Welcome aboard the maiden voyage of Hoist the Colors, a young adult pirate novel by Jen Corkill.

Set during the Golden Age of Piracy in 1715, Hoist the Colors has a naive female protagonist and subtle Christian message. Character driven, the novel blends history with drama, treachery with truth, forming a strange bond of friendship between an unlikely group of characters.

Madeleine Valmont is fifteen-years-old and wary of the marriage process. She wants to do more with her life than be given away like a holiday ornament. One night, during the Spring Ball, pirates loot the governor’s mansion and unsuspectingly carry off Madeleine in a grain barrel. Her brother, Nicholas, goes to rescue her and they both find themselves amongst villainous pirates. Here they meet Captain Redbeard, a fierce-looking beast of a man.

Once a terrifying pirate, Redbeard leads a crew of outcasts, driven into the life of piracy – stealing what they need in order to keep a small island of runaways alive. As their paths cross, Redbeard must decide the fates of the young Madeleine and her headstrong brother. The weight of his obligation to those under his protection becomes heavier as ghosts from his past resurface, demanding his blood. Traitorous first mates, scheming nobles, an unwonted attraction, and a band of unforgettable characters show Madeleine that there is more to life than soft silk