6The time is 1940-1945. The place is eastern Europe. A young Jewish girl finds herself suffering the retributions from the fallout of Nazi Germany's "Final Solution" to rid the world of Jews. At the same time a young German boy finds himself suffering the retaliation of communist Russia hell-bent on ridding eastern Europe of ethnic Germans. Their lives parallel through these years and finally cross. What they discover is a kindred spirit that chooses life. Karl Manke was born in Frankfort, Michigan. He has spent most of his life in the small mid-Michigan town of Owosso, home to author and conservationist James Oliver Curwood. He and his wife Carolyn have twin daughters and five grandchildren. A graduate of Michigan State University, the author has been a self-employed entrepreneur his entire working career. Discovering an inclination for telling a good story, he spends much of his free time fine-tuning the craft of writing.