Write a Story Statement: Navigating a family journey in America, Sylvia has to overcome a Father who walks out on her, negotiate the anger of her mother and the demons of her brother while trying to make a way for herself as her world crumbles around her. At every turn, Sylvia is beating back a challenge to have her family live the American dream, a fight that ends with the ultimate sacrifice, and begets a mystery that her son, with the help of a friend, have to unravel.
Sketch the antagonist or antagonistic force in your story (200 words or less): Sylvia faces obstacles in life that are soul crushing. Her idyllic family journey toward the American dream is shaken when her father unceremoniously walks out. The abandonment hollows out her otherwise fierce mother. Anger and resentment well up in her mother, and drive her brother to seek solace in pain numbing illicit drugs. They each lash out at one another while trying to drag Sylvia down in the mire where they have sunk. The harmony and security Sylvia once felt within her family and home is gone, replaced by tension and intermittent terror. Sylvia fights to keep moving forward to elevate herself above her circumstances. Meanwhile, outside forces conspire to test her resolve every step of the way. Her beloved nephew, child of the rebellious 60s, gets caught up in the emerging drug culture, gets help, but eventually succumbs to his addiction and dies of an overdose. Further complicating matters, her oldest brother, the Father of this nephew, has married into the family that is the ruthless drug syndicate responsible for distributing this poison in their neighborhoods. Her brother works for his brother in law, Tomas, who is the leader of these drug lords. Tomas is cold and calculating and fails to appreciate or accept responsibility for the events that leads to his nephew’s death. It is an inconvenient circumstance of his business affairs. Sylvia calls him out on this convenient disassociation to no avail. Seeking revenge for this betrayal of family, Sylvia goes to the FBI to drop a dime on Tomas and his organization. Opening this door, puts her brother in harm’s way. He dies in a mysterious accident at work, which Sylvia believes is the work of Tomas and his minions. Tomas denies any involvement when Sylvia confronts him once again. The FBI eventually convicts Tomas and some of his brothers. Upon his release years later, Tomas secretly threatens Sylvia’s son. Sylvia responding to Tomas’ threat sacrifices herself by seeking him out. Tomas metes out his revenge and arranges for another accident taking Sylvia’s life. Sylvia’s son is left to unpack the past and solve the mystery of who killed his mother and why, setting off another round of revenge with a twist.
Create a breakout title: “Familia—an American Story of Betrayal and Revenge”; “Familia—a Mother’s Revenge”; “Familia—an American pursuit of life, liberty and revenge”
Comparables: genre is thriller, mystery, suspense. Authors: Harlan Coben because he introduces a problem to start his books…a lost child, an unsolved murder...and then goes back in time through the eyes of his lead character to unpack the mystery, all the while running into obstacles and roadblocks to the truth. Robert Parker—quick character sketches, with short and smart dialogue, all the while winding through dynamic conflicts to solve a mystery.
Hook-line: A son searches for the truth behind the ‘accident’ that took his mother’s life. With the help of a childhood friend, a former FBI Special agent, he unpacks a lifetime of family struggle, conflict and ultimately, a blood trail of betrayal and revenge.
Other matters of conflict: Dysfunctional family dynamics, racial/social prejudice, the unrelenting laws of the concrete jungle challenge Sylvia as she strives for the American Dream. Money and power trump incidental family tragedies, which anger Sylvia and set her on the course to right the wrongs and put her in harm’s way. Other bodies drop as victims of the many betrayals and the need for settle scores.
Setting: From the villages of Puerto Rico and Cuba, this story starts as one family’s drive to live the American Dream. With every journey, there are obstacles and challenges to overcome, as well, as euphoria and heartbreak to celebrate and endure.The child of immigrants, Sylvia Cruz is an indomitable force, who fights her way through life only to die suddenly in an accident. Her son, Jamie, skeptical of this ‘accident’ enlists his oldest friend, a former FBI Special Agent, Eddy, to unpack this seemingly closed case. The intrigue intensifies when Eddy learns of the family’s relationship to a ruthless crime syndicate, “The Montenegro Doble Doble.” Betrayal and revenge become the back story of this family’s American Dream. Amidst Sylvia’s occasional triumphs, there are setbacks, defeats and victims aplenty. Buckle up, the ride will take you from the idyllic shores of the Caribbean to the concrete jungle of the South Bronx.
Write a Story Statement: Navigating a family journey in America, Sylvia has to overcome a Father who walks out on her, negotiate the anger of her mother and the demons of her brother while trying to make a way for herself as her world crumbles around her. At every turn, Sylvia is beating back a challenge to have her family live the American dream, a fight that ends with the ultimate sacrifice, and begets a mystery that her son, with the help of a friend, have to unravel. Sketch the antagonist or antagonistic force in your story (200 words or less): Sylvia faces obstacles in life that are soul crushing. Her idyllic family journey toward the American dream is shaken when her father unceremoniously walks out. The abandonment hollows out her otherwise fierce mother. Anger and resentment well up in her mother, and drive her brother to seek solace in pain numbing illicit drugs. They each lash out at one another while trying to drag Sylvia down in the mire where they have sunk. The harmony and security Sylvia once felt within her family and home is gone, replaced by tension and intermittent terror. Sylvia fights to keep moving forward to elevate herself above her circumstances. Meanwhile, outside forces conspire to test her resolve every step of the way. Her beloved nephew, child of the rebellious 60s, gets caught up in the emerging drug culture, gets help, but eventually succumbs to his addiction and dies of an overdose. Further complicating matters, her oldest brother, the Father of this nephew, has married into the family that is the ruthless drug syndicate responsible for distributing this poison in their neighborhoods. Her brother works for his brother in law, Tomas, who is the leader of these drug lords. Tomas is cold and calculating and fails to appreciate or accept responsibility for the events that leads to his nephew’s death. It is an inconvenient circumstance of his business affairs. Sylvia calls him out on this convenient disassociation to no avail. Seeking revenge for this betrayal of family, Sylvia goes to the FBI to drop a dime on Tomas and his organization. Opening this door, puts her brother in harm’s way. He dies in a mysterious accident at work, which Sylvia believes is the work of Tomas and his minions. Tomas denies any involvement when Sylvia confronts him once again. The FBI eventually convicts Tomas and some of his brothers. Upon his release years later, Tomas secretly threatens Sylvia’s son. Sylvia responding to Tomas’ threat sacrifices herself by seeking him out. Tomas metes out his revenge and arranges for another accident taking Sylvia’s life. Sylvia’s son is left to unpack the past and solve the mystery of who killed his mother and why, setting off another round of revenge with a twist. Create a breakout title: “Familia—an American Story of Betrayal and Revenge”; “Familia—a Mother’s Revenge”; “Familia—an American pursuit of life, liberty and revenge” Comparables: genre is thriller, mystery, suspense. Authors: Harlan Coben because he introduces a problem to start his books…a lost child, an unsolved murder...and then goes back in time through the eyes of his lead character to unpack the mystery, all the while running into obstacles and roadblocks to the truth. Robert Parker—quick character sketches, with short and smart dialogue, all the while winding through dynamic conflicts to solve a mystery. Hook-line: A son searches for the truth behind the ‘accident’ that took his mother’s life. With the help of a childhood friend, a former FBI Special agent, he unpacks a lifetime of family struggle, conflict and ultimately, a blood trail of betrayal and revenge. Other matters of conflict: Dysfunctional family dynamics, racial/social prejudice, the unrelenting laws of the concrete jungle challenge Sylvia as she strives for the American Dream. Money and power trump incidental family tragedies, which anger Sylvia and set her on the course to right the wrongs and put her in harm’s way. Other bodies drop as victims of the many betrayals and the need for settle scores. Setting: From the villages of Puerto Rico and Cuba, this story starts as one family’s drive to live the American Dream. With every journey, there are obstacles and challenges to overcome, as well, as euphoria and heartbreak to celebrate and endure.The child of immigrants, Sylvia Cruz is an indomitable force, who fights her way through life only to die suddenly in an accident. Her son, Jamie, skeptical of this ‘accident’ enlists his oldest friend, a former FBI Special Agent, Eddy, to unpack this seemingly closed case. The intrigue intensifies when Eddy learns of the family’s relationship to a ruthless crime syndicate, “The Montenegro Doble Doble.” Betrayal and revenge become the back story of this family’s American Dream. Amidst Sylvia’s occasional triumphs, there are setbacks, defeats and victims aplenty. Buckle up, the ride will take you from the idyllic shores of the Caribbean to the concrete jungle of the South Bronx.