brehmkr

(here is opening in case previous efforts did not come through)

     Justin is an experienced cop, working narcotics, who is conflicted about his sexuality and has long desired to be a woman. Only his closest family members, including his cousin Samuel, who is also a narcotics detective, are aware that he is pursuing a gender change. Although Samuel acts supportive, he is concerned about the effect on their close relationship as well as Justin’s career as a police officer.

     As Justin starts the medical transition process, the number of transgender persons being murdered in the city happens to escalate. The deaths are going unsolved, and some police officers  privately express a dislike of trans people and suggest their murders should be ignored. Justin is aware of this situation, and despite Samuel requesting he not go through with the gender affirmation procedure, Justin forges ahead with hormone therapy and laser hair removal.

     A few weeks into that process, he participates in a raid on a major drug lab thought to be operated by Tommy Boy, a notorious kingpin the police have been seeking but whose actual identity and face remain unknown. Despite feeling some nausea and breast tenderness from the estrogen treatments, Justin volunteers to be the first one to enter the building. He is aware of the adage “The first one through the door takes all the bullets,” but he feels a strong urge to prove his courage before completing the gender change.

     When the police burst in, Justin leads the way. He is shot and returns fire, killing two suspects and wounding a third. Although he prevents his colleagues from being hurt, he is injured in the left shoulder and right thigh. The raid nets a large quantity of drugs and several weapons, but Tommy Boy is not present. None of the suspects arrested are willing to provide any information about Tommy Boy.

     Justin is hospitalized, and a few days later receives a commendation from the mayor for his bravery, along with local press coverage making him out to be a hero. While recovering from his wounds, he goes forward with the medical transition procedure. This involves a bilateral orchiectomy to remove both testicles, leaving the scrotum for use in a vaginoplasty to be scheduled later. He also meets with another surgeon about the possibility of a breast augmentation.

     To conceal the existence of the transition, Samuel agrees to lie to the police chief by stating that Justin is slow to heal from his wounds and that his discharge has been delayed. This dishonesty troubles Samuel even more because he still opposes the sex change while trying to be supportive.

     Once the orchiectomy is completed, and Justin can be released, the family comes to the hospital. He informs them that since “he” is now a woman, “she” wants to go by the name Justine and will file for a legal name change. This will allow her to begin her new identity while remaining connected to her past. She also announces that she will take on the appearance of a woman by her clothing and use of a wig.

     Justine then states her decision to continue her career as a police officer. This upsets Samuel. He warns her that she will face hostility and isolation since she will be the first transgender person on the force. He asks her to reconsider, mentioning that even cops who were born a woman are harassed and mistreated. Justine is not dissuaded, exclaiming that she will not give up her dream of being a police officer just because she has switched gender.

First Through The Door (Kevin Brehm)
 

1. Story Statement:

     Justine, a narcotics detective, is the first transgender member of the police department of a large city. She faces anger and hostility from many of her colleagues as well as members of the community. Her cousin, Samuel, also on the narcotics squad, is supportive but concerned for her safety. During a raid on a suspected drug house (operated by drug dealer Tommy Boy), Samuel disappears. Soon after, Justine is contacted by an unknown person who offers to return Samuel in exchange for whoever has recently been killing transgenders in their city. With the aid of a fellow detective, Charlotte, her only friend and ally in the department, Justine searches for the killer. As they pursue the investigation, they encounter danger and violence. When they finally discover the surprising identity of the murderer, Justine faces one more challenge before she can rescue Samuel.

2. Antagonist:

A.    Person who kidnapped Samuel: the drug kingpin known as Tommy Boy (who is also transgender)

B.    Person killing transgenders: Captain Spencer of the vice squad (who is Charlotte’s stepfather)

C.    Police officers and community members hostile to transgenders

3. Breakout Titles:

A.    FIRST THROUGH THE DOOR (current title)

B.    Gender Killer

C.    Saving Samuel

4. Genre Comparables: suspense/thriller/mystery with social issues

A.    Blackwater Falls (Ausma Zehamat Khan): female Muslim detective turns to women colleagues to help investigate missing and murdered girls

B.    The Lost Ones (Sheena Kamal): strong but damaged female protagonist searches for missing daughter she had put up for adoption years earlier

5. Hook Line (logline):

    Justine, a transgender narcotics detective, who faces hostility from colleagues, must find the person killing other transgenders, and turn that culprit over to the drug kingpin who has kidnapped Samuel, her cousin, in exchange for Samuel’s release.

6. Conflict:

A.    Inner Conflict (core wound): having recently changed gender, Justine struggles with new feelings, both emotional and physical. As a police officer, she struggles with concerns about doing her job well, and also whether she should arrest the suspected killer and go through the justice system or heed the demand of the kidnapper and swap the killer for Samuel.

B.    Secondary Conflict: Justine has to deal with the anger and hostility she faces from her colleagues and members of the community regarding her gender change.

7. Setting: the story takes place in a large American city, against the backdrop of the police department and the drug world. Unlike other stories, the details of setting might not be that significant compared to the motivations of the characters, which arise from loyalty to family and from attitudes toward gender and sexual orientation.

third try, different format.

First Through The Door - chapter one.rtf

First Through The Door - chapter one.odt

First Through The Door - story statement.docx

First Through The Door - chapter one.docx