I usually keep my stories to myself until they're written or I have a pretty good handle on what I'm actually writing about, but this year is all about trying a different strategy, so here goes.

My story starts in the present day where we meet Lilia and her three children (2 daughters and 1 son). Lilia's husband, Gunther, seems to take her presence for granted. He works as a sales director for a company and travels quite a bit. Lilia's work is her children and some freelance writing that she does. Lilia is 45 and starting to mourn the loss of her youth.

When Lilia was small, she lost her dad in a car accident. After this, she found the Oak and Ash forest where Malik lives. Malik is a Faery and he was a child along with Lilia, so they essentially grew up together. Once Lilia turned 14, she could no longer enter the forest with Malik. She mourned his loss and became depressed. At age 16, she dreamed about him. It seemed that Malik had manifested the ability to enter and manipulate people's dreams. Because of this, Lilia spent a great deal of time asleep so that she could be with Malik. She was in love with him. Lilia's mother worried about her sleeping so much and she took her to psychiatrists and therapists who took the dreams away through modern drugs. Lilia, however, assumed that it was Malik not coming to her that caused the dreams to end. She was angry with him.

In waking life, she has moved on with her life and meets Gunther during college. He is a business major and very straight laced. They begin dating and fall in love. Lilia has never really gotten over Malik. And, because it's college, Lilia often forgets to take her depression medicine and Malik is once again able to enter her dreams. However, she doesn't want anything to do with him. She has just agreed to marry Gunther and believes that the dreams are simply nervousness about the upcoming wedding. The night before the wedding, Lilia gives into the passion she feels for Malik and they are intimate within her dream.

Shortly after the wedding, Lilia discovers that she's pregnant. She carries the guilt of her one night with Malik (because she knows that with him dreams are real) in silence. Gunther believes that the daughter born is his, but Katrina (the baby) has Malik's hair color.

Ok, so fast forward 13 years...Katrina is getting ready to turn 14, Gunther ignores Lilia and there are 2 other children added to the mix. Malik comes back to Lilia in a dream. He's in trouble and needs her help.


Some possible reasons he's in trouble:
*the Unseelie Queen, Ambrosia, is attempting to take over his court.
*the faeries have lost favor with the Goddess and magic is dying, which means the fae are dying. Malik needs Lilia to help bring it back.
*Same as above, but Malik needs Katrina with her faery blood and youth to help bring magic back. She needs to come to the faery realm before she turns 14 and her human blood causes her to not be able to enter.


And that's what I have so far. This has actually been helpful, though long-winded. I would appreciate any ideas on where I could possibly take this, and/or which scenerio you like the best.