Annette Oppenlander's Blog, page 6

Change Is In The Air

Enjoying Spaghetti Ice Cream…

Once upon a time a freshly degreed German woman traveled to the U.S. to take a job in marketing for a hotel chain. At a Super Bowl party she met an engineer who worked in aerospace. That was in 1987. Thirty plus years, three kids and several careers later, the no longer so young woman is returning to her home country.

Yes, dear friends and reader, after much consideration and many sleepless nights, we’ve decided to move back to Germany. My retired husband and our old mutt, Mocha, are joining me and together we’ll plan on exploring Europe. Of course, I’ll continue my author career. In fact, watch for a new novel hitting the market in early winter. Specifics will follow soon.

Eventually I hope to write in both English and German. I’d also love to translate my bestselling and award-winning novel, ‘Surviving the Fatherland,’ because the story takes place in Germany during and after WWII.

You may ask, how it feels to be back. To be honest, I don’t know yet. The first few days feel like any other visit. My brain can’t decide whether to speak German or English and so I often switch between languages. Suffering from jetlag, I walk the streets in a daze and lay awake at night. It’s strange to think we have no return tickets and that this change is permanent. I’m enjoying time with my aging father and my family, my old friends and classmates. For the next few weeks, many trips to various city offices will keep us busy. We’ve got to set up bank accounts, buy and register a car, set up insurance carriers, select Internet and phone services, arrange for the arrival of our moving container, and…and…

Eventually, we’ll find ourselves in our new apartment, ready to tackle great adventures. On the writing front, nothing changes though I plan to add school visits to English classes, and maybe some editing and English related writing services. In the end, I’ll continue what I love most—writing. After all, an author only needs a laptop and a notepad.

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‘Surviving the Fatherland’ Audiobook Has Arrived!

Audiobook Cover of ‘Surviving the Fatherland’

I’m excited to announce that the audiobook version of ‘Surviving the Fatherland,’ narrated by Naomi Jacobson, is now available on Amazon, Audible and iTunes.

I will also work on getting the book listed with other audio services, but that may a little while since I’m new at this.

Both Audible and Amazon offer a first audiobook free if you’re willing to sign up for a monthly service.

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Audiobook Adventure of ‘Surviving the Fatherland’ Continued…

Movie Poster of a 1944 Film with Heinz Rühmann

Well, it’s been a busy month. Naomi, the narrator of the upcoming audiobook, ‘Surviving the Fatherland, jumped right in and began recording. Via ACX I could listen to each chapter to check for pronunciation, potential errors, etc. Well, Naomi is a pro and so I didn’t find much to flag. The occasional German word threw in a wrench or two. Like “Not-woh-nun-gen” which means emergency apartments or “Feuer-zangen-bowle” (The Punch Bowl), the name of a famous German movie with Heinz Rühmann which was based on a traditional German punch with rum, red wine and a sugar cone, set on fire. The former is an excellent old movie with a cool plot. The latter is tasty, but…, it does produce a guaranteed headache.

Audiobook Cover of ‘Surviving the Fatherland’

I listened to each chapter and then to the entire audiobook. Yes, my friends, it’s done—thirteen hours of amazing entertainment. But wait, there are a couple more things to complete. Payment has been made, ACX will do a QC check, and I’m still on schedule to publish by the end of July.

The German designer tweaked the cover of ‘Surviving the Fatherland,’ adding a bit of landscape on the right. Audiobooks require a format of 2,400 x 2,400 pixels. For my part I’m very excited to soon share a beautiful production of my parents’ true story with audiobook listeners.

I will let you know!

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A New Adventure in Audiobooks

Follow my Journey to Publish ‘Surviving the Fatherland’ as an Audiobook

It makes perfect sense that readers have different tastes, not only in books and genres, but also in the formats they prefer. I’d been reading a lot of publishing advice that urges authors to offer audiobooks because more and more readers love to ‘read’ while driving or being otherwise active or unable to read printed versions.

Since my new award-winning novel, ‘Surviving the Fatherland,’ is doing very well, I decided to jump into the unknown and learn about audiobook production. As with eBooks, Amazon is a major player. Their company, ACX, offers a well-organized system through which authors can find professional narrators and vice versa.

Getting Started with the Audiobook

So a week ago, I jumped onto the ACX website to see how it was done. I selected a 2-page sample from my book and determined criteria to narrow down the search for a narrator. One can choose gender, age, accents and of course, price ranges.

Once I had made my selection, I uploaded the sample and wrote up a marketing blurb, describing my novel. The better the blurb, the more likely a narrator will be interested in reading. Within 24 hours I received auditions from eight narrators.

What surprised me the most was how different the voices sounded. Some were upbeat, some slow, one sounded almost angry. Some assumed the different characters in my book effortlessly, others not so much. One thing became clear to me immediately. Unless you’re trained as an actor, you don’t want to attempt this yourself.

After listening to the sample narrations, I pretty much knew right away who I wanted for my novel. Drum roll please…

My Amazing Narrator

Her name is Naomi Jacobson and she is an actress living in Maryland. Her voice was engaging and had just the right speed and feel. I loved her impersonation of the different characters and her articulation. After choosing her as my narrator/producer, I provided an offer through ACX. Naomi accepted and we’re on our way.

Next stop is a 15-minute read. Once that’s approved, she’ll finish the book and I hope to have the audiobook on the market by the end of July. I’ll definitely share progress and experiences here. I declined ACX’s exclusive royalty plan, offering the audiobook only through Audible, Amazon and iTunes. It pays a higher royalty, but I feel strongly that I want ‘Surviving the Fatherland’ available through other retail channels.

To be continued soon…

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‘Surviving the Fatherland’ Wins 2017 ‘National Indie Excellence Award’

***More than 10,000 copies sold since March 15, 2017***

***#1 Amazon Bestseller in German Historical Fiction***

I’m humbled and excited to announce…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Annette Oppenlander/812.391.6310/Annette.oppenlander@yaho...

11th ANNUAL NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE® AWARDS ANNOUNCED

Local Author receives national recognition from the 11th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards!

Los Angeles: — The 11th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards recognized ‘Surviving the Fatherland: A True Coming-of-age Love Story Set in WWII Germany’ by Annette Oppenlander in the category of ‘Faction’ as a winner in this year’s competition.

This prestigious National award is open to all English language books in print from small, medium, university, self and independent publishers.

The National Indie Excellence® Awards exists to help establish independent publishing as a strong and proud facet of the publishing industry. Recognizing authors that put their heart and soul into their work, the NIEA is a champion of self-publishers and the small, independent presses that go the extra mile to produce books of excellence in every aspect. Established in 2007, the NIEA competition is judged by experts from all aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers and professional copywriters.

Winners and finalists are determined based on ‘overall excellence of presentation- a synergy of form and content.’ Spanning thirteen years from 1940 to 1953 and set against the epic panorama of WWII, ‘Surviving the Fatherland’ is a sweeping saga of family, love, and betrayal that illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the children’s war.

‘Surviving the Fatherland’ tells the true and heart-wrenching stories of Lilly and Günter struggling with the terror-filled reality of life in the Third Reich, each embarking on their own dangerous path toward survival, freedom, and ultimately each other. Based on the author’s own family and anchored in historical facts, this story celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the strength of war children.

“We are proud to announce the winners & finalists whose books truly embody the excellence that this award was created to celebrate, and we salute you all for your fine work.” –Ellen Reid, Founder NIEA

For more information please visit: www.indieexcellence.com

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The post ‘Surviving the Fatherland’ Wins 2017 ‘National Indie Excellence Award’ appeared first on Annette Oppenlander.

‘Surviving the Fatherland’ Wins Annual ‘National Indie Excellence Award’

I’m humbled and excited to announce…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Annette Oppenlander/812.391.6310/Annette.oppenlander@yaho...

11th ANNUAL NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE® AWARDS ANNOUNCED

Local Author receives national recognition from the 11th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards!

Los Angeles: — The 11th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards recognized ‘Surviving the Fatherland: A True Coming-of-age Love Story Set in WWII Germany’ by Annette Oppenlander in the category of ‘Faction’ as a winner in this year’s competition.

This prestigious National award is open to all English language books in print from small, medium, university, self and independent publishers.

The National Indie Excellence® Awards exists to help establish independent publishing as a strong and proud facet of the publishing industry. Recognizing authors that put their heart and soul into their work, the NIEA is a champion of self-publishers and the small, independent presses that go the extra mile to produce books of excellence in every aspect. Established in 2007, the NIEA competition is judged by experts from all aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers and professional copywriters.

Winners and finalists are determined based on ‘overall excellence of presentation- a synergy of form and content.’ Spanning thirteen years from 1940 to 1953 and set against the epic panorama of WWII, ‘Surviving the Fatherland’ is a sweeping saga of family, love, and betrayal that illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the children’s war.

‘Surviving the Fatherland’ tells the true and heart-wrenching stories of Lilly and Günter struggling with the terror-filled reality of life in the Third Reich, each embarking on their own dangerous path toward survival, freedom, and ultimately each other. Based on the author’s own family and anchored in historical facts, this story celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the strength of war children.

“We are proud to announce the winners & finalists whose books truly embody the excellence that this award was created to celebrate, and we salute you all for your fine work.” –Ellen Reid, Founder NIEA

For more information please visit: www.indieexcellence.com

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Crowned Heart Review for ‘Surviving the Fatherland’ by InD’tale Magazine

I’m very happy to announce that ‘Surviving the Fatherland’ received a 5-star rating and coveted ‘Crowned Heart Review’ from InD’tale Magazine.

Here is what they said:

Lilly and Gunter are seven and twelve when WWII begins.  In this remarkable true story, these children are faced with the atrocities of war and daily survival, yet somehow, they miraculously maintain their humanity through preserving hope, kindness, and love.  As the war comes to an end their suffering is far from over.  Lilly and Gunter, along with all of Germany, struggle to repair their homes, hearts, and minds.  Even amidst the chaos and hate, Lilly and Gunter show us that love is still a force that can always prevail over the greatest of evils!

Lilly & Günter

Ms. Oppenlander’s vivid writing style sweeps us away to 1940s Germany and takes us through a thirteen-year time span including post-war recovery.  This story, written in a first-person memoir style alternating between Lilly and Gunter, is immediately gripping, with characters so lively, the reader is engaged from beginning to end.

Often historical memoir can be stagnant with wandering scenes devoid of purpose.  Contrarily, Ms. Oppenlander is a master at seamlessly weaving historical context into the plot. The reader is given a clear picture of the broad events, while simultaneously holding one in constant suspense through character interaction.  Ms. Oppenlander writes in a sensitive manner, but readers should be warned there are near-skirmish rape and mob violence scenes, which might pose as slightly disturbing to some readers.  This book needs to join the ranks of the classic survivor stories of WWII such as “Diary of Anne Frank” and “Man’s Search for Meaning”.  It is truly that amazing!

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Sex is a Good Thing

I’m going to address an issue I’ve come across and some of my readers may not like this. So be forewarned I’m going to talk about sex. No, I’m not going to discuss any physical, and let me say, very human interactions. I’m going to share my opinion about allowing sexual scenes into my novels.

Lilly and Günter, ca. 1949

I’ve noticed that I get the occasional bad review because I’m depicting my characters in sexual scenes. I’m not talking pornographic, but just some soft sensual human interaction between a man and woman. Apparently, mentioning such interaction is offensive to some readers. They call it unnecessary.

Well, I beg to differ. One of the things I’m particularly proud of in my approach to writing fiction is my lifelike way of describing my characters and getting my readers involved into my stories. Life, my friends, includes many things, messy and cruel things, love and hate. And there is that thing called sex we humans engage in. We start in puberty and we don’t stop until we die. Sex is part of life, part of our humanity. We procreate having sex. We have sex because it’s healthy and it makes us happy.

In my recent novel, Surviving the Fatherland, which by the way is a bestseller on Amazon, a boy and a girl come of age amidst the worst conditions imaginable, the bombed and shredded Third Reich. In its aftermath, these two people meet, both scarred, both looking for a better life, a way out of that horrible past. They fall in love and you guessed it, they have sex. There are two more small scenes when my father takes off to forget his past, so maybe a total of five pages out of 360.

Lilly during a camping trip, ca. 1949

I’m not saying they weren’t difficult scenes to write. After all, these are my parents and nobody wants to imagine their parents without clothes, let alone doing things with each other. But I had to. Because it was part of their story and it needed to be said. It wasn’t just a normal thing to do, it was a way to escape their wretched lives, if just for a moment. It was natural. It was also part of the fabric of the youth at that time. Going a little crazy. Drinking too much. And yes, having sex.

And let’s face it. Our youth today is no different. The sixties and seventies were no different. We’re human and we are born with the instinct to connect with another through physical contact. I apologize for offending anybody’s sensibilities, but I don’t apologize for including what makes my characters human. Thankfully, my parents had sex because that allowed me to enter the world and become a novelist.

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Updates and a Freebie

Much has happened in the few weeks since releasing ‘Surviving the Fatherland.’ Here is a list:

Books Go Social (BGS), a large writing and reading community, gave ‘Surviving the Fatherland’ its Gold Quality Seal of Approval. Each seal is numbered individually to avoid unauthorized use.
For the past two weeks or so, ‘Surviving the Fatherland’ has been on Amazon’s bestseller list in second place under Hot New Releases in the Historical Fiction>German category. It is also creeping up and down between 7th and 10th place on Amazon’s general Historical Fiction>German category. Considering how little promotion I can do and that I have no access to national media, I consider it a great success.
Total sales in the first three weeks: 2,000 (eBooks and paperback)
’47 Days’ also experiences solid sales at about 15% of ‘Surviving the Fatherland.’

Coal – A Vignette

I wrote up a brief scene that didn’t make it into the book, but lends further insight into the situation in civilian Germany of the 1940s.

Solingen, Germany, January 20, 1945

Freezing temperatures have turned our apartment into an icebox. White puffs rise as I watch Mother sort through the ration cards. We received coupons for coal, but none is available. Neither are briquettes.

I chew my lower lip, the skin on my face achy with dryness. “I’m going tonight—Helmut too.” I want to add that the light from a half moon is perfect in the blacked out city—just enough to see, but not too obvious to others peeking through a window. My mouth remains stubbornly closed and the kitchen lapses into silence. I know Mother has long given up arguing. Or maybe she’s plain too tired.

Our steps echo on the hardened snow. Freezing air bites my cheeks, and the insides of my nose. Neither of us speak as we hike uphill. The streets are inky and silent. Not much farther. Every so often I stop to yank free the sled I’m pulling. These days the road resembles a rough field. Rubble mixes with garbage, bits of crumbled bricks and splintered roof tiles. The layer of snow isn’t thick enough to hide it all—the ugliness, the desperation are right there, palatable as salt on my tongue…Continue Reading

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New Release and Great Reviews

Here are a few things that happened during the last week:

‘Surviving the Fatherland’ Released Today
On Bestseller List in Canada!

You can now order the eBook or paperback directly without wait. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve seen a steady uptick in orders and it seems that Canadians are quite interested in the story. So, thank you, Canada! In fact, right now, SURVIVING THE FATHERLAND is in eleventh place on their bestseller list. I’ve kept the eBook price at a very affordable $0.99 so there is no reason to wait.

The First Reviews

I received an outstanding ***Five Star*** editorial review from International Writers Inspiring Change (IWIC). Here is an excerpt:

“It is difficult not to give this book, Surviving the Fatherland, by Annette Oppenlander, a five-star rating. Surviving the Fatherland is an historical fiction based on true events, the lives of those who survived World War II, during the war and then in post-war Germany…the story is not gruesome, but rather, it is a statement about the depth and strength of the human soul, and ultimately, really, of the love that drives people on in spite of all the reasons not to love. Highly recommended.” Read full review

Midwest Book Review for ‘Escape from the Past: At Witches’ End’

“Annette Oppenlander has a genuine flair for original and compelling storytelling and as with the first two volumes, “At Witches’ End” will keep the readers rapt attention from cover to cover. Unfailingly entertaining from beginning to end, and also available in a Kindle format ($5.38), “At Witches’ End” is unreservedly recommended.” Also available in the Midwest Book Review March 2017 edition of Cowper’s Bookshelf.

I’ve asked my publisher, Lodestone Books, to lower the eBook price of the first in the ESCAPE FROM THE PAST series to $2.99. I’m hoping this will create more interest in readers who don’t know me and who would like to try out the first in the time-travel adventure series. I absolutely adore Max, so I’m hoping my new readers will too.

Additional Background Information about ‘Surviving the Fatherland’ 

I will soon post more photos and information to go along with Surviving the Fatherland. I’m also contemplating a story about Wilhelm, Lilly’s father, who spent nine years in Russian gulags. The original manuscript contained three chapters detailing his experience. In order for me to write about his time, I’d read a number of books about life in a gulag. Unfortunately, these chapters did not make it into the published version. I plan to share some of this knowledge at some point soon.

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