Review Fest with Author Stephanie Burkhart

I just want to thank Lindsay for suggesting Review Fest week. I've got a couple of books & reviews I'd like to share with you.

Victorian Scoundrel
This is my latest release, out 1 JUL 2011. It's something a little different for me - it's steampunk romance. BLURB: When Alice, Princess of York, travels back in time to keep her cousin, Edmund, out of mischief, she's in for a pound of trouble! Why, steampunk? Gail Delaney, EIC at Desert Breeze put out a call for steampunk so I thought I'd try. I didn't necessarily want the obvious paranormal elements such as vampires & werewolves, so I stuck to a more "traditional" vision, using time travel as my paranormal element. I also used some staple steampunk gadgets such as "datamancers" and "transmogifiers," but I added whuzzies and couple of more surprises. Here a couple of reviews for Victorian Scoundrel:

"She grips the reader instantly, and keeps them hooked until the last page... I highly recommend this with highest of 5 stars, and I can't wait until the second Windsor Diaries installment releases!" - Molly, E., Reader's Favorites

"A wonderful historical, paranormal steampunk read this was. The author really had me hooked from the first chapter... I loved the humor in this read along with the historical facts. You can tell the author did a wonderful job in her research. This new series is going to be a big hit. She has me hooked. This is a must read." - Pen & The Muse Book Reviews

"Her characters are enigmatic, eclectic and all worth their weight in gold especially the Royals, Alice and Edmund, whose personalities constantly kept me turning pages. They didn’t lessen my admiration for the other characters in the book, from the ordinary to the sublime. The romance in the first episode in this series is sweet and naughty at the same time." - Larkspur, Long & Short Reviews

Publisher's buy link: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-183/Stephanie-Burkhart-Victorian-Scoundrel/Detail.bok


The Wolf's Torment



Released 1 MAY 2011, this one is probably my darkest and most challenging book I've written. It's a paranormal romance set in Romania, 1865. BLURB: Prince Mihai Sigmaringen returns to Moldavia where he meets the beautiful Theresa von Kracken. When a werewolf threatens his family, including Theresa, his determination and courage will be tested like never before. I orginally wrote the story in 2006/2007 and it's gone through many, many drafts. Here are a couple of reviews:


"A complete werewolf story through and through, Burkhart does it again with an amazing cast of characters, entertaining dialogue and plot." - Pen & The Muse Book Reviews

"The Wolf’s Torment has it all, witches, werewolves, a vampire, princess and prince. This is paranormal romance at its finest... I found The Wolf’s Torment to be an entertaining read. I truly cared about the characters. I look forward to reading the next book in this series." - Reader's Favorites

"For readers who relish character driven stories steeped in historical detail and dabbled throughout with touches of magic, I would highly recommend THE WOLF'S TORMENT. You will find it satisfying, even as it leaves you hungering for more." - Kathyrn, The Romance Reviews

Publisher's Buy Link: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-163/Stephanie-Burkhart-Moldavian-Moon/Detail.bok


The Count's Lair

Released 1 FEB 2011, I absolutely loved writing Anton and Amelia's story. It's another paranromal romance set in Budapest, 1901. BLURB: Count Anton Varga dares Lady Amelia Andrássy to discover the dark secret he hides from the rest of the world.

This novel was my 2009 NaNoWriMo project and my first for NaNoWriMo. In 1997, I went to Budapest on an USO while I was deployed to Hungary and fell in love with the city. I was delighted to make it the setting of my Budapest Moon series. Just recently the book was recognized by Reader's Favorites as their Silver Winner in the Romance: Sci-Fi/Fantasy category. Here a couple of reviews:




"Want a recipe for a great story? Take an awesome writer like Ms. Burkhart, stir in her intimate knowledge of Hungary, her innate ability to create wonderful characters, a book-full of suspense, mystery and passion and you get a book you can’t put down." - Fennel, Long & Short Reviews

"The Count’s Lair is filled with suspense, mystery, passion, and the paranormal. This story is set in the beautiful city of Budapest; the author brings her knowledge of the area to her plot. She describes the history and culture of Budapest... I was cheering for Anton. However, for me the best scene was the last one when Anton gives Amelia her choice. He held her with an open hand." - Reader's Favorite Reviews

"Burkhart does it again with book two in the Budapest Moon book series, The Count’s Lair. The second book is filled with passion, chock full of paranormal goodness, romance, suspense and mystery... Those who love paranormal romance with a dash of suspense and mystery will fall in love with The Count’s Lair and do not forget to read the first book in the series!" - Pen & Muse Reviews

Publisher's Buy Link:http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-142/Stephanie-Burkhart-Budapest-Moon/Detail.bok

You can find me on the web at:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

BLOG:
http://sgcardin.blogspot.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK FAN PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Burkhart-Author/149938795021166

GOODREADS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

The Wolf's Torment Tour - Theme

"Take The Journey" – A look at theme
by: Stephanie Burkhart

I'm pleased to announce my latest release, "The Wolf's Torment," Book 1 of the Moldavian Moon series. "The Wolf's Torment" is set in the Moldavian city of Constanta, snuggled up against the Black Sea in the 1860's. It's a paranormal romance with witches, wolves, and creatures that haunt the night.

The plot revolves around the young crown prince, Mihai Sigmaringen. His father, King Stelian, is dying and he expects much out of Mihai. He wants Mihai to learn Moldavian politics, get married and help unite the Romanian principalities. For Mihai, it's overwhelming, but he does have help – his sister, Sonia and his best friend, Viktor Bacau. Mihai also has a secret – he's a witch.

Mihai's mother was a talented witch, but died when Mihai was ten at the hands of an evil witch. Mihai has never expressed an interest in witchcraft until he has a vivid dream of his intended bride – Theresa von Kracken. In the dream, it's Christmas and Theresa faces grave danger at the hands of a werewolf as she delivers a Christmas gift to Mihai.

The dream encourages Mihai to accept his heritage and threatens to become real when Viktor is bitten by a werewolf. Can Mihai save his family and the ones he loves from Viktor's feral nature?

The theme is a coming of age story for Mihai. He's experienced heartbreak, dare he fall in love again? Can he shoulder the burdens his father has placed on him? Can he accept himself for what he is – a witch? Can the power of love bring out the best in him, or will he falter in the face of great adversity? For me, Mihai's journey is one we all can relate to. It's a very human struggle to find one's heart and courage.

Character Inspiration for Mihai

Enjoy this excerpt:

The set up: Mihai and Theresa are talking in the tower.

Mihai reached out and cupped her cheek, unable to hold himself back. "Thank you. You are...amazing, and I appreciate your support. I suppose I haven't told you how much your patience means to me, how you converted to Orthodoxy and learned my language."

She placed her hand over his. "I would do anything for you."

"Why?"

"Because of our dreams."

He withdrew his hand, guilt from his affair washing over him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

He pulled away and reached for his wine. "I have a lot on my mind." It was an excuse, but he did have much to think about, and his fiancée was starting to make her way into his thoughts, distracting him more.




"You can tell me anything."

Could he? How deep did his trust go? "I worry for my father."

"His illness?"

"Yes. I don't like seeing him so incapacitated. He always liked to do thing with his hands. Now he coughs so hard his lungs rattle and he's thinner than I remember."

"I can't imagine it's easy. He's very proud of us. It's in his eyes."

"He's done much to bring Moldavia forward. He built the hospital and modernized the docks. Now I need to finish the railroad he wanted."

"He's proud of you, regardless."

His father had been good to Moldavia. Mihai sipped his wine and pushed his anxieties as far away from him as he could, but they stayed with him on the fringes of his mind.

She looked at the clock. "It's getting late."

"Let me escort you to your room. After Viktor and Sonia leave, I promise to put aside time to work on our wedding."

She stood and he watched her wipe out the glasses. She had made a major crack in his hardened heart tonight.

Visit the Book Trailer on You Tube and give it a 'like' at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzHE2spBeeU

The Wolf's Torment is available as an ebook only on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Sony Ereader. Formats include: PDF, html, and epub which can be found on the Publisher's Website at: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-163/Stephanie-Burkhart-Moldavian-Moon/Detail.bok

About the Author: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. She also served as an MP in the US Army. Multi-published, she has a children's book, "The Giving Meadow" with 4RV Publishing. She's an avid reader , loves coffee in the morning, and her favorite movie "Dracula" is Gary Oldman!




You can find me at:
Website:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com
Blog:
http://sgcardin.blogspot.com
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Burkhart-Author/149938795021166
Tweet me at:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart