Sketch to finish

Sometimes the brainstorming for a story leads to ideas that probably won't be used in the book, but you don't want to let go of them completely.

That's what this is. The storyline has bounced around a bit and the characters have morphed too. I found this small sketch in my big 21" tall sketchbook of story ideas, and I thought, the relationship between this pair needs to be explored in watercolor paint.
Is the grownup a teacher? An aunt? A mom? A neighbor?

In my story she's the little girl's mom -- but that could change, just like a hundred other things about this work in progress could change.
Monday, September 26 is National Dumpling Day. Go hug your lil' dumpling. :) 

-- Ruth McNally Barshaw

Surfer Music

Last night I was driving my kid to gymnastics and a picture just popped into my head. I keep a little notepad in my car just in case I hear music that I really like on the radio (the reverse of the paper has Surfer Music, Dick Dale, and the Dum Dum Girls written on it).  As soon as we got to the parking lot, I scribbled down my idea so I wouldn't forget it. So, I thought it would be neat to share something that is but a wee bit of something that might or might not ever turn into anything that resembles anything to anyone but me.