Locally Lit: How An Independent Publisher Is Writing His Way To The Top

Loss. Grief. A soul-searching spirit.

The paranormal and sentimental collide in “A Guide for Ghosts,” the most recent graphic novel written by up-and-coming Edgewater author Nicholas Hodge.

Hodge’s fifth published work tells the story of a soul’s journey through the afterlife, stemming from his own imagination and drawing inspiration from his mother’s diagnosis with cancer in 2018.

“What I was really connecting with was my relationship with my mom,” Hodge said. “That was my thought process on the idea of dying, love, love and dying, and what that journey would look like.” 

Originally from Phoenix, Hodge had previously called Chicago home, but settled into Edgewater in 2020, where he has lived in “Roger’s Edge” for the last three years. 

Having developed a love for writing at a very young age, Hodge said he would sell his short stories to elementary classmates. During high school, Hodge added a love of theatre to his fine arts repertoire, choosing to double major in theatre and creative fiction writing with an interest in screenwriting at Northern Arizona University.

“It was art,” Hodge said. “I have always been interested in just telling stories in general.” 

With his experience and passion in writing, Hodge decided to use his contemplation of the morality of humanity and familial bonds to bring “A Guide for Ghosts” into the world. The work would be a graphic novel — an apt combination of the author’s artistic interests.

As an independent publisher, Hodge said he funded every aspect of the process himself. 

The writer utilized a Kickstarter fundraiser, which was successful in accumulating the initial funds needed for printing. The novel was published through a local business, which Hodge said he admired for its accessible pricing and quality. 

Through the Kickstarter, Hodge collaborated with several local artists on the novel’s marketing strategy as a way to celebrate fundraising goals throughout the publishing process.

“We did a postcard series, posters, bookmarks and a journal,” Hodge said. “There’s all these supplemental things I had a lot of fun doing.” 

Hodge said he had wanted to take advantage of Chicago’s branding resources, particularly through promoting his works at local markets. Without a business license, Hodge had to earn his official Limited Liability Company (LLC) certificate to ensure his ability to sell his products at festivals in Edgewater. 

“So now I’m officially an independent publisher with an LLC,” Hodge said. “It’s all been figuring out ways to make it legitimate, which cost money, but now it’s done and I’m looking for where we can do local pop-ups.” 

Hodge said the book also wouldn’t be possible without his artistic collaborator, Alexandra Sevilla, who provided all the illustrations for the project. Hodge was in need of an illustrator willing to participate in his vision, and after connecting with Sevilla through a Reddit rabbithole, the pair shared a common interest in expressive visuals and chose to bring his dream to life.

“We worked mostly through chats and shared boards, bouncing sketches and ideas back and forth. It was surprisingly smooth — a mix of sending out doodles, and spontaneous revisions that kept the energy fun and collaborative,” Sevilla wrote in an e-mail to The Phoenix.

Sevilla’s cover art depicts a dazzling spectacle of color with a drawing of a lonesome ghost looking longingly out on the horizon. New images appear on each page, showing the true sparkle of Hodge and Sevilla’s collaboration.

Following this exhaustive process, Hodge’s books have made it everywhere from local booksellers in the Edgewater area to major names like Barnes & Noble, making his achievements feel surreal, he said. 

“It’s been very nice,” Hodge said. “I feel so connected to the local community now, I know all these bookstores and record stores and comic shops, and I know the owners. They recognize me.”

For Sevilla, collaborating on a project this big with an author was an experience she won’t soon forget, helping her to make her mark in the world of illustration.

“I’m really grateful to be part of something that celebrates creativity and heart. Projects like this remind me why I started drawing and writing in the first place — to connect, to play, and to tell more introspective stories with a bit of whimsy,” Sevilla wrote.

The graphic novel’s journey to literary success has not been an easy one, but the author said he feels nothing but pride for how far he’s come. 

“Finding for you, for yourself, what your immediate goal is, is really important,” Hodge said, “And using that as an excuse to finish something.” 

“A Guide for Ghosts” is available for purchase now — from local sellers like The Book Cellar and Unabridged Bookstore to big-name brands like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.