Book excerpt: In starry Sternendach, as long asThe vampire Graf has ruled this landThe Heller clan, with weapons strong asTheir wills, have killed his kindred andBeen killed in turn. The two sides nearlyDestroyed themselves. The Graf saw clearlyThe need to make the killing cease,And forced a pact to keep the peace.The youngest of the Heller factionIs Kunigunde. Trained to fightIt never suited her aright.She can¿t deny her soul¿s attractionFor books and poetry, and forThe Graf, who gave her these and more.Kunigunde is destined to become the next in a long line of Heller clan vampire hunters¿but her soul is drawn to books, poetry, and the vampire Graf. Set in 1960s Europe, The Night Library of Sternendach is an unabashedly melodramatic opera-in-sonnets that weaves a sweeping, suspenseful tale readers won't be able to put down.