I'm happy to welcome a favorite paranormal romance author to my blog, Dani Harper.
Dani says, "Quite simply, I adore the paranormal." Her stories show her love of the genre and are fresh and well written and I like her twist on shifters--Changlings.
Her topic is writing life, deadlines, dustbunnies, environmental hazards, and love. Not necessarily in that order. J
It isn't easy living with a writer who’s working to a
deadline. Impending deadlines cause vacuuming to fall by the wayside, and
roving herds of dustbunnies to collect along the baseboards. (The ones under
the bed may be close to achieving sentience.)
The linen closet holds all the items I swept off the coffee table when
unexpected company pulled into the driveway last week. Clean towels are
currently kept in the dryer (assuming they made it that far), and may or may
not be dry. The pots are in the oven? Don’t ask, don’t tell.
And those are just the environmental
hazards of living with a writer on deadline….
Nutritional hazards abound as well. Don’t get me wrong,
there is food in the house – honest, decent food. The problem is that I've
forgotten what to do with it because I literally can’t write to deadline and
chew gum at the same time. Take a brain already preoccupied with characters and
plot, add the pressure of a ticking countdown, and suddenly I can’t rely on it
to do anything else. Of course I still try to force my brain into preparing
meals – and that’s when the smoke alarm goes off, or Splenda gets poured into
the coffeemaker, or the brussel sprouts go bouncing amongst the dust bunnies,
or I forget something important. Like turning on the oven two hours ago for the
chicken. We won’t talk about
what happened to the food processor during my last deadline…
Emotional hazards are rampant and unpredictable for a writer
on deadline. Turning green (“HULK SMASH!”) when I can’t get a scene to work is
not unusual. So is feeling overwhelmed or intimidated by the pressure,
accompanied by considerable weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. The
neighbors have all heard “I’LL NEVER GET THIS DONE!” through the open windows
dozens of times. They’ve also heard such favorites as “I CAN’T THINK OF AN
IDEA!”, “MY WHOLE STORY SUCKS!” and “WHY CAN’T MY CHARACTERS DO WHAT THEY’RE
TOLD FOR ONCE?” Most of the neighbors
just ignore it now as normal background noise, right up there with lawnmowers
and cicadas, but a couple did stop in the street to look when I ranted “HOW THE
HELL AM I GOING TO GET THESE PEOPLE TO HAVE SEX?”
We’re so not going to talk about the visual hazards of me still at the computer in my pajamas at 2 in
the afternoon …
So there you have the ruins. And that’s where the love comes
in. My Alaskan mountain-man husband is already my hero in every possible way,
but even more so when I’m writing to a deadline. Hugs or coffee or help – he’s
generous with all three, and never complains. He’s used to waking up to an empty
bed in the middle of the night because I've gotten an idea on how to fix a
scene. He’s patient when I’m cranky as a crocodile with a toothache because I’m
stressed. He holds my hand and says I look perfect
even I've been too busy to shower and my hair looks like a raccoon was
electrocuted on my head. He empties the dishwasher, rescues the towels from the
dryer and does battle with the dustbunnies. Cheers me on, calms me and consoles
me, and would still be button-popping proud of me if I never sold a single
book.
And he even reads my stories. Every. Last. Word.
It’s not easy living with a writer on deadline, but my
husband does it well. My real-life hero may never know how much he inspires the
heroes in my books simply by being who he is. He definitely inspires ME to keep
trying, keep working, keep writing. Without his unfailing support and his
belief in me, there are days that the pressure would simply flatten me and I
would hide under my desk (if I could find it) and suck my thumb.
- YOUR TURN – Who or what inspires you to get back in the ring and keep swinging?
 |
| BUY: AMAZON, B&N, CHAPTERS INDIGO |
Geneva “Neva” Ross doesn't want to die. But now that she’s been turned into a werewolf against her will, she’ll do anything to protect her family and friends…even if that means taking her own life.
After witnessing Neva’s leap from a high ledge, Travis Williamson—a Changeling with a dark past—uses his powers to save her life. He feels a connection to the strong-willed woman whose eyes flash that familiar Changeling green. While Neva is hospitalized, Travis risks everything to kidnap her, knowing the approaching full moon will put everyone in jeopardy.
Bickering constantly to hide their growing attraction, Travis and Neva run from the authorities…and from Neva’s sinister sire, Meredith de la Ronde. Meredith delights in creating new shape-shifters and compelling them to do her dark bidding; now Neva must join Meredith’s murderous wolf pack…or die. Excerpt
~A Night Owl Top Pick ~
Dani Harper is a newspaper editor turned paranormal author. There isn't anything she likes better than exploring the supernatural - unless it's writing sizzling and suspenseful romance. Of course, all of her stories have at least one foot in the netherworld!
Website
- http://www.daniharper.com
(where you’ll find
lots more ways to connect with Dani)
Facebook
Fan Page - https://www.facebook.com/Dani.Harper.Fan.Page
Twitter
- @Dani_Harper or https://twitter.com/Dani_Harper
