Easy Facelift

Facelift for me? No way!

I prefer to give a facelift to my websites and my books.

The truth is that the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover" applies to judging people's character, but it doesn't apply to books.
Readers do judge books by the cover because that is the first thing they see when browsing for books.

I was playing with book cover ideas and decided to give a facelift to my fantasy series.
For now, I changed the covers for the eBooks on some of the selling sites and depending on the readers' opinion, I might change the paperback covers on some selling sites as well. Take a look at the present and new covers and let me know which cover grabs your attention more. 

​Morana waited centuries for the chance to reunite with her beloved Joland and gain the power to rule the ancient clan that still exist hidden among us with its strict hierarchy, deadly rules and traditions. Ilona doesn’t know that she was chosen to stop Morana’s evil plan. She doesn't know about her heritage besides legends and rituals when begins to remember her mother’s instructions concealed as rhymes and is unaware that her pleasant life as a doctor is about to change and she will be thrown into a dangerous world filled with secrets. The discovery of her healing power and ability to freeze time is exciting and frightening. A sinister man appears, and Ilona connects his presence with the series of mysterious deaths around her. She has been in love with her unsuspecting best friend, but she’s drawn to the stranger that appears in her dream and confused by the sudden magnetic feeling.
Love, ancient tribal legends, secrets, time travel and magical powers collide in a compelling fantasy series, hailed “Original, Mystical and Unique.”

Leave a comment which cover grabs your attention more
and you might WIN an audio book

​In book one, Protected by the Falcon, Ilona is thrust from her easy and steady life and forced to face the unknown, which prompts her to discover ancient tribal secrets. In book two, she obtains unimaginable abilities to protect her family and the future of her people. She can use her powers for absolute good or absolute evil; the choice is up to her. Ilona’s birthright as a Healer runs alongside her desires as a woman. She must sort through her feelings about the men in her life. Travel with Ilona from the time her people were nomads, to the castles of the 14th century, to present day, as she struggles to overcome the obstacles placed in her path.
“This is so different from the usual fare churned out by ordinary writers.” -Valerie Byron
“The characters felt real, and the secrets are alluring. You will get hooked in right away.” -Brenda Barry
“Szabo introduces readers to a fascinating world of ancient rights conducted by a secret order.” -J.E. Rogers 

Leave a comment which cover grabs your attention more
and you might WIN an audio book

My books are available at

A wonderful review by a children's book author
​from Uganda, Muhwezi Simpson

​The Ancestors’ Secrets Series (Book 1 & Book 2) by Erika M. Szabo
My Review:
https://www.facebook.com/muhwezi.simpson
​
"Protected By The Falcons is the first book in the Ancestors’ Secrets series. It is a story of passion, adventure, magic, romance, ancient traditions and customs. The book stresses the great mystery of the Hun people who lived in Ancient Europe – their ability to do extraordinary things in the most mundane of ways.

Ilona inherits her late mother’s healing ability but doesn’t notice until she’s “become of age”. After her twenty-ninth birthday, she struggles with the complexities surrounding her new identity, her romantic reveries and fallacies and her fear of the unknown.
In this book everything seems possible, as long as one remains in the confines of the Hun law. For instance, Zoltan, Ilona’s sweeping love crush can travel back and forth in time by just a wish; Ilona can heal the sick with just a simple touch, she can slow time too; the Leaders can live for hundreds of years, and Morana’s mind has the ability to reach the remotest part of the world, unravel hidden secrets and influence other people’s thoughts.
What makes this book more exceptional for me is Erika’s rich artistic instinct. She structures her story in form of diaries, well-paced songs and notes. Some of her characters are funny, others are entertaining, but the dialogue amongst them quickly draws you into their lives.

The passion, romance, supernatural ability, mystery and magic all continue in book 2: Chosen By The Sword. Ilona is faced with a tricky and tight puzzle when she must choose between her two seemingly meant-to-be lovers, Bella and Zoltan. There is spirited jealousy between the two men: they hate on each other and even fight in their quest to redeem Ilona’s love. When Zoltan takes Bella on a time travel in the past and they get stuck there, Ilona worries for both of them. Her fear compels her to invade Ond’s memory and confiscate his superior abilities, adding them to her own.

It is only in this book that you taste salty sandwiches and the foulest-smelling cheese. You might be forced to swallow the cheese, not because you want to please your potential father-in-law and host, Istvan, but spitting the food from your mouth might make you appear so disgraceful.

Meanwhile, you meet other selfless characters like Csenge, who not only shares Ilona’s mission to amend the unfair Hun law but also risks and offers her leadership to this feat. When Ilona’s sister Ema’s unborn baby is threatened, it is this goodwill and a sense of responsibility transmitted to the other members in Ilona’s camp that make defeating the evil in Joland possible. The journey is quite an entertaining one.

Reading these books one learns to appreciate more of the need to conserve the environment, nature and useful traditional customs despite how much far we go in discovering new technologies and other forms of civilization. The book also offers a peek into the continuous depletion of knowledge from the ancient times, thus posing a challenge to the current generation to cultivate new knowledge not only for their own preservation but also for generations to come. Lastly, the book reveals that everyone has a role to play in ensuring that life is such a smooth ride.

I would recommend this story for all those readers who love stimulating surprises."

https://www.facebook.com/muhwezi.simpson