E.E. Burke's Best of the West: Exclusive Cover Reveal

Over the past several months, I've been hard at work putting final touches on my latest project. Today on GLIAS, I'm proud and excited to share an exclusive. You're the first to get a look at the cover of my soon-to-be-released novel, TAMING HUCK FINN.

From an early age, I’ve been afflicted with a fondness for two precocious Missouri-bred boys. These characters might've been spun from the imagination of the great American author Mark Twain, but to me they were real. I could place them in history, hear them speak, see them in my mind as well as I could see my own face in a mirror. 

As I read (and reread) their adventures, I hated to bid them farewell at a point where their stories were just taking off. I wanted to know what happened to them when they grew up. 

At some point, I began to wonder, “What if…?” For an author, pondering that question is a sure sign a book is about to be born. When I began to imagine all the possibilities, it was Huck who suggested the one that made the most sense.

The Mighty Missouri,
the longest river in North America
and the setting for Taming Huck Finn

Taming Huck Finn picks up Huck’s story fifteen years after he “set out for the Territory” at the end of Twain’s original novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 

As in Mr. Twain’s novels, the river is a primary character. Only in this book, it is the Missouri River, which at the time this novel is set constituted a natural border between civilization and the Western frontier.

 Here's a blurb...

His greatest adventure is about to catch up with him.

Huck Finn lives life on his own terms, avoiding any relationship that might tie him down. Until he becomes the guardian of an orphaned boy—a nephew he didn’t even know he had! At first, he wants nothing to do with such responsibility. Then a sharp-tongued spinster shows up claiming to be Tad’s aunt, and demands the child be given over to her care.

Starched and proper, Miss Hallie MacBride hides behind her spectacles. Propelled out of self-imposed isolation, she is desperate to atone for past sins by raising her estranged sister’s son. She doesn’t expect footloose Mr. Finn to challenge her, much less up and run off with her nephew. In spite of an assortment of fears that includes fickle men and steamboats, she sets out after the runaways.

On a wild journey up the Missouri River, the stakes continue to rise, as the determined aunt and well-meaning uncle battle over the future of their precocious nephew, who has his own ideas about what’s best, and attempts to play matchmaker for two of the least willing adults in the whole wide world.

When disaster strikes, Huck comes face-to-face with an enemy who could take everything he values most. Freedom’s price is steeper than he imagined. Now, to save a woman and child he’s come to love, he must throw off fetters that bind him to the past and risk everything—even his well-protected heart.

Embark on an unforgettable adventure from award-winning author E.E. Burke in a new series inspired by two of America’s most beloved characters.

Welcome aboard the Hesperia,
where Huck's greatest adventure takes place.

E.E. Burke is a bestselling author of historical fiction and romances that combine her unique blend of wit and warmth. Her books have been nominated for numerous national and regional awards, including Booksellers' Best, National Readers' Choice and Kindle Best Book. She was also a finalist in the RWA's prestigious Golden Heart® contest. Over the years, she’s been a disc jockey, a journalist and an advertising executive, before finally getting around to living the dream--writing stories readers can get lost in.

Find out more about her books at her website: www.eeburke.com.

A word from the author...

I've undertaken this historical tale with the most profound gratitude to the man who inspired it. 

Mark Twain, more than any other author, influenced my love for the written word and my belief in the power of a well-told story.

Who has inspired you? What stories made a difference in your life?

Enter the raffle below for a signed ARC of Taming Huck Finn and an eBook copy. Winners will be announced on Oct. 23. 
Watch for more exclusive sneak peeks over the next few weeks on Get Lost In A Story, including special excerpts and snippets from my research for this fascinating story.

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