Showing posts with label Christine Liu Perkins. Show all posts

Saturday, August 1, 2026

A Little Fiction Can Still Teach Big Facts

By Susan Holt

When people hear "Nonfiction Ninjas," they naturally assume we only write nonfiction. While many of us do, our love of facts often sneaks into our fiction as well.

As a former school librarian, I was always drawn to books that told a delightful story while quietly teaching readers something new. Those books invited children to laugh, imagine, and then say, "Really? I didn't know that!"

That's exactly what I hoped to do in my newest picture book, There Once Was a Cowgirl. Although it's a playful, fictional romp inspired by the Texas State Fair, I couldn't resist adding a little extra learning. The endpapers are filled with fun Texas State Fair facts, including:

The number of people attending the Texas State Fair - more than 2 million!
Corny Dog facts - Every year, Fletchers sell more than 500,000 corny dogs, along with about 1,500 gallons of mustard!
In 1969, Wanda "Fernie" Winter brought the first funnel cakes to the Texas State Fair.

Those little nuggets of information transform a fictional story into informational fiction—a story children can enjoy again and again while discovering fascinating facts or planting seeds for a research project.

Many of my fellow Ninjas do this beautifully.

Lisa Amstutz's Our Christmas Tree Farm is a heartwarming family story with backmatter facts about everything from grafting a new tree from a twig to eco-friendly way to recycle a Christmas tree.

Nancy Churnin's We Thank Our Trees! (coming January 5) celebrates the many ways trees enrich our lives with backmatter about Tu B’Shevat and how you can connect with trees.

The back matter in Peggy Thomas's The Soil in Jackie's Garden includes information on the soil cycle and how to make a compost pile.

And Christine Liu Perkins's The Quest for a Tangram Dragon includes tangram shapes for readers to cut out, so they can play with their very own tangram puzzle!

Whether we're writing nonfiction, informational fiction, or fiction sprinkled with facts, our goal remains the same: to spark curiosity. Sometimes all it takes is one surprising fact tucked inside a story to inspire a child to keep asking questions—and that's where learning truly begins.

Sunday, March 1, 2026

The Not-Just-Nonfiction-NINJAS

By Stephanie Bearce

Another Nonfiction Fest has wrapped up, and once again, we are blown away.

For an entire month, generous writers shared their wisdom. We explored research rabbit holes, voice, structure, and how to turn facts into stories that breathe. It was a feast of curiosity and craft, and we’re deeply grateful to everyone who made it extraordinary.

For seven years, the Nonfiction Ninjas have hosted this celebration of learning. We love nonfiction. We love true stories. We love primary sources, surprising historical details, and the thrill of discovering something real and remarkable.

But here’s what some people don’t always realize:

We are not just nonfiction ninjas.

When you spend years studying fascinating real people and remarkable events, eventually your brain starts asking… what if?

Peggy Thomas’s love of gardening and nature didn’t stay neatly inside the nonfiction box. It inspired The Soil in Jackie’s Garden — and yes, she even participated in the Soil Your Undies Challenge.

Linda Skeers reminds us that best friends are even better than sprinkles — and we all know sprinkles improve everything!

Lisa Amstutz brings warmth and tradition to life in Our Christmas Tree Farm.

Nancy Churnin celebrates heart and Halloween in Lila and the Jack-o’-Lantern.

Susie K. Holt captures bold spirit in There Once Was a Cowgirl.

Christine Liu Perkins imagines mathematical shapes as characters in The Quest for a Tangram Dragon.

And then there’s me, lover of weird science and odd bits of history, writing about Raven Gallows, who lives in a funeral home and has a habit of uncovering mummies, lost diaries, and secret societies.

We, Ninjas, are full of surprises.

But here’s the thing.

We know good writing.

We’re seasoned publishing veterans who’ve revised more manuscripts than we can count. We’ve wrestled with tricky middles, reshaped story arcs, and strengthened characters until they felt real enough to walk off the page.

When a manuscript is almost there, we can see it. And we know how to help you carry it the rest of the way.

That’s why we’re inviting you to the 2nd Annual Total Ninja Experience: Revision Retreat & Children’s Writing Workshop
June 12–14, 2026
Hiawatha, Iowa

This workshop is designed for writers who already have a manuscript that needs critiquing, revision, editorial help, and guidance — fiction or nonfiction, picture book through YA and everything in between.

You’ll work directly on your manuscript with award-winning authors dedicated to helping writers elevate their craft. The faculty-to-critique group ratio is six to one or better, and participation is limited to maximize learning and keep the experience intimate and focused.

The weekend includes:

• Scheduled critique groups
• Brainstorming
• Impromptu discussions of craft
• Dedicated time to revise

Location:
Prairiewoods
120 East Boysen Road
Hiawatha, IA 52233-1277
(319) 395-6700
About 20 minutes from Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)

Programming and all meals are included in every option.

Retreat Options:

• Shared room/shared bath — $450
• Private room/shared bath — $650
• Stay off site (meals + programming included) — $375
• Solar-powered hermitage (no outlets, no charging), single occupancy — $400

Want to arrive early? Add Thursday (dinner Thursday plus Friday breakfast and lunch) for $100.

Check-in: 3:00 PM Friday
Check-out: 11:00 AM Sunday

Because we may be called the Nonfiction Ninjas…

…but we are not limited to one section in a bookstore.

We live in nonfiction and novels. In gardening and ghosts. In Christmas tree farms and tangram dragons. In stories rooted in fact and stories born entirely from imagination.

We love true stories.

We love made-up stories.

Mostly, we love strong stories.

If you’re ready to strengthen yours, we’d love to see you in Iowa this June.

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Use Your Writing Strengths

By Christine Liu Perkins

Being aware of our writing weaknesses is helpful so we can work on them. On the other hand, being aware of our writing strengths can help guide us to our best creative work — and the joy that comes with it.

Paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould observed, "The problem is that the things you're good at come naturally. And . . . what comes naturally, you don't see as a special skill." Gould recommended that we discover and pursue what we're good at, rather than fret over our weaknesses. (Uncommon Genius: How Great Ideas are Born: Interviews with 40 MacArthur Fellows by Denise Shekerjian, p. 3)

Over the years I've experimented with writing personal essays, articles, folktales, picture books, rhyme, biography, how-to's, inspirational pieces, historical fiction, contemporary novels, book-length nonfiction, and academic papers. As I experimented, I noticed things about myself:

I dive into research for whatever I'm writing. I revel in the treasure-hunting and unexpected discoveries. I even find myself making excuses to do research!

I love finding connections between ideas that seem unrelated. It's fun to weave pieces together into a new framework

My writing tends to be concise, clear, and logically organized.

I persevere when a project is meaningful to me. Whether or not it gets published, I feel the pursuit is worthwhile because I learn something of value.

Recognizing my writing strengths helped me figure out that nonfiction is my niche. Knowing my strengths makes it easier to decide which projects to pursue — projects that will keep me happy through the (sometimes years-long) process of working on them.

What are your writing strengths? How can you use your strengths to bring you joy in your writing?

For more thoughts on this topic, check out these two blog posts:

Amy Benson Brown, "The Importance of Recognizing Your Strengths as a Writer"
https://academiccoachingandwriting.org/academic-writing/academic-writing-blog/v-the-importance-of-recognizing-your-strengths-as-a-writer

Colleen M. Story, "The One Thing Writers Miss When Trying to Improve"
https://writershelpingwriters.net/2019/04/the-one-thing-writers-miss-when-trying-to-improve

Learn more about Christine Liu Perkins and her writing strengths at www.christineliuperkins.com

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

It's CONTEST TIME!!!!

Are you ready for the first EVER Nonfiction Ninja Writing contest?

We sure are!

The Ninjas are excited to read your stories! We know our readers are the smartest, most creative writers on the internet. Reading these entries is going to be fun!

And even more fun will be working with our mentees.

Six talented writers will win a three-month mentorship with a Nonfiction Ninja. You can use those three months any way you want. Perfecting manuscripts for submission or career consulting. We will be at your disposal. Our goal is to help writers move forward in their careers.

One grand prize winner will move to the head of the submission line with Storm Literary Agent Lisa Amstutz.

All winners will receive a written critique of their manuscript.