by Dani Harper | Jan 9, 2018 | Author Events, News, Storm Crossed Book Tour, The Grim Series
It felt like this day would NEVER arrive! But just as Christmas always sneaks up on me with quick cat feet, here it is both suddenly and at last!
But it didn’t get here by itself.
Behind every published writer stands an entire team! I’m tremendously fortunate to have a great one in the form of family, friends, and professionals who help me make my stories the best they can be— and keep me sane with coffee, kind words, and unbelievable patience.
To my publisher, Montlake Romance; my wonderful editors, copy editors, and proofreaders; and my intrepid Author Team. You guys seriously rock! I could not ask for more positive people to work with.
To artist Jason Blackburn for another amazing cover. You captured the hero on the first try! And to narrator Justine Eyre for bringing my Grim Series to vibrant life as audiobooks— my readers adore your voice work and I do, too. To my agent, Stephany Evans of Ayesha Pande Literary. Your encouragement helped more than you know during an especially challenging year.
To Melody Guy for once again helping me sharpen my focus and tighten my prose. And to Sharon Stogner of Devil in the Details Editing for her fearless red-pen work on the very first draft. Thanks to both of you, my story isn’t walking around with spinach in its teeth!
To all of Dani’s Darklings for cheering me on through thick and thin. What began as a street team has become one lucky writer’s online support group, filled with truly amazing friends. And to Melissa Toews, Tina Clare, Sharon Stogner, Katie Dalton, and Honorary Darkling Jake S. Black, for permitting some of my characters to borrow your names.
To cosplayer Heidi Taylor (aka Triniti’s Ghost) for once again loaning me her irrepressible cats. Bouncer, Jade, and Rory first appeared in Storm Bound and insisted on returning! And to Gay Bamburg McDonald and Mike McDonald for sharing their handsome Neapolitan mastiff and Honorary Grim, Vincent de BluHouse. Calm, steady, and dignified, Vincent has been the perfect inspiration for the unique grim in this story.
To my mountain-man husband, Ron Silvester. For reading and rereading every page of every version of this book, usually in frustratingly unconnected bits and chunks. For courage under fire (otherwise known as living with an introverted, obsessive, and frequently discouraged writer). For giving me the time and space to write in peace but occasionally staging an intervention to get me out of the house (and also for not taking the kicking and screaming personally). I love you.
by Dani Harper | Jan 7, 2018 | Articles, News, Storm Crossed Book Tour, The Grim Series
One of my favorite Welsh legends provided the inspiration for my GRIM SERIES. The Grim is a legendary canine with many names: The Black Dog, the Gwyllgi, the Dog of Darkness, the Barghest, Dog of the Twilight, and the Black Hound of Destiny. It’s said to resemble a giant mastiff, larger than any living dog, and its eyes are often glowing red or fiery yellow.
The tale is an old one, dating all the way back to Celtic times, long before the Romans arrived in Britain. And the Grim doesn’t belong to Wales alone. There are local variations on the story all over the UK. In general, the enormous dog is the herald of Death itself, and those who see the animal are usually destined to die very soon. The dog appears without warning, follows or even chases people – yet vanishes without a trace! Electrical storms are often associated with the dog’s appearance.
In its defense, however, the Grim hasn’t always been threatening – at least, not to the innocent. Sometimes the animal is an instrument of justice, hunting down escaped murderers. A few stories recount incidents where the great beast protected children or guarded lone travelers.
This made me wonder – what if the ghostly creature had a conscience, a sense of right and wrong? What if the black dog didn’t mindlessly follow its mission? In fact, why did he get stuck with a task like this in the first place – and what if he didn’t want it?
Thoughts like these led to the first book, Storm Warrior. After that, the characters and the stories just kept on growing! And they were helped along by an “Honorary Grim”, Grand Champion Vincent de BluHouse. He’s a handsome blue-gray Neapolitan Mastiff who lives with his family, Gay Bamburg McDonald and Mike McDonald, in sultry Louisiana.
Vincent has been invaluable in helping me visualize the massive faery dogs, how they might look and move and sound. And he was undeniably the inspiration for the Grim character, Braith, in my new release, Storm Crossed.
Thank you Vincent, and thank you Gay and Mike! I’m so lucky that we connected! Both my life and my stories are richer for it.
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Vincent and his couch
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Vincent and Gay Bamburg McDonald relaxing
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Vincent and Gay Bamburg McDonald in New York
by Dani Harper | Jan 2, 2018 | Author Events, News, Storm Crossed Book Tour
Only a few days left before the release of the latest standalone in my Grim Series on January 9th… But there’s still time to enter the GOODREADS GIVEAWAY to win 1 of 100 ebooks of Storm Crossed.
by Dani Harper | Dec 29, 2017 | Author Events, News, Storm Crossed Book Tour
Usually I’m the exact opposite of a “party animal” but right now I’m SUPER excited, and I feel like celebrating. The fourth installment of my Grim Series, STORM CROSSED, releases on January 9th – and that’s when an entire month of fun begins!
On January 9th, Storm Crossed will be released in Kindle ebook, paperback, and audiobook!
At 4 p.m. Eastern time on Release Day, I’m heading off to Clare and Lou’s Mad About Books Chat and Party Room for an hour – and of course you know there’ll be giveaways!
Don’t be late! Dani will be partying here on January 9th at 4 pm Eastern time for one hour (but don’t worry, the giveaways will be open much longer!)
I’m teaming up with Bewitching Book Tours for a multi-blog tour, featuring a contest where you can enter to win a Kindle Fire 8, and other prizes. I’ll be posting the schedule of blogs I’ll be visiting in a future post!
Watch for the Blog Tour schedule here soon!
Meanwhile, you can enter a GOODREADS GIVEAWAY right now to win 1 of 100 ebooks of Storm Crossed. Contest runs right up until January 8th, the day before release.
Watch for more information on these and other happenings right here on this page!
