Pages

▼

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Public Brainstorm #4

TITLE: Still in the Works
GENRE: MG Adventure

Twelve-year-old Holland Stratford hair mysteriously turns pink and Holland tries to hide it from her mom but when she sees her new style, she gives Holland a bronze coin, then collapses.



We're at the point of the story where Holland needs to find the map so she can get the cure to save her mom and get her hair back to normal. Her dad has been arrested because the police think he took the mother. The problem is I'm not sure how to transition from Act 1 to 2 so that is interesting. What can they do to get out of the house without the adults following them or telling them no?







at

11 comments:

  1. Kristin KinczelMarch 25, 2015 at 10:09 AM

    Maybe they snap chat a few friends to come over and change clothes with the friends. A wig may need to be involved? Could it be Halloween and trick or treat with costumes?

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMarch 25, 2015 at 10:29 AM

    Is there any magic involved? Maybe this is where Holland finds out she can shrink really tiny, or her pink hair can turn her invisible, or she can communicate with flies who can swarm the adults as a distraction. In MG you can go really weird, so I would do it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Messi JessiMarch 25, 2015 at 4:48 PM

      This would be cool. If her hair can turn pink randomly, there's definitely some space to throw other parts of the real world out the window!

      Delete
    2. Messi JessiMarch 25, 2015 at 4:49 PM

      This would be cool. If her hair can turn pink randomly, there's definitely some space to throw other parts of the real world out the window!

      Delete
  3. greta garboMarch 25, 2015 at 10:58 AM

    Is there a clue in the fact that her mother has collapsed and her father has been arrested? Who is taking care of her? An elderly neighbor (sleepy, easy to fool) or a teenage babysitter (iPod, phone)? Is Holland at home? Does she go to school? Could she wait until dark? Volunteer to take the dog for a walk . . . ?

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMarch 25, 2015 at 11:29 AM

    My first thought was climb out a window, but I like the Halloween idea better. Maybe the friends who come over and switch costumes could climb out the window after the MC's safely away. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kristin KinczelMarch 25, 2015 at 12:45 PM

      Oh I like that! The friends could easily get out a window etc. no one will be looking for them!

      Delete
  5. ladonnaMarch 25, 2015 at 12:54 PM

    Thanks for the great ideas. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. JEN GarrettMarch 25, 2015 at 2:48 PM

    The Halloween idea is good because it's a twist on a trope. Usually kids do the "tell adults that they are at other kid's house". Except they aren't. They are going on an adventure.

    ReplyDelete
  7. ikmarMarch 27, 2015 at 11:06 PM

    Does the coin act as a buffer for some disease? Maybe the mom has carried it around to keep healthy, but once Holland's hair turns pink, Mom knows it's either Holland or her. Maybe mom even tried to find the cure when she came of age too and failed--and the journey can only be made once 'the change' starts.

    Dad knows that a hospital won't help. (Here's where you can plan with the time line a bit) Maybe Mom becomes contagious in five days. Anyone she exposes to her contagions will also collapse and it'll spread. So Dad has to hide her, for the safety of others.So he really has taken her.

    "But what if I'm not back in time, Dad?"
    He wouldn't look at me. "Do you remember grandma?"

    Too dark?

    ReplyDelete