Potential Chapter Breakdown

A modern-day protagonist (inspired by you) embarks on a journey to uncover the mystery of a lost family member, Uncle Robert. Through family records, stories, and travels to Switzerland and Amish Country, the protagonist uncovers hidden truths about their lineage. The story weaves between past and present, connecting the migration of their great-grandparents from Switzerland to America with the modern-day search for identity and belonging.

Potential Chapter Breakdown

Part One: The Forgotten Name (Setting the mystery & family history in motion)

 Chapter 1: The List That Changed Everything
The protagonist stumbles upon a list of their grandfather’s children, noticing the mysterious “Uncle Robert” they never knew about. The discovery sparks curiosity. Why was he never spoken of? Was he lost, estranged, or deliberately erased from family history?

 Chapter 2: The Milkman’s Legacy
Through memories and research, the protagonist pieces together the life of their grandfather, Leo W. Schmidlin, a milkman in Queens, NY—the first to drive a Borden’s milk truck. The story shifts to the 1940s, where his work connected him to his future wife, Frania Steffie Docyk, a Ukrainian immigrant. Their love story is told as a backdrop to the larger family narrative.

 Chapter 3: The Swiss Departure
Flashing back to the late 1800s, we meet Josephine Borer-Schmidli and Beda Schmidlin in Switzerland. Josephine, longing for more than her quiet Swiss village offers, pushes for a move to America with their family including the protagonist’s Grandfather, Leo W, and his siblings. Beda, hesitant but devoted, follows the love of his life. The decision alters their fate forever.

Chapter 4: Finding Robert
The protagonist digs deeper, finding a possible link to Uncle Robert. Clues suggest he may have left the family for reasons unknown—an affair? Military service? Or something deeper?

Part Two: The Amish Connection (Blending love, faith, and choice)

 Chapter 5: Love Across Worlds
Set in the 1950s, the novel introduces young Robert as he visits NYC with his brother and friends and falls for a mysterious woman—who turns out to be an Amish girl on her Rumspringa. Despite their vastly different backgrounds, they form a deep connection.

 Chapter 6: The Crossroads
When she returns to her Amish community, Robert cannot let her go. He faces a choice—stay in the English world or leave everything behind to be with her in a strict Amish community. Would his Swiss roots make him more acceptable?

 Chapter 7: A Swiss Amish Life
Robert chooses love, moving to an Amish community upstate. He struggles with the transition but finds a sense of peace in simple living. Yet, he remains torn—should he reach out to his old family, or is it too late?

Part Three: Unraveling the Past (Modern-day search for truth & closure)

 Chapter 8: Basel and Beyond
The protagonist travels to Switzerland as she is stationed in Germany not three hours away from where her roots are from, searching for more family connections, but hits roadblocks. The same surname appears everywhere, yet no direct links to Uncle Robert or her relatives.

Chapter 9: Amish Country Secrets
Following leads, the protagonist ventures into an Amish community, uncovering the whispers of a former outsider who integrated long ago. Could this be Robert?

 Chapter 10: The Lost and the Found
The truth is revealed—Robert was not forgotten, but he chose to leave. His story is one of love, faith, and sacrifice. In the end, the protagonist reconnects with the Amish side of the family, closing the gap between the past and the present.

 Epilogue: The Reunion That Almost Was
A final, emotional revelation—was Robert ever looking for his old family? Did he ever regret his decision? Perhaps, in the end, we are all searching for a home.

Next Steps:

Is it to focus on a specific period first—perhaps Robert’s love story, or the protagonist’s journey? Or would you like to develop character details first to ensure they feel real? Let me know how you’d like to build from here!

We start the storyline with my Uncle Robert’s actions then go into the history and continue with his story after a little family history and connection

We’ll start with Uncle Robert in action to immediately draw readers in with intrigue and urgency before diving into the family history. Here’s how we can structure the opening and transition into the rest of the story:

Opening Scene: The Escape (Immediate Action – Hooking the Reader)

Chapter 1: The Disappearance
The novel opens in the 1950s with Uncle Robert exploring the streets of New York City one day with his brother and his friends back on Long Island his heart skips a beat when he spots the most beautiful young woman he’s ever seen. His life will never be the same he thinks. He runs across the busy avenue to meet this woman and offers to buy her a drink at a local cafe so he can sit and talk with her and get to know her. He tells her how drawn he is to her right then and there.

The scene builds suspense, showing his determination but not revealing his full story just yet. He talks with her for hours and finds out she is only in NYC for two weeks before she goes back upstate to her Amish community. He clutches a piece of paper to exchange his phone number and address, suggesting they stay in touch during the remainder of her stay.