Omnis 1: Beginnings follows a family in Argentina who move to the US and have to deal with intolerance and prejudiced people they encounter at school. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Although the characters and the storyline are fictitious, I drew freely from my own experiences growing up and those of my three children. I set the story in Argentina and the U.S. to ensure authenticity, because that is what I know, having been born and raised in Argentina by parents from the U.S., and having made several moves between the two countries. There are two girls and two boys so that four different cases could be explored. I also wanted both female and male superheroes. The problems the siblings face with their move and at school are very similar to situations that we have been through ourselves but are also faced by children everywhere. Regardless of his or her background, every reader will have been at the giving or receiving end of these scenarios and can identify with the feelings and problems arising from the pandemic.

The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Sabrina Bedford?

I am incredibly fortunate, because, beside being a gifted illustrator, Sabrina Bedford is my niece. She did the artwork for my previous books, which consist of the front and back covers of four books and ten illustrations for King of the Hill (ten biographical stories from my father’s childhood during the Great Depression). It was wonderful working with her, because there was so much freedom of communication. I described the scenes I wanted and she delivered, sometimes with exactly what I asked for and often with improvements. I started out with tables containing columns for English, Spanish and scene descriptions. Sabrina set up a detailed spreadsheet with room for comments and questions from both of us. As the story and dialogue evolved, she made thumbnail sketches for approval and then fleshed them out. She was incredibly intuitive about what I wanted and brought my ideas to life.

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

The Omnnis’ superpower reflects the main theme. Empathizing with others, regardless of race, ethnicity, language, culture or social status, and acting on that empathy overcomes the barriers that separate people and fuel rejection and aggression. Some of the sub-themes I wanted to bring out are an appreciation of cultural and linguistic diversity, the advantages of bilingualism, the power of positivity, and the importance of family and friendship. 

Can you tell us more about where the story and characters go after book one?

Without giving too much away, the second volume will revolve around veterans, PTSD and service dogs, while the third volume will tackle a natural disaster, both with plenty of Omni involvement, of course.

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