This is very similar to birthing a child. However, a baby is the sum total of its DNA, while a book is the brain baby of its author. This brings me back to memories of an unfortunate whale watching excursion just off Vancouver Island. We were trying to take in the ambiance and the whales. Trying being the operative word here as there was a young couple intent on thrusting their sprog into people’s faces. Maybe they were aware of how unattractive their angry orange with a black wig was? Children do improve, if not attractive at the onset. I really hope this child did, as it might possibly have become traumatized at being thrust into the faces of strangers. We moved position at least six times to avoid the thrustings of the angry orange.

This brings me to nurturing. A new book, like a baby, has to be nurtured. Yes, there is a need for the product to be admired and it must be displayed so the reader can see the product. This also has to be done in such a way that the new born book has something different mentioned about it every time it is trotted out for inspection, much like the new born child. Thrusting an angry orange with a black wig in the face of readers will produce exactly the same results as happened on that day back when. People will run away.

Cats are fans of boxes. Writers should step outside of them.