Did you ever have one of those moments when you’re trying to glue something back together and you realize that you’re missing a piece?

Last week, I had a new sofa delivered, and in the process of moving things so the delivery guys could get in the door, I broke a frog figurine. Yes, I said it. It is a frog figurine. A Jim Shore frog figurine. And quite expensive. And because I love all things whimsical, it is one of my treasured items.

So I’m trying to glue it back together, but I realized last night that I don’t have all the pieces. That a couple of large pieces are hiding somewhere just out of sight. I’ve moved furniture and looked under the fridge. Nada. Still looking.

For me, writing is like that. I don’t write in chronological order. I usually don’t write in any type of order at all, unless it’s a very short story. And sometimes the hardest part of writing for me is finding that piece that has somehow slipped under the refrigerator or is hiding behind the sofa, mentally that is.

This past Thursday, I was thinking about a prior job and the people who worked there. And there she was, my inspiration for Sinclair’s mother. I won’t say her name. Anyone who really knows me will likely guess, but it could be messy if  I announced to the world that X is the model for Y. Especially since Sinclair’s mother isn’t a great/nice/likable person.

This means I have one more piece of the story, a huge piece that I’ve been struggling with, a piece that’s been hiding behind the chest of drawers. I have a mental sketch of her character and possibly her physical appearance. No, it won’t be her exactly. That would be cheating. But it gives me a good start on her character.

Now if I can just find the other pieces, I can glue this frog together.