Ideas come from anywhere

I could be just walking, or mowing the lawn, when an idea pops up. I immediately write it down or talk to my phone and save it. I let it simmer and return after a couple of days to read it with fresh eyes. Some sentences or paragraphs come from a character revealing what type of person he/she is. I take the character qualities and ask, “What if?” This is one of those out-of-the-blue moments that started a middle-grade novel work in progress

“As soon as my mother said, ‘Hannah, we are going to visit Mema in a swampy part of Louisiana to help settle grandpa’s will,’ I immediately started reading books about cholera, alligators, and moonshine. Especially alligators, since I didn’t want to be part of their food chain. Moonshine? Heck, I’m only twelve. But my mom says I drive her to drink. I don’t drive either, but I probably could if I had to.”