Of all the stories I have written, this is only the second that I would dignify with the term "Historical Fiction". The two main characters in this story are based on an actual couple, and the ship that serves as the main setting is quite real. Even the church they get married in still stands today. As far as I know, I even got the name of the Rector correct!
Mary Patton's actual life story is quite compelling. Married at 16 to a ship's captain who was ten years her senior, Mary took several voyages with her husband. In the process, she learned a good bit about ships and navigation. When her husband was suddenly bedridden in the middle of a difficult voyage, Mary faced down an imminent mutiny, gained the confidence of the crew, and navigated the ship on a very difficult voyage around Cape Horn to San Francisco. There, she was received as a hero.
However, that part of her life isn't a spanking story, and it's already been written by others. My story focuses on what Mary's first days of her marriage might have been like.
What happens when a strong-minded but young, and inexperienced lady marries an older but strong-minded ship's Captain? This story represents my imaginings of those first stressful days of Mary Patten's wedded life as the virginal girl is simultaneously introduced to shipboard life and to the wedding bed.
A painting of Mary Patton:
[imgs=http://www.marinersmuseum.org/sites/micro/women/goingtosea/whither1.htm][/imgs] | 
