Where do I get my ideas?:

[cstasheff]

Since my son and webmaster brought it to my attention, I've been thinking more and more about THE SEAMAN, an internet ghost, just a title for a book that doesn't exist -- a trivial fact, when we can MAKE it exist. Years ago, one of my books was published with a cover whose art work had little or nothing to do with the story. Not to be daunted, I wrote the next book in the series with a scene that fit the picture perfectly -- so why not write a novel about a fantasy seaman? My inclination is to start with a short story about a Finnish sailor -- the Finns were reputed to all be sorcerers, and could literally whistle up a wind -- and of course, it's an ill wind that blows no one good -- or as Danny Kaye said, "The oboe is an ill wind that no one blows good." Captains tried to avoid hiring Finnish sailors, but if one did show up aboard, I suspect everyoe was very polite to them.
So here's to THE SEAMAN -- and if you ever wonder where writers get their ideas, you can be assured that, as Jon mentions in the blog, I sometimes get mine from spelling errors.