Plastic Jesus and Other Stories

Book excerpt: PLASTIC JESUS AND OTHER STORIES covers a range of genres, including fantasy, mystery, and romance in a collection of 13 stories to be consumed either straight-up or, most often, with a twist. From the title story, where the inanimate dashboard Jesus animates his surrounding characters (and himself) in unexpected ways, to the surprise in "Chance" that awaits Charles in the aftermath of his winning the prestigious National Integrity Award, the stories each deliver their own sensibility, quirkiness, and punch. A long-lost love is touchingly rekindled in "Edward and Stella," while a health nut about to receive special recognition doesn't realize what's about to hit her in "The Award," and life lessons are learned for more than just the participants in "The Affair." Can witchcraft actually play a role in drastically upsetting people's lives in "The New Neighbors," or are some things "...just terrible coincidences," as the witch Wyndsong proclaims? Then, there's "Destiny," with a female entrepreneur about to sell her successful business and move on to what's next (which comes as a devastating disclosure to her family), "The Hunt," about whether the deer belong on Deer Island or not (and who gets to decide), and "The Dowry," when young love in another culture can be fatally misunderstood. Through these varied and wonderful tales we get a vision of the wonderful world of Judith Ets-Hokin.