Brothers-in-Arms

Can a Jew and a Nazi survive Hitler's Germany?

Franz Kappel and Japhet Buchanan never expected their friendship to be tested by the Third Reich. Friends from early childhood, the boys form an inseparable, brotherly bond. Growing up in a little German village, they escape most of the struggles of war until the day Japhet is banished from school for being a Jew, and later has a rib broken when other village boys beat him up. Franz learns he is putting himself in danger for spending so much time with Japhet but continues to stand up for his Jewish friend even at the risk to himself. Then one day their lives are shattered when they see first-hand that the price of being a Jew is dangerously high. 

With the war now on their doorsteps, Franz and Japhet come up with a desperate plan to save their families and get them out of Germany alive. Leaving behind the lives they've always known, they move into Berlin with nothing to protect them but forged papers and each other. Convinced their friendship can keep them going, the boys try and make a new life for themselves while trying to keep their true identities and Japhet's heritage a secret. Taking his best friend's safety upon himself, Franz joins the Nazis in an attempt to get valuable information. At the same time, Japhet joins the Jewish Resistance, neither friend telling the other of their new occupations.

With everyone in their world telling them a Nazi and a Jew can't be friends, it is only a matter of time before they believe all the lies themselves, until neither is certain if they are fighting against a race of people or fighting for their homeland. Somehow they have to survive the horrors of World War II, even when all of Germany seems to be against them.

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This story came into existence when I read a book called While Mortals Sleep. The book was about a pastor in WWII Germany who mentors four boys who are part of the Hitler's Youth. The book sparked an idea I kept buried for years, knowing if I was ever to write a WWII story it would be difficult. However, during Camp NaNo in 2014 I mentioned the idea to my friend who insisted I write the story. A month later my story of a Jew and a Nazi who were best friends as boys came to be.

I have never in my life cried so much writing a book. This is, hopefully, the most painful story I will ever pen, as I'm not sure I could do another. The end result was worth it for me, which was something, as I came away with a story that showed various lives in WWII and how men and women stood up to the evil which was trying to consume the world. Of course, I am hoping readers find the book worth reading as well in spite of the pain of the story.

The book, as of right now, will be released sometime in 2015. Until then, I leave you with some links that you can visit to get to know the characters better.