The Other Gloria
GENRE
DRAMA
Core Theme
MENTAL ILLNESS, DISCOVERY, OVERCOMING ABUSE
TIME PERIOD
2000s,Contemporary
COMPARABLE TITLES
SLIDING DOORS, FRANKIE AND ALICE
CHARACTER LIST
• GLORIA: 20S, 40S DEVOTED MOM, PATIENT, LONG SUFFERING, DAMAGED
• CHARLES: 20S, ABUSIVE, NEEDY, CONTROLLING, GLORIA’S FIRST HUSBAND
• RICK: 20S-40S, KIND, GENEROUS, GLORIA’S SECOND HUSBAND
• CHRISSY: LITTLE GIRL TO YOUNG ADULT, AMIABLE, CARING, GLORIA’S OLDEST DAUGHTER
• SARAH: BABY THROUGH TEENS, INDEPENDENT, PROTECTIVE, GLORIA’S YOUNGEST DAUGHTER
• DENA: 60S, SWEET, MOTHERLY, HELPFUL, GLORIA’S MOTHER
Logline
The truth lies in what she can't remember. There is another who harbors her unspeakable secrets. Meeting her is where the danger lies. Gloria must meet the other part of herself--the one she has never met if she is going to escape with her life and the lives of her two young daughters.
Target Audiences
Age: 18-34,35-54,55+
Target Gender: Female Leaning
Setting
Bakersfield California
Based on a True Story
Yes
Publishing Details
Status: Yes: self-published
Publisher: Empire Publishing
Year Published: 2019
Starting Description
On a dark January night in 2019, Gloria finds herself behind the wheel of a car, beaten and covered in blood. She has no idea where she's coming from, or where she might be headed. She pulls safely to the shoulder, only to lose conciousness and wake up to her past, 2003.
Ending Description
Gloria meets the Other Gloria in 2003 and discovers the secrets of that bloody January night in 2019. The Other Gloria takes her on a journey back to her future, where she finds it is not as she remembered.
Group Specific
Information not completed
Hard Copy Available
No
ISBN
978-0-9989496-7-3
Mature Audience Themes
Sexual Abuse
Plot - Other Elements
Meaningful Message,Twist
Plot - Premise
Other
Main Character Details
Name: Gloria Davis
Age: span of 25 to 40
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Complex,Empathetic,Faithful,Underdog,Modest,Selfless,Strong Moral Code
Additional Character Details
Name: Charles Davis
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Role: Antagonist
Key Traits: Aggressive,Complex,Criminal,Desperate,Narcisstic,Masculine,Blunt,Outspoken,Secretive,Manipulative
Additional Character Details
Name: Chrissy
Age: 4 to 20
Gender: Female
Role: emotional
Key Traits: Adventurous,Charming,Empathetic,Engaging,Outspoken,Funny,Sarcastic,Unapologetic
Additional Character Details
Name: Chrssy
Age: 4 to 20
Gender: Female
Role: emotional
Key Traits: Charming,Empathetic,Engaging,Outspoken,Funny,Sarcastic,Unapologetic
Genre
DRAMA
Brief
Time and reality are blurred when a woman finds herself fleeing from an unknown trauma and trying to make sense of what seems to be a newly fractured life.
Overall Rating
GOOD
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: GOOD
Commerciality: GOOD
Franchise Potential: FAIR
Pace: GOOD
Premise: GOOD
Structure: GOOD
Theme: GOOD
Accuracy of Book Profile
The profile accurately reflects the book.
Draw of Story
The suspense and tension of wondering what could have happened prior to the opening of the story that left the main character in such a frightening scenario draws you into the story completely.
Possible Drawbacks
When it became apparent that the actual mental illness was not going to be addressed head on, there was a bit of a let down. The intertwining timeline is interesting, but since it doesn't deal with the real mental issue, it seems as if the story might go in a supernatural direction. When neither angle pans out, it is a bit disappointing. Adding some tidbits that allude more to dissociative disorder might give the story more dimension and intensity.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The opening scene with the blood and memory loss is really compelling and jumping on for the ride to resolution is enticing.
Fanbase Potential
With the right above the line talent, this could make a successful showing at the box office.
Awards Potential
With professional development, there could be some potential for award in acting and writing categories.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
SLIDING DOORS, FRANKIE AND ALICE
What’s New About the Story
The concept of the two time lines and the character trying to reconcile them is compelling. It would be more interesting and potentially more unique to sprinkle in more artifacts of dissociative disorder to hook the audience.
Lead Characters
The main character is developed and empathetic, but we really need to see her struggle more with her memory and mental health to make her break out as a great character.
Uniqueness of Story
The story could be improved by the addition of some artifacts relating to dissociative disorder. The main character also needs to have more personal conflict and struggle with her mental health and memory loss to make her a complete and sympathetic character.
Possible Formats
Film - Studio, Film - Indie, TV Series - Network, TV Series - Limited Run / Mini-Series
Analyst Recommendation
CONSIDER
Justification
Both the two timeline concept and the mental health angle are interesting and marketable attributes. With attention to development, it could be adapted to become a relatively successful film.
Brief
Time and reality are blurred when a woman finds herself fleeing from an unknown trauma and trying to make sense of what seems to be a newly fractured life.
What We Liked
- Both the two timeline concept and the mental health angle are interesting and marketable attributes.
- Expanding this into a deep character study, drawing heavily on the manifestations of dissociative disorder could be adapted into a gripping feature.
- The story could adapt nicely into a limited run television project in the vein of Sharp Objects.
- Key points: Based in reality; Brings awareness of mental illness; Strong female leads; Interesting premise; Positive ending.
Synopsis
The year is 2019 when Gloria finds herself driving an unfamiliar car. Her head is aching and to her horror she soon discovers that she is covered in blood. Gloria is scared and completely baffled. She has no idea what has happened, where she has been or where she is going. She pulls the car to the side of the road and loses consciousness.
The next thing she knows, she awakes in her bed. She looks to the person in bed next to her expecting to see to Rick, her finance. She is shocked to discover that her abusive ex-husband, Charles, is lying next to her. She escaped Charles in 2017, so seeing him in her bed now frightens her.
However, it soon unfolds that she has awoken in the year 2003 and she is still living life with Charles. Her children, Chrissy and Sarah, who are in their late teens in the present, are still little in her current reality. Unsure what is really happening, she knows she has to get out of the current situation. The only thing she knows to do is try to redo her life in hopes of creating better and healthier circumstances for herself and her girls.
She remembers that in present time Charles made an attempt on her life by shooting a bullet into the house she shared with Sarah. She doesn’t want to risk her life so she endures Charles’ continued abuse until she can secretly move into her parents’ house with her daughters. Charles is furious when he learns Gloria has left him, but her father protects her from Charles’ calls. Soon Gloria has saved up enough money to rent a small house for herself and daughters. Charles still harasses her when he can and tries to make her life miserable. She has to patiently and creatively outsmart him each time.
Once she feels that her girls are safe, Gloria’s effort at a better life includes finding Rick. With the help and understanding of her friend and boss, Mickey, Gloria is able to make contact with Rick. He doesn’t know she exists in the year 2003, but she somehow convinces him to meet up with her. She explains that she has met him in her dreams and that they are supposed to be together. Gloria piques his interest, but he has a current live-in girlfriend called Veronica. As things start to dissolve with Veronica, Rick is open to dating Gloria. They begin a relationship and start to fall in love.
Not able to reconcile all the abuse she has endured at Charles’ hand, she starts seeing a therapist. She is missing memories due to disassociate disorder created by the trauma she endured with Charles and with the doctor’s help, Gloria decides that she is ready to go under hypnosis and face the lost memories. She meets Other Gloria who carries the lost memories of her life. While under, the Other Gloria reveals that the night she found herself driving the unfamiliar car, that she had been bound and kidnapped by Charles. She killed him in self-defense before she was found unconscious by the side of the road and brought to the hospital.
When she awakes in the present Gloria finds herself resting in a hospital bed. She is soon joined by Chrissy and Sarah who are fully grown. Rick soon joins them. He helps fill in memories that they are married. Their daughter, Megan, arrives. Confused at first, soon Gloria is able to recover memories of Megan’s birth. With Charles gone once and for all, Gloria can finally heal and begin living her life as a whole person.