It's official, Uncommon Universes Press has acquired The Heart of the Curiosity for publication!
I had so much fun writing this book, and look forward to sharing it with as many readers as possible!
The book is about ... (deep breath) ... Theaters, Magic, Sisters, Snails, Robots, Quiet but Good Hearted Handymen, Industrialists of the Perhaps Not Trustworthy Variety, Healing, Accepting our Gifts Even if We May Not Appreciate Them, the Importance of Art, and True Love.
Stay tuned for updates as the publication date approaches!
The secret lies with the Heart. Born with a magical knack allowing her to manipulate emotions, Leodora's determined to make her talented little sister a star. With her abilities she's secured her sister a place in the chorus, and herself a job as a professional audience member, swaying the crowd's mood with her magic. The girls have a home for the first time in their lives: The Curiosity, the biggest and brightest theater in the Republic. But then a tragic accident casts a shadow over the theater. With a greedy businessman blackmailing Leo and financial woes threatening to close the show forever, The Curiosity's only hope lies in a mythical power source, the Heart. With the help of her friend Paxton, Leo must navigate the secrets of the old building before her blackmailer makes good his threats, barring her from The Curiosity, and her sister from the stage, forever. However, disaster follows Leo and Paxton's search. Mysterious figures, cryptic clues, and deadly traps stand between the friends and the mysterious Heart. When secrets in Leo's past are revealed, driving a wedge between her and her theater friends, will the curtain fall on the Curiosity forever? Enter a world reminiscent of The Greatest Showman, with a puzzle worthy of Sherlock Holmes in this new Steampunk Fantasy from H. L. Burke.