The Birth of an Idea

Authors are always asked, "Where do you get your ideas?" Well, did you listen to my last post, "Crazy Idea #3?" That's it. That's where ideas come from - that's how they're formed. (And of course, they don't all come from my ink-eating printer, but you get the idea.)
     Because you know what? I haven't been able to get that little Octopus out of my head. Nope. Today while walking with my dog, that little Octopus informed me his name is "Ohi." And yup - he's afraid of everything - pointy coral reefs, slippery schools of fish, but most especially, he's afraid of the dark. Which is inconvenient considering he creates the very thing he fears the most whenever he squirts ink!
     And maybe Ohi has a friend... What would be the most unlikely type of sidekick - horrible and wonderful all at the same time? How about an Angler fish? They are very, very scary... but they create light. So what if this very, very scary angler fish was named Annabelle? And what if she was also afraid of the very thing she created - light?
     So, we have two characters. They are as different as can be, but with a lot in common on a deep, philosophical level. Somehow, they will have an adventure and help each other out. But how, what's their story? This is my job. I must figure it out. Can I do it?
     I hope so, because Ohi and Annabelle have something to say...

Read more about developing ideas: The Life Cycle of an Idea: From Concept to Reality - Thanks to Anastasia Suen for the link!

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