First published 2019
Ieesha plans a heist at the hair salon that just fired her. She and her boyfriend target thousands of dollars worth of hair extensions. In another story, two writers meet at night to discuss their craft, drawing from real friendship between the author and playwright August Wilson. A Japanese abbot lives quietly until a black American Buddhist arrives and challenges everything he thought he knew about enlightenment. Cab driver Arthur Whitfield picks up a wealthy passenger and decides to rob his home, learning hard lessons about gratitude. An aging English professor in Seattle encounters Phoenix Jones, a real-life costumed vigilante, and chooses to join his nighttime patrol. Johnson weaves Buddhist philosophy through five stories that move from science fiction to stark realism. Each tale examines characters at crossroads, forced to confront what they truly value and who they want to become.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: crossroads, found-family, redemption
Setting: Seattle, United States
Period: 21st Century
192 pages · Paperback · Scribner