This synopsis came with the query for Alcoholic Angel (Face-Lift 1311). The author may have been under the mistaken impression that including a synopsis eliminated the need to summarize the plot in the query letter. Unfortunately, this also does't summarize the plot, and doesn't meet the definition of a synopsis.
SYNOPSIS:
THE THERAPIST: “When I heard about Tia, I felt sad. Alcoholism is alcoholism is alcoholism. Insidious. Was more help available? Of course, but Shane, alcoholics know what help is available and they know what they're ready to accept or reject. Tia apparently needed your love before she needed to be free of alcohol. Sorry about that, but for all I know she may have been the wisest of the wise. For isn't love the greatest gift? That you loved her the way SHE needed to be loved was the only Rx that made sense to her. Apparently, in giving her that, you gave her life. Tia’s drinking was horrifying, but her life also was wonderful and complex, challenging and joyful.”
“GONE FROM MY SIGHT”
Notes
SYNOPSIS:
Once or twice upon a time, a book offers sane solutions for life-threatening ailments. “Alcoholic Angel and how to find your very own miracle” draws from Asian wisdom, common sense, western science, and miracles to produce healing outcomes. Funny quotes are in the m/s because humor helps healing. However the world is seriously sick, and it’s no laughing matter that millions of us are dying too soon. Even presidents and prime ministers don’t confront the horrifying consequences of over-eating, alcoholism, drug addictions. In terms of leadership, Pope Francis stands above all. Broken folks get hope from this Pope.
Tia Crowe, half an American Indian and my “Alcoholic Angel”, died at a Portland OR teaching hospital on 8-30-12 of cirrhosis of the liver. Death visited on her 32nd birthday. Happy birthday, baby.
****************
PICK-UP GAMES AT PIRATE CITY 12
POT HEADS PREVAIL 113
SITTING DISEASE 154
SUGAR & ARTIFICIAL sweeteners 210
SALT & STROKES 240
HEALING A PRESIDENT 258
DEATH DOWN MEXICO WAY 350
MIRACLE GIRLS FROM G-D 364
THESE DOCTORS ARE IN 367
FINDING YOUR very Own MIRACLE 379
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Girlfriend: “Shane, I am grieving with you. I should have called and talked to her, or been around more. I can spend all day regretting things I shouldn't have done and things I should have. I will always have her in my memories. She exuded an energy that was beautiful and contagious. It is a sad thing to see, but with death sometimes your card just comes up when you think it wouldn't, and sometimes your card doesn't come up when you wish it would. But there is a reason for everything. I don't understand it; no one does. I don't want to understand. That's the mystery of life. Death is a continuation of the mystery. – Casey Pitt, Bradenton\
THE TEACHER: “This caught me by terrible surprise. With the karate, the care and concern for her kids, and reading about her problem, Tia seemed to be on a healthy road to recovery and healing. I am heartbroken. My old boss and friend from years ago and another life, told me the wisest (and most helpful) words when dealing with my own loss: "Let no one dictate to you how or how long you grieve. Your story is a loving tribute to the life of a wonderful and beautiful friend and partner; someone of tremendously kind, generous, and uplifting energy who departed much too soon. Words are not worthy when it comes to grief, but two quotes have always stood out to me as wise and helpful.”
“Though lovers be lost, love shall not; and death shall have no dominion.” - Dylan
“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal.” - tombstone in Ireland.
Only a sick society would continue to allow the most destructive drug of them all to remain legal. Not just legal but pushed on society at all levels to essentially all ages via sponsoring sports events everywhere. And this government and this society sit back and do nothing as the carnage of destroyed lives is everywhere.
THE THERAPIST: “When I heard about Tia, I felt sad. Alcoholism is alcoholism is alcoholism. Insidious. Was more help available? Of course, but Shane, alcoholics know what help is available and they know what they're ready to accept or reject. Tia apparently needed your love before she needed to be free of alcohol. Sorry about that, but for all I know she may have been the wisest of the wise. For isn't love the greatest gift? That you loved her the way SHE needed to be loved was the only Rx that made sense to her. Apparently, in giving her that, you gave her life. Tia’s drinking was horrifying, but her life also was wonderful and complex, challenging and joyful.”
“GONE FROM MY SIGHT”
I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning
breeze and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch until at last she hangs
like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come down to mingle
with each other. Then someone at my side says,
"There, she is gone."
Gone where?
Gone from my sight . . . that is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull
as she was when she left my side
and just as able to bear her load of living freight
to the place of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment
when someone at my side says,
‘there she is gone!’
There are other eyes watching her coming . . .
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout . . .
"Here she comes!"
And that is dying. -Henry Van Dyke
A synopsis summarizes the plot. How long it should be depends on the guidelines of whoever has been foolish enough to request it.
If the book is straight nonfiction, the contents might be included, though the chapter titles would have to be more informative than most of these are to make that useful. In any case, as the query states that this book includes a love story and would make a great movie, it apparently isn't the type of book whose table of contents we need to see.
No idea why you include a poem, especially one by someone other than yourself.
If those quotations are from actual people who wrote to you, rather than fictional characters, they aren't telling us anything about your writing ability.
In fact, pretty much none of this belongs in a synopsis. It's a lot of writing (of which very little may be by the book's author) from which I take away only that your book was inspired by the death of a woman due to alcoholism. You need to tell the story. In your own words.
4 comments:
Is this book fiction or nonfiction? If it's a memoir, it's nonfiction pitched like fiction, so look at how to write queries for fiction.
If it's fiction or memoir, you need a summary of the narrative plot. It should have a beginning, middle, and end. Some significant change should occur, a problem should be solved, or understanding of a situation should be expounded in a new and relevant way. It usually should be about one or more characters (people).
If this is nonfiction, you need a platform. This mean credentials as to why other people would buy this book to get advice from you. You need samples of your writing. You basically need a sales pitch as to both how and why this book is going to be useful/successful. (It kind of looks like you're attempting to do this, but you aren't succeeding well enough for me to be certain)
You need permission to use material under copyright in your book. For the most part, this means any material not written by you produced in the past 70+ years. You will be responsible for obtaining those permissions and you will be the one sued if you don't. This is true even if you go the self-publishing route, although in that case you're unlikely to be sued unless you're successful.
If you wrote this as therapy or a tribute to someone you know/knew, congratulations on finishing. I hope it helped. Unfortunately, it takes more than completion to be commercially viable (meaning someone wants to help you sell it) or successful (meaning more than a few people want to buy it).
Sit down and think through your goals for this project. Once you know what you're trying to accomplish, ask if you have questions. We may be able to help.
Dear querier: I'm very sorry you lost your friend to cirrhosis of the liver.
I agree that Pope Francis seems like a great guy.
I still think this is a hoax...
author, apologises if it isn’t, but listen to EE and Anon
give us a plot, a main character and a reason to read your book
Huh? Makes no sense.
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