A Casual Conversation

A Visit With A Friend

Today I would like to introduce a dear friend and fellow author.  Hi, Erika. Welcome to my blog.  Before we begin, could you tell us a little about yourself. 

I'm a writer because someone once told me I shouldn’t waste my time. I'm stubborn and follow my dreams no matter if others approve or not.
I write speculative alternate history fiction, romantic urban fantasy, historical suspense novels as well as fun, educational, and bilingual books for children ages 2-14 about acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values such as accepting people with disabilities, dealing with bullies, and not judging others before getting to know them. I also like to encourage children to use their imagination and daydream about fantasy worlds.

I am glad someone said you shouldn't waste your time!  You write in a wide range of genres, where do you get the inspiration for your books?

I get inspirations mostly from my life experiences, people I meet, childhood memories.
Just one example:I was a young teenager when grandma sold her house and asked me to help to clean the attic. I’ve found a rolled-up leather scroll-like document with fancy writing and grandpa’s name in it in an old wicker basket. Grandma said it was the deed to the 300 acres land grandpa owned before the communists took it away and turned it into a government property. The deed was called “dog skin” and grandma explained that back then paper was scarce.  When the family dogs died, the owners preserved the animal’s skin to use as paper for important documents.One day I recalled this memory and it triggered an avalanche of unrelated thoughts. That’s when the idea for my book “Cursed Bloodline” was born. 

Wow that is something.  What a treasure to have something so important saved for future generations.  I hope you still have it in your possession.  I enjoyed that book, the story-line has stayed with me. 

I know you are Hungarian, so I bet you have lots of traditions and legends that would be unheard of by most Americans.  In the original version of your Ancestors' Secrets series I remember you used Hun writing at the beginning of the chapters.  Was this series inspired by your family history?  Ilona, the main character, is a Doctor, was that planned because of your nursing background, or did it just seem to fit?

The ancient writing, called Rovasiras, is coming back. Now there are publishers, libraries, and even private schools that use the ancient runes. Hungarian legends are not widely known, and the history of the Hungarians had been distorted many times and false information added to history books. For example, the great King, Attila, is still depicted as a brute savage in history books. But, in fact, he was one of the most educated man of his time.Ilona in the Ancestors' Secrets trilogy was meant to be a doctor. I wanted to emphasize her struggle between using modern healing methods and her inherited ability to heal with her touch. The story was inspired by grandma telling me about the ancient beliefs and religion, my dad telling me the legends such as the legend of the White Stag and the Sword of Attila and reading about the new discoveries of Hun history.

Just curious, I know you have translated your books into Spanish, are any available in your native language? My real next question is which of your characters was the hardest for you to write?

Funny you ask because a lot of people think I speak Spanish knowing that some of my books are translated to Spanish. The truth is that I know only a few words and phrases I picked up communicated via translator with Spanish speaking patients during my nursing career. An English teacher in Spain translated my trilogy and 2 of my children's books.I have two health related books published in Hungarian but to translate my fiction books is in my future plan. It is a long and difficult process because the Hungarian language is unique.Just as a comparison: using 2,500 to 3,000 words in English, you can understand 90% of everyday English conversations.Hungarians use a vocabulary of 600,000 to 800,000 words in everyday language and because the descriptions, words, and phrases are very specific, it takes careful consideration to chose the correct words to be perfectly clear, especially in children's stories.

 

Example of a passage in English and in Hungarian

For me, the hardest characters to write are the male characters because I'm a woman, so I have to imagine how they think and feel.

I did not realize translating into your native language could be so hard.  Wow! It seems Hungarian is as elaborate as Chinese. The writing is gorgeous!  Males think?  LOL  just kidding.  I understand what you are saying though.
As you mentioned, you write in several different genres.  Are you able to pick and choose what you will be writing about?  Or, are you like me meaning the ink flows solely at the will of your muse?

That's funny! Well, some males, and females as well, give you the feeling sometimes that thinking is not their best ability.We often say that our muse talk to us or inspire us. Muse or just imagination, I don't get inspiration too often. Sometimes months fly by and I don't write a word and the suddenly, something triggers my imagination and the thoughts, actions, and feelings start to flow almost non-stop until I finish the story. The best I can describe my writing method is that it's like a string of pearls. If I catch the first pearl on the string and start writing, the sentences lead me to the next pearl and then to the next, until the story is complete.I don't plan or outline the story in my mind, or like many authors do,write notes. I either don't write because nothing triggered the flow, or write non-stop until I'm, done. And this applies to my children's books as well.For example: I was watching a video about a talking parrot and it made me think. What if the parrot only speaks Spanish and nobody understands him? I wrote the story and when I showed it to the translator who was working on my fantasy series, she thought it would make a great book if I'd add the English and Spanish pages side by side. This is how the story of Pico, the Pesky Parrot was born.

That is so cool! I am at the mercy of the voices, literally.  They tell me what to write and when I am going to do it, lol.  Like you, anything can trigger them (they are especially fond of me saying I cannot write something).Your children's books are fun to read and they teach lessons without being obvious about it. I was impressed with the one Look, I Can Talk With My Fingers.  It is a beautiful way to introduce children of all ages to the importance of learning sign language.Your newest release, Rainbows and Clouds, is a collection of stories about your experiences and those of friends and neighbors.  Is there any story in the collection which touches you the most?  Also, will you be doing another book of this type?

Your Voices give my husband and me so much joy! And I admire your special talent of sending me a poem five minutes after something in our conversation triggered your Voices. Your latest poem, Tears in the Wind, that you wrote for my new book, Alone, has a special place in my book and I treasure it.My children's book, Look I Can Talk With My Fingers, is special to me. I meet a lot of wonderful people with some form of disability in my line of work as a nurse. It always saddens me when I see the difficulties their illness or condition cause and the ridicule and isolation they have to endure.Yes, there is a very special story in Rainbows and Clouds. The story of Little Johnny. This painful memory stayed with me throughout my nursing career and I'll never forget this little boy who loved listening to my stories when he felt a little better between treatments. I told him a story about how my best friend and I saved for kittens the cruel neighbor wanted to drown in the river. I never had a chance to tell him the end of the story. There were only a few minutes left to tell him how Daniel and I dealt with the neighborhood bullies and saved the kittens, but when I entered little Johnny's room the next morning, his bed was empty.When I wrote this story into a children's book last year, in memory of little Johnny, I gave the title to the book he came up with: A Basketful of Kittens. 

I'm glad you liked the poem I wrote and I am honored that it will be included in your book! I was thrilled to beta read it for you this morning.  It is fantastic!The story about Johnny is very touching.  How sweet of you to use his title as a memorial to him.  That makes both stories even more special.You are very talented and the assortment of books you have written is amazing.  I know you also create your covers for yourself and others. The new one you created for my upcoming audio book is gorgeous! How do you come up with the concepts?  Are they based on the story-line or do you create covers and then find one to fit it?

I'm honored to have to your poem in my book!In Hungarian Johnny's title is: Egy Kosárnyi Kiscica and I translated it word for word: A Basketful of Kittens. It is a special story not only because I couldn't finish telling it to Johnny, but because it always reminds me of my long lost childhood friend, Daniel.Thank you so much for the compliment, I'm so glad you like your audio cover!
When I design covers I like to capture either an emotional moment of the story or the concept of the book. When I designed your cover, I tried to depict how we travel from birth to reaching our final destination in time. Time is cruel and the flow in our hourglass is steady, but our actions that touched people's, lives will stay after we're gone. 

audio cover created by Erika for me

As I was hinting, along with being an exceptionally talented author, you also have a publishing business.  Not only are the covers you create unique and eye-catching, you format book interiors to be stunning and personal.  Your books have special touches for each chapter.  I was lucky to have your special attention used on the interiors of my newest releases.  What you did was not only special but so touching.  Is this a style you use with all books you format?  How do you decide what to use? It seems you have remarkable insights.

Thank you for the compliment! My company, Golden Box Books, offers publishing help to self-published authors who don't have the time or don't want to learn every step of the publishing process. When I format books I try to find the right style for each book depending on the genre besides following formatting guidelines that required by publishing sites. The setting of eBooks allows only basic decorative elements, but with personal touches, added pictures or drawings, I try to match the genre and the atmosphere of the books. 

You do a beautiful job.  I have enjoyed our little chat, I do hope you have too.  For my final question, I would like to ask how you come up with all the original ideas for marketing? Your GIFs and videos are so fascinating.

I can't really take credit for that; I'm blessed with creativity. My dad was artistic, and he made my first easel when I was just 4 years old. Although my heart made me follow my calling to become a nurse, I never abandoned art. Luckily, my daughter inherited the artistic talent and she took it to a much higher level than I ever did.I rarely participate in author interviews because I have a hard time answering the generic -one shoe fits all- questions. But you've managed to make it interesting and fun by tailoring your questions for me. Thank you, I really enjoyed it.

Thank you so much for volunteering to be my guinea pig! You are not only a very talented woman, you are generous.  Your support and assistance to Indie authors is unparalleled. I hope you get the recognition your works deserve.  

Authors I highly recommend Erika's publishing services.  Readers the same goes for her books!

Where to find Erika:
Website:
https://www.authorerikamszabo.com 
Publisher website:
https://wwww.goldenboxbooks.com 
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MultiGenreBooks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorErikaMSzabo/ 
Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-m-szabo-8294421b/