Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "A Gentleman and a Rogue"

Thank you so much for supporting me during my week in the spotlight. Leave a comment today, Saturday, Sunday, along with your email and I'll pick a winner on Monday to receive a PDF copy of Book 1 of The Windsor Diaries, "Victorian Scoundrel."

Enjoy the Excerpt!
Moderator Steph

********

Alice nodded and Edmund brought up the rear. They skulked down the hall, made a right, and Keira placed her hand on the study's knob, twisting it. "Locked."

Alice withdrew a long, thin hair pick, slid it into the lock and the door clicked. "Impressive," said Edmund.

Alice flashed him a slight smile.

Keira walked in. "Oh, dear, we need a light."

Alice dug into her reticule and removed a small slender cylinder. She pressed a button and a beam of light shot out.

"Amazing! How did you do that?" asked Keira.

"It runs on a battery that generates electricity." Alice walked over to the desk and examined the locks. She fussed in her reticule some more, pulled out some picks and went to work.

Edmund stood next to Keira and placed his hand in the small of her back. "She's brilliant, don't you think?"

"A girl after your own heart, I see."

"Alice may have popped my dirigible, but I respect her all that much more for doing it." "You are incorrigible."

"Come, let's talk." He guided her away from the desk and next to the window. The drapes were pulled back, allowing the dim, natural light from the stars and moon to filter into the room. Keira's heart pounded in her chest. Determined to stay strong in Edmund's tempting presence, she crossed her arms.

"Did you tell me everything back in my study?" she whispered.

He looked her over seductively, talking softly. "I told you I would the next time I saw you, and I have."

"Oh."

He placed his hand on her shoulder, trailing his finger up the soft skin of her neck, cupping her cheek. His eyes never left hers. "I want to see you again. Soon."

"It isn't wise."

"I know. I don't care." His voice grew low and husky.

Keira hesitated. Her body thrummed with warmth from his touch.
Uncomfortable heat pooled in her core. She tried to fight, to set her resolve and step away from him, but she couldn't. His gaze riveted on her face and moved over her body slowly. "I didn't forget you. I
couldn't. You're never far from my thoughts."

Logic. She needed logic. "You're from the future. I'm your past."

He shrugged. "I don't see it that way."

Her knees weakened. "How do you see it?"

"I see a woman who enjoys being around me, who looks into my eyes with honesty and sincerity. She's clever and knows her own mind. She accepts me for what I am -- mischief and all."

She swallowed. Edmund made her toes curl. His thumb gently stroked her jaw, stoking the growing desire for him in her heart.

"This is impossible. You and me and time traveling..."

"No, it's not. Look at Alice and Grayson. It works for them."

She placed a hand over his heart, unable to resist. "I have to find a man in my own time."

"You have. You've found me." He put his hand over hers and squeezed her fingers gently.

"Ed--"

Q FOR YOU: What do you think happens next? Does she kiss him or push him away? Don't forget to leave your email!

PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-366/The-Windsor-Diaries-Book/Detail.bok

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
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BARNES & NOBLE (NOOK)
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-windsor-diaries-book-two-stephanie-burkhart/1113777499?ean=2940015869538

AMAZON (KINDLE:)
http://amzn.com/B00A5CF24C

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

PINTEREST:
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Author Spotlight - Jules Verne Wore Leather and Goggles

Jules Verne was steampunk when steampunk was contemporary. He wrote his stories during the Victorian Age and along with HG Wells is considered one of the Founding Fathers of steampunk literature. (umm...he looks a little like Alan Rickman as "Lord Ridgecroft," doesn't he?)

(side note: The Windsor Diaries pays homage to both Verne and Wells – Can anyone tell me where their statues are placed in the series?)

Jules Verne was born in France in 1828. His most famous literary works include:
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1870)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)
Around the World in 80 Days (1873)

What makes Verne stand out is that he was writing about space, air, and underwater travels in a practical way before methods had been developed to do so. (He's also considered one of the Founding Fathers of the Science Fiction genre, too)

As a young boy, Jules' family had a summer home in Brains, France on the banks of the Loire River and it was here that he cultivated a love of adventure. This love of adventure would play into his writing.

Jules studied to be a lawyer, but he had no heart for it and dropped his studies to work on his writing. He even met with writing contemporaries Victor Hugo and Aexandre Dumas.

Jules got married in 1857 and had a son, Michel. Michel proved himself a pistol. The boy had 2 kids with an underage mistress, married and actress and buried himself in debt.

In 1862, Jules traveled through Sweden. "A Hot Air Balloon Trip Through Africa" was published in Sweden in 1863, making it his first full length book!

Shortly afterwards Jules met Pierre-Jules Hetzel, a very well known and important French publisher. Hetzel helped improve Jules' writing. Until Jules met Hetzel, he was repeatedly rejected.

What a Good Editor does for you:

Prior to working with Hetzel, Jules' writing was "too" scientific, too pessimistic, and not too enthusiastic about technology and human progress. Jules was a pessimist.

Hetzel insisted Jules' work always had an optimistic feel to it and Jules was so grateful to be published he willingly agreed to Hetzel's changes.

Interestingly, Hetzel rejected one of Jules' novels called "Paris in the 20th Century."

Jules wrote "Paris in the 20th Century" in 1863. It's the story of a young man who lives in a glass skyscraper with high-speed trains, gas powered cars, calculators, and has a high-speed communications network. Our hero, however, can't find happiness and comes to a tragic end. Hetzel suggested Jules wait at least 20 years before publishing it. Jules locked the story away in a safe. But can you imagine! This is why Jules is one of the fathers of science fiction and steampunk! Heck, he was writing about the Internet over 130 years before it came into existence! And one of the "core" elements of steampunk is the addition of "futuristic" gadgets in the story.

What Happened to "Paris in the 20th Century?"

The novel, rejected in 1863 was locked in a safe. Hetzel died in 1887 and Jules never did have a chance to revisit the story. He passed away in 1905.

Michel, Jules' son, published some of his father's stories after his death – "Invasion of the Sea" and "Lighthouse at the End of the World," but Michel being the pistol he was made extensive changes to the stories. The original Jules Verne novels were discovered and published in the late 20th Century.

In 1989, Jules' great-grandson found the safe Jules had stashed "Paris in the 20th Century." The novel finally found print in 1994. Jules Verne had come full circle.

DID YOU KNOW?

Verne is one of the top FIVE translated authors in the world?

Question for readers: What's your favorite Jules Verne story? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Reference for this blog post: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne

PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-366/The-Windsor-Diaries-Book/Detail.bok

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewindsordiariesbookthreeagentlemanandarogue-996194-141.html

BARNES & NOBLE (NOOK)
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-windsor-diaries-book-two-stephanie-burkhart/1113777499?ean=2940015869538

AMAZON (KINDLE:)
http://amzn.com/B00A5CF24C

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

PINTEREST:
http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/

Author Spotlight - When Steam Rules The World...

…chances are you're reading a steampunk story. So what's a steampunk? Generally the story takes place between 1837-1901, during the reign of Queen Victoria, when the Industrial Age came into its own and steam powered the world. When it comes to setting, it's not limited to England. I've read stories set in the American West, Siberia, Brazil, and Egypt. Steam is what drives the story, thought.

There are "futuristic" gadgets to the time period, but not the reader. There's dirigibles, transmogrifiers, datamancers, and anything else you can come up with including a steam run coffee pot.

There's also a paranormal element to a steampunk story. There can be vampires and werewolves, but in "The Windsor Diaries," I use time traveling. Nothing like having good old fashioned brass and iron time machine, I say.

Never heard of steampunk, you say? The recent Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr., and Jude Law really capture the ambience of the genre.

Question: Have you read a good steampunk story? Seen a good movie? What the TV show "Revolution?" Where the world is thrown back to the time of steam? I'd love to hear your thoughts, comments, and recommendations.

PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-366/The-Windsor-Diaries-Book/Detail.bok

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewindsordiariesbookthreeagentlemanandarogue-996194-141.html

BARNES & NOBLE (NOOK)
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-windsor-diaries-book-two-stephanie-burkhart/1113777499?ean=2940015869538

AMAZON (KINDLE:)
http://amzn.com/B00A5CF24C

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

PINTEREST:
http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/

Author Spotlight - Meet the Cast of "A Gentleman and a Rogue"

I enjoy casting my characters. For me, it really plants a great visual in my mind. If they let me cast the movie, here's my picks for "A Gentleman and a Rogue."

EDMUND WINDSOR – Robert Pattinson

Edmund's the hero. He's gone back in time with the intention of setting the time line straight, but all his plans might go out the window when he sees Keira again.

KEIRA RUSSELL – Keira Knightly

Keira is the heroine. She's managed to develop the practical applications needed for compressed natural gas to work, but she's got a lot of competition and Edmund proves a definite distraction.

RICHARD WINDSOR – Christian Cooke

Richard is Edmund's older brother and determined to put an end to Edmund's mischief making – until he meets Jocelyn.


JOCELYN DUNKIRK – Nina Dobrev

Jocelyn believes in her father's black oil project. Aside from her steampunk taste in clothes which includes leather skirts and poofy shirts, she's loyal to bone to her friends.

LORD RIDGECROFT – Alan Rickman

Jocelyn's father is very protective of her. He's grateful for her help with black oil. He's also a bit of a brass and iron inventor.

ALICE WINDSOR – Mena Suvari

Alice is up to her old mischief making tricks picking locks and planning to steal rivets.

GRAYSON KENTFIELD – Orlando Bloom

Grayson is right at Alice's side, but it's never easy trying to keep her from making mischief.

QUEEN VICTORIA – Emily Blount

What's Steampunk without a guest appearance from Queen Victoria?

PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-366/The-Windsor-Diaries-Book/Detail.bok

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewindsordiariesbookthreeagentlemanandarogue-996194-141.html

BARNES & NOBLE (NOOK)
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-windsor-diaries-book-two-stephanie-burkhart/1113777499?ean=2940015869538

AMAZON (KINDLE:)
http://amzn.com/B00A5CF24C

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

PINTEREST:
http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Stephanie Burkhart

QUESTION: What is "A Gentleman and a Rogue" about?

STEPH: The novel is set in England in 1855. It's a steampunk romance with an emphasis on brass, iron and coal. Edmund Windsor is the hero. After realizing his world isn't powered by compressed natural gas, he travels back in time to set the time line straight with his cousin, Alice. Edmund's reunited with the love of his life, Keira, but love is complicated. Can Edmund win Keira's heart and set the time line straight again? Queen Victoria is back and there's some new characters including Edmund's brother, Richard, and the eccentric Lady Jocelyn Ridgecroft.

QUESTION: How long did it take you to write?

STEPH: About three months.

QUESTION: Did you do a lot of research?

STEPH: I took two weeks before I started writing to research. I studied Victorian fashion, the setting, compressed natural gas and Shakespeare.

QUESTION: How does the cover reflect the story within?

STEPH: I'd like to think the cover poses the question – who is the gentleman and who is the rogue? Edmund or his brother, Richard?

QUESTION: Keira is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weaknesses?

STEPH: Keira is a sharp cookie. She understands what she wants to do with compressed natural gas. She also knows if she lets Edmund back into her heart it just might ruin her. Keira also knows she's not a very good public speaker and that exposes her vulnerabilities. She needs help in that department.

QUESTION: What does the hero, Edmund, find appealing about Keira?

STEPH: Keira is honest to the bone and Edmund finds that refreshing about her. There's no pretenses when it comes to Keira. He's free to be himself, warts and all.

QUESTION: What's the theme of the novel?

STEPH: Trust in love. It will never fail you.

QUESTION: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one.

STEPH: I own a Kindle and Kindle Fire. I love them both. I use the text to speech feature on my Kindle to read to me going to work. With the Kindle Fire my boys enjoy playing with the apps. I like to play Angry Birds on the Kindle Fire and download TV shows.

QUESTION: Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year?

STEPH: I am! My project is "Sunrise Over Brasov" It's book 3 of the Moldavian Moon series. Michael must rescue Rosa from an evil werewolf, however he discovers her memory has been tampered with. Can he make her fall in love with him all over again?

FUN QUESTION: How do you cook your turkey for Thanksgiving?

STEPH: I brine that bad bird a day in advance and we bake him. We used to fry the bird in peanut oil, but my 6-year-old son has a peanut allergy so we had to stop that. If anyone is interested in my brining recipe, let me know and I'll share it.

Q for Readers: I'd love to hear about your Thanksgiving traditions. How do you cook the bird? Do you have a favorite side dish you like to make? Pies like to bake? Feel free to share, especially if you have a recipe.

PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-366/The-Windsor-Diaries-Book/Detail.bok

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewindsordiariesbookthreeagentlemanandarogue-996194-141.html

BARNES & NOBLE (NOOK)
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-windsor-diaries-book-two-stephanie-burkhart/1113777499?ean=2940015869538

AMAZON (KINDLE:)
http://amzn.com/B00A5CF24C

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

PINTEREST:
http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/

Author Spotlight - Inspiration for "The Green Rose"

Would you believe the inspiration for "The Green Rose" came from a writing prompt? In 2005, I joined Writing.com in the hopes of "honing" my writing skills. 7 years later I'm still on Writing.com as a Moderator, "StephB." In fact, you can find my older works on the website including my poetry, short stories, and scripts. Several years ago, I was cruising the contests and found one that interested me: write a story involving a spoon, honey, and a flower. The story had a 4,000 word count.




I rubbed my chin and rolled those items over in my mind. What could I do with a flower, honey, and a spoon? Deciding to pen a fantasy story, I wrote a scene where Ivánstan had to claim the green rose from 3 witches. In fact, the essence of that scene is retained in the novel as Ivánstan confronts the 3 witches, Claudia, Atia, and DeBussia in the hopes of acquiring the green rose.

In 2010, I showed the short story to Gail here at Desert Breeze who offered me a contract. How could I say no? Now that I had a contract, I knew I had to have dragons.

Question: What fantasy character would you want to be?


BLURB:
Eight hundred years ago on the continent of Gaia, war rocked the countries of N'Gasse, Tapin, Daháka, and Ravenrock. The fearsome wyldebeasts of the black east threatened to destroy the known world. King Xeres of Daháka gathered the most powerful magicians of Gaia along with Queen Rhysia of N'Gasse, King Erik of Ravenrock, and Nyla, the High Priestess of Tapin at Komodo Field.

Daháka brought pollen taken from the bees of the Tagrassé Forest. N'Gasse brought sap from the old mahogany trees. Tapin presented dust from falcon eggs. Ravenrock offered a rose. Together, they forged the indestructible green rose, a harbinger of powerful magic.

Using the green rose, the nobles and peoples of Gaia fought the wyldebeasts, led by the dark wizard, Augustin. Once the evil threat was defeated, the Eastern Wall was built along Ravenrock's borders to keep the foul wyldebeasts out of Gaia. Ravenrock was given the responsibility of guarding the 50,000 kilometer granite barrier.

King Xeres feared those who harbored evil in their hearts would seek the green rose. He tasked three witches to guard the flower and sent them into the heart of Tagrassé Forest.

Now, hundreds of years later, the peace of Gaia is once again threatened.

REVIEWS:

Stephenia Mcgee, Author "A Legacy of Lies"
Stephanie Burkhart weaves a delightful blend of action, intrigue and adventure into her fantasy romance, The Green Rose.


Regina Andrews, Author of "Destiny's Designs"
"The Green Rose" reaches the reader on an emotional level that rings very true and very sincere.

Book Trailer:


The Green Rose is available as an ebook only.
BUY LINKS:

PUBLISHER'S SITE
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-280/The-Green-Rose-Stephanie/Detail.bok

AMAZON KINDLE:
http://amzn.com/B007QUBU2E

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1109853031

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thegreenrose-769936-143.html

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from Victorian Scoundrel

Leave a comment today and over the weekend and I'll draw a winner out of the hat to win a PDF ARC of the novel, Victorian Scoundrel.

Smiles
Steph

*******


Enjoy this excerpt: Grayson escorted her to a door on the right, threw it open, and put his hand on her waist, guiding her inside. A gas lamp burned on a nearby table, throwing stark, deep shadows into the room.

Her determined man shut the door and pinned her against it. He plucked her glasses from her face and threw them onto the table with the gas lamp. Then he pinned her against the door, placing his hands on the door next to her arms. His breathing was erratic. The light from the lamp cast dark shadows over his chiseled features.

"Gray--"

He stepped closer and lowered his hands, placing one on her waist. Heat spiked within her and settled low in her abdomen. His hazel eyes burned with desire. He drew in a deep breath and raised his forefinger, tracing her lips. Alice closed her eyes, but only briefly, savoring the gentle touch of his finger.

"You do wild things to my heart, sweet Alice," he finally whispered. His finger traced her cheeks, then her jaw.

She grew hot, yearning for more. Her senses spun from his sensual touch. She could hardly breathe. "Me?"

"Yes, you."
"What do I do to your heart?"

"You make it beat hard -- fast." He ran his finger down the side of her neck and traced the 'v' in her throat.

Alice met the raging inferno in his eyes and nipped at her lower lip with her teeth. "Is that all I do?"

He issued a low, deep groan from his throat and leaned forward. Their lips searched for each other, teasing, until finally they meshed into a heat-searing kiss.

Alice completely lost her head. His lips were hard, firm, staking his claim. His hands went to her waist as his long, lean body pressed against her. She placed her hands on his shoulders and glided her fingertips around the nape of his neck. She wanted this man. Etiquette and propriety be damned. Victorian values wafted to the floor. She wanted to feel every inch of him that she could. His lips trailed over her jaw, kissing the side of her neck.

"Oh, Gray..." she moaned, her flesh now highly sensitized to his touch.

She had never been kissed like this.

He lifted his head; his mouth overtook hers once again. Her stomach fluttered. If it wasn't for him leaning into her, giving her support, her knees would have buckled. Need. Want. Desire. They pulsed through her.

His tongue teased her lips, coaxing her to receive him. She gave in.

Their tongues mingled, exploring, tempting, teasing. Raging flames consumed her body. There was only Grayson and her. Here. Now.

Grayson broke free, gasping for breath, as did Alice. His hands cupped her face. "I have to stop."

"All... all right."

His thumbs stroked her jaw. "You fascinate me, Alice."

A deep smile graced her lips. "Completely?"

"Totally."

"You kiss like a demon possessed, Grayson."

BOOK TEASER ON YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IUYj2d7ZeY

AMAZON KINDLE BUY LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Windsor-Diaries-Book-One-ebook/dp/B0058UG9Q6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310085532&sr=8-1

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewindsordiariesbookonevictorianscoundrel-571272-141.html

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK BOOK BUY LINK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-windsor-diaries-book-one-stephanie-burkhart/1104099940?ean=2940012813824&itm=1&usri=the%2bwindsor%2bdiaries

REVIEWS: 5 Stars, Readers Favorites, Molly E: I have never read a Steam Punk novel before, but because of her fantastic writing, her engaging plot line, and fun loving characters, it will NOT be the last. I highly recommend this with highest of 5 stars, and I can't wait until the second Windsor Diaries installment releases!

5 Stars, Tami Dee, Author of the Mists of Time Series: Stephanie Burkhart has a fresh, quick, quirky, inventive imagination and she gives the readers of Victorian Scoundrel a delightful mixture of all of the above!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 Operator for LAPD. Her favorite football team is the New England Patriots. She lives in California.

Author Spotlight - Making Characters connect through emotion

What makes Victorian Scoundrel special are the characters. Alice reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. She falls into the "hole" only to discover a different world. Alice has her challenges. Her mother died of cancer around the time Edmund lost his mother. That sense of overwhelming loss drove the cousins together. Alice understands her cousin's need to seek out mischief, but she hates to see him get in trouble. She'll do anything to protect him – even going back in time.

Edmund has a good heart, but he's driven by a restlessness that settled over him once his mother died. He feels its always been his destiny to travel back in time and meet Prince Albert, but he doesn't think about what the consequences would be. Both Edmund and Alice wants what's good for England, but both have different ideas about what that is.

Grayson is also a patriot, serving in the House of Lords. Sir John Russell, the Prime Minister, wants to find alternative forms of energy. Grayson's not looking to find a lady, but Alice stimulates him like no other he's met. Can he stay true to his ambitious goals he's set in Parliament or will his heart take him down another path?

And haven't we all faced the same challenges? How do we channel our loss? Protectiveness? Recklessness? A tough decision? We can all identify with those emotions.

BOOK TEASER ON YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IUYj2d7ZeY

AMAZON KINDLE BUY LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Windsor-Diaries-Book-One-ebook/dp/B0058UG9Q6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310085532&sr=8-1

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewindsordiariesbookonevictorianscoundrel-571272-141.html

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK BOOK BUY LINK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-windsor-diaries-book-one-stephanie-burkhart/1104099940?ean=2940012813824&itm=1&usri=the%2bwindsor%2bdiaries

REVIEWS: 5 Stars, Readers Favorites, Molly E: I have never read a Steam Punk novel before, but because of her fantastic writing, her engaging plot line, and fun loving characters, it will NOT be the last. I highly recommend this with highest of 5 stars, and I can't wait until the second Windsor Diaries installment releases!

5 Stars, Tami Dee, Author of the Mists of Time Series: Stephanie Burkhart has a fresh, quick, quirky, inventive imagination and she gives the readers of Victorian Scoundrel a delightful mixture of all of the above!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 Operator for LAPD. Her favorite football team is the New England Patriots. She lives in California.

Author Spotlight - Character Interview with Grayson Kentfield from Victorian Scoundrel

GAEL: I'm Gael from MUSEum here today with Grayson Kentfield, Earl Swinton from Victorian Scoundrel. Tell us how you met Alice Windsor.

GRAYSON: Oh, she was a sight! She wore a pastel dress down to her knees, short sleeves, and v-neck that revealed her cleavage! She was a vision – even with that odd little coin necklace and her glasses. She marched right up to Buckingham Palace looking like the most unusual waif I've ever seen and actually expected to get in.

GAEL: What about Alice appeals to you?

GRAYSON: She's quite clever, yet quirky. She cares. She's curious. And she has a secret that I'm determined to discover.

GAEL: Do you have an exhibit in the Crystal Palace?

GRAYSON: No, I have no talent for making things, but I'm very passionate about cleaning up London. There's simply too much soot in the air.

GAEL: What are you doing about the soot?

GRAYSON: I support the Prime Minister, Sir John Russell. We're pushing a bill through Parliament to pay for the discovery of alternate fuel.

GAEL: Doesn't your fellow MP, Ridgecroft, believe in alternative fuel, too?


GRAYSON: Curious sort he is. He walks around in leather wearing goggles and is determined to transmogrify coal into black oil. Sir John and I don't know what to make of him.

GAEL: What do you think of Alice's cousin, Edmund.

GRAYSON: He's a descent sort, but he's as odd as Alice. Prince Albert's rather fond of him and I know the Prince is a good judge of character.

GAEL: What have you learned about Alice that surprises you?

GRAYSON: She drinks coffee.

GAEL: Any last words of wisdom?

GRAYSON: I love the adventure that Alice takes me on.


BOOK TEASER ON YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IUYj2d7ZeY

AMAZON KINDLE BUY LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Windsor-Diaries-Book-One-ebook/dp/B0058UG9Q6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310085532&sr=8-1

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewindsordiariesbookonevictorianscoundrel-571272-141.html

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK BOOK BUY LINK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-windsor-diaries-book-one-stephanie-burkhart/1104099940?ean=2940012813824&itm=1&usri=the%2bwindsor%2bdiaries

REVIEWS: 5 Stars, Readers Favorites, Molly E: I have never read a Steam Punk novel before, but because of her fantastic writing, her engaging plot line, and fun loving characters, it will NOT be the last. I highly recommend this with highest of 5 stars, and I can't wait until the second Windsor Diaries installment releases!

5 Stars, Tami Dee, Author of the Mists of Time Series: Stephanie Burkhart has a fresh, quick, quirky, inventive imagination and she gives the readers of Victorian Scoundrel a delightful mixture of all of the above!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 Operator for LAPD. Her favorite football team is the New England Patriots. She lives in California.

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Stephanie Burkhart

Q: Victorian Scoundrel is a steampunk romance. What's steampunk?

STEPH: A steampunk is set between 1830-1901 during the reign of Queen Victoria when steam was king. A more traditional setting is England, but you aren't limited to the setting. You can set the story during the American civil war if you want or in Brazil or Africa. It's basically an alternative universe that involves time traveling or paranormal creatures. You've got goggles, strange gadgets, and lots of soot. Think "Sherlock Holmes" with Robert Downey Jr. and you get the feel for a steampunk.

Q: Why write a steampunk?

STEPH: Gail Delaney, Editor-in-Chief, put out a call for some steampunk fiction. It was something I hadn't tried before so I decided to go for it.

Q: What inspired the plot?

STEPH: A lot of research. After researching the tone and feel of the steampunk genre, I decided I wanted something more traditionally Victorian. For me, nothing embodies the height of the Victorian age than the Great Exhibition in 1851. Now what would really make the Great Exhibition shine? A dirigible. From there I came up with the plot – Edmund wanting to give his great-grandfather, Prince Albert, a dirigible. A bit long winded, but I rarely get inspiration from dreams.

Q: How long did it take you to write?

STEPH: About 3 months including research.

Q: How did you come up with the title?


STEPH: Well, Edmund may be a prince, but he's very self-absorbed, or should I say, determined to give Prince Albert a dirigible. Then there's Grayson. I'll let you decide who the scoundrel is.

Q: How many books do you have planned for "The Windsor Diaries?"

STEPH: Right now, two. The sequel is "A Gentleman and a Rogue." There might be a third. –wink-

Q: What do you want readers to take away from reading the novel?

STEPH: I want them to be entertained and to feel like they were a fly on the wall in Alice's hotel room.

Q: Do you have an e-reader?

STEPH: I have a Kindle and I love the text to speech feature. I let it read to me in the car on the way to work.

Q: What's your favorite summer fruit?

STEPH: Watermelon.

Q: What are you reading now?

STEPH: Game of Thrones by George RR Martin.

BOOK TEASER ON YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IUYj2d7ZeY

AMAZON KINDLE BUY LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Windsor-Diaries-Book-One-ebook/dp/B0058UG9Q6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310085532&sr=8-1

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewindsordiariesbookonevictorianscoundrel-571272-141.html

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK BOOK BUY LINK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-windsor-diaries-book-one-stephanie-burkhart/1104099940?ean=2940012813824&itm=1&usri=the%2bwindsor%2bdiaries

REVIEWS: 5 Stars, Readers Favorites, Molly E: I have never read a Steam Punk novel before, but because of her fantastic writing, her engaging plot line, and fun loving characters, it will NOT be the last. I highly recommend this with highest of 5 stars, and I can't wait until the second Windsor Diaries installment releases!

5 Stars, Tami Dee, Author of the Mists of Time Series: Stephanie Burkhart has a fresh, quick, quirky, inventive imagination and she gives the readers of Victorian Scoundrel a delightful mixture of all of the above!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 Operator for LAPD. Her favorite football team is the New England Patriots. She lives in California.