The fairest and craziest of them all.
Name: If you’ve already read Anna’s origins, you may have already guessed where Erika gets her name from. If you haven’t, then here it is again. When I was a child, I fell in love with the 2004 Barbie film ‘The Princess and the Pauper’. If you’re not familiar with this film, then there are two Barbies. The blonde Princess, Anneliese and the brunette Pauper, Erika. And there you have it. Erika is named after the brunette Barbie in this film and I would never even dream of changing it. As for her surname, like Anna’s, I made up Erika’s surname, which must not be confused with the surname ‘Waterson’. It is very definitely ‘Waterstone’. In actuality, in accordance with her German Jewish heritage, it’s technically Waterston. But we’ll get onto that.
Appearance: And here we are. So since her creation, Erika has always been pale with black hair. She used to have blue eyes in the very beginning but by the time I sat down to write the first draft of HSA when I was twelve/thirteen, Erika had green eyes. Her appearance has hardly changed. Since that draft, she has always been short with black hair and green eyes. The only thing about her appearance that’s changed has been her body size. Contrary to popular belief (and my failure to make it more clear in the books) Erika isn’t skinny. Petite in England is often used to describe short, small girls (i.e with small torsos, short legs and all-round, small). But it doesn’t always mean skinny. For instance, I’m classed as petite – but I am NO way skinny. But Erika isn’t particularly large either. She is a UK size 14 with large toned thighs from horse riding, and strong arms. She isn’t broad but very small in her shoulders and hips but does have large breasts. She has strong stomach muscles but is no way ‘skinny’. In a later book, there’s a description from Sam describing the ‘small soft roll of her stomach over the top of her jean shorts’ when she’s seated. It’s very slight but just enough to set Erika apart from the common stereotype of a ‘skinny emo’ girl. And why?
I’ll tell you (without giving too much away). Erika, in her childhood, never had much to eat. In flashbacks, Dominic describes Erika as being malnourished and under-fed; her skin a yellowy colour and her teeth crooked and stained. Pretty, isn’t she? But it’s realistic to her lifestyle at that time. So upon her adoption by her brother-in-law (this isn’t a secret but a fact), she was given the chance to eat properly. Having never had the option of eating whenever she wanted, Erika devoured food and it’s mentioned occasionally how quickly she eats. Horse riding is the only thing stopping Erika from being ‘on the chubby’ side. I say this in a kind way, and in a realistic way. A lot like Emily, Erika has a difficult relationship with food that isn’t made apparent through the books too clearly; rather, it’s left to the reader to come to their own conclusion.
Finally, on the topic of her appearance, we have Erika’s black hair and pale skin. In England, you don’t see this very often in completely English people. Rather, it’s a Germanic/Russian heritage and it was left to my twenty-something-year-old ass to clear up the mistakes of my ignorant child-brain by setting down correct heritages for several of my characters. Erika being one of them. It’s taken a few years but it all finally makes sense. Erika is of Dutch/Germanic Jewish heritage; her mother being Dutch and her father Jewish German. Her grandfather is in fact Ukrainian. Thus finally, Erika’s appearance makes sense. Ahhhhh *satisfied sound*.
Personality: Erika’s personality has changed only slightly. While in the original draft she was a lot more playful and cheery (though written from a twelve year old perspective, this isn’t a surprise as my sixteen year olds would obviously act like twelve year olds), in recent drafts, she’s a lot more reserved. She’s more mature than all the rest, though that’s always been that way considering the amount of trauma she’s been through. Throughout the years, her mental health has deteriorated as her backstory has developed. I don’t deliberately try to hurt Erika but she has had a very traumatic childhood and past, thus producing a rather fragile, depressed character. While she can be playful and humorous, she is also sarcastic and dead-pan, given her mental state most of the time. However, when it comes to her core – the kindness and empathy she has for others – this has always been true to Erika. Perhaps even more so since her backstory developed. She is a caring soul, though she does suspect the worst in people. She accepts everyone for whoever and whatever they are, doesn’t care for prejudices and only has any real hatred for certain people who have wronged her. She is a forgiving person but not for those who have hurt the ones she loved. She’s self-destructive and self-deprecating but towards her friends – her family – she’s the complete opposite. Or rather tries to be. Erika’s personality is unique and likeable but always with that undertone that makes you feel sorry for her. And so you should if you knew the truth.
Skills: As with Dominic, Erika has always been a horse rider. She’s also always been an artist and a pianist. These were skills she originally learnt solely from her older sister, Enid (who has always been deceased come the present Erika in the series) but I later gave the teaching of her piano skills to her father. Something I can’t discuss any further without spoilers.
Erika has several other skills that developed with her backstory – the ability to scale walls, drive, play poker incredibly well, and lie through her teeth, as well as a mean right-hook. These aren’t skills I can discuss without giving up spoilers but she has them and there are roots to these skills. They aren’t just fun skills she happens to have.
Influences: Time and time again I have to bat away people stating that Erika is ‘an awful lot like Effy’. Effy being Effy from the Second Generation of British Skins played by Kaya Scodelario. In the sense that they’re both female protagonists in a youth drama with mental health problems, then sure, they’re similar. But Erika’s mental health has real roots. I’m still not sure what Effy had to be sad about. Erika isn’t selfish like Effy; she genuinely cares for her friends. She also cares about the mistakes she makes and desperately tries to right all her wrongs – though she isn’t always successful. She doesn’t blame her mental health for her actions. She begrudges her depression and trauma and is constantly trying to heal. She accepts treatment and wants to be better. I never saw Effy ever try to right her wrongs, ever trying to care for her friends, or ever trying to be better. Will I admit there must be some influence given I count Skins as one of my overall influences, yes I’ll give you that. But Erika’s true influence? The female protagonist that I believe strongly depicted how Erika would behave later on?
Katniss Everdeen.
Katniss only ever wanted a quiet life; one with food, one with warmth, and a happy one for her mother and sister. She didn’t give a flying fuck whether Peeta and Gale were in love with her. She just wanted to survive, and so often, that’s all Erika wants. To just survive. So if I had to pick an influence for Erika, it would have to be Katniss. Both victims, and both survivors.
Friendships: Erika has always been one of the Main 8 and has always been friends with Anna. However, Erika was always far closer to Dominic, which makes sense considering their intertwined backstories – having both known each other pre-HSA in London. Erika and Anna being best friends always mystifies people initially but I think it’s clear why these two are friends, even if they are as different as night and day. They are both very similar in their behaviour; self-destructive. In that, they try to support one another. They may not have the same dress sense or even like the same music but I believe that true friendship has nothing to do with that. It’s the person who accepts you no matter your flaws.
Erika and Emily have always had their special friendship too. Erika has always tried to reach out to Emily and encourage her to join in; to bring her out of her shell. Erika has always seen something in quiet Emily Fox that perhaps only ever Will did. I don’t think Emily would be the character she is without Erika Waterstone as her guide and helping hand.
As for Sam, their relationship was an addition to the second redraft in 2011. While there’s a few references to how much Sam cares about Erika in the original draft, their platonic relationship didn’t change and become intimate until the second redraft. Evidently, there was something that drew these two together, though don’t ask me what, as, like Anna and Erika, Sam and Erika are opposites. But they say opposites attract. Whether they’re healthy for each other is another question entirely and one I’d need several books to discuss (and I do) but do they love each other? Ignoring everything else and without spoiling it, yes – Sam loves Erika.
And then there’s Dominic. Her oldest friend. Her best. The boy who was there in her darkest hour. The boy she effectively saved. I can’t say much more on these two, only that they are bound to one another and their friendship is the truest.
Storyline: Once again, I’m unable to discuss Erika’s original storyline without spoilers but in truth, it hasn’t changed much. Extended and made more painful by her developed backstory, but to its core, it’s the original. So without further ado, a brief excerpt from Hillside Academy (2008).
“Erika! Why didn’t you listen?! This would have never happened if you had just listened to me!” Anna bellowed.
Erika quickly turned around and smacked Anna in the face, knocking her into the door. Anna cried out in pain, staring at Erika in shock.
“Leave. Me. Alone!” Erika said and stumbled down the hallway.
Sam bent down to Anna. “Let me sort this out,” he said and ran after Erika who had already gone round the corner. He caught up with her struggling to see her way down the stairs through her tears, but tripped a few times nearly falling down them. Sam grabbed her to stop her from collapsing. He sat her down.
“Erika?” he whispered. She didn’t answer but looked away. “Erika, look at me.” He put his hand on her chin and turned her head towards him. He looked sympathetically into her light green eyes. He stroked her chin and cheeks and wiped away the tears from her eyes.
“What do I do?” she asked through her crying, “I’m so scared, I’m so scared.” She put her head on Sam’s shoulder. He hugged her warmly.
He had always been there for Erika. They used to go out, but it all went wrong one day. Yet still, he loved Erika. Through thick and thin.
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Erika Waterstone Copyright © 2008 Jodie May Mullen
(I do not own the images above. All rights remain with the original artist)