Dani Harper's Blog, page 22

NANOWRIMO IS LIKE BROCCOLI

Yes, really. It's good for anyone who wants to be a writer, for newbie scribblers or seasoned novelists alike. Writing is a craft learned and improved by –you guessed it – WRITING. And NaNoWriMo is designed to make you do it a LOT. 
NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. That's right – your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to write a novel in a single month! It's a literary marathon to put 50,000 words on paper in 30 days.
Toachieve 50,000 words in a month, you have to write over 1500 words a day. Here's the secret: They will NOT all be great words. In fact, some of them,maybe even most of them, will be CRAP. But crap is good – yes, I say, GOOD –because it's only by permitting yourself to write crap, that you'll freeyourself to write the good stuff. And that means that somewhere in all thatcrap you've produced is GOLD.
Why not just write the gold, you say? Every writer on theplanet wishes he or she could do just that, but it's not possible. No crap = nogold. Of course you won't keep the crap. Smart writers axe a lot of words, manysentences, whole paragraphs, complete scenes and even entire chapters – it'sall part of the gig. And what you're left with?
Priceless.

Sincerely, Dani Harper www.daniharper.com 
BTW - Here's the official site with all kinds of helps and tips: http://nanowrimo.org/And here's the official press release from NaNoWriMo for 2011:http://files.content.lettersandlight.org/nano-2011/files/2011/10/Press-Release-2011.pdf
Question - What do you think of the NaNoWriMo idea? Are you thinking of participating this year?

Spooktacular Blog Hop and a Giveaway!

Holy jumping catfish! 400 bloggers signed up to host a giveaway as part of this Spooktacular Blog Hop. This hop runs from Monday, October 24th until Halloween Night at midnight. And you're going to need all 8 days in order to Hop to each of those blogs and enter their giveaways! Can you do it?


For my Spooktacular Treat, I'm giving away three signed copies of Changeling Dream. Three copies, three winners. How do you enter?  Easy peasy - just leave a comment telling me if you've heard of my books before and if so, where or how?  Winners will be drawn at random on November 1st, 2011. (PS - make sure I can find you if you win - include an email address with your comment!) This draw is open to international entries.


Contest runs Monday, October 24th, 2011 until Halloween Night at midnight. Winners will be drawn at random from the commenters.   


If you need to get back to the master list of links, click here - http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2011/10/welcome-to-spooktacular-giveaway-hop.html


Changeling Dream - Book 2 in the Changeling Series



[image error] In times of stress Jillian Descharme has always found calm in her dream of a great white wolf with haunting blue eyes. But she is startled when the visions return and this time seem so real. Late at night he comes to her, speaks to her, touches her.

Thirty years ago James Macleod lost his wife and unborn child to a killer bent on destroying the Changelings. Though he longed for death, his animal instinct fought for survival and James has been a wolf ever since. Yet now a woman has reawakened the man in him, taming wild instincts but arousing still wilder needs. 
With his ancient enemy hunting the legendary white wolf, James must fight for new life, new hope, new love.
Watch for Book 3 on December 27th or pre-order now - Changeling Dawn 

Happy Halloween – a story and a contest!

Here's the story: . Birkie Peterson's Guide to the Village of Dunvegan
LOCATION – The Village of Dunvegan – a small northern Canadian town that's literally Changeling Central in Dani Harper's new shapeshifter series……
You step off the dusty bus into the late afternoon sun, sweaty, tired and your luggage is missing. Somebody takes your arm and steers you to a shiny red pickup truck – a small white-haired woman with bright eyes, flawlessly French-rolled hair and a tailored citrus green pantsuit.
"The Pack has run up to Elk Point for a special meeting, so I'll be your tour guide today. Name's Birkie Peterson and I'm the power behind the throne at the North Star Animal Hospital." She barks a laugh and slaps the steering wheel. "Means I'm the receptionist and bookkeeper and Jill-of-all-trades there.  Believe me, you haven't lived until you've hosed blood and manure off the ceiling, dear."
You have a hard time imagining that. With such an impeccable appearance, Birkie looks like she would be more at home in the back of a limousine than hosing out a livestock pen. Yet she handles the big truck as if she'd been born behind the wheel.
"That wide water you crossed on the way here is the Peace River. Gonna tell you right off, it's a misnomer. Smooth as silk on top, but there's a powerful current underneath. Lots of folks drowned there over the years. People say there's more than one ghost on that bridge too. Jumped, you know."
You don't want to hear about ghosts. You tell her about the book you're writing, the one about Changelings.
She eyes you then. "Heard about that. The Pack leader, Jessie, says that since you know about Changelings, you're to get the full tour. Connor didn't agree, mind you and I don't know if I do either, but here we are. Sure hope you know what you're getting into."
You say you're glad to get a firsthand look at Dunvegan, and you're excited as the truck turns away from Main Street.
"This is Hemstock Ave." Birkie points to a stretch of curb. "And right there's the spot where Zoey was attacked by a rogue Changeling. No screaming and fainting for that gal, she gave almost as good as she got. Still, it's lucky Connor came along when he did because a human can't hold out against a Changeling for long. They're too strong, too powerful. Bigger than ordinary wolves you know. And the one that attacked Zoey was crazy as a bedbug to boot."
Out of the corner of your eye, you spot something huge and black moving behind the shrubbery. But when you turn to look, there's nothing there.
"Up ahead of us is Dunvegan's town hall," she continues. "Zoey almost changed into a wolf right there in the middle of a council meeting. So much for trying to keep Changelings a secret after an incident like that." She shakes her head.
Again your eye catches furtive movement, this time between a house and a stand of lilac bushes. Again, nothing.
"Over there is a place you want to remember, the Finer Diner. Looks like just a gas station and burger joint, but let me tell you, it's got the best food in town. Bill and Jessie Watson own that operation. I'll take you to lunch there in a day or so when you're settled. Jessie's the Pack leader by the way – you have a problem, you see her about it. She's not much bigger than me, but don't be fooled. She's leader for a reason, and what she says, goes."
Was that a gleam of silver fur between the cars back there? You wonder why people keep such big dogs here. At least, you think it was a dog…
Birkie turns the truck onto Third Ave and a small house comes into view with a crooked sign on it that says MUSEUM. "There's an old diary in there from 1904, with an eye-witness account of a man turning into a wolf. Kathleen Summers has kept it under lock and key for over thirty years. Still, the page got photographed somehow and put in the paper a few years back, so although Kathleen won't show it to you, you can find it in the Dunvegan Herald Weekly morgue."
She chuckles at the look on your face. "Oh, not a real morgue, hon – although we have one of those too – this is where the newspaper keeps all its old issues. You can read all the old werewolf stories there too. Goodness knows we've had more than a few of those in recent years. And the murders of course."
You shiver at that. You've heard of those. And you've heard that the killer wasn't human.
Birkie carries on as if violent death is an everyday occurrence. "Have to go to Macklin's down the street here if you want any sporting goods. Do you fish? I like to go for trout on the weekends, sometimes get a few perch to fry up. Sergeant Fitzpatrick, now, he likes to fish for sturgeon. I see him on the river quite a bit. When he's not fishing, he heads the RCMP Detachment in these parts, and if he asks you for a date, say yes. He's a good man. Connor is too, but he's taken. Mind you, his younger brothers are still available and all the Macleod men are easy on the eyes. Big, strong, sexy – just the type to get a gal's blood going.
"And they're all Changelings too, Fitz included. Best place to hide is in plain sight, you know."
Even the police sergeant can turn into a wolf at will? Suddenly you're very uncomfortable.
The sun has just slid below the horizon when the truck pulls into the parking lot of a sprawling modern building. "Welcome to the North Star Animal Hospital. It's after hours now but I can show you around. You might want to walk around the loft where the big white wolf – that's our James – slept for a while. Or the couch in Connor's office with wolf hair all over it from Culley. See that area over by the dumpster? Well, all the blood's gone now of course but that's where the showdown happened not too long ago."
Showdown? You ask Birkie to explain.
"I forgot that you probably hadn't heard of that yet. Tell you what, let's come back to this later. Right now, we'll head out to a couple of the sites where the attacks took place. By then it'll be moonrise and the Pack says to bring you up to Elk Point then."
The hair on the back of your neck stands up. You don't like the sound of that invitation, and say so.
"Just part of the tour, hon. Practically the whole Pack'll be there – maybe 35, 40 wolves tonight. Full moon too. You'll get to meet them all, get the whole experience." Birkie smiles sweetly, "You know, for your book and all."
Suddenly you don't give a damn about the book you're writing. As the truck slows down for a stop sign, you half leap, half stumble out and run for all you're worth. There has to be a bus out of town tonight. A car you can rent. A taxi you can commandeer. Something. Anything.
A howl slices the cool dusk air.
* * * * *
And here's the contest:
HERE'S HOW TO ENTER 
Email your answer to the 3 questions below to daniharperfun@yahoo.com (that's my contest address – it keeps entries from getting mixed up with my emails in my regular inbox!) 
Question 1 --- Where is the best food in the town of Dunvegan?Question 2 --- Who left wolf hair on Connor's couch?Question 3 --- What does Birkie drive?Question 4 --- These shapeshifters don't call themselves "werewolves" – what name do they use?Question 5 --- (Check my website or Amazon.com for the answer to number 5)  Connor and James got their stories told in Changeling Moon and Changeling Dream . Book 3, Changeling Dawn , will be released on December 27th . Which Macleod sibling is featured in this new story?
BONUS - You get an extra entry if you follow me on Twitter (or are already following me on Twitter)!  Email me your twitter address along with your answers. EXTRA BONUS – You get ANOTHER entry if you are a subscriber to my newsletter! So you could get up to three entries in total! You must be 18 or over to enter. Contest runs until 12 midnight, Halloween Night, October 31st, 2011.  Three winners will be drawn at random from entries with correct answers on November 1, 2011. Winners will be contacted by email, and announced on my web page at http://www.daniharper.com/CONTESTS.html (Don't worry – last names and email addresses will NOT be disclosed).Contest is open to international entries. Contest is also open to book bloggers and reviewers. PRIZES – Each winner will receive a 12" tall plush wolf, a Dani Harper tote bag and a set of signed cover flats of the first 3 titles.  GOOD LUCK to EVERYONE!

New Book Trailer for Dani Harper's Changeling Series

I'm really excited - I FINALLY finished putting together a video for my new Changeling series with Kensington-Brava! It was a lot of work and a lot of fun. The hardest part was finding just the right pictures.

If you have a moment, would you please let me know what you think of it?

http://youtu.be/GvtSWYIiqt4





Changeling Moon


Changeling Dream


Changeling Dawn


Dani Harper

New Book Trailer for the Changeling Series!

New book trailer for the Changeling Series!



For more information, go to www.daniharper.com
     

CHANGELING DREAM - inspired by wolves

I'm SO excited to announce that CHANGELING MOON is now officially released. This is Book Two in my new paranormal series. I'm excited, amazed, awed and thankful for this opportunity to bring my work to a larger audience.


One of the most frequent questions I get asked is "where do you get your ideas?" In this case, I can honestly say I was influenced by a real event!


I owned a small farm in northern Canada and one morning I was stunned to see a pack of wolves – about 7 or 8 – run across my yard. No mistake about what these big dark creatures were – I'd seen hundreds of coyotes before and these clearly dwarfed them. 


The wolves ran with ease and grace, seeming to float along rather than touch the ground. Teeth gleamed white from grinning black lips, their tails were great plumed banners and they ran with purpose.


And then they were gone. They vanished like smoke into the timber that flanked my property. I have never felt such a wild yearning in my life. A wish that they would come back? A wish that I might go with them? I didn't know. I still don't.


Ever since, however, I've run with the wolves on paper. And the result is my new series, beginning with Changeling Moon which was released May 31st. Book Two, Changeling Dream, is out TODAY, June 28th!  Book Three, Changeling Dawn, will be released in January. I'm working on Book Four right now.


Check below for reviews of Changeling Dream!

Dani Harper
www.daniharper.com

EARLY REVIEWS ---
     "I usually find sequels pale in comparison to the first book in the series, especially when the first is as excellent as Changeling Moon. But Dani Harper managed to create another howling masterpiece. .....       If you love werewolf novels, Changeling Moon and Changeling Dream should be at the top of your to read list."   http://www.bookloons.com/cgi-bin/Review.asp?bookid=13850
     "Werewolf and paranormal romance fans, Changeling Moon is a compelling new read that should not be missed.  Author Dani Harper weaves a captivating story about ordinary people with extraordinary abilities." http://www.examiner.com/romance-novel-in-riverside/paranormal-romance-book-review-changeling-dream-review#ixzz1QFwmwYN7
Buy it now at Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Changeling-Dream-Dani-Harper/dp/0758265166/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309275784&sr=8-1

CHANGELING DREAM and a CONTEST!

I'm SO excited to announce that CHANGELING MOON is now officially released. This is Book Two in my new paranormal series. I'm excited, amazed, awed and thankful for this opportunity to bring my work to a larger audience.


One of the most frequent questions I get asked is "where do you get your ideas?" In this case, I can honestly say I was influenced by a real event!


I owned a small farm in northern Canada and one morning I was stunned to see a pack of wolves – about 7 or 8 – run across my yard. No mistake about what these big dark creatures were – I'd seen hundreds of coyotes before and these clearly dwarfed them. 


The wolves ran with ease and grace, seeming to float along rather than touch the ground. Teeth gleamed white from grinning black lips, their tails were great plumed banners and they ran with purpose.


And then they were gone. They vanished like smoke into the timber that flanked my property. I have never felt such a wild yearning in my life. A wish that they would come back? A wish that I might go with them? I didn't know. I still don't.


Ever since, however, I've run with the wolves on paper. And the result is my new series, beginning with Changeling Moon which was released May 31st. Book Two, Changeling Dream, is out TODAY, June 28th!  Book Three, Changeling Dawn, will be released in January. I'm working on Book Four right now.


Check below for reviews of Changeling Dream, plus a link to my great new contest!

Dani Harper
www.daniharper.com

EARLY REVIEWS ---
     "I usually find sequels pale in comparison to the first book in the series, especially when the first is as excellent as Changeling Moon. But Dani Harper managed to create another howling masterpiece. .....       If you love werewolf novels, Changeling Moon and Changeling Dream should be at the top of your to read list."   http://www.bookloons.com/cgi-bin/Review.asp?bookid=13850
     "Werewolf and paranormal romance fans, Changeling Moon is a compelling new read that should not be missed.  Author Dani Harper weaves a captivating story about ordinary people with extraordinary abilities." http://www.examiner.com/romance-novel-in-riverside/paranormal-romance-book-review-changeling-dream-review#ixzz1QFwmwYN7
Buy it now at Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Changeling-Dream-Dani-Harper/dp/0758265166/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309275784&sr=8-1
CHECK OUT THECELEBRATORY CONTEST ON MY WEBSITE!10 chances to win a prize, and it's easy-peasy to enter! Winners will be drawn at random on July 25th. Contest is open to USA and Canada only (so sorry - high shipping costs have made this necessary)
http://www.daniharper.com/CONTESTS.html

"Changeling Dream" - Book 2 in a new shapeshifter series by Dani Harper

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, I wrote a paranormal romance called Heart of the Winter Wolf. Although its distribution was limited, it was very well received, earned excellent reviews and was adopted by a loyal group of fans. They took it - and me - to their hearts and the support and encouragement has been both touching and overwhelming. I received many, many emails and messages asking for "more stories about the Macleod family".
So I wrote a new book, Changeling Moon , which is a prequel to Heart of the Winter Wolf. And I wrote a third book, Changeling Dawn , which takes place afterwards. It took some time and many, many rejection slips but eventually I was fortunate to find an agent who believed in the series and she found an editor at Kensington who loved it too. Heart of the Winter Wolf had fulfilled its contract with the original publisher by that time, and Kensington decided to re-release it.
I am so happy to announce that Heart of the Winter Wolf has taken its rightful place as the second book in this series. Renamed Changeling Dream , it's been updated and revamped, but my original fans (who have stuck with me through thick and thin) will have no trouble recognizing their much-loved story. I'm excited to be able to send this "child" of mine out into the world to an even wider audience.
To my existing fans, THANK YOU. I couldn't have done it without you. And to future readers, I'm excited to be able to share my stories with you.
Dani Harper www.daniharper.com

BOOK TWOChangeling Dreamby Dani Harper
Release Date June 28, 2011from Kensington Brava
AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER AT AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, BORDERS, CHAPTERS AND MANY MORE FINE BOOKSELLERS
In times of stress Jillian Descharme has always found calm in her dream of a great white wolf with haunting blue eyes. But she is startled when the visions return and this time seem so real. Late at night he comes to her, speaks to her, touches her. It's almost as if he's alive…
Thirty years ago James Macleod lost his wife and unborn child to a killer bent on destroying the Changelings. Though he longed for death, his animal instinct fought for survival and James has been a wolf ever since. Yet now a woman has reawakened the man in him, taming wild instincts but arousing still wilder needs.  With his ancient enemy hunting the legendary white wolf, James must fight for new life, new hope, new love.

Changeling Dream

New Novel Released - CHANGELING MOON

It's out! May 31st was the release day for my latest novel and the first in a 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.


This is a story I was excited to write, and I can't tell you how thrilled I am that the release day is finally here! Thank you to all of my readers for their unflagging support and encouragement. So far Changeling Moon has been very well received and I've been fortunate to garner several early reviews, including the following:

RT REVIEWS (ROMANTIC TIMES) ~ 4 stars ~ "Harper scores a winner with a tale that's a notch above the typical paranormal. She combines a well-written story with well-developed characters and an interesting take on shifter lore. A suspenseful plot and a sizzling relationship make this a welcome addition to the genre. Even readers who don't like paranormals may want to try this one."


PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ~ "Harper debuts a well-conceived shape-shifter series set in a small Canadian town.... Harper has laid sturdy groundwork for a lengthy series through smooth writing, consistent world-building, and an attractive lead couple whose preternatural bonding creates a strong sense of romanticism, and there are plenty of Macleod relatives to populate the planned sequels."


If you've had a chance to read Changeling Moon, I'd love to hear what you think. And I'd be very grateful if you'd take a moment and share this blog on Facebook and Twitter (buttons are in the upper right of this blog page or below, just above the comments) You'll find information on this and other books in the series on my website at www.daniharper.com. Plus, watch for the release of Book 2, CHANGELING MOON, on June 28th, 2011.

Thanks again to my readers ~ I love the connection we share through the written word!


Dani Harper    www.daniharper.com 

GHOST ANIMALS and PHANTOM PETS

Every dog owner knows the sound – the tick, tick, tick of toenails on the floor as Rover ambles onto the scene to see what you're up to.

But what if you hear the sounds and there's no Rover?

A year and a half ago a combination of old age and chronic bronchitis caused our dear old pug, Scooby, to pass on. It wasn't unexpected, but I was devastated just the same. A couple nights later, I found myself awakened by the sound of canine claws on the linoleum. The sound proceeded up the hallway at a slow, waddling pace, accompanied by the jingle of tags. Thinking that my remaining pug, Fiona, needed to go out, I sat up – but discovered she was snoring beside me! All was quiet once more and I thought I'd dreamed the incident.

However, the distinctive doggy sounds continued to occur. By the third incident, I realized that Scooby was still checking in on us. This was confirmed when one of my daughters flew to visit us the following month and was awakened in the night by the same phenomena – and no, I hadn't yet told her of my own experiences. Scooby had been especially close to her and I wondered if perhaps he had lingered in order to connect with her. After she went home, the pugly visitations decreased to once every few months or so.

Stories abound of departed pets visiting the people they were close to in life. A ghostly experience with one of her own cats caused Dusty Rainbolt of Lewisville, Texas to write a book "Ghost Cats: Human Encounters with Feline Spirits". A month after her cat, Maynard, passed on, the woman felt something jump up onto the bed, walk across the blankets and settle at her feet. "I could feel the pressure," recalls Rainbolt. "It was truly haunting but not in a bad sense. I was away from home when he died and I think he came back to say goodbye."

So can animals really become ghosts? If we accept that humans can linger in another form after death, then it follows that animals can too. Some argue that animals do not have souls (obviously these folks are not pet owners), but it's much more likely that animals possess the very same energy that we do. And, as with us, this energy is not extinguished by physical death – physics tells us plainly that energy can't be destroyed, only transformed to another state.

There are almost as many motives for animals to "haunt" a place as for humans to do so. The most powerful reason would be emotional attachment – there's no denying that our animals often love us as much as we love them. Intense trauma can also cause a spirit to linger, and this would be true for any creature, not just our species. And then there are some ghosts who seem to hang around either because they don't realize they're dead or they just prefer to stay in familiar surroundings. Again, this could occur in animals as easily as in humans. All of these are referred to as intelligent hauntings .

But there are also residual hauntings . Some researchers suggest that certain ghosts are not actual entities but a snippet of time being replayed over and over, like a loop of film. This may account for phenomena at the ancient Colosseum in Rome, where not only countless humans lost their lives but thousands of animals were killed. A steady supply of lions, wolves, bears, elephants and many more creatures were imported and used to perform tricks or pitted against gladiators. Over the centuries, there have been many reports of hearing and even seeing exotic animals in the abandoned structure. Today, many staff, workers, guards and visitors have reported that in addition to the sounds of swords clashing and chariots rumbling, they've heard the roaring of big cats and the trumpeting of elephants!

Former Civil War battlefields and camps are among the most haunted places in the country, the source of countless apparitions both human and animal. For instance, a Civil War re-enactor was surprised to discover a riderless horse standing a few feet behind him – but his company had no horses. The sound of many phantom horses snorting and pawing the ground has often been reported around Cashtown Inn in Pennsylvania, an area where Confederate soldiers stayed prior to the battle of Gettysburg.

As with the ghosts of humans, not all animal spirits are friendly. The "most haunted place in Maryland" is a house in Fells Point with five ghosts – and one of them is an angry cat. The story goes that a large cat belonged to a woman who was abused by her drunken husband. The man resented the cat and eventually killed it and walled it up in the cellar! Years later, the house was remodeled and the wall removed, revealing a feline skeleton. This likely explains the mysterious gray cat that has appeared in many rooms of the house over the years – and also explains its bad temper. Guests have attempted to pet the creature, thinking it to be a live cat, but it hisses and runs away. It has also been reported to run between the legs of people it doesn't like, knocking them off balance.

Some phantom animals have a job or duty that they continue to attend to. For example, a church in Picton, Australia has a cemetery guarded by a phantom dog of enormous size. The story goes that a priest owned a St. Bernard, and when his beloved pet died, he buried it in the church graveyard. The ghost dog patrols the sacred grounds and has been reported to chase people out of the cemetery. The Martha Washington Inn in Abingdon, VA has a ghost horse which roams the grounds and startles guests on occasion. Legend has it that the horse is still waiting for its rider, a Union soldier who was shot in front of the building in 1864.

What if the pet owner is a ghost too? The Hotel Vendome in Prescott, Arizona has long been considered haunted, with numberless sightings of ghosts in and around the building. Among the "regulars" is Abby Byr, a woman who once owned the hotel before falling on hard times. And keeping her company is her cat, Noble. The pair have been spotted in and around Room 16 by guests and staff for decades. It's become a tradition to bring gifts for Abby and Noble when staying in the hotel!

Dani Harper
http://www.daniharper.com/

YOUR TURN – Have you ever had an experience with a departed pet or other animal spirit?