Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

September 19th is Talk like a Pirate day and in honor of the holiday, here's a challenge that can get ye ready. Argh!

Duration: 1 month from start date

Levels of Play:
Landlubber: Read 1 - 8 books
Cabin Boy: Read 9 - 16 books
Pirate: Read 17 - 24 books
Captain: 25+ books

Rules of Play:
◈ Option 1 - Read-It: Read books with a pirate on the cover, a character who dresses as a pirate, has a pirate theme, has a skull and crossbones, or somehow can be linked to pirates.

◈ Option 2 - Spell-It-Out: Choose a term or phrase from the Pirate Lingo list in post 2, then read books to spell out the word(s)*.

◈ Option 3 - Word-It-Out: Choose one or more phrases from the Pirate Lingo list in post 2. Using only one word from the title, author's name or series name of each book you read, connect it to a word in the phrase(s) you selected. If you know of other pirate lingo, feel free to use your own phrase for the challenge. **Also, any book with the word Pirate in the title can be used as a wild card to replace one word in a phrase that is difficult to come by. Only one wild card per phrase.

Example of a Word-It-Out:
Phrase: Clap of Thunder
Clap - The Sound of One Hand Clapping by Richard Flanagan
of - The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
Thunder - Silent Thunder by Iris Johansen

◈ Option 4 - Any combination of options 2 & 3.

Example of a Spell-It-Out:
S - Stevenson; Robert Louis author of Treasure Island
W - Watership Down by Richard Adams
A - Anita Blake; a character in Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
G - Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

◈ Option 5 - Write-It-Out: Write a pirate themed story using the titles of the books you read. You may, if you desire, include pirate lingo. It's up to you.

Example of a Write-It-Out:
It was Love at First Sight. The moment he saw her, he knew. "No One Else Can Have You," he thought. "Ye be Only Mine. Any who get in me way will walk the plank." A Pirate's Love is usually not easily garnered nor is he easily dissuaded once his mind is made up.

The first time she say him, she thought him a Handsome Devil, but quickly disregarded him. Perhaps that was A Grave Mistake. He was the type who always garnered attention and her blatant refusal to acknowledge him screamed, "Catch Me If You Can."

He followed her and when the time was right, he'd Stake His Claim. As he watched, two men approached her and attempted an Abduction. He realized The Rescue he was about to make would work in his favor.

A Storm of Swords ensued, but in the end he'd won. "Come Away With Me," he said. "Be me Lady Pirate."

Well, she said, "Heroes Are My Weakness."

And they lived Happily Ever After. The End.

Re reads are allowed (6 month rule)
Page count = minimum 100 pages
Any format is allowed

(*)Spell-it-Out Rules
Using the first letter in the book’s title, the first letter of the series name, the first letter in the author’s first or last name, or the first letter of a character’s first, last, or nick-name, or the first letter in the audio book narrator's first or last name.
If you are reading a translated version, you can also use the first letter of the translator's first or last name.

As always, if the first letter of a title starts with ‘A’, ‘An’, ‘The’, etc., you may use the first letter of the second word in the title to spell out your chosen word




Logo Design by Flaming Text

◈A◈

Addled - Crazy or stupid.
Addlepate - A fool
Aft - Short for "after"; toward the stern (back) of a ship.
Ahoy - Hi!
All hands on deck!- something said when everyone's help is needed immediately
Arr!/Arg! - Really has no meaning but can be used to intimidate people.
Avast! - Stop/desist
Aye - Yes; As in "Aye, aye captain!"

◈B◈

Bandanna - Square piece of cloth worn on head and tied at the back.
Batten - A stiff strip used to support the roach of a sail, enabling increased sail area or any thin strip of material (wood, plastic etc) which can be used any number of ways
Batten down the hatches - securing the closed hatch covers with wooden battens so as to prevent water from entering from any angle and tie everything down that could float away because a storm is a brew'n
Begad! - By God!
Belay
- Make fast a line around a fitting, usually a cleat or belaying pin
- Secure a climbing person in a similar manner
- order to halt a current activity or countermand an order prior to execution.
"Belay that talk!" - "Shut up!"
Bilge! - Nonsense, rubbish, or foolish talk. The bilges of a ship are the lowest parts, inside the hull along the keel. They fill with stinking bilgewater—or just "bilge".
Bilge-pump - a pump to draw the bilge water from the bilge of a ship.
Bilge Water - water which collects in the bilge or bottom of a ship or other vessel. It is often allowed to remain till it becomes very offensive.
Black Spot - Marked for death
Blow me down! - Expression of shock and disbelief
Blow the man down - Order to kill
Blimey! - An exclamation of surprise.
Boatswain - Person in charge of hull maintenance and related work.
Booty - Valuable stolen goods.
Bosun - Boatswain, a petty officer.
Bounty - A reward, inducement, or payment
Buccaneer - A pirate
Bucko - Friend.

◈C◈

Cap'n - Short for "captain."
Cat o'nine tails - a rope whip with nine knotted cords, formerly used (especially at sea) to flog offenders.
Chantey - A sailor's lyrical work song. Also spelled "shantey" or "shanty."
Clap of Thunder - A strong drink.
Cleave him to the brisket - To cut across the chest, from one shoulder to the lower abdomen
Corsair - A more romantic term for pirate in the Mediterranean Sea. But still a pirate.
Crow's nest - A small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands
Cutlass - A short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates
Cutthroat - A murderer or other violent criminal

◈D◈

Davy Jones' locker - The bottom of the sea.
Deadlights - Eyes. "Use yer deadlights, matey!"
Dead men tell no tales - Standard pirate excuse for leaving no survivors. Also a famous line from Treasure Island
Deck - a flat surface that forms the main outside floor of a boat or ship
Dog - A mild insult
Doubloon - A Spanish gold coin.

◈E◈

Eagle/Spread Eagle - A punishment where the offender is tied hand and foot to the rigging and left there for a while.
Earring
St. Elmo’S Fire - Blue/violet light occasionally seen flickering about the masts, yard arms and rigging of ships during a thunderstorm.
Eye of the Wind - Where the wind is blowing from.
Eye Patch

◈F◈

Fair winds! - A wish for good winds and good weather for sailing.
Feed the fish - What you do when you are thrown into the sea, dead or alive.
Fore, or forrard - Toward the front end of the ship.
Flogging - Punishment by caning, or by whipping with the cat-o-nine tails.

◈G◈

Gangway! - "Get out of my way!"
Godspeed! - Goodbye, good luck!
Grub - Food.

◈H◈

Hands - The crew of a ship; sailors.
Handsomely - Quickly.
High seas - The open ocean, especially that not within any country's jurisdiction
Hornswaggle — Bamboozle/cheat/Swindle

◈I◈

ill-gotten - Goods acquired by illegal or unfair means
infamous - A person well known for some bad quality or deed
island

◈J◈

Jack Ketch - The hangman. To dance with Jack Ketch is to hang.
Jewels
Jollyboat - A small water craft sometimes called a dinghy.
Jolly Roger - The pirates' skull-and-crossbones flag. It was an invitation to surrender, with the implication that those who surrendered would be treated well. A red flag indicated "no quarter."

◈K◈

Keelhaul - Punishment by dragging under the keel of the ship, from one side to the other.
Kiss/Marry/Hug the gunner's daughter - A punishment: to be bent over one of the ship's guns and flogged.

◈L◈

Lad - A form of address for a young boy.
Lass - A form of address for a young girl.
Landlubber 'lubber' - A non-sailor.
Larboard - A now obsolete term for the left side of a ship. Derived from "lay-board" providing access between a ship and a quay, when ships normally docked with the left side to the wharf. Replaced by port side or port, to avoid confusion with starboard.
Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel
Line - A rope in use as part of the ship's rigging, or as a towing line. When a rope is just coiled up on deck, not yet being used for anything, it's all right to call it a rope.
Lookout - A person who watches an area and warns others if there is danger.

◈M◈

Maroon - A common punishment for violating orders in which a person is left stranded on deserted island or spot of land with little or no supplies.
Matey - friendly form of address for a male friend or fellow shipmate
Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle
Me - My
Me hearties - My Crew. A typical way for a pirate leader to address his crew.
Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts
Mutiny - an open rebellion against the person in authority like the captain

◈N◈

No quarter! - Surrender will not be accepted. In other words, you'll all be killed if you don't get away.

◈O◈

Old Salt - an experienced sailor
Overboard- over the side of a ship or boat. Usually used in regards to someone falling overboard.

◈P◈

Pieces of eight - is a silver coin, of approximately 38 mm diameter, worth eight reales.
Pillage - To raid, rob, and sack.
Pirate - A seagoing robber/murderer. Not to be mistaken with privateer.
Poop deck - The highest deck at the aft end of a large ship. Smaller ships don't have a poop; the highest part aft is the quarterdeck.
Poxy, poxed - Diseased. Used as an insult.
Privateer - A government sponsored pirate

◈Q◈

Quarter - Merciful consideration of an opponent; the clemency of not killing a defeated enemy.
Quarterdeck - The upper level of a ship's deck that is located toward the rear of the ship and that is used mainly by officers
Quay
- A stone or concrete structure on navigable water used for loading and unloading vessels
- To land or tie up at a quay.
Quayside
- An area alongside a quay.
- Having the attribute of being alongside a quay, e.g., "The ship is moored quayside."

◈R◈

Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain
Rope's end - Another term for flogging. "Ye'll meet the rope's end for that, me bucko!"
Rum - Traditional pirate drink.

◈S◈

Sail ho! - "I see a ship!" The sail, of course, is the first part of a ship visible over the horizon.
Salt, old salt - An experienced seaman.
Saucy - An adjective usually paired with wench. Means a she can banter with the best of them and give as good as she gets.
Savvy? - do you understand and do you agree?
Scallywag - A mild insult akin to scoundrel
Scurvy -
(1) A deficiency disease caused by lack of vitamin C, often afflicting sailors;
(2) Used to insult; "Ye scurvy dogs!"
Scuttle - To cut or open a hole or holes in a ship's hull or to sink a ship by this means.
Sea dog - An old experienced seaman.
Shanty - Another spelling for "chantey" - a sea song.
Shark bait -
(1) Your foes, who are about to feed the fish (q.v.).
(2) A worthless or lazy sailor; a lubber who is no use aboard ship.
Shipshape - cleaned up and under control
Shiver me timbers! - An expression of surprise or strong emotion.
Sink me! - An expression of surprise.
Skull and Crossbones - a representation of a skull with two thigh bones crossed below it as an emblem of piracy or death
Smartly - Quickly.
Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone you don't like
Splice the mainbrace - To have one or more drinks
Spoils - goods stolen or taken forcibly from a person or place
Spyglass - A telescope
Starboard - The right side of the ship when you are facing toward her prow
Stern - The rear of a ship
Swab - (noun) A disrespectful term for a seaman. "Man that gun, ye cowardly swabs!"
_____(verb) To clean something. "Swabbing the decks" would be a mild penalty for a disobedient pirate
Swag - Loot of any kind that a pirate values
Swashbuckler - a swaggering and or daring adventurer

◈T◈

Thar - There
Thar she blows!- Whale sighting usually in reference to them spouting water through their blowhole while surfacing.
Three sheets to the wind - Someone who is very drunk.
Treasure

◈U◈
Upper Deck - The highest deck running the full length of the ship.

◈W◈

Walk the plank - Punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker.
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - Pull up the anchor and put up the sail and let's set sail
Wench - A female.

◈X◈

X marks the spot - The place on a map that the treasure is buried.

◈Y◈

Ye - You
Yo ho ho - has no true meaning but indicates a pirate is in a good mood.

◈Z◈

Zenith - Highest point in the sky directly a person or location

The above list was comprised of words commonly found (and I admit a couple not so common ones) from the following websites. Many of which can be found on several of the lists. Here they are:

http://www.tide-mark.com/pirate_dict....
http://reference.yourdictionary.com/r...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary...
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/word...
http://www.puzzlepirates.com/Vocabula...
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/us...
http://www.pirateglossary.com/Namecal...
I also used the dictionary on terms that seemed to have conflicting definitions.

Monthly Challenges ~ Spessartite Coin

Earn your Spessartite Coins with the Monthly Challenges.

To Earn a Spessartite Coin:
One Coin upon reaching highest book level (Captain)

Learn about Gem coins here

Participants

This has been really fun! Reading level (current) PIRATE (subject to change?)
16/21
⚓DECK-
D Duke of My Heart✔️
e The Endless Skies
c Captured
kelly st. claire, Fantasy of Frost✔️



⚓STARBOARD-
Sylvia Mercedes, Thief ✔️
t These Hollow Vows✔️
a.c gaughen Lion Heart✔️
raye, wagner Blood Oath✔️
b The Barrier Between✔️
oOf Sea and Song✔️
a All the Stars and Teeth
r Red Tigress✔️
d Death Comes As the End✔️



⚓GOLD CHEST(S)-
* Gold chest a large box that is filled with gold, silver, jewels, etc. —often used figuratively.*

G Gentle Rogue
o Olivia and the Masked Duke✔️
l Lady Thief✔️
d Deal with the Devil✔️
c The Colonel's Lady✔️
h The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
elise savage, Partners in Crime
s The Smoke Thief✔️
tThe Twelve Clues of Christmas✔️

September A Pirate's Life for Me
Spell-out option
Pirate Level
21/21

Pirate
P Puppy Love and Peril T.J. Costello 9/8/21
Inn Vermont Cozy Mysteries-Halloween at Pumpkin Hill Thea Cambert 9/16/21
R Romance Is Murder Teri Barnett 9/6/21
AR Winters-Cake Tastings and Killers A.R. Winters 9/13/21
TJ Costello-Buried in the Sand T.J. Costello 9/10/21
Erick Jonquille char-The Coloring Crook Krista Davis 9/15/21

Sea Dog
S Sweet Fire and Stone J.A. Whiting 9/9/21
Ellie Montague char-Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off Darci Hannah 9/25/21
Allie McMurphy char-Here Comes the Fudge Nancy Coco 9/22/21

D Deadly Delivery Tonya Kappes 9/2/21
Oliff, Gary char-The Corpse in the Gazebo Debra Sennefelder 9/26/21
G The Glitter End Vivian Conroy 9/20/21

Shark bait
Sadie Barnett mc A Killer Deal Leona Fox 9/12/21
Harper Camping, Couples and Crime Susan Harper 9/14/21
Angie Roseland char-Sweet Friend of Mine J.A. Whiting 9/23/21
Rob Fallon char-Death at Holly Lodge Louise R. Innes 9/24/21
Kate Young-Reading Between the Crimes Kate Young 9/7/21

Bookens-Publishable by Death A.C.F.Bookens 9/11/21
Amy char-Tail of Two Killers Chelsea Thomas 9/27/21
Isabel Addington char-Poison-Spiced Cupcakes Emily James 9/21/21
Terrified Detective series-Plateful of Murder Carole Fowkes 9/17/21

Start Date: Sept 1, 2021
13/27 Books

Thar she Blows 8/12
T: The End of the Fucking World 9/17/2021
H: Jesse Holden - Incredible Doom 9/7/2021
A: Ava Dellaira - In Search Of Us
R: Ruka - Children of the Sea, Volume 2 9/23/2021

S: Sora - Children of the Sea, Volume 1 9/15/2021
H: Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness 9/18/2021
E

B: Bakuman。, Vol. 2: Chocolate and Akamaru
L: Love Is a Revolution 9/8/2021
O: Off Season 9/16/2021
W
S: Southern Bastards, Vol. 1: Here Was a Man 9/23/2021

Walk the Plank 5/12
W
A: Anglade - Children of the Sea, Volume 4 9/28/2021
L
K: Kanako Azumi - Children of the Sea, Volume 3 9/23/2021

T: Garon Tsuchiya - Old Boy, Vol. 2 9/28/2021
H
E

P: Prudence Shen - Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong 9/15/2021
L
A: Azumi Masāki - Children of the Sea, Volume 5 9/28/2021
N: Negima! Magister Negi Magi, Omnibus 2
K

Aye 0/3
A
Y
E

A Pirate's Life for Me
Duration: 9/1/21-???
Option 2 - Spell-It-Out

Addled

A: Archangel's Light- Nalini Singh- 11/18/21
D: Demonglass- Rachel Hawkins- 9/15/21
D: Dead Bolt- Juliet Blackwell- 11/7/21
L: Legend- Timothy Ellis- 9/30/21
E: Exclusively Yours- Shannon Stacey- 11/28/21
D: Darkbeam Part V: A Dragonian Series Novel: The Rubicon's Story- Adrienne Woods- 12/24/21

Addlepate

A: Aurora Rising- Amie Kaufman- 11/20/21
D: Death Takes a Holiday- Jennifer Harlow- 1/6/22
D: Druid Vices and a Vodka- Annette Marie- 3/9/22
L: Land of Drunken Pharaohs: A GameLit Urban Fantasy- Christopher Johns- 11/3/21
E: Ethan- Dale Mayer- 11/29/21
P: Peach Cobbler Murder- Joanne Fluke- 9/24/21
A: Aunt Bessie Decides- Diana Xarissa- 1/19/22
T: This Old Homicide- Kate Carlisle- 9/2/21
E: Enthroned- K.M. Shea- 11/29/21

Aft

A: Alien in Chief- Gini Koch- 2/6/22
F: Forgotten In Death- J.D. Robb- 9/7/21
T: Terror in Taffeta: A Mystery- Marla Cooper- 10/2/21

Ahoy
All hands on deck!
Arr!/Arg!
Avast!
Aye
Bandanna
Batten
Batten down the hatches
Begad!
Belay
Bilge!

Bilge-pump
Bilge Water
Black Spot
Blow me down!
Blow the man down
Blimey!
Boatswain
Booty
Bosun
Bounty
Buccaneer
Bucko

Cap'n
Cat o'nine tails
Chantey
Clap of Thunder
Cleave him to the brisket
Corsair
Crow's nest
Cutlass
Cutthroat

Davy Jones' locker
Deadlights
Dead men tell no tales
Deck
Dog
Doubloon
Eagle/Spread Eagle
Earring
St. Elmo’s Fire

Eye of the Wind
Eye Patch
Fair winds!
Feed the fish
Fore or forrard
Flogging
Gangway!
Godspeed!
Grub
Hands
Handsomely

High seas
Hornswaggle
ill-gotten
infamous
island
Jack Ketch
Jewels
Jollyboat
Jolly Roger
Keelhaul

Kiss/Marry/Hug the gunner's daughter
Lad
Lass
Landlubber
Larboard
Letters of Marque
Line
Lookout
Maroon
Matey
Man-O-War

Me
Me hearties
Mizzen
Mutiny
No quarter!
Old Salt
Overboard
Pieces of eight
Pillage
Pirate
Poop deck
Poxy, poxed

Privateer
Quarter
Quarterdeck
Quay
Quayside
Run a shot across the bow
Rope's end
Rum
Sail ho!
Salt
Saucy
Savvy?
Scallywag

Scurvy
Scuttle
Sea dog
Shanty
Shark bait
Shipshape
Shiver me timbers!
Sink me!
Skull and Crossbones
Smartly

Son of a Biscuit Eater
Splice the mainbrace
Spoils
Spyglass
Starboard
Stern
Swab
Swag
Swashbuckler
Thar

Thar she blows!
Three sheets to the wind
Treasure
Upper Deck
Walk the plank
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen!
Wench

X marks the spot
Ye
Yo ho ho
Zenith

Ah, ahoy maties! I love pirates. Perfect for my b-day month!

September 2021
Option 4
Captain: 14/31

Lingo:
🏴‍☠️ Ahoy 2/4
A: Andrews, Ilona (Magic Burns) 💎💎💎💎 9/11
H: The Hunting Wives 💎💎💎💎 9/4
O
Y

🏴‍☠️ Begad 2/5
B: The Beach 💎💎💎 9/12
E: Enclave 💎💎💎💎 9/28
G
A
D

🏴‍☠️ Corsair 6/7
C: Curtis M. Lawson (Devil's Night) 💎💎 9/27
O
R: Rogue Protocol 💎💎💎💎 9/7
S: Stolen Tongues 💎💎💎💎💎 9/8
A: Awfully Appetizing 💎💎💎💎 9/26
I: Into the Drowning Deep 💎💎💎 9/6
R: Rio, M.L. If We Were Villains 💎💎💎💎 9/17

🏴‍☠️ Jack Ketch 3/9
J: John Marrs (The Passengers) 💎💎💎💎💎 9/25
A
C
K

K
E
T: Track of the Cat 💎💎💎 9/17
C
H: Hesse, Monica (They Went Left) 💎💎💎💎 9/22

🏴‍☠️ Shanty 1/6
S: Survive the Night 💎💎💎 9/9
H
A
N
T
Y

(view spoiler)[◈A◈

Addled
Addlepate
Aft
Ahoy
All hands on deck!
Arr!/Arg!
Avast!
Aye

◈B◈

Bandanna
Batten
Batten down the hatches
Begad!
Belay
Bilge!
Bilge-pump
Bilge Water
Black Spot
Blow me down!
Blow the man down
Blimey!
Boatswain
Booty
Bosun
Bounty
Buccaneer
Bucko

◈C◈

Cap'n
Cat o'nine tails
Chantey
Clap of Thunder
Cleave him to the brisket
Corsair
Crow's nest
Cutlass
Cutthroat

◈D◈

Davy Jones' locker
Deadlights
Dead men tell no tales
Deck
Dog
Doubloon

◈E◈

Eagle/Spread Eagle
Earring
St. Elmo’s Fire
Eye of the Wind
Eye Patch

◈F◈

Fair winds!
Feed the fish
Fore, or forrard
Flogging

◈G◈

Gangway!
Godspeed!
Grub

◈H◈

Hands
Handsomely
High seas
Hornswaggle

◈I◈

ill-gotten
infamous

◈J◈

Jack Ketch
Jewels
Jollyboat
Jolly Roger

◈K◈

Keelhaul
Kiss/Marry/Hug the gunner's daughter

◈L◈

Lad
Lass
Landlubber 'lubber'
Larboard
Letters of Marque
Line
Lookout

◈M◈

Maroon
Matey
Man-O-War
Me
Me hearties
Mizzen
Mutiny

◈N◈

No quarter!

◈O◈

Old Salt
Overboard

◈P◈

Pieces of eight
Pillage
Pirate
Poop deck
Poxy, poxed
Privateer

◈Q◈

Quarter
Quarterdeck
Quay
Quayside


◈R◈

Run a shot across the bow
Rope's end
Rum

◈S◈

Sail ho!
Salt, old salt
Saucy
Savvy?
Scallywag
Scurvy
Scuttle
Sea dog
Shanty
Shark bait
Shipshape
Shiver me timbers!
Sink me!
Skull and Crossbones
Smartly
Son of a Biscuit Eater
Splice the mainbrace
Spoils
Starboard
Stern
Swab
Swag
Swashbuckler

◈T◈

Thar
Thar she blows!
Three sheets to the wind
Treasure

◈U◈
Upper Deck

◈W◈

Walk the plank
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen!
Wench

◈X◈

X marks the spot

◈Y◈

Ye
Yo ho ho

◈Z◈

Zenith (hide spoiler)]

This sounds like a lot of fun!

A Pirate's Life for Me
September 2021
option 5 - write it out
level - Captain
completed books 25/25

Excitement gripped the crew of The Thursday Murder Club. The sloop was cutting through the water, The Big Sky gifting them a wind that seem to condone their pursuit of The Good, The Bad and The Infernall. They were closing in on the galleon. The chase had been spotted early in the afternoon and to the Captain’s surprise it looked like they would catch her before long.

‘Alright Mateys”, Captian Blackeye yelled ‘ our chase to get the The Uttermost Farthing is nearly at an end. She looks like a fine ship with enough plunder fer ye each to crack Jenny’s teacup til the year be up. We’ll take her tonight and on The Other Side Of Dark, we be headed back Over on the Dry Side .'

‘Blimey Cap’n. The wind is leaving!’

‘Aye, still blowin’ us towards our prey, Petey. Obliging it is, letting us coast in close. Sent by the Ole Devil and the Caplocks themselves. Even though they lay In Davy Jones’ Locker they are still Buckos.’

More slowly and slowing until it merely drifted, the pirate sloop kept on course to the seemingly becalmed galleon. The daylight faded as the ship slowed And then it stopped, 20 fathoms from it’s destination. Velvet Was the Night as the captain ordered the long boat lowered and the crew to board their prize.

The hands deftly lowered the boat and clambered aboard; rowing quiet as a whisper they soon reached the galleon. ’Not a soul in sight Cap’n’.

‘Think to ambush us Petey. Keep your eyes open mateys, send ‘em all to see the Death-Angel.’ Not a sound greeted the Night Squad as they boarded except the faint creak of the hull. The crew found sign of no man above deck. ‘The Others must be below! Into the hold!’ yelled the Captain.

The Captain had taken no more than a few steps down the companionway when he felt the cold mist flowing around his waist. He stopped, sniffed the air but detected no unexpected odor. More cautiously he descended the steps. ‘This feels like A Graveyard of My Own’ he thought. The mist thickened, the coolness now cold as the crew reached the upper gun-deck. ‘Ride the Rivermateys and find ye plunder. Petey, ye with me.’

The two men stepped into the great cabin. The mist swirled thoughout the room centred on the Mexican Gothic table and the book resting thereon. Timidily, Petey reached out to the book, trailing his fingers over The Red Seal on it’s cover. ‘The Book of Accidents‘ he murmured. Idly, he flipped through the book, staring at the lists of death, David, O’Rourke taken by Killer Kung Pao. The Outlaws of Mesquiteburied in a cave-in by Longarm and the Gunslicks, Petey Hunted by the Dark Seeker. Franctically Petey turned to the Captain. ‘Cap’n , Cap’n, CAAAPP’NNN!’ he howled.

Petey tore though the deck, screaming madly for his crew mates, sliding though blood stains; terror gripping him. He launched himself onto the half-deck. The mist enveloped him now, the hull screeching. ‘It's a Presumption of Guilt’ he chanted, ‘a presumption of guilt’. slivers of moonlight filtered in to him now, shining on One Fearful Yellow Eye.

‘It’s to be The Midnight Match, ’ he lamented. The eye was inches from his own ‘Goodnight Moo.....’

September A Pirate's Life for Me
Spell-out option
Duration - 9/1 - 9/30

Doubloon

COMPLETED
A Pirate's Life for Me
September 2021
Spell-It-Out Option
Level: Landlubber (1-8 books)

Spoils (6/6)

S - Second First Impressions - Sept 3
P - Priest - Sept 28
O - The Love Hypothesis | ch: Olive - Sept 13
I - The Highland Fling | ch: Isla - Sept 21
L - The Dating Plan | ch: Liam - Sept 2
S - When Sparks Fly | ch: Avery Spark - Sept 5

🏴‍☠️⚔️⚓️🦜A Pirate’s Life for Me 🏴‍☠️⚔️⚓️🦜
Spell it Out — September 1-30
Level: Captain — 25+ (2/33)

🦜🏝🗺Arg! (0/3)🦜🏝🗺
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☠️🪝⚰️Dead Men Tell No Tales (0/18)☠️🪝⚰️
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🏴‍☠️⚓️🌊Thar She Blows! (2/12) 🏴‍☠️⚓️🌊
T Trophy by Steffen Jacobsen Read title
H Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda read CFN — Harper
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💣S Chai Cupcake Killer by Summer Prescott 9/1 AFN
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💣 E Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane read 9/1 CFN —Ed
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Nothing But Reading Challenges September: A Pirate's Life for Me (2021 version)

Levels of Play: Landlubber
Completed: 4/4

◈ Option 2 - Spell-It-Out:
S:Sarah J. Maas 9/3
W:9/6
A:9/4
G:Leonard Goldberg9/9

Nothing But Reading Challenges September: A Pirate's Life for Me (2021 version)

Levels of Play: Landlubber
Completed: 0/5
◈ Option 2 - Spell-It-Out:

W - Wanderers DONE!
E - Every Heart a Doorway DONE!
N - Nutshell DONE!
C - Child 44 DONE!
H - Hecuba DONE!

I'll add check marks as I finish them!

EDIT: This was fun! I'm going to do these little monthly challenges I think. They keep me in line with my reading goals and keep the TBR fresh! Love it!

◈ Level of Play: Cabin Boy
◈ Completed: 7/16
◈ Option 2 - Spell-It-Out:

🏴‍☠️ ADDLEPATE 🏴‍☠️ (Fitting since my last name is Pate)

A - Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher
D - Small Town Monsters by Diana Rodriguez Wallach ✔️
D - Bea's Witch by Daniel Ingram-Brown
L - Nemesis and the Swan by Lindsay K. Bandy ✔️
E - Where Secrets Lie by Eva Gibson
P - The Hawthorne School by Sylvie Perry
A - Shine your Icy Crown by Amanda Lovelace
T - They'll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman✔️
E - The One True Me and You by Remi K. England ✔️

🏴‍☠️ MUTINY 🏴‍☠️

M - Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta ✔️
U - Under Your Skin by Rose McClelland
T - They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman ✔️
I - I Wasn't Strong Like This When I Started Out: True Stories of Becoming a Nurse by Lee Gutkind ✔️
N - New Orleans Rush by Kelly Siskind
Y - The Hoodie Girl by Yuen Wright

A Pirate's Life for Me
September 2021

My Pirate's Life for Me Challenge (msg 29)

Level - Gold: 25+ Books | 25 Books Read

Option 2: Spell-It-Out term or phrase from the Pirate Lingo

ALL HANDS ON DECK

🔹
🔹

✔🔹A: Accept Me - 09.27 ★★★
✔🔹L: Lethal Consequences - 09.29 ★★★★
✔🔹L: Light My Fire - 09.26 ★★★★

✔🔹H: Haines, Carolyn - Bonefire of the Vanities - 09.09 ★★★★
✔🔹A: Ashleigh Leigh - Mergers & Matrimony - 09.09 ★★★★
✔🔹N: A Naughty Noelle - 09.15 ★★★
✔🔹D: Don't Break My Heart - 09.28 ★★★
✔🔹S: Sleeping with the Enemy - 09.24 ★★★

✔🔹O: Operation Cinderella - 09.10 ★★★
✔🔹N: Nicholas, Erin - Getting in the Spirit - 09.07 ★★★★

✔🔹D: Degarmo, Jessica L. - Historically Yours - 09.02 ★★★
✔🔹E: Embracing Elise - 09.12 ★★★
✔🔹C: Charmed by the Wolf - 09.14 ★★★
✔🔹K: Kathryn Shay - Between Two Worlds - 09.15 ★★★


WENCH



✔🔹W: Wreck Me - 09.03 ★★★
✔🔹E: Enslave Me Sweetly - 09.05 ★★★★
✔🔹N: Night Fall - 09.149 ★★★★
✔🔹C: Cassidy, Carla - Scene of the Crime: Bridgewater, Texas - 09.18 ★★★
✔🔹H: Heather Graham - Sacred Evil - 09.18 ★★★


SCURVY



✔🔹S: Stranger - 09.24 ★★★★
✔🔹C: Christina Lauren - The Soulmate Equation - 09.04 ★★★★
✔🔹U: Unraveled - 09.20 ★★★★
✔🔹R: Restore Me - 09.03 ★★★
✔🔹V: Victorious - 09.06 ★★★★
✔🔹Y: Yesterday - 09.08 ★★★★

Murder inside the beltway by Margaret Truman
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Twas the knife before Christmas, J Frost
Y

Updated msg. 6, complete, fun challenge thanks!

I'm done! Really fun challenge..definitely will be doing more of these little monthly ones as well as the big ones!

I finished. updated message 22 with option 5 write it out

Finished! Thank-you!
Updated post: My Pirate's Life for Me Challenge (msg 29)

Level - Gold: 25+ Books | 25 Books Read

A Pirate's Life for Me

◈ Option 2 - Spell-It-Out: Choose a term or phrase from the Pirate Lingo list in post 2, then read books to spell out the word(s)*.
September 2025
Option 2
Duration: 1 month from start date

Levels of Play:
Landlubber: Read 1 - 8 books
Cabin Boy: Read 9 - 16 books
Pirate: Read 17 - 24 books
Captain: 25+ books
Me hearties
Dead men tell no tales
Shark bait
Walk the plank
Thar she blows!

Dead men tell no tales
Dead Reckoning: A Vigilante Mystery Action ThrillerJohn Corwin 09/05
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m
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Thar she blows
The Thousand Dollar TeamJ.T. Brannan 09/01
His Omega's Safe KeeperAva Beringer 09/03
a
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s
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b
LiamFel Fern 09/01
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Me hearties
Murder in Shades of Pink and Yellow: DS Charlie Rees 5Ripley Hayes 09/02
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His Omega's Safe KeeperAva Beringer 09/03
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The Thousand Dollar ChaseJ.T. Brannan 09/02
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