Literary Self-Indulgence?

Author Christoph Fischer answers questions frequently asked by his readers.

Why I wrote THE BLACK EAGLE INN

Early feedback to my third book in the Three Nations Trilogy stated that it would probably be of most interest for people with a German heritage. As author I had to ask myself: could this novel bear relevance and interest for other people and non-German readers?  The answer is yes.

I was born 25 years after the end of the war. Our history lessons at school ended with the year 1945. One of the most urgent and important questions remained unanswered for me: How did a country with so much shame and horror in its past recover and move forward? How could it? I don’t think anything can ever make up for what has happened and nobody can forgive or atone for the collective guilt. But can the new generation ever deservedly rid itself of the stigma the previous generation has brought to the country?

Apart from the actual family story in my book I hope a great point of interest will be the way different characters carry on with their life and develop their philosophies, outlooks and politics. De-Nazification, restructuring of a political landscape and implementation of new state leaders are issues the book touches upon. Only ten years after the end of the war a wave of Italian and Turkish Immigrants filled the hole in the German employment market, but how did the Nation respond to those foreigners (named Gastarbeiter)? Ten years after that a new right wing party formed and threatened to tip the political balance and bring new shame to the nation.

The Sixties brought the Bader Meinhoff Complex, student revolts and many family conflicts instigated by the generation born after WWII. Many of those were disillusioned with politics and turned violent. It took a new generation of politicians to instigate a modernization of German society.

The year of my birth Chancellor Willy Brand famously fell on his knees in Warsaw, humbly honoring a monument for the victims Warsaw Uprising. An important symbolic gesture after previous governments tried too hastily to move on from the dark past.  My book covers a lot of ground about post war Germany and should be interesting for those whose knowledge of Germany also ends with 1945. We know about the Nuremberg Trials and the Nazi’s on the run in South America, but what about the little man, guilty or not? What does he do with this broken country?

What is your personal experience with the issues in the book?

I grew up with the first generation of children of mixed marriages and Gastarbeiter families and I experienced them being treated badly by some but also very welcoming by others. I grew up in times of a United Europe, exchange students and pop music from Italy, France, Britain and America. For me other nations and cultures were never anything but an exciting cultural enrichment and I adored the people in my generation who had a similar vision and worked hard to make such a mentality part of a modern Germany.

Of the three books THE BLACK EAGLE INN is the one that is closest to my own life experience although I was born around the time the story ends. While all three books deal with family sagas vaguely similar to some of my ancestors, this story takes place in an environment and times that I know almost first hand. Yet, there were an awful lot of facts that I only learnt about while researching the foundations for the book. I hope it helps to understand more about the path of the German people from its past to the current state.

A New Germany?

Can a leopard ever change its spots and can a Nation ever change? Is Germany trying to take over the European Union in militant fashion as some people claim? Are Germans always rigid, organized and pushy? Did Mussolini’s fascism stem from a reminiscent ‘Roman’ megalomania? Is there something inherently unchangeable in the makeup of a Nation?

Confronted with often harsh stereotypes of Nazi-esque Germans in film, television and conversations abroad it seems that a certain image sticks to us Germans in the view of other Nations. I left the country 20 years ago and often see the Germans from the outside perspective with similar eyes and cringe at some innocent remarks by my compatriots and their sometimes only misunderstood behaviors. Yet some of these stereotypes can reinforce undifferentiated ideas about German mentality and politics.

My book is by no means a glorification of the German nation. As much as I love my place of origin I am happy where I live now. By having written a somewhat political book about post-war Germany I hope to paint a more balanced and more complex picture about its past and its people. Like every country in the world Germany should remain a work in progress of continuous development and improvement.

Religion in THE BLACK EAGLE INN

Most of my characters in this book are Catholics and some of them are not portrayed favorably even though other Catholics are written with more differentiation. I would like to point out however in any case that by no means do I intend to condemn religion or Catholicism as a whole.

Implied criticism of those devout Catholic characters is directed at the dogmatism of some, which also shows in their political and other beliefs and behaviors. Certain outdated beliefs and practices are part of the historically accurate portrayal of the times and places. Misuse of religion and Bible quotes for personal gain or political goals are as old as religion itself and are not limited to Catholicism.

I would like you to know that I have the most profound respect for any responsible religious person who uses their respective belief system to become a better person and to better the world with love and tolerance of others.

Politics in THE BLACK EAGLE INN

To write about any Nation and its generational renewal party politics are difficult to avoid, even more so in the case of Germany where for 12 years one party dictated world history. In one plotline of the book I have gone deep into the rivalry between the two main parties in post-war Germany, which exists to this day.

I must apologize for any perceived bias and any offensive remarks against either of the parties portrayed. Party politics at the time were more differentiated than I could afford to showcase them in this book. The fictional party affiliation of some of my characters in the book was determined by certain ideas they stand for and which of the actual parties at the time would have fitted their profile the most.

In my view politicians of every party can be corrupt as they can be idealists. By no means would I like to imply that I favor the politicians of one party of another. My book is not a manifesto for political ideas per se but for humanitarian ideas that should be the foundation for any type of politics.

Politics can also be a frustrating and hard business and I applaud all of the idealists who go into politics and struggle hard for their visions and beliefs. I do not have the endurance for it myself and would like to thank those who have done so and who selflessly help to form and shape Germany into a modern state that has learnt from its past.

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Visit Christoph Fischer’s Author pages:

On Amazon - US: http://www.amazon.com/Christoph-Fischer/e/B00CLO9VMQ/

On Amazon - UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christoph-Fischer/e/B00CLO9VMQ/

On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6590171.Christoph_Fischer

http://www.facebook.com/WriterChristophFischer?ref=hl

http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/

http://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/

Christoph Fischer Launches Book 3 of Three Nations Trilogy

"The Black Eagle Inn"

The Black Eagle Inn is an old established Restaurant and Farm business in the sleepy Bavarian countryside outside of Heimkirchen. Childless Anna Hinterberger has fought hard to make it her own and keep it running through WWII. Religion and rivalry divide her family as one of her nephews, Markus has got her heart and another nephew, Lukas got her ear. Her husband Herbert is still missing and for the wider family life in post-war Germany also has some unexpected challenges in store.

Once again Fischer tells a family saga with war in the far background and weaves the political and religious into the personal. Being the third in the Three Nations Trilogy this book offers another perspective on war, its impact on people and the themes of nations and identity.

On Facebook: http://ow.ly/pAX3y

On Goodreads: http://ow.ly/pAX8G

On Amazon- US: http://bookshow.me/B00FSBW2L6

On Amazon-UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christoph-Fischer

Christoph Fischer was born in Germany, near the Austrian border, as the son of a Sudeten-German father and a Bavarian mother. Not a full local in the eyes and ears of his peers he developed an ambiguous sense of belonging and home in Bavaria. He moved to Hamburg in pursuit of his studies and to lead a life of literary indulgence. After a few years he moved on to the UK where he is still resident today.

The Luck of The Weissensteiners was published in November 2012; 















Sebastian in May 2013. 

Fischer has written several other novels which are in the later stages of editing and finalization.

Visit Christoph Fischer’s Author Pages:

On Amazon - US: http://www.amazon.com/Christoph-Fischer/e/B00CLO9VMQ

On Amazon - UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christoph-Fischer/e/B00CLO9VMQ

On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6590171.Christoph_Fischer

http://www.facebook.com/WriterChristophFischer?ref=hl

http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/

http://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/

Introducing KAY HADASHI

I have always been fascinated by novels with exotic locations.

Hence, it is my pleasure to introduce author

Kay Hadashi

  

A third generation Japanese American, Hadashi grew up in a multi-generational home. She learned Japanese traditions from her grandparents, and the lessons of modern-day life in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Dividing her life between Hawaii and the mainland of America, she spends her time refining her tai chi skills, in zumba classes, and has a busy career in health care.

Kay Hadashi is the author of several intrigue and mystery novels about June Kato, neurosurgeon and ex-fashion model. Her novels are on the best-seller lists on Asian American Literature.

Bugeisha Dreams

A Historical Intrigue Novel

Offered during the month of October at an introductory price of $0.99

  

http://amzn.com/B00FEYOY40

Synopsis: 

Neurosurgeon June Kato suddenly enters a parallel life to her own, the life she would have lived five hundred years before in feudal Japan.  As a feudal landowner, she is immediately embroiled in all the same problems she left behind in her real world.  And those troubles are bigger than ever.  To save her family lands, she concocts her greatest scheme yet.

She sets out on one last battle against the powerful daimyo that is forcing her off the family lands she inherited from her ancestors.  With only an army of peasants and three blades, Lady Junko faces her future--and her past. Most of the story takes place 500 years ago in feudal Japan during the Warring States period.

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For those of us unfamiliar with the term (as certainly I was), Hadashi explains Onna-bugeisha were very important and honored women in feudal Japan.  An onna-bugeisha, or more simply bugeisha, was a Japanese female warrior of upper class background.  Many women in feudal Japan, especially during the Warring Period, engaged in battle, alongside samurai men. They were members of the bushi samurai class and were trained in the use of various weapons to defend their household, family, and honor in times of war.

Other June Kato Intrigues by Kay Hadashi

Kimono Suicide—First in the series, a murder mystery

Stalking Silk—Suspense and escape from a serial stalker

Yakuza Lover—An Intrigue Novel involving organized crime

Orchids and Ice—Intrigue set in Hawaii

Coming in late 2013:  Deadly Contact—A Medical Intrigue Novel

Visit Kay Hadashi’s Author Page at Amazon for more:

http://www.amazon.com/Kay-Hadashi/e/B00CP5B78M/

Her other links of interest are:

http://www.junekatointrigue.com/

https://www.facebook.com/kay.hadashi

Cover Reveal - The Ghosts of Aquinnah by Julie Flanders

Julie Flanders is a novelist and freelance writer in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has a life-long love affair with the ocean and has spent more summer vacations than she can count on the island of Martha’s Vineyard.

When not writing, Julie can be found reading, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and watching too much television.

* * *

I met Julie because she too is an animal lover. She shares her home with her dog and cat, and I hope to feature them on Pasha’s blog in the near future.

* * *

COVER REVEAL

The Ghosts of Aquinnah,

by Julie Flanders,

will be released by Ink Smith Publishing

on December 5, 2013

A brilliant flash of light transcends through time. Another freezes a cloaked figure within a frame of salty mist as waves crash against a rocky shore. Her harrowing expression shadows the beacon to a pinprick.

By the next blaze, she is gone. Only the lighthouse remains.

Hannah’s eyes blink in step with each heartbeat. Images of her deceased parents and Martha’s Vineyard explode like firecrackers inside her mind.

She shakes her head.

For weeks this eerie woman dressed in nineteenth century garb has been haunting my webcam, but tonight she stared into my soul.

Why? ...

Who is she? ...

Casting aside months of research on historic lighthouses, Hannah drives to the coast and boards a ferry.

What is the strange connection she has to this mysterious woman suspended in time?

Hannah finds out.

But, it’s not at all what she expects ...

Hannah unravels a century old murder.

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Find Julie at:

Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

Multi-Faceted Christoph Fischer

Christoph Fischer is not only an avid reader, a scrupulous reviewer (IF you can get him to read your stuff), but foremost he is a writer with a deep sense of commitment to his own craft: Writing.

In his latest book, Fischer once again lays out a family saga with war in the distant background. Keeping the color scheme and the writing from his first two novels, The Luck of the Weissensteiners, and Sebastian, this book shows the Bavarian country side at its best with The Black Eagle Inn in the center. It is the name of a family business; to me it is also a foreboding sign of things to come as this was also an emblem on Germany’s flag.

As always, Fischer aptly inter-weaves political and religious themes with the very personal lives of his protagonists. The Black Eagle Inn is the third in the Three Nations Trilogy and—as do its two predecessors—this book offers an indirect perspective on war and its impact on ordinary people.

The Black Eagle Inn is slated for release by October 15.

Read more about in Fischer’s blog at:

http://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/black-eagle-inn-cover-reveal/

Best of the Indies

The Mission: To find great books.

Readers: How do you find great books from talented Indie writers?

Answer: Through The Fussy Librarian.

This new site conducts personalized searches for its readers’ preferred genres, alerting them via e-mail of the many great writings by participating Indie authors.

Authors may submit books with a prescribed number of high-starred reviews.

Let’s give The Fussy Librarian a hand for great success with this effort to bring together fussy readers and great Indie books.

Check it all out here: http://www.thefussylibrarian.com/

Rare British Historical Fiction

Author James M. Hockey was born on the slopes of the Iron Age hill fort of Ham Hill (check out the Ham Hill face book page). During the Roman period the IInd Legion had a camp here. This fort is only eight miles from the Cadbury hill fort, the favored if speculative location for Camelot and Arthur during post-Roman times. It is in this countryside that Alfred the Great hid and plotted the defeat of the invading Danes.

Moving just two miles down the road Hockey spent the early years of his life under the shadow of St. Michaels Hill, the scene of one of the last abortive rebellions against the Normans after 1066.

It is hardly surprising that history is in his blood and that his writing is set in this historic countryside.

We have all read about the Tudors, the Stuarts, and of course the late-comers to history, the Windsors. But in his two sprawling historical fiction sagas, Mr. Hockey takes us straight into the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685 and through a fireside storyteller back to the story of the early migrations of Germanic peoples during the 5^th Century.

In the West Country of England, the invaders were the followers of Gewis and were known as the Gewissae. They were also known as ‘The Trusted Ones.’ It is this that leads to the hypothesis on which Hockey’s two dark-age yarns are based.

Most migrating invaders needed to steal land and food to survive and had to fight to do this. So how is it, he asks, that the Gewissae settled so peacefully?

The assumption is that they had sufficient resources to buy rather than steal land and food.

                                 

The first book The Axe the Shield and the Triton shows the adventures of Gewis as a Vandalic pirate in the Middle Sea as the Roman Empire crumbles into anarchy leading to the sack of Rome. From this, indirectly, Gewis becomes wealthy enough to finance the peaceful migration of his tribe.

The second book The Axe the Shield and the Halig Rood  follows the Gewissae as the vicissitudes of Fate land them in an unintended place where, in exchange for the land they need they become embroiled in the wars between petty kinglets and chieftains, each seeking to gain dominance over a province broken apart by the withdrawal of the Legions.

Both these books are imbued with a belief in the workings of Fate. These bring about, through Gewis and the Gewissae, Cerdic the king and Arthur the Peacekeeper, the creation of the kingdom of Wessex and the conditions for the eventual re-unification of England.

Both books have been extremely well received by their readers. I urge you to visit Mr. Hockey’s Author pages here:

US: http://www.amazon.com/James-M.-Hockey/e/B006GD9WX6/

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/James-M.-Hockey/e/B006GD9WX6/

Favorable Review for Shadow Sanctuary

Part romance, part mystery, part mythic journey - four stars

As always, do not let my star count override your judgement of content. More on the stars, counting, and my rating challenges later. On to Borg’s story.

Monika Lenz is a successful, fifty, woman with an unsuccessful love life. (If you’ve read other Borg stories, you’ll enjoy the cameo appearance of Edward, the advice-giving Laura, and the recollections of other unsavoury men.)  Suffering from both career frustration and career envy, she decides to spend months in a lonely cabin, translating German into English to finance herself. She begins to go downhill almost at once. The story is of her near-death experiences, of which there are several of different kinds.

The writing is full of sparkling lines like this: Monika followed the pleasant sound and found a lively rivulet skipping over moss-covered boulders, unmindful of the passing of time; like a happy child.

Again, you will find passages like this: She glanced at the heat-ravaged slopes flying by, robbed of their soft groundcover by voracious fires, polished by flash floods. These barren hillsides stood fast only for themselves, harsh and unforgiving. Just like city people, she thought.

There is personal insight as well, as in this: An uncomfortable sense of being out of place swept over Monika. She shrank into her overstated clothes and hid her manicured nails in her pockets.

This is writing for adults: All-powerful, avaricious, and secretly horny they— just as Scarpia deceived Puccini’s loyal heroine— had pushed her against the wall or, in her case, against the glass ceiling. Except in her early days, it had been the filing cabinets. There is sex in this story, and as usual with Borg, it is well done and not overly graphic.

 Again, Borg’s research and/or background knowledge are impeccable; pretty much everything is exactly correct. On a second reading you will see there was foreshadowing here and there, which set up later actions of Borg’s chief protagonist. This is good writing.

The story is deceptively straightforward. There are unanswered questions. There are relationships of all kinds, some of them strained as Monika travels on her own journey toward the final discovery of self. There is a cabin farther up the road which does or does not exist. There is a pilot who does or does not like Monika. There is a wild animal whose danger level is uncertain; there is a wild-ish man of similar attributes.  Again, this is writing for adults, and a fun read.

Back to the stars. My personal guidelines, when doing an ‘official’ KBR review, are as follows: five stars means, roughly equal to best in genre. Rarely given. Four stars means, extremely good. Three stars means, definitely recommendable. I am a tough reviewer. In my opinion, Borg just keeps on getting better. Four stars this book easily rates. 

Definitely recommended.

Jim Bennett, Kindle Book Review Team member.

(Note: this reviewer received a free copy of this book for an independent review. He is not associated with the author or Amazon.)

Authors Sharing Tips

Author Christoph Fischer’s blog http://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/

has become a daily must-check for me. Not only does he bring an amazing array of wonderful new Indie writers and their books to his fans’ attention, but he selflessly shares tips and contacts for what we Indie writers yearn most: New ways of getting our books out to potential readers.

Here is Christoph’s Interview with Charlie Bray,  founder of the Indie Tribe, a promotional website for Indie authors.

* * *

The Indie Tribe

by writerchristophfischer

Many of you have asked me recently about the Indie Tribe and how I made it into their charts. I don’t know about the charts, but I can explain a little about the Tribe.

I joined the Indie Tribe back in January. It is simply an online group of independent writers to promote our books. This website features books published by the members on a regular basis and offers links to blogs and websites, a news flash service and other promotional tools for free. It is also a great source of information for readers and writers and features writers tips and guest blogs regularly.

On top of that is a range of commercially available options. I have taken out the Gold Membership for £45, which gives me an independent review of the book an author interview, guest blog and a review of my website.
Book showcases, a book store and a full editing service are also offered.

For any author who has a number of books to promote, the Indietribe’s Multi Book Promotion offers extreme value for money at a one-off £45 fee. Every book is showcased, including future ones, and every book is included in Indietribe’s Book Store. The writer also enjoys an enhanced link to his website or blog.

http://www.theindietribe.com/multi-book-promotion/

I have been looking online for good publicity tools ever since I published my book in November and I have to say that this seems a very reasonable offer, given the amount of time the man behind the scenes puts into it. So apologies for advertising but here is the man, Charlie Bray, himself, to talk about how the tribe came to be and how he is doing thus far.

Hello Charlie, thanks for joining me on my blog. So first things first: When did you have the idea for the Indietribe and how did you bring it to life? Were there many other people involved or is it a complete one man operation?

Having joined the ever-growing tribe of wannabe authors who write a book, upload it themselves to Amazon as an eBook, I suffered the pain of realising that sales don’t necessarily follow. I quickly realised that thousands of others share that pain, and decided to do something about it. I launched http://www.theindietribe.com myself, and operate it alone. Having said that, it would be nothing without members and their contributions keep the plate spinning.

How much of your time does your work for the tribe take up?

Around ten hours a day, seven days a week. Retirement from the day job enables me to do this, but my own writing and, of course, my wife suffer.It is quite a commitment you put in there for others. How do you motivate yourself to keep going?
It’s very much a labour of love. I love books, I love fellow authors, well, the vast majority anyway.
Most of all I feel passionate about the indie movement and will always do all I can to support it.

How large is your audience and where are your main followers?

Indietribe currently has over 1,000 members and we have around 1,500 Twitter followers and a loyal following on Facebook, Goodreads and Linkedin, which is great since I only launched in September.
Members tend to pass the word around to other indie authors and our membership is on an upward spiral.

What is your background in publishing/ writing?

I’ve been writing short stories and magazine features since the 70s and published and contributed to my own art and frame trade magazine, Art & Frame Buyer for many years.

What do you enjoy most about the work for the tribe?

The feeling of satisfaction from seeing members’ sell more books by being part of the tribe. Our weekly Top 10 is a result of hundreds of click-throughs to Amazon each month.

What is the least enjoyable part?

Struggling to meet self-inflicted deadlines and occasional abuse from the odd member who is getting everything for free anyway.

Where can you be contacted?

Through the contact page on http://www.theindietribe.com

Can readers follow the tribe?

Yes, quite easily. They can join for free on this link:http://www.theindietribe.com/contact-2/They can follow the tribe by clicking the RSS button on the home page of my site, or by subscribing to our email newsletter on the same page. I am keen to attract as many readers as possible to the Indietribe. They are our life-blood. They can use this link: http://www.theindietribe.com

How often do you publish the features / interviews and reviews?

Normally a new post appears around three or four times per week so there is always something fresh to see.

Where do you post the reviews?

Everything is posted on http://www.theindietribe.com, but each post is also reproduced in full on Facebook, Goodreads and Linkedin and Twitter

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Again, thank you Christoph, for sharing your insightful interview with us.

* **

Christoph Fischer is the author of two amazing novels:

The Luck of the Weissensteiners, and Sebastian.

Read more about Christoph Fischer on his website:

http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/

US - http://www.amazon.com/Christoph-Fischer/e/B00CLO9VMQ

UK- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christoph-Fischer/e/B00CLO9VMQ

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6590171

A 5-Star Review for Shadow Sanctuary

Maybe all that pain of rewriting and renaming this novella did pay off (see my prior post on "pandering").

SHADOW SANCTUARY received the following 5-Star Review.

** *

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely story, May 30, 2013

By 

diebus - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow Sanctuary (Kindle Edition)

This is a great story about a woman burnt too many times by love, retreating to the mountains of Sierra Nevada to escape the troubles of life, her disappointment with men and maybe find herself new. What she does find however is that neither human kind nor your troubles can be escaped completely wherever you go
The author has written a lovely little novel with a convincing and interesting main character - who of us has never thought of doing just that, get away from it all and just look out for ourselves? Set in a beautiful surrounding this is a lovely and heart warming read with some surprising twists and events that make this short story very entertaining and worth reading.

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I couldn't be more pleased, and only hope that other readers will enjoy the book as well.