Hi, Everyone! Today, I’d like you to help me welcome my very special guest, C. S. Boyack, to The Write Stuff. Craig is is a friend and fellow author on the Story Empire blog, and he’s here to tell you a bit about his newest book, HMS Lanternfish. I found his information truly fascinating and can’t wait to read this one. I know you’ll see exactly what I mean, so let’s get to it. Take it away, Craig!
Marcia, I’m excited to visit your place today. Thanks for having me back, and know that my door is always open when you need to talk about one of your publications.
I’m here with a new book called HMS Lanternfish. This is the middle volume of a classic trilogy, and I expect to release the final one next year some time. Just to put a label on it, this is a pirate fantasy. It’s full of monsters, adventure, and a bit of humor.
Today, I want to talk about one of the subtle undertones of this series. Readers and fans like to get a behind-the-scenes look at how we tailor our books. This one keeps coming back to the front, and yet, readers might miss it if they aren’t paying attention. It’s about fatherhood.
James Cuttler is my main character. (He goes by the alias of Captain Bloodwater when it suits his purpose.) His father was a notorious operative called a wargler, and started the last war between Hollish and the allies of Prelonia and Saphelon. He was so good that he made the wrong side look like the aggressors and nearly tipped an entire continent on its head.
Eventually, James’s father took him away from the war and hid from the world until his dying day.
James is involved in a struggle to live up to his father, while trying to live down the man at the same time. In book one, he was mistaken for his father and that’s how he got involved in a new continent-wide war.
It goes even deeper, but you have to keep your eyes open for it. If it eludes you, that’s okay. This is just a small extra for those who want to look a bit deeper.
Serang is one of the stronger supporting characters in the story. She spent a considerable part of her life mourning her own father who was a fisherman. She also dedicated a lot of effort to revenge against the dragon turtle that took him. Serang lost her father when she was very young, so she’s further along the adjustment curve. You can read about her struggles in her own book, Serang.
James has a ward now, nicknamed Mule. Mule is a teenager in this book, James considers him a son, and the reciprocal is true as well. Now, while James is struggling with his own issues over his father, he’s trying to be a good parent to his son. He’s trying to keep the boy alive in a dangerous profession, while training him to be a top-notch navigator. There is also the distraction of young love to deal with. Mule is starting to have thoughts about his physical father’s profession that doesn’t involve sailing and piracy. Back to fathers once more, in a kind of triple-lutz way.
Inside HMS Lanternfish, James learns yet another fact about his father’s covert life, and how he was the one to introduce the bigger problem to their shores in the form of a religious cult.
There is a captured slave named Mal. He came from an island of cannibals, and the slavers took his entire family away. There are a few points in the series where he helps James come to grips with things that are out of his control (Like a surrogate father). Eventually, Mal is reunited with one of his own sons, but only one.
HMS Lanternfish has a section where an older pirate, named Chappy, has to deal with the ghost of his own father. Yes, an actual ghost. Told you it was a fantasy. It appears his childhood was not a happy one, but there is still some love for his long departed father hanging on.
I’m also going to talk about King Reynard of Hollish, who hasn’t made a single appearance in the series… yet. This is a boy king, and he’s been pushed by his advisors to finish his own father’s work by taking the entire continent under the flag of Hollish. It seems even royalty lives with the ghosts of their ancestors.
Trust me, the Lanternfish series is full of enough monsters, sea battles, and clashing swords to have a pretty good time without knowing all about fatherhood. There are some readers who like to look below the waves and this post was for them.
I’m going to drop some links, along with a cover and blurb for the new book. I hope some of your fans will find this peek inside my plot intriguing, and thanks for having me over today.
Cover
Blurb: The Lanternfish crew completed their original mission, but got exposed to a more global problem. An entire continent is at war, headed up by a head-strong young king with dreams of power, and pushed from behind by a mysterious religious order known as the Fulminites.
Rather than let their country fall under the iron boot of conquest, James and his crew set sail once more to see what kind of muscle Lanternfish can lend to the war effort. Acting precariously under an unofficial charter as a privateer, even his allies aren’t always his friends.
HMS Lanternfish explores new worlds on its way to war, and drifts considerably off course. It features an international crew of characters, and for fans of the first book, the root monsters are back, too. Tall ships, a few con games, martial arts, and everything you loved about the original book is all returning.
Hoist the colors and wheel out the guns. Lanternfish is taking to the high seas once more.
BUY HMS Lanternfish: 99¢ for a limited time.
Also By Craig Boyack:
Voyage of the Lanternfish: Book one of the trilogy.
Serang:
A supporting story about one of the more intriguing characters.
You can contact Craig at the following locations:
Blog | My Novels | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | BookBub
I’m nearing the end of Voyage of the Lanternfish now, so I’ll be able to get into HMS at the same time as everyone else for once!! So excited for it 🙂
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Great, Jessica! I can’t wait to get started on these books, myself! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by today. 🙂
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Always a pleasure 🤗
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Hope you’re enjoying Voyage. It was the one that got my group pushing me to turn it into a series.
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It has great potential to be a series (I’m over half way through)…
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I did pick up the theme of fatherhood in the first book, and look forward to finding it again in the Voyage of the Lanternfish! I love the name of that ship!
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Relationships between fathers and sons and brothers really resonate with me. I find they tend to be part of my own stories, too, so I’m looking forward to reading these books. Thanks for stopping by today, Jaye! 🙂
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My pleasure, Marcia!
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I’m pretty happy with the ship, too. Not everyone will pick up on the theme, and they don’t have to. Glad you did.
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Huge congrats to Craig on this latest book release. I enjoyed both Voyage of the Lanternfish and Serang, so I’m sure this one will be a hit too. I’m way behind on my reading, and I still owe Grinders a look. I’ll get there one day!
Best of luck with everything, Craig 🙂
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I know exactly how you feel, Harmony. SO many books, so little time! One of these days, life will slow down and we’ll be able to read for hours and hours on end. 😀 Thanks for stopping by this morning! 🙂
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Take your time. The way data works these days, they’ll still be there after I’m gone. Things used to disappear from the bookstore, but not today. Glad you enjoyed the other tales, so you’ll probably like HMS.
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Reblogged this on Entertaining Stories and commented:
I’m over at Marcia Meara’s place today. The topic is an underlying theme in the Lanternfish series. Stop over and say hi. While you’re there, check out Marcia’s place and her wares. You might find a favorite new author and a blog worth following.
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So glad to have you here today, Craig. It’s my pleasure to share your great news. Hopefully, some new readers will be introduced to this series. Wishing you the very best of luck as you get this one launched! 🙂
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I have both books now and look forward to reading them soon. I really enjoy Craig’s writing style and the stories he creates. Thank you, Marcia, for featuring Craig today.
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Hope they hold up for you, Gwen. Thanks for having faith in them.
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You’re welcome, Gwen. I was very happy to have Craig here for a visit. I’ve got both books, too, and am just looking for some “down time” so I can enjoy them. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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I love James’s relationship with Mule. Actually, I’m just really fond of James. He’s my favorite character in the series (root monsters aside, LOL). I really enjoyed Voyage of the Lanternfish and Serang, and know HMS Lanternfish will deliver the same wondrous adventure of seafaring fun.
Congrats to Craig!
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James is kind of the magnet that draws all these different personalities together. Glad you enjoy the father and son aspect of this.
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Looking forward to meeting James, myself, Mae. I know I’m going to enjoy the books when I get a chance to dig into them. 🙂
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Congrats to Craig on the new release. Nice to see Lanternfish making the rounds.
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Thanks for stopping by, Joan. It is a pleasure to have Craig here today. 🙂
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Thank you, Joan.
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I’m excited to see what the root monsters get into this go around!
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I’m looking forward to seeing what the root monsters are all about, myself, Teri. Thanks so much for stopping by today! 🙂
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They get into their share of mischief this tour.
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I very much enjoy the father/son dynamics and themes running throughout the series. Those relationships are fascinating to explore and add richness to the volume of work. (I’d like to draw attention to Serang’s backstory and her surrogate father in her novella, too. That was brilliantly handled.)
Best wishes, Craig. Thanks for hosting, Marcia.
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My pleasure to have Craig here today, Staci. I like father/son and brother/brother dynamics, too, and am looking forward to some exploring on the Lanternfish myself. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Nice observation. Her master was a surrogate father, too.
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I think Mal makes a great substitute father in both books, and it really comes across how fond James is of Mule in this one. I got a hint of the fatherhood theme in the first Lanternfish, but it settles in more in book two. I think book 2 is even better than the first.
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Good to know, Judi. It’s great when a story you love in book 1 gets even better in book 2. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by today! 🙂
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So glad to hear that. I worried that I’d left it all on the page during the first book.
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I have this on my Kindle and am looking forward to it. Thanks, Marcia for hosting Craig today
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You’re welcome, John. It’s a pleasure having him here today, and I’m looking forward to reading BOTH of these books soon! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Thanks, John. Hope you enjoy it when it reaches the top of your pile.
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Or maybe my heirs. 😁
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I haven’t opened these on my Kindle yet but it’s always good to have a heads-up on a theme that weaves its way quietly through the excitement!
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I’m really looking forward to reading these, Trish, and hope you’ll enjoy them, too. I’ve read a couple of his shorter works and enjoyed them a great deal, especially Grinders, which I loved. So happy to have him here today. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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Thanks for saying that here.
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Some appreciate the themes, others just want to be entertained. I’m glad you’re one who likes to delve deeper.
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Congrats on your new release, Craig 🙂 I have my copy and look forward to reading it.
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Can’t wait to see what you think, Denise. Heck, I can’t wait to see what *I* think. 😀 Thanks so much for stopping by today, too. 🙂
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Hope it takes you away for a few hours.
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Congrats, Craig! 🙂 Sharing…
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Thank you, Bette.
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Thanks for stopping by today, Bette, and for sharing Craig’s news! 🙂 ❤
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Love that you included parental elements, Craig. Relationships like these add richness to the overall series. Hey, is “HMS” in the title a secret? I’ve been waiting to find out, but you’ve never mentioned it.
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No secret. Her Majesty’s Ship in this case. Sometimes it’s his, but that’s what it stands for.
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I love the “parental elements,” too, Sue. SO looking forward to reading these. Thanks for stopping by today! 🙂
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