What kind of stories are you naturally drawn to? Do you gravitate toward the ones that open your eyes to a new perspective or reveal truths you’d maybe never considered?
Aubrey Taylor writes WWII fiction from the German point of view. It’s a bold, thoughtful approach, and she’s passionate about helping readers see a side of history that often gets overlooked. In this interview, she shares what led her down this path, the risks she’s taken in telling these stories, and how she balances truth, empathy, and imagination on the page.
Aubrey Taylor’s Book & Writing Process
Table of Contents
Q: What is the title of your book and what is it about?
A: Schneewittchen: A Retelling of the Snow White Story Set in WWII Germany
That premise stopped me in my tracks: fairy tale meets history in such a bold, layered way. I’m intrigued.
Q: Publication date
A: September, 09 2025
Q: What genre is Schneewittchen?
A: Historical Fairy Tale Retelling – WWII
What a deliciously niche genre!
Q: What inspired you to write Schneewittchen, and how did you come up with the idea for it?
A: My author tagline is, “Writing the World Wars from the German perspective,” and that has led me into studying German culture and heritage as well.
Germany was the birthplace of many of our most well-known fairy tales, so it made sense that I should try my hand at writing a fairy tale retelling.
There was also a side character in an (unpublished) book of mine that I thought would make an excellent hero for such a story. It took a bit of brainstorming to bring the two together, but once I did, the rest of the narrative came very quickly.
I love when a side character grows into something unexpected and meaningful.
Q: What themes and tropes are included in Schneewittchen?
A: In recreating the Snow White story, I tried to give nods to the elements of the original story, such as the wicked stepmother, the dwarves, the comb, the mirror, and the apple.
If you know German fairy tales, you know they don’t often end with a “Happily Ever After.”
Don’t worry, though, this one is certainly going to please readers looking for that heartwarming ending!
The book also flips the script on standard WWII narratives: I enjoyed casting the people who are typically cast as “villains” as the heroes.
This is wonderful! You’re honoring the original, but also daring to subvert and reimagine. That twist in the WWII narrative is compelling.
Q: Who is the ideal reader for Schneewittchen?
A: Anyone who enjoys historical fairy tale retellings will enjoy this book. My story is just one of four novellas in the A Worthy Love anthology from Beyond the Bookery.
Though I did not write it specifically for YA, it is suitable for 15 and up. That being said, I have a core group of readers who enjoy the insight into the German perspective, and read my books for that element. Even though I’ve toned down the grit, they won’t be disappointed!
You’re striking a perfect balance between a thoughtful, accessible, and emotionally rich story. Your core readers are in for a treat, and so are the new ones.
Q: What’s the one thing you want readers to take away from reading Schneewittchen?
A: As I said, I enjoyed casting the men who are typically written as villains as the heroes in this story. It causes the reader to rethink the narrative as it is usually presented to us.
In reality, there were many good, heroic, and even God-fearing men among the Germans. It’s important to represent that, because the truth about them has really been obscured.
What a powerful lens to write through! Love that you’re focused on humanizing where others generalize. You’re not just telling a story; you’re offering readers a deeper insight.
Q: Share a favorite quote or two from Schneewittchen.
“I sense in him a tenuous balance between kindness and cruelty.”
“Beatriz Federmann is the type of woman that has inspired every wicked stepmother in every fairy tale since time immortal.”
These quotes are full of tension and character. I can already tell this story will be a good one.
Q: Can you share an instance where real-life events inspired your writing?
A: Absolutely. In the opening scene of my book Dearest Gunter, six friends are hiking up to some castle ruins just north of the German-French border. The unnamed castle is based on the ruins of Drachenfels Castle, which my family and I visited in June 2023.
Don’t worry, no one was dangled over the side of the keep (which is what happened in the book), but I knew that with a little poetic license, our visit would end up in a story at some point.
Okay, that is so cool! The way you weave memory and imagination together is magic. I love knowing where that scene came from!
Q: Have you been able to incorporate your previous experience in your jobs/education in your writing?
A: You can definitely see my experience as a mother in this book as poor Gerda tries to “ride herd” on six energetic children. I have also dealt with chronic pain, so the images of Heidi Jodl, barking orders from her bed and otherwise feeling completely useless is something I can strongly relate to.
Beyond that, I studied Criminal Justice for three years in college, so it has been interesting to get back into the police and security aspect of my research, which is something that will may come up more in future books in the series I’m working on now.
I’m sure this blend of personal experience and professional insight adds such depth to your characters.
Q: How do you deal with perfectionism?
A: I had to let that ship sail a long time ago! When I find typos in my own books, I have to remind myself of the typos I find in, for example, Sixth Edition printings of a book that has been out for decades.
Though I strive for accuracy, I know that there is a lot we just can’t know for sure, and that there is room for artistic license. Also, rather than spending time and energy taking “deep dives” into minute details, I prefer to “soak in” my time period.
Writing the world wars from the German perspective means understanding things as they existed at the time, not through the lens of what we have been taught in the decades since. Sometimes, it only leads to more questions than answers.
I accept that I’m not going to have all the answers, but I can use writing to wrestle through things and possibly get my readers to think too.
I admire how you embrace curiosity over certainty and invite readers to do the same.
Q: What risks have you taken with your writing that have paid off?
A: I’ll admit it’s not always easy writing WWII from the German perspective. In doing so, it behooves me to read primary sources from the Third Reich as well as “revisionist” sources, and discern my way through it all.
I’ve come across a lot that conflicts with what I’ve been taught all my life. Thankfully, I don’t have to do it alone. God is the source of all Truth, and as I said before, I don’t feel like I have to give readers answers, I just have to give them things to think about as I am thinking about them.
Sometimes, I wish people would gain more interest in the German perspective, even if it means I get some friendly competition. [Laughs] I don’t mean it to be a polemic, but I am fond of saying that “if we really want ‘Never Again,’ we have to come to a better understanding of the other side of the story.” I think fiction is one way to do that.
Self-publishing is also a risk. I don’t write to market, and therefore I really am putting my heart out there, writing what I feel I need to say rather than what will sell.
I knew early on that this was going to be a marathon, not a sprint, but I find so much joy and fulfillment in what I am doing, I can’t imagine doing anything else. “If the kind of books you want to read don’t exist, you have to write them!”
Yes to all of this. You’re writing bravely, not just for art’s sake, but for truth’s. And your readers benefit from your willingness to take risks on your work.
Writing Advice from Aubrey Taylor
Q: What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
A: All my trips to Germany. Of course, I didn’t go just for my writing, but I certainly soaked in as much history, language, culture, and scenery as I could while I was there. If you want to “travel” with me a little bit, be sure to check out the Wandering Around Germany series on my blog.
Now that’s a dream research trip!
Q: If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
A: I would seek healing for some of my earlier traumas so that I could actually focus long enough to research and write.
On the other hand, I suppose all that pain was used for good, because I’m not afraid to write about really hard things and (hopefully) provide sympathy and hope for others who are going through difficult and painful circumstances, or who have lived through the gritty realities of the world we live in.
I hear you. But it’s your courage to write through, and out of, pain that gives your work an authenticity that resonates with your readers.
Just for Fun
Q: If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be and why?
A: My character Christian Richter. He is from my last series, but he has stayed with me in a way no one else has.
He is the most approachable, “burnt cinnamon roll” type in the world. It’s hard for me to talk to real people about the things that go through my head on a daily basis, especially with regard to my research.
Somehow, I know I could be completely open with him. In turn, I would be more than happy to zip my lips and lend him a listening ear, too. I think his own struggles have given him a heart that is very slow to judge others.
“Burnt cinnamon roll” — LOL. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that term before [runs off to Google]. Ooh, that’s deep. I hope Christian gets his own love story and chance to heal.
Q: If your characters hosted a dinner party, who would cause the most chaos and why?
A: Lothar Feinberg and Josef Ellesbrock, from my book The Rubicon. Admittedly, they are a couple of rakes, but as I discovered, they are also a lot of fun.
Lothar is a real diamond in the rough. I look forward to writing about them both again in a future book, seeing what kind of shenanigans the two of them can stir up for Jake Schmidt and his wife Emmy, and revisiting an old storyline from Lothar’s perspective.
I’d absolutely RSVP to this party! Rakes, diamonds in the rough, and chaos? Yes please. Sounds fun!
Let’s Connect with Aubrey Taylor
Q: What are you working on next?
A: I really have to get going on Book 2 of the Separate Ways series, which will be set during the Interwar period.
There is a lot that needs to happen before I can get to Book 3, which has been sitting on my computer for over a year, and may end up being Book 4 given the amount of material I want to cover.
Thankfully, the two novellas I’m releasing this fall fill in some of the holes and give some details I probably would not have included in the series. We’ll see.
By the time this posts, it should be August and I might be well on my way!
We’re cheering you on as you navigate this timeline, and I love how all the pieces are coming together. This series already feels like a world readers will want to stay in.
About Schneewittchen: A Retelling of the Snow White Story Set in WWII Germany
Gerda Gatzke is unsure whether life on a Bavarian homestead with six boys and an ailing woman is right for her, but she is determined to get away from her stepmother, and from the war that draws ever closer to her doorstep.
With little more than the clothes on her back and a treasured family heirloom, she arrives at the disheveled smallholding only to discover that she is no safer there than she was at home. The boys who were initially her charges soon become her protectors.
With his mother’s illness growing worse and his family in danger, Thomas Jodl determines to return home for the first time in five years. His heart is warmed by the kind-hearted young woman who has come to care for his mother and six brothers.
Thomas does not hesitate to place himself in danger, but when the threat neutralized, a new question arises: what will become of any of them once the war is lost?
About Aubrey Taylor
Aubrey Reiss Taylor unites a fascination for history with a passion for redemption, creating a unique brand of gritty, honest wartime sagas written from the German perspective. She is the mother of three, and married to her best friend, Brian.
When she’s not writing or taking care of home and family, she enjoys making music, reading, and spending time with friends.
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