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Monday, April 28, 2014

X is for Xebec

My theme for A- Z was the year my book takes place: 1881. My plan was to post about people, places, and random facts about the year as it relates - however distantly - to my book, West of Paradise. However, I ran into a little trouble with these last three letters, so instead I tried to find interesting words beginning with the appropriate letter that people might not be familiar with.

Which leads us to X for Xebec, a small three-masted Mediterranean vessel with both square and triangular sails, a long overhanging bowsprit, and a protruding mizzen mast. It also can refer to a small, fast vessel of the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries, commonly used by Arab Corsairs but also by both the French and Spanish Navies.


Antonio Barcelo's Xebec facing two Algerian Corsair Galiots. 1738


The Xebec plays no part whatsoever in my book...but, as an added bonus for sticking with me to the end of the alphabet, I'm going to give away a copy of West of Paradise to one lucky winner. Anyone who comments and is interested these last three days of the challenge will be automatically entered to win.

Tomorrow I'll have an interesting Y word.

9 comments:

  1. No worries - everyone is struggling with X today.

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  2. I'm amazed at how you've pulled the entire alphabet from your novel. Nicely done!

    Sheri at Writer's Alley

    Home of Rebel Writer CREED 2014
    Mighty Minion Bureau Team #atozchallenge

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  3. What an interesting vessel. Cool that it starts with "X".

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  4. Thanks for that information. You never know when you might need an xebec for your story.

    And I did manage to download WOP onto my Kindle, so even though I am commenting, don't enter me;)

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  5. Great idea for X! I had an issue with coming up with a post for Y. Still don't have one yet. Crap.

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  6. I'm having fun reading what everyone is coming up with for X. I think my favorite thus far is the blogger who's writing about fruit. She used the Chinese word for watermelon today.

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  7. I like your little side trip. I am interested in that free copy. I've really enjoyed your theme.

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  8. We're all hoping to win your free copy. :-) Interesting word. Now watch, in your next book you will have an Xebec, or at least a treasured painting of one. :-)
    Deb@ http;//debioneille.blogspot.com

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