Why I write edufiction

I write edufiction because I deeply believe that conveying powerful educational content through story can match—and often surpass—the impact of traditional lessons. When I conceived Bindi & Beam and the Team Savv-i series, I began not with curriculum standards, but with the real questions young teens face in our digital age. And then I mapped those to school curriculum goals—digital literacy, ethical technology use, online safety, media evaluation, and mental‑health awareness.

Aligning Narrative with Objectives

For example, Cyber Secrets introduces cyberbullying, privacy, misinformation, and ethics through a suspenseful adventure that naturally integrates the nine elements of digital citizenship taught in curricula. That way, classrooms using the story already cover key learning outcomes—while students are engaged, not staring at bullet lists.

In BRAIN ROTTED!, I tell a story about algorithmic loops and emotional hijacking by apps, then offer guiding questions and hands-on zero‑tech or tech‑supported activities for parents, teens, and librarians. The learning objectives—attention awareness, empathy, algorithmic literacy—are embedded in the narrative arc itself, not bolted on afterward.

Why I Write Personal Books, Not Textbooks

1. Emotional Connection First

When readers care about Bindi’s struggle or Beam’s curiosity, they absorb lessons about digital responsibility naturally. As Pawan Mishra says, “Don’t interrupt when your characters take a flight of their own”. I apply that by letting my characters’ dilemmas drive the educational content.

2. Mismatch Becomes Opportunity

Educators often find curriculum content dry or alarmist: facts without feeling. That’s why edufiction matters. As Ray Bradbury reminds us, “Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations”. I start with a compelling journey and let the curricular themes follow organically.

3. Embedded Learning through Story Structure

George Saunders calls fiction “the ultimate form of ‘doing something’—an idea leaves the writer’s mind and goes directly into the reader’s” BOOK RIOT. That’s the core: readers do digital citizenship through story, they don’t just read about it.

How It Plays Out in Practice

• Curriculum planners and librarians can use Team Savv‑i as pre‑reading, knowing each chapter aligns with specific learning standards (e.g. privacy, consent online, empathy).

• Parents join their teens in reading BRAIN ROTTED! together, then use the discussion guide to explore the real-life digital habits overshadowing young minds.

• Educators in workshops use narrative vignettes from my books to anchor activities. For instance, students role-play as characters negotiating online identity, which directly meets communication and digital ethics lessons tied to curricula.

A Broader Conversation: Other Edufiction Voices

I stand among writers who weave truth into narrative. As one writing quote goes: “Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth” .
Edufiction follows that: we craft fictional worlds to reveal real-world knowledge.

Another creative voice reminds us, “Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures”.
That’s exactly what I aim to do: tell stories that reveal how algorithms influence attention, online silence damages connection, and digital literacy empowers agency.

In My Own Words

I write in the first person because this feels personal to me. I’m not just creating stories—I’m charting paths for young people to understand the digital world and for parents and teachers to support them. In every narrative choice and every activity guide, I ask: How does this story help a learner meet curricular goals, while still gripping their imagination?

My goal is that after reading, a teacher can check off learning objectives in their curriculum map—and a teen can say: “I lived this.” That’s the magic of edufiction.

A Closing Thought to Parents and Educators

If you're concerned about how to teach technology, ethics, or attention in meaningful, credible ways, edufiction offers a bridge. The story becomes the classroom, and the characters guide the learning. When done thoughtfully—matching elements of school curricula to engaging, emotionally resonant narratives—you get deeper understanding, retention, and readiness for real-world digital life.

I’d love to continue this conversation with school librarians and parents about how edufiction can enrich learning. Reach out via my website or workshop programs to explore tailored curricula or book‑club guides.

I admire the way you’re helping young people grow with both care and clarity, especially as they face a fast-changing world. Hopefully, my work is of use to you.