Biscayne Bay, Florida - Present Day

Clarence “Woody” Woods has a pretty nice life. The assistant dockmaster at the Trade Winds Yacht Club, Woody lives with the elderly aunt who raised him after his parents died, and is restoring his own boat, that he will eventually use to sail solo around the world. Then Woody meets two people who change his world. Or rather, one person, and one fish.

Madalina is the gorgeous new waitress at the yacht club, and after a slightly embarrassing first meeting, Woody tries to impress her, with lackluster results. Then, while trying to help out one of the yacht club’s members, Woody catches a very unusual fish. One that talks to Woody. The fish explains that his name is Raymond Prince, a used-car salesman who, after being caught with another woman by his wife, was cursed into the body of a fish. Preferring to be called The Prince, the fish offers Woody anything he desires. Being a down-to-earth, simple kind of guy, Woody asks for two simple favors: for his beat-up truck to be a bit more reliable, and for some help wooing Madalina.

When his wishes come true, Woody decides that he doesn’t want his relationship with Madalina to start off with a lie, so he tells her about The Prince. Being of gypsy blood, Madalina believes what even Woody thinks is a somewhat -- pardon the pun -- fishy story, but the beauty asks Woody for tangible proof. Soon Woody is making one outrageous wish after another, and his simple life is becoming a bit too complicated.

HOOKED is a humorous if somewhat fantastical tale. Woody is a sweet, naïve young man who has no idea what he’s caught -- either with The Prince or Madalina. Before long, his reality in no way matches the life he knew before, and Woody finds himself floundering. Other characters include Woody’s Aunt Katherine, a retired school teacher who now spends her time as an environmental activist along with her best friend Dorothy; Dorothy’s granddaughter, Kristin; a few other people who work at the yacht club, and Todd Hollings, the rich and spoiled son of a local real estate magnate, who becomes a catalyst for Madalina’s ambitions.

A light-hearted comedy, check out HOOKED.

Jennifer Bishop