Join us for an open house to celebrate the launch of local author Cynthia Elder’s Tales of the Sea Series on Thursday, May 29, 6 PM. Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event. The event is free and open to the public. Please register at info@inkfishbooks.com

A look behind the scenes of her new historical novel, Tales of the Sea. Based on hundreds of pages of original ship's logs, letters and journals, the book reveals the true story of a seafaring family from West Barnstable, Massachusetts, during the final chapter of the Great Age of Sail and the tumultuous years of the Civil War.

Tales of the Sea...

is the true story of a seafaring family from West Barnstable, Massachusetts, during the final chapter of the Great Age of Sail and the tumultuous years of the Civil War. The story reveals the inner thoughts of a lonely shipmaster as he traverses the vastness of the sea, writing to the woman he loves. The two-book series elevates the experiences of women who braved years-long sailing voyages to keep their families together and intersects with stories of soldiers and slaves as our country was torn apart at the seams. 

Tales of the Sea series, A well-developed novel that uses copious historical sources to vividly bring its characters and setting to life. - Kirkus

Tales of the Sea: Book OneThe Journey Begins

Young James Jenkins leaves the family farm to follow the sailor’s life, rising to become a merchant ship captain who transports trade goods around the world. He finds his match in Ruth Fish, the daughter of a ship’s captain who bristles with passion to escape the confines of her small town.

Tales of the Sea: Book Two The Drumbeats of War

As the United States marches toward war, James and Ruth Jenkins must decide to brave the oceans together or be forever separated by the sea. Ruth’s brother is swept into the Union Army, while her father spirals into mental illness. Together, Ruth and James circle the globe in a dangerous and changing world.