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The memory of gran (working title)

by  andinadia

Posted: Thursday, January 8, 2015
Word Count: 381
Summary: Outline draft. Meant to be fantasy where Lizzie and Gran switched minds, but still a little 'supernatural'? I'd love to know (a) if you think story is interesting, (b) if you think it's appropriate for a p/b, (c) great ideas for the ending! Background: Lizzie is 5-6 and lives with parents and older twins. Dad is away on this day. It's the day they’re going to take the gran (mum’s mother or maybe grandmother?) to see a doctor or to a home. Gran lives not far away.




Spread 1
When Lizzie woke up she still felt tired. Even stranger, she wanted some Earl Grey tea.
 
Spread 2
She goes into kitchen and calls her mum by her first name, which surprises both her mum and herself (she realizes she has 2 personas – first we’ve seen how she reacts to her own thoughts, now we see how she reacts to her own words)
 
Mum asks what she wants for breakfast but Lizzie finds herself asking for something that her Gran likes.
 
Spread 3
Mother very busy with morning tasks, and trying to deal with troublesome twins (they’re older than Lizzie). She's also sending texts from phone, maybe to dad who’s away – big multitasking going on. (Mum maybe has slightly fruity language?)
 
Phone rings. Lizzie answers – gran’s asking something. Lizzie deals with it in very adult way
 
Twins say something rudish about Lizzie? Or about Gran? Lizzie deals with it.
 
Spread 4
Getting into the car, or already in car. Twins are in the back
 
Spread 5
Arriving at Gran’s. Gran doesn’t answer door. They can hear her TV on very loud.
 
Spread 6
Finally Gran answers and says she didn’t hear the doorbell. Pet dog too? She’s carrying the cuddly toy (Babbit!)
 
Spread 7
Gran makes some kind of childish comment, like ‘Do we have to?’ in response to mum saying we have to go.
Twins in background misbehaving?
 
Spread 8
Gran gives Lizzie something (don't know what yet!) – this is major moment in the story, showing gran conscious of her mortality and passing on her past. Lizzie tells her mum the 'thing' used to belong to Grandpa. Mum asks how Lizzie knew that.
 
Spreads 9-10
Granddad's story, as told jointly between Lizzie and Gran (don't know what it will be yet!)
 
Spread 11
Gran says ‘You must write it all down’. Mum says don’t be daft - she can’t write that much.
 
Spread 12
They leave for the doctor's. Gran shows she's forgotten where they're going. Twins make rudish comments.  Mum tells the twins that Lizzie is doing the remembering.
 
Spread 13
Coda: The beginning of Lizzie’s story about her grandparents - in Lizzie's own writing (or maybe in an old fashioned cursive? Although that will be more difficult for young reader to read)