This Children’s Book Author’s Secret Weapon? His Imaginative Kids

For many authors, the desire to write is something nurtured from a young age. But for Nicholas Niosi, it was fatherhood—not childhood—that opened the door to storytelling. Though he’s still hesitant to call himself a writer, Niosi has already brought two delightfully quirky picture books into the world: Peter the Pickle Vampire and Grandma Ninja. And the inspiration? His kids.

“I’ve always enjoyed creativity and imagination,” Niosi says. “But the idea of writing a children’s book didn’t strike me until I became a parent.” His first step came shortly after the birth of his daughter, Ava. Wanting to express his love in a meaningful way, he handwrote and illustrated a blank board book. It wasn’t meant for publication—just a personal keepsake. But the experience lit a creative spark.

Years later, when Ava was five, that spark turned into a full-blown collaboration. “She loves to draw,” Niosi says. “One day I had this idea for a story—something fun and a little weird—and it just felt right to create it together.” That story became Peter the Pickle Vampire, and Ava became the book’s illustrator.

The idea came from one of their regular family storytelling sessions, often told at bedtime or around the campfire. “We tell improv-style stories where the kids suggest the characters and I fill in the rest,” Niosi explains. “Ava and my son, Miles, suggested vampires and werewolves in a cave, and I took it from there. Peter the Pickle Vampire was born.”

Silly as it sounds, the story carries an important message. “It’s about being true to yourself,” Niosi says. “Peter and Penelope find friendship because they accept each other for who they are. That’s where you find real happiness.”

Collaborating with Ava turned out to be just as memorable as the story itself. “I’d read her a passage, and she’d draw what she imagined,” Niosi says. “She’s very independent and has strong opinions—so yes, we had some creative differences,” he adds with a smile. “But it was amazing to see her interpretation of the story come to life.” Ava illustrated the entire book digitally on an iPad, using an Apple Pencil and design app her dad helped teach her to navigate.

Watching her read the book aloud to classrooms at her elementary school was one of the highlights of the project. “First graders are a tough crowd,” Niosi jokes. “So hearing them laugh at the jokes and respond to the illustrations was an unforgettable moment.”

While Peter the Pickle Vampire may have been their main collaboration, Grandma Ninja was actually the first book Nicholas published. “It started as a practice project,” he explains. “I wanted to learn how to format and publish a book. But my family loved the story so much, they encouraged me to publish it too.”

The titular ninja grandma was inspired by Niosi’s mother-in-law—affectionately known as MeeMaw—and the special relationship she shares with Ava and Miles. “She’s always bringing them books and encouraging their imaginations. It felt right that their bond inspired a story.”

Though Niosi didn’t grow up dreaming of being an author, he does remember enjoying creative activities as a kid and falling in love with the works of Dr. Seuss, Richard Scarry, and Norman Bridwell’s Clifford the Big Red Dog. Today, his household enjoys Mo Willems and anything silly, fun, and full of heart.

Storytelling has become a big part of Niosi’s parenting, even if it wasn’t part of his own childhood. And while his stories feature vampires, werewolves, and ninjas—not exactly mainstays of his community—he believes the themes at their core are deeply universal. “Love, family, and friendship. Even when the characters are supernatural or ridiculous, the message is always grounded in relationships.”

Balancing full-time work, parenting, and book projects has meant that writing happens in bursts—usually on weekend mornings or in the car during his 40-minute commute. “That drive time is my brainstorming session,” he says. “I think through story elements, then jot everything down when I get home.”

Next up? A new book with his son, Miles, who’s not quite ready to illustrate but is full of wild ideas. “My dream is to keep collaborating with my kids,” Niosi says. “Ava wants to write and illustrate more books, and I want to help her keep going.”

When asked what advice he has for aspiring authors, young or old, Niosi keeps it simple: “Don’t wait—just start. We live in a time with so many tools and resources at our fingertips. If you’re passionate, you can absolutely do it.”

As Ava’s reading level grows, Nicholas hopes to write an early chapter book to match it—but says with a laugh that she may outpace him before he gets there.

Looking back, what would his younger self think of all this? “I never imagined I’d be self-publishing a book, let alone doing it with my kids,” Niosi says. “This has been an incredible journey—from the support of our community to the recognition Ava received from her school. I’m just really grateful we’ve had the chance to enjoy this together as a family.”