Book 1 of The Sea Hawkes Chronicles
Historical Fiction/Nautical Fiction
Date Published: April 10, 2025
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
The man who fights for his family is far more dangerous than the one who fights for his king.
Colonial sea captain Jonas Hawke returns home to Norfolk after a year-long voyage only to have his ship and its valuable cargo seized by the British Royal Navy. As the royal governor further tightens the noose on trade, Jonas is thrust into the chaos of a growing rebellion. Desperate to support his family, he sets out to find work. When he is denied a commission with the newly formed Continental Navy, he outfits his own vessel as a private ship-of-war and voyages to the Caribbean in search of enemy merchant ships he can capture and friends he can trust.
But dangers multiply on the unforgiving sea. The Royal Navy reacts mercilessly to the threat posed by privateers like Jonas. How will Jonas fare now that he has boldly defied the King of Britain to preserve his family? And what will happen to his loved ones while he is away, engulfed in a war to oppose tyranny in the name of freedom?
Interview with Thomas M. Wing
What is your favorite part of the book?
My favorite is the portion where Jonas is in Norfolk, and he survives two British raids, one on Hampton, and one on Norfolk itself. These were true events, and I dropped him in the middle to see what he’d do. They’re my favorites because they illustrate something we’ve forgotten, or for some, never learned. The American Revolution was a bloody, brutal civil war. There were atrocities committed by both sides, and real people were caught in the middle. That should not be forgotten. History, even when it makes us uncomfortable, holds important lessons. Perhaps even more so when it makes us uncomfortable.
Does your book have a lesson? Moral?
It turns out both my books have a variant of the same lesson: life requires the taking of risks, and making choices. Even not choosing sides is a choice. And every choice has consequences. Life also leads to loss and we all must face it, and decide how we will react to it.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
Jonas Hawke is entirely an artificial construct. I’m certain some characteristics come from people I’ve known, perhaps served with, but not consciously. The same applies to the majority of other characters. Masefield’s appearance, for example, is based on a First-Class Machinist’s Mate I served with in my first ship. Obviously, there are real people in the story, and I’ve done what I can to research those folks and make sure I portrayed them as they might have been. I hate it when a writer takes a real person and gives them words they would never have uttered, and an attitude completely at odds with their actual historic personality. There is one other exception: Aurelio Martinez-Leon. While he is fictional, he is named for my late father-in-law, and I tried to capture how he might have said things, and how he might have acted, were he in the situation. His daughters and his wife approved of his being portrayed in the story, by the way.
Of all the characters you have created, which is your favorite and why?
It’s close between Jonas and Masefield, Jonas’s first mate. I like Masefield because he is solidly grounded, and takes life as it comes, but never allows it to bowl him over. He also is very willing to push Jonas when needed. At the start pf the story, he’s more than happy to be a first mate, and follow Jonas’s lead. As the story progresses, and this becomes even stronger in the next book, he pushes back when he believes Jonas is making a bad choice.
What character in your book are you least likely to get along with?
There are several, but they’re minor characters. The one I’m most concerned about will make appearances later in the trilogy: Lieutenant Whipple and Commander Wilson. Both are angry men, and Whipple feels the Royal Navy has mistreated them. Wilson knows in his heart that he’s not as competent as others. Both will want to take it out on the enemy.
What would the main character in your book have to say about you?
“Stop throwing rocks at my head, and get me out of the tree I’m stuck in!” Jonas would want me to stop punishing him, wanting to know why. He’s been in command of his life, something he has worked to be since his father failed to return from sea when he was young. Now the world has turned upside down, and it frustrates him.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
There are two answers to that. My first book, Against All Enemies, was standalone. In Harm’s Way is the first of a trilogy. Somewhere down the line after I finish the trilogy, will be a World War II novel based loosely (VERY loosely!) on my father’s and two uncles’ service during that conflict. It will be standalone. But there are connections between them. For the first readers to find each of the Easter eggs I’ve hidden in the stories, I’ll send them a free signed paperback!
About the Author
Naval Academy and Naval War College graduate Thomas M. Wing retired after thirty-two years as a Navy Surface Warfare officer. He served more than ten years at sea and twenty-two years ashore in increasingly important tactical and operational billets. A dedicated sailor for half a century, he created the Continental Navy Foundation, served as its executive director, and commanded its brigantine, Megan D.
He wrote In Harm’s Way from a desire to explore the topic of America’s early sea warriors and how they struck fear into the hearts of British shippers around the globe. Thomas’s award-winning first novel, Against All Enemies, was released in 2023 by Acorn Publishing. He resides in San Diego with his wife and daughter and a cat and a dog. Whatever free time he has is spent on the water.
Contact Links
Twitter: @thomasmwing1
Purchase Link
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2 comments:
I enjoyed the interview.
The book sounds very intriguing. Thanks!
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