Dani Harper's Blog, page 20

10 Ways to Spot a Werewolf

1.  By their birthday ye shall know them… The legends say that anyone born on Christmas Eve is destined to become a werewolf. It's regarded as a divine punishment for daring to compete with the Christ child. As if not getting a birthday party isn't bad enough.
2.  Waxing won't help… If you have a unibrow (brows that meet above the bridge of your nose), you're probably a werewolf. According to this rule of thumb, Bert of Sesame Street fame has been a shapeshifter all along and will probably devour Ernie one of these days.
3. It's not polite to point… Having an index finger that's longer than your middle finger is a clue that you might be a werewolf. If that long forefinger occurs with thick and lengthy nails and hairy palms, it's fairly certain that you have waaaaay more problems than just needing a good manicurist.  4. Water, water, all around… Like rabid dogs, werewolves are said to possess an irrational fear of water. Which is a real pain to live with because werewolves are also incredibly thirsty all the time. Their raging thirst when in human form apparently stems from all their extracurricular exertion as a wolf. Plus they need to wash all those victims down.
5. The better to see you with, my dear… Werewolves can be spotted even in the densest forest or darkest night because of their glow-in-the-dark red eyes. A shapeshifter's eyes can glow when they're in human form too. Especially if you've had a little too much Absolut and orange juice.
6. It's only skin-deep… Centuries ago, the pentagram (5-pointed star) was considered a sign of evil. Werewolves were also considered evil, so naturally everyone thought the two would go together. Doctors of the time actually checked the skin of suspected werewolves for tattoos of pentagrams or birthmarks shaped like them! Sometimes they checked under the skin too, believing that a werewolf wore its fur within while in human form -- kind of like a reversible raincoat.
7. To sleep, perchance to scream… Someone with strange sleeping habits could be suspected of being a werewolf. Doglike behavior such as turning in a circle on the bed, scratching at the covers or even having restless leg syndrome could all be a sign. Restless dreams and nightmares have been rumored to plague werewolves. Sleeping excessively, especially through the day, has often been considered a solid clue to shapeshifter tendencies. (Wow – that takes in most teenagers.) However, NOT being able to sleep is also a sign of being a werewolf!
8. Temper, temper… People with rage issues and tendencies towards violence were often suspected of being werewolves. A werewolf's aggression supposedly increased as the moon became fuller, and declined as the moon waned. No one ever seemed to consider PMS.
9. Able to leap tall buildings… If someone was unusually physically strong, they might be suspected of being a werewolf. Shapeshifters were notoriously well-muscled and some legends say they were as powerful as a dozen ordinary humans. They were immune to disease as well, so if the plague came to your village and you didn't die from it, you might fall under suspicion. Same goes if your co-workers fall prey to the latest office flu and you don't.
10. Sexy as all get out … That is, you are if you play a werewolf in Twilight, True Blood, Being Human, and other popular movies and TV programs --- or if you happen to be a hot character in one of my new paranormal romance novels! The series centers around a family of shapeshifters, the Macleods, who have settled in northern Canada after being driven out of Scotland. They love their ability to turn into wolves at will, considering a great gift. However, it's a gift that complicates their lives, especially when love comes along. 
By the way, these shapeshifters find it insulting to be called werewolves – they refer to themselves as Changelings. (The first three books,  Changeling Moon , Changeling Dream and Changeling Dawn, are available online and in bookstores.)  
For more info, go to www.daniharper.com 

Howling for Changeling Moon -- part of the "The 18 and Over Book Blogger Giveaway Hop"

Changeling Moon on AmazonABOUT THE CHANGELING SERIES
The Peace River region of northern Canada is a unique place where raw wilderness exists side by side with farmers' fields. And in the quiet rural community of Dunvegan, human beings unknowingly exist side by side with those who are something more than human. They call themselves Changelings, and they have the ability to become wolves at will. Changelings live as humans – they have jobs and pay bills and go to school and mow the grass and do all the things that humans do. They view their wolfen side as a wonderful gift, but it also complicates their lives, sometimes dangerously so. Especially when it comes to relationships.
CHANGELING MOON is the first book in this paranormal series, which centers around the Macleod family of shapeshifters.  Here's the back cover blurb to give you an overview:
He roams the moonlit wilderness, his every sense and instinct on high alert. Changeling wolf Connor Macleod and his Pack have never feared anything — until the night human Zoey Tyler barely escapes a rogue werewolf's vicious attack.
As the full moon approaches, Zoey has no idea of the changes that are coming, and only Connor can show her what she is, and help her master the wildness inside.  With her initiation into the Pack just days away and a terrifying predator on the loose, the tentative bonds of trust and tenderness are their only weapons against a force red in tooth, claw... and ultimate evil.
HOT TEASER  (Hey, it IS an "Over 18" event!) from CHANGELING MOON by Dani Harper
Connor was leaning into her yet Zoey didn't back up a single step. She matched his passion with her own, licked and nipped at his mouth, his tongue. Bit his chin again but lapped over it softly to ease the sting. There was no hesitation in her as her hands clawed lightly down his back, then slid around to flick open his jeans. Her fingertips circled upward, tugging apart his denim shirt. Buttons flew, but there was no pause, no uncertainty as she brushed her lips across his bare chest and gently seized a nipple in her teeth.
He froze, sucking in his breath. Her tongue played with the captive nipple, then she nuzzled her way to its mate before resuming her original mission—to get this man naked. Her hands outlined the hard muscles of his upper body, rubbed up and over his broad shoulders, then eased the shirt down his powerful arms, over the strong hands. She held the warm garment close to her face as she stepped back for a moment, instinctively drinking in the scent of him as she took in the sight. He stood perfectly still, allowing her to look.
Fully clothed, the man was sigh-worthy. Shirtless, his jeans unbuttoned and riding low on his hips, he was simply heart-stopping. The candles' glow revealed a powerful body that combined strength with an easy grace, yet she sensed that the difference between Day Connor and Night Connor went deeper than appearance. There was something dangerous here, a force barely leashed. It radiated from him, unseen yet palpable. She hesitated. . . .
And he winked.
Just that quickly he was back to the Connor she knew, his pale gray eyes amused. She laughed a little, more at herself than anything, but didn't move closer, not yet. Instead her fingertips moved to the buttons of her blouse. The amusement vanished from his face. It was his turn to watch, to look. To want. Peeling away the plaid material, she dropped it to the floor and ran her hands over her lace-trimmed cami. There was no bra beneath it and her nipples stood out plainly. His eyes followed her fingertips as she slid first one thin strap off her shoulder, then the other...
She never saw him move. In one heartbeat, she was standing, in the next, she was tangled on the floor with Connor.
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THE 18 AND OVER BOOK BLOGGER GIVEAWAY HOP
My blog, WAY PAST NORMAL, is taking part in the "18 and Over Book Blogger Giveaway Hop".   What's a Hop? Every blog on the list hosts a giveaway and you can HOP from one blog to another!  (You don't have to visit them all - each has their own giveaway that is separate from all others - but it would be a whole lot of fun to try!)  MANY THANKS to the two hosts of this hop – Bitten by Paranormal Romance AND Getting Naughty Between the Stacks
For my giveaway, I'm offering a signed copy of my shapeshifter romance, CHANGELING MOON and a Dani Harper TOTE BAG to put it in!  TO ENTER --- leave me a comment answering this question:  What's your favorite prize from a book blog or an author, or what prizes have you seen offered that were original or unique?  NOTE - Make sure to include an email address so I can contact you if you win!  I'll be drawing a winner at random from the commenters on March 26th.  BTW, my giveaway is INTERNATIONAL! 
HOP LINK - This link will get you back to the list of participating blogs at Bitten By Paranormal Romance – make sure you scroll all the way down to the bottom of their post to find the List of 101 participating bloggers!  Good luck to you!      http://www.bittenbyparanormalromance.com/2012/01/18-over-giveaway-hop-march-22nd-25th.html

Now for something REALLY scary: SEX

I love writing this blog. Exploring folklore, myths, legends, and the paranormal has been my passion since September 2008 when I started WAY PAST NORMAL. 
But every once in a while, I want to talk about books. Specifically, I want to be able to talk about the romance novels I write, which contain the paranormal (no surprise there) and  people  (hard to have a book without characters) and  love  (romance novels, right?) and  sex . Apparently a few people have been shocked by that last one. 
Yes, my characters have sex.
And yes, my mother knows what I'm writing.
Why do my stories contain sex? Because sex is real. It exists. It's a basic need and yet, so much more than that. It's a vital part of who we are, and how we connect to and bond with the one we love. It's both powerful and subtle, profound and sublime.
Sex in my stories is never casual. My characters don't have gratuitous sex. No one-night stands, no orgies, and no sex just for the sake of adding another sex scene to the book. In my world, sex springs out of love, and the relationship grows because of it. Sometimes the characters learn from it and are even changed by it.  
Omigod, you're saying, I came here to read something about the paranormal, not get caught up in a chat about sex.

I promise, I'll get back to the ghosts and monsters soon. I just need to let my readers know that you're now going to see a new page before you get to my blog. You've seen this page before, the one with the little disclaimer that announces that the blog you're headed for might have ADULT CONTENT and do you want to proceed? It's just the first time you're going to see it on WAY PAST NORMAL.
Does this mean I'm suddenly going to decorate my blog with a whole lotta naked people? No. In fact, the most shocking pictures you'll see here are on some ads for blog hops I participate in and links to other blogs that I follow which sometimes show shirtless males. Oh, and the photo at the beginning of this post.
In other words, my blog's going to look about the same as it always has.  
But every once in a while, in between such subjects as Lucky Frog Legends and the Year of the Dragon and Black Big Cat Sightings and Tales from the Psychic Toolbox, I'll be talking about my novels and sharing some excerpts. One of those times will be March 22 – 25, for the "18 and Over Book Blogger Giveaway Hop".
I sincerely hope you'll drop by for the fun.

Dani Harper
www.daniharper.com


Questions for my readers:  What's your opinion about sex in romance novels?  Does it depend on the story?  Do you have a preference as to quantity? A little? A lot? None at all? Or "let's see how many state laws we can break"?

Werewolves, Changelings & the Moon (Lunar Love Giveaway Hop)

You know the story: The hapless human turns into a ravening beast during the full moon. But did you know that the idea came from Hollywood? Until filmmakers wrote the moon into the early Wolf Man movies, there's very little mention of lunar influence in the old legends.
Traditionally, if you were a werewolf you could change form whenever you wanted to. In Sweden, men became werewolves by drinking magic beer and chanting a spell. The oldest legends have humans putting on a whole wolfskin to cause themselves to change form. This is similar to the skinwalker legends of Native Americans, where a pelt was placed against the skin. In some stories, only a belt made of wolf fur was needed. The moon was never mentioned.
In the Balkans, all you had to do to become a werewolf was drink the water from a wolf's footprint. Or drink from a body of water where a wolf pack had just satisfied their thirst. Some rivers and streams were said to be lycanthropic – enchanted so that a single sip of their water would turn you into a wolf. If you could't find any magical water, you could simply eat the brains of a wolf (eeyeeew!) in order to gain the ability to shapeshift. But again, no moonlight was necessary.
The moon did prove useful in one European story. In Germany, Italy and France, it was said that both men and women could become shapeshifters by sleeping outside and allowing the full moon to shine on their faces for the entire night (especially on a Wednesday or a Friday). The story didn't mention if the spell was permanent or perhaps only lasted until the next full moon.
The moon didn't matter a bit, however, if you were one of the unlucky folks to be made a werewolf by someone else. Often, the person doing the hexing was not a witch but a priest! From Russia to France, if you didn't go to church or offended God in some other way, you could be officially cursed to become a werewolf.

In 14th century Normandy, the varouage was an excommunicated person who became a werewolf between Christmas and Candlemas or during Advent. During this time, the sinner was either redeemed – or doomed to belong to the devil and run as a werewolf forever. In Finland, if you were lucky enough to break the spell, you were still stuck with a wolf's tail for the rest of your life! But at least you didn't have to fear the moon.
As a paranormal romance author, I have a passion for wolfen shapeshifters, and my new series revolves around a family of them, the Macleods. Driven from Scotland when wolves were being exterminated there, they found sanctuary in the wilds of northern Canada. They call themselves Changelings, and they're extremely long-lived. Able to become wolves at will, they spend most of their time as humans in a human world, hiding in plain sight.
However, there is ONE occasion in a Changeling's long, long life that the moon has power over them. Their very first Change always occurs on a full moon! And because a human can become a Changeling if they're bitten by one, the moon becomes a serious complication in the first book of the series:  CHANGELING MOON
He roams the moonlit wilderness, his every sense and instinct on high alert. Changeling wolf Connor Macleod and his Pack have never feared anything — until the night human Zoey Tyler barely escapes a rogue werewolf's vicious attack.
As the full moon approaches, Zoey has no idea of the changes that are coming, and only Connor can show her what she is, and help her master the wildness inside. With her initiation into the Pack just days away and a terrifying predator on the loose, the tentative bonds of trust and tenderness are their only weapons against a force red in tooth, claw … and ultimate evil.
As part of the Lunar Love Giveaway Hop, I'm giving away a signed copy of CHANGELING MOON (and a tote to put it in). Details below!
(PS – This book was designated a Top Pick and nominated for Best PNR of 2011 by The Romance Reviews, received the Reviewers Choice Award from Two Lips Review, and garnered many 4 and 5 star reviews. Read excerpts of the book at http://www.daniharper.com/CHANGELING_MOON.html)
   **************************************************** Lunar Love Giveaway Hop
Over 170 BOOK-RELATED BLOGS ARE PARTICIPATING (including this one). Every blog on the list hosts a giveaway and all hosts are linked up so you can HOP from one blog to another!  (You don't have to visit them all - each has their own giveaway that is separate from all others - but it would be a whole lot of fun to try!)  MANY THANKS to the hosts of this hop, I AM A READER NOT A WRITER, and BOOKWORM LISA.
For my giveaway, I'm offering a signed copy of my shapeshifter romance, CHANGELING MOON plus a Dani Harper TOTE BAG to put it in!  
TO ENTER - leave a comment - tell me if you like to read about werewolves and shapeshifters or other paranormal creatures - or not!  Please include an email address so I can contact you if you win. A name will be drawn at random from the comments on March 14 and announced on this blog. This draw is INTERNATIONAL.
HOP LINK - This will get you back to the list of participating blogs:http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/01/lunar-love-giveaway-hop.html  Happy hopping and good luck!
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SHAMROCKS, CLOVERS AND LUCK (Feelin Lucky Giveaway Hop)

When I was a kid, I used to hunt for four-leafed clovers in the belief that they brought good luck. I didn't know then that one was only considered lucky if you found it by accident – the clover was useless if you looked for it on purpose! No wonder I didn't get the pony I was hoping for….
It's said that Eve carried a four-leafed clover out of the Garden of Eden (probably figuring that she and Adam were going to need all the help they could get). And the ancient Celts of Wales carried sprigs of clover as a charm against evil spirits. A four-leafed clover worn inside your shoe would lead you to either love or treasure! (If you put one in each shoe, did you find both?)
Druids esteemed the four-leafed clover as a source of protection, because holding one would allow you to see fairies and other supernatural creatures. A salve was sometimes made of four-leafed clovers and applied to the "third eye" area of the forehead, to bring out psychic abilities. Or the clovers might be sewn into a tiny bag and hung around the neck. This would reveal the fairy folk to the wearer – but it would only work once for each clover that was in the bag.
Common White Clover,
Trifolium Repens The four-leafed clover is a symbol of good luck in many countries, but is most associated with Ireland. The Irish claim that they have more of them growing there than anywhere else. Maybe, since both the Irish shamrock and four-leafed clovers are said to come from the same plant:  Common White Clover, also known as Dutch clover (Trifolium Repens). That's right, it's the same stuff that sometimes takes over the lawn on this side of the Atlantic.  True, there are some potted plants sold around March 17th that claim to be official shamrocks, but they're usually oxalis or wood sorrel. Pretty, but apparently not brimming with good fortune.
St. Patrick with shamrockSt. Patrick made the shamrock famous by taking an ordinary clover leaf (which has just three leaves normally) and using it as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity which is the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. This is a prime example of Christianity adopting – and changing – the symbols of pagan faiths. The three leaves had previously been known as the three phases of the Goddess – Maiden, Mother and Crone!
So if the three-leafed "shamrock" (clover) came to represent the Christian Trinity, what did the four-leafed clover come to mean? Early Christians saw the four leaves as creating the sign of the cross. Some maintained that the fourth leaf stood for God's grace and it was a sign of favor if you found one. Others have named the four leaves as Faith, Hope, Love and Luck.
21-leafed cloverSo why are there four-leafed clovers when clover naturally has three leaves? Long thought to be a simple plant mutation, scientists have now found a recessive gene for the anomoly. In fact, there are no known limits as to how many leaves a clover can have. According to Guinness, the world record for the most leaves on a clover stem has been held by Shigeo Obara of Japan since 2002 when he discovered a clover with 18 leaves. He bested his record a few years later with a 21-leafed clover. And in 2009, he was credited with finding a clover with no less than 56 leaves!!!
How lucky is a clover with more than four leaves? In Ireland and a few other places, it's said that it brings nothing but bad luck. In other places, there's a different meaning for each clover according to leaf number:     Two-leafed clover = love     Four-leafed clover = luck      Five-leafed clover = attracts wealth     Six-leafed clover = fame     Seven-leafed clover = long life
Clovers with more than the standard three leaves are said to be lucky because they're rare, and estimates place them at about one in 10,000 when naturally grown. They're not evenly distributed, though – some patches of clover produce many of them (I found dozens in my yard as a kid), and others grow very few of the multi-leafed variety. 
Because the four-leafed clover is such a well-known symbol of good fortune, an entire industry has sprung up around them. You can buy genuine four-leafed clovers pressed between glass, embedded in resin, made into jewelry or just about anything you can think of – and to do it, some horticulturalists have refined the clover plant using the newly-discovered genes. In their specialized plots, four-leafed clovers occur about once in every 41 plants! How much luck these contain, however, is anyone's guess.
One last word of advice:  Never iron a four-leafed clover. You don't want to press your luck! 
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FEELIN LUCKY 
GIVEAWAY HOP

100 BOOK-RELATED BLOGS ARE PARTICIPATING!!! That means lots of FUN and plenty of chances for YOU to WIN! Each blog on the list hosts a giveaway and all hosts are linked up so you can HOP from one blog to another!  (You don't have to visit them all - each has their own giveaway that is separate from all others - but it would be fun to try!)
For my giveaway, I'm offering a signed copy of my shapeshifter romance, CHANGELING DREAM plus a Dani Harper TOTE BAG to put it in!  BTW, although this is a series, each book is designed to stand alone. You don't have to have read the others in order to enjoy this one!
To enter, leave a comment below.  
Please include an email address so I can contact you if you win. A name will be drawn at random from comments on March 14!  This draw is INTERNATIONAL.


MANY THANKS to the hosts of this fun and fabulous hop,  I SMELL SHEEP and FICTIONAL CANDY ! Hope you'll visit these terrific review blogs!

HOP LINK:  http://www.fictionalcandy.com/2012/01/feelin-lucky-giveaway-hop-sign-ups.html  This will get you back to the list of participating blogs.  Happy hopping and good luck!
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Frogs in Myth & Legend (and the Leap into Books Giveaway Hop!)

LEAP DAY (Feb. 29) is a natural time to talk about FROGS (well, it seemed like it to me, LOL). Research turned up some great myths, legends and stories about these creatures. But my own fascination with frogs and toads began when my Welsh grandmother gave me a ceramic frog for my apartment when I left home. She told me that I should always have a frog in the house for good luck.
Stone frog in gardenTurns out that the ancient Romans thought house frogs were lucky too, and kept live frogs as mascots. Many cultures consider it a sign that money is coming to you if a frog enters the house. Finding a frog outside is lucky too, and if frogs live in your garden, good fortune will come to the house and all its occupants. In Scotland today, frogs have been considered lucky since Celtic times and there are often stone frogs kept in the garden. Frog figurines have traditionally been given as housewarming gifts there and in many other parts of the UK as well.    The Amazing Life Cycle of a FrogBoth the Egyptians and Greeks believed frogs possessed a creative force – they were symbols of inspiration (as a writer, maybe I need more frogs…) and many cultures equate them with great transformative powers and even reincarnation. After all, frogs and toads are every bit as amazing as butterflies. They go through vastly different phases in their lives – from eggs they hatch into gilled tadpoles that can only live underwater, and then gradually transform to air-breathing land creatures. It's not surprising that frogs are also associated with personal growth and achievement.
A common toadThe ultimate achievement is shown in an old story about a toad who had fallen in love with the moon and wanted to go there more than anything. Everyone told the toad that it was impossible to leap so high. But the toad decided not to listen and began jumping. Each time it jumped, it went a little bit higher. After many, many jumps, it finally reached the moon! While western cultures perceive the shape of "man in the moon", the Chinese point to the "toad in the moon" instead. In some Asian tales, eclipses occur when the toad tries to swallow the moon itself.
Heket, frog goddessSince frogs lay enormous quantities of eggs, it's only natural that they would become a fertility symbol. The Egyptians depicted the water goddess, Heket, as a frog or as a woman with the head of a frog. She ruled conception and birth, was the goddess of midwifery and protected new-born babies. Egyptian women seeking to conceive often wore amulets which depicted Heket as a frog sitting on a lotus flower. Women in childbirth also wore these amulets. It's interesting that in ancient Mesoamerica, many tribes worshipped a corn goddess who took the form of a frog or a toad with many udders – just like Heket, she was the patron of childbirth and fertility.
Frogs also became potent symbols of abundance. They appeared in vast numbers during the annual flooding of the Nile and it wasn't long before the Egyptians adopted the frog as their hieroglyph for an immense number – 100,000. In Chinese folklore, it was said that frog spawn fell from heaven, and so frog meat may be still be referred to as "heavenly chicken", especially in rice-growing areas!
Frog brings fire to humansFrogs and toads have appeared in ancient stories as heroes and benefactors of the human race. In Native American legends of the Southwest, the Frog is usually depicted carrying a piece of wood in its mouth, because the Mojave people believe it was the Frog who brought fire to humans. In some stories, Australia's Aboriginal peoples credited the frog with bringing rain to make the plants grow. In Aztec folklore, the god Quetzacoatl assumed the form of a little blue frog in order to bring "the food of the gods" to humans – cocoa!
Frog soup?Frogs and toads have often been associated with healing powers. A supposed cure for thrush, sore throat, and colds was holding a live frog with its head in the patient's mouth! As the frog breathed, it was said to draw the illness away from the patient and into itself. Warts were said to be cured by rubbing a frog or toad across them (which is odd, since there are so many old wives tales about frogs and toads causing warts!) Eating frog soup was said to cure whooping cough.

Chan Chu, the money toadBy the way, frogs and toads were usually interchangeable in myth and legend. A three-legged toad named Chan Chu is the traditional pet of the immortal Liu Hai, Chinese god of wealth. The toad is usually pictured with red eyes and a gold coin in its mouth, and is usually sitting on a pile of coins as well. Figurines of Chan Chu are used in the practice of Feng Shui in order to attract wealth both at home and at work. Businesses often keep a statue of Chan Chu near their cash register, and in the home, Chan Chu is never placed facing the door. The frog is to be placed as if he has just entered the home, bringing abundance with him!
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LEAP INTO BOOKS GIVEAWAY HOP
OVER 200 BOOK-RELATED BLOGS ARE PARTICIPATING!!! That means lots of chances for YOU to WIN! Each blog on the list hosts a giveaway and all hosts are linked up so you can HOP from one blog to another!  (You don't have to visit them all - each has their own giveaway that is separate from all others.)


For my giveaway, I'm offering a signed copy of my latest shapeshifter romance, CHANGELING DAWN plus a Dani Harper TOTE BAG to put it in!  To enter, leave a comment about frogs or toads.  Please include an email address so I can contact you if you win. A name will be drawn at random from comments on March 6!  This draw is INTERNATIONAL.



Go to THIS LINK: http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/01/leap-into-books-giveaway-hop-sign-ups.html to get back to the list of participating blogs. Happy hopping and good luck!
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FOLKLORE AND FORETELLING LOVE ..... (Part of the Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway Hop)

February is the month of love, and people have attempted to foretell their future partners for centuries. I remember skipping rhymes and folded paper games as a kid, and Saturday afternoon sessions with Ouija boards as a teen! But there are many other methods of divination. I've collected a number of myths, folklore, traditions and superstitions to share with you! (But remember these are just for fun, okay?)
The apple has been associated with love for centuries. In ancient Greece, tossing an apple to a woman was a proposal of marriage – and catching it was equivalent to saying yes! Both guys and gals use the humble apple to tell the future in many European countries. One method is to twist the stem of an apple while reciting the alphabet. Whatever letter you're on when the stem pops off is said to be the first letter of your true love's name. 
You can also peel an apple, making sure to keep the peeling all in one long strip. Throw the peeling over your left shoulder onto the floor. Now go and look straight down at it – whatever letter the fallen peeling most resembles is believed to be the first letter of your true love's name.
Tradition tells us that if you eat an apple at midnight while looking into a mirror, you'll see the face of your future wife or husband. And if you need to decide between lovers, folklore says to name an apple seed for each one. Get the seeds wet and throw them at the ceiling. Whichever one sticks is the one you will be happiest with.
Four-leaf clovers are lucky according to tradition, but they're also associated with love. If someone finds a four-leaf clover, they'll meet their future spouse on that day. Dreaming of a four-leaf clover implies a happy and prosperous marriage in your future. And in Ireland, if a woman eats a four-leaf clover while concentrating on the man of her affections, it's said that he'll eventually be hers!
There are many methods which are said to invoke nighttime visions of the one you will marry. Rubbing the headboard with lemon peel before bed or wearing your nightclothes inside out will cause you to dream of your future lover. Sleeping with a piece of wedding cake under your pillow will also do the trick – and so will a handful of daisies, a mirror, a silver coin, five bay leaves or a wedding ring from a happy marriage! Efforts to dream of marriage partners are said to be most effective on Valentine's Day (of course!) but also on the eve of St. Andrew's Day (November 30). In addition to his other jobs, St. Andrew is the patron saint of unmarried women! In old Austria, young women would drink wine and then recite the Andreasgebet (St. Andrew's prayer), while naked and kicking a straw bed. This was supposed to cause the future husband to appear in her dreams. 
On this day in Poland, melted lead was poured into cold water – the shape that the metal took was said to provide clues to the true love's occupation. In Slovakia and the Czech Republic, names of potential husbands were written on slips of paper and rolled into balls of dough on St. Andrew's Day. The dough balls were then boiled like dumplings. Whichever piece of dough cooked first, floated to the surface -- with the name of the future spouse inside.
Birds have often been used to foretell future spouses too. Seeing a goldfinch on St. Valentine's Day was said to mean you'd marry a wealthy man. A sparrow indicated a poor but happy marriage. The sight of a robin flying overhead means you'll marry a sailor. A flock of doves?  A happy marriage is in store for you. If you hear the coo of a dove on the first day of Spring, the next person you meet of the opposite sex is said to be your ideal mate. And last but not least, if you want to know if you'll marry within a year, stand outside a chicken coop at midnight and knock on the door. If you hear a rooster, tradition says the answer is yes. If you hear a hen, the answer is no.
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RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
GIVEAWAY HOP


170 BOOK-RELATED BLOGS ARE PARTICIPATING!!! That means lots of chances for YOU to WIN! Each blog on the list hosts a giveaway and all hosts are linked up so you can HOP from one blog to another!  (You don't have to visit them all - each has their own giveaway that is separate from all others.)


For my giveaway, I'm offering a signed copy of my latest shapeshifter romance, CHANGELING DAWN (and swag, of course!). To enter, leave a comment that answers this question -- did you ever try to foretell your future partner? Or know someone who did?  


Please include an email address so I can contact you if you win. A name will be drawn at random from comments on Feb. 22! Draw is open to US and Canada!


Go to THIS LINK:   http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2011/12/random-acts-of-kindness-giveaway-hop.html  to get back to the list of participating blogs. Happy hopping and good luck!


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FOLKLORE AND FORETELLING LOVE ------------------ (Part of the Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway Hop)

February is the month of love, and people have attempted to foretell their future partners for centuries. I remember skipping rhymes and folded paper games as a kid, and Saturday afternoon sessions with Ouija boards as a teen! But there are many other methods of divination. I've collected a number of myths, folklore, traditions and superstitions to share with you! (But remember these are just for fun, okay?)
The apple has been associated with love for centuries. In ancient Greece, tossing an apple to a woman was a proposal of marriage – and catching it was equivalent to saying yes! Both guys and gals use the humble apple to tell the future in many European countries. One method is to twist the stem of an apple while reciting the alphabet. Whatever letter you're on when the stem pops off is said to be the first letter of your true love's name. 
You can also peel an apple, making sure to keep the peeling all in one long strip. Throw the peeling over your left shoulder onto the floor. Now go and look straight down at it – whatever letter the fallen peeling most resembles is believed to be the first letter of your true love's name.
Tradition tells us that if you eat an apple at midnight while looking into a mirror, you'll see the face of your future wife or husband. And if you need to decide between lovers, folklore says to name an apple seed for each one. Get the seeds wet and throw them at the ceiling. Whichever one sticks is the one you will be happiest with.
Four-leaf clovers are lucky according to tradition, but they're also associated with love. If someone finds a four-leaf clover, they'll meet their future spouse on that day. Dreaming of a four-leaf clover implies a happy and prosperous marriage in your future. And in Ireland, if a woman eats a four-leaf clover while concentrating on the man of her affections, it's said that he'll eventually be hers!
There are many methods which are said to invoke nighttime visions of the one you will marry. Rubbing the headboard with lemon peel before bed or wearing your nightclothes inside out will cause you to dream of your future lover. Sleeping with a piece of wedding cake under your pillow will also do the trick – and so will a handful of daisies, a mirror, a silver coin, five bay leaves or a wedding ring from a happy marriage! Efforts to dream of marriage partners are said to be most effective on Valentine's Day (of course!) but also on the eve of St. Andrew's Day (November 30). In addition to his other jobs, St. Andrew is the patron saint of unmarried women! In old Austria, young women would drink wine and then recite the Andreasgebet (St. Andrew's prayer), while naked and kicking a straw bed. This was supposed to cause the future husband to appear in her dreams. 
On this day in Poland, melted lead was poured into cold water – the shape that the metal took was said to provide clues to the true love's occupation. In Slovakia and the Czech Republic, names of potential husbands were written on slips of paper and rolled into balls of dough on St. Andrew's Day. The dough balls were then boiled like dumplings. Whichever piece of dough cooked first, floated to the surface -- with the name of the future spouse inside.
Birds have often been used to foretell future spouses too. Seeing a goldfinch on St. Valentine's Day was said to mean you'd marry a wealthy man. A sparrow indicated a poor but happy marriage. The sight of a robin flying overhead means you'll marry a sailor. A flock of doves?  A happy marriage is in store for you. If you hear the coo of a dove on the first day of Spring, the next person you meet of the opposite sex is said to be your ideal mate. And last but not least, if you want to know if you'll marry within a year, stand outside a chicken coop at midnight and knock on the door. If you hear a rooster, tradition says the answer is yes. If you hear a hen, the answer is no.
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RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
GIVEAWAY HOP


170 BOOK-RELATED BLOGS ARE PARTICIPATING!!! That means lots of chances for YOU to WIN! Each blog on the list hosts a giveaway and all hosts are linked up so you can HOP from one blog to another!  (You don't have to visit them all - each has their own giveaway that is separate from all others.)


For my giveaway, I'm offering a signed copy of my latest shapeshifter romance, CHANGELING DAWN (and swag, of course!). To enter, leave a comment that answers this question -- did you ever try to foretell your future partner? Or know someone who did?  


Please include an email address so I can contact you if you win. A name will be drawn at random from comments on Feb. 22! Draw is open to US and Canada!


Go to THIS LINK:   http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2011/12/random-acts-of-kindness-giveaway-hop.html  to get back to the list of participating blogs. Happy hopping and good luck!

A PARANORMAL VALENTINE -- 5 GHOST STORIES (Follower Love Giveaway Blog Hop)

Ghost stories aren't just for Halloween, and happy endings don't produce restless spirits. 
Love lost, love spurned, love betrayed – such things produce powerful emotions that just might be strong enough to cause spirits to linger instead of moving on. 
The following are five tragic tales of love gone terribly wrong....
The Missing Lovers The Castillo de San Marcos is a fortress in St. Augustine, Florida. Built by the Spanish in 1695, it has a long history of ghostly manifestations. Many of these center around a woman, Dolores, who was the young wife of the fortress commander, Colonel Garcia Marti. The couple arrived at the fort in 1784. As the story goes, it was an arranged marriage and the harsh and ill-humored Colonel ignored his bride. It wasn't long before Dolores took notice of the Colonel's handsome and charming assistant, Captain Manuel Abela.
Actual dungeon where the fake wall was discovered.Dolores wore a distinctive perfume, and one day the Colonel smelled it on Abela's uniform! Shortly afterwards, both Manuel and Dolores disappeared, never to be seen again. The Colonel explained to the soldiers that Manuel was on special assignment to Cuba. To Dolores' many friends, he claimed she had returned to Spain because the Florida climate was having a detrimental effect on her health.
The truth wasn't discovered for 50 years, after the fort was in American hands. An anomaly was noticed in a dungeon wall and the bricks were removed – revealing a hidden room and a pair of skeletons, male and female, chained to the wall. Since that time, many people have reported cold spots, floating orbs of light and the sudden overpowering scent of sweet perfume in the dungeon area!
Ghosts in Paris The Eiffel Tower is the site of many tales, and it's no surprise that one of them is a ghost story. A young couple who had been dating for a while agreed to meet at the top of the Eiffel Tower to talk. The woman wanted to end the relationship, while the man was intent on proposing. The man became so enraged that he threatened to kill her if she didn't marry him. She refused and he pushed her from the tower. It's said that the ghost of the young woman haunts the site, and her screams can sometimes still be heard.
Arc de Triomphe, Paris, FranceThe Arc de Triomphe in Paris has several ghosts, one of which is named Rose. After quarreling with her lover on Bastille Day (July 14) in 1914, it's said that she climbed the 284 steps to the top of this stone monument and threw herself off, narrowly missing the throngs of people below who had gathered for the holiday festivities. Sightings of Rose repeating this sad act have been reported, usually when there's a crowd gathered for a parade or other event. 
The Rejected Suitor During the War of 1812, a Canadian lieutenant named Muir had fallen in love with Marie McIntosh, daughter of a local trader who lived near the Detroit River. She was very fond of the handsome young soldier, but he was terribly shy and the girl became annoyed with his timid wooing. He visited her every week without ever expressing his feelings for her until the very day he was leaving on a dangerous assignment, when he asked for her hand. To his shock, she laughed and teased him. Her expectation was that he would try even harder to win her and she would eventually relent and say yes.
Muir, however, thought she didn't love him and he was heartbroken. He rode off to his regiment without another word and Marie regretted her cruel actions. During the night, she was terrified by a visit from the young man's ghost. Muir told her he had died honorably but wanted his body brought back to the settlement. Then the spirit seized her hand, causing her to scream and faint.
Marie rode the next day and secured help from her father's friends at Fort Malden. Together they found the body where the spirit had said it was, and took it back to be buried at the Canadian settlement.
After that experience, it was said that Marie was no longer a carefree young girl but had aged into a serious woman. The story also says that she forever wore a black glove on the hand that the ghost had touched because the spirit had left a mark upon it. As for Lt. Muir, his ghost has been sighted many times over the years, particularly around the date of his death, August 9th.
The White Lady Huntly Castle in Scotland is famous for its legend of a woman in white. The apparition has been reported wandering both the rooms of the castle and the grounds of the estate since the 17th century.
Huntly Castle todayThe castle was owned by the Lyon family at the time and one of their daughters had an affair with a servant. She was imprisoned in the bedchamber in the high castle tower, but was so distraught at being separated from her lover, she leapt from the window. At least that's what the family said -- it was widely rumored that she was pushed because the family wished to minimize the scandal!
The Bride on the Bridge "Emily's Bridge" in Stowe, VermontIn Stowe, Vermont, a woman in a bridal gown is said to have haunted the covered bridge there since the 1800s. The woman, named Emily, was left waiting at the altar for a groom who never came. She left the church and took her carriage, intending to go to the groom's home. When she arrived at the bridge, something spooked her horse and she was killed in the ensuing accident. Ever since, sightings of a woman driving a carriage have been reported in the hours after midnight. Those who have seen the ghost, say that she looks extremely angry and many believe she is still hunting for her would-be groom. 
Another version of the story says that Emily and her lover intended to elope and they were to meet at the bridge. She waited there for many hours with her bridal clothes in a suitcase, but her intended never came. Heartbroken, she hung herself from the bridge. It's rumored that crossing the bridge at night will cause Emily's ghost to leave long scratches on the car!

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Here's the fun part.  
From February 7th to 14th, 2012, it's the
"Follower Love Giveaway Hop ".  


Omigosh, we have OVER 300 BLOGS PARTICIPATING!!! That means lots of chances to win for YOU! Each blog on the list hosts a giveaway and all hosts are linked up so you can HOP from one blog to another!  (You don't have to visit them all - each has their own giveaway that is separate from all others.)


For my giveaway, I'm offering a signed copy of my latest shapeshifter romance, CHANGELING DAWN (and swag, of course!). To enter, leave a comment that has something to do with ghosts - do you like ghost hunting TV shows, do you like to read ghost stories, do you believe in ghosts - anything at all, as long as it has to do with ghosts!


Please include an email address so I can contact you if you win. A name will be drawn at random from comments on Feb. 15th!


Go to THIS LINK: http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2011/12/follower-love-giveaway-hop-sign-ups.html to get back to the list of participating blogs. Happy hopping and good luck!

2012 - Year of the Water Dragon

Everyone's had fun with the traditional Chinese zodiac printed on their restaurant placemat at one time or another. And by now, you've heard that 2012 will be the Year of the Dragon. Will be, because Chinese New Year is determined by the lunar calendar, and doesn't begin until Jan. 23. The Dragon will rule until Feb. 9, 2013.
The system of 12 animal signs in a recurring 12-year cycle is called the  Sheng Xiao  and it's been in use for over 4,000 years in China. The animals in order are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Chicken, Dog, Boar.  (Sometimes the Sheep is called a Ram, and sometimes the Boar is called a Pig)
The Dragon is the only one of the group that is a mythical creature, and it is the most powerful and dynamic of the twelve animal signs. Unlike the evil, fire-breathing creatures of Western stories, the ancient Chinese dragon is wise and intelligent, the symbol of strength, honor and benevolent power. It is the divine bringer of good fortune. 


Dragon years are considered auspicious for marriages and new business ventures. The Chinese believe that success follows children born in a Dragon year, because heaven and earth are forever in balance in their lives. Dragon years are associated with wealth, often bringing an increase in personal income and boosting world markets.
Because this sign tends to magnify both achievement and disaster, it's no surprise that the last time we had a Dragon year, we were terrified of Y2K and the end of the world as we knew it. And in this year, some have interpreted the Mayan calendar to mean the end of the world, period!  


There's good news, however. Each year's animal symbol is modified by one of five elements – wood, fire, earth, metal and water. A Fire Dragon year is the most volatile, but the year 2012 is a Water Dragon year.
A Water Dragon has a more peaceful disposition than other dragons, with water calming the dragon's fire.  The Water Dragon is known for its calm, visionary intelligence and a balance of right brain creativity with left brain logic. 


Of all the dragon years, the Water Dragon is most likely to bestow the Five Blessings – Harmony, Virtue, Riches, Fulfillment and Longevity. Because of this, some have said that 2012 may be more about breakthroughs than disasters. After the upheaval of the past few years, this would certainly be welcome! 


Dani Harperwww.daniharper.com
PS - This post was originally associated with the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop. That event is now CLOSED.