Once the Kudzu Climbs — A Novel
Once the Kudzu Climbs — A Novel
A story about the power of belief, music, and the ideas that grow beyond us.
PREORDER: Paperback releases October 27, 2026.
What happens when the stories you've always been told to accept begin to unravel?
Set in Birmingham, Alabama, Once the Kudzu Climbs follows Cody and a cast of intersecting voices as questions about religion, race, politics, history, identity, and power draw them into a world where ideas can take on lives of their own.
Terence Jordan's debut literary novel explores music, faith, ambition, addiction, love, and community, as well as the dangerous distance between searching for truth and controlling the stories people believe.
Read the novel. Hear the story.
The book includes access to The Kudzu Audio Companion, 25 original songs, poems, and performances woven into the reading experience. Tracks 01–06 are available to preview now; the remaining tracks are scheduled for release by October 27. The paperback includes a QR code so you can listen on your phone as you read.
Preview the Kudzu Audio Companion →
Paperback details
- Written by Terence Jordan
- 248 pages, matte paperback, 5 × 8 inches
- Publication date: October 27, 2026
- ISBN: 979-8-9979064-0-5
- Published by The Candler Off Candler
Estimated preorder ship date: October 27, 2026. We expect to begin shipping once our first print shipment arrives, with October 27 as our current target. This is an estimated shipping date, not a guaranteed delivery date. We will notify customers if fulfillment timing changes.
For bookstores and book clubs: IngramSpark distribution is enabled for the paperback. For group orders or event inquiries, email hello@thecandleroffcandler.com.
Explore the story behind the novel
Curious how Birmingham and the original audio companion shape the reading experience? Read our introduction to Once the Kudzu Climbs and its music companion before preordering.