"Overwhelm" | MARITIME MUSINGS

February 2026

"Overwhelmed once meant a vessel capsized - turned upside down and in trouble."

Words and phrases that you've heard but didn't know they originated at sea....

“Overwhelm"

You've certainly heard of someone being overwhelmed, that is, having too much to do, or being fed too much information at once. Does it surprise you to hear this saying has a maritime origin? Probably not, if you follow my books and blog!

The Middle English word whelven means to turn upside down. Thus, overwhelmed meant a vessel had been turned upside down, or capsized. Thus, someone who is overwhelmed is completely overcome mentally or emotionally, and therefore in trouble!

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Naval Trivia

Shining the Ship’s Bell. Who does it? How?

You might assume that it would be assigned to the Boatswain’s (pronounced Bosun) Mates, since they “own” the main deck, where the big bell is often found. Or the Signalmen (now Quartermasters), who “own” the signal bridge or bridge where a smaller version is found for use by the Bosun’s Mate of the Watch to keep time. (More on that in another blog!) 

Nope. The ship’s cooks are responsible for shining the bell. The bell, by the way, is usually brass or bronze. 

Why the cooks, you ask? Because before the invention of Brasso, or other even more modern metal polishing (Brasso-1905) products, potato peelings were used to polish the bell. Potato peelings? What?!? Potato peelings contain oxalic acid, which dissolves tarnish and light corrosion, and the starch is mildly abrasive. Will they work on other metals? Yes, provided it’s smooth. (It’s difficult to get a potato peel into nooks and crannies, of course.)

So next time you need to polish a simple silver spoon, fork, or knife, or a platter, try a potato peeling. It’s probably environmentally safer, and less risky health-wise, than using harsh chemicals!

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Books, books, books!

There's been a change to the release date for the next book The Sea Hawkes Chronicles. I had been pushing hard to get it out by 26 April, for the 249th anniversary of the British raid on Danbury, Connecticut. But it really wasn't going to be ready. The final content edit is just wrapping up as of 2 Feb. After that, it need to be copyedited, formatted, proof read, and prepared for upload to Ingram Spark and Amazon for printing and distribution. Then Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) are printed for distribution to editorial reviewers, and sufficient time has to be allowed for them to read the book and write the reviews. Finally, there’s two to three weeks for pre-sales to be offered. That all takes time. (By the way, if you’d like to be an Advance Reader, contact me. I’ll happily send you an ARC. BUT, you MUST agree to write a review and post it online at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, GoodReads, NetGalley, and BookSprout websites.

So, the new release date is 13 June, by Acorn Publishing. 

Perilous Shores takes Jonas Hawke to distant waters to prosecute the Revolution against British shipping. I’m writing the third installment, titled Treadnought now. I’m up to chapter eleven of an estimated forty. I’m still on track to finish the first draft by 30 April, then revise it from 1 to 30 June, and give it to Laura Taylor for editing on 1 July. That would see it released about January or February of next year. 

Here's the cover for Perilous Shores.

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What comes after that?

As of right now, my plan is to reattack Three Brothers (working title), the novel(s) inspired by my dad's and two of my uncles' service during World War II. Then I'll probably return to the Hawke family. William will be grown up and a merchant captain in 1797 when Congress authorizes the building of six new frigates, and the creation of a standing Navy. He'll be commissioned in that Navy, and fight the French during the Quasi-War. Now you know as much as I do! William has yet to reveal his story to me....

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Reminders and Events!

Check my events page for a book signing near you.

I have big plans for 2026! I've got signings in the Norfolk area at the end of this month, the Williamsburg Book Festival 7 March, and more signings in March and April on the East Coast, probably in New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

On 2 May, I'll be a panelist at the Annapolis Book Festival. Then during the summer months, I'll be doing book signings at stores in San Diego, and be a panelist at the Imaginarium Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, 16-19 July.

Whew! Busy! "Retirement" has become a full-time job!

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Interested in my books?

Signed copies are available here

Unsigned copies are available online at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Books, and GoodReads.

An audio version of Against All Enemies is available at Audible.com and Apple Books!

You can also buy copies of Phobia!, which is an anthology that includes a short story I wrote. Phobia! Is available at all the same online sellers, and there’s now an audio version, as well.