Guest Post and Giveaway: Dani Harper – A Love Affair with Wolves

RUN

Shadow and moonlight merge beneath her bare feet, the forest floor blurring as she flees the dogs and torches. Werewolf, monster -- those are the names given her kind by the humans who hate them.

HUNT

Kenzie Macleod has spent her whole life hiding what she is, and she’s not about to open up to any man, even one as powerfully attractive as wildlife expert Josh Talarkoteen. But legend says that a Changeling cannot escape the call of her true mate, even in the wilderness of backcountry Alaska.

MATE

An isolated archeological site, a terrified Changeling cub, a secretive research center -- as Kenzie and Josh face the ultimate betrayal, his obsidian eyes promise untold pleasure and hint at dark secrets of his ow

Hi, my name is Dani and I adore wolves. In fact, I know the exact time and place I fell in love with wolves. It was a sunny Sunday morning and I was at home on my little farm in northern Canada … and a pack of 7 or 8 wolves loped across my yard right in front of me!

The wolves were unconcerned by my presence. Graceful and unhurried, they seemed to be floating along the ground rather than touching it. Their mouths were open and grinning, their tongues lolling, and they bumped each other’s shoulders amiably. But what impacted me the most was the powerful impression that the wolves were happy.

The pack entered the timber and disappeared into the ravine beyond, and I stood there for a very long time in awe and wonder. I guess it was no surprise when a family of shapeshifters – or Changelings, as they prefer to be called – popped up in my stories. Able to become wolves at will, the Macleods fled Scotland for a new life in northern Canada.


But back to natural wolves. There is so much to admire about them! First and foremost, they’re incredibly intelligent. And it’s true that they mate for life. A pack is made up of the mother and father wolves (the alpha male and female), their grown pups from the last few years and other lower-ranking wolves. A wolf pack is a close-knit group, with strong relationships and social bonds. They show affection to each other and will even sacrifice themselves to protect their family!

These bonds are most noticeable when pups are born. Usually only the alpha pair breed, but the entire pack takes responsibility for feeding and guarding the young. All of the wolves take turns babysitting the pups while the rest of the pack is out hunting. If anything happens to the alphas, the pack will take care of the young wolves. They are mature at about 10 months of age, and will usually remain with the pack.

Such close relationships spark complex communication. Wolves have an amazing repertoire of sounds – barks, whines, growls and howls. But we have only recently learned that wolves have facial expressions, just like humans! In fact, the colors of a wolf’s face, the “mask” of light and dark fur that often frames the eyes and mouth so beautifully has a purpose – it makes it easier for their expressions to be read by other wolves!

There is so much more I could tell you about wolves, but it won’t all fit in this blog. You’ll find a lot of wolf facts sprinkled throughout my Changeling books – I’ve done a lot of research to make sure that what I write about wolves in my novels is absolutely true. (Chalk it up to my former career as a newspaper editor – I have an obsession with facts!)

International Giveaway:

So now you know how I feel about wolves. Do YOU have a favorite animal? Leave me a comment telling me what your most beloved beast is and you’ll be entered in a draw for a signed print copy of my newest release, Changeling Dawn, and a Dani Harper tote bag to put it in!

Categories: Changeling, giveaway, Guest Post, Harper, Wicked Reads