$300 FIRST PRIZE
Finish-the-Story Contest
What’s better than reading a mystery on a shivery autumn evening? Maybe sitting down and writing a clever ending of your own—for this story!
If your entry is selected as the Finish-the-Story Contest winner, we’ll publish it in the April/May issue of Country Woman. Runners-up will be published on our Web site.
Even better, you might earn a cash prize—$300 for first place, $200 for second place or $100 for third place.
So, put on your detective’s cap and read over Mark Hagen’s story (left). Then weave your cleverest clues and red herrings into an ending and send it in!
Contest Rules
- This contest is open to anyone, with no purchase necessary.
- All entries must be 150 words or less, typed and double-spaced, with your name, address and daytime phone number (plus E-mail address if applicable) at the top of the page. Entries sent via E-mail must be attached as Microsoft Word documents.
- “Finish-the-Story Contest” must be used as the subject line (for E-mailed entries), or written on the envelope.
- The Country Woman staff will select the three winners, and announce them in our April/May issue, with cash prizes of $300, $200 and $100.
- The contest deadline is December 1, 2008. E-mailed entries must be received and mailed entries must be postmarked by that date. E-mail to editors@countrywoman
magazine.com or mail to: Country Woman, 5400 S. 60th St., Greendale WI 53129. - All entries become property of Reiman Media Group and cannot be returned. By submitting an entry, you grant Reiman Media Group, Inc., its parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners and licensees use of the material, including your name, town and state. We reserve the right to modify, reproduce and distribute material in any medium and in any manner or appropriate place. We may contact you by phone, E-mail or mail regarding your entry.
- Contest is governed by laws of the USA. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Void where prohibited. Total number of entries expected: 1,000-1,300.
The Great Cupcake Caper
By Mark Hagen
West Allis, Wisconsin
Molly Malloy couldn’t believe her luck–or lack of it. Her wonderful friends in the garden club, the Lilies of the Valley, had such faith in her that they’d asked her to enter her cupcakes in the town bake-off, already planning a “dream greenhouse” with the cash prize.
But a series of unlucky interruptions had left her rushed, and now she was hoping not to let her friends down.
“My Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes won’t win a cent without this,” Molly sighed as she looked at an empty jam jar. “I guess I’ll try grape jelly in the filling instead of my traditional strawberry jam.”
As the goodies baked, Molly checked the kitchen clock again. She preferred using her grandmother’s butter cream frosting when she had the luxury of time. But with the judging at noon, a can of cream cheese frosting would have to do.
“Where are those famous cupcakes?” an enthusiastic voice soon called through the screen door. It was Dottie Brookes, the liveliest—and loudest—of the Lilies. Molly adored her, but laughed at the question. She was too modest to consider anything from her kitchen “famous.” Popular, perhaps—her baking had earned three blue ribbons over the years.
“Mmm…these cupcakes are winners for sure,” Dottie said, entering the kitchen and giving Molly a hug.
“You made the PB&J ones we’re all crazy about, right?”
Before Molly could answer, her husband, Del, walked in, fresh from the wheat field. “What beauties!” he said, giving Molly a peck on the cheek. “You and Dottie look nice, too, honey,” he added with a boyish grin, reaching toward the cupcakes.
“Don’t!” the women cried in unison.
Del laughed. “That’s right—they’re for the contest, although, I’m not sure why you went to the trouble,” he teased. “Everyone knows that Sam from my sportsmen’s club is going to win.”
Stiff Competition
What Molly was to the Lilies of the Valley, Sam Peters was to the sportsmen. They were convinced his Marshmallow Brownies would claim the bake-off prize, and planned to put the money toward a chartered fishing trip.
“Besides,” Del continued, “your cupcakes have already won a few times. Maybe someone else should get a crack at it this year.”
“Well, it’s not going to be Sam Peters,” Dottie volleyed back. “You boys can save his brownies for your next fishing trip. They’ll be perfect for bait.”
“Enough, you two,” Molly interrupted, smiling. “Dottie, pick out the five best cupcakes for judging and get them ready. I’ll get my coat.”
Dottie selected the prettiest and set them on a serving plate. Molly gave Del a quick good-bye hug, and he promised to meet her in town for the judging after he cleaned up a bit.
The town hall was buzzing when the women arrived. Dottie took the platter of cupcakes to the judging table while Molly filled out an entry form and greeted the friendly faces around her. The men from the sportsmen’s club were there, as were the other Lilies of the Valley—Della, Charlotte, Velma and Kay.
Eventually, Molly made her way to the judging table. “No worries, sugar,” Dottie whispered. “Sam’s brownies look like roofing shingles topped with shaving cream.”
The two surveyed the other entries, but stopped in their tracks when they came to Molly’s platter. It was empty!
Vanishing Act
“Where are they?” Molly gasped.
“I…I don’t know,” Dottie sputtered. “They were there 10 minutes ago.”
“Well, I made 2 dozen, so let’s just grab some more,” Molly said calmly. “Where’d you put the rest?”
“Oh, no!” Dottie exclaimed. “I forgot about the bake sale after the judging. I only brought the five!”
A frantic search began. It wasn’t long before the other Lilies joined the hunt, as did Del, who’d just arrived in the pickup.
Sheriff Bosley soon came on the scene. “What’s going on?” he asked, popping the last of a golden pastry into his mouth.
The garden club members rushed him. “Molly’s delicious cupcakes are missing,” Dottie blurted.
“Yes, the ones with the cream cheese frosting,” Della explained.
“And grape filling,” said Charlotte, as Velma nodded. “That’s grape jelly,” Kay clarified, seeing the sheriff reach for his notepad.
Even Sam Peters graciously added, “Maybe we should postpone the contest.”
Molly looked at Del, who gave her a wink. “Never mind, sheriff,” she chuckled. “I think I know exactly what happened to the cupcakes.”
Do you want to know how this mystery ends?
Enter our Finish-the-Story Contest (see the rules above right), and you tell us what became of those cupcakes.