The Commandments

Bram Stoker Award nominee 2006.

The collection opens as Rev. Sutton Conway acquires a biblical artifact – a copy of the Ten Commandments written in Hebrew-Phoenician script dated at 2500 years old. Ten stories, each formulated around a commandment, then unfold, followed by the conclusion.

Features:

No Other Gods: I. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Kel and Barbara Davis have a hard time compromising on what they believe. Kel attends Rev. Conway’s church. Barbara is a Catholic. Kel has a problem with Barbara’s devotion to the Mother Mary.

Graven Image: II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images. Kali is from India but is married to an American. One of her most treasured reminders of home is an idol of the goddess Kali [whom she was named after] that belonged to her deceased grandmother.

The Name: III. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Ruthie Ann, the family matriarch, must constantly remind her no-good son Earl, not to blaspheme Christ’s name.

Them Dry Bones: IV. Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy. Elias must dig two graves on Sunday, after church, as there are two funerals scheduled for Monday. While digging the first grave, he encounters three mysterious coffins.

The Void: V. Honor thy father and thy mother. In “The Void”, the reader encounters a sassy teenager named Allie. Allie has a definite attitude problem and has forgotten that it is a wise thing to respect one’s parents.

Hogwash: VI. Thou shalt not kill. Ronald is a crotchety old coot who makes extra money from his farm by producing “product” for the Chunky Canine Can-o-licious Dog Food Company. Until he runs into a trespasser on his farm.

The Parting Gift: VII. Thou shalt not commit adultery. In “The Parting Gift”, good church-going Derrek has a dirty secret. He has a mistress who is also a hooker.

Handy’s Pawn & Gold: VIII. Thou shalt not steal. In the story, “Handy’s Pawn & Gold”, an ancient Mayan vase turns out to be more than it appears to be.

Retriever: IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor [Thou shalt not lie]. Brian and Peter are old friends who spend their golden years together, just as they have throughout their long lives. Until Brian leaves town.

Keeping Up With the Joneses: X. Thou shalt not thy neighbor’s house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s. Greg lives next to super couple Norman and Bev Jones. Greg covets and lusts after Norman’s sexy wife, often fantasizing about her.

"In the ever-growing popularity of religious genre fiction, Angeline Hawkes-Craig stands out as someone special. THE COMMANDMENTS is a righteous testament to both faith and plain good storytelling!" – Charlee Jacob , Stoker-winning author of Dread in the Beast

"Angeline Hawkes-Craig has finally given readers what they want... more than just a taste. In The Commandments she again offers intelligent, entertaining, forceful storytelling that will compel you to read cover to cover in a single sitting. A wonderful way to spend a day." – John Paul Allen, author of Gifted Trust & Weeping Mary

"In The Commandments, Angeline Hawkes-Craig skillfully choreographs the dance of ten stories around a bone-chilling narrative." – Lucien Soulban, author of Blood In, Blood Out