S.M. Tolhurst

3820 NM 14 * Santa Fe, NM. 87508

505-795-9840 / redbarnonthetrail@gmail.com

Agent/Manager X

Number, Street,

City, State, Zipcode

Dear Agent,

Welcome to Ruth, tucked between God's country and civilization, the antagonist to Ashley Royce, a consummate E.R. physician, partner, mother, and Type I Diabetic.

When Ashley Royce's family visits home, Ruth beckons with the only foundation she knows after losing her youngest son. With grief as debilitating as her diabetes, a long-term-relationship on life support, and teenagers skirting reality, Ashley must make drastic decisions to save her family and heal her lifelong nemesis, a tired and dying southern town.

Ruth shaped Ashley's rebellion, introduced her true love, and forced her growth into the woman she became. Like Ruth, Ashley is faulted and striking, well-intentioned and broken.

Ruth is God and love. She's high on drugs and pride; she has religion and PTSD, magic, and decency. History haunts Ruth, yet she remains hopeful. Ruth has kitchen tables where families wrestle with life's quandaries, beliefs, politics, and the reduction of these ingredients.

At the center of controversy, Ashley stands. If not the center, the moral compass, or the one scooting over for another perspective or Kate (her best friend). If not budging for Kate, she's listening. There are necessary conversations at hand. Ruth sets the table, and it's rarely comfortable. Ruth is rumor-ridden and spiked with truths, and Ashley can't quit, though she can screw up her glucose anytime. 

The pilot establishes the tone, a drama with the spice of life and whip-smart women arguing with accents and cutting humor. It's a love story about relationships and hope. Like the protagonist, Ruth needs hope. 

Forced to leave emergency medicine, Ashley salvages her father's family practice, opening the door to everything plaguing Ruth. She is the bearer of news, subject of debate, and keeper of confidences. Each episode lends to Ashley's healing and setbacks, as Ruth reveals her wounds, suffering, secrets, and lies.

Here, Picket Fences meets Steel Magnolias in an episodic tale written for television or a streaming service. A complete pilot episode, pitch deck, and series bible are on hand as I seek representation for Saving Ruth. I thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

S.M. Tolhurst