship diagrams, maps, and other information to make reading the book more enjoyable.

It’s early 1942 and America is unprepared for the war it has declared on Japan and Germany. The enemy, however, is not…Soon after President Roosevelt’s declaration of war the German Navy dispatches U-boats to the U.S. east coast, Operation Drumbeat was known by the U-boat crews as the ‘second happy time.’ The hunting was good. Despite the odds, America’s war machine and merchant mariners continue to deliver the goods. Through U-boat infested waters, the crew of the tramp steamer Arrow sail on, now with a detachment of Naval Armed Guards onboard, they have to learn how to survive in a hostile world. Picking up survivors, they feel lucky until one day they are the target of the torpedoes and find themselves engaged in a fight for their lives! 

In the year 1866 a ship named the General Grant lost course on its epic voyage to London and crashed upon a subantarctic island off the coast of New Zealand. Legend has it that its cargo contained one of the richest in history—gold all mined from the Victorian goldfields in Australia. After years of mishap and misfortune—even death—no one has been able to locate its exact whereabouts.In comes Roy Berenger, one of the world’s foremost experts on salvaging shipwrecks. Recruited to solve the mystery once and for all, he must use all his trademark talents and wits to uncover the historic shipwreck. The strange circumstances around its harrowing disappearance are mysterious and all-too frightening. Putting together a local crew with the latest technological resources at his disposal, Berenger ventures to this far-off island to pull off an audacious search attempt. But in order to find it—he must brave the real-life perils of hypothermia, great white sharks, high-sea squalls, and human treachery.

A lazy Sunday afternoon of fishing on an Irish lake suddenly turns into a nightmare of flight and terror when Peter Coltrane and his fourteen-year-old daughter Brigid stumble on a gruesome execution. The chase is on when the assassins find out that they have been discovered. In his small motorboat, Peter leads them in the falling darkness through the hazardous channels of the boggy terrain where they finally find refuge and think they are safe. However, the next morning, Brigid has vanished.The ensuing rescue mission leads Peter into a Gordian knot of political and religious intrigue involving the Blueshirts-an Irish Fascist group-including Major Adler, a Nazi agent; Abbot Jonathan, the rheumy-eyed abbot of a local monastery; and Kincade, the ruthless enforcer. A shared objective unites them all: silence Peter Coltrane. Peter must race against the clock to save Brigid. But will good trump evil, and at what cost?

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.