Secret Storm
MYSTERY DRAMA
20th Century (multiple decades)
Edith Lee Chestnut
TaleFlick Pick!
Logline
Secret Storm is a coming of age story about a 13 year old girl named Callie who is dealing with loss & tough life decisions. The story ends with the appearance of a mysterious stranger intent on destroying the happiness of an adult Callie. Some humor is mixed into the story to lighten the mood.
Genre
Mystery,Drama
Short Summary
It's the last day of school and Callie can barely contain her excitement. Her happy mood is destroyed when later in the story she learns the real truth behind her mother's death.
Two mysterious men come into Callie's life at different points in the story. In the end one of them ends up on a table in the morgue and his identity, which has been kept secret up to that point, will shock Callie and everyone close to her.
Setting
A small town in North Carolina
Based on a True Story
No
Plot - Premise
Tragedy
Plot - Other Elements
Coming of Age,Philosophical Questions,Twist
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Main Character Details
Name: Callie
Age: 13 through early 30s
Gender: Female
Role: Emotional
Key Traits: Insecure,Naive,Strong Moral Code,Aspiring
Additional Character Details
Name: Devin
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Role: Tempter
Key Traits: Heartthrob,Adventurous,Aspiring,Masculine,Villainous,Complex
Additional Character Details
Name: Bridget
Age: 14
Gender: Female
Role: antagonist
Key Traits: Villainous,Outspoken,Sarcastic,Manipulative
Additional Character Details
Name: Grannie Nell
Age: 78
Gender: Female
Role: logical
Key Traits: Adventurous,Confident,Blunt,Decisive,Outspoken,Funny,Secretive,Unapologetic
Development Pitch
The idea for this story began with the exploration of the emotional reaction of a woman who is forced to kill someone in self-defense, only to realize after seeing some unique, identifiable physical characteristic that the person is someone from her past, someone with whom she has strong emotional ties. That realization was the basis for the end of the book and the rest of the story grew from there. It provides an original, unexpected twist to the end of an emotional story. The strong emotional scenes throughout the book are balanced out with humorous moments from some of the books more colorful characters. It is a story that will make you laugh and make you cry, but most of all it will keep you wanting more.
Genre
DRAMA, THRILLER
Brief
Callie grew up in a small town, spending time with her best friend, Andy. When he moves away, she grabs the attention of Devin, the handsome relative to her nemesis, Bridget. Devin rapes her and in self defense, she kills him. After she marries Andy, she is being harasser by a young man who turns out to be the baby she lost years before.
Overall Rating
FAIR
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: FAIR
Commerciality: GOOD
Franchise Potential: FAIR
Pace: GOOD
Premise: GOOD
Structure: GOOD
Theme: GOOD
Accuracy of Book Profile
Yes, the book profile accurately reflects the book.
Draw of Story
This is a wholesome story surrounding a young girl coming of age in a small town. She has a loving family, a great best friend and all the usual childhood dramas. The story begins as endearing and nostalgic.
Possible Drawbacks
The story takes a dramatic turn when Cassie is raped by Devin. It is a defining point in the story but it isn't dealt with properly. Cassie never really deals with the trauma, becoming more focused on the resulting pregnancy which seems wholly unrealistic. She names the baby after her rapist. The idea that the child will be a bad seed is also unfair. He is pinned as the bad guy simply because of the nature of his birth. His life and experiences are never explored and his story given any meaning. While everyone deals with trauma in different ways, it is important to give the proper gravity it deserves.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The hook is that Cassie believes she lost her baby when he was taken to from her to be raised by her enemy. He comes back to seek revenge because he was raised knowing she was the reason for his father's death.
Fanbase Potential
This could have a large fanbase if the story focused on adult Cassie after her assault and her child coming to exact revenge. It would be an interesting dynamic for her harasser to be the son she believes died. As is, the story is too wholesome for mainstream audiences.
Awards Potential
This doesn't not have awards potential as is. There is little character depth. The dialogue is very outmoded and overly sweet until Cassie's assault. There is little understanding of the depth of Cassie's feelings during some major events in her life.
Envisioned Budget
LOW BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
VIRGIN RIVER, SWEET MAGNOLIA'S
What’s New About the Story
The story is original because Cassie believes she lost her baby. When the man that is stalking her is killed, she learns that he was her child that was taken while she was in a coma. The story has many unique twists at the end, but the majority of the story, showing Cassie growing up is not unique.
Lead Characters
The lead characters do not stand out. It is a small town story with the predictable characters. None of the characters are explored in depth.
Uniqueness of Story
This is not a rare gem but has a unique twist that could be developed deeper. Devin Jr's character needs more exploration to understand his motives and actions. It would beneficial to see Cassie dealing with the lies she was told about his death, the deception of her family and being confronting with her living son.
Possible Formats
Film: Indie, Streaming TV Series: Limited Run / Mini-Series
Analyst Recommendation
CONSIDER
Justification
This is a consider because the last third of the book has some great twists, however predictable they are. More sophisticated storytelling could aid in revealing the twist in a more explosive fashion. The beginning of the book is sweet and happy but mundane. It should be shortened with greater time given to Cassie as an adult and the revelation that her son is alive. The issue of rape and giving birth to a child of rape should be explored with the proper significance.