The Tortoise Hatches The Egg

Actually, I think tortoises just bury their eggs and the eggs hatch themselves when the time is right.

But even given that, the analogy still sort of works.

My tortoise, the one who is plodding its way through Flynn and Sara's book, has been making progress (some days more snail-like than tortoise-like, and certainly never hare-like yet) day by day. Periodically I have a feeling she had managed to hide a stash of good stuff (like eggs) in what I've written.

But it's hard to tell. It's buried -- like the eggs are buried -- under a whole lot of sand.

It will take time -- who knows how much? -- before it hatches into something recognizable like, perhaps, a book.

Sometimes writing is simply an act of faith. It's turning up every day, believing in what you're doing even when you can't see ahead. You have to trust your instincts, your characters, and in this case, that the tortoise knows what she's doing.

I do wonder sometimes, though, why there are so many people who think they want to write a book. Do they know what a hassle it is?

I guess the truth is, as my friend Anne Gracie says, whether they know or not, writing, when you do get it right -- when the egg hatches and becomes what it's really supposed to be -- is absolutely "the best." She's right.

I just need to keep remembering that.

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Speaking of tortoises, have you been keeping up with Owen and Mzee? They were the unlikely pair -- the baby hippo and the Aldabra tortoise -- who became best friends after the December Tsunami in 2004 left Owen an orphan.

I was fascinated with their story. It's lots more inspiring than my tortoise story and just goes to show what great things can turn up unexpectedly. If you haven't read about it -- or if you have and want to catch up, try clicking on this website.

Their story makes me think that Twyla Tharp would be pleased. It's a perfect example of not settling for the 'first idea' -- the tried and true -- but of pushing the edges of possibility.

I wonder how many ideas you'd have to generate before you thought of a hippo taking a tortoise as a parent figure.