Trying New Things

As the publication of the third and final book in the ESCAPE FROM THE PAST trilogy approaches and I’m completing the Civil War adventure, BROKEN JOURNEY, I’m launching into a couple of new endeavors. Until now I’ve mostly focused on writing and studying craft, reading, editing and revising.

Author Fairs

Author Annette Oppenlander at book fair
Here I’m all dressed up in a medieval costume. I really need some dirt on my face to make it more authentic.

So, now that I have four published novels to share, I’ve signed up for a mad dash of author fairs around Indiana and Ohio. I have no idea what to expect, but I look forward to meeting new readers and fellow authors. Just take a look at the News/Events section on my homepage to see the author fair listings for this fall. I hope to meet you at one of them.

Teaching Writing Workshops

I’ve been writing since the late 1990s and been at it in earnest since 2009. I’ve learned a number of things about fiction and for the first time this summer taught a workshop on writing “Compelling First Pages” at the local Monroe County Public Library (MCPL). Seventeen students attended and we shared a lot of interesting information. Feedback was excellent and positive, so I’m encouraged to continue. In November I’ll be teaching a FREE class on “Dialogue” and in the spring I’ll teach three four-week sessions on craft, beginnings and publishing at Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington.

workshop flyer library
Cool Flyer from MCPL

One thing I’ve already learned. My students teach me as much as I teach them. It’s a great synergy we all benefit from and I derive great pleasure from sharing some of the things I’ve studied and learned in the thousands of hours at my desk.

FREE Stuff

Free is always good, right?

Free Intro to the ESCAPE FROM THE PAST trilogy

The intro to the ESCAPE FROM THE PAST trilogy called GAME OF LIFE is free on Amazon or Smashwords. It tells how Max ended up in Germany and what happened before he got involved in the evil EarthRider game.

Escape Intro 3dMax Anderson is your typical teen, a bit nerdy and apprehensive about life. Until his father leaves and his mother transplants him to Germany and things go from bad to worse. Max is forced to attend German high school where the local bully, Michel, makes Max his new target. As Max dreams of returning to the U.S. and seeks escape during his afternoon computer gaming sessions with his friend, Jimmy, something sinister is going on nearby.

When Michel disappears without a trace, Max breathes a sigh of relief—even if his gut tells him something is fishy. Max doesn’t realize he’ll soon share Michel’s fate… he’ll be playing for his life.

Medieval Freeby

If you like medieval things, take a look at the right side of this page and sign up for my email. I’ll send you a cool 10-page collection of facts about living in the German Middle Ages.