Weaving Furry Friends into Fiction
When my husband and I lived in British Columbia, we rented a century farm on nineteen acres on the bluff above the Fraser river. We had a gorgeous view of Mt. Baker in the distance, and a deep creek that burbled through the backyard. Packs of coyotes would sometimes run through our property at night, and yet, one of our favorite things to do was pour a glass of wine and sit around the fire pit after the sun went down. The Milky Way was splashed across the sky above us, and the scent of pine perfumed the air. It was idyllic, and made even more so because of our neighbors’ dogs. They were a pair of border collies, twins, who could apparently smell our fire from a half mile away. By the time the blaze was roaring and we were sufficiently relaxed, there would be a scuffle in the tall grass surrounding our yard and the dogs would appear. They’d sniff the air and lope over for a treat. Then they’d curl up by our feet and keep us company until some internal timer went off and they disappeared again into the shadows.
We weren’t allowed to have a dog in our rental, but those border collies were our pretend pets. They were so smart and affectionate, and we were astounded by their uncanny connection to each other. Even though I wasn’t writing for publication when we were living in BC, I thought they would make a wonderful addition to a novel someday. Sidekicks and supporting actors, beloved family members for my characters.
In Everything We Didn’t Say, Cal and Beth Murphy (dear friends of Juniper, my protagonist) have a pair of border collies named Betsy and Baxter. Not only do they play a very important role in the book, they are—in my mind, at least—the dogs that we loved so many years ago.
Including dogs in my books is the most natural thing. We have always been a pet family, and Charlie Brown, our beloved Teddy Bear, has been a part of our family for a decade and counting. He’s my writing companion and living, breathing lap blanket, and on days when I feel stuck to the chair, he keeps me moving and active by begging for walks. Charlie loves my kids, but at the end of the day his loyalty (and deepest love) is reserved for me. I’m not complaining.
I honestly can’t even imagine writing a book without Charlie by my side. As he gets older, and my kids petition us for a puppy to keep him company, I’m coming to grips with the fact that he won’t live forever. It seems cruel that our dogs don’t get decades to be a part of our families, but perhaps I can take solace in the memory of the border collies that showed up just when we needed them all those years ago. Their affection was so exquisitely no strings attached, and we adored them in return. And though I still remember them with fondness nearly twenty years later, there has been a long line of wonderful pets connecting those days to today. They have each been so special in their own way: the perfect fit at just the right time.
Although I hope we have an abundance of time left with Charlie, I’m grateful for every single day as it comes. And no matter what the future holds, you can bet I’ll memorialize him in a book someday. In an upcoming Nicole Baart novel, be sure to keep your eyes open for Charlie Brown, the sweetest, best boy ever.
Nicole Baart is the mother of five children from four different countries. The cofounder of a nonprofit organization, One Body One Hope, she lives in a small town in Iowa. She is the author of nine previous novels, including You Were Always Mine, Little Broken Things, and The Beautiful Daughters. Her latest novel, Everything We Didn’t Say, is available now. Learn more at NicoleBaart.com and on Instagram @nicolebaart.
