In the movie ‘The Poseidon Adventure,’ one of the characters sings a song, ‘The Morning After.’ It was a way for the people making the movie to let people know even after surviving the horrific events depicted in the movie the characters, and their stories, lived on. Just what kind of lives they enjoyed was left to the movie viewer to make up on their own.

When writing 'Grace,' I came to a point where I realized were she to stay in England as Grace and return Christopher’s affection, whatever happiness they might enjoy in the short term would, in time, lead to difficulties that were insurmountable given the world in which the story took place. By facing reality, Grace made a sacrifice that was painful, but, in the long, run necessary, for it allowed each to pursue a life that was not over shadowed by something that even today is seen by many as an abomination. I expect many readers will disagree with this last point. That view is understandable, until you place the characters within the context of the society they were a part of.

To me the unwritten chapter, the one following the conclusion, is just as important was the story itself. When closing a story I always ask myself, “What comes next for the characters?” There are occasions where I leave it to the reader to write the final chapter in the lives of my characters, as I did in ‘Caitlin.’ In ‘Inconvenient Truths,’ I strongly hinted at a happy ending but did not close the deal, again allowing the reader to come to his or her own conclusion. The approach I used when writing ‘No Greater Love’ was quite different. For the life of me I could not see how a Gerhart and Valerie could find happiness in post-war Europe, provided he was able to accept her once he discovered the truth. While the ending of that story was brutally grim, it was also bitter sweet in that it allowed each to hold onto a dream that was, for them, as near perfect as either could imagine in the world they lived in.

I do have some happy endings. Through careful manipulation, I was able to bring ‘A Lion in Waiting’ to what amounted to a happy ending. Even ‘While the Band Played Waltzing Matilda’ had a happy ending, though the characters endured many a grueling trial getting there.

I guess what I am saying here is what I like to see in stories, both those I write as well as those I read, is for the author to give some thought to the chapter he or she does not write, the one that follows the words, ‘The End.’ Often times it is the most important one in the entire book.

Any who, that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it. So until next time, write on!

HW Coyle