You want to know where my story ideas come from? Everywhere! I’ll show you what I mean…

I took this photo when my family went on a trip to northern Arkansas this last summer. When we travel, we tend to stop wherever we see interesting signs along the side of the road. “Quigley’s Castle”—had to see what that was all about—think a house built of concrete with bits of shell and crystal stuck into the bricks. Very strange and wonderful. If there’d been a “Biggest Ball of Twine” sign, we’d have been there, too. After all, what’s a family trip if you don’t enjoy the journey as much as the destination?

We stopped at a country store that had half a dozen horses lined up and a sign that read, “Horse rides–$6.”

Now, I look at this picture of the 9-year-old who was lead around the grassy yard in front of the store again and again, and I think… hmmm… a little town’s 4th of July celebration… cowboys giving kids rides on horses… a single mom watching her little girl ride a horse… a cowboy who sees the little girl’s joy… Where might that lead?

Now, it’s your turn…