Cristina Pippa
The Viennese Soldier by Cristina Pippa
What’s a girl to do when she’s separated from her man by a world war? Join the Women’s Army Corps and ship out to find him. Otty completes basic training in Des Moines, which couldn’t be farther from Vienna, Austria, where she and her fiancé Fred grew up. She convinces her superiors to change her first assignment from an air base in Texas to overseas training. In Germany, Otty translates interrogations of Nazi prisoners of war and uses her spare time to search for the man she loves, who she fears also wears the enemy’s uniform. Since they lost touch, Fred became involved in a pacifist movement and was imprisoned by the Nazis for treason. One of few survivors in a prison massacre, Fred finally sends a letter to Otty with the help of an American G.I. He still loves her and promises to wait in a small town in Austria until he hears from her. Otty gets leave from her post in Berlin to go directly to the town, only to discover that her childhood sweetheart is no longer there. A soldier believes that Fred tried to sail a raft hundreds of miles down the Danube to Vienna, with Russian snipers firing at him on either sides of the bank. Otty has no choice but to conceal her American uniform and cross into the forbidden Russian district of Vienna in hopes of finding him. The Viennese Soldier is based on a true story of undying love and determination.
Arielle & David: The stakes are always high when you’re writing about the Nazi regime. And that’s certainly true for our heroine and her one true love. We can just see that rafting trip on the big screen! We also love the idea of getting inside the Women’s Army Corps. And you didn’t give away the ending—which is wonderful because we leave the pitch asking, “Well, what happened?!”, to which you get to reply, “Well, you’ll have to read the book.” What can be improved? We don’t get any sense of who these two really are, especially our heroine. There are no real descriptors of her. So it’s hard to fall in love with our featured players. We also found that while the story seems to have all kinds of great twists and turns, the language of the pitch itself is a bit like a book report. Lastly, we’d like to know a tiny bit more about who this is based upon, since you say it’s a true story.
Susan Cox
March 5, 2013 @ 8:20 pm
This is certainly a book I would love to read.
Jim Bernfield
March 5, 2013 @ 8:30 pm
I’m definitely on board — just don’t let those Russian snipers shoot me.
That it’s based on a true story just make the epic scope — Des Moines! Berlin! The Tyrolian Alps! — Vienna! — even more transfixing.
Wow. How does Cristina Pippa do it?
Joe price
March 5, 2013 @ 9:10 pm
Amazing!
Kiryn
March 6, 2013 @ 12:59 am
Vote-Christina Pippa
Peggy
March 6, 2013 @ 7:30 am
Good luck!
Linda Fahrenkrog
March 6, 2013 @ 10:34 am
Sounds like my kind of book!
Betsy Bryan
March 6, 2013 @ 7:17 pm
can’t wait to read more from Cristina. I predict she will be on the best seller list some day
Melissa Welsch
March 6, 2013 @ 8:35 pm
Good luck!!
Karen Kaczor
March 7, 2013 @ 9:09 am
I want to read this book. I am wondering what happened.
Nikki Swoboda
March 7, 2013 @ 9:28 am
Best of luck!
Kathy Holman
March 7, 2013 @ 6:30 pm
Can’t wait to read the entire book! As a former English teacher, I know good, sound writing when I read it. This is a winner!!
Roger Ellis
March 9, 2013 @ 10:07 am
Those Russkies never could should straight anyway! Lemmee at ’em! This is a novel I’d love to read because mid-century Austria & Germany are my favorite locales!
Susan
March 9, 2013 @ 12:52 pm
Intriguing concepts- small world, enduring love, Nazi intrigue, and the WACs. Love to learn more about these courageous trailblazing women. Sounds like a page-turner!
Melissa Colletti
March 9, 2013 @ 2:17 pm
Sounds like a great novel! Looking forward to reading it!
Bonnie Stephens
March 9, 2013 @ 2:28 pm
Sounds like a wonderful book and one I would love to read. I like the historical connection.
Ellen Melamed
March 9, 2013 @ 5:57 pm
Good luck!
Neil price
March 9, 2013 @ 7:56 pm
I wanna read the boooooooook!
Jessica stuart
March 10, 2013 @ 3:09 am
Wow! This sounds awesome! I love historical drama, particularly wwii era.
Jodi Herrera
March 10, 2013 @ 5:24 am
I voted for you Professor Pippa. Also, I forward your message off to my organization on campus.
It sounds like a great pitch!!! I hope you win!!!
Kaitlin
March 10, 2013 @ 7:10 am
Vote for Christina
Dale
March 10, 2013 @ 7:36 am
Think bits and pieces of,”The Winds of War” and “War and Rememberance”, Herman Wouk; it will be nice to watch them again, and Penelope in “The Shell Seekers”, Rosamunde Pilcher; I just finished re-reading it. Love, tragedy, and adventure.
Dale
Nick Mwaluko
March 10, 2013 @ 8:11 am
Congrats Cristina! Wonderful premise for a novel!
Peggy Railsback
March 10, 2013 @ 12:00 pm
I’m looking forward to reading your book…Best of Luck!!
Meg Ann Baisley
March 10, 2013 @ 4:27 pm
Nice work
Fiorenza Ianzini
March 10, 2013 @ 6:06 pm
Good Luck, Cristina! and keep us posted…
Elma Mujanovic.
March 10, 2013 @ 9:51 pm
Great job! Again! Best of luck Cristina!
Bruce Roach
March 11, 2013 @ 5:06 am
It’s on it’s way!
Debra Dumas
March 11, 2013 @ 5:50 am
I am interested in reading this book. I love history and WWII history expecially interests me since my Father’s oldest brother was KIA in Italy during the war.
Dr. Rose Dyson
March 13, 2013 @ 2:40 pm
Christina Pippa’s book sounds interesting and timely. Women in the American Military for laudable reasons is a refreshing change from reports, stories and films, such as the academy award nominated documentary “The Invisible War” about sexual abuse of women in the military. As a Canadian, I am currently attending and speaking at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in NYC. Indeed, I was a panelist on Monday, March 4th on the subject of Militarism and Sexualized Violence. While it is necessary for all of us to speak out against women traumatized in the military by male colleagues, it is helpful to be reminded that true love stories are also possible.
Valerie Walden
March 13, 2013 @ 4:09 pm
Very interesting, I would read this book, would
even make a good movie but I dare say your heroine would
might consider her motive of love to be one
that could encompass more than just the man she
misses. In this setting, there would seem to be many
People whose lives could use a touch of her compassion and loyalty.
None the less you have my vote!
Dorothy Mehnert
March 14, 2013 @ 2:44 am
Sounds like a wonderful book. Love history.