User blog:Uskok/R.I.P. Ann C. Crispin

 Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life For Me!

Dear friends, whether ye be loyal to the Jolly Roger or the King’s Colors, know ye that our beloved friend Ann C. Crispin, the author of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom, is no longer with us. After a two-year struggle with cancer, she passed away on September the 6th, in the Year of Our Lord 2013. This is her last message on her Facebook page:“''I want to thank you all for your good wishes and prayers. I fear my condition is deteriorating. I am doing the best I can to be positive but I probably don't have an awful lot of time left. I want you all to know that I am receiving excellent care and am surrounded by family and friends.''“

Know ye that she wasn't just an author; she was a good friend who always stayed in contact with fans, listened to their suggestions, and explained to them what needed to be explained. Her last novel-Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom-is a huge addition to the established Pirates of the Caribbean universe. It gives us the great look at the youth of Captain Jack Sparrow (and the youth of his nemesis, Cutler Beckett), his complicated relationship with his father, Captain Teague, and even some backstory for Jack's evil counterpart, Captain Barbossa.

Aside from giving us backstories for the already existing characters, Ann C. Crispin's novel introduced us to several new characters, the treacherous and bloodthirsty rogue pirates like Christophe-Julien de Rapièr and Boris "Borya" Palachnik, and lovely ladies like Esmeralda Maria Consuela Anna de Sevilla, the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean, and Amenirdis, the Princess of Zerzura, who are both love interests for Captain Jack.

But maybe the biggest story the novel gave us is the story of how Jack Sparrow became captain of his beloved vessel, the EITC East Indiaman Wicked Wench, the ship that was destined to become the ship with black sails, the infamous Black Pearl. It is said in the novel that Jack didn't know what it means to be in love until he saw the Wench. Indeed, Jack and the Wench were always meant to be together, and Jack thought of her as a pearl of great price, and as stated by himself, even Morgan himself never had such a ship.

The writing of this novel wasn't easy for Ann. It took her three years to make the story and write the novel. She had a lot of help, from nautical experts and friends, to fellow writers and family members. Her instructions in writing this novel were to “stick to historical fact, unless it conflicts with established Pirates of the Caribbean continuity.” And she made a faithful effort to do this. Indeed, readers who are interested in pirates, square-riggers, the early eighteenth century, and ancient Kerma, won't be disappointed with this book, even if they're not POTC fans.

Even before the book was published, Ann joined the POTC Wiki and the unofficial POTC forum, KeepToTheCode.com, patiently answering all our questions about her novel and satisfying our hunger for informations. We will remember her as a good friend, a nice lady, and a true pirate.

So, if any of ye have anything to say regarding Ann C. Crispin or her novel...speak now!