The Act of Story Statement
Betts has to overcome the tradition of her family to find herself through a process of self-love and metamorphosis.
The Antagonist Plots the Point
Antagonist #1
Rita Solokova is a witch and a mother who’s been forced into her own world because of tradition. Like her youngest daughter, Rita always wanted more chances than the ones presented to her. She’s willing to accept her fate in life after meeting Andrei, the man she will eventually marry. When Andrei dies in a car accident while running an errand to get Betts the medicine she needs, Rita can’t forgive her daughter. She blames Betts for Andrei’s death, even though Betts didn’t outwardly cause it. With Betts’ Obryad fast approaching, Rita is wrestling with several motivating factors. She’s realizing that her youngest daughter is now old enough to lead the coven and she’s also forced to come to terms with Andrei’s untimely death.
Antagonist #2
LIKHO is a witch who has been stalking the SOLOKOVA family for generations in an attempt to get the magic they possess. She wants control of the ring the SOLOKOVA family wears because she believes it will ultimately provide her with the power she wants. She emerges in this timeline because of Betts’ Obryad - she expects it will be an easy thing to take the ring from a witch who doesn’t want it. However, LIKHO doesn’t know that the ring is only one source of their power and magic.
Antagonist #3
Betts is her own antagonistic force. Because Rita has physically and emotionally abused her for her entire life, Betts lacks the self-confidence to stand up for herself. She routinely keeps herself in a corner because she’s unable of self-love.
Breakout Title
Babochka
Linden House
Elisabetta Against the World
Genre and Comps
Genre:
Speculative fiction, magical realism, urban fantasy
Comps:
Payback’s a Witch meets The Once and Future Witches
Core Wound and the Primary Conflict
Logline
It’s 1991 and Elisabetta Solokova wants to escape the traditions that have kept witches in her family bound for generations. Her physically abusive mother has other plans for her and is willing to do anything to keep Betts in place. When an ancient witch emerges from the past and is determined to take the Solokova family magic, Betts has to decide if she wants to flee or if she’s going to stay and fight.
Other Matters of Conflict: Two More Levels
The only person Betts has ever loved returns to Cincinnati and Betts must confront her feelings for him while navigating the pressures of her family. She will have to decide if being loved for who she is can usurp her feelings of abandonment.
Betts sister Kira has never been kind to her. She routinely puts Betts in situations that are cruel and mean because Kira wants to be the one to lead the family.
The Incredible Importance of Setting
This novel takes place in a fictionalized version of Cincinnati’s Price Hill neighborhood. The real-world Price Hill is poverty-stricken and impoverished. This novel’s fictionalized version recreates the neighborhood to be vibrant and community-oriented. This makes it interesting because it’s a magical witchy tale rooted in a real place.
The Act of Story Statement Betts has to overcome the tradition of her family to find herself through a process of self-love and metamorphosis. The Antagonist Plots the Point Antagonist #1 Rita Solokova is a witch and a mother who’s been forced into her own world because of tradition. Like her youngest daughter, Rita always wanted more chances than the ones presented to her. She’s willing to accept her fate in life after meeting Andrei, the man she will eventually marry. When Andrei dies in a car accident while running an errand to get Betts the medicine she needs, Rita can’t forgive her daughter. She blames Betts for Andrei’s death, even though Betts didn’t outwardly cause it. With Betts’ Obryad fast approaching, Rita is wrestling with several motivating factors. She’s realizing that her youngest daughter is now old enough to lead the coven and she’s also forced to come to terms with Andrei’s untimely death. Antagonist #2 LIKHO is a witch who has been stalking the SOLOKOVA family for generations in an attempt to get the magic they possess. She wants control of the ring the SOLOKOVA family wears because she believes it will ultimately provide her with the power she wants. She emerges in this timeline because of Betts’ Obryad - she expects it will be an easy thing to take the ring from a witch who doesn’t want it. However, LIKHO doesn’t know that the ring is only one source of their power and magic. Antagonist #3 Betts is her own antagonistic force. Because Rita has physically and emotionally abused her for her entire life, Betts lacks the self-confidence to stand up for herself. She routinely keeps herself in a corner because she’s unable of self-love. Breakout Title Babochka Linden House Elisabetta Against the World Genre and Comps Genre: Speculative fiction, magical realism, urban fantasy Comps: Payback’s a Witch meets The Once and Future Witches Core Wound and the Primary Conflict Logline It’s 1991 and Elisabetta Solokova wants to escape the traditions that have kept witches in her family bound for generations. Her physically abusive mother has other plans for her and is willing to do anything to keep Betts in place. When an ancient witch emerges from the past and is determined to take the Solokova family magic, Betts has to decide if she wants to flee or if she’s going to stay and fight. Other Matters of Conflict: Two More Levels The only person Betts has ever loved returns to Cincinnati and Betts must confront her feelings for him while navigating the pressures of her family. She will have to decide if being loved for who she is can usurp her feelings of abandonment. Betts sister Kira has never been kind to her. She routinely puts Betts in situations that are cruel and mean because Kira wants to be the one to lead the family. The Incredible Importance of Setting This novel takes place in a fictionalized version of Cincinnati’s Price Hill neighborhood. The real-world Price Hill is poverty-stricken and impoverished. This novel’s fictionalized version recreates the neighborhood to be vibrant and community-oriented. This makes it interesting because it’s a magical witchy tale rooted in a real place.