Annette Oppenlander
ALLi Author Member
Location: Germany
Genres: Historical Fiction
Annette Oppenlander is an award-winning writer, literary coach and educator. As a bestselling historical novelist, Oppenlander is known for her authentic characters and stories based on true events, coming alive in well-researched settings. Having lived in Germany the first half of her life and the second half in various parts of the U.S., Oppenlander inspires readers by illuminating story questions as relevant today as they were in the past. Oppenlander’s bestselling true WWII story, Surviving the Fatherland, received multiple nominations/awards. Kohlenträume (Coal Dreams) won the 2025 Kindle Storyteller Award from Amazon Germany. Uniquely, Oppenlander weaves actual historical figures and events into her plots, giving readers a flavor of true history while enjoying an exciting story. Oppenlander shares her knowledge through writing workshops at colleges, libraries, festivals and schools. She also offers vivid presentations and author visits. The mother of fraternal twins and a son, she now lives with her husband and Kromfohrländer Archie in the beautiful Münsterland in Germany. Awards National Indie Excellence Award, Gold Global eBook Award, B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree for Surviving the Fatherland and The Scent of a Storm, Chill with a Book Readers’ Award, Finalist Kindle Book Awards, Readers’ Favorite Book Award, Discovered Diamond Historical Novel, IWIC Hall of Fame Novel, Skoutz Award Silver (Germany), 2025 Kindle Storyteller Award Amazon Germany
Annette Oppenlander's books
Genres: Historical Fiction
Formats: E-Book, Paperback
Age Groups: 16-18, 18+
"...a must-read for fans of historical fiction and those seeking a deeper understanding of civilian life during WWII." Readers' Favorite Five Stars An emotional insight into the fate of the more than twenty million forced laborers in Hitler’s Third Reich—an impossible love for a German woman and the endurance of the human spirit to find a way to freedom. Bochum, Germany, April 1943: While her husband has been at war for three years, twenty-five-year-old Marie Heinrich ekes out a living on a small farm. Her goats, whose milk and cheese help her survive, are her pride and joy. Until the SS confiscates the animals and Marie is forced to take a job at the nearby Schwarzenberg coal mine. Lyon, France, April 1943: Adrien Rocheau’s shoulder wound from the war has barely healed, when the SS arrests and forces him on a train to Germany. In Bochum, he is assigned to...
Genres: Historical Fiction
Formats: E-Book, Audio, Paperback
Age Groups: 16-18, 18+
Winner/Nominee of eight awards “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!” InD'tale Magazine “This type of raw, articulate, history-based storytelling pays homage to the war children who bore witness while struggling to survive.” Publishers Weekly (PW) Based on a true story 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 - a tale of two youths whose courage and resilience stands for the forgotten childhood of an entire generation. Solingen, Germany, 1940: When her father goes off to war, seven-year-old Lilly is left with an unkind mother who favors her brother and chooses to ignore the lecherous pedophile next door. A few blocks away,...