WISHES, SINS, and the WISSAHICKON CREEK by PJ Devlin – Contemporary Fiction, Americana, Short Stories

Wishes, Sins, and the Wissahickon Creek by PJ Devlin emulates the lives of fictional characters brimming with hope and promise yet living a truthful life of existence in the gorgeous setting of Pennsylvania’s Wissahickon Creek.

The book encompasses ten short stories making it a complete work of fiction. Devlin creates characters which are rich in both experience and struggle. Not only do they live in a real world created by Devlin, but her characters, a mix of children and adults, both struggle with daily, real-world issues most Americans deal with. The stories are all relatable in this sense, which makes the text come alive, page after page.

The first story, I Wish It Every Day, exists in the premise of a lasting, pseudo friendship between two women, Mary and Julia. The two past high school friends reminisce at a coffee shop one fine day, yet the meeting exists only because of a chance. The reader learns of the ladies’ lack of real friendship since the time regrettably passes without daily correspondence. Piece Man, the second in the group of short stories, creates a picture from an art piece in an art gallery. A child and an adult realize the importance of time and the fleeting speed of life. Devlin’s third story, Original Sin, captures the lives of a family devastated by death and the sins of a priest. The irony of this story exists in the mother’s wish for her son.

Wishes, Sins, and the Wissahickon Creek continues with beautiful settings and attention to detail in the depiction of every scene.

Devlin’s attention to detail and superb storytelling acumen invites readers to live in these ten short stories, as if they are truly part of the text. Each story represents new characters and new dilemmas. The unique tie to the ten stories is the setting of Pennsylvania and the eastern United States. The strong and determined people of Wissahickon may suffer, yet they pick themselves up and move on, much like the determination and perseverance of middle-class Americans. Devlin skillfully captures the true spirit of twenty-first century middle Americana.

Readers whose interests lie in middle America or Americana contemporary literature will enjoy this award-winning collection of short stories. Understanding the human dilemma as told by one who lives in the Wissahickon Creek area brings authenticity that readers will surely appreciate.

Wishes, Sins, and the Wissahickon River by PJ Devlin won 1st Place in the 2018 CIBA Somerset Book Awards for Contemporary, Literary, and Satire Fiction.