Is This Normal?

I truly believe there is a hidden writer in me and tonight I began to think about this because of what I believe may be a weird habit. I have a tendency to here certain phrases or names and start picturing a story that uses the phrase or names. Sometimes I take the time to write whatever it is in a journal or on a piece of paper. I wish I did every time because when I come across these notes I immediately picture the story that came to me at the time. When I don't write them down they are lost because I didn't rehearse the idea and get the names/phrases more solid in my memory.

Tonight was one of my long days because I am co-teaching a course that begins when the school day ends. We were watching a video of a lesson and the little boy was adorable. He was five years-old, in overalls, and had an old man name (my opinion), Harold. The teacher's name was Amanda. As I watched the video and tried to focus I kept thinking, "these are great names for a children's book." I started jotting ideas in my journal and soon Amanda became Antoinette and the was story emerging. Now it's been a few hours and I'm still haunted by these characters and my story that involves a little boy named Harold and a baby hippo named Antoinette!

Why I chose to write about this tonight is because this happens to me all the time. I have pieces started in several places and the characters visit me off and on when something reminds me of them or the story. There's Bernie and Duffy (therapy dogs), Rhubarb the Prom Queen (a baby born in the rhubarb patch), Roger the Rooster, and many more. I like to think the stories are aging and will be ready to tackle soon. I'm not sure when soon is but I believe it is getting nearer because I have been searching out these pieces of paper and revisiting these stories. Maybe this writing challenge is helping me get more comfortable with continuing some of my ideas and taking one (or more) to final pieces.

We have a school vacation next week and I am always hopeful I will get tons of things accomplished. My to do list is growing but maybe I'll focus a particular time each day to writing of ideas I've had for picture books. Maybe. . .

Stay tuned.