Author: admin

by Robert A. Ford, author of The Battle of Cowpens, Reexamined

For me, the Battle of Cowpens has never been one more entry in a parade of dry facts. It has always been something that resonated very personally. Many years ago, my father taught tactics at the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College. He had a special interest in the Revolutionary War in the south. He was a brilliant man, and like many brilliant people, had trouble communicating with those of us less gifted. I was only seven years old, but he regaled me with tales of Nathanael Greene, the American commander. “An idiot!” “An incompetent!” I can still hear him deriding and mocking Greene, “the hero of Greene’s Disaster, Greene’s Defeat, and Greene’s Ultimate Humiliation!” Being only seven, I was not completely sure what Greene had done, but I could tell it was bad.  

But Cowpens; that was another story entirely. Morgan was a genius. Morgan was the finest tactical mind born on American soil. To him, Cowpens was the Holy Grail of tactics, the example he held up to his students as the right way to do everything. For my part, I was not at all sure what had happened at Cowpens, but I knew it was monumental.  

As I grew older, my father and I drew apart, and we shared very little. But history was one thing where we could always find common ground. When I retired, I finally found the time to catch up to my father’s extensive knowledge of the southern war, Cowpens in particular. It was, of course, everything he said it was. Morgan was a genius. His plan was a tactical masterpiece. Ultimately, for me, however, Cowpens will always be a window into my own past, a look into a sunnier time when as a small boy I sat by my father’s desk and marveled at things beyond my horizon.

Robert leads a solitary, sheltered life with his younger brother and Scottish father in a small Innu village haunted by dark, mysterious forces. He knows very little of the outside world, but he does know one rule:

NEVER TOUCH THE FLOOR AT NIGHT.

After all, doesn’t everybody know that? Doesn’t the whole world subscribe to this rule?

As his certainties crumble, Robert experiences spine-chilling events that no teenager (or grown up) should ever have to face.

… and if we’ve tickled your imagination, we’re happy to announce that R. R. Davis’ new book, Squid Boy Raven Girl, is officially out on the 12^th August!

R. R. Davis is author of another book published by Blackwater Press: The Various Stages of a Garden Well-Kept, the generational story of a Greek family who moved to America to escape a small life and remain stuck in old secrets and untold stories. A very different novel compared to his second one, which just goes to show how eclectic a writer he can be.

Happy reading!

Nearly 250 years ago, the American colonies defied a king, defeated one of Europe’s most formidable military forces, and laid the foundations for a nation built—at least in principle—on freedom, enlightenment, and equality.

At Blackwater Press, we’re excited to announce the first title in our new series, Recollections … The Long Eighteenth Century: The Battle of Cowpens, Reexamined by Robert A. Ford.

Recollections … The Long Eighteenth Century will showcase fresh research and new editions of works spanning roughly 1690 to 1820, with forthcoming titles exploring music, women’s history, and more.

Ford’s The Battle of Cowpens, Reexamined takes a hard, insightful look at a key turning point in the American Revolution. At Cowpens, Daniel Morgan—a backcountry American leading a largely backcountry militia—delivered a stunning defeat to Britain’s most feared commander, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, and his professional army. Historians have analyzed Morgan’s brilliant tactics for over two centuries, but Ford’s research brings a fresh perspective to this pivotal battle.

So even if you’re not exactly feeling patriotic this year, why not take a moment to reflect? Pre-order now for September publication. And remember, “Don’t Tread On Me” wasn’t always a symbol of the far right.

by Sheila McEntee

On May 15, we publish Sheila McEntee‘s debut essay collection Soul Friend and Other Loves Notes to the Natural World. Well-known to many in our home state of West Virginia, Sheila’s collection will be a welcome addition to the collection of any nature lover. Detailed black-and-white illustrations by Sophie Kromholz make this the perfect gift. 

NB: Orders made after May 13 are unlikely to arrive before May 21. This book has proven so popular! For our friends in West Virginia, Sheila has a number of events planned. 

Imagine lifting the window shade early one morning and finding a half-dozen neotropical birds, with deep-rosy breasts and jet-black wings, poised amid a maple’s budding branches. Or, in the midst of pandemic isolation, eavesdropping on a congenial trio of turkey vultures keeping company outside the kitchen window. Or, looking up from your cereal bowl to see a rare woodpecker, its head the color of red velvet cake, clinging to the side of an oak so close, you could almost reach out and touch it.  

Such are the discoveries that delight and comfort me, and that I write about in Soul Friend and Other Love Notes to the Natural World. It is these sightings and others that call me to slow down, pay attention, and embrace my own place in nature’s scheme. 

When I walk on a forest trail amid ferns, wildflowers, and birdsong, I feel not only joy but relief, as if a hefty pack has been lifted from my back. When I immerse myself in forest life, I know that I, too, am part of it. Though we may feel separate from it, our deepest selves are revealed in the natural world.  

We recognize ourselves in the box turtle’s slow, uphill climb, its valiant plodding through dry, crumbly earth. Watching a newly transformed swallowtail butterfly unfurl and flex its wings, we find hope in our own evolution. And how could we not be inspired by the tiny ruby-throated hummingbird’s arduous, nonstop flight across the Gulf of Mexico, and then continued journey north, to finally sip nectar from our flowers and feeders? 

In our hurried, technocentric world, even a minute can feel like an eternity, if we are waiting for an upload, a download, a login, or a new password. Yet, what might happen if we slowed down enough to stroll instead of scroll? To sit by a stream instead of streaming? To immerse ourselves, if only for a few moments, in a nature scene instead of a screen? Who and what might be revealed? 

In Soul Friend, I invite you to explore the natural world. It awaits in every landscape—city, suburb, forest, and field—for you to discover its wonders, and the wonders you hold within.  

In the current cultural and political climate, where Silicon Valley giants are deleting key social dates and celebrations like Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Holocaust Remembrance Month from our calendars, we are proud to highlight the publication of one of our more recent books: Crosshatch: Martha Schofield, the Forgotten Feminist (1839–1916), painstakingly researched by author Christina Larocco.  

Martha Schofield left behind a legacy of letters and diaries from which Larocco has drawn a narrative following her steps towards emancipation from nineteenth-century social schemes. Schofield was an abolitionist, a women’s suffragist, and a white teacher of Black students. Her lifetime was spent attempting to develop an anti-racist feminist vision. She engaged in love affairs with both men and women, and struggled to come to terms with the atrocities she witnessed during the aftermath of Battle of Gettysburg as well as deeds of the Ku Klux Klan.  

A complex character, whose views at times required fine-tuning but which stemmed from a wholehearted desire to break free of preconceived notions, we are delighted for her story to be known. We’re sure you, dear readers, will appreciate this new publication as much as we do. 

Pre-order here.

Today, the 18^th February, marks the official publication date of Khanh Ha’s exceptional new book: the short story collection The Eunuch’s Daughter & Stories. John Gist describes it as Ha’s best effort to date, so don’t take our word for it!

Khanh Ha is an award-winning author: a ten-time Pushcart nominee; he is the recipient of the Sand Hills Prize for Best Fiction, the Robert Watson Literary Prize in Fiction, the Orison Anthology Award for Fiction, the James Knudsen Prize for Fiction, the C&R Press Fiction Prize, the EastOver Fiction Prize, the Blackwater Press Fiction Prize, the Gival Press Novel Award, and the Red Hen Press Fiction Award, to name but a few. His new collection takes us through Vietnam past and present, imperial and rural, idyllic and wrecked by war. There is as much charm and beauty in the luscious hair of a concubine as there is in the acrid smells of a fishing village, or in the troubled dynamics of a modern household.

Ha’s writing endows the world he creates with his pen with a grace and elegance that is unique to his style. We are delighted to be presenting The Eunuch’s Daughter & Stories to the world! Head over to our site to get your copy.

Once again, it’s Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day, and once again, Flòraidh MacDonald Ford has agreed to sit down and answer a few of ours. We’re delighted she was able to take time from her busy and hectic schedule to join us.

• Flòraidh, what have you been up to this year?

Thank you for inviting me back! It’s been a busy year. I moved and now have a house with windows on all the sides and trees and a bird feeder. When I’m not on my heated bed I have to check things out from all directions. And there are so many different sunbeams to chase.

• Have you acquired any new favorite things this year?

Well, there’s my heated bed, my scratchy mushroom, my scratchy Christmas tree, the little nest bed mommy made me in the fireplace that I don’t sit in, and the robot with feathers Santa brought me. Plus loads more fancy collars and toys to chase. I have a wee lobster called Floyd.

• Do you have any goals for the new year?

No, not as such. I’ve achieved perfection but those around me could always stand for some improvement.
(Arches back. Rolls and shows tummy.)

• Childless cat ladies?

I’m the cat of a childless cat lady and I just don’t see what the issue is. She’s happy with her life choices. She has me and I’m totally indulged. More people like mommy should run things. We’d have all the toys we want and plenty of laptime and belly rubs.

• How has the move changed your daily schedule?

It’s still very busy. I have a lot responsibility and there’s a great deal of pressure on me. But I do get held even more than I did before and now I have my own spot on the desk so I can really supervise what’s happening at Blackwater.

• What’s your favorite thing about your new house?

While the office only has one window and not an interesting one, I like how I can scratch my mushroom without having to leave my heated bed. And sometimes, if I want to bake a part of me that isn’t my tummy, I get under the bed and against the heat duct. And there’s a birdfeeder out front. It’s like cat T.V.!

• Hardbacks, paperbacks, or ebooks?

Paperbacks definitely. I tend to be held while other people read and hardbacks are a challenge if you’re multitasking (should one be multitasking while holding me…? That’s the real question.) and I don’t like being a rest for a hardback. I’m very small and hardbacks are heavy. Same problem with ebooks: I get moved or fussed at if I sit on electronics and I think they require two hands to use and I like to bite when people use their phones near me. And besides, the Ford household is a bit old-fashioned. We like actual paper.

• How has your manuscript selection method developed over the years you’ve been involved with Blackwater? Has anything in your process changed?

No, not really, though sometimes I chew on the paper.

• …because…?

Because I like how it feels.

• What have been the high points of the past year?

Moving. I don’t get carsick when we travel anymore. Breaking my carrier and getting to ride in a box. Getting my heated bed. Having mommy home with me a lot more. Oh…and I had my 32^st kill…

• How has fame changed your life?

It hasn’t.

• Have you ever knocked a book off a shelf just because you disagreed with the ending?

(Rolls to side, stretches slowly in all directions.)

• What was the name of Alexander the Great’s horse?

(Gives disdainful look.)
Everyone knows it’s Bucephalus.

• What do you all day when you’re on your own?

(Rolls over. Shows tummy. Pulls legs up into a shrimp position.)
And sometimes I get out Fish on a Stick and leave him some place new. I howl when I do that.

• What advice to you have for Blackwater Press in the coming year?

Cha dig ugh mòr a tòn an dreathain.

• We’ve touched on politics already: do you have any thoughts on today’s major world event you’d like to share?

(Contorts. Slowly licks behind.)

• Quite. Any parting thoughts for this year?

Sometimes I spring in a circle and grab my tail.

Blackwater Press is pleased to announce the release of the audiobook of Mission to Madagascar: The Sergeant, the King and the Slave Trade, read by the author David Mould. You can listen to Chapter 1, “The Good Season for Travel” here and view a short teaser. Then scroll up to edition and select the “audiobook” option.

Here, David describes his research for music for the teaser.

What kind of music did James Hastie hear as he was growing up in County Cork? When he joined other army recruits in the assembly hall as they prepared to ship out to India? On the long sea voyage and on his later voyages between Mauritius and Madagascar?

That was the question I faced in selecting music for the teaser to the audiobook of Mission to Madagascar: The Sergeant, the King and the Slave Trade. It had to be historically appropriate—both the tune and the instruments played.
My publisher, Elizabeth Ford, is a scholar of Scottish music in the long eighteenth century, so she shot down several of my ideas before they were even out of the gate. This was the age when “classical” music was being composed but before the idea of classical music was invented, so Hastie’s soundscape would have included tunes from Ireland, England, and Scotland, ballads and tunes from popular operas, assembly dances, and theatre. Music was transmitted via the oral tradition and/or via manuscript book.
With those insights, I went looking for a tune with the right tempo and mood. I found it in the early music collection of Ernst Stolz, a teacher and performer of early music in The Hague. I was drawn to the tune of the ballad “Ny Kirree fo Niaghtey” (The Sheep Under The Snow).

The ballad records a tragedy that occurred in the Isle of Man, in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland, probably sometime in the eighteenth century. It was written in Manx, a Celtic language which shares a significant amount of vocabulary and grammar with Irish as both descend from Old Irish.
The words tell of how sheep grazed freely on the grassy hillsides. After a heavy snowfall, shepherds were unable to reach them, and many died, a huge blow to local livelihoods. The ballad reflects the island’s pastoral life and was passed down through oral tradition. Here’s the first and last verses:

The snow’s on the mountains, the snow’s in the gill;
My sheep they have wander’d all over the hill;
Uprise then, my shepherds, with haste let us go
Where my sheep are all buried deep under the snow.

Then up rose those shepherds; with haste they did go
Where my sheep lay all buried deep under the snow;
They sought them with sorrow; they sought them with dread,
And they found them at last, but the sheep were all dead.

Ernst Stolz plays all instruments on “Ny Kirree fo Niaghtey.”

by William E Burleson

My name is Sybil Voss, and I am the fictional mayor of Ahnwee, Minnesota.  

I’ve been asked by its author to write a thing about the new book, Ahnwee Days, which tells the story of my small, feisty, and likely doomed town.  

I’m not sure how I feel about having my and my town’s struggles chronicled in this way. Is all publicity good publicity? I guess. But an entire novel about our fight to save our town? Even good publicity can be exhausting.

I only want to save my town, and I’ll do whatever is necessary to succeed. I do not want to be a celebrity. Seriously—kind-of un-American, but it’s the truth. I’m just a mayor of a town of 200 people who got the job—so I’m told and told and told—because it was my turn.   

Don’t get me wrong: I’m proud to be the mayor of Ahnwee. I grew up here. I know every street and every soul in the town. I like the idea that as mayor I’m giving back, or, at least, trying to give back. I’m not sure people see it, or care, or are at least willing to acknowledge it, but I know I’m trying.  

Take our first ever Founders Day, also for some reason called Ahnwee Days in the title of the book. That was a great success. Well, success in that it happened. That counts, right? Not many people came, sure, and not many vendors set up and the ones that did didn’t make any money. But money’s not everything, I suppose. Sure, those stoners at Let’s Go Crazy Printz in Despar wrote “Flounders” on the banner. But you can’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good, right?  

But back to the book and my moment of fame. I don’t want it. I did understand that running for county board would provide a certain amount of notoriety. But just a tiny amount. How many of your county board members would you recognize if they were in line with you at the grocery store?  

Honestly, I’m not asking for much. All I want is for my father to snap out of whatever feedback loop he’s in that makes him only able to communicate using 1970s TV theme songs. I want my brothers to step up to the plate and help out. I want my friends to be happy. And most of all, I want people to leave my town alone.  

You could say that in the book, Ahnwee is just a proxy for jillions of small towns that struggle to not fall into disrepair, irrelevance, and uselessness. Big box retailers drive main streets into ruin. That hardware store that has just the right gizmo for your old faucet? Gone. Need a washer? Go to the Ubermart and buy a new faucet. How about factory farms? We know that small farmers (the farmers aren’t actually small, just their farms) are more likely to buy local, not to mention are often better stewards of the land. Pigs rooting around in a pen—good for the pigs and good for the land. Pigs in giant buildings with manure fields holding as much waste as a small city stinking up the place—not so good.  

Small towns are caught in a vicious cycle: Businesses leave and then there’s fewer places to work and less to do. People leave—especially young people—and then there’s even fewer businesses and even less to do. As a result, small towns get emptier and more and more gray.  

But those are all bigger problems for someone to solve. I want to talk about Ahnwee. We have our own unique challenges, such as:  

• A wind turbine that hits cars off the highway 
• A lake that glows in the dark 
• A smell of pig poo when the wind is from the south 

None of which are exactly good for Yelp reviews, if we ever got one.  

Those problems are obvious to anyone who visits our town, should someone ever do that. Less obvious but even more challenging is the town’s twin existential threats (as people like to say these days): The apparent lack of good title search companies in the area and a greedy so-in-so on the country board who’s in the pocket of the wind turbine factory on the freeway. 

As a result, it seems like everyone wants to tear down our little town.  

Realistically, we may end up chaining ourselves to bulldozers before this is over.  

But anyway: about the book. It was OK. I felt a bit insulted at times—no more 30-something, 20 extra pounds shaming!—but it got the facts right. Although, how could it not, since it’s fiction and the author made the whole thing up in his coffee-addled brain. How else can you connect balloon accidents and syphilis outbreaks in the 1800s to mobs attacking towns in the nineteen-teens, to passive aggression today? Takes a warped mind.

Join Sybils quest for the county board, and Shave Ahnwee! www.shaveahnwee.com

William E Burleson is the Author of Ahnwee Days, coming October 1, 2024.