NU Alumnus Tells Stories That Spark Curiosity

For children’s author, editor, and lifelong nature-observer Erin Alladin, every story begins with curiosity about language, landscape, and the overlooked details that make the world feel alive. But before she published acclaimed picture books or built a thriving freelance editing practice, she was a Nipissing University English student with an armful of classical-language textbooks, a deep attachment to Northern Ontario’s woods and water, and a growing fascination with how stories work from the inside out.

Alladin grew up in and around North Bay, and the thought of leaving her gardens and familiar trails behind didn’t feel quite right. Staying rooted mattered just as much as pursuing her intellectual obsessions, especially when she discovered she could take Ancient Greek and Latin as first-year electives. Those courses, along with classes in poetic scansion, animated satire, and eighteenth-century literature, may not have been traditional career preparation; however, they taught her what makes great wordsmithing and storytelling across a vast range of genres. Together, they offered essential building blocks for the literary and editorial work she does today. 

Throughout her degree, Alladin crossed paths with faculty who shaped both her creative voice and her confidence. The children’s literature course quickly became the highlight of her week, even at 8:30 a.m. on Fridays, and its influence has followed her since. Her seminar instructor, Professor Natalie Dunn, became a steady source of encouragement and a foundational figure during her time at Nipissing. When Alladin later landed an internship at a Toronto children’s publisher, Dunn was the person she hurried back to campus to tell. That same course also sparked an enduring fascination with nursery rhymes; an interest that eventually blossomed into her first picture book, Nat the Cat Can Sleep Like That, written under the pen name Victoria Allenby.

She also credits Dr. Kristen Lucas with helping her find her footing as a writer. Office hours became a space for honest feedback, stronger essays, and conversations about her goals. Dr. Lucas also connected her with a call for submissions that resulted in her first published poem and supported her in securing funding to attend her first writing conference, an experience that shaped both her early publishing career and her creative development. Dr. Marc Plamondon added his own influence, mentoring her through a memorable research assistantship and an intense grant application that deepened her love of language.

After completing a post-graduate publishing program, Alladin spent 11 years in-house at a small trade publisher, gaining hands-on experience with every stage of the publishing process: acquisitions, editing, design, printing, marketing, and even sales conferences - valuable skills that made the transition to her current freelance editing career. Her time reading submissions and contributing to acquisition decisions is now a cornerstone of her freelance practice: she knows what stands out in a crowded inbox and helps writers sharpen their themes and audience long before they submit.

Despite the shifts in her career, nature has remained her creative compass. She grew up tracking flowers on neighbourhood corners, building fires and shelters, identifying plants, and teaching outdoor skills at camp. For Alladin, those moments aren’t just fun; they reflect the deep sense of belonging that comes from reconnecting with nature.

That philosophy shaped the inspiration behind her published children’s books. Through them, she hopes to spark both children’s curiosity and to remind adults that unstructured outdoor time isn’t optional; it’s essential.

Balancing writing and editing is something she continually recalibrates. Both disciplines demand focus and creative energy, yet she finds that growth in one area always strengthens the other.

When speaking with emerging writers, Alladin emphasizes a deceptively simple message: know what you want to say and who you want to say it to. It’s advice she considers foundational across every genre, from picture books to academic essays.

Looking ahead, she’s preparing a nonfiction gardening book for adults, her first major foray into a new audience, while also continuing to develop several children’s manuscripts. Although industry wisdom often pushes editors to narrow their niche, Alladin loves the variety her work brings. For her, the excitement lies in knowing there’s always something unexpected on the horizon.

Media Contact:

Khia Beauchesne
Communications Officer, Future Student Focus
Nipissing University
(705) 474-3450 ext. 4035
communications@nipissingu.ca