Untertauchen follows a Jewish couple living in Berlin under the rule of Hitler, who, when summoned for “resettlement,” went underground for thirteen months, living in fear of capture. Why was it important for you to share this story, which is based on a real couple and real events?

Having edited and helped the couple publish their memoir, it was obvious their story held a side of the Holocaust barely known.  UNTERTAUCHEN does not dwell on the death camps (few in Germany knew precisely what was happening) but all knew, those sent east were never heard from again.  The book brings to life what one couple endured under Nazi rule between 1932 and 1942, then the rigors of living underground, hiding in plain sight for 13 months while the Allies bombed Berlin round the clock.  As one Jewish reader told me, “We never knew.”  The story is written as fiction for intrigue and suspense, earning five-star ratings and lauded by reviewers.  The original manuscript was over 30 years in the making and somewhat academic.  Before publication though, it was rewritten and edited numerous times to make it “reader friendly.”  Readers are now praising it wholeheartedly.

What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?

 Goals?  As Herr Shacker — the real person behind the character Hans Bracher — told me more than once, he wanted the world to know his story.  Now, this has become reality.  Secondly, to show through thoughtful writing that good literature can be inviting without vulgarity and obscene language. The reviewers definitely agree.  And maybe too, to leave a legacy that has the possibility of changing lives, one reader at a time.  As one lady put it:  “Your life will never be the same, once you’ve read UNTERTAUCHEN.”

What was one of the hardest parts in Untertauchen for you to write?

Not necessarily difficult, rather prolonged — doing the massive research into Nazi laws, promulgations, etc., that affected Jews under their domination, then bringing this into perspective in Hans and Anna’s daily lives, making sure the time frames were in sync.  In other words, writing historical facts into understandable reality without being boring.

What is the next novel that you are working on, and when will that be available?

My preference for Historical Fiction is definitely the biographical.  Up next focused on Robert Smalls, the slave who was the pilot of a Confederate gun ship, out of Charleston (S.C.).  He and several other slaves who were deck hands (accompanied by their families) commandeered The Planter, sailing it past Fort Sumter (where the opening volley of the Civil War took place) and turning it over to the Union forces which were blockading the Charleston harbor.  My research began a year before I learned of a bill in the S.C. General Assembly that would have a statue of Smalls placed on the State House grounds.  This legislation was signed by Gov. Henry McMaster (R-South Carolina) several months ago, during which he hoped the image would be ready by 2028.  I’m looking toward a similar time frame for the book –yet to be titled — to be published.

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