It's NANO Time Again!

November approaches. Where did the time go?

And we all know what November means -- the insanity that is National Novel Writing Month!!

This time my story is very simple. Possibly too simple for fifty thousand words, but it's the one my brain wants to write, has wanted to write for some time, and is the only one I've not already started. There are two other stories I've begun, but I can't bring work into NaNo, so I will do the one I can't quite get. Heh. Something will happen. Maybe the desperation of trying to finish will induce creativity.

I had a crazy, complicated, forced sex-slave in a male-dominated compound on some dry, barren, outpost world dream, that just might make a better NaNo, but I'm just not sure I want to write it. It still feels too close. It was one of the few dreams where I wasn't aware for more than a flashing moment that it was a dream. My mind lived it. My husband said I sounded panicked when I was relating it to him, and then gave me the glare with a "it's just a dream, it wasn't real", like I'm some kind of freak because my dreams affect me. Ma.

Anyway, I don't really want to write something that dark. Cause it would be very dark. Still, I do like that my heroine never gives up, but keeps trying to escape, and bring other women with her.

But no, I have a cheesy love-story. It's a much happier write, and read. Maybe not as much kinky, fucked up sex, but hopefully entertaining anyway.

Eli St Clair, 33, is a recently unemployed technical business analyst, with a double bachelor degree in computer engineering and commerce. She writes a kinky funny/educational column for a sex website, SEXUS.com, twice a month. She's tattooed, pierced, opinionated, kinky, tall, plump, and exactly what Ben needs in his life. She loves to bake, knit, read, hike, and swim. She's never taken a vacation that didn't revolve around beach and swimming.

Lt. Col. Benjamin Davis, 41, is a marine and engineer working out of Quantico, doing research. He is a widow of five years, with two half grown sons - Mathew 16, and Joshua 12. Ben's wife died of breast cancer. Every year Ben raises money by running a marathon for her. He will always love her, but he thinks he's ready to move on, to love again. Love seems to be knocking on his door, ready or not, and Eli, he could never say no to.

Back Story:

Ben and Eli meet when Ben comes up to Toronto to move his sister Jenna,Eli's best friend, out of the apartment she was living in with her abusive boyfriend. Jenna had 3-4 good friends there, to make sure she was safe and moved out before he came home. They were all worried her brother might go after the bastard. They forgot about Eli's mean streak. In their defense, all but Jenna had never seen a hint of it - Eli almost ran Kevin over when she saw the shiner he gave Jenna. Of course Kevin came home early and tried to make a scene. Eli and Ben kept him from getting within vocal distance of Jenna. Kevin made a crack about Jenna being like all women, unable to take care of themselves. Without warning Eli hauled off and punched him in the kisser. Kevin fell back, shocked and dazed. Eli kicked him in the balls with all she was worth, yelling for him to pick on someone his own size, that she'd show him what a woman could do. Dripping blood from a cut in his mouth Kevin called her a bitch, and lunged at her. Ben stopped him, and bodily pushed him back to his car, telling him to quit while he was ahead.

This moment locked Eli in Ben's brain. She was sexy as hell, smart, she got his humour, she loved his sister, was protective of her as a mama bear, and she had a mean right hook. She was no marine, but Semper Fi was in her blood. She was a kindred spirit.

Ben got Eli's # and email from Jenna, and spent the next 8-9 months flirting, talking, and slowly falling for Eli. The feeling was mutual.

When Eli was laid off, she, of curse started looking for work. Three months later, she was still unemployed despite a few good interviews. Ben offered to use his connections in Quantico, there were a lot of contractors he worked with that could use someone like her. He suggested maybe try a contract, see if she liked it where he was. Offered his home to her while she got herself settled in. Made it clear he'd be thrilled to have her close enough to finally get his hands on her. Eli finally agrees. She loves Canada, but she's ready for a change, and her heart is already half in VA, she might as well be there too.

Eli comes for a visit, and to have a few interviews with various companies, thanks to Ben's networking. Things seem fine at first, then the world starts sliding sideways.  Ben's tires are slashed, and his windows soaped with "stay away from her", "she's mine".


This is where I have some trouble. I'm not sure how to make the stalker escalate his anger. I know at one point I want him to bomb her car, but I feel like there needs to be something else between the tire slashing and the bomb. I'm just not sure WHAT. =/

Maybe he could try to run her over as she crosses a street? He could try to hit her car while she's on the road? He could follow her around in the mall while she's shopping?

I think what makes sense, is that he's watching her, he's been reading her column, sending her emails. He found her phone number and started calling, but Eli got so many calls from advertising places that she didn't realise she had a stalker. Eli got her number changed soon after, and got it unlisted, he couldn't find it. He kept sending emails, but he wasn't the only weirdo emailing because of her column, she thought nothing of it. When she mentioned she was coming to VA, one state over from him, he found out what flight, what airport, and waited there for her. He followed her back to Ben's home.

He starts watching the Lt. Col's house. He sees Eli and Ben in Ben's bedroom, kissing - that's when he slashes the tires during the night.

The next day (the day Ben wakes up to slashed tires), Ben and Eli do more than kiss. Again, creepy stalker, is watching, and he sees Eli shut the blinds in just her bra. He freaks. He puts a bomb in her car. When she leaves the house the next morning for her next interview, creepy stalker activates the bomb. The car blows, knocks Eli back, giving her a concussion, and destroys the garage door the car was parked in front of.

Ben sends his boys to his parents, worried they are going to get hit in the crossfire. This is when Eli realises her crazy stalker has come to pay a visit. He leaves angry messages on Ben's home phone - they find them after the bombing, and were made the day before. Eli checks her column email, and find more hateful messages, with warnings, and then with angry betrayal messages, and threats to her life.

Ben and Eli hole up in the house for a few days. Eli gets depressed, she's disrupted Ben's life, put his family in danger, and she hasn't a clue who this guy is!

Ben takes Eli out to dinner, trying to cheer her up. Promising he won't let anything happen to her. Creepy stalker starts shooting at them when they leave the restaurant, perhaps?

Eli and Ben spend the weekend, in his house? Or he could take her to his cottage? Not sure here.

Come Monday, Eli is determined to go to her interview. She won't let creepy stalker rule her life. Since her rental car is toast, and Ben has to go to work, she calls a cab from the home phone. Creepy stalker picks it up - she was using a wireless phone. He intercepts the cab and pretends to be the cabby and kidnaps her.

Ben doesn't realise anything is wrong until he calls her around noon, and doesn't get an answer. He calls the house, tries her again, and again. Finally Ben calls the company she had an interview with, he knows the guy who was interviewing her. Asks when she left. Guy says Eli never showed up. Now Ben gets worried....

Now I better go do some dishes before my husband flambes ME. heh.