Ideas and Planting

While in Chapters today I broke from the family for a short while and did a quick scout of the fantasy and SciFi sections. (No I didn't see my name yet, that's not a surprise though.) I wasn't really looking for anything but did manage to find a new series called 'The Codex Alera' By Jim Butcher. It looked interesting so when I went to relieve my wife from watching our kids I took it with me to read the first few pages and see if I would like it. On the way to the play area I was hit with inspiration. I can't say if it was something I saw on the cover of a book or just a single word that hit home but I thought of an entirely new plot for a whole new book. Now that isn't really out of the normal for me I do think of plenty but most I dismiss cause they won't work or after more thought it just comes across as dumb. THIS time though the idea stuck. I rolled it around inside of my head for a while and it just sounded better. I tossed it to my wife (who usually tells me if there is a problem with it) and she said it sounded good. So for the whole two hour drive home I rolled the seed around and planted it to see what it would grow. I now have the first chapter laid out in my head and really need to get it onto paper to see how it starts panning out. Worst case scenario it is a flop, but I don't think so, I think this plant is going to grow. The leaves are sprouting already, I can see them.

So on that note, where is the oddest place you have ever had an idea that you really had to get onto paper?
And on another note, I need a name for my main character in this work. He will be cast in classic mid evil style area. As for age I need him to start in pre-teens to very early teens, he needs to grow with the book.
Suggestions? Let me know, you might end up naming the main character in a smash hit! Who knows?!

Jamie