Ford's Books

02/04/2026

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Inside each issue, you’ll find:
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02/04/2026

Book of the Month:

A Guide for Ghosts is the debut graphic novel by writer Nicholas Aaron Hodge. The story follows Evan, a newly lost soul navigating her “afterlife-time” journey through the broken remnants of multiple afterlives suspended in a cloud valley above a doomed Earth. In her search for a place, she can finally call “heaven,” Evan is accompanied by Dante, an unusual but loyal dog, and encounters other wandering spirits who have also lost their way. As fragments of her former life resurface, Evan must confront fear, memory, and identity while learning how to exist as a ghost and trust her story once again.

Hodge has been writing throughout his life and recently embraced the graphic novel medium as a natural blend of his passions for short fiction and screenwriting. He graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in Creative Fiction Writing and later moved to Chicago, where he pursued additional writing studies, most notably at Second City for comedy writing and screenwriting. Following the pandemic, his focus shifted toward comics and graphic novels as a powerful hybrid form of storytelling.

The creation of A Guide for Ghosts unfolded over several years and was deeply shaped by personal experiences with grief, mortality, and loss, including his mother’s severe cancer diagnosis and the death of his estranged father. These events formed the emotional core of the book, which explores death not through definitive answers, but through relatable questions and hopeful reflections on the interconnected journeys of life and the afterlife. Available online at Amazon!
https://fordsbooks.square.site/book-of-the-month

01/23/2026

NEW ALBUM OUT NOW – Voice of Melody - Other Side of Me

Available here:
https://voiceofmelodymusic.square.site/

Thanks for the support!

01/07/2026

The Voice of Melody album, Love Is the Echo, is officially out!

This project has been a labor of love, and I’m excited to finally share it with you. If you enjoy music that’s expressive, immersive, and created straight from the heart, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.

You can purchase it here:
https://voiceofmelodymusic.square.site/

Thank you so much for the support. It truly means everything!

01/06/2026

01/06/2026

Book of the Month: Metrognome

Metrognome is the debut children’s book by Washington-based author Jana Cruz. The story follows Cora, a garden gnome who longs for something more than her quiet life and, against her parents’ wishes, ventures into the bustling city. There she meets an inventor named Mr. Maelzel, whose clever creation changes her world in unexpected ways. The idea for Metrognome was inspired during Cruz’s son’s music lesson, when the steady ticking of a metronome sparked a playful twist on words and a brand-new story. Writing the book marked a long-held dream realized, more than twenty years after Cruz first wrote a children’s story in college and decided it was finally time to see a book through to publication. Metrognome has received the Readers’ Favorite Five-Stars Award along with three honors from The Chrysalis Brew Project, including The Global Spines Book Award, The Brew Seal of Excellence Award, and The Brew Fiction Book Excellence Award. Jana Cruz spent approximately eighteen years teaching English to non-native speakers and remains passionate about helping others find their place and voice. For business inquiries or general correspondence, she can be reached at [email protected]. Available at online at Ford’s Books and Amazon!

https://fordsbooks.square.site/book-of-the-month

01/06/2026

Music at Ford’s Books

As you know, we support the arts here at Ford’s Books. Stories do not live only on the page. They also live in music, creativity, and expression.

Music has long been part of our space and our community, and we wanted to share one of the ways that continues through a music channel called Voice of Melody. An upcoming album is now being released, featuring original deep house, trance, and vocal tracks that reflect the same appreciation for atmosphere and storytelling that we celebrate through books.

If you enjoy discovering music, supporting independent artists, or exploring creative work in all its forms, we invite you to take a listen. Your thoughts, feedback, and conversation are always welcome.

Thank you for being part of a community that values and uplifts the arts.

Visit, listen, and subscribe if it resonates with you.

Voice of Melody™ is a vocal-led music project focused on melody, rhythm, and expressive vocals. From deep house and trance to dance, pop, and soul, each release explores a different style while staying centered on strong vocals. This channel features electronic tracks and upbeat pop songs built ar...

12/17/2025

Artist Spotlight: Winnie Young

Winnie Young has spent her entire adult life creating art in many forms, including poetry, dance, stage performance, painting, and blended mediums. For her, art is an endless, connected journey that explores what it means to be human. Through fresh creative experiments, she examines life’s quiet questions, emotional depth, and the intuitive, body-based responses we all share.
Imagination is at the center of Winnie’s work. She believes art strengthens our ability to understand others, imagine new ways of living, and move toward a more connected and hopeful future. Her pieces invite reflection, empathy, and a deeper inner vision.
Winnie Young’s artwork is available online and in-store at Ford’s Books. A link to her artwork is included below.
https://fordsbooks.square.site/gallery

12/05/2025

FEATURED AUTHOR - December 2025

Kimberly Wheelock is a lifelong Washington resident and a passionate writer and illustrator. She has been writing for most of her life, though self-doubt often made her put ideas aside. During the pandemic, a concept for her first novel, Wonderland, would not leave her mind. After starting and pausing it, she eventually completed the first draft, followed by her next book, Lester, and she is now finishing the second draft of her debut novel. The cover art for her books is created by her daughter, an up-and-coming local artist whose talent and creativity Kimberly has long admired.

Kimberly’s inspiration for Wonderland struck while hiking solo in Mount Rainier National Park on the Owyhigh Lakes Trail in 2021. Contemplating the idea of experiencing the park completely alone, she envisioned the plot for her novel in a flash of clarity. A fan of speculative fiction, particularly dark fantasy, she draws inspiration from authors such as Christopher Pike, Stephen King, and Ursula K. Le Guin. Even if the pandemic had never happened, Kimberly believes Wonderland would have emerged the same way, a story about the end of the world infused with her love for suspenseful, imaginative storytelling.

Kimberly is deeply passionate about experiencing life to the fullest and embracing everything the world has to offer. Among her personal achievements, she proudly completed her bachelor’s degree as a single mother while working full-time, a challenge she looks back on with awe. Finishing the first draft of Wonderland marked a turning point, proving to herself that she could complete any story she set her mind to.

Her debut novel Wonderland is available at Ford’s Books! $13.99
https://fordsbooks.square.site/product/wonderland-featured-author-/YXDOMRIAWG2H6WJXTFN4O2AS

11/22/2025

Santa called. He says books, art, or a unique boutique item from our store makes the perfect gift. Free gift wrapping available. Not in town? Shop online 24 hours at the link in our bio.

11/15/2025

Ford’s Books is a curated bookstore and boutique offering rare, new, used, and out-of-print books, along with unique souvenirs, art, and specialty gifts. Each display is thoughtfully arranged to help visitors discover something meaningful, whether it’s a collectible volume, a local treasure, or a beautiful piece for the home. Just minutes from the Gig Harbor waterfront, our shop is a welcoming stop for travelers, book lovers, and anyone who enjoys creativity, history, and charm.