Christine Markel Lampe was “kidnapped” by pirates in 1988 when a friend (Gail Selinger, author of "Idiot's Guide to Pirates") invited her on a pirate cruise aboard a local tallship. Signing articles, she joined the local pirate crew and thus the character of Jamaica Rose (a chartmaker from Port Royal) was born. Fascinated by the history of the period she started researching pirates. She and her husband Michael (a notorious rogue captain she met on that first cruise), took over the publication of the pirate crew’s newsletter, and began writing articles on history, costuming, and persona. Later, this spurred them on to create a magazine for and about all pirates. Founded in 1993, No Quarter Given’s circulation has grown to include an international readership, and has become known as THE Piratical Clearinghouse. The two of them can often be found selling their No Quarter Given publications, her artwork, and other pirate swag at faires, re-enactments, and maritime events. They are also both founding members of the Port Royal Privateers crew (also founded in 1993). Christine has become known as a leading authority on pirates and has been used as a technical consultant for books, movies, and documentaries (most recently seen as a commentator on True Caribbean Pirates). A Californian native, still living in Southern California, she has also worked as a fire department cartographer, a fisheries biologist, and as a high school science teacher.
