Growing up on the Isle of Wight (England) author Hazel Spire was captivated by songs and folklore about the sea. THE BALLAD OF CAPTAIN JACK SCURVY is dedicated to her grandfather, a stoker in the Royal Navy. It features the personalities, hazards, superstitions, and appeal of a life on the ocean wave, with the promise of finding buried treasure in true pirate tradition — although the crew of the Mary Jane would more accurately be described as privateers or adventurers.