Escape from the Past: The Kid (book 2)

Time-traveling gamer, Max, embarks on a harrowing journey through the Wild West of 1881! After a huge fight with his parents, Max tries to return to his love and his best friend, Bero, in medieval Germany. Instead he lands in 1881 New Mexico. Struggling to get his bearings and coming to terms with Dr. Stuler’s evil computer game misleading him, he runs into Billy the Kid. To his amazement Billy isn’t at all the ruthless killer history made him out to be. Trouble brews when a dying Warm Springs Apache gives Max a huge gold nugget to help his sister, Ela, escape from Fort Sumner. Shopping for supplies Max attracts the attention of ruthless bandits. Before Max can ask the Kid’s help, he and Ela are forced to embark on a journey to find his imaginary goldmine. This is book 2 in the Escape from the Past trilogy.

"What a fun summer read! The Kid is an artful combination of science fiction and historical fiction that come together in a fantasy that is believable enough that the suspension of disbelief is possible and make the reading truly enjoyable. What a wonderful way to bring history to life, re-imagine the past, and imagine the future all at the same time!" --Patrice W. Hallock, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Education, Chair, Educator Preparation & Psych-Child Life, Utica College

"Escape from the Past: The Kid is a magical fictional mystery interwoven with historical facts and exciting adventures. The reader experiences the twists and turns of the story while gaining a greater appreciation of the challenges of life in the Wild West during the late 1800's. It's a thoroughly enjoyable experience you will not want to miss."  --Richard Rafes, Ph.D., J.D., former President of East Central University

"As an English teacher of 43 years and as a life-long student of the Wild West and Native Americans, I found Annette Oppenlander's, The Kid, to be an accurate, well-researched and thoroughly entertaining novel for young readers. Ms. Oppenlander has a keen eye for detail, and her ability to create cliffhanging situations of high suspense makes for a great read. I strongly recommend this novel for any imaginative young reader who likes to have one foot in fantasy and one in reality." --Bill Hays, English AP/Honors Teacher, Retired, Bloomington North High School

Growing up in Europe, I have always been fascinated with the Wild West. So when it came time to decide where and when "Max Nerds" may travel into history, the tragic figure of Billy the Kid alias Henry McCarty came to mind. After reading several books about Billy and trying to decide at what time Max should meet him, I learned about Warm Springs Apache Chief Nana who, during the summer of 1881, embarked on a vengeance war against the U.S. Army.

Chief Nana was nearly 80 years old and took a dozen warriors 3,000 miles across New Mexico, never to be caught. Naturally, I wanted Nana in my story.

In the spring of 2015 I spent 10 days crisscrossing New Mexico to travel in the footsteps of my protagonist and the story's main characters. I visited Fort Sumner, Lincoln, Chloride, Silver City, explored the Rio Grande and spent one entire day, driving 48 miles across the Gila wilderness, the former home of the Warm Springs Apaches or Red Paint People.

I hope you'll enjoy the story as much as I did writing it.

Annette Oppenlander writes historical fiction for young adults. When she isn’t in front of her computer, she loves indulging her mutt, Mocha, and traveling around the U.S. and Europe to discover amazing histories.

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