One of the things that I’m doing as a result of COVID-19 social distancing is taking time to improve my photography. Here’s a shot of two mules. It’s okay. I was six feet away from them, and I used a Zoom lens. This could be the impetus for a non-fiction book about mules, maybe HOW MULES PARENT or a fictional story about a mule who longs to get out where the grass is greener but discovers that greener does not always mean sweeter. I also thought I’d share a photo I took at the Dragon Lights Festival in 2018
Sometimes I am inspired by people’s actions. For example, I recently saw an SUV where someone soaped on the message, “Thank You Coaches.” My imagination fired up. Immediately, I thought it was one of a number of high school graduates who decided to honor their coaches but were limited by social distancing imposed by COVID-19. I liked that idea. I liked the way that he or she is giving back. I imagined an entire slew of cars thanking their coaches for a job well done. I began to wonder just what the coaches had done to inspire kids to take such a positive action. It really could be the inspiring idea for a non-fiction book about a particular coach, a fiction idea about a coach who inspires the team but falls prey to COVID-19, or any other number of ideas.
Sometimes, I am inspired by nature.
One day I was lying down on a chaise lounge and I noticed the clouds morphing into different shapes. I decided to take pictures of the clouds as they drifted. Read more
When someone finds out I’m an author, they often ask me where I get my ideas. Sometimes, I am inspired by other people’s art. For example, I took this photo when I went to a festival of lights. I still haven’t made a story out of it, but I will one day. Would you like to use this picture to help you write a story? Click on the picture to see it blown up. (Want to know more? Check out https://www.ktvn.com/story/38263424/chinese-lantern-festival-dragon-lights-comes-to-reno-this-summer.)
One of the sources for ideas for me is observing the world around me. I recently snapped a photo of the back of a van. Read more