Traveling to a foreign country can be a wonderful thing. You meet new people, experience new customs, and see sights you’ve never seen before. If you’re a writer, you can also be inspired to write a new novel. Putting aside the tax write-off, writing about a place you’ve traveled to makes for a revisit without the cost, headache of standing in lines, or Montezuma’s Revenge. Even if Montezuma never came close to the place.

If you’re lucky, when you travel you meet up with a person or animal that tends to be unforgettable. On our trip to Egypt, I met a lot of nice people, but I will never forget a camel named KFC. Dressed in Rose Bowl Parade regalia, KFC was the largest animal I’ve come in contact with in a long time. And slightly gangly. Yet he still managed to be absolutely darling, having nothing to do with the bells and multi-colored pom-poms adorning him. It was his eyes. I looked into his enormous brown eyes, framed by long lashes, and lost my heart. If we didn’t live in a condo, I would have considered adopting him. Well, maybe.

Anyway, after hugging him repeatedly and listening to a sound being emitted, sort of a cross between a hum and a purr, I knew I had to climb aboard and take a ride. I haven’t been on a horse in about twenty years, and I’d never been on a camel. But I was in love. It only cost twenty dollars, it was only for about fifteen minutes, but I will never forget my sweet, sweet camel. That’s when I knew I had to write about Egypt, the people, the history, and KFC.

And so I did. The story became less about KFC and more about the Alvarez family, but he still got a starring role and a chase through the desert during a haboob. When the novel, Cleopatra almost Slept Here comes out, I will be sure to send KFC a signed copy. Maybe Abdul, his keeper, will read KFC parts of the book he’s in. Maybe KFC will purr a little.