Where do story ideas come from? Yesterday, strong winds demonstrated the power Lake Michigan can hold (as shown in the shaky photo above). As I stood on the beach, barely able to stand against the wind, my imagination took hold of the moment. Suddenly a story idea took shape, now tucked away for future reference. I’ll share a bit of this story idea with you below in first draft form…

The strong wind pressed against his aging body, but Sterling leaned into it as he trudged along the beach. The fury of Lake Michigan would not stop him this time. He stopped a moment and stared into the towering waves pounding the shore. Sand whipped up by the wind pelted his face as he winced, eyes focused on the horizon. Grains of sand lodged against his stubble beard.

The Fury. It was an apt name given to the ship he once captained. A ship now resting at the bottom of Lake Michigan. Each wave he watched crest only reminded him of that fateful day. Water blasting over the bow of his ship, pressed into the storm like his body now did against the force of the wind. His feet firmly planted on the sandy beach, just as he stood firm that day on his ship pressing on toward Chicago.

“Captain!”

The faint sound of his title was barely audible over the storm. He turned to see his first mate Collen braced against the open cockpit door and joined him inside. They held onto anything they could as the ship rocked violently.

“I think she’s about to deliver,” Collen said.

“A baby? In this weather? Take the helm.”

Nine months of waiting. Couldn’t this wait just one more day for calm seas? As he made his way below deck to the cabins, he tried to suppress his anger. He told her not to join him on this trip, but she insisted she needed to be with her aunt in Chicago…