Peggy Contest Update

At long last it's time for the Peggy Finds A Friend writing contest.

If you have stayed with Peggy this far, congratulations, and thank you for reading. The second-to-last episode, Part Sixty-Nine, was posted Nov 2. Part Seventy, when it is published, will be the end of the story.

I've been saying all along that I would like readers to propose an ending to the story. If you've been reading you now know the choices: does Peggy go to Massachusetts for a one-year residency at Woods Hole, or does she move in with Raoul? Part Seventy, the final episode, will answer that question.

Here's the setting of the final episode: it will be a party at Raoul's house. I don't know the complete menu, but I do know that he will make Pumpkin Crème Brulee and there will be pictures of him carmelizing the sugar with his new kitchen torch. There will be lots of music. The party will either be a housewarming for Peggy because she just moved in, or it will be a going away party. Either way, Peggy will be happy with her decision. Even though this story is basically about grief, we want it to have a happy ending. The question is, what is her decision, and, most importantly, why?

And what about the others? In my opinion, Luke is still a question mark. He could end up with Paula or Florence. In spite of Paula's tough talk I think she still has a soft spot for Luke. On the other hand, Luke may not deserve Paula. As for Florence, if Peggy goes to Woods Hole, then Florence could perhaps end up with Raoul! Who knows. That's for you to decide. Kelly is fairly simple; he will be there with his new friend, Xena, who is one of Raoul's bandmates. They met at a previous party and Kelly went misty-eyed on us.

I'm imagining a fun scene, one where the clues lead both ways, and the resolution doesn't come until the very end. Your input on this will be critical.

Don't forget, I'm giving away a $100 dollar Book Sense bookstore certificate to the reader who proposes the resolution that best fits the story and the characters. I may use a panel of judges to determine this; I'm not sure yet.

To submit an entry, go to Writing Contest.

To read the complete story, send a request to comments@billbranley.com.

Thank you for reading Peggy Finds A Friend.

Bill Branley