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<p>Ever since I saw Errol Flynn in "Captain Blood," I have been intrigued with pirates and privateers. While watching an episode of Disney's weekly series "The Swiss Family Robinson," I was introduced to Jean Laffite (played by Frank Langella) and discovered that this man helped Andrew Jackson win the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. An idea blossomed, and I began to write a historical novel in which this gentleman privateer is a key character. By training, I am a librarian, who loves to do research. Since some say that Laffite was a pirate rather than a privateer, I entered the realm of the pirate world and it is this knowledge that I wish to share.</p> <p>During twenty years as a librarian, I worked at the reference desk of a public library and set up a special library for an income tax computer software company. Most of those years, though, were spent working in private schools as a librarian, and sometimes as a history and computer teacher. I remember cassette tape decks and exploring the Internet when it mostly consisted of gopher-driven menus, so I've seen a lot of changes in technology.</p> <p>In 1999, my husband and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary by moving from the East Coast to the Midwest. What an adventure! We love our new home and our new community. I retired to write historical fiction and historical romance novels. I also have time to pursue my other interests, which include reading romance and history books, listening to Celtic music and old-time radio shows, and doing all those projects I never had time to do before (scrap books, sewing, taking "fun" courses, and doing puzzles of all kinds).</p> <p>My first novel, <i>The Scottish Thistle</i>, will be published by <a name="NovelBooks,_Inc."><a href="http://www.novelbooksinc.com">NovelBooks, Inc.</a> in 2002. It is about the Camerons and the MacGregors during Scotland's Rising of 1745. My current work-in-progress centers around Jean Laffite and the Battle of New Orleans. In addition to writing historical fiction, I review books for several publications, including The Historical Novel Society. I'm an editor and copyeditor of Wings Press, Inc., a new e-book publishing company.</p> <p>If you'd like to know more, please visit me at <a name="Thistles_&_PIrates"><a href="http://www.cindyvallar.com">Thistles & Pirates</a>.</p>