Our Story

Every Five Tales Press journal is printed and bound just for its recipient — one copy at a time, cover to colophon.

We believe a journal should outlast its wrapping, its occasion, and at least a few of its opinions. So we make every one to be kept.

Bound to be kept.

Why “Five Tales”

Two cats, two dogs, and one wee puppy have shared their lives with us over the years. While not every tail is still wagging, sharing their tales helps keep them near. That’s what we hope our journals help you do: put your tales down on paper, and keep what matters near.

Made one at a time

Pick a cover, choose your pages — ruling, spacing, ink — and add a dedication if it’s a gift. We typeset your journal on the spot and have it printed, bound, and shipped. No warehouse, no pallet of unsold copies: your journal doesn’t exist until you ask for it.

No batteries required. Scratch, scrawl, sketch, paint, or wax poetic. It’s up to you from here.

The bindery

Five Tales Press is a small press in East Lansing, Michigan. We design personalized journals here and have each one printed and shipped to order by our production partner — one book at a time, meant to be kept. Get in touch.