Baby Baart

Here is our wee one at 25-26 weeks and nearly 2 pounds. I know I'm the mommy, but WOW. Aren't ultrasounds cool?!?

Stitches

My oldest son is six and a half years old. Since he's a typical boy (part superhero, part wild child, and part animal), you'd think that the Baarts would be old pros at the ER thing. Never mind the fact that our second son is the three and a half year old equivalent of Evil Knievel. Between the two of them and the years we've been parenting, we should have accumulated a long list of hospital visits, broken bones, and stitches. But we haven't. In fact, far from it.

We've never been to the ER. Our sons were not sick once this year. Yup, you read that right: not once. No colds, flus, or sinus infections. No broken arms, accidents, or bumps on the head. In fact, as far as we know our youngest has never once had a fever. Amazing, isn't it?

Well, you knew it was only a matter of time... Our baby got stitches last night. Three of them on his brow bone. The worst part? It was my fault.

In the ER last night:

Doctor: What happened, Buddy?

My Son: I wan into da banis-tuh.

Doctor: The banister?

My Son: Uh-huh.

Doctor: Why did you run into the banister?

My Son: Because my mommy said I had to go upstairs and pick up my toys. I didn't want to, but she made me.

Oh! The mommy-guilt! I'm tempted to never make him pick up his toys again. But then again, he's pretty proud of his Frankenstien stripes. Scars are cool, right? I'm just hoping that this one trip was an anomaly... Please, Lord, let this not be a growing trend in the Baart house.

Your turn: Tell me about your best ER visit! I got stitches when I was three, and apparently my dad almost passed out in the procedure room. The doctor made him go sit outside. :)

Research

Happy Tuesday!

As I promised, today kicks off the new format for my blog. Since I like mornings, the start of the week, and new beginnings, it makes sense for me to blog about "work" on Tuesdays. And I'm starting off today with a writing doozie: research.

Though I'm no research guru, I have the sneaking suspicion that I'm about to become one... My sixth book (my first book for my new publisher, Simon & Schuster), is very loosely based on a true story. And this story is going to require a lot of me, both intellectually and emotionally. So, where to begin? The task seems daunting to say the least.

After speaking to other authors, attending seminars at writing conferences, and perusing books on the subject, I've come up with my own three-step approach to research. Take it for what it's worth, or use it and modify it to fit your specific needs! I believe research is a vital, necessary part of any good book (even if only minimal research is needed), and I'm convinced a story that has been eagerly investigated, studied, and explored will be much richer and filled with nuance and meaning. Come on, how many of you have read a poorly researched book and rolled your eyes at the author's obvious lack of knowledge on the subject? It's almost embarrassing. Anyway, as I face the seemingly insurmountable task of becoming an expert on Alaska, flying a bush plane, grieving the loss of a spouse, and falling in love again, these are the guidelines I'll be using for my research.

1. Live it.
Ever heard the expression "write what you know"? Although I don't buy that wholesale, I do think it contains valuble advice. I once read a book by a man in which he described in detail the process of childbirth through the eyes a woman. 'Scuse me? It just didn't ring true. My rule is, whenever possible, do yourself the favor of writing about things that you know intimately.

To that end, I'm on my way to Alaska! The tickets are booked, the interviews are lined up, and yup, I'm going to put my life in the hands of a real, live Alaskan bush pilot. Though I have to stay below 6,000 feet because of the baby, I'm really excited. But some people have asked me why I feel the need to fly across the continent for research... To me, it's a no-brainer. How can I capture the essence of Alaska (the scent of the air, the height of the trees, the sound of the waves crashing on the shore) if I've never been there? How can I explain what it's like to fly in a bush plane over the mountains if I've never done that? I can't. At least, not convincingly. Thus, off to Anchorage I go.

2. Experience it vicariously.
Can't fly to Alaska? Or grieve the death of your spouse (I certainly hope not), or know what it feels like to have a disabled child? I believe that if you can't manufacture an experience, the next-best thing you could do is spend time with someone who has lived it. Get yourself a primary resource, someone whose insight and knowledge can give your characters depth and meaning.

I might be going up in a bush plane, but that certainly doesn't make me a pilot. Since I know absolutely nothing about what it takes to fly in the wilds of Alaska, I have "interviews" (i.e. long talks over pints of beer--for them, not me) scheduled with pilots and other Alaskan natives. I am looking forward to these interactions so much! I can't wait to glean wisdom from these amazing people.

3. Learn about it.
I think this is the first place that many people look for information, and though I'm as happy as anyone about the amount of data at my fingertips thanks to the wonders of the World-Wide Web, I'm disappointed in our unswerving reliance on it. Wikipedia seems to have replaced experience. Why ask an expert (i.e. talk to a real person) when I can Google it? Boo. And yet, sometimes you do need to research the traditional way by hitting the books (or the keys).

Between the flying, the interviews, and the all-around Alaska experience, I will also be spending some time at the Loussac Library in Anchorage. Apparently, they have an entire wing dedicated to Alaskan heritage and folklore--including journals and historical documents. I get chills just thinking about it.

Well, that's my master plan. I know I'll hardly be an expert by the end of my short trip, but I hope to garner enough knowledge and experience to give my book the authentic feel that I believe it needs. And don't worry, I promise to take tons of pictures and post all about my time in the great white north. :)

Your turn: Do you think research is important? Have you ever read a poorly researched book and known that the author was full of it? What about if you write...? How do you research? Do you consider it important? Or am I expecting too much of myself (and other writers)?

Method to the Madness

So I've been blogging for almost three years now. THREE YEARS. Wow. The time has flown. Anyway, it struck me lately that in all the blog posts I've written (353 if the Blogger count is correct), I've practically covered the entire human experience. Yes, this blog is about my writing and publishing career. But it's also about my life, my kids, my husband, my fears, my favorite recipes, books I love, the weather... you name it. I've shared with you the pain of my fourth miscarriage, my triumphs (and shortcomings) as a mother, my literary successes (and failures), and even funny things my boys have said.

Well. What else is there to say? Haven't I covered it all? Is it time to say sayonara to my bloggity-blog career?

I don't think so... At least, not yet. It doesn't interfere with my writing, and I actually enjoy the outlet I've found (and, more importantly, the friends I've found) online. So, after thinking and praying about it for the last couple of weeks, I've decided that I am going to commit myself to at least one more year of blogging. However, I am going to prescribe a little method to my madness. It's time I had a bit more direction, I think.

Nothing really is going to change, but I am planning on sticking to a regular schedule. Hopefully this will keep me organized, and help you find and read the posts that interest you. Without further ado, my new weekly timetable:

Tuesdays - Writing/Publishing
Since Mondays are a crazy day for me, I'll begin my blogging week on Tuesday with a post about writing. This may include snippets of books I'm working on, answers to questions from my readers, writing tips and advice, or anything else related to the wonderful world of penning novels.

Thursdays - Personal
A few months ago I asked what you (my lovely readers) wanted to see more of in my blog. I was surprised by the number of people who wrote that they liked the personal stories. Well, you asked for it. On Thursdays I'll keep it intimate by blogging about my world. My kids, my life, my struggles... whatever is hitting me that week.

Saturdays - Just for Fun
To edify your weekend, I'll post something fun on Saturday. A recipe, a great link, an interview with a fellow author or friend, or anything that strikes my fancy. If I have a giveaway (and I have more of those on the docket!), it'll be posted on Saturday.

There you have it. A little order from chaos. Doesn't that feel good?

Any-hoo, stay tuned for the inaugural week of my new, orderly blogging schedule. I'm actually going to take the rest of this week off as it is Holy Week, one of my favorite weeks of the year. I want to soak in the whole experience... From our inspiring church service yesterday, to a candlelight Maundy Thursday service, all the way through Easter morning. Wow. I get chills just thinking about it. Aaron challenged our church to fast on Thursday in preparation for the Lord's Supper, but as the little baby inside happens to like food I don't think I'll be participating in that... But I will make the day special all the same.

As I leave you this week, I can't help wondering... Do you do anything special for Holy Week? Any family traditions or personal dedications that you revisit every year? Did you give something up for Lent? I'd love to hear...

Have a Blessed Easter.

Discovery

Last summer, Aaron and I took our boys on a mini-vacation. We went to Omaha, Nebraska for a weekend of fun, and scheduled our days to the max with visits to the zoo, the children's museum, and afternoons at the hotel waterpark. Have you ever taken small children on vacation? Our weekend of fun wasn't quite as fun as we'd hoped...

There were tears at the zoo. We only made it through a few exhibits before complete meltdown. And the hotel waterpark was sadly subpar. Blessedly, we missed the kid-puking-in-the-pool incident by minutes. Guess what? We never even made it to the children's museum. The parking lot was overflowing with cars and the line to get in was enough to deter us completely.

Our vacation was a total bust. Until we took a random detour through a state park on the way home.

After days of trying to manufacture fun, we slowed down enough to enjoy each moment as it came. In the car on the way to the park welcome center, we spotted twin fawns in a field of flowers. When we stopped the van, they came right up to our windows before bounding away over the windswept grass. Then we stumbled upon a century-old mystery when we realized that the state park was the burial ground of a sunken steamboat that went undiscovered for almost a hundred years. Finally, the lovely ranger at the welcome center outfitted the boys with backpacks for their own adventure in exploration. We spent the rest of the day reveling in unexpected discoveries. The little gray frog we found turned out to be infinitely more interesting than the Siberian tiger at the zoo.

I've been thinking a lot about that vacation lately. Partly because it contains so many sweet memories (yes, even the zoo meltdown had it's own special charm). But mostly I think I'm still learning from our summer experience. And applying it to my writing (and the rest of my life) these days...

I believe I spend way too much time trying to manufacture my books. I micro-manage my stories, telling my characters what is supposed to happen instead of allowing them to reveal themselves and their experiences to me. I set unrealistic goals and deadlines, then get frustrated and disappointed when I find myself unable to live up to my own expectations. I force things to happen instead of letting them unfold. In short, I hinder the entire process of discovery.

Granted, I have deadlines to meet and contracts to fulfill. I can't take five years to write a book. Nor do I want to. But I wonder what would happen if I'd let go a little... You know, live in the moment, take a wrong turn, slow down to enjoy the scenery instead of speeding past at mach 3. I think I'd write better books. And I think I'd spend a lot more days reveling in unexpected discoveries.

How about you? Are you a planner, a plotter, the sort of person who speeds on by? Or are you open to discovery? To unanticipated (and unplanned) moments? 

Imaginary Castles

From my third Julia book:

Alone in the golf course parking lot, I raised my palms to the sky and watched snowflakes collect on my mittens. The crystals fell in arabesque patterns, gathering in concert to rise like fairytale castles from the dark contours of my palms. They were all the same, I decided. Castles made of sand and snow. They were pretty, but they didn’t last. They never did.

I knew it was a matter of the heart. That this careful construction of imaginary landscapes was a wild, secret thing. Days like today were a sanctuary, a magical world where anything seemed possible but nothing truly was. As I watched the turrets slowly take shape in my hands, I realized that we did this to ourselves. Our searching souls pursued happy endings. And the heart was capable of great and deceiving beauty.

*Copyright: Nicole Baart, 2010

Your turn: Are you working on something right now? A novel, a poem, a simple reflection? Care to share? I'd love to hear a paragraph or even a line... I find the work of my friends inspiring!

What's in a name?

I'm six weeks away from the deadline for my third Julia book. This is my fourth novel for Tyndale House Publishing, my fifth completed manuscript, and my last CBA offering for a while... Yikes. Somehow this little tome feels important to me.

Can I just say I'm loving this book? It's so much fun to write, and I'm soaking up my final Julia moments. After this, her story is officially over. That makes me sad. And happy. It's bittersweet, I suppose.

Believe it or not, the hardest part of writing this book has been teasing a title out of the pages. Names are so important to me. I can't stand titles that are cheesy, obvious, self-important, or copycats. And I won't even pick up a book if the title is boring, predictable, or cliche. But give me a good title and I'll buy the book just to have it sit on my shelf. It's got to be gripping, evocative, or beautiful in some way. It has to surprise me, to make me stand up and pay attention.

Some titles I love are:

The Inheritance of Loss (Kiran Desai)
My Hands Came Away Red (Lisa McKay)
All Unquiet Things (Anna Jarzab)
The God of Small Things (Arundhati Roy)
Cutting for Stone (Abraham Verghese)
Away (Amy Bloom)

You can use your imaginations to come up with titles I hate. My mom used to tell me that if I can't say anything nice, I shouldn't say anything at all. So this time I'll keep my opinions to myself. Shocking, I know.

Anyway, all of this title agony has got me thinking about names. Naming a child and naming a book are similar endeavors, you know. And just like my boys' names are rich with meaning, history, and family significance, I want my titles to be thick with layers--a riddle to be solved in their own right. So far, all of my titles have had several different meanings. Some of which were revealed to me by readers after the fact! How cool is that?

But I digress. I can't really ask y'all for help since you haven't read the book. Nor am I quite at the point where I can run sample titles by you. And yet, I do have some questions... Humor me--I'm going nuts here! ;)

What are some titles you love?
If you write, how do you come up with your titles?
Are titles even important to you? Or do I have an unusual name fixation???