Deny - Defend - Depose

I have been thinking about this for a while now, and you know what? I have decided, it is time to be upfront about what is going on. I am not here to play the victim, but to show the consequences of standing by your beliefs and how wrong so many people behave nowadays. It is baffling how some cannot differentiate between a good story and the beliefs of its author. In my opinion, that is just plain stupid.

I do not need to like an author to enjoy their stories. Their political and social views should not have an effect on how I enjoy a good reading. Now, if an author were using their income to commit evil or criminal acts, like Elon Musk at the moment, that is a different matter, and I would take action. But as long as someone is simply a spokesperson for their ideals, it should not affect anyone’s reading experience. The story matters, not the author, in the end.

"When the king is a liar, truth becomes treason." - Michael Gerson

I am aware, politics is a messy, brutal arena, but for me, it is not just some abstract battleground. It is personal. The choices I have made to speak out for human rights and democracy all my life, have deeply affected my personal life recently - and my book sales. I have always stood publicly for what I believe, and the the recent backlash has been harsh. Yet, despite the financial hits and the increasing amount of threats, I will not back down. This fight is not just about me; it is about standing up against hatred, no matter the cost.

During my life, I have stayed out of foreign elections, kept my thoughts to myself and did not really say much. It simply was not my business to decide how the people there should live their lives. But this was different. Sure, I am neither an American by birth, nor do I live in the United States; but here is the deal: my family owns property in Los Angeles, California — now lost to the wildfires — and I have been paying taxes in the U.S. for over a decade. So yeah, this one hits close to home.

When Donald Trump won the presidency, it shook me to my core. As someone who believes in equality and freedom, I could not stay silence. I publicly supported Kamala Harris, not just because of who she is but because if what she represents: decency, intelligence, and hope for a better Ameria, even hope for a better world. My support was not some marketing ploy; it came from my heart. But the fallout was swift and brutal. My American book sales dropped by 90% after election day. It felt like a punch to the gut, a betrayal from a country I had respected and supported. The message was clear: in the current political climate, aligning yourself with progressive ideals can come at a steep cost.

That said, I have made adjustments to weather this storm. I updated my tax reports and add my German tax number, so now I save the 30% of each sale by no lomger paying U.S. taxes but paying in Germany instead; at least if I make more than 12.000€ a year, I will owe 21% in taxes, due in April the following year — still less than the 30% I was paying in the United States. It is a small but significant shift that gives me a bit more breathing room to keep pushing forward.

Here in Germany, I have been vocal about the dangerous rise of the far-right party, the AfD. Let me be crystal clear: Nazis have no place in modern society. As someone with a platform, I have taken every opportunity to denounce them. This is not just politics; it is a moral obligation. And just like in the U.S.A., my sales took a nosedive. People who once supported my work turned their backs on me because I refuse to turn a blind eye to hate.

The financial impact is real, and it hurts. But what cuts deeper is the constant stream of threats. Almost every day, my inbox fills with hate-filled emails and my social media is no different. Death threats, violent fantasies — it is all there. At first, it rattled me. I am only human, after all. But over time, I have learned to push through the fear. The threats only reinforce why I speak out. If standing up for human rights enrages racists to the point of threatening violence against me and my family, then I must be doing something right.

The road ahead looks tough. The future ahead looks dangerous. There is no clear end to this downward spiral in sight. Yet, there is a faint glimmer of hope. While sales in the U.S.A. and Germany remain low, something unexpected is happening: my books are finding new audiences in Canada, Switzerland, and France. It is like these countries have stepped in to say, “We hear you, and we are with you.” It is not enough to offset the losses, but it is a start. More importantly, it is a reminder that there are still people out there who value truth and integrity over blind allegiance to hate-filled ideologies.

I have always written for myself. Selling my stories have always been an add-on, not a necessity. While I do keep an eye in the sales income, it is the reader statistics I truly cherish. The more readers, the better, no matter the financial outcome. But as times goes on, I have come to believe that it is not just about numbers. It is about the right readers, those who accept and defend human rights, stand by democratic principles, and fight agaiinst hatred in all its different shades. Those are the people I write for.

"It is no shame to be poor and ask for help. The shame is to be rich and unwilling to help." - anonymous

I could choose to stay quiet. I could play it safe, avoid politics, and try to win back the readers I have lost. But that would be a betrayal of everything I stand for. Silence might save my sales, but it would cost me my soul. If I have learned anything from this journey, it is that fighting for what is right often comes with a price.

To anyone who has faced similar struggles, know this: You are not alone. The world can be a cruel, hateful place, but there are people out there who see you, who hear you, and who believe in you. They might not always be the loudest voices, but they are there. And their support matters more than the hate.

I will keep speaking up! I will keep writing! I will keep standing against racism and bigorrty, no matter how many boycotts or threats come my way. Because in the end, the only thing worse than losing sales is losing yourself. And that is a price I refuse to pay.

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