Publication Date: September 25, 2023
Beneath the weight of four long years in confinement, a story of liberation unfolds, igniting a whirlwind of love, fear, and even hope.
Ed and Stacey’s departure from San Clemente at daybreak would prove to be much more than the start of a simple road trip.
The motorhome’s tires kissed the asphalt of Orange County goodbye as they navigated towards the sprawling, glittery embrace of Las Vegas, and their friend Pepper.
That night, amidst the clinking of chips and shuffling of cards, Ed played at the $10 Blackjack table for hours, his thoughts swirling like the gin and tonic in his glass. His mind dances between the past and reconnecting with Pepper, a symphony of melancholy notes for the years gone by.
Their visit with Pepper the next day was supposed to be short. But his dementia had gotten much worse since being admitted, and Ed didn’t have the heart to leave him behind.
So Ed, Stacey, and Pepper embark on the next leg of their road trip together, to visit more old friends at Clear Lake near Santa Rosa.
At the reunion Pepper meets Sandy Martin, and sparks fly almost instantly, putting into motion a very different life than the hospital could offer him. Because facing the unknown together is better than being alone.
But when a local psychopath hears Pepper on a radio talk show and decides he wants Pepper to be his friend, things take a very dark turn.
Everyone needs friends like Ed and Stacey. When they stop off to visit an old friend they haven’t seen in four years, they realize their road trip won’t be the same without him.
Author Scott Brody explores the rich bonds of friendship in Keeping Pepper. Once a thriving businessman, dementia has sentenced Pepper to a locked-down unit. Virtually abandoned by his wife, he jumps at the opportunity to travel again with his friends.
It’s one thing to manage a child, but when it is an adult who suffers from memory loss, even the simplest things must be addressed. Ed and Stacey want to give Pepper an adventure before his condition worsens.
A second chance at love, a radio talk show, and a dangerous stalker await Pepper on this adventure. Through it all, the theme of being able to choose is emphasized. Being locked up in a care facility may have prevented Pepper from wandering, but it was destroying his life.
The author uses richly crafted characters to bring the story to life, weaving past memories into the present.
Keeping Pepper highlights the importance of living each day to the fullest, even if it means taking risks.
Scott Brody grew up in a political home in New York, where the older generations argued about politics and supported candidates.
In the ’60s, as a teenager, he marched against the war in Vietnam, listened to Jean Shepherd on WOR and WBAI until all hours, read Ray Bradbury and Ramparts. The summer he graduated from high school, he went to Woodstock.
After college, he spent a few years in a political group similar to the one fictionally depicted in Brody’s first book, “The Org.” After that, he got into broadcasting—a career he still pursues, managing radio stations in Southern California.
Brody is happily married, has a daughter and two sons, and two grandchildren. He resides with his wife, Judy, in Southern California.
Thanks very much, Amy! Glad you liked it.
–Scott Brody