Bruised rib cages, writing ideas, and a nap....

I can hear it now...the silent scrawling of my admittance form being filled out at the local looney farm.  In the mean time let me explain, no really, trust me bruised ribs, writing, and a nap all fit, harmoniously, in this scattered brain of mine.  

Late Saturday afternoon my twins were "horsing" around, and in an effort to keep this post about writing and not my crazy boys, I will just say that "horsing" around apparently involves Twister like moves and the notion that knees are harder than rib cages.  Needless to say it was an interesting night.  By Sunday morning it was obvious his ribs weren't cracked just well bruised.  

By Sunday afternoon he (the bruised twin) was tired (hard night and pain medicine) so I agreed to take a nap with him.  (Honestly, he didn't need to go and bruise his ribs if all he wanted to do was take a nap, but whatever.)  We decided to read and low and behold what was on my bookshelf? (ok,so there's about 30 books on my bookshelf and 20 more stacked, crawling up the wall, BUT that's besides the point) 

Harry Potter.  

Yep, I am a huge Harry Potter fan and I keep it on my bookshelf next to my bed.  (Nerd or no nerd, if I could help as many reluctant readers as Harry Potter my life's ambition would be fulfilled!) So I started reading to him.  We read all about that strange and mysterious day and the secret the Dursley's didn't want anyone to uncover and then......

Viola! 

An idea hit me!  Now this is not the first time Harry Potter has invoked an idea, but it was something that hadn't happened in awhile.  I smiled as I kept reading and, as most things go in my life, the idea started to dissolve into my hectic life.  My son wasn't tired anymore, lunch needed to be made, and there was laundry to do.  

And here's where the nap really comes into play.

Later I decided to go lay down anyway (after all the other fun stuff was done, of course) and as soon as I closed my eyes, the idea came back.  I know I was asleep for a little while, but mostly I just lay there letting the idea run its course.  

I've been asked several time where my ideas come from.  I suppose I don't really take notice when my ideas do come, so my answer is usually pretty lame.  Most of the time my answer is "Um.  I don't really know" or "I just thought of it".  So now you know, ideas come from life and the small, crazy moment in them, that's what makes books real.  And who knows, someday maybe you'll be reading one of my books and be able to tell people that the books's idea started on a strange and mysterious day in the Moxley household that involved a bruised rib cage, writing, and a nap!