Summer in Cranberry Harbor: Candace Hammond on Cape Cod, Community, and Coastal Fiction
- Sea Crow Press
- May 18
- 4 min read
An Author Interview with Candace Hammond
For readers who love coastal fiction and stories deeply rooted in place, Summer in Cranberry Harbor continues a beloved Cape Cod series centered on community, change, and connection. Published by Sea Crow Press, the novel explores the tensions between tourism and local identity through the evolving relationship of Lizzie and Jack in the close-knit seaside town of Cranberry Harbor.
Founded in 2020 by Mary Petiet, Sea Crow Press publishes place-based fiction, poetry, and contemplative writing that invites readers to slow down and pay attention to landscape, season, and the inner life.
In this interview, Candace Hammond discusses writing, Cape Cod in the summer, the role of local journalism, and what lies ahead for Cranberry Harbor.
Interview with Candace Hammond
What drew you back to Cranberry Harbor for a summer story, and what new sides of the town were you excited to explore?
For those of us who live year-round on Cape Cod, summer brings mixed feelings. Our economy depends on tourism, but it’s not always easy to share your town. After long, isolating winters, though, we’re also excited to see new faces again. I wanted to explore the complexity of that relationship.
Across the series, from Christmas to Spring and now Summer, we’ve seen Lizzie and Jack grow individually and together. How does this third book deepen their relationship?
Lizzie and Jack spent the first two books figuring out not just their relationship, but who they are professionally and what kind of life they could build in Cranberry Harbor.
Jack has worked hard creating Terra Marique, and now it’s thriving. Lizzie is flourishing at the Cranberry Harbor Gazette as associate editor and writer, telling stories she believes matter. They’ve also built a new home together next to her parents.
Summer brings an influx of visitors to Cape Cod. How did you want to explore the tension between locals and outsiders?
I wanted to avoid vilifying summer visitors because they’re such an important part of life on Cape Cod. We depend on people loving the Cape and wanting to visit. But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy.
In Cranberry Harbor, people are protective of one another and expect everyone to be treated with kindness and respect. In a world that’s increasingly virtual, people sometimes forget their manners in real life, and that inspires Lizzie and her friends to step in.
Lizzie is thriving as editor of the Cranberry Harbor Gazette. How does storytelling help sustain community?
I believe we all need community, and science supports that. Strong social ties help people live healthier, happier lives.
I wrote Christmas in Cranberry Harbor during Covid isolation, when we were all reminded how important being together really is. After nearly 20 years working in local journalism, I know how much community stories matter. Local newspapers don’t just share information; they reflect the heart and soul of a town.
That’s what I wanted the Cranberry Harbor Gazette to represent.
Jack’s work with Terra Marique represents innovation and change. What conflicts arise as his vision meets a tradition-rich seaside town?
Change inevitably creates tension, especially among people who don’t want anything to change. But for the most part, the town has embraced Terra Marique and even become part of it. They’ve seen that some change can be good.
This series often explores growth versus preservation. Were there moments in Summer in Cranberry Harbor where you felt torn yourself?
There’s tension from outside forces over who should control Terra Marique and what changes outsiders would bring to Cranberry Harbor.
Change can absolutely be positive, but people who live on Cape Cod want to ensure that those most affected by growth are the ones guiding those decisions.
What can readers expect in Fall in Cranberry Harbor?
There are major life changes ahead for Lizzie and Jack, but thankfully, they have friends, family, and the community of Cranberry Harbor to support them.
There are also outside forces hoping to bring major changes to town, but they quickly discover that the people of Cranberry Harbor are not to be trifled with.
About Candace Hammond
Candace Hammond is a Cape Cod-based journalist, playwright, novelist, and host of an arts podcast and radio show on WOMR in Provincetown. She grew up on Cape Cod and still lives there with her musician partner and their very large cat.
About Sea Crow Press
Sea Crow Press is an independent literary publisher based on Cape Cod specializing in place-based fiction, poetry, and contemplative writing. Founded in 2020, the woman-owned press publishes books rooted in landscape, season, and the natural world, with titles spanning coastal fiction, ecofiction, historical fiction, memoir, and poetry.
Where to Buy Summer in Cranberry Harbor
Preorder Summer in Cranberry Harbor now. Paperback and ebook editions are available through booksellers, online retailers, and the publisher. Publish date is June 2, 2026.
To learn more about the novel, the Cranberry Harbor series, and other place-based fiction from Sea Crow Press, visit the publisher’s website.
Explore the Reading Guide for discussion questions, themes, and companion reading.
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