Over the past few years I have written several posts about the stories behind some of my stories. All novels, novellas and stories begin with a thought, an idea, an aha moment, something that says this would be a fun story. Now I have gathered them into one place, right here on my blog.
The Menace
A Romantic Comedy Novella
When Javier Rodin a.k.a. ‘The Menace’ is injured on the last day of filming his latest movie he is taken to St Mark’s hospital. Other than a small bump on the head and the fact that his crazed fans have shredded his clothes in an effort to get a piece of him as a souvenir, he is fine. Exhausted, he readily takes the doctor up on his offer to rest for a couple of hours in a recently vacated room. Known worldwide for the series of brutal action movies he stars in, women continually throw themselves at him expecting him to fulfill their ‘take me’ fantasies. And he’d willingly done so for a while. But that had quickly become old. What he wanted was something real, a little conversation with someone who recognized he was an actor not the character he portrayed, and some soft, slow, sweet lovemaking. But with a face as brutally scarred and recognizable as his, he knew he wasn’t likely to get it.
Millicent Riley is a natural born optimist, despite the day to day challenges being dyslexic often provides. The daughter of newspaper magnate Vincent Riley and sponsor of the Riley wing at St. Mark’s hospital, Millie thoroughly enjoys her volunteer work there. She is cheerful and easy going, and the perfect candidate to chat with patients and put them at ease. Assured that coma patients can hear, she is sent to talk to the comatose patient in room thirteen, it turns out to be her lucky number, because that patient has already been transferred-and in his place is ‘The Menace’ who is simply trying to take a nap.
Though he’s annoyed at the interruption at first, Javier soon realizes that Millie may be the very best thing that has ever happened to him. She’s sweet, she’s cute, she’s sensual and she is going to be his. And while Millie may think she is a plain Jane, Javier disagrees, he thinks she is adorable and can’t wait to get to know her better. Fortunately for him, Millie is convinced that the hulking brooding Javier is the sexiest man she’s ever met.
But when Millie’s self-absorbed father tries to set her up with his young co-worker, will Javier allow him to derail their budding romance?
The story behind the story
Every story has an element of truth. A small part of an author's life that finds its way into fiction. This one is personal to me because like Millie, I am dyslexic. How can a writer be dyslexic? It's pretty simple. These days there are many ways (with the right help) of overcoming or at least dealing with certain aspects of dyslexia, and each person with dyslexia will be affected differently. I have a mild form, one which makes it virtually impossible for me to differentiate between left and right, to remember which way to turn things or to accurately follow directions. I'm not word blind as Millie in my story is, but I can certainly understand some of the frustrations she deals with. Millie is a natural born optimist who finds ways around her disability. I love optimistic people.
And then there's Javier, aka The Menace, well, he has his own issues, how many times have we seen a movie and thought that the actor must have something in common with the character he portrays, because he performs his role so well? This is something Javier has to overcome. The perception of his viewing audience. But fortunately for Millie, Javier is tough on the outside, all marshmallow on the inside. My kind of guy!
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