Interview With Toy-Maker-Turned-Children’s-Book-Author Mike Ernst

 

Wicked Breaks Box Office Records As Film Classix  

The Wizard of Oz Turns 85.

 

Now -- The Only YA Book Series Authorized By An

Original Cast Member, Jerry Maren.

 

Toy Inventor Mike Ernst Brings The Lovable

Munchkins Back To Life With His Books!

 

1. What is your book, The Untold Story: From Lollipop Kid to Munchkin King, about?

The Untold Story: From Lollipop Kid to Munchkin King is about the little Munchkins from the movie Wizard of Oz. The story takes place 75 years after the ending of the original tale. In this tale, there is an Evil Warlock that is the brother of the Evil Witches of the East and West. The Warlock has decided that it is time to exact revenge on the peaceful Munchkin’s for their part in the killing of his sisters. There are twists and turns, and new characters introduced into the story line. It is quite an adventure.

 

2. What inspired its writing?  What inspired me to write this was circumstances that at the time were unknown to me. It led me on this journey to a Toy Fair in New York City where I happened to meet Jerry Maren and his wife Elizabeth while I was walking through the crowd looking at the exhibits. I was picked out of the crowd from behind by some small lady tugging on my shirt asking me if I would like to meet the Lollipop Kid from the movie Wizard of Oz.  This turned out to be Elizabeth the wife of the Lollipop Kid, Jerry Maren. I of course said yes, and we were than introduced. Jerry and I instantly hit if off and became friends. This was the beginning of the future Author. 

3. Wow, what was it like to get to know Jerry Maren, who played a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz? Meeting Jerry Maren, The Lollipop Kid, was incredible. In my wildest dreams I never would have dreamt going to a toy fair in New York that I would have ended up meeting one of my favorite actors. The first time watching the Wizard of Oz, I fell in love with it! The story and all of the characters. Since I was small, growing up I could relate to the Munchkin’s. When Jerry shook my hand for the first time, I saw that my hand was twice his size, that had never happened to me before, my hand was usually smaller than everyone else’s. I sat with Jerry and his wife, Elizabeth, and listened to him tell his story of his life and being a Munchkin, it was so enjoyable and fascinating. Jerry was really interested in my life and me being an inventor. We talked about making a Munchkin board game, and Jerry said he would support the idea of a Munchkin board game. We met again a year later, and although he loved the idea of a board game representing the Munchkins, we also talked about the story that I had started to write. I shared with Jerry what I had written, and he really became excited about a story that was about the continuation of the Munchkin’s. 

4. Can you tell us more about your friendship with him and how he believed your book could actually be the one worthy of a spinoff or sequel to The Wizard of Oz? While Jerry and I were conversing, I asked Jerry, “Why was there never a sequel to the movie Wizard of Oz?”. Jerry looked at me and smiled, he said “No one ever came up with a story that could be equal to or out do the original movie.” Well, his words set a fire in me, I took it as a personal challenge. I said that the Munchkin’s should have their own movie! Jerry and his wife smile at my words. I continued by telling him that I invent toys and board games and asked him what if I design a board game? Would you support it? He said that he would support it and that he loved the idea. We agreed to meet again the following year, which is when I showed him a protype board game and a story that I wrote while designing the game. Jerry was so excited about both of the ideas that I had. 

5. Why do you think there is such a long-lasting fascination with The Wizard of Oz?

The Wizard of Oz was a movie that was that has fascinated people of all ages from all around the world. From the beginning of the movie, you are quickly drawn into it with every one getting ready because of a tornado coming, you see Dorothy who had ran away from home and people can relate to that, of Auntie Em yelling for Dorothy so they can all get in the cellar for safety. Then you get to the landing of the house on top of a witch and the Munchkins who come out to great her and the beautiful Glenda, The Good Witch of the North. Then you are taken on the journey to get Dorothy home. An adventure that is taking Dorothy to meet new characters and to have battle just to get home to her family She survives it and manages to find her way home with ruby shoes and the famous words “There is no place like home”.  I believe it was a movie made different than any other movie with its optics and techno work. I mean, you have witches, good and bad, you have flying monkeys, a talking scarecrow, tin man and lion. It is the greatest movie of all time.

 

6. How challenging was it to spin-off stories based off of a classic book and movie? During my designing of the board game, I started thinking more about the players in the game, about their personalities and a goal to win, along with obstacles, twists and turns. I was remembering the movie and wanting to combine into my board game, that is when the idea of a story that could be a spin-off of my favorite movie. So, I started writing the story that I imagined that would be a good tribute to Jerry. I discussed the story with Jerry, and he loved it and thought it would be a fantastic sequel to the Wizard of Oz movie. Jerry hoped he could star in the movie for the book. 

7. What do you say to some people who think there shouldn’t be any other Oz stories other than whatever was written and created by L. frank Baum? I don’t think that other people would think that way, because who doesn’t want to see what may have happened to the Munchkin’s or even Dorothy. I think that as long as you keep with Frank Baum way of thinking, that a story in a book or one on a movie screen is one that will bring families together, then I think people would be fine with it. I would tell any naysayers that this was written out of respect for Frank Baum and the love of a timeless classic. 

8. You describe your second book, Munchkin’s Tale of The Lollipop Club, as a story of good vs. evil. Why is that such a popular theme in children’s books? In my second book Munchkin Tale of the Lollipop Club, I wanted to teach young kids that there is evil or bad things that will happen in life but also good people that will be on their side in life and hopefully teach them the difference. A lot of stories teach of magic and spells to help make life easy and we all know that that won’t help anyone. I use very little magic in my stories, I feel like people can defeat or avoid evil with good and positive ways of thinking and acting. 

9. What do evil witches symbolize – and why do people fear them? The evil witches symbolize the threats that we face in this world, the evil that is presented all around us. The witches put fear into people by the way they look, the cackling that they do, the spells that they can case on anyone and turn them into anything they like or make a person helpless while they do the witches bidding. 

10. Could the world today use some of the comforting lessons shared in the original Wizard of Oz? I absolutely believe that the world could use comforting lessons from the Wizard of Oz. I also believe that my stories could also help with teaching good moral and comforting lessons to our youth and even adults today. We live in a chaotic world, where everything seems upside down and I believe that anything that teaches kids lessons like what is taught in the Wizard of Oz and my stories would be a blessing for everyone. 

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About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over four million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” 

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully).

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog