Oho thank you so much Brieval!!

Yes indeed. So.

I decided that there is a much more nuanced smuggling culture in Star Wars than we've been given to date. Of course you will always have your opportunists and they are the more dominant types to be found in a galaxy at war. The spicers, the slavers, the pirates----they will seize the main chance and they don't care who they hurt on both sides of any conflict.

But what if there were just a few more principled types out there? What if there were the types of smugglers with good hearts---much like our friend Solo. The ones willing to steal and run goods in certain areas, but draw the line at others.

I have written a character [who has been seen before a little bit in my work] who is at the center of such an enterprise. What he does is completely unlawful according to most standards in the galaxy. And he has no problem turning a profit with his work. But he's in charge of a massive organization that takes jobs---somewhat like Din does, but not bringing in bounties---to smuggle things like medical supplies or food and sometimes weapons depending on the situation. He doesn't get involved with slavers because he knows how awful that is. He allows spice running because that's where the big money is and it allows him and all the independent operatives who work for him to actually turn a profit and then also buy the things that are needed for other jobs.

This character and his smuggling operation are also looking at opportunities. Make no mistake---he likes earning credits, coin and jewels. But he's helped to found a guild of smugglers who all hate the Empire, but have no desire to go fight for the Rebellion.

As usual, I like to see more than black and white shades in the Star Wars universe and so this smuggler culture is one I look forward to sharing with you all.

Thanks again for asking! :D

Well thank you very much! I'm delighted you're intrigued. ;D Winter and I enjoy the Hornblower series---books and film---but goodness does Forester kill off anyone one cares about. Also, he has superfluous infidelity etc that is just not needed.

So.

Winter and I decided to rewrite the series allowing some people to live and leaving out other characters entirely.

Commodore is the current book we are placing our own spin on. It's likely to be the last one we tackle, but you never know. In our canon, Archie Kennedy and William Bush get to live and form a sort of nautical three musketeers with Hornblower. We felt robbed of their dynamic and so decided to do something about it.

We also had Hornblower marry Barbara in the first place, since his first marriage was an act of folly and poor Maria did not deserve that.

Commodore takes place in the Baltic campaign and Hornblower is instrumental in pushing Napoleon out of Russia. We're nearing the end which is exciting for many reasons---one of which is that I get to publish a little bit of art that I did to go with the ending. ;D

Thanks for asking!

You are too kind! Absolutely!! This story has been a joy to write, though certainly one of my more niche works. However, I have loved allowing the Lady [SSD Executor] to be a dragon in this Star Wars AU and her Admiral, the dragon speaker. I haven't written fantasy since high school, so this has been a challenging and enjoyable work.

Here are the last two lines I've written to date:

Sola was on the left flank with Veers in the center as was his wont and Fox leading the right. The Mandalorians had insisted they fight side by side for this, and the General had readily agreed. 

Thank you for the ask!