New interview with YA historical author Annette Oppenlander

I’m happy to welcome Annette Oppenlander back to Reviews and Interviews. Today we’re chatting about the second book in her historical YA action/adventure trilogy, Escape from the Past: The Kid.

You can check out the interview about book 1, Escape from the Past: The Duke’s Wrath.

During this virtual book tour, Annette will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Annette Oppenlander writes historical fiction for young adults and anyone who loves stories set in the past. When she isn’t in front of her computer, she loves indulging her dog, Mocha, and traveling around the U.S. and Europe to discover amazing histories.

“Nearly every place holds some kind of secret, something that makes history come alive. When we scrutinize people and places closely, history is no longer a number, it turns into a story.”

Welcome back to Reviews and Interviews, Annette.

Thank you for hosting me again, Lisa!

Please tell us about your newest release.

In The Kid, book two in the Escape from the Past trilogy, time-traveling gamer, Max, intends to return to his friends in medieval Germany, but mistakenly lands in the Wild West of 1881 New Mexico. Before Billy the Kid can help, Max is taken prisoner by ruthless bandits who think he has a claim for a goldmine. He also meets a beautiful American Indian girl…Well, I don’t want to give away the story.

What inspired you to write this book?

Growing up in Germany, I’ve always been fascinated with the Wild West. I remember watching westerns with my father and reading books about pioneers, American Indians and the gold rush. After I moved to the U.S. I continued reading historical fiction set in the eighteen and nineteen hundreds.

I chose Billy the Kid because I see him as a tragic character who encountered a string of bad luck and was basically set up to fail. He isn’t much older than Max and it’s easy to see how any young man could’ve had Billy’s fate. The second important character is Chief Nana, A Warm Springs Apache warrior, who in the summer of 1881 rode a 3,000 mile vengeance war against the U.S. Army. He was never caught nor were his fifteen or so warriors. The amazing thing about him was his age. He was around eighty years old then and had a bad leg.

Excerpt from Escape from the Past: The Kid:

From my higher vantage point I noticed a dust cloud growing rapidly larger. And from it grew an apparition of terror as I’d never seen.

Two dozen Indians galloped toward us, fanned out like the tip of an arrow. They rode bareback, their faces painted black, red and white, their long oiled hair flowing behind them. They wore leather pants with loin clothes and nothing but beads and feathers around their necks.

“Indians,” I mumbled. I hadn’t even realized I said something except that Wade whipped around and followed my gaze.

“Injuns, Boss,” he shouted. “Looks like Comanches.” He ripped his gun from the saddle holster, the other men following suit.

The next moments were a blur. I felt myself slide off the donkey and race to the wagons for cover. The settlers were scrambling underneath, getting in position. The girl raced to grab the two little kids and shove them under the wagon.

I watched in fascination. As if time had slowed to a crawl, the Indians, shrouded in a dust cloud, drew near. Their faces looked hideous with the war paint, but their cries were what made me tremble with terror. It sounded like something out of this world, eerie whoops that curdled my blood.

I had no weapons. Even if I’d had any, my body was stiff with panic.

What’s the next writing project?

I just finished the third book in the trilogy, Escape from the Past: At Witches’ End which takes Max back to the Middle Ages. The manuscript is currently in editing at the publisher. My current writing project is a story about two teens growing up during WW2 in Germany. It’s a love story based on my family, but it is ultimately a story of forgiveness.

What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)

The biggest challenge with this new book set in wartime and postwar Germany is that I know the characters. It’s quite emotional for me to write about my parents who went through hell and barely survived the war. Maybe that’s why it’s taken me twelve years to write their story.

If your novels require research – please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?

I do a lot of research up front to get a good feel for the era my story is set in. I’ve got to understand the lifestyle of people, their daily habits, the landscape, food, jobs, the way they look at the world. I read several books before I start and research libraries and archives.

While writing I continue to research because I always come across questions along the way. For instance what does a pair of nylon stockings cost in postwar 1952 Germany? Between six and twelve Deutsch Marks, a fortune, considering that my twenty-year old mother only made DM100 a month.

What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.

My primary writing space is my office. I’m fortunate to have a nice large room and spend most of my time there. On occasion when my back aches or I need a change of scenery I move to the couch. I work with two laptops so I’ve got my big one for the desk and a little Mac for the sofa.

What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?

In historical fiction I love James Alexander Thom who has written a number of books set during the 19^th century. My favorite is Follow the River. I’ve read J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” many times because I never grow tired of this sweeping tale. Regarding craft, I love Don Maass’s books. They’re all good and if everyone followed his advice, we’d have many more bestselling books. I also enjoy Sarah Waters, Suzanne Collins and J.K. Rowling. Actually, I could go on for a while…

Anything additional you want to share with the readers today?

Something that readers and reviewers have told me is that my stories appeal to reluctant readers, particularly teen boys who love action/adventure. The first book in the series, Escape from the Past: The Duke’s Wrath has been highly recommended for school and library collections by the Midwest Book Review. Reviews are beginning to trickle in for The Kid so stay tuned.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter 

Buy links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

Thank you for coming back to Reviews and Interviews!
Thank you for having me, Lisa.

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Interview with YA historical author Annette Oppenlander

Today’s special guest is author Annette Oppenlander. She’s chatting with me about the first novel in a new historical YA trilogy, Escape from the Past: The Duke’s Wrath.

During her virtual book tour, Annette will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Annette Oppenlander writes historical fiction for young adults. When she isn’t in front of her computer, she loves indulging her dog, Mocha, and traveling around the U.S. and Europe to discover amazing histories.

“Nearly every place holds some kind of secret, something that makes history come alive. When we scrutinize people and places closely, history is no longer a number, it turns into a story.”

Welcome, Annette. Please tell us about your current release.

Escape from the Past: The Duke’s Wrath is book one of a trilogy about a nerdy gamer who tries out an experimental computer game and time-travels to medieval Germany where he must survive and figure out a way home. Envision it as action/adventure set in the Middle Ages.

What inspired you to write this book?

In 2012 I visited the ruins of Castle Hanstein in Thuringia, Germany. Walking through the ancient stones, I felt as if the walls were talking to me. I came across a snippet of information about a knight who’d feuded with a neighboring duke over a beautiful woman. I’d also raised two boys who are avid gamers, something I resented at times. Putting the two ideas together created the Escape from the Past trilogy.

Excerpt from chapter two of Escape from the Past: The Duke’s Wrath:

I heard more rustling. Louder now. Not from the men, but from the woods behind me. My knees buckled and I was vaguely aware of the thudding sound I’d made. I had to figure out what had just happened, retrace my steps. Where was my room? My mind churned as I scanned the ground for some sign of home, something familiar.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the bearded thug turn his head. Ducking behind a hazelnut bush, I squinted through the leaves. The thug had raised his sword and stepped toward my hiding place.

I crouched lower, my ears filled with the pounding of my own heartbeat. Rough laughter came from the other two riders. Despite my panic I caught a glimpse of them poking their swords at the injured man’s shoulder. I smelled their stench—and the wounded man’s fear.

The bearded thug continued in my direction. Sunlight bounced off the edge of his blade. He took another step, scanning, listening. I forced my shaking body to be absolutely still. This had to be some kind of challenge in the game.

The man kept coming. Twenty feet. Everything about him looked menacing: his eyes the color of mud, his razor-sharp sword wide as a hand. Fifteen feet. I held my breath.

A scream rang out.

“Have mercy, My Lords,” the bleeding man cried. He was kneeling now, waiving his good arm in a pleading gesture. “I beg you,” he wailed.

I lowered my gaze. Somewhere I’d read that the white of a man’s eyes could give you away. Keeping my lids half-closed, I peeked through the leaves once more. The thug was ten feet away. Close up he looked worse, a brute with arms the size of my thighs, his chest covered in leather and wide as a barrel. Despite his size he had the soundless walk of a stalking animal. I watched with paralyzed fascination. Any second I’d be discovered, but all I managed was to shove my hands into my jeans pockets to keep them from trembling. It’s a computer game, my brain screamed. It’s real, my gut argued.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I just finished book 3, Escape from the Past: At Witches’ End which I expect to be released in late fall of 2016. My next project will be a story set in WWII and post-war Germany based on my parents’ experiences as youths.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I began writing fiction in the late 1990s and worked in PR/advertising for years. I have considered myself a writer of fiction since completing my first manuscript in 2010 which by the way is still unpublished.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I’m fortunate I can write full-time. I typically start around 8:30 am and write until noon. I take a break and walk the dog and often return to writing or editing in the afternoon. I read a lot, but usually wait until later afternoon and evening. I typically do first draft creative writing in the morning because I’m freshest then.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I wish I could say I write in the shower or use an old-fashioned typewriter. The only strange thing I sometimes do when looking for a particular word or phrase is that it comes to me in German – the language I spoke for the first 27 years – and I look up the translation in English. I sort of draw from two vocabularies and actually think this enriches my writing.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to study animal behavior, probably biology. I also thought about nursing in a children’s hospital, but quickly realized after visiting the poor kiddos that my skin wasn’t thick enough. I ended up studying business administration and got an MBA in marketing/market research.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I’m a certified chocoholic, indulging in good chocolate almost daily. I usually keep a stash in the kitchen cabinet and am always on the prowl for European chocolate.

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

Thanks for being here today, Annette! Happy writing.

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