Inspiration for stories can come from many places. Song titles, for example. Learning to Fly—by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers—is the title of my latest short story on the Big Red Balloon Podcast.

Curiously, it was a cover version of the song by the indie band, the Weepies, that caught my attention decades after hearing the original. I think it was the simplicity of acoustics, the delightful harmonies of Deb Talan and Steve Tannen. An image came to me—a young sorceress holding her staff in both hands above her head and rising into the air, spinning slowly as if on a thread. I once dreamed of flying in this way. It sure was amazing! Apparently, it’s common for children to dream of flying…and quite rare for adults. Oh well, at least I can imagine it in the story. Young listeners to the story may recall their own dreams. What excitement!

Anyway, I won’t be giving the story away in this post, except to say it explores the significance of “learning to fly”…with both feet on the ground. The characters—April Weathers (the sorceress), Indigo (a fierce beach protector), and Jark (a daydreamer)—  appear elsewhere in the podcast stories and in the novel I am currently writing. More news on that later in the year. 

In the meantime, head on over to The Big Red Balloon Podcast and listen in with your young family members. Ideal listening ages: 8-12 years. 

Featured image thanks to Fröken Focus on Pixels