THE BUSINESS OF DRAGONS

I suspect that any story an author sets out to write is already “there”, somewhere in the cosmos in its entirety. The characters are alive, the plot is rolling along. The author snatches bits and pieces of the story out of the ether, and then fits them together like a jigsaw puzzle. One day, the last piece is put into place, and the story is complete.

I am constantly scribbling down on scraps of paper these “bits and pieces” that my mind catches, stacking them up and sorting them out for future writing sessions. When I’m finished with the scraps, I discard them in my recycling bin. If anyone decides to rummage through my bin, they might wonder what the heck is going on with all the random thoughts scrawled on snippets of paper.

Here’s how I came to know the truth about the stories in the ether. Years ago, I spotted a bumper sticker that said, “Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.” I thought it was the cleverest slogan I’d ever heard. I’m not prone to putting bumper stickers on my vehicle, but this was one I had to have, and I immediately ordered it for my own car.

I then emailed a friend to tell her about the bumper sticker. Said she, “I think there’s a story in that. Why don’t you reach out and catch it?”

Her response bewildered me. But I opened my mind to the idea, and in no time at all, the story began rolling in. Thus, the fable, The Business of Dragons was born. I have not yet published this children’s story. Perhaps someday I will, when I find an illustrator who will commit to the project. If you’re out there and you’re interested, let me know.