Skip to content
BECOME A MEMBER
CONTACT US

A Chat with Adam Marrow

Published

Ahoy, Mateys!

I’ve always had a soft spot for Talk Like a Pirate Day—my crew and I celebrate with movie marathons, pirate snacks, and the occasional raid on Long John Silver’s. So when the chance came to interview a true pirate author, I jumped aboard without hesitation.

In honor of the big day on September 19, we’ll be settin’ a spell with a historical non‑fiction writer who’s mastered the art of diggin’ through ancient records—siftin’ fact from lore, chartin’ a course through the seas of time, and breathin’ life into tales long buried. Together we’ll explore how he spins old documents into narrative gold, hunts reliable sources, and keeps history lively for landlubbers and seasoned seafarers alike—with a dash o’ pirate lore tossed in for good measure.

Apologies if talkin’ like a pirate gets old, I’ll be stayin’ in character for the interview. 🙂 

Meet the Pirate

Trista: Thank you for joinin’ the crew for a spell, Cap’n. Tell us a little about yerself. 

Adam: To introduce myself, my name is Adam Morrow, but I do all of my work under the alias of Captain Marrow. I’m a pirate historian, reenactor, author, actor, artist, tabletop games designer & developer, and more. As of the time of this article, I have now published five books. My first book was “Pirate Ghosts & Buried Treasures of the Southeast Coast: A Historical Assessment on Pirate Folklore,” which relays all known pirate-relevant folklore claims from Florida to Virginia, stating them as they are known, but I then go in and provide historical context and talk about the validity of the claim and obscure related history that helped spawn the folklore. My other book that is not part of the series is “Arabian Gold: Charleston’s Red Sea Pirates of 1692 – Being the True Tale of Captain George Raynor and the Crew of the Bachelor’s Delight.” History books are notorious for having lengthy titles and subtitles. But that book details the true history of a crew that left Port Royal, Jamaica, in 1690 as legal privateers sailing against France, and then arrive to Charleston, South Carolina, two years later having committed piracy on the far side of the world, bringing with them 2.1 million dollars of Arabian gold per crewmate. Strangely, I’m the first person to relay their story in a full published form since the event took place over 300 years ago. 

Q & A

Trista: That sounds like a book I’ll want to be readin’. When ye sit down with a stack of old records and weathered tales, how do ye begin spinnin’ them into a story readers can’t put down?

Adam: I believe in organization first and foremost, and my first decision has to be either with things arranged chronologically (often the best option), or regionally. Largely, this depends on the book, as when working on my numbered entries of my “Pirate Ghosts & Buried Treasures” series, I list folklore tales along the coast based on location. Now as for how stories are arranged, well, I often try my hardest to find multiple sources for the same piece of history or claim and pinpoint all the notable and relevant details and compile them together. Most accounts you see after all were written independently without knowledge of the other, and much of writing nonfiction is honestly repeating history through compiling in ways that has yet to be done before, of course with your own voice applied and all. However, it is always best practice to remain neutral on topical subjects so as to not skew what you write to audiences, unless your piece is meant to be a voice of opinion. But strictly speaking, remaining neutral and reciting solid fact is where you want to be. For example, despite loving the topic of pirates, obviously given my whole career route, I would be the last person to praise them – I acknowledge that my topic is that of criminal history ultimately, and that I shouldn’t be chalking these historical figures up to fit with modern interpretations or depictions of “loving rogues” who accepted those of all walks of life and promoted democracy. It is instead best to view them as fascinating, and relay them as such.

Trista: How do ye walk the fine line between tellin’ a good yarn and stayin’ true to the historical record?

Adam: As for walking the line, I’ve dodged that in my published works on folklore by completely separating the two. First I present the folklore tale as it is known, while providing as much historical fact as can corroborate the tale. Afterwards, I examine it and point out its inconsistencies while introducing relevant historical facts tangentially related to it. As for my title “Arabian Gold: Charleston’s Red Sea Pirates of 1692,” which is not a telling of, or examination into folklore, there was much to figure out. That tale, being of a crew that arrived at Charleston, South Carolina in 1692, had until then been included only in footnotes of other, more famous, pirate’s histories. It didn’t help that ship names were re-used, and not just naval ships. The defining point in figuring out how to relay the history correctly was identifying that there were two separate ships operating in adjacent decades as Bachelor’s Delight (one likely named for the prior). It was a lot of sifting through many sources, and compiling the work of others before me, as is often the case with history.

Trista: With so much rich detail in history’s hold, how do ye decide what earns a place on the page and what gets tossed overboard?

Adam: I generally don’t have to make the decision, as I hate tossing stuff overboard, and I enjoy cramming as many historical dates, titles, names, and locations into my work as possible to relay all those relevant specifics others might be looking for. I worked on writing my books during a period where I was also blogging like mad on social media garnering a following, so there is no doubt that working to cram as much into a short text block (to appease social media algorithms) affected my natural writing style. It is great for learning to paraphrase and extract context from large sources. It also made me… not appreciate filler as much. Looking into old history books from the 60s and prior, you can really tell that they did everything in their power to drag out a narrative or topic out to 400 pages – when in reality the relevant meat of that story, well, it could be summed up in 30 pages. Some minutia is worth preserving, the relevant minutia, but there are many works that drag on incessantly. 

Trista: Research be vital to fiction, but even more so to non-fiction. When ye’re huntin’ for the truth in the Golden Age of Piracy, what kinds of sources do ye depend on?

Adam: Sources are always hard, because you end up needing different things for every topic or situation. Primary sources are always the best, but you’ll also often find that history isn’t always recorded well, or accurately, and you have to research knowing that we have more power at our fingertips today to cross-reference greater than those writing primary sources in their day. The most famous example, at least in pirate history, is “General History of the Pyrates” from 1724. Literally written during the Golden Age of Piracy, from a guy who interviewed some of the subjects in the book – and in our circle of history the book is notorious for its flaws. The author, who remained anonymous (we think we know who he was though), certainly took liberties to spice up the story for the sake of the book selling better (and it did). Other times, entire entries can be wrong. For example, pirate Richard Worley within the 1724 work is killed in Virginia – when historically we know (but the author didn’t) that he was instead defeated here in the Charleston harbor (I’m from Charleston). This happens time and again, and becomes even more sensationalized when releasing a second volume promoting famous (due to him) female pirates Ann Bonny & Mary Read, who were utilized as a marketing ploy to reach more female readers worldwide (it worked). Again, this is just one, albeit a big one, primary source. The best sources are obscure documents you have to dig to find, and reliable sources like the Calendar of State Papers online. 

Trista: How do ye judge whether a historical source be reliable—or not fit to sail?

Adam: A source needs to be corroborated, if possible, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. I would say that the more time you spend in your subject, the more you learn about other authors in your topic, and who is reputed to be diligent researchers who withstand the intense scrutiny of their contemporaries. For example, I know to generally trust the information and sources by other pirate history authors Ed Fox, Bennerson Little, Matt McLaine, and others, while acknowledging certain others who are not as well known for digging deeply enough, citing General History (mentioned above) as gospel, or allowing their own political opinions influence their work to noticeable degrees.  

Trista: When two sources tell two entirely different tales, how do ye choose which one to follow? Or do ye present both sides of the story?

Adam: I tell both sides. I’ll likely present the one that rings most true first, but if the second cannot be unproven it certainly deserves a spot at the table and to be relayed in addition to the reader. It shouldn’t be for me to decide which one I want to pick to present to the reader. I would pick the one I feel is correct of course, but it feels as if making that decision without evidence for it is in poor practice of a historian. 

Trista: Have ye ever stumbled across a hidden gem of a source that felt like strikin’ buried treasure?

 Adam: Yes. When researching as deeply as possible about the pirate George Raynor for Arabian Gold, I felt that way when discovering both his origin of birth, his parents, and also his will. He’s always been treated as if a minor character in the grand scheme of pirate history, but I view him are overwhelmingly significant – just nobody has ever tried bringing his story to light. As far as I’m aware, no one else has ever uncovered his beginnings or ending in history. So that was a very rewarding thing to discover, being as he is a significant (yet unheard of) player within the Golden Age of Piracy (1650-1730).

Trista: Ye can’t talk about pirates without talkin’ about the lore that surrounds ’em. What’s one pirate myth that’s been exaggerated—or blown clear out of the water?

Adam: One is hard, because much of what is claimed online that goes viral on social media and into the minds of the public are myths presented as factual, and the unknowing public doesn’t know any better. The immediate one that comes to mind is the popularization of the theory that pirates did in fact wear eyepatches, not because of an injury, but so as that they could keep one eye adjusted to dark conditions; so that when boarding a ship and going below decks they could flip it up and have better vision in the dark, giving them an edge in combat. The theory was proposed before the existence of the show, but the series Mythbusters propelled this into global recognition, especially since in their episode testing it, the idea proved favorable results. While that may have been proven scientifically, it doesn’t retroactively change the fact that historically we do not know of any particular pirate having an eyepatch (although some with injuries might very well have), or any period sources discussing it as a practice, or any eyewitness accounts of them adopting said practice. It also would have no reason to be bound to seafaring criminals, if it was a practice that did work, then all sailors, including the navies, should have adopted it too. Not just pirates. Another would be the proposition that pirate crews were utopias of equality in respect to gender, sexuality, race, religion, etc., which certainly was not the case. But again, the list for these myths presented as fact goes on and on. Haha

Trista: I’m sure writin’ historical non-fiction comes with its own set of challenges. What obstacles have ye faced that be unique to yer genre?

 Adam: Certainly the intense scrutiny of peers. Historians very harshly review and criticize each other’s works, and there are too many that want to be the “top expert.” There is much drama if one subscribes to it. While I’ve built a great reputation of being a pirate historian, and the general public is (thankfully) willing to accept anything I say at face value, interacting with fellow pirate history authors (save a few) always feels daunting, because I’m forced to contemplate the accuracy of their work and keep an eye out for particulars that impress me – and I know others look at me the same way. I am more than happy to admit when I’m proven wrong, when being faced with a contradictory fact, and I’m willing to change opinions and narratives in light of new evidence; but being caught in a situation like that, getting something wrong in the first place, is like being pantsed in front of your co-workers, or if publicly then on an auditorium stage. Thankfully I’m somewhat likeable, and I don’t feel like most hold things against you when you’re first getting started in deep history, especially if you’re willing to learn and adapt, as you should. 

Trista: When ye hoist the sails for a day of writin’, how do ye steer the ship? Do ye chart research and prose on separate courses, or let ’em swirl together like a storm at sea? 

Adam: Swirling like a storm for sure. My PC is a storm of madness with 32 browser tabs open, a collection of PDFs in the taskbar, my document I’m writing on, a notepad document open, emails up, and working on my book while running 5 social media pages and trying to stay on top of everything. It’s certainly madness. 

Trista: How do ye connect with other historians, writers, and experts in yer field?

Adam: Mostly through social media. However, I will note that in the very specific field of pirate historians/authors, there’s only so many of us. Only so many stay up to date on socials, and of those only so many are friendly enough to interact. I feel like most of us are known by each other, but most of us just stay to ourselves and only reach out to each other in moments of research desperation. That being said, I have a great rapport with all who I’ve met in person, and I pull together a collection of fellow pirate historians and authors each year for my event Charleston Under the Black Flag in downtown Charleston. 

Trista: When it comes time to get yer historical non-fiction into readers’ hands, what’s worked best—word of mouth, social media, or events?

Adam: Tricky question. Especially since I feel like most word of mouth is generated in the aftermath of events. Social media serves me well because I built an audience for 6 years online who enjoyed reading my writing before I ever published a book. A book wasn’t even planned initially. So when I did publish, I had many eager to purchase. But I’ve noticed that there is always an impulse-buy hype when a book is announced and released, and social media purchases happen then, but after the initial launch, I see more royalties income afterwards. Honestly, the best thing for me is events. I might sell 20 copies to followers at launch, and I might have 5-10 royalties per month, but at in-person events I always s2ell books, sometimes in great numbers. I chalk that up to delivering a satisfying presentation to folks at my table with artifacts and replicas, satisfying their curiosity and simultaneously proving that I know what I’m talking about, perhaps helping them to be more inclined to grab a book. Either that or people just like buying pirate books from a person dressed as a pirate. That doesn’t hurt I’m sure. But yeah, events all day. If I could do 1-2 events per week constantly, I’d probably be doing fairly well; unfortunately, it’s hard to force events into being and often I’m restricted by being out at them only when they happen to pop up. There’s about 12 I do every year, but honestly, I’d love to do 36 a year, I just need more annual events to happen for me to be a part of. Haha

Trista: What advice do ye have for aspiring non-fiction writers who feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of research? 

Adam: Just jump in and get your feet wet; it’s really the only way. You’ll learn as you go along, and don’t be afraid to ask questions to those you know are more knowledgeable about it than you when getting in. And not all research is hard; it’s often more time consuming than anything. Being good with search engines, or your “Google fu” will help you immensely. Having a physical library of history books is great, and books are wonderful, but when you’re researching you will find digital PDFs that you can search within to be your bread and butter. Lastly, Library of Congress will have most of what you need from newspapers without you having to pay online subscriptions to view them, and Internet Archive will have TONS of old history books and obscure documents that you can view (and search within). It will ask you to make a free subscription, but once you do you can “borrow” books to read via your web browser over and over for free.

Trista: Before we send ye back to open waters, have ye any last words for our readers?

Adam: Don’t be afraid of writing a book, fiction or nonfiction. If you don’t have an existing audience, then there’s less pressure of fearing how it will be received; it’s your first book, and if you don’t think you did perfect, well you weren’t projecting it to thousands. If you do have an audience, there is also less pressure; they’re going to like what you put out because they already follow you for a reason. If you’re just getting started, feel like you’ve done great, but haven’t built a social media audience yet – do in person events, and you can grow it from there. Most people scrolling socials aren’t scrolling to shop, but most people you come into contact with at events are, and meeting them in person causes a much longer lasting impression and memory. As for getting into events, note that you don’t need to be famous or well-known, most event operators are itching for participants and are happy to host indie authors they’ve never heard of. You need events to build an audience, and event operators need spots filled for programs. Being friendly goes a long way. 

With that being said, back to open waters for this pirate. Best of luck mates! 

Trista: We’re much obliged to Captain Marrow for sharin’ a bit of his time, experience, and insight into the world of historical non-fiction. If ye’d like to follow more of his work, be sure to look him up online (search “Captain Marrow”) and keep an eye on his latest books and adventures—you never know what treasure ye might find.

May this interview spark inspiration for yer own creative voyages, Dear Readers. Below, I’ve gathered a few resources I’ve found mighty helpful when craftin’ tales o’ pirates and high-seas adventure and links to Captain Marrow’s socials.

 Keep writin’, me hearties! Yo ho!

Useful Books for Writers Who Want to Write About Pirates: 
  1. The Pirate Primer: Mastering the Language of Swashbucklers and Rogue by George Choundas
  2. Pirate Ghosts & Buried Treasures of the Southeast Coast: A Historical Assessment on Pirate Folklore: Exploring Myths and Legends from Florida to Virginia by Captain Marrow 
  3. The Sea Rover’s Practice: Pirate Tactics and Techniques, 1630-1730 by Benerson Little
  4. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Pirates by Gail Selinger and W. Thomas Smith Jr. 
Captain Marrow’s Social Media:

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.