Writers get inspiration from anywhere and everywhere, especially when they’re blocked creatively. Part III of my 100-words serial was elusive, which I hoped wasn’t an omen for edits in my third novel (currently underway). I remembered reading somewhere that there are psychics who pick a Book at random, flip through, and point to a sentence to determine a reading.

Recently I bought a book of defunct English words—because words are one of the many things I geek out over—and decided it was the perfect book for my purpose. It had words like sandillions, drizzen, and idle-worms (post for another day). I flipped through the book with my eyes closed and then pointed at

Ostentiferous: adj. that which brings monsters or strange sights.

I love lightbulb moments! Here’s what my newly-learned word inspired:

Winter’s Story, part III

The woman’s gaze careened between the lamp and the large-eyed Sprite. At length her eyes settled squarely on the girl.

“It’s an ostentiferosity light,” she said matter-of-factly. At the stricken woman’s blank stare the sprite continued. “It summons the fantastical.”

“Then why are my treasures gone?” asked the woman. The sprite cocked her head considering.

“They must not have been fantastical. But you’re still here,” she replied and a slow smile spread across the sprite’s face. The woman blanched at the sight.

“What does that mean? Where did my things go?”

“Shall we go and find out?” asked the sprite.