Words Composed of Sea and Sky

A contemporary YA summer Cape Cod romance featuring poets divided by centuries.

Michaela Dunn, living on present day Cape Cod, dreams of getting into an art school, something her family just doesn’t understand. When her stepfather refuses to fund a trip for a poetry workshop, Michaela finds the answer in a local contest searching for a poet to write the dedication plaque for a statue honoring Captain Benjamin Churchill, a whaler who died at sea 100 years ago. She struggles to understand why her town venerates Churchill, an almost mythical figure whose name adorns the school team and various tourist traps. When she discovers the 1862 diary of Leta Townsend, however, she gets a glimpse of Churchill that she didn’t quite anticipate.

In 1862, Leta Townsend writes poetry under the name of Benjamin Churchill, a boy who left for sea to hunt whales. Leta is astonished when Captain Churchill returns after his rumored death. She quickly falls for him. But is she falling for the actual captain or the boy she constructed in her imagination?

Praise

“This is a beautiful story about love and making your voice heard. It is packed with a touching plot, lovable characters, and a well-written romance, and is gripping and easy to relate to.” —School Library Journal

“There are two plucky heroines and four handsome hunks in this sweeping romance—and the author successfully juggles them all. The narrative effectively balances big, swoonworthy moments against smart character work.”  —Kirkus Reviews

“Readers will enjoy the gentle humor and the romance.”—Booklist

“Past and present are beautifully interwoven in an evocative story about claiming one’s voice.” —Joy McCullough, author of Blood, Water, Paint

“Past and present narratives collide in this charming, romantic, and beautifully atmospheric debut. A delight.” —Nora Shalaway Carpenter, author of The Edge of Anything and Rural Voices

“…Erica George thoroughly immerses the reader in the small town atmosphere and seaswept shores of Cape Cod, where passions swell and break like the rising of the Atlantic tide…this tenderhearted debut was pure enjoyment from start to finish!” —Jennieke Cohen, author of Dangerous Alliance and My Fine Fellow

“Lyrical and moving, Words Composed of Sea and Sky weaves past and present into an emotional and atmospheric tale of love, family, and courage that refuses to be put down. An incredible debut!” —Rachel Bateman, author of Someone Else’s Summer

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