One of the top questions we love to ask our cherished
authors is, “Where do you get your ideas?”

The idea fairy visiting while sleeping has to be my all-time
favorite answer.  But I believe they come
from all over the place.  And it’s different
for everyone.  Sometimes ideas come to
the writer and sometimes we have to search them out.  One story may seem to have bubbled up
directly from your creative soul, every turn it takes feeling organic, perfect,
meant to be.  The next book’s nuggets may
have to be labored over and over and over until you have just enough to make
something of it.

I haven’t been at this long enough to have a fabulous answer
to this question of where my ideas come from.
But I do have an example so without further ado, I present to you,
“There’s a Doodle in My Noodle” by Carlene Mermaid.

I had time to kill before the show started.  My adrenaline glands must have thought we
were preparing for battle because I was a little too pumped up.  This was to be an intimate guy-sitting-on-his-stool-humming-his-sweet-folk-songs
type of show.  Relaxing.  So why was my foot tapping a hole into the
floor? My eager eyes darted around the dark table for something to occupy my
sweaty hands. That’s when I saw it.  The
blank napkin.  I immediately dug through
my purse to find a pen.  Got it.  This would calm me down.   I knew
what it would be, what it always is when I have a few minutes to spare.  A half face.
Always a half face.  Whenever I
try to force the other half out, it’s wrong.
No symmetry, not even human looking.
Feverishly at first, I inked the left side of what came to be a man’s
slightly feminine eye.  But it was a man,
I knew it.  So I gave him a bushier
brow.  And a thinner lip.  A stronger jaw and the hint of a cleft chin.  Shadows casting themselves from the table’s
candlelight showed me exactly where my half-face man needed shading.  I took in a deep breath and let it out with
satisfaction.  Another interesting
unfinished doodle.  I sat back, able to
appreciate the candle on the table, the otherwise dark room, the big empty stool
awaiting its artist.

Finally the show started.
The first act was a big beautiful man whistling and playing his guitar,
singing of birds, dreams and a woman named Olivia.  Then came the next, a hidden face behind a
curtain of long bangs but a soulful voice.
In a song, he told us he’d lost his British soul.  With each, I couldn’t help but sketch a
little something that would remind me of the night.

And in the presence of these two who had bared their souls
for us, I had no choice but to give my half-face man the other side of his
expressions.  Nervous that I would ruin
his one-sided beauty, I did my best to bring him to paper.

After a few minutes, I saw him for the first time.  He stared back at me.  He is someone.  Someone I know.  Someone I have to write about.

Thank you Doodle Fairy. 
I believe, I believe, I believe.

Please share where your ideas come from!

My name is Masha and I’m a contest stalker.  Instead of night vision goggles and restraining orders, I use RWA as my match.com.  I peruse the “personals” looking for those three magical words:  no synopsis needed.  Or better yet:  low entries.  Actually, that’s my favorite one.  Somehow, it makes me think, erroneously, no doubt, that I have a better chance of winning. Fat chance.

So why do I enter them?  Contest for me are like that elusive mirage.  Just within my grasp, but oh so far out of reach.  I look at the list of agents and editors and think, what if?  And so I go, where so many others go with me.  Scouring the rules, making sure my name isn’t anywhere on the pages.  Filling out the forms.  Sending in my money.  And why? For the chance to get my stuff out there for that agent who is going to change my life.  But as usual, reality is a different beast.

I’ve entered a number of contests and so far, my experience has been mixed.  A number of years back, in one contest, three judges had three different opinions.  One said my work was fabulous and I was going to be published in the next year.  The second one said what I submitted was garbage (her exact words.  she must not have taken her Prozac that day).  And the third one was somewhere in between.  Confused, I stared at their comments, unsure how I felt or what it meant.  I wanted, really wanted, to believe the fairy godmother who said I should already be published.  I desperately wished I could boo and hiss at the one who trashed my work.  But then, there was that middle one.  The one who didn’t make any promises nor take a weedwacker to my confidence, was the one I didn’t pay attention to.. and the one I should have.  The judge was a published writer and took great pains to point out issues with my work.  There were a few congratulatory comments, but most was a critique.  At the time, I wanted to ignore her suggestions because to be honest, of course what I really wanted was my work to be editor-ready and for that editor to be handed to me on a silver platter.  Or better yet.  Two editors, fighting over my manuscript.  But alas, that was not to be.  Back then, my work really needed a lot of work. I know that now.  I didn’t know that then.  When I look at the state of my manuscript, I realize I have come a long way baby.  But I’m not there yet.  I wonder if any writer ever gets “there.”  I think writers become more proficient with greater experience, but the quest to improve the craft should always be there.

And that’s why now, when I enter a contest, or two, I don’t see it as my end-all be-all.  Sure, it would be great to win.  But that doesn’t mean I’ve arrived.  At least as my work is concerned.  I realize others are different and I have been a judge once where I saw firsthand, the difference between good and outstanding.  That’s where I want to be.  Outstanding.  But for me, that won’t come naturally.  I will need to keep working on it.  And maybe one day soon, that editor will be handed to me on a silver platter.

Do you remember the cozy, Sunday dinners at Grandma’s house? Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole and maybe a pie for dessert? Yeah . . . well neither do I. (If you do remember those–I envy you!)  These were times when families gathered and shared their past week’s trials and triumphs, hugged and giggled, shared family memories.  You know, what I like to think of as scrapbook moments.

Could be the fact my grandparents lived in northern Michigan and I was with my parents all over the country–no not military but oil field, my father was a petroleum engineer. We did move almost every 18 months, though.  Seeing my grandparents was a special time during the summer vacations we took.  There were moments when we as a family would enjoy a meal together but not like at grandma’s–those were special times.

But my point is I think as a whole new generation we’ve gotten away from the sit down family meals with our hectic lifestyles. Let’s face it, it’s not easy, even on weekends to find the time and focus on making such a meal. But believe it or not, I did it a few weekends ago.   Along with struggling with a deadline, critiques and judging a contest, I managed a simple chicken dinner for my family (No, I’m not a grandmother–not until I’m at least fifty. Do you hear that girls? Momma still has eight years to go.).

So I wanted to share a simple, easy, inexpensive recipe with you for those days when you want to try your hand at a Sunday dinner at home. I purchase chicken legs and thighs in bulk family packages and separate them into family portions to freeze. They are fairly inexpensive pieces so I try to always have them on hand. Here is the recipe. (Oh and it’s healthier than fried, too. It’s baked!)

 Mermaid Loni’s Oven-Fried Drumsticks

serves 5-6

1/2 cup vegetable oil—   1 cup baking mix (Bisquick® or Jiffy Mix®) –2 tablespoons paprika– 3 teaspoons Creole seasoning–

1 teaspoon garlic powder–  1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning– 1/4 teaspoon black pepper–  10-12 chicken legs

• Preheat oven to 450°. Pour the vegetable oil into bottom of 15×10/or 15×11 inch baking pan.
• Mix thoroughly– the baking mix, paprika, Creole seasoning, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and pepper together in a bowl.  Pour into a paper bag.
• Add the drumsticks a few at a time, shake to coat well.  Arrange in the baking dish.
• Bake for 15 minutes, turn over with tongs and bake another 15 minutes (30 minutes total) or until juices run clear when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.  Arrange on a serving plate and serve immediately.

Now while the chicken was baking I prepared a few remaining potatoes I had and realized it wasn’t enough for mashed potatoes.  I keep staples of instant mashed potatoes on hand to thicken gravies at times.  I made up a few servings of these and added them along with a touch of chicken broth to make mashed potatoes (I like mine just mashed–still lumpy but you can whip them if you prefer.)  For the green beans, I realized I didn’t have the french fried onions to top it with so instead  I used corn flake crumbs at the last five minutes.  It works in a pinch.  For dessert we had apple crisp as we sat outside around our fire pit that night, catching up on the week past and the week coming up.

It was a great night and a fantastic dinner (if I do say so myself). Just being together around the table, enjoying a fall camp fire in our back yard (love the smell of wood smoke that clings to your clothes afterwards).  You do with what you have–and make your own traditions.   In these times, when time is so special it’s difficult to have those sit down family moments.

I would love to hear what you do to make family time special at your house.

Thank you all so much for participating in the Waterworld Mermaids’ very first Giveaway Day!  All of the Mermaids thank you!!! We have a winner of the $25 Amazon Gift Card. Drumroll please… Congratulations Stephanie Queen!

Stephanie’s favorite romance novel this year was “Texas Blue” by Jodi Thomas. She received this novel as a conference giveaway, read it and found a new favorite author. Stephanie said, “Who says book give-aways don’t help authors?”

The Mermaids say, “Who says book give-aways don’t help you win Amazon gift cards!” Congratulations, Stephanie!!!

***Thank you again to everyone for stopping by. Come back every weekday for more Mermaid thoughts, stories and interviews. And our next Giveaway Day will be held on December 9th. Good luck!***