King's Ransom Series Reader Resources
Check this page for updates as FAQs are updated. Cited music and artwork from the series may be found below.
Music from the Queen of the Bay and Longitude
Select the pictures (or song titles) to navigate to the free YouTube versions of these songs. We greatly encourage you to play them when reach the scene.
Amarilli Mia Bella
Sung by Cecilia Bartoli
1609 - Visit with a Queen: Performed at the soiree hosted by the French Ambassador
The Falls
Ennio Morricone’s composition from the Mission Soundtrack
Queen of the Bay: Amanda's dream waking at the Ebb and Flow
Jurassic Park
Opening soundtrack
Jeb's wake up song at the Bay House played for his girls on tournament day
Raptor Attack
From the Jurassic Park soundtrack
Jeb plays upon Amanda's arrival at the Bay House dock during the Mate scene.
Up Where We Belong
Up Where We Belong -- Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
Played by Jeb during tournament.
Bless the Broken Road
Rascal Flatts
Accidently played by Amanda during Storm and Fish , causing Jeb to remember Amy
Nessun Dorma
Jonas Kaufmann's rendition played by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Jeb plays it from Amanda's playlist during a Storm and a Fish.
Come Alive (Dry Bones)
Lauren Daigle
Sally plays the song on Amanda's Jeep radio returning from the Northern Neck. Scene: Slumber Party.
"Tradition"
Main Title from Fiddler on the Roof
Slumber Party. Other referenced tracks from the original motion picture can also be found here.
King's Ransom Series Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When do you reveal the Jamestowne mystery?
A significant reveal is told in Book II, Longitude, but elements of the mystery and revelations continue to play out until the series' conclusion.
Do the book covers hold clues?
Aplenty!
Was France actually considered a dominion of King James (as referenced in the Tangier Island scene)?
Correct. That was not a mistake. Eventually those dominions were whittled down to four, with Virginia being the fourth. The seal and coat of arms of the colony in use from 1607 until 1624, when the Virginia Company of London directed the colonization of Virginia, included the words, “En Dat Virginia Quintam” (also spelled “Quintum”), indicating that Virginia was the fifth of the realms, or domains, of the Crown. At that time, the kings and queens of England also claimed the thrones of Scotland, Ireland, and France (dating back to the Norman Conquest in 1066). The same words appeared on the seal between 1625, when Virginia became the English king’s first royal colony, and the 1707 Acts of Union that combined the kingdoms of England and Scotland into the kingdom of Great Britain. The motto on the seal of Virginia was then altered to “En Dat Virginia Quartam,” there being thereafter four, not five, royal dominions. That motto was used on the colonial seal until the beginning of the American Revolution (1775–1783). Please refer to the map above that designates the extent of the Virginia Colony.
Do dolphins really dance?
Yes! The story of their dance in the King's Ransom Series is a non-fiction anecdote at nearly the exact location where it was observed in true life.
Is the Special Angler program a real thing?
Yes. The mission of the Special Angler Foundation has been around as early as 2013. It now operates as a non-profit 501(c)(3). Their stated mission is to promote the inclusion of the special needs community in public fishing tournaments. References made of participating public tournaments in Virginia are non-fiction. References to several Special Anglers and their achievements are also non-fiction. Actress, Leigh Foster, for the audio book version of Queen of the Bay, modeled their voices from actual recordings.
Is the Yokel, Kat's coffee shop in Irvington, really the Local? How about the Ebb and Flow? That sounds like The Tides Inn?
Author: "I can neither confirm nor deny . . . but you may be on to something ;-)"
Has a Queen of the Bay Division ever been competed at the Dream Fields Spanish Mackerel Tournament?
Not publicly, but elsewhere in Virginia's Northern Neck. The reference in Longitude to the event having been competed at Cape Charles is non-fiction.
Is Captain Raleigh Croshaw a real person?
Oh, yeah (especially his wives and descendants). Like nearly every historical anecdote in the series. He was also known as Rawley Crashaw and considered to have had a strong "bromanship" with Captain John Smith.
How about the Lady Mary Boleyn Tiara legend?
Not new. The legend of the Lady Mary Boleyn Tiara predates the King's Ransom Series.
Is the Holly Ball held in Kilmarnock, Virginia, a real event?
Heavens yes! Fighting words to suggest otherwise. Historical descriptions as cited in the series are non-fiction.
How do I volunteer for Special Olympics? And why don't you put that information at the end of the books.
In Virginia, go to this website. Drill down further to the the area/region in which you live. Every US state should have a similar website. And yes, we love the idea to add this info to the back of the book. We've reached out to Special Olympics Virginia for exactly how they want to be represented.