September 2010 - The Movie Treatment

I don't think I mentioned in the blog that the nice fellow who called me that night in April at the Cameron trading post was a man of his word. He followed through on his promise to make something happen with the movie of the book.  About a month ago I got a phone call asking my permission to have a movie treatment made of the book. This is something that usually costs quite a bit of money, but thanks to the fact that a few special people loved and believed in the book, the momentum had begun.

Of course I said yes, but didn't hear anything more for a while. While wandering the web I happened upon a blog belonging to the writer who won the chance to write Georg's movie treatment. His name is Coy Lothrop. I loved his enthusiasm for the book.  The fact that Georg went on to become a lifelong artist especially appealed to him.

I got in touch with Coy via Facebook and we've been in communication. Finally, today, I received Coy's completed movie treatment, sent by Author Solutions.

It's kind of crazy around here right now, with Mexico celebrating two great anniversaries: the Revolution 200 years ago and the War for Independence 100 years ago. My B and B is overflowing and there are multiple events every day. Tomorrow, for example I'm going to be walking with thousands of other Adelitas (look it  up) from the boardwalk to othe plaza.

Being one of those who don't rip the wrappings off their Christmas gifts, but rather prefer to drag out the pleasure of the moment, I'm going to wait until the weekend when I hope to have some quiet time (elsewhere) to then read the movie treatment.

September 2010 Kindle version of the book

I've had my kindle since last January and am definitely a fan. So it was wonderful news to hear this week that The Jew with the Iron Cross is finally on Kindle. Amazingly there is a newer book by the same title, so if you want to get to Georg's kindle book quickly, here is the link:
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041D8ESW/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0595379877&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1GBY1ZMKRE5NFHYD6X3Y 

If you still prefer the original paperback version and would like to start stocking up for Christmas gifts (I recall the reader who gifted 10 friends one Christmas) here is the book link:
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041D8ESW/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0595379877&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1GBY1ZMKRE5NFHYD6X3Y 

August 2010

There was a book signing here in Mexico at the Lake Chapala Society. I sold a few books, bought a few as well, and had the opportunity of meeting some interesting lakeside authors I hadn't known previously. The absolutely best thing that happened though was when an older couple stopped by my table and we began to talk. Slowly I learned that they were both born in the Ukraine (where much of Georg's book takes place.) They are also Jewish and most of the wife's large family had died during the war, either as soldiers killed by the Germans or through persecution. Only she and her mother survived. I asked if she might have known about the large POW camp in Kiev where Georg was held during the last year of the war. What she replied amazed and touched me deeply.  "I was a little girl and we  had next to nothing to eat ourselves, but I remember very clearly that my mother and I we would gather up pieces of bread, take them to the POW camp, and push them through the wires for the prisoners." Given the circumstances, such kindness and capacity for forgiveness, is almost unbelievable. But we were looking into each other's eyes, and I knew that what she remembered was truth.