With his encouragement, I attended powwows and began to gather tales from many different tribes. Soon it became apparent that a big book, full of songs of stories from all over the continent, would be a worthwhile project. Other stories just happen. I have no idea what inspired A Mouse in My House . It just popped into my head one day.
Ideas are sly critters.
By listening quietly, sometimes I can catch them. Some come from deep inside myself, from a special place I have no control over. Other times, ideas are hiding in the shadows, somewhere outside myself. But by using all my senses, I can coax them out. If I don't pounce on them right away, they tend to disappear.