Blackhearts

by Nicole Castroman

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Born in Sandy, Utah, Nicole Castroman was lucky enough to come with her very own best friend—a twin sister who can read her mind and finish her sentences. Nicole received her BA from Brigham Young University and has lived in Germany, Austria, and two different places called Georgia. One is the country located near the Black Sea, and the other is the state of Georgia, where she currently lives with her husband and two children. Blackhearts is Nicole’s first novel.

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  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  SIMON PULSE

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

  simonandschuster.com

  First Simon Pulse hardcover edition February 2016

  Text copyright © 2016 by Nicole Castroman

  Jacket photograph copyright © 2016 by Getty Images/Image Source

  Author photograph by Vickery Photography

  Jacket designed by Karina Granda

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

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  Book designed by Karina Granda

  The text of this book was set in Adobe Garamond Pro.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Castroman, Nicole.

  Blackhearts / by Nicole Castroman. ­— First Simon Pulse hardcover edition.

  pages cm

  Summary: “A reimagining of the origin story of Blackbeard the pirate and his forbidden love affair with a maid in his father’s house”—Provided by publisher.

  ISBN 978-1-4814-3269-6 (hc)—ISBN 978-1-4814-3271-9 (eBook)

  1. Blackbeard, -1718—Juvenile fiction. [1. Blackbeard, -1718—Fiction. 2. Pirates­­—Fiction. 3. Love­—Fiction.] I. Title.

  PZ7.1.C46Bl 2016

  [Fic]—dc23

  2015012626