Tailgunner: War Defines Us.If We Let It

Inspired by the heroism of Walter (Buck) Merkel, Jr., this novel lets the reader witness gut-jarring missions over Nazi Germany, as he and fellow airmen dodge 8mm slugs ripping through the fuselage of their B-17. Upon reaching enemy targets, feel the adrenaline coursing through their veins while winging over 88mm anti-aircraft flak, spraying death upward in the form of shrapnel, capable of ripping an airplane, engine or airman to shreds.At the onset of World War Two, Ilona, a sophisticated woman of privileged Jewish class from Budapest, embarks on a dangerous journey by train through Nazi occupied Europe to England. For too long, she watched Hungary turn into a police state, now Ilona sought to escape the Gestapo's midnight arrests and mass executions. Grappling with fear of discovery at any moment, she uses cunning and deception to outwit the Nazis.Their worlds collide when Buck meets Ilona working as a singer in London's cabaret district. They find love in each other's arms until the war pulls them apart. When Buck receives orders to report for a secret mission, Ilona vows to wait for him but soon encounters a life-changing discovery. Nothing will ever be the same.

North American Locations
Years prior to earning a reputation for writing serious novels, Victor Merkel worked as a field sales engineer.

He majored in business administration at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. During the peak of his career as a sales executive, he secured multi-million dollar contracts with international companies to produce and distribute industrial electronics.

TailGunner: War Defines Us honors Victor's eldest brother, Walter C. Merkel, Jr., for service to his country during World War Two.

Victor Merkel and his wife Fran Merkel, reside in Arizona. They are parents of a daughter, Deb Merkel Wanamaker, who lives with her family in Pennsylvania.

About the Author
European Locations
Ann Frommer's first novel has been a life-long dream. While Ann lived in Budapest, Vic invited her to co-author TailGunner: War Defines Us. After the Nazi coup of 1944, Budapest seemed to be the appropriate setting for research and creation of the part Jewish heroine - Ilona.

An RN, with a successful healthcare management career, she wrote and published multiple medical articles. Ann also served as editor of a healthcare quality newsmagazine, The Alert, which won national recognition.

Ann studied liberal arts at Columbia, art at NYU and completed her bachelor's plus master's degrees at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ.

When Ann is not writing, she exhibits her photography of European scenes in various New Jersey galleries.

She and her Hungarian-born husband, Robert, travel internationally, otherwise they reside in New Jersey.