A Pirate's Story

It takes a lot to get a kid to follow along with history, but Brian Eames, a fifth and sixth grade teacher at , has done just that by making the subject come to life.

After a five-year journey from conception to final product, “The Dagger Quick” is available to the public.

In the fictional children’s book, the main character, Kitto, is forced on an adventure of semi-historic proportions.

The year is 1678 in Falmouth, England, and Kitto is an outcast because of his club foot. Out of the blue, his long-lost uncle, Captain William Quick, shows up after spending seven years in a Spanish prison. What does he want? Captain Henry Morgan’s secret stash from a joint raid gone bad.

“Nowadays, fantasy is the thing that’s out there for kids," said the author, "But I do think that if you read only fantasy then, you know, you’re missing out on some things. There are some really awesome things that are out there."

Yearning for adventure, his life is unsettled when his stepmother and brother, Duck, are kidnapped. His father is murdered and he’s blamed for the crime.

The fictional book is geared toward 9 to 12-year-olds but throws in a bit of history for good measure.

It turns out Captain Quick has returned in hopes of taking Kitto's father on a journey to recover a stash that the two of them had helped Morgan steal.

Historically, Eames said there is still a debate as to whether or not Morgan actually kept the spoils, or if all of the wealthy people left before the pirates arrived in Panama as the pirate said.

“That’s the cool thing about history,” he said. “There are lots of little holes that people don’t know.”

Eames had always thought pirates were “pretty cool” but reading about Henry Morgan in “Under the Black Flag” by David Cordingly got the inspiration flowing. 

Eame’s wife, Jesica, said her husband’s alarm clock would go off at the only time of day he had to himself, 4 a.m., and off he would go to write before the rest of the family got up for the day.

“You could always tell he was thinking about it because he was a little absentminded around the house.”

Her favorite part is the representation of their three sons in the narrative.

“Kitto definitely feels like Jack, our oldest,” she said. “He has a fierce determination and intensity. Duck feels very much like Keyes. He’s courageous, and wild and sensitive. I think that’s one of the most compelling pieces.”

“The Dagger Quick” has been selected by the Junior Library Guild, a book review service that many public libraries rely on to recommend children’s books. Eames has also received general support from The Paideia School and hopes to do school readings in the future.

A sequel is currently in production and Eames said he is once again working away.

In it, Kitto sets off where he was left in the first book  — stranded on a random island where he has found Morgan’s secret treasure.

The next installment in The Dagger Quick series should be released next May. Find the first book locally at The Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, and on Amazon.com for purchase or Kindle download.