Limestone Waters
GENRE
EROTICA ROMANCE DRAMA ACTION
Core Theme
A WAR VETERAN LIVING A RECKLESS LIFE FILLED WITH BOOZE, DRUGS, AND SEX UNTIL HE FALLS IN LOVE AND TRIES TO START ANEW DEALING WITH CONSEQUENCES OF HIS PAST.
TIME PERIOD
1980s & '90s
COMPARABLE TITLES
SIN CITY, PULP FICTION
CHARACTER LIST
MICHAEL. 34. LEAD. FUNNY, FOOLISH, AIMLESS, INSECURE, MASCULINE, UNREFINED.
BETH. 30'S. STRIPPER. MICHAEL'S FORMER GIRLFRIEND. DRUG ADDICT, FRAGILE, PROMISCUOUS.
TUCHI. 30'S.. MICHAEL'S BEST FRIEND. WENT TO WAR WITH MIKE, BOTH SAVED EACH OTHER'S LIVES. STRONG, DANGEROUS, SCARY.
TERRY. 30'S. MICHAEL'S LOVE INTEREST. IRISH, SINGER, NATURAL BEAUTY.
CHESTER. 30'S. ANTAGONIST. POLICEMAN, CORRUPT, BULLY.
KEVIN. 50'S. MICHAEL'S - HE LATER FINDS OUT - FATHER.
Logline
Limestone Waters is a salacious, sordid coming-of-age romp set in the mid 1980s of northwest New Jersey. Michael Walsh is a Vietnam veteran with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He wanders aimlessly through life in a haze of booze, drugs, and wanton sex.
Target Audiences
Age: 18-34,35-54,55+
Target Gender: Universal
Setting
Northwest New Jersey
Based on a True Story
No
Publishing Details
Status: Yes: self-published
Publisher: John McMahon
Year Published: 2021
Starting Description
Leaves crackle underfoot like eggshells. Directionless in the dark, I forge straight ahead. The rapid staccato rhythm of the forest floor grows louder. It reminds me of the aggressive chatter of the M-16 rifles we used in Vietnam. Instinctively, my pace slows, and the noise subsides.
Ending Description
“What’s that?” Terry asks. “It’s my gift to Mike,” Sergey says. “It’s what he wanted and what he needed for so long, right, Mike?” “Right, and thanks again, Sergey.” I limp over to Tuchi and hand him one of the jars. “What’s this?” he asks. “It’s some of the spring water. I thought you might need it
Group Specific
Information not completed
Hard Copy Available
Yes
ISBN
9781662914027
Mature Audience Themes
Extreme Violence,Nudity,Substance Abuse, Language/Profanity
Plot - Other Elements
Coming of Age
Plot - Premise
Internal Journey/Rebirth
Main Character Details
Name: Michael Walsh
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Adventurous,Badass,Charming,Complex,Confident,Crazy,Desperate,Engaging,Heartthrob,Heroic,Honorable,Insecure,Masculine,Sexy,Funny,Romantic,Seductive,Unapologetic
Additional Character Details
Name: Terry O'Mahoney
Age: 30ish
Gender: Female
Role: Emotional
Key Traits: Adventurous,Badass,Charming,Complex,Confident,Decisive,Engaging,Faithful,Honorable,Leader,Sexy,Religious,Blunt,Outspoken,Funny,Romantic,Seductive,Unapologetic
Additional Character Details
Name: Tuchi
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Role: sidekick
Key Traits: Adventurous,Badass,Aggressive,Complex,Confident,Crazy,Criminal,Engaging,Heroic,Masculine,Uneducated,Blunt,Outspoken,Unapologetic
Additional Character Details
Name: Tuchi
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Role: sidekick
Key Traits: Adventurous,Badass,Aggressive,Complex,Confident,Criminal,Engaging,Heroic,Honorable,Masculine,Uneducated,Blunt,Outspoken
Development Pitch
Picture an older set of misfit characters in Rumble Fish, the humor and raw romance of Alice Clayton’s Wallbanger, and Jackie Collins’ raunchy language. Then, they go out on the town with Keith Richards. At 82,000 words, Limestone Waters is a salacious, sordid coming-of-age romp set in the mid 1980s of northwest New Jersey. Michael Walsh is a Vietnam veteran with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He wanders aimlessly through life in a haze of booze, drugs, and wanton sex. Best buddy, Tuchi, another Vietnam vet, is Mike’s edgy sidekick. Mike begins to realize that there must be more to life than living in your mother’s basement. He longs for happiness, true love, and to belong. Nagging questions about the identity of his long-lost father also haunt him. The novel’s big question is: Does Michael’s salvation lie in Limestone Waters’ mystical depths, in Terry’s arms, or both? The story is thick with dysfunction and deception from lovers and family. Mike’s self-medicating, womanizing lifestyle only reinforces his skewed, lost existence. Beth, his former girlfriend, is packing a wicked secret. Chester, a local cop, childhood friend and fellow Nam vet, harasses Mike every chance he gets. There is much unfinished business with both Beth and Chester, and Mike is finally forced to confront them. With the help of Terry, a fiery Irish woman and the mystical Limestone Waters, Mike’s life begins to change for the better.
Genre
ACTION, ROMANCE, WAR, RELIGION
Brief
Mike is a war veteran carrying on with his life among women, drugs and booze while struggling with nightmares and flashbacks from his time in Vietnam. When he meets Terry, his life takes a turn, but he still has to deal with the consequences of his past.
Overall Rating
GOOD
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: EXCELLENT
Characterization: GOOD
Commerciality: GOOD
Franchise Potential: GOOD
Pace: EXCELLENT
Premise: GOOD
Structure: GOOD
Theme: GOOD
Accuracy of Book Profile
Book profile reflects book accurately.
Draw of Story
The protagonist and narrator, Mike, is an unpretentious and flippant character; and the reader is slowly led into realising the depth of the wounds he carries as he seems to figure out himself, which is enough to draw readers in.
Possible Drawbacks
Nothing made me want to put the book down as writer's writing style is involving; however Terry's views about abortion and also passages involving character Beth can be regarded as sexist and outdated.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES A LITTLE BIT ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
I would watch this movie because this narrative is able to provide an unbiased view about addiction, alcoholism and dealing with PTSD.
Fanbase Potential
It could have a large fanbase if adapted due to the matters being dealt with such as addiction, trauma and religion.
Awards Potential
It could have awards potential if adapted mainly because of heavy scenes of war, drug use and its decadent scenarios.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
SIN CITY
What’s New About the Story
The most original thing about this story is that the protagonist is indeed reckless, but his charismatic narrative offers the opportunity for the audience to relate to him and root for good outcomes for his story despite his own wrongdoings.
Lead Characters
Michael is a funny, charming 34-year-old-guy who's haunted by things he went through during Vietnam war and tries to numb himself with drugs, booze and sex; but at the same time he is vulnerable enough to fall in love with Terry and allow himself a new chance in life.
Uniqueness of Story
It is a good narrative; however it could bring a deeper approach to addiction and PTSD disorder.
Possible Formats
Film: Studio, Indie, Streaming TV Series: Network, Cable, Limited Run / Mini-Series, Streaming
Analyst Recommendation
CONSIDER
Justification
Writing is involving and narrator is charismatic and unusual; however storyline would benefit from an enhanced character arc for the protagonist.
Brief
Michael is a war veteran back from Vietnam dealing with PTSD with drugs, alcohol and sex. He then meets Terry, who helps him regain control of his life - but he has to deal with troubles his past is still throwing his way.
What We Liked
This narrative is, at first, all about nightlife fun in 80's Jersey. However, through the eyes of the charismatic narrator and protagonist, Mike, we are led to approach deeper subjects such as post-Vietnam-war PTSD, alcohol and drug abuse.
Film: It would be a great adaptation for Film because storyline is surprising, characters and settings and visually enticing and even though narrative deals with complex subjects, there is a lightness to it and good lines to follow.
TV: It would be a great adaptation for TV because not only protagonist but also side characters are relatable, complex and bring along storylines that could be well-explored in different episodes.
Key points: War veteran protagonist; 80's Jersey settings; sex and drug abuse scenes; funny narrative.
Synopsis
Michael is a 34-year-old war veteran, back from Vietnam war and still living under his mom's and stepfather's roof. He is living a reckless life with drugs, alcohol and sex along with his best friend Tuchi and girlfriend Sharon, and Beth, a stripper addicted to cocaine.
Between sleepless nights and nightmares about war and Chester, a corrupt policeman who also went to war, Mike begins to realize, as Beth deteriorates in addiction, that things may be going too far for them. This is when Terry, James' niece from Ireland, comes to town along with her young daughter, the lovely Caitlin, after the death of her husband.
Mike falls for Terry. They decide to go camping in Limestone Waters, along with the help of Sergey, and Michael has spiritual revelations after taking peyote.
Mike tries to come clean from his acts. After relapsing and almost burning his mother's house down, he leaves and crashes at Kevin's as he had nowhere to go. Mike finds out that, different from what he thought all his life - that his father died in Alaska - his old friend Kevin is his real dad. Michael's mom and Terry decide to forgive him, and he proposes to Terry, who says yes.
Mike still needs to deal with Beth's pregnancy, who has been around with Chester in a terrible state and apparently taking heavy drugs. Mike comes clean to Terry about the baby and they decide to try and save Beth. It all ends up in a shooting where Chester escapes with Beth as a hostage. Timmy and Chris reveal they've been on a mission investigating Chester's conduct. They go to Limestone Waters and find Chester with Beth. Chester proceeds to confess he was an assassin, having killed his mother and also other young girls.
After this conflict, Chester dies, Mike gets injured and Beth gives birth to a child. At the hospital, Beth lets Mike know he is not the child's father, and she goes to rehab along with the baby. Mike and Terry get married at the hospital, with the presence of Caitlin, Sharon, Tuchi, Kevin, James, nanna and Mike's mother, and Mike promises to be true to Terry for the rest of his life.