Under the microscope
Author and lecturer James McCreet looks at a sample novel synopsis and considers the best ways to proceed
Synopsis of Dandelion Days by Susan Davy 1
It is 19842 and near the Somerset village of Cheddar3 septugenarian cheese-maker Ephraim Drake 4 makes himself a cup of heartburn-easing dandelion tea. The heartburn vanishes almost immediately, as does the pain from his arthritic hip... and his short-sightedness.5 His wife Margaret is surprised that night by the return of his libido.6
Thus begins a change in fortunes for the previously unlucky Drakes.7 Surprised by his father’s health, cheese-maker John Drake 8 finds his hayfever cured by the tea. His wife Celia, meanwhile, has started talking about having more babies and begins to ambush John in various al fresco attempts at impregnation.9 Their two teenage children, Jenna and Jacob,10 are suddenly getting top marks at school.11 That’s when Ephraim suggests putting dandelion extract in some of their cheeses.12
Jump forward six months13 and the Drakes have become rapidly wealthy.14 Celia is pregnant with triplets, Jenna has won a scholarship to Oxford, Ephraim is cycling everywhere in tight Lycra, and the dairy has extended its production ten-fold.15 But all is not well.16 Grandma Drake is weary of Ephraim’s nightly demands. Facing a midlife crisis, John has bought a red convertible and is wearing sunglasses indoors. A woman called Mitzi is leaving messages on his phone and son Jacob has been expelled for selling the leaves as tobacco.17