The Wit and Wisdom of G.M. Ford

Crime writer G.M. Ford–“Jerry” to most people who know him–is one of the more colorful characters in the business. Even though he hasn’t written a “funny” book in several years (since he switched from writing the Leo Waterman books to the Frank Corso novels) conventions still persist in putting Ford on the humor panel. Which does make some sense since he has a tendency to keep audience in stitches, when he’s not delivering the truth about the publishing world as he knows it, in the most bullshit-free way possible.

The Tacoma News Tribune features a long interview with Ford, who is not only a successful crime writer, but a successful high school teacher at an alternative school in the Seattle area:

“I enjoy seeing the kids,” Ford said. “It’s like watching flowers bloom. They’re unfinished works.”

Ford teaches language arts and current world issues. His students read the newspapers and discuss world politics. He makes sure to balance his left-leaning opinions with more conservative thoughts from others on the faculty.

This year, Ford’s students read Upton Sinclair’s classic “The Jungle,” about the meatpacking industry, out loud in class. Then he had them read “Fast Food Nation,” the recent indictment of the fast food industry by Eric Schlosser.

“I’ve got kids who haven’t been back to McDonald’s since,” Ford quips.

“He’s a good teacher. But he’s hard,” says Black River sophomore Myhesha Marley. “The reason is, he wants you to succeed.”

Kids say Ford – a big man who dresses in black, shaves his head and boasts a spectacular dragon tattoo that fully covers his left biceps – runs a tight ship. Sleep in class, and you’re out, they say. Others insist he runs not just his classroom, but the entire school.

“You don’t make him mad,” says junior Riva McMiller. “You’re either on his good side or his bad side. There’s nothing in between.”

Ford also recently married fellow mystery writer Skye Kathleen Moody, who was asked time and time again how she “changed” Ford. She explains, “He’s got that New York street kid exterior,” she said. “Those are his origins. Yet he has a heart of gold.” The story of how they met is pretty funny as well:

Moody and Ford, who married in April, met while they both were teaching at the UW.

“Students would go to Jerry and say, ‘You’re a much better instructor than Skye, and a better writer,’” she said. “Then they’d come to me and say, ‘You’re much better than Jerry.’

“We decided we had to meet.”

After running up a $169 bill at a Seattle martini bar, they decided they were right for each other.

As a martini fan, I can appreciate that kind of tale…