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Author Archive for Dani Harper

The Month of March – every day’s a holiday!

By Dani Harper · Comments (36)
Thursday, March 1st, 2012
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March is named for Mars, the god of war. As you might expect, it’s an action-packed month and has been for a very long time. The ancient Romans had so many celebrations in this month that they finally had to set aside one day out of the month in order to rest from all the festivities! Then as now, most days boast more than one event. The following is just a small sampling of the many, many celebrations crammed into this 31 days!

Just a sampling of the many, many holidays crammed into the merry month of March.

Traditionally March starts off with a bang by “coming in like a lion”!  It gets off to a tasty start too, with National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day on the first. (And I know my husband’s going to ask for his favorite peanut butter cookies as soon as he reads this, LOL)

March 3rd is “What If Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day”! Whomever invented it likely did so for fun, but frankly, the thought of my two pugs with thumbs terrifies me – they’d take over the world in a matter of days!

Frozen foods made their first appearance in grocery stores in 1930. March 6th gives fans a chance to celebrate with National Frozen Food Day. (I’m celebrating with Ben and Jerry!)

Be Nasty Day!

If you’re tired of being nice, then March 8th is for you. It’s Be Nasty Day – when you don’t hold the door open for anyone, don’t say please or thank you, and help yourself to the biggest piece of chocolate cake. Aw heck. Take the whole cake.

March 9th is the day for the cool, calm and collected to let their hair down – it’s PANIC DAY! That’s right, if you’re trying to be brave about the impending zombie apocalypse, you can uncork some of that stress on this day. 24 hours not enough? INTERNATIONAL Panic Day comes along on June 18th.

National Ear Muffs Day occurs on March 13th. Although it might be better appreciated in colder months like January or February, the anniversary celebrates the patenting of ear muffs (actually “Champion Ear Protectors”) on March 13, 1877.

Thanks to Shakespeare, we know we should “beware the Ides of March”, but what is it? Once just a date on the Roman calendar, it referred to midmonth, March 15th, and served as a deadline to settle debts. In 44 BC, Julius Caesar was murdered on that day and it’s had unlucky connotations ever since.

Everyone’s Irish on March 17th. But did you know that green wasn’t the color originally associated with St. Patrick? Turns out it was a vivid shade of blue. But by the end of the 1700s, the wearing of the green became more popular.  “St. Patrick’s Blue” isn’t completely forgotten however. It’s still used on Ireland’s Presidential Flag, while the Irish Guards sport a plume of St. Patrick’s blue on their bearskin hats.

Extraterrestrial Abduction Day!

The Vernal Equinox and first day of spring occur on the 20th . But they’re small potatoes next to the real celebration on this date – Extraterrestrial Abduction Day!  Whether you want to celebrate the fact that you haven’t been abducted – yet – or want to shout to the world that you have seen the inside of an alien craft, it’s your day.

And if you’re still in the mood for something extraterrestrial, you can celebrate “Near Miss Day” on March 23. That’s the day in 1989 that a huge asteroid passed within 500,000 miles of Earth. According to scientists, that was a very close call – we’re lucky it’s not The End of Life As We Know It Day!

International Waffle Day

National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day falls on March 24. I plan to celebrate with a giant box of them in front of a movie. And my hubby is hoping we celebrate the next day too – International Waffle Day is on March 25th! It was created by the Swedish, who apparently believe that making waffles is the ideal way to observe the coming of spring. I can’t argue with that.

Not finding a holiday you can really get behind? Then March 25th is just for you. It’s Make Your Own Holiday Day and you can recognize anything or anyone – including yourself!

March 27th is Quirky Country Music Song Titles Day. This is the time to celebrate classic tunes like “Who’s Gonna Take The Garbage Out When I’m Dead And Gone?”, “She Got The Ring And I Got The Finger”, “Did I Shave My Legs for This?”, “You Done Tore Out My Heart And Stomped That Sucker Flat” and “How Can I Miss You if You Won’t Go Away?”

At the end of such a busy month, you’ll need a day off. March 30th is Take a Walk in the Park Day. And it’ll probably be a nice day too – the month of March traditionally “goes out like a lamb”.

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GIVEAWAY

Now it’s your turn!  Tell me about a wacky holiday, your favorite holiday or what you WISH was a holiday. I have a signed copy of Changeling Dawn up for grabs. I’ll be drawing a name at random from the comments on Wednesday, March 7th. Be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you if you win!  Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. :D

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Of Groundhogs and Wolves

By Dani Harper · Comments (35)
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012
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Happy Groundhog Day! It’s February 2nd and by now we all know how long winter is supposed to last thanks to Punxsutawny Phil’s prediction. But did you know that wolves have also been associated with the ability to predict the future?

Among the Cheyenne, there were men who were said to understand the language of wolves. Stories tell of wolves predicting enemy attacks and warning the Cheyenne people. The gift of prophecy could be bestowed by wolves on worthy individuals.

wolf howlingThe ancient Romans believed that wolves were sacred to Mars, god of war. They were rarely sacrificed but each sacrifice was followed by reading the entrails, both to divine if the god had accepted the sacrifice and to discern the future.  The Greeks did the same, offering wolves to Apollo, the sun god. To both Romans and Greeks, seeing a wolf was a sign of good fortune. Eventually, whatever the wolf was doing became important as well. For instance, a wolf running to the right with food in its mouth signified great joy.

Wolves were considered strong omens in battle, and before the battle of Sentinum (295 BC), a deer pursued by a wolf ran between the two battle lines. The deer ran toward the Gauls, who killed it. The wolf ran toward the Romans and they parted ranks to permit the wolf safe passage. The Romans believed that the appearance of the wolf signified they would be victorious and, in spite of several setbacks, the Romans won the day.

Wolves were once deities in Japan, and were said to have served as divine messengers. Their task was to bring words from the gods to the Shinto temples.

The Koyukon are a group of Athabaskan people living in northern Alaska. Their stories portray wolves as harbingers of doom – if a wolf howled in a strange manner, someone in the village was likely to die. Other native tribes, such as the Blackfeet and the Skagit, considered the presence of wolves to bring good luck, especially when hunting.

In modern times, wolves continue to be associated with foretelling the future, at least in an immediate physical sense.  In 1920, an 8.5 earthquake hit China’s Ninghxia Province. According to reports of eyewitnesses, prior to this earthquake, wolves were seen running wildly around in packs. China is currently researching animal sensitivity to seismic events. The possibility also exists that wolves can predict lightning strikes. This was demonstrated in a 2007 YouTube video when an entire group of captive wolves suddenly stood up and began howling. Within a few seconds, lightning struck about 250 feet away.

And last but not least, the scientific world announced in 2011 that wolves are helping predict climate effects on evolution. A 15-year study of 150 wolves in Yellowstone helped scientists at Imperial College develop a computer model that will predict future changes to wolves and other animals – and eventually even humans.

In my own stories about Changelings – beings who can assume the form of a wolf at will – there are several characters with the ability to sense the future. For instance, Connor Macleod experiences far sight. Zoey Tyler inherited psychic ability from her human family. Pack leader Jessie Watson has made accurate predictions too, usually about the Changelings in her charge — such as James Macleod.

Dani Harper's 3 Changeling Novels

GIVEAWAY

As you know, I never come to a blog empty handed! One lucky commenter will win a signed copy of my latest shapeshifter release, Changeling Dawn. So tell me if you’ve ever experienced a prediction that came true!  Or tell me what you like about wolves and werewolves. Don’t forget to leave me an email address so I can contact you if you win! I’ll draw a name from the big blue mixing bowl on Feb. 10th.

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“Changeling Dawn” releases this month!

By Dani Harper · Comments (56)
Thursday, December 1st, 2011
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It’s December, month of magic. Winter Solstice, Yuletide, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and more – does any other month have so many holidays? This year, I have an extra reason to celebrate:  It’s the month in which the third book of my new paranormal series comes out. Changeling Dawn will be released on December 27th and I couldn’t be more excited! I feel it’s my best one yet and RT (Romantic Times) Book Reviews concurs with 4 1/2 stars:

Book Three - releases December 27 and available for pre-order now!

“This third entry in the Macleod werewolf family saga is the best one yet. Harper skillfully builds characters and situations that evoke empathy for the good citizens of both the human and shapeshifter species. The drama of the tracking and kidnapping of a young changeling child makes for page-turning suspense, while the main characters’ PTSD from childhood trauma and the Afghan war give them a great motive for their intense determination to rescue the little one.

Archeologist Kenzie Macleod likes working alone, and trusts no humans — the result of a traumatic chase several centuries ago when she was a young shapeshifter. However, Kenzie must trust Josh Talarkoteen to help her rescue the terrified changeling cub who shows up at her isolated dig site in Alaska and is later kidnapped.

Wildlife expert Josh is a member of the Tahltan tribe who, according to legend, can see the aura of wolfshifters. Josh has his own issues with flashbacks from his time in Afghanistan, and the memory of a young girl who was killed. Will they be able to surmount their obstacles and find the child?”

Here’s a sneak peek at the opening segment of the story:

Run.

Shadow and moonlight merged beneath her bare feet, the dappled forest floor blurring as the little girl ran fast, then faster. Her long plaid skirts were hiked around her waist, and bushes and twigs dragged at the woolen fabric like bony hands. They were close behind her now. The nervous whining of dogs, the hiss and flicker of torches, the stench of tobacco and ale and human sweat. The excited voices, rough with anger and a little fear.

Run.

Her heart threatened to explode from her chest, her lungs were in flames, but she had to run. She had to get away.

Run.

She stumbled yet kept her balance. She ran, knowing now that she couldn’t outdistance the hunters. She was very young – still, there was one thing left, one thing that could help her.

It spoke to her now, whispered from deep inside her. Call me, it said. Call me now.

She did.

Within her, something stirred to life and the hair on her scalp prickled, her skin felt hot and tight. A small stream was in her path and she leapt into the air with the last of her strength—

And landed as a young wolf. Faster now, streamlined, she was nature’s perfect running machine and it was only a matter of minutes before the hunters were left hopelessly behind. Her four paws took her off the narrow game trails and into the deep brush where even the dogs couldn’t follow her – if they dared.

Run, run, run. She raced easily, faster and faster. Her fear transformed into exhilaration and she ran with an unbridled joy … until the ground disappeared beneath her feet and she tumbled headfirst into darkness.

Kenzie Macleod awoke with the scream stuck in her throat. She swallowed it back as awareness dawned, released the fear on a long shaky exhale.

What the hell was that?

Heart racing and skin slick with sweat; she freed her naked body from the tangled sheets and padded to the kitchen. She pulled a water bottle from the fridge and drank it down with hardly a pause, wiping her mouth on her arm. Better. Her heart rate had returned to normal by the time she stepped in the shower. Her thoughts had slowed down too as she ran her fingers through her dark hair and reached for a towel.

Fully awake now, stray riverlets of water licking over her skin, she stepped out on the porch of the guest cabin. Still clad in only the towel, she wasn’t a bit cold, despite the breeze – Changeling body temperature ran much higher than human. Kenzie breathed in the scents, took in the sounds and sights of her brothers’ farm. The sky was lightening, silver gray above the tall poplars. Roosters crowed, livestock stirred. Birds sang to the dawn and a flurry of ducks took off from the pond. She liked it here. She always liked it here. The abundance of life that seemed to be in the very air made her feel alive too, and she let it soothe her.

By the time she yanked on her old jeans and a battered plaid flannel shirt, she felt almost normal. Calm, as she plugged in the coffee pot. But the nightmare was still very much on her mind, because it wasn’t a dream…

It was a memory.

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Both the season and the book release call for celebration, so I’m offering a double giveaway — TWO readers will win! Leave a comment telling me about a favorite December tradition and you’ll be entered to win a Dani Harper book bag and a signed copy of Changeling Dawn! (Names will be drawn at random on December 21st and announced in the comments on this blog)

Hope your December brings you many moments of joy!

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Werewolves versus Changelings ——— a pocket guide to Shapeshifters

By Dani Harper · Comments (89)
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
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In my new shapeshifter series, every member of the Macleod family has the ability to become a wolf at will. Insulted by the term werewolf, they call themselves Changelings.

But what makes them different? Why would they be offended to be called werewolves? To answer this question I put together a handy guide with some of the key distinctions between the two.

Turf War - by Patrick McEvoy

APPEARANCE – From the wolfman and the lycan of Hollywood lore to the oft-sighted Beast of Bray Road, Wisconsin and the Michigan Dogman, a werewolf often stands on its hind legs. Its features tend to be distorted, an unhappy cross between human and wolf. Often the tail is short or missing altogether.

Changelings in their wolfen form are identical to natural wolves, standing on all fours. Graceful and swift, the difference is in their size: they’re a lot bigger! And a good look at their eyes often reveals the identity of the person within. While fur color seldom corresponds to their human appearance, their eyes are identical in either form. This is especially noticeable when James Macleod shapeshifts: His wolfen form is snowy white, but his eyes are still Viking-blue.

TEMPERAMENT – Werewolves are not known for their gentle nature. Maddened by their transformation, their bloodlust is insatiable. The Beast of Gevaudan, a French werewolf from the 18th century, killed 113 people and wounded more than 50 in its 3-year reign of terror.

The number one rule in the Changeling world is this: Never harm a human. This doesn’t mean that these wolves are tame, however. Plus, there is the occasional rogue that breaks this all-important law, but his life will be instantly forfeit. The entire Pack will take it upon themselves to stop the rogue – if they can – as in the first book of my new paranormal series, Changeling Moon.

TRANSFORMATION – Werewolves have no control over their change. Although the influence of a full moon is a modern-day invention, werewolves are completely subject to the beast within and helpless to stop it from emerging. Plus, the werewolf transformation is often slow and painful. Some werewolves will never be able to return to their human form.

A Changeling’s transformation appears instantaneous to human eyes. The full moon triggers their first change, but they can shapeshift at will after that. They may even choose to change more than once in a single day. Only the first shift is painful, but it is agonizing as the body must learn new pathways.  All subsequent changes are painless.

Changelings are almost always in control of themselves and their inner wolf. Under certain circumstances, however, the wolf within them will rise – to ensure their own survival or that of a mate.

BECOMING A WEREWOLF – Werewolves regard their condition as a curse, one that is usually transmitted by an infectious bite or scratch, or perhaps by a malicious spell. There is no way to stop the transformation once a human has been bitten by a werewolf.

Changelings regard their ability to transform as a gift. They are usually born with it, and in the case of my series, everyone in the Macleod family is a Changeling. The gift can be passed on to a human, but this is seldom done except when the human has married a Changeling and truly wants to join their world. The second cardinal rule in the Changeling world comes into play here: Never turn a human against their will.

MATING – Werewolves are usually too busy chasing down people and eating them to be concerned with dating.

Although Changelings can pair with anyone they choose, shapeshifter or human, their inner wolf recognizes a true mate immediately. Which brings us to the third and best rule of this world: Changelings always mate for life.  Always.


QUESTION FOR READERS:  Do you have a favorite shapeshifter character from a story, series, movie or TV show?

GIVEAWAY:  On Friday, November 11th, I’ll draw a winner at random from the comments section. The prize is a signed copy of Changeling Dream!

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Highland Halloween

By Dani Harper · Comments (14)
Thursday, October 6th, 2011
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In my new paranormal series about Changelings, the Macleod family hails from northern Scotland. Halloween is a very different holiday over there, especially when our heroes James, Connor, Culley and their sibs were kids.

Samhain Bonfire

Halloween in the Highlands has its roots in Celtic traditions that are thousands of years old. It was the celebration of Samhain, the end of summer and the light half of the year, and the beginning of the dark half. Feasts were held and huge bonfires lit throughout the countryside. Samhain also marked a mystical time when the veil between worlds was very thin. The souls of the dead, the fairy folk, demons and evil spirits could all interact freely with humans. In many parts of Scotland, an empty chair and a plate of food was put out for the spirits of departed family, who were most likely to come calling during the hour before midnight.

Carved turnip or "tumshie"

Humans, of course, wanted to protect themselves from most otherworldly visitors. To keep the wandering souls and evil spirits away at this time of year, candles and lanterns were used. The bright orange jack o’lantern we know today began as a lowly garden turnip, rutabaga or even a large potato, carved with a frightening face and fill with an ember or two from the fire so it would glow. By the way, turnips are often called neeps in Scotland.

The Scottish tradition of guising – going in disguise – began as people used masks and ragged clothes to fool evil spirits into thinking the guisers were dead souls too! The guisers would often go door to door and were given gifts of food and other little offerings as a way of placating the unseen beings. Later, guisers often had to sing or perform a little dance before they received the goodies.

apple dookin

Outside of warding off evil, there was plenty of celebration at Samhain in Scotland. Games included biting at treacle-covered scones that were dangled on strings – with your hands behind your back and blindfolded as well. (Treacle is a sticky molasses-like syrup) This was followed up by bobbing for apples (called apple dookin in Scotland), another game where you can only use your teeth. Often, it was done by holding a fork between your teeth and catching the stem of the apple with it. And the water in the washtub was usually well-sprinkled with white flour, designed to stick to your treacle-covered face!  Games where the future was divined were very popular. An apple would be peeled in one long strip, and the peeling tossed backward over your shoulder. The shape of the fallen peeling would signify the first letter of a future spouse’s name.

Foretelling the future had its ominous sides too. For instance, after the village bonfire went out, the ashes were often swept into a circle and a large stone placed in the center by each family that lived there. If their stone was moved for any reason, it was said that someone in that family would soon die!

A grave in Scotland

Traditions changed in later centuries, helped along by the Catholic church which sought to replace pagan holidays with its own. Thus the Christian feast of All Saints was assigned to November 1st, a day which honored all saints and especially those that didn’t have their own day devoted to them. The night before became known as All Hallows Eve – but the tradition that souls could wander on that night remained, and the lines between Samhain, Halloween and All Hallows became permanently blurred.

I like to think about my characters, the Macleods, living in northern Scotland a couple hundred years ago and celebrating Samhain in the old traditional ways. Would they utilize their special abilities as Changelings to run as wolves on that night? I can picture them being joined by friends and family, the Pack that they knew at the time. Perhaps they would meet in a special clearing in the great thick Caledonian forest and light their own bonfire.

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Giveaway – one commenter will be drawn at random to receive a Dani Harper book bag filled with swag. Draw will take place October 31, 2011 at high noon Eastern time and announced in the comments section of this blog.

Dani Harper's new shapeshifter series

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Is a book trailer worth a thousand wolves?

By Dani Harper · Comments (20)
Thursday, September 1st, 2011
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I’m really excited – I FINALLY finished putting together a video for my new Changeling series!  It was a lot of work (read weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth) but also a lot of fun (well, the chocolate I soothed my frayed nerves with was pretty good … and the trailer is much more fun now that it’s all done, LOL!).

My goal was to tell the basic background story of my Changeling world, condensed into as few words as possible. The hardest part was finding just the right pictures.  I hope my readers and would-be readers will enjoy the finished product. Click on the link below to view:

In other news, Changeling Moon and Changeling Dream are out. I’m looking forward to the release of Changeling Dawn on January 1st. For me, it’s a great way to kick off 2012 — being able to finally share this story with my readers. I feel it ‘s the best one yet!

To celebrate the new book trailer, I’m offering a giveaway: A book tote with a signed copy of my most recent release, Changeling Dream.

To enter, just leave me a comment. Tell me what you think of the video OR tell me what you think of book trailers in general OR you can tell me about another book trailer you’ve seen and enjoyed lately! (I secretly LOVE them myself)

One name will be drawn at random on September 9th, 2011 at high noon Eastern time, and the winner will be announced on this blog.

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Wolf Appeal

By Dani Harper · Comments (99)
Thursday, August 4th, 2011
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Human beings have wolf envy. We’ve had it for a long time too. Our ancestors admired wolves for the same reasons we do today – their beauty, their intelligence, their loyalty to their mates and their ability to work as a team. Wolves are strong, powerful, brave and tireless. They seem to embody freedom itself and when they sing, something in us responds with yearning.

Everybody wants to be a WOLF!

And besides all that, there’s the cool factor. No other animal can traverse the jungles of pop culture so effortlessly. We decorate everything from checkbook covers to collector plates to toys with wolfen images, and name sports teams and rock bands after them. Put all those attributes together and it’s an irresistible package.

It’s no surprise at all that Vampires have had to shove over and make room at the top of the romantic protagonist heap for the Werewolf, Shapeshifter, Lycan, and, in the case of my new series, the Changeling.

Usually portrayed as angst-ridden human turned uncontrollable killer in horror movies, the paranormal romance novel has shown us a new and different Wolf-Man. He has all the qualities we admire about wild wolves. Tough. Smart. Handsome. Plus there’s that whole mating for life thing, which seems to be leaking out of the human gene pool. Today’s Werewolf is more powerful than ever, yet protective. Caring enough to carry Granny and all her groceries across the street. And in addition to the attributes he shares with wild wolves, there’s one that’s all his own.

He’s drop-dead sexy.

Why are we so attracted? In our modern lives we are often out of touch with nature, yet we instinctively miss it. Theory suggests we have a psychic memory of forest and trail, a collective awareness of hunter and hunted (and humans have been both). We have a primal response to the very wildness embodied in wolves – and the danger. And we respond to the same in the Werewolf hero of paranormal romance.

We’d like to be a little less tame ourselves…

Sincerely,

Dani Harper 

www.daniharper.com

Now it’s YOUR turn – Do you have a favorite animal? If you had to become an animal, which one would you choose?  GIVEAWAY – One commenter will be drawn at random to receive a signed copy of CHANGELING DREAM, the second book in Dani’s new shapeshifter series from Brava. Draw will take place August 18, 2011 at high noon Eastern time and will be announced in the comments area of this blog.

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Tall, Dark & Furry

By Dani Harper · Comments (36)
Thursday, July 7th, 2011
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Even a man who is pure in heart
And says his prayers each night
May become a wolf when the wolf-bane blooms
And the autumn moon is bright.
(From the movie, “The Wolf Man”, 1941)

Werewolves have had a powerful presence in modern pop culture since The Wolf Man came to the big screen in 1941. This black and white classic featured Lon Chaney as Larry Talbot. Bitten by a werewolf (Bella Lugosi), Talbot survives to carry on the curse. We all know the story, and subsequent monster movies varied little from the tragic formula.

Today however, the werewolf is not necessarily the bad guy. There are plenty of paranormal romance novels (my Changeling series included!) where a shapeshifter is none other than the hunky hero. Movies show the same trend, as in the Twilight, Harry Potter and Underworld franchises. And werewolves are a growing presence on television (Teen Wolf, Being Human, Vampire Diaries and True Blood).

Despite all this attention, the concept of werewolves didn’t originate in modern times. In fact, you’ll find them in the history of almost every culture in the world. Werewolves have a place in European antiquity, Russian folklore and Norse mythology. Humans who become wolves are also chronicled in early French Canadian stories and appear in Native American tales. Accounts of werewolves even appear in Greek and Roman writings.

Werewolf was a word first documented in 1008, although it originated long before that. The word wer (or were, wair, verr) means “man” in several older European languages. And wulf – well, that’s pretty self-explanatory. England, Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland, etc. all use a variation of the word werewolf.

There are plenty of other names for a werewolf, however. In France or French Canada, you’d beware of the loup-garou. In Spain and Mexico, it’s the hombre lobo and in Argentina, the lobizón. It’s the kurtadam in Turkey, the vlkodlak in the Czech Republic. In Greece, you’d watch out for the lycanthropos, and in Italy, the lupo mannaro. In Haiti, be very afraid of the Jé-rouge. And in my new paranormal series with Brava, the shapeshifters prefer to be called Changelings.

Wolves are not the only animals featured in shapeshifting legends however. There are stories of were-bears in northern Europe. Chinese, Korean and Japanese stories prominently feature were-foxes, as well as many other creatures such as snakes and dragons that become human. Africa’s folklore has were-hyenas, India tells of the were-tiger, and in Central and South America are legends of the were-jaguar. Irish and Welsh legends feature individuals changing into everything from horses to hares. Many Native American tribes have stories of transformations from man to animal.

Our present fascination with werewolves might be as simple as a subconscious wish to get back in touch with nature. Being able to run wild and free as a wolf at will is pretty appealing after you’ve been stuck in traffic for an hour. A few have theorized that weres owe their current popularity to a psychological leftover (perhaps even a genetic memory) from a long ago time when you didn’t dare venture outside at night for fear of running into a nasty supernatural creature. It’s a little like Halloween – we love to play with the things that scare us!

Are werewolves real? There have been countless reports in recent decades of hairy wolf-like humanoids even in the United States! One animal, known as the Bray Road Beast of Wisconsin, has been sighted by residents since 1936 and described as a wolf-man creature. (And these are people who are well-acquainted with local wildlife like bears!) Even some skeptics have become believers after interviewing witnesses.

Whether werewolves exist in reality or just in our imaginations, one thing is certain – our fascination with them is here to stay!

DANI HARPER is a newspaper editor turned paranormal author. There isn’t anything she likes better than exploring the supernatural — unless it’s writing romantic suspense. Of course, all of her stories have at least one foot in the netherworld…

Her new shapeshifter series includes CHANGELING MOON, CHANGELING DREAM and CHANGELING DAWN.

www.daniharper.com

GIVEAWAY – One commenter will be drawn at random to receive a signed copy of the first book in Dani’s new shapeshifter series from Brava, CHANGELING MOON. Draw will take place July 25, 2011 at high noon Eastern time and will be announced in the comments area of this blog.


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