Premise/Idea

Required: Premise/Idea ?

Identify the following:

(1) Protagonist(s). Who is(are) your main character(s)?

Jillian Peters is a graduate student at the University of South Florida who has just gotten out of an abusive relationship. Michael Lancing is a professor at USF who teaches a course in Psychology and Sexuality. Jill takes Mike's course at the prompting of friends and other professors, and finds herself smitten with Mike and intrigued by his "non-traditional" approach to relationships.

(2) Goal(s). What do they want?

While in the process of healing from the damage done by her ex; Jill wants to obtain a doctorate in psychology, and to explore Mike's notions of a relationship. Mike is also in the process of healing from a broken relationship, and seeks to encourage his students to think outside the box when it comes to relationships. He finds himself charmed by Jill, and attempts to pursue a relationship with her while still maintaining his free-love life style.

(3) Conflict. What is keeping them from their goal?

Jill finds it difficult to accept Mike's life style due to her conservative upbringing. She is not sure she wants another monogamous relationship given that her last one ended so badly, but she is not sure she can handle the idea of Mike being intimate with other women.

Mike finds himself falling for Jill, and has trouble maintaining his relationship with her while making sure he does not get pulled into a similar trap that his ex tried to snare him in. He also tries to help his students explore their sexuality in a safe environment, but has to make sure the school is not aware of his extracurricular activities.

(4) Antagonist(s). Who(what) is creating the conflict?

Aaron Michaels, Jill's ex, portrays himself as a staunch conservative Christian, but reveals himself to be a controlling, possessive, abusive sadist. Jill is the first to actually leave him, and he will do whatever it takes to get her back under his thumb. He works in collusion with Martin Chalmers, and Laura Jones to take Michael Lancing down a few notches.

Martin Chalmers is a conservative political science professor at USF. After losing the son of a family friend to Mike's way of thinking, his goal becomes to get the young up and coming professor fired, and possibly black listed from teaching altogether. Though he does not approve of Aaron's interest in Jill he sees it as a means to an end in his vendetta against Mike.

Laura Jones, Mike's ex, is hell bent on getting a piece of the fortune Mike inherited after they broke up. She works in collusion with Aaron to break up Mike and Jill.
Bonus: Theme ?

Identify the theme or moral of the story. Brainstorm ways you could resolve your conflict within the confines of the theme.

The theme of this novel is healing through exploration. Both protagonists use their exploration of sexuality to heal their heart breaks. In the end Jill and Mike figure out how to have a relationship that is beneficial for both of them. Jill forgives Aaron after he understands and accepts that he has lost any hope of having her. In an attempt to infiltrate the group he realizes that the conservative way is not the only way, and that Mike, his friends and colleagues, and students are not the deviants he was led to believe.

After failed attempts to expose Mike's inappropriate behavior, Martin Chalmers resigns himself to having to exist in the same world as people who do not hold the same values as himself.

Laura is not so easily defeated. After Mike chooses Jill over her Laura makes an attempt on Jill's life that ends up being thwarted by Aaron.