If you’re curious about what happened before this (how I got the idea for the Elf Ninjas) you can read here.
About three years ago, while packing up for Canada, I found and old, tattered post-it with a pencil scribble: “Elf Ninjas— a story for kids.” I couldn’t recall the story at all, but I remembered writing the note years ago, after inventing a hilarious bedtime story for my kids.
A couple days later, I woke up in Canada at 3:30 am. and I couldn’t fall back asleep. I stared at a wall as the street light crept through the half-open blinds, casting stripes across the ceiling. Everything else was dark and still.
The post it came to mind. The elves.
But nothing else. No details about what had made my kids laugh so hard that night. My memory had completely failed me.
Then I thought: if I created a story once, why couldn’t I create another?
So I began building a snowy village in my head: How many elves? Three, just like my kids. Are they all boys? No, of course not. What are their names? What made each of them special?
I was afraid I would forget everything again, so I fished out my notebook and began writing in the dark. I could barely see the page, but I jotted down the names, skills, and the activities.
Before the morning light spilled inside, I fell asleep with three Elf Ninjas saving Christmas from pre-holiday disasters.
Within a few weeks I had a complete draft. Then a hundred revisions followed. Eventually I hired an editor who loved the story.
Then came the major hurdle for the entire process: illustrations. I had no idea how expensive professional illustration could be. And I did not have the budget for it. I search everywhere for a professional artists, students, illustrators outside the United States—but nothing seemed to stick.
Two years later, my book still had no illustrations. Eventually, I stopped even looking and, honestly, I was beginning to think the book might never happen.
Until one day someone knocked on my door.
My neighbor, a comic book artist who knew about my project, handed me the contact information for his friend—an illustrator in Mexico. The same night, I sent out an email with a manuscript, my notes, and a request for a sample illustration.
Next day I got a picture of Knox—exactly as I have envisioned him!
Although the price exceeded my budget, something told me that I have two choices: hire Marcelo to illustrate the story, or accept the fact that Elf Ninjas might never meet the children.
I hired Marcelo.
The next 18 months I became an editor, book designer, art director, production manager, publisher—and God only knows what else. I learned each task as I went. I secured copyrights, assigned ISBNs, changed my mind a hundred of times, made many mistakes and fixed them… but I did not give up.
The Elf Ninjas Save Christmas is officially published.
And I kept the promise I once scribbled on a small, yellow post it.
Illustrations by Marcelo Rangel Flores. If you want to see more of his work, visit his profile here.
© 2026 WolverineLily 🌺/ Agnieszka Marian
