Ethan Russell is a brilliant but nonverbal autistic boy navigating the silent aftermath of his parents' death. He turns to what he understands best: science, structure, and machines, hoping to make sense of a world undone by loss.
What begins as a quest to understand death becomes something far more mysterious—an invention that draws Ethan and his twin brother into a realm shaped by vision, memory, and something beyond reason. There, they encounter guardians, fractured souls, and echoes of divine presence.
The Bridge is a poetic exploration of grief, neurodivergence, and spiritual restoration. Rich with symbolism and inspired by the works of C.S. Lewis, it speaks to those who have searched for meaning in silence, faith in sorrow, or light on the other side of loss.
Where To Buy The Bridge
WIPF & STOCK
AMAZON BOOKS
BARNES & NOBLE ONLINE
ANYWHERE BOOKS ARE SOLD ONLINE
For Readers in the Houston Area
The Bridge can also be ordered locally through Blue Willow Bookshop - one of Houston's beloved independent bookstores.
Just ask for it at the counter, and their team can order it through Ingram.
Thank you for supporting local booksellers.
WHY I WROTE THE BRIDGE:
I wrote The Bridge not because I lost someone I loved, but because I lost many, and grief, for me, has always been difficult to name. In the world I work in, one shaped by action, discipline, and endurance, sorrow rarely finds a place to land. You keep moving. You stay strong. You carry everything within.
This novel became my way of facing what I never said aloud. Ethan, the boy at the center of the story, is nonverbal. But he understands grief in a way that words often fail to reach. Through writing The Bridge, I found language for what I had long carried in silence: sorrow, love, and the quiet belief that something greater continues to hold us through every unspoken ache.
WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR:
The Bridge is for anyone who has carried more than they could say and needed a quiet place to set it down.
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Readers who have lost someone and do not always have the words
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Parents, siblings, or caregivers of nonverbal or neurodivergent children
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People of faith who have experienced grief not as a crisis, but as a long uncertain silence
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Women who have learned to hold everything together while breaking quietly inside
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Those navigating loss with both structure and spirit, seeking stories that speak through stillness
This book is not about overcoming. It is about remaining. It is about what waits, what stays, and what speaks even when we do not.
About The Author
Ashley N. Hudson is a stuntwoman, filmmaker, and author whose work spans genres and mediums. Her debut novel, The Bridge, explores grief, neurodivergence, and spiritual transformation through emotionally driven storytelling adapted from her original screenplay.
Drawing from years in the film industry and a lifelong creative instinct, Hudson writes stories shaped not by category, but by emotional truth. She is known for crafting deeply symbolic narratives that linger in the quiet spaces between sorrow and healing.
FOR BOOK CLUBS, SUPPORT GROUPS, AND READING CIRCLES
The Bridge has found a special place in the hearts of readers walking through grief, caregiving, spiritual searching, and the quiet complexities of neurodivergence.
DISCUSSION GUIDES
If you are part of a book club, support group, or other circles exploring stories of healing, silence, or transformation, I would be honored to share a free discussion guide with you.
ORDERING FOR YOUR GROUP
The Bridge is available in paperback, hardcover, and eBook editions.
For best pricing on group orders, contact:
orders@wipfandstock.com | (541) 344-1528
You can also order through:
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Amazon.com
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Barnes & Noble (online)
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Bookshop.org
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Wipfandstock.com (direct from the publisher)
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... and wherever books are sold online
Download Free General Book Club Discussion Guide
(Includes questions for literary reflection, emotional healing, and spiritual insight. No signup required.)
This is ideal for readers who want to begin exploring quietly on their own.
