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REKA KAPONAY
Interview with Reka Kaponay, A Dreamtime Traveler
We met Reka by accident at one of Melbourne Exhibitions where Reka was presenting her book, Dawn of The Guardian. Curious to know why almost 12 year old girl started writing we talked... and we could not resist to continue this conversation.
Réka Kaponay is an amazing teenage writer and author who is on a a non stop journey of world learning and discovery with her parents and her twin brother. Reka has traveled to 30 countries in the last four years and she speaks three languages. At 15 years of age, the girl is a travel blogger with her own travel blog, Dreamtime Traveler,a guest writer on some famous blogs and websites; Reka is a storyteller, a freelance writer who has created and just published her first adventure fiction novel-fantasia, Dawn of The Guardian.
Reka says:
I’m a 15-year-old girl from Australia, from the place where My Dreaming began. For over four years now, I have been traveling the world with my parents and my twin brother on a school of life journey.
Reka's book is travelling with her around the world
"A supernatural dog tale... an adventure as big as space, as distorted as time, that will leave you asking the question "Am I awake or in a dream within a dream?" '
We decided this conversation should be heard by our readers and we invited Reka to be interviewed by Bryanna Reynolds who after reading Reka's book was keen to run this project.
Today we publish this interview.
We met Reka by accident at one of Melbourne Exhibitions where Reka was presenting her book, Dawn of The Guardian. Curious to know why almost 12 year old girl started writing we talked... and we could not resist to continue this conversation.
Réka Kaponay is an amazing teenage writer and author who is on a a non stop journey of world learning and discovery with her parents and her twin brother. Reka has traveled to 30 countries in the last four years and she speaks three languages. At 15 years of age, the girl is a travel blogger with her own travel blog, Dreamtime Traveler,a guest writer on some famous blogs and websites; Reka is a storyteller, a freelance writer who has created and just published her first adventure fiction novel-fantasia, Dawn of The Guardian.
Reka says:
I’m a 15-year-old girl from Australia, from the place where My Dreaming began. For over four years now, I have been traveling the world with my parents and my twin brother on a school of life journey.
Reka's book is travelling with her around the world
"A supernatural dog tale... an adventure as big as space, as distorted as time, that will leave you asking the question "Am I awake or in a dream within a dream?" '
We decided this conversation should be heard by our readers and we invited Reka to be interviewed by Bryanna Reynolds who after reading Reka's book was keen to run this project.
Today we publish this interview.
BR: When did the idea of writing a book first come to mind/What
inspired you to write this story?
RK: It was on a bus ride past the Rock of Gibraltar. We were returning to Morocco after a weekend with a very close friend and mentor of mine in the Andalusian town of Arcos de la Frontera. It had been here that I had met and interacted with the real life Fūko, as well as Marcia, Lulu and Bongo (main characters in the book). My experiences in Arcos, combined with my avid love of Fantasy and Adventure Fiction, converged in the Spanish countryside and suddenly my mind was brimming with inspiration. On the ferry across the channel from Tarifa to Tangier I began taking notes and by the time we had docked on Moroccan soil I already knew that the wildly scribbled pages of imagination that surrounded me would one day become a published book.
inspired you to write this story?
RK: It was on a bus ride past the Rock of Gibraltar. We were returning to Morocco after a weekend with a very close friend and mentor of mine in the Andalusian town of Arcos de la Frontera. It had been here that I had met and interacted with the real life Fūko, as well as Marcia, Lulu and Bongo (main characters in the book). My experiences in Arcos, combined with my avid love of Fantasy and Adventure Fiction, converged in the Spanish countryside and suddenly my mind was brimming with inspiration. On the ferry across the channel from Tarifa to Tangier I began taking notes and by the time we had docked on Moroccan soil I already knew that the wildly scribbled pages of imagination that surrounded me would one day become a published book.
BR: Did you draw the sketches in the novel as well?
RK: Actually, my godmother who is a very talented Illustrator and Graphic Designer did the illustrations for me. We would collaborate and I would send her my wild, artistic ideas and she would turn them into the amazing illustrations that are seen at the beginning of each chapter.
BR: Do you have dreams of the novel being turned into a film one day?
RK: Yes! A lot of people who have already read Dawn of the Guardian have said that they could easily see it as a live action film or even a rich animation. It would be amazing to see my characters come alive on-screen and this is a dream I would love to see turn to reality.
RK: Actually, my godmother who is a very talented Illustrator and Graphic Designer did the illustrations for me. We would collaborate and I would send her my wild, artistic ideas and she would turn them into the amazing illustrations that are seen at the beginning of each chapter.
BR: Do you have dreams of the novel being turned into a film one day?
RK: Yes! A lot of people who have already read Dawn of the Guardian have said that they could easily see it as a live action film or even a rich animation. It would be amazing to see my characters come alive on-screen and this is a dream I would love to see turn to reality.
BR: What do you hope readers will take away from reading this story?
RK: I hope that my readers will never allow themselves to be discouraged from pursuing what is important to them, whatever their passions might be, no matter how many obstacles might be blocking their way. Just like Fūko, the protagonist of my novel, I want to encourage my readers to rise above the challenges that they are faced with and to never be afraid of failure. The thing is, falling down is natural. It’s the only way you learn how to be better. In the process of writing this book and its journey to having it published, I can honestly say that I learnt more from failure than I ever did from having succeeded the first time round. Dawn of the Guardian, at its rawest, is about perseverance. To always pick yourself up and continue climbing no matter how many times you have been knocked down and no matter how many times you may have been rejected. It took a lot of perseverance to reach my dream of becoming a published author. At times I was stuck, at times frustrated. I wanted to be spontaneous and not plan my story and characters’ arcs. But with every day that passed, I learnt something new; new about writing, new about telling stories and new about myself. What I didn’t know, I researched, where I needed help, I reached out to other authors and asked for their assistance and advice and slowly over the course of those two years, with a lot of hard work, my dream became a reality. Overall, I hope that this is what my readers take with them: That you will be faced with difficulties when following your dreams. Everyone is. It’s just a matter of not allowing yourself to give up. If it is really your dream… You won’t let yourself.
BR: How long does it take to write a novel of this length?
RK: It is different for everyone. For me, it took two years from Dawn of the Guardian’s conception. I wrote the first draft when I was 12 years old over the Winter months in Budapest and then let it sit over the Summer months while we walked the 838 kilometre Camino de Santiago del Norte in Spain. I then returned to the book with renewed inspiration and spent another 4 months re-working, re-writing and re-editing a second draft before finally publishing on March 31st of 2016 at 14 years of age.
BR: Were there real life experiences that made you develop character leads and plot points throughout the story?
RK: Absolutely! As a traveller, the people and experiences I encounter daily are all part of the inspiration that influenced me in the writing process of Dawn of the Guardian. From living with the descendants of the Incas at 5000 meters in the high Andes Mountains of Peru, to hiking the Wild Great Wall at the Jiankou section in China, to reconnecting with our roots in Transylvania and walking the entire 838 kilometre Camino de Santiago del Norte through Spain. Travel requires me to be flexible, to think on my feet in uncertain situations and to face my insecurities. All the experiences I’ve had, have invoked real emotions of excitement, anxiety, elation, uncertainty, apprehension, affection and fear and because of this I feel I have been able to illustrate these feelings through my characters in a much more relatable way.
RK: I hope that my readers will never allow themselves to be discouraged from pursuing what is important to them, whatever their passions might be, no matter how many obstacles might be blocking their way. Just like Fūko, the protagonist of my novel, I want to encourage my readers to rise above the challenges that they are faced with and to never be afraid of failure. The thing is, falling down is natural. It’s the only way you learn how to be better. In the process of writing this book and its journey to having it published, I can honestly say that I learnt more from failure than I ever did from having succeeded the first time round. Dawn of the Guardian, at its rawest, is about perseverance. To always pick yourself up and continue climbing no matter how many times you have been knocked down and no matter how many times you may have been rejected. It took a lot of perseverance to reach my dream of becoming a published author. At times I was stuck, at times frustrated. I wanted to be spontaneous and not plan my story and characters’ arcs. But with every day that passed, I learnt something new; new about writing, new about telling stories and new about myself. What I didn’t know, I researched, where I needed help, I reached out to other authors and asked for their assistance and advice and slowly over the course of those two years, with a lot of hard work, my dream became a reality. Overall, I hope that this is what my readers take with them: That you will be faced with difficulties when following your dreams. Everyone is. It’s just a matter of not allowing yourself to give up. If it is really your dream… You won’t let yourself.
BR: How long does it take to write a novel of this length?
RK: It is different for everyone. For me, it took two years from Dawn of the Guardian’s conception. I wrote the first draft when I was 12 years old over the Winter months in Budapest and then let it sit over the Summer months while we walked the 838 kilometre Camino de Santiago del Norte in Spain. I then returned to the book with renewed inspiration and spent another 4 months re-working, re-writing and re-editing a second draft before finally publishing on March 31st of 2016 at 14 years of age.
BR: Were there real life experiences that made you develop character leads and plot points throughout the story?
RK: Absolutely! As a traveller, the people and experiences I encounter daily are all part of the inspiration that influenced me in the writing process of Dawn of the Guardian. From living with the descendants of the Incas at 5000 meters in the high Andes Mountains of Peru, to hiking the Wild Great Wall at the Jiankou section in China, to reconnecting with our roots in Transylvania and walking the entire 838 kilometre Camino de Santiago del Norte through Spain. Travel requires me to be flexible, to think on my feet in uncertain situations and to face my insecurities. All the experiences I’ve had, have invoked real emotions of excitement, anxiety, elation, uncertainty, apprehension, affection and fear and because of this I feel I have been able to illustrate these feelings through my characters in a much more relatable way.
BR: Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
RK: My parents have always been the biggest influences and inspirations to me. They took a humungous leap of faith (that I couldn’t quite fathom and appreciate at the time) when in 2010 they quit their jobs, and soon after, we sold all our belongings to set out and travel the world. They gifted my brother and I an incredible new outlook on the world around us, an insight that not a lot of people get to experience in their lifetimes. We grew up in 32 different countries amidst all these unique places, cultures, languages and people. Their courage, bravery and the challenges they faced are all the main inspirations behind the inner strength that Fūko (my main protagonist) discovers he embodies.
BR: Was there a particular writer/author who inspired you to write?
RK: The truth is that every author whose story I have ever read has inspired me to write in one way or another. Even from a very young age I had this sense of wonderment at how someone could create such magic with their minds and then bundle all of that enchantment into a few hundred pages of hardbound paper. Even then I wanted to be a part of those “magical” people who were storytellers. Those people who could create words so profound they could change someone. However, a few prominent authors who have inspired me along my journey have been Soman Chainani of The School for Good and Evil Series, Marissa Meyer of The Lunar Chronicles, Paulo Cohelo of The Alchemist, and Philippa Gregory of The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen. Then there are my mentors, Torre DeRoche, author of Love with a Chance of Drowning and Kingsley Dennis, author of The Phoenix Generation (and many other books), whose presence and stories always encouraged me to continue pursuing my passions.
I have always had a deep respect for all authors. But it was only after becoming one myself that I realised just how much hard work and dedication it takes to become one. I can honestly say I will never look at another book the same way again.
BR: Has writing always been a passion for you?
RK: Yes. For as long as I remember, I’ve loved to write and read. A book was as attached to me as a birthmark and a pen as fingernails. I was enamoured by how a story could capture you, draw you in and overwhelm your senses. I think there is something magical about this. For me, reading was dreaming with your eyes open. The library’s writing competitions were a regular outlet for my outlandish sic-fi stories or home alone ideas. My writing also evolved when we set off on our travels and I created my blog site of Dreamtime Traveler (www.dreamtimetraveler.com).
BR: What are your hopes for the future?
RK: I hope to see Dawn of the Guardian made into a film. I also dream of continuing our journey of learning, pursuing my passions, improving my skills as a writer, and having more novels published and read throughout the world. Most importantly, I dream of inspiring others, young and old, to follow their dreams. I dream of people seeing the world as a wondrous place to explore instead of fearing it, a place to make new friends, to learn from and to appreciate life for all it is.
RK: My parents have always been the biggest influences and inspirations to me. They took a humungous leap of faith (that I couldn’t quite fathom and appreciate at the time) when in 2010 they quit their jobs, and soon after, we sold all our belongings to set out and travel the world. They gifted my brother and I an incredible new outlook on the world around us, an insight that not a lot of people get to experience in their lifetimes. We grew up in 32 different countries amidst all these unique places, cultures, languages and people. Their courage, bravery and the challenges they faced are all the main inspirations behind the inner strength that Fūko (my main protagonist) discovers he embodies.
BR: Was there a particular writer/author who inspired you to write?
RK: The truth is that every author whose story I have ever read has inspired me to write in one way or another. Even from a very young age I had this sense of wonderment at how someone could create such magic with their minds and then bundle all of that enchantment into a few hundred pages of hardbound paper. Even then I wanted to be a part of those “magical” people who were storytellers. Those people who could create words so profound they could change someone. However, a few prominent authors who have inspired me along my journey have been Soman Chainani of The School for Good and Evil Series, Marissa Meyer of The Lunar Chronicles, Paulo Cohelo of The Alchemist, and Philippa Gregory of The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen. Then there are my mentors, Torre DeRoche, author of Love with a Chance of Drowning and Kingsley Dennis, author of The Phoenix Generation (and many other books), whose presence and stories always encouraged me to continue pursuing my passions.
I have always had a deep respect for all authors. But it was only after becoming one myself that I realised just how much hard work and dedication it takes to become one. I can honestly say I will never look at another book the same way again.
BR: Has writing always been a passion for you?
RK: Yes. For as long as I remember, I’ve loved to write and read. A book was as attached to me as a birthmark and a pen as fingernails. I was enamoured by how a story could capture you, draw you in and overwhelm your senses. I think there is something magical about this. For me, reading was dreaming with your eyes open. The library’s writing competitions were a regular outlet for my outlandish sic-fi stories or home alone ideas. My writing also evolved when we set off on our travels and I created my blog site of Dreamtime Traveler (www.dreamtimetraveler.com).
BR: What are your hopes for the future?
RK: I hope to see Dawn of the Guardian made into a film. I also dream of continuing our journey of learning, pursuing my passions, improving my skills as a writer, and having more novels published and read throughout the world. Most importantly, I dream of inspiring others, young and old, to follow their dreams. I dream of people seeing the world as a wondrous place to explore instead of fearing it, a place to make new friends, to learn from and to appreciate life for all it is.
BR: What are your upcoming travel plans?
RK: We will be in the South of Spain until the Northern autumn, which is when we will embark on Dawn of the Guardian’s International Book Tour www.dawnoftheguardian.com, which will see us travel across Scotland, England, the USA and Canada to visit schools, libraries, bookstores and places of learning. Here I will speak to students about the messages that are within Dawn of the Guardian and trustfully inspire them to pursue their own passions and follow their dreams.
RK: We will be in the South of Spain until the Northern autumn, which is when we will embark on Dawn of the Guardian’s International Book Tour www.dawnoftheguardian.com, which will see us travel across Scotland, England, the USA and Canada to visit schools, libraries, bookstores and places of learning. Here I will speak to students about the messages that are within Dawn of the Guardian and trustfully inspire them to pursue their own passions and follow their dreams.
all photos: courtesy of Reka Kaponay blogs and websites
Interview run by Bryanna Reynolds
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