Title: Pudding Jones
Author: D. C. Juris
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novella (58 pages)
Publisher: Wilde City Press, July 31, 2013
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Mandingo
Blurb: Award-winning reporter Emmer Richfield is the kind of guy who covers wars, the kind of guy who asks the hard-hitting questions. He is not—and he’s certain about this—the kind of guy who does sappy human-interest stories about homeless people. But, his newest assignment is not just any human-interest story. It’s a mandate from the mayor: convince the people of Dodson that Foxton Industries’ plan to build a mall—and oust the homeless population—is a bad idea by way of a feature on a homeless man named Pudding Jones. But Pudding quickly goes from just another story to a man who changes Emmer’s life. The question is, can Emmer return the favor before it’s too late?
Purchase Link: https://www.wildecity.com/books/gay-mainstream/pudding-jones/#.UkiiuIYWL-Q
Review: Okay so the blurb doesn’t give away plot lines and I certainly will not as I talk about this story. This is a well-written and heart-felt short story about a man, Emmer, who is irrevocably changed by meeting another man, Pudding Jones. The story is about a sweet and tender relationship and there are many dips and turns that will surprise you as you read. Learning about Pudding is heart-breaking. Watching Emmer evolve is awe-inspiring. Seeing them together is touching. This is also a story that peels back some of the fallacies of our homeless population and makes them real people instead of indispensable ‘things’ whom the larger population chooses to ignore. The story makes you think about who you are as a person and if you are really doing enough and if you are really as good as you think you are. This is a story that will end leaving you thinking about the possibilities of what was and what could have been. While I didn’t expect the ending, it was fitting.
I wanted to give the story a 4 and then realized that I was doing so because of an expectation that I had. That would be totally unfair to the ‘story.’ The story is an extremely good and well written one. So as an honest reviewer, it has to get a 5. Not OMG because I SO loved everything about it, but a 5 because oh so well written and I believe the author meant for us to think and question and well, DC … achieved that in spades. Nicely done!
Great Job Made me want to read it!