Peace Stick

Book excerpt: Peace Stick is set in East Germany during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. It's a story about hope and innocence during a nuclear showdown between the superpowers. It was inspired by an Erfurt schoolgirl who wanted to survive the confrontation to finish her studies, start a career, raise a family and enjoy a life that was being threatened by angry old men. She created a peace stick as a lucky charm. It was hidden in a school wall to be a symbol of hope during a traumatic week. Peace Stick is a snapshot of life behind the Iron Curtain as the world teetered on the edge of a nuclear abyss. It is representative of many kinder throughout the world who were endangered by political folly. It's a story that resonates to the present day.