For Cloudy Mind Days

The perfect way to procrastinate without the guilt: make an ideas book for Cloudy Mind Days TM.

Everytime (okay, when I remember) I see a picture that I think will inspire a story I cut it out of a magazine or if it's on the web, I save it in a folder marked 'Inspiration' (what an inspired title!). Cyclone of Painted Shells Rosalind Red Stands in the Snow and Events at the Wigwam Rock Diner, Nevada were all inspired by pictures (I'm ignoring the fact that none of them have sold yet). Ditto with titles, if I think of something that I'm sure would make a fabulous title*, I jot it down for future use. The Unfortunate Tale of Captain Unworthy, In Silence we Stalk, Church of the Vacant Lot and Shiny Black Hearts were all scribbled down in a notebook before I had stories to go with them.

I've spent the day gluing pictures into a notebook, along with random words and titles. It's the silly things that make us happy.

*I also jotted down 'The Leaning Tower of TeaBags' when waiting for a kettle to boil - some titles you should never use. On the other hand, I have written three stories with the title 'Dead Marigolds' and one day I'll write a version that actually works.