An Amazon best-selling beach read novel set in Ocean City, Maryland.
Perfect for readers who enjoy Mary Kay Andrews and Elin Hilderbrand.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IngramSpark | BookShop.Org
A message from Alissa
April 14, 2026
Dear Reader,
Welcome to Seagull Street: That Summer in Ocean City, Maryland, was published on May 24, 2025… so that meant that I wasn’t able to sign up for many book signings last spring. I’m super excited to be attending these book events!
Upcoming Book Signings!
Saturday, April 25, 2026, 10AM-1:30PM
Maryland Day Terp Author Book Fair
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Note revised time for the author book fair.
DETAILS
Saturday, May 9, 2026, 2-7PM
Pints & Pages Taproom Book Fair
Heavy Seas, Halethorpe, MD
DETAILS
Saturday, May 30, 2026, 11AM-3PM
Simply Written Here, Vacation Edition
Simply Made Here, Catonsville, MD
DETAILS
Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 7PM
Author Book Talk & Signing
Queen Takes Book, Columbia, MD
DETAILS & RSVP
Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 6:30-8PM
Author Book Signing Event
Bethany Beach Books, Bethany Beach, DE
DETAILS
Amazon Book Listing: Paperback ($17.99), Kindle ($5.99), Kindle Unlimited (Free with Subscription), Audible ($7.99). Note that Welcome to Seagull Street is not available in large text but Amazon won’t remove the designation. WTSS (paperback) hit #50 in the Contemporary American Fiction category and the Kindle version hit #11 in early January!
IngramSpark Print-On-Demand: Print-on-demand paperback copies of Welcome to Seagull Street ($19.99) are available directly from IngramSpark (my printshop) and the book quality is better than what you get from Amazon. Note that all of my books sold at Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and indie bookstores, are sourced from IngramSpark.
Bookshop.org Book Listing: When you purchase a book from Bookshop.org, you’re supporting local bookstores! (These books are sourced from IngramSpark.)
REVIEWS: If you’ve read WTSS, please consider leaving a rating or review on Amazon or Goodreads. The only way more people will find the book is by having a lot of ratings! It’s the algorithm. If you’re wondering if you’ll like WTSS, please read my blog article, “Why we love the books we love.“
BOOK CLUB DISCUSSIONS: I’ve had a blast joining so many book club discussions either virtually or locally in Maryland over the past few months. If you’d like me to join, send email to alissa@alissaarford.com and I’ll check my availability. Here are some additional discussion questions to complement those in the book.
SUPPORT LOCAL BOOK SHOPS!
The following Maryland and Delaware bookshops sell signed copies of Welcome to Seagull Street. Note: before shopping, please contact the shop to make sure they have signed copies in stock!
Raggamuffin Boutique (24th Street, Ocean City, Maryland)
Book Cover Artist Marc Emond’s Shop!
Bethany Beach Books (99 Garfield Parkway, Delaware)
Second Edition Books (6490 Dobbin Rd, Columbia, Maryland)
Queen Takes Book (6955 Oakland Mills Rd, Columbia, Maryland)
Caprichos Books (Opening soon in a new location in Snow Hill, Maryland!)
Book Overview
Welcome to Seagull Street:
That Summer in Ocean City, Maryland
A novel by Alissa Arford
That summer in Ocean City, Maryland… What if starting over meant facing everything you thought you’d left behind?
In Ocean City, the summer sun doesn’t just shine, it sparkles with potential. Sunrises over the waves, sunsets melting into the bay. The Boardwalk buzzes with energy. Ice cream melts too fast. Strangers meet. Hearts break and mend. And under the two watchful eyes of a pair of oddball seagulls, anything can happen. During a summer like this one, the possibilities feel limitless.
Just a couple blocks from the crashing waves and soft sand, on a quiet little bayside street, three lives are about to tangle in ways that will change them forever.
Rachel “Ray” Anders is a cybersecurity analyst specializing in election security, working behind the scenes to help protect the integrity of the voting process. After losing so much during the pandemic, she retreats to her grandparents’ old beach house on Seagull Street, hoping to disappear for a while. No connections. No noise. Just her dog Charlie, the water, her thoughts, and the steady comfort of birds overhead.
Then Olivia McNalley moves in next door.
A fast-talking, big-hearted third-grade teacher turned summer waitress, Olivia is rebuilding after a divorce that left her shaken and watchful. Her ex-husband didn’t just change, he radicalized. Pulled deep into online forums and grievance-fueled “patriot” fantasies, he became someone Olivia no longer recognized… or felt safe around. Ocean City is supposed to be her reset. What she doesn’t expect is an instant, easy friendship with Ray, or the realization that home might be something she can choose for herself.
Enter Evan Michaels: an Eastern Shore native, marketing manager by day, surfer by weekend, and friend-to-all by default. Newly single and learning to redefine his own story, Evan sees what others don’t: the way Ray flinches when someone gets too close, and how Olivia’s bright smile hides something darker.
Then things start to unravel.
Catfishing. Theft. A boardwalk tram hijacking. And threats that hit far too close to home. As the summer heats up, so does the tension, and the past each of them thought they’d left behind begins creeping back like the next high tide.
In a summer of second chances, can three unlikely allies rewrite their stories… or will everything they’ve built wash away before Labor Day?
Told like a multi-POV diary of summer 2023 (covering all of the craziness of that summer: emerging from COVID lockdown, Barbenheimer, and social issues), with warmth, wit, and a touch of suspense, Welcome to Seagull Street is a post-pandemic slice-of-life beach read where romance, mystery, and unexpected friendship collide. Through it all, two peculiar seagulls—one with a missing foot, the other with a beak that curves just so—keep silent watch from the rooftops, witnesses to every twist, turn, and truth revealed.
| What it is… | What it isn’t… |
| – A love letter to Ocean City, MD – Meet-cute, slow-burn romance – Character-driven mystery with conspiracy-theorist antagonist – Contemporary, grounded fiction – Post-pandemic slice-of-life, multi-POV – Found family and friendships – Pop culture rich, time capsule of 2023 | – Escapist, timeless – Just a beach read – Just a romance – Just a mystery – Romantasy – Supernatural – Insta-love or super spicy – Thriller / Horror |
Book Details:
Title: Welcome to Seagull Street
Subtitle: That Summer in Ocean City, Maryland
Author: Alissa Arford
Editor: Malory Wood
Cover Art: Marc Emond
Publisher: Red Hill Creek Enterprises, LLC
Publication Date: May 24, 2025
Length: 366 Pages
Language: English
Format: Paperback and eBook
Availability: Amazon and IngramSpark
Paperback:
ISBN: 979-8-9985299-1-7
MSRP: $19.99
Kindle:
ISBN: 979-8-9985299-0-0
Price: $5.99 USD
Kindle Unlimited: $0.00 with Subscription
Audiobook:
Audible Stand Alone: $7.99 USD
Kindle Add-on: $1.99 USD
Note that the audio book uses Amazon’s new virtual voice technology
BUY NOW!
Paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, Audiobook on Amazon
Purchase Paperback Print-on-Demand, Direct from IngramSpark
Paperback on Barnes & Noble
Paperback at BookShop.Org (USA Today)
Booksellers & Libraries: Order in bulk from IngramSpark (PDF)
Audiobook on Audible
About the Author
Alissa Arford is a Maryland-based writer, marketing strategist, and lifelong storyteller. A proud third-generation Terp, she earned both her journalism degree and executive MBA from the University of Maryland. Her career spans journalism, digital marketing, branding, and B2B technology, with leadership roles across tech consulting firms, SaaS companies, nonprofits, and higher education.
Through her marketing and strategy consulting work, she helps organizations clarify their message, build stronger brands, and develop marketing strategies that drive measurable growth. She advises B2B tech firms, Salesforce and HubSpot partners, and mission-driven organizations on brand positioning, content strategy, and demand generation.
Alissa is also the author of Welcome to Seagull Street, a novel inspired by the people, places, and traditions of Ocean City, Maryland, where many of her favorite childhood memories were made. Her writing blends nostalgia, community, and a touch of mystery… capturing the charm of Maryland’s beloved beach town and the stories that unfold there.
Find out more About Alissa:
Work History | Areas of Expertise | Sample Work | Recommendations
Alissa’s Recent Blog Posts
Reflections on writing, publishing, and life.
What Changes When You Write Your Second Novel
Stories tend to take the time they need, and part of the process is learning to respect that. In the meantime, I’m enjoying the strange and wonderful experience of living inside the next chapter of Seagull Street.
The Season Before the Dream
Dreams don’t disappear just because they’re postponed. Sometimes they’re quietly gathering strength, waiting for their runway. I always wanted to write a novel. I just couldn’t afford to for many years. Not because I lacked ideas. Not because I lacked discipline. Not because I didn’t care enough. I couldn’t afford the risk: the time, the…
Why the World Feels Heavier If You’re Empathetic
Not everyone experiences the world this way, and that matters. Some people can witness injustice without feeling it lodge in their bodies, and that doesn’t make them uncaring. But for those of us who do feel it deeply, there’s often an innate reason we take these moments so seriously. Sensitivity isn’t something we decided to…
Simply Written Here: The Valentine’s Day Edition
Following the success of previous events, Simply Written Here: The Valentine’s Day Edition brings readers and authors together for a cozy, creative celebration just in time for Valentine’s Day. This special pop-up will feature a thoughtfully curated group of local Maryland authors, with a focus on romance.
2025: The Year of the Seagull
What a year! When Welcome to Seagull Street: That Summer in Ocean City, Maryland officially launched on May 24 and I had no idea what kind of whirlwind 2025 would become but you all made it unforgettable. Book Launch & First Readers Welcome to Seagull Street took flight in the spring and from the very…
Celebrate Local Authors at the Carroll County Farmers Market, Nov 1!
Celebrate Maryland’s creative community at the 2025 Local Authors Day in Westminster! Meet local writers, explore handmade crafts, and enjoy the charm of the Carroll County Farmers Market — plus get your signed copy of Welcome to Seagull Street by Alissa Arford.
Local Book Festival Brings Together Maryland Authors for a Holiday Celebration
Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 15, 2025, when 18 local authors will gather in the heart of Catonsville, Maryland, for a cozy, book-lover’s celebration to celebrate the upcoming holiday season.
Perspectives: Why We Love the Books We Love
Have you ever struggled to finish a book that a friend guaranteed you’d love, and wondered if you even read the same story? Psychologists often describe our preferences as mirrors. The stories we love reflect parts of ourselves—our fears, hopes, memories, and beliefs. We see ourselves in the characters we cheer for (or against), in…
The Longest Table: Breaking Bread, Building Connection
On Saturday, October 4, 2025, I attended The Longest Table, a community dinner hosted by the Howard County Library System in partnership with Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland. The concept was simple but powerful: gather with neighbors, share a meal, and engage in meaningful conversation with people you’ve never met before.
Recap of 2025 Oceans Calling Music Festival
The third annual Oceans Calling Music Festival lit up the Ocean City Boardwalk from September 26–28, 2025, drawing nearly 55,000 fans each day to the beach for three unforgettable days of music and memories in Ocean City, Maryland.
The Soundtrack of Welcome to Seagull Street
In Welcome to Seagull Street: That Summer in Ocean City, Maryland, music runs through the lives of two characters in particular: Olivia and Evan. Their playlists couldn’t be more different, but both remind us that songs can shape the way we see the world, and ourselves.
With the Oceans Calling Music Festival happening next weekend…
From Seagull Street to a New Chapter: Kindle Unlimited
Whether you’re a paperback-in-the-sand kind of reader, an audiobook-on-the-go listener, or someone who swipes through pages on your Kindle, Seagull Street is ready for you!
Kindle Unlimited Is Coming Soon!
When Welcome to Seagull Street: That Summer in Ocean City Maryland, first launched, I decided to keep it “wide,” meaning readers could buy the ebook on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and other platforms. But this September, I’ll be trying something new: putting the ebook into Kindle Unlimited (KU) through Amazon’s KDP Select program.
Simply Written Here: A Maryland Authors Event, Sept 6, 2025
Join us for Simply Written Here: A Maryland Authors Event on Saturday, September 6, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Simply Made Here (2302 Frederick Road, Catonsville, MD). This free book festival brings together more than a dozen local authors from Maryland, offering readers the chance to discover new books, enjoy author signings,…
Welcome to Seagull Street — Now in Audiobook!
I’m so excited to share that Welcome to Seagull Street: That Summer in Ocean City, Maryland, is now available in audiobook format! Perfect for road trips, commutes, beach walks, or while you’re soaking up the last of summer. You can get the audiobook version on Amazon or Audible and if you already own the Kindle…
Signed Copies of Welcome to Seagull Street
Wherever and however you buy it, thank you for reading and for cheering on this seagull-sized dream! If you have read the book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads, which is the most helpful thing readers can do for me as an indie author. There’s no spin machine. It’s just me praying…
White Marlin Open: Living the OCMD Summer of 2023 Right Now in 2025
One of the things I loved most while writing Welcome to Seagull Street was staying true to the real summer rhythm of Ocean City, Maryland, in 2023. I wanted readers to feel like they were really there, sweating in the salt air, walking down the Boardwalk, and enjoying their favorite beachy food, drinks, and activities.
Let’s Talk Seagull Street: Discussion Ideas for Your Book Club
One of my favorite things about writing Welcome to Seagull Street has been hearing how it sparks conversation about the unexpected twists life throws our way. Whether you’re in a long-standing book club or just getting a few friends together over coffee (or cocktails), here are some questions and topics to explore after reading to…
Two Months Since Launch… Feels Like Forever!
It’s been two whole months since Welcome to Seagull Street officially launched on May 24 and if you had told me on release day how much would happen in just eight weeks, I wouldn’t have believed you!
AlissaArford.com 