John is a 13 year old boy who stumbles into the opportunity to fight for the Patriot cause. He is clumsy and has a knack for messing things up. Is John capable of helping Henry Knox bring the cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to the Boston Heights? Melba is a 15 year old girl with dazzling fencing ability, can she use her skill against British-trained soldiers? Knuckles is an impressed sailor stuck working as a lowly ship-hand for the British navy. Can he escape to become a privateer for General George Washington's secret navy? O'Neil is a former British naval officer, former pirate and one of the best ghost storytellers on the waves. Would he help a nation with no navy? These are only a few of the courageous characters in STRUGGS. STRUGGS is written for young adults. It's a fast paced, character-driven action/adventure story. STRUGGS takes place in the year 1775. The book is a coming-of-age story for five quirky orphans ranging in age from 13 to 15 years old. By chance, these orphans meet two Irish privateers who risk everything to help them. Can these orphans and privateers work together to beat the British and save the Patriot cause? STRUGGS would excite readers of Peter and the Starcatchers, Nick of Time, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Crispin-The Cross of Lead, Treasure Island, Carry on Mr. Bowditch and Jonny Tremain.