Erika M Szabo Interview Published on: 28, Jan 2019
Where did you grow up? Did you have a mini library in your home?
I grew up in Hungary and thanks to my dad, we had books in every room in the house. Well, not fancy first editions in leather binding, but the cheap, ten cents a copy paperbacks. I devoured translated stories from most European authors by the time I was a teenager.
Becoming an avid reader at a young age, who was your favorite author? Which was one all-time favorite book from all the great books that your dad introduced you to?The stories by Ferenc Molnar such as The Paul Street Boys and Mor Jokai's historical novels were my favorites besides Dumas's Three Musketeers.
Before the writing bug bit you much later, on a rainy afternoon, what were your dreams? Did you ever think of becoming a writer?I published medical related books in Hungarian but I didn't really think of writing a novel until my daughter pointed it out that I should.
Are you thankful to your daughter that she challenged you to stop whining and write a book? Has she read any of your books?Yes, I'm thankful. Her challenge opened up a whole new world to me. She had read my books but refuses to give me her opinion. "Your head is big enough, mom." She told me once.
What are some things to keep in mind while writing about historical figures? Why did you choose this genre?I've always been fascinated by Hun history, especially the times when Attila was king of the Huns. I did a lot of research and I fill the gaps with imagination in my novels. I combine real historical facts with magical elements which makes reading a fiction story fun.
How much do you enjoy writing bilingual books for children aged 2-14? Do you think your books will help the children to learn acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values?I really enjoy writing and illustrating children's books and I think through the fun characters children learn valuable lessons without being preached at.
Having written children's books and historical fiction, what do you enjoy writing more? Do you have a preference?Although I love writing children's books, I enjoy magical realism a little more.
How difficult it is to find a translator for writing your books in other editions? What other languages do you plan to translate your books into other than Spanish?It wasn't easy to find a Spanish translator but I got lucky. I met Carmen online who is an English teacher in Spain and she translated my fiction trilogy and 2 of my children's books. I'm planning to translate my books to Hungarian, eventually.
How was your experience of writing "Three Ghosts in a Black Pumpkin" with Joe Bonadonna? Did you expect the book to become Golden Book Award Winner?We had a lot of fun writing the Creepy Hollow Adventures with Joe. While we were passing ideas back and forth we kind of became kids ourselves and enjoyed developing the story, adding new characters and adventurous actions and scenes. We didn't expect to be the winner of the Golden Book Award and we were honored that the judges chose our book.
How do make stories like "The Power of the Sapphire Wand" relatable to children? How many more adventures of Nikki and Jack can we expect in the series?I think children could relate to Nikki and Jack a lot easier than most characters in "princess" stories. We made Nikki and Jack real like and showed children that girls don't have to wait for a prince to rescue them. They can take care of themselves very well. We also highlighted in the story that boys don't have to be "macho" all the time and they can show fear or even cry a little if they feel like it. And girls don't have to wear pretty dresses and wait for a prince, they can become brave warriors. For now, we're not planning to continue the story, but who knows? Maybe Creepy Hollow will need saving once more and Nikki and Jack will go back.
What inspired the character of Penny? How did you come up with the title, "Metoo, the Annoying Little Sister?"My friend has a son and daughter a year apart and when they were little, the little girl always wanted to tag along and kept saying to her brother, "Me, too! Me. too!" when he said he will do something. This gave me the idea to write a story where although the sister is annoying sometimes and they bicker, they love each other and protect each other when danger arises.
Do you encounter writer's block often? If so, which book of yours did you get stuck on the most and what are some things you did to get your brain working again?I don't really feel that I have a writer's block. When I write a story I stop writing often and play with ideas in my mind while doing laundry or similar chores that give me a chance to let my imagination fly. When I worked out the details, I continue writing the story.
Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you. Do you have any new series planned?Right now I'm working on a new children's book. I have the story in my mind and I'm drawing the illustrations.
