NONFICTION NINJAS
  • Home
  • Meet the Ninjas
    • Lisa Amstutz
    • Stephanie Bearce
    • Nancy Churnin
    • Susie Kralovansky
    • Pat Miller
    • Christine Liu Perkins
    • Linda Skeers
    • Peggy Thomas
  • Ninja Notebook
  • NF Fest
  • Contact

With a Little Help from My Stuff by Pat Miller

10/29/2021

2 Comments

 
​Look at any author’s desk and you are likely to see inspirational notes or items nearby. That includes the Nonfiction Ninjas. Here they share their treasures:

PAT MILLER – I have two items. One is a plain river rock, smoothed by eons of water, that has been painted by a Vietnamese villager. It is covered with a layer of paint, sanded, another layer of paint, sanded, until a final design is painted. Even this final work is carefully sanded and then shellacked, going from nondescript to work of art. It reminds me to treat my revisions the same way. The second is a sign that hangs above the window by my desk. 
​​
Picture
Picture
Picture

​CHRISTINE LIU PERKINS 
creates an inspiration board for each manuscript that she is working on. It contains photos of people, things, and places in her work, and also things that simply inspire her. 
​

Picture
LINDA SKEERS shares:” Years ago I started writing for magazines and dreamed of being a ‘real writer’ who would one day write a book for children. My family and friends thought it was a ‘cute hobby’ but they didn't take me seriously. The only person that believed in me was my husband Bob. One Christmas morning I opened this present -- it's a retro Nabisco tin. (I had a collection of tins) But it was so much more than that. Inside were fancy embossed business cards that said Linda S. Skeers  WRITER.  Best. Present. Ever.

Picture

​NANCY CHURNIN
 keeps this note close to her desk  to make her laugh and remind her of the audience that will read, and comment on, her books.

Picture
​  ​
​SUSIE KRALOVANSKY’s family is her biggest fan club. Near her desk is the poster her Mom saved from Susie’s first book signing. The quote from Dr. Seuss was put together by her son and daughter. And the exuberant pig sign was made by Susie (an author/illustrator)  to remind herself to keep moving forward.

Picture
​

​STEPHANIE BEARCE received the same flying pig quote, but hers is a gift from her children. Their love and support and her husband’s are what helped her create all the books on this shelf. Her SCBWI Crystal Kite award also reminds her to do her best writing for kids.


​PEGGY THOMAS keeps photos of her parents on her desk. Her mother, Margery Facklam, was also a writer. Here she is doing research with Kermit, one of the chimps at the Primate Cognition Center at Ohio State for her book What Does the Crow Know? It reminds Peggy not to give up. Most of her mother’s books were written after she was 60.
 This quote was written by her father and tacked on his bulletin board. Now it stands on Peggy’s desk.
WENDY HINOTE LANIER shares: “On my desk are several inspirational scriptures and a shadow box with memories of my Aunt Bea. She never had children of her own, but  she encouraged me and prayed for me often. There's also a little frog noise maker. When I'm frustrated or stumped I sometimes stop to make frog noises! “

What talisman do you have on your desk that gives you inspiration, a chuckle, or courage as you write? Tell us what it is in the comments. Include a photo if you like.
2 Comments
Halsey, Kathy
10/30/2021 05:11:41 am

I love seeing what inspires you all that sits at your desk to remind you to create, that you are enough, that when days get hard we can create our own hope by that which we choose to surround ourselves.

I feel I know you all better vis this. Excellent post, Pat and Ninja team.

Reply
Teresa Klepinger link
10/30/2021 09:44:05 am

I love this so much! Makes me want to give the pig quote to my daughters, both of whom have creative aspirations.

The quotation on my wall says, "One day she woke up and decided to color outside of the lines. And her heart breathed a sigh of relief." (by Marylou Falstreau)

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Authors

    We are nonfiction authors who support readers and writers through our writing, author visits, and workshops.

    RSS Feed

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Archives

    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018

    Categories

    All
    Agent
    Andrea Somberg
    Back Matter
    Bibliography
    Biographies
    Book Dummy
    Book Promotion
    Bookstore
    Breaking Writers Block
    Deadlines
    Editing
    Editors
    Ghostwriting
    Hidden History
    Holidays
    Holiday Stories
    Humor
    Inspiration
    Linda Skeers
    Magazines
    Market Analysis
    Mentoring
    Mentor Texts
    Middle Grade NF
    Nancy Churnin
    Nonfiction
    Open For Submissions
    Organization
    Pat Miller
    Peggy Thomas
    Picture Books
    Primary-sources
    Publishers
    Questions
    Reluctant Writer
    Research
    Rhyme
    Seasonal Stories
    Selling Books
    Stephanie Bearce
    Submissions
    Twitter Pitches
    Why
    Word Count
    Work For Hire
    Writing Ideas
    Writing In Sprints
    Writing Protocol
    Writing Strengths
    Writing Tips

    Disclaimer: The Nonfiction Ninjas are a group of writers with diverse ideas . The views expressed in each post are those of the author and may differ from others in the group.​
Copyright @2022
  • Home
  • Meet the Ninjas
    • Lisa Amstutz
    • Stephanie Bearce
    • Nancy Churnin
    • Susie Kralovansky
    • Pat Miller
    • Christine Liu Perkins
    • Linda Skeers
    • Peggy Thomas
  • Ninja Notebook
  • NF Fest
  • Contact