Children of Maya follows a changeling rabbit that wants to free her fellow prey animals from a life of slavery. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

My homeland of Romania had a thriving mining industry, and during the historic rebellion against the Communist Dictator Nicolae Ceacuscu in 1989, the miners protested on masse. The story was inspired by those events to give those brave revolutionaries a voice.

Maria leads the revolt and turns into a dynamic character. What were some driving ideals behind her character’s development?

Maria herself was based on my grandmother. A woman with a heart of steel and even harder determination.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

Family struggles have always been my forte in storytelling. If it’s the calloused father with egomania, the overworked mother at a loss with how to raise her children, the selfish siblings who can never get along, or just the misguided friends who forget when to follow and stay loyal, all these people are interesting, lovable and even redeemable. Ambivalence is a lovely thing when you try to understand why people behave the way they do. Magic realism and overcoming adversity was another fundamental theme. I want people to look at their lives and study the past and ask themselves, are they actually struggling compared to what others have endured.

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

I want to build the sequel to Children of Maya, and I promise it will bring more to the table. More adventures, mishaps and epic struggles against the odds. But at the same time, I have a second novel already finished and largely polished I want to publish. It’s inspired by the history of the late Roman empire, with light magic and a lot of court intrigue. It’s a surprise, but fans of my first book will feel right at home.

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