Dani Harper's Blog, page 10

Dani's guesting at Shanna Hatfield's COWBOYS & CHRISTMAS Release Party

CHRISTMAS + COWBOYS = FUN!

You might not suspect it by the stories I've written so far, but I have a secret love for cowboys, history, and the West, both past and present --- and those topics just happen to be author Shanna Hatfield's specialty. I'll be throwing my paranormal hat into the rodeo, so to speak, as a guest author at her 2nd annual Cowboys and Christmas Release Party! (This is a repeat invitation for me -- I must have behaved myself last year!)

Giveaways, Games, Guest Authors, and Fun!

Time:  10:00am - 2:00pm Pacific Time, (1:00pm - 5pm Eastern Time)

Date:  Thursday, November 12, 2015

Location:  Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/1641943672739274/

PS - This event also kick-starts the second annual promotion to raise funds and awareness for the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund!

Amazon Giveaway: win a paperback copy of THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT!

Can Yuletide magic help a sexy ghost who says he's not dead?
Enter to win THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT by Dani Harper
https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/40847c3727c25456#ln-fo
Five paperback copies are up for grabs! 

EXCERPT from The Holiday Spirit:

A line from one of Kerri's own novels sprang to mind: People, people all around, and not a soul to see me... What was it like to be Galen McAllister? Knowing that he wasn't dead and helpless to do anything about it. Trapped in a bizarre limbo for nearly a year and, for all he knew, it was never going to end. 
Ghosts could communicate with each other if they wanted to ... but he had never realized he had that option. Only the strongest of souls could withstand that kind of isolation, could stand up to the ongoing fear and uncertainty. 
I'd be terrified, she thought. Completely and totally terrified. Her eyes teared up at the thought and her hand slid across the table towards his. Kerri wanted so much to connect with him in some tangible way, but whether it was to comfort him or to comfort herself in that moment, she couldn't say. It wasn't possible of course. Or so she thought until he pushed his hand forward, palm down, so that his fingertips met hers-
Warmth flooded through her hand, like soft rays from the early morning sun in her summer garden, sweet and gentle. The sensation traveled partway up her arm before gradually receding until only her fingertips were warm where they appeared to touch Galen's.
She smiled and left them there.
"So why do you do it?" he asked. "Why visit with ghosts? I can't imagine that life-coaching the dead pays very well."
"It's not a job, silly," she said. "It's called respecting the gift I've been given. They need my help, and I have a responsibility to do what I can. That's what I learned from my family, and I believe it. You know how everyone talks about following your passion? Well, I feel strongly about the work that I do with spirits-it's very rewarding-and I also love writing. How many people get to have two passions they can follow at the same time?"
Galen nodded, but she could tell by the thoughtful furrow in his brow (as best as she could see it under his hood) that he wasn't finished asking questions.
"If you feel so strongly, why were you hesitant to tell me about being a ghost consultant?"
"A ghost consultant." Kerri laughed a little. "I like that. I'll have to put it on my business cards."
"Jesus, you have business cards for this too?"
"Of course not, I'm just teasing you. I do have cards, but only for my career as a writer. Ghosts hardly need business cards. They have a grapevine that makes the Internet look like a cave painting. That's how they find me."
"Okay, back to my question: why didn't you want to tell me? You talked about ghosts when you first met me, but then you put me off twice when I asked about Everett's secretarial duties."
Kerri sighed. "I talked to you quite freely about ghosts because I thought you were one! For Pete's sake, I don't go around advertising my ability. Honestly, would you have believed me before this happened to you?"
"No, not at first. But I'd like to think I'd have tried. I know I would at least have respected that you believed it. By the way, your dinner is getting cold."
She poked a fork into her food and discovered he was right, but resolved to eat it anyway. She just didn't have the energy to get out of the chair and ferry the Chicken Broccoli Alfredo back to the microwave. But Galen scooped up the dish and did it for her. She watched as he pressed buttons and a half beat later, the numbers appeared and the microwave started. How much had he practiced in order to perfect his unique abilities?
"Thank you," she said. "I have to admit that I'm really tired. And I should have asked if it would bother you if I eat in front of you."
"It would bother me more if you didn't eat, especially after I just slaved over a hot microwave for thirty seconds." He winked at her. "Don't worry about me. I can't smell the food, so it's a lot like looking at a television commercial."
"I don't know. Those things sure make me hungry. Especially the ads that come on late at night."
"Fast food joints know that your resistance is down after dark. Everything looks more appealing then."
Maybe I need to keep that in mind, she thought. Because Galen certainly looked appealing, in more ways than one.


Waldo the Pug plays an important role in The Holiday Spirit!

Rockin' Reads Giveaway Hop Sept. 23rd-30th - Dani Harper

http://theherdhops.blogspot.com/2015/09/hop-sign-up-rockin-reads-sept-23-30.html
You might have noticed that I absolutely ADORE blog hops, and Herding Cats and Burning Soup puts together some great ones.  Seventy-six authors are participating in Rockin' Reads, so make sure you check the Linky List at the bottom of this post.

I've been really looking forward to this hop so I could tell you about a couple of books that rocked my world this year.




I love the gorgeous cover too!Tops on my list is "IN THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT" by Adrienne Wilder. If I said that this was M/M romance at its very best, it still would be faint praise because the story is SO MUCH MORE. It's truly profound on so many levels. The difficulties and challenges faced by the main characters are not your run-of-the-mill situations. I ached for the characters, and found new and unexpected depths within myself even as the protagonist, Grant, did. 
Every character in the book lived and breathed, and even the setting was a character all on its own. I finished the book feeling like I knew them all intimately. (BTW, if it's sex you're looking for, the passion between these pages will definitely blow your socks off -- and yet it's not there for its own sake. The love scenes further the relationship and the story.) 
I read the story as an ebook, but HAD to buy the paperback. This novel has a permanent place on my honorary keeper shelf because Adrienne Wilder has created a classic.
Find "In the Absence of Light"  HERE on Amazon.

There are a couple of different covers
now but this one is my favorite.

My second recommendation is "SHIVER" (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book One) by Maggie Stiefvater. I have no idea how I managed to miss this when it first came out, but I'm making up for it now. 
This YA novel by a young writer absolutely stunned me into speechlessness! Here's what I wrote on Goodreads: "Simple. Beautiful. Perfect. Shiver captivated me from the very first page." I literally had no other words to offer. Even now, the best I can come up with is, I WISH I HAD WRITTEN IT.
If you love shifters, you'll want to experience this book for yourself.
Find "Shiver" HERE on Amazon.




Kindle ebook + Paperback
on September 29thOn the subject of books, I'm proud to announce the imminent release of my newest paranormal romance, a Christmas ghost story titled "THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT". Here's the blurb:

All she wants for Christmas is a ghost... 

Writer Kerri Tollbrook spends her free time counseling the newly departed, but the tall, dark and handsome spirit she meets at the shopping mall claims he’s not dead. Is he just in denial? Or is something more sinister at work? 

Firefighter Galen McAllister has felt like The Invisible Man ever since a malicious spell separated him from his still-living body. Kerri is the first person he's met who can actually see him. Now if only he can get her to listen … because the nightmare creature that trapped him between two worlds is far from finished!

The novel comes out on September 29th, and will be available on Amazon  HERE  in Kindle ebook and paperback. 
MY ROCKIN' GIVEAWAY
One lucky winner will win 3 Kindle ebooks, comprised of both "In the Absence of Light" and "Shiver" PLUS the ebook of my brand new PNR release, "The Holiday Spirit", which comes out on Sept. 29th. 
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LINKY LIST TO PARTICIPATING AUTHORS



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COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY TO MY NEW PNR RELEASE, THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT

Seven lucky winners will win a paperback copy!The Holiday Spirit releases September 29th, 2015.
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THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT RETURNS SEPT. 29TH as a full-length novel --- bigger, better, badder!

RELEASE DAY IS SEPT. 29, 2015
PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON AT
http://ow.ly/RMexhOnce upon a time I wrote a short story titled The Holiday Spirit. At less than 20,000 words, it barely qualified as a novella. I had a great deal of fun creating it, though, and was thrilled when Cobblestone Press included it in their Twelve Days of Christmas collection for 2008. Though it was only available as an eBook at a time when electronic books hadn’t yet hit their stride, this little paranormal romance received some wonderful reviews.When The Holiday Spirit finished its contract, I foolishly thought that I was done with it. Busy writing other things for other contracts, I laid my Christmas ghost story to rest on an old external hard drive that quickly gathered dust. However, the characters refused to lie quiet! They’ve literally haunted me for a very long time, poking and prodding me to revisit this project.In the fall of 2014, after I finished writing Storm Warned (Book 3 of my Grim Series), I felt the time was finally right. I was “between books” for a couple of months, and thought that The Holiday Spirit would be a simple and fun project. I planned its launch for the 2014 Christmas season, and even booked the ads. I mean, all the little story needed was a careful re-edit, a few updates, and it would be ready for re-release, right?Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.I realized much too late that I wasn’t in charge of this story at all: my characters were! And they had a whole lot more to tell. What was once a small novella quickly tripled in size–and then grew even more! The entire project was rewritten from the ground up, with brand new scenes and details that surprised and delighted my beta readers who were familiar with the earlier version. (Believe me when I tell you that no one was more surprised than I was!)The final result is definitely a bigger, better, badder read! To the readers who discovered and enjoyed the original–I think you’ll like the novel version even more! To those who enjoy a ghostly romance or a holiday paranormal with a fresh twist, this just might be what you’re looking for. A huge THANK YOU to all of my wonderful readers who have been so patient and understanding throughout this unintentionally lengthy project.And to my cast of characters who hijacked the story – you can undo the duct tape and the rope now… Sincerely, Dani Harper https://www.facebook.com/events/1463323723995424/PS - Don't miss the fun and giveaways at the Facebook party. Also, the book will be available in ebook and paperback. The ebook can be pre-ordered right now on Amazon at http://ow.ly/RMexh    The paperback will be ready in time for the release day!

Who's your FAVORITE HEROINE? A giveaway hop!

WELCOME to the 
Favorite Heroines 
Giveaway Hop
hosted by 
Herding Cats and Burning Soup 



It's no secret who my Number One Heroine is - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, hands down. Over the years, my list has expanded to include a few more awesome female characters, but Buffy Summers tops them all.

I watched the TV show from series premiere to series finale with my daughters -- we never missed a single episode in its 7-year run. As Buffy learned and grew, so did we! She didn't have all the answers. She made mistakes. She had to make hard and terrible choices in order to do the right thing, the ethical thing, the moral thing. And it always came at enormous personal cost to her, required a great deal of sacrifice.

It often reminded me of Spock's Vulcan philosophy: “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few --- or the one.” Buffy Summers was always the one it seemed.  The world was saved many times over, but remained largely unaware of her efforts, or the efforts of her loyal friends. No thanks, no fame, no glory. It was an unforgettable lesson in what true heroism is, and also a slice of reality: there is always a price to be paid, even when you're doing something good.


https://youtu.be/K8IGDSMqPIk














PS - After the TV series ended, Dark Horse Comics continued the storyline, with some writing and input from Buffy's creator, Joss Whedon (you might remember him from a little movie franchise called The Avengers...). The Buffyverse is alive and well today, and the latest issue just came out on June 17th: "Old Demons, Part One".  

The character of Buffy Summers continues to inspire us all to be better than we are in real life. And in my writing life, I know that I've been inspired to create stronger heroines in my stories because of her.

One of my own favorite characters to date has been Caris Dillwyn, the heroine of my latest release, Storm Warned . An unfeeling Faery kidnaps this young woman, robbing her of her family, her home, and all that she holds dear, More, she is forced to serve the Fae as a Grim, a messenger of death. Through it all, she retains her humanity. And later, when she meets up with the irresistable Liam Cole, she refuses to give up her sense of self, and the things that she's passionate about.

Of course I have a giveaway - and there are TWO prizes for one lucky winner. Check it out below.
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"NEXT GREAT READ" SCAVENGER HUNT - Dani Harper

Kick off your summer right!

Once again I have the privilege of being one of the sponsors of the
Find Your Next Great Read Scavenger Hunt

Huge thanks to Night Owl Reviews for hosting this awesome event!

You won't want to miss out on this one. It's easy and fun to enter - and the prizes are plentiful.

100 Amazon Gift Cards are up for grabs!

The Grand Prize is a $250 Amazon Gift Card!

Runs from June 12 to July 3, 2015.

Enter Now at: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Blog/Articles/Find-Your-Next-Great-Read-Scavenger-Hunt-June-2015

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SUMMER VACATION - According to my Grim characters, Rhys and Ranyon!

My Grim Series is bringing ancient faery legends to modern-day America. 
Rhys and Morgan are hero and heroine of the first book, STORM WARRIOR. Ranyon is a small fae creature (with an enormous personality) called an ellyll. 
All turn up again in Book 2, STORMBOUND, along with new characters, Aidan and Brooke, and many more. 
And Ranyon, as usual, nearly stole the show in newly released Book Three, STORM WARNED.
So what if someone who'd never even heard of a coffee break suddenly had to take a SUMMER VACATION?   Check out the following conversation between Rhys and Ranyon....

RHYS:  My name is Rhys, and I’ve had over two millennia of experience in the human world above and the faery realm beneath, but I’ve never journeyed on a “vacation” before.
RANYON:  And ya wouldn’t be now, save your good wife says you have to.
RHYS:  *whispering* You didn’t need to tell them that part.
RANYON:  Of course I did, ya twpsyn. Every human male likes to pretend everything’s his very own idea. Morgan should get the glory for finally getting you away from yer farm. Ya need yer mind expanded.
RHYS:  My mind is fine and well, thanks. And when did you become such an expert on vacations?

RANYON:  Leo and I traveled to see the Blue Jays in Toronto last summer, remember? What a brammer of a time we had!
RHYS:  That’s because you love baseball more than food or drink.
RANYON:  Oh, but the food and drink were tasty too. Leo got these great huge pretzels and –
RHYS:  Morgan has something very different in mind. There’s no baseball where we’re going.
RANYON:  None at all? Surely there’s a sport o’ some kind!
RHYS:  Swimming, she says, but only because it’s on an island.
RANYON:  *horrified* Ya mean yer gonna get yerself wet on purpose?
RHYS:  You forget, ’twas my own people, the Celts, who invented soap. And I went swimming often as a boy. It’s fun, and Morgan says the water is clear as the sky and warm as a bathtub.
RANYON:  *shudders*  I suppose next you’ll be tellin’ me there’s no beer!
RHYS:  I’m not sure about beer. She showed me pictures of strong drinks inside big prickly fruits, with strange little umbrellas in them.
RANYON:  Whatever are the umbrellas for? You don’t have to get wet while you drink, do you?
RHYS:  I don’t know. But I promised to try the drinks for her sake. And to look at the fish. She says there’s hundreds of beautiful fish to be seen in the waters.
RANYON:  *counting off on his twiggy fingers*  No baseball, no beer, yer gettin’ wet and yer lookin’ at fish?  I won’t be going with ya, if that’s yer idea of a good time.
RHYS:  You’re not invited to go with us, not this time. Morgan calls this a “romantic retreat”. It’s only for couples.
RANYON:  Oh, I get it. Yer gonna be all dovey and cooey. *makes a face* Well, human females love that, and yours deserves naught but the best, even if that means fishy water and little umbrellas. She’s been more than brave, what with all the faery troubles she’s been through, and goddess knows what perils yet to come to us. We were lucky to escape with our lives that last time.
RHYS:  Aye, I wish I hadn’t brought such danger to her doorstep. So it’s more for her sake that I’m agreeing to this vacation.
RANYON:  And are Aidan and Brooke going on this lovers’ journey as well?
RHYS:  Nay, they’ll be caring for the horses on our farm. But they have plans of their own while they’re there. Camping, they say, in the little stand of trees in the back pasture.
RANYON:  Outside? But you have a fine dry house! And ’tis mortal danger to sleep outside with the Fae about. You’ve still got all the charms that I made you?
RHYS:  Aye, on every wall and roof and fencepost. I’d never take them down, not with the Wild Hunt roaming the countryside. Aidan doesn’t like the idea of spending the night outdoors any more than you do, but he has faith in Brooke. She’s a powerful witch, and I know she’ll take precautions. She says she used to do a lot of camping with her friends when she was young; that it’s something done for fun. People tell ghost stories and roast hotdogs and –
RANYON:  Hotdogs, ya say? Like at the ballpark?
RHYS:  Aye, that seems to be an important part of the custom. And there’s marsh candies too, some sweet white things that you toast on a stick over a fire.
RANYON:  Well, now yer talkin’. It’s a pretty big farm you have, lots of work to be done, and animals to be looked after. I’m sure Aidan and Brooke will be needin’ my help. And besides, they might need a little extra magic to keep the dark Fae at bay.
RHYS:  *putting his hand on the ellyll’s shoulder* That would bring me much peace of mind while I attend this vacation.
RANYON:  One thing you could do for me, though…
RHYS:  What’s that?
RANYON:  Bring me one of those little umbrellas, will ya? I think I can make a charm with one.

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Wishing you a wonderful summer, whatever your plans may be! And don't forget to enter my summer giveaway below! Runs from June 1st to 8th, 2015, and open to USA, Canada, and UK. Winner gets their choice of an ebook from my backlist, plus some little paper umbrellas to use in summer drinks or to bribe Ranyon with!
Dani Harper www.daniharper.com

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FABULOUS SPRING GIVEAWAY --- and a Vacation Memory from Dani Harper

Spring is here and it's time for a big giveaway from Laughing Vixen Lounge. 11 shops have come together to create one amazing Prize Pack ($280+) full of Jewelry, Perfume, Clothing, Vintage and much more! Many of the shops offer items perfect for any book lover along with lots of other unique, handcrafted and custom designs.




The Fabulous Spring Giveaway is open worldwide. 1 winner will win the Prize Pack. You can enter via the Rafflecopter below. Please visit the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog and the Main Giveaway Post HERE to see the full prize list, participating shops and daily features during the giveaway.




Since Summer is right around the corner the giveaway theme is Vacation Memories. Each of our participating shops, and many of our blog sponsors, will be sharing some of their favorite vacation photos with you. Here is one of DANI HARPER'S FAVORITE VACATION PICS -  This is my very FAVORITE vacation photo - it's part of the malecón, or pier, a walkway dividing the calm harbor from the waves of the open ocean at Barra de Navidad in Jalisco on the Pacific coast of  Mexico.
Hubs and I enjoyed walking along it at dawn, and talking to some of the fishermen. It was also a really great place to write --- I worked on STORM WARRIOR, the first book of the Grim Series, there.   www.daniharper.com

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Giveaway runs May 4th - 18th. Laughing Vixen Lounge is responsible for all giveaway details. See full details HERE.


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ALL ABOUT FAERIES - the world of the Grim Series

As you may know, my Grim Series is bringing ancient Faery legends into modern-day America. I'm always excited to share new details about the Fae world that exists in my stories -- and which is based on authentic Welsh and Celtic legends.

I'm in the middle of a BLOG TOUR right now, to promote my new release STORM WARNED , and it's provided a perfect opportunity to talk more about Faeries. Check out the EIGHT sites below, each of which feature a different post I've written about Fae creatures, or how to deal with the Fae -- or why you should avoid them if you can!

Some of the recent articles still have giveaways running - be sure and enter if they do. Other posts will be published this week and next.

Topic 1: The Faery Pooka
April 1 - Guest Post by Dani Harper at THE BOOK NYMPHO 
http://thebooknympho.com/2015/04/the-faery-pooka-with-dani-harper/Topic 2: The Faery Grim
April 2 - Guest post by Dani Harper at MY BOOKISH WAYS
http://www.mybookishways.com/2015/04/guest-post-and-giveaway-dani-harper-author-of-storm-warned.htmlTopic 3: Avoiding the Fae 
April 2 - Guest post by Dani Harper at ALL THINGS URBAN FANTASY
http://allthingsuf.com/2015/04/guest-blog-giveaway-dani-harper-on-avoiding-the-fae-win-storm-warned.htmlTopic 4: Faery 101 - Who are the Tylwyth Teg? 
April 2 - Guest post by Dani Harper at ROMANCE REVIEWS TODAY 
http://romrevtoday.blogspot.com/2015/04/faery-101-who-are-tylwyth-teg-by-dani.htmlTopic 5: Why and How to Repel Faeries 
April 6 - Guest post by Dani Harper at WICKED LIL PIXIE 
http://wickedlilpixie.com/Topic 6: 10 Things You Should Know About Faeries 
April 7 - Guest post by Dani Harper at THE VAMPIRE BOOK CLUB - www.vampirebookclub.netTopic 7:  The Faery Kelpie
April 8 - Guest post by Dani Harper at PARANORMAL HAVEN 
http://paranormalhaven.com/Topic 8: About Faeries
April 10 - Guest post by Dani Harper at FANGS WANDS AND FAIRY DUST 
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/

Storm Warned is now available in Kindle, paperback and audio on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Warned-Grim-Dani-Harper/dp/1477827927/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428350695&sr=8-1&keywords=storm+warned