Erica Livingston: Career at EY, motherhood and a love for children’s books

For Erica Livingston, storytelling is all about imagination, family, and those everyday moments that give life meaning. Livingston is a single mom in New Hampshire, an independent children’s book author, and an Ernst & Young (EY) professional who has walked a unique path that combines a challenging career, motherhood, and a growing creative career in children’s literature.

As a writer, she creates fun, rhyming stories that delight young readers while introducing themes of kindness, courage, friendship, family, curiosity and the power of imagination. Livingston has eight published books, with two more on the way, and continues to develop stories that she hopes families will love to read together and return to over the years.

From Everyday Moments to Children’s Tales

Many of Erica Livingston’s ideas come from her daughter. Her imagination, her personality, her adventures, and even the small moments they spend together can spark ideas that turn into characters, settings, and fully fleshed-out stories.

Rather than simply replicating those experiences, Livingston uses them as creative springboards. From there the ideas can blossom into creative adventures that can exist on their own, but still have the warmth and emotional connection that inspired them.

This lends a personal grounding to her writing, but leaves it open to young readers to make their own connections within the stories. She wants to write books that are fun and engaging but also have gentle lessons that kids can absorb naturally through storytelling.

A Fun Way of Looking at Children’s Literature

Livingston’s kids’ books are rife with playful storytelling, rhyming language, adventure, humor and heart. She understands that books for young readers can offer more than diversion. They also have the power to inspire children to explore feelings and relationships, creativity and the world around them.

Her stories are built around themes of kindness, courage, curiosity, friendship and family. At the same time, imagination remains an important component of her work. Livingston hopes to inspire children to see storytelling as a place where just about anything is possible through the use of magical worlds, mysteries, memorable characters and adventures.

Her writing stems from the idea that children’s books can be enjoyable and meaningful, and still have that sense of fun that makes children want to turn the next page.

Eight Published Books and More Stories to Come

One of the biggest achievements in Livingston’s creative journey has been becoming a published author. She’s already published eight children’s books, with two more titles on the way.

It takes dedication for an independent author to keep writing new stories, while also balancing other professional and personal commitments. Livingston has continued to build her body of work, while maintaining her full-time career and raising her daughter.

Her ever-expanding collection is a testament not only to her love of writing, but also to her dedication to creating stories that families can share together. Every new book is an opportunity to introduce young readers to imaginative characters, playful adventures and positive messages.

Career Ernst & Young

Erica Livingston, who is also an author, works full-time at Ernst & Young (EY) in the Government & Public Sector practice as a professional in an indirect tax staff/assistant capacity.

She started her career at the company as a contractor. She stayed in that role for nearly five years before becoming a full-time employee. It’s another important chapter in her career and also a testament to her ability to build up long-term professional experience while still pursuing her creative ambitions.

“Livingston is a multi-dimensional professional, juggling a corporate career with independent publishing. Her work at EY reflects her established career path, while her books and creative projects provide an outlet for her imagination and entrepreneurial interests.

The Challenge and Joy of Making It All Work

Livingston said one of her biggest accomplishments is not only becoming a published author. It’s achieving that goal while also working full-time and parenting her daughter as a single mom.

She’s always loved writing, but turning that passion into published books meant carving out space for creativity in her already packed life.

It has not always been easy to find the time and energy to work, parent, write and create new creative projects. Nevertheless, she has kept moving forward with her goals.

That feat is extra personal because of what it shows her daughter. Livingston wants her daughter to understand that, no matter how busy or difficult life becomes, there is always space to continue pursuing something meaningful.

Her journey is proof that additional duties don’t always have to mean the sacrifice of creative dreams. Instead, with perseverance and commitment they can become part of a larger life journey. 

Creativity Outside the Classroom

Livingston’s creative output extends beyond writing children’s books. She also creates designs for merchandise related to her stories, giving her characters and ideas a chance to live on in other creative forms.

This entrepreneurial aspect of her work enables her to continue to develop the worlds she creates, and to explore new ways for families and young readers to experience her stories.

From developing characters and story concepts to imagining merchandise designs, Livingston continues to seek ways to grow her creative projects. As an independent author, therefore, her work goes much further than just putting words on a page, and involves creating ideas into a wider creative brand.

Motherhood: A Source of Inspiration

For Livingston, motherhood remains at the core of her creative journey. Her daughter is not only an important part of her life, but also one of her greatest inspirations.

The common experiences they share can be seeds of new ideas. A personality trait, a funny moment, an adventure, a child’s imaginative perspective can be the spark for a character or story idea.

For Livingston, the link between motherhood and creativity makes writing especially significant. She can shape her observations, memories and imagination into something that will last through storytelling.

It is also a chance to bring the joy of reading to families, who may find something special in her books.

Looking Forward

In the future, Erica Livingston plans to advance professionally and continue developing artistically. She plans to grow her career at Ernst & Young while growing her work as a children’s book author.

On the writing front, she hopes to publish more books, create new characters and stories, and grow the merchandise attached to her work. Part of that vision is to reach more families, especially those looking for fun books that their kids will want to read again and again.

But her ambition is not to make more titles. She hopes her stories will become books that young readers will really enjoy and families will be happy to share together.

Designing a Life of Purpose, Creativity and Family

There are many roles that Erica Livingston juggles that require a commitment: professional, author, entrepreneur, and mother. She does not compartmentalize these aspects of her life but continues to build a pathway where each brings something meaningful to the others.

My career is stable and growing professionally and writing is a creative outlet for her and a way to create something out of imagination. Motherhood is still one of the most important influences behind her storytelling.

Livingston has eight published books, two more on the way and many more ideas waiting to become stories, and she continues to build her presence in children’s literature one book at a time.

In the end her work resonates with a simple but powerful notion: the tiniest moment in everyday life can be the origin of a story. Erica Livingston is using her books to craft stories that transform imagination, memories and family experiences into an adventure, laughter and meaningful moments for young readers and their families.