Dani and the Haunted House is a children’s book aimed at kids, 7-11, or those young at heart! It is about a feisty almost-eight-year old Dani who loves mystery and mayhem and is quite adept at getting herself into mischief. Accompanied by her best friend, Chloe Marshall, she sets out to solve one mystery after another by starting with the local haunted house!

Most kids her age would be terrified of walking through a cemetery in the dead of night, but not Dani–much to Chloe’s dismay. Dani isn’t about to let a good mystery go unsolved because her best friend is afraid of what goes bump in the night.

With Dani’s encouragement, a few mishaps, some laughter, and determination, these two will discover that everything is not always what it seems and solve the case.

We think we’re going to like Dani.
Dani and the Haunted House is the first book in the Dani P. Mystery series for children. Mysteries shouldn’t be reserved just for adults. Time has proven with many popular series that children have the same excitement for this genre as adults. Why not give them a fresh new protagonist they can relate to so they can feel the adventure as she sets off to solve her latest case?

Is the series too scary for some kids?
Everyone loves a good mystery, a little fright, and seeing how children can accomplish any task when they set their mind to it.

If you believe children have a keen mind with natural curiosity and like a story with a bit of mystery, mayhem, and fright, you’ll love my book.

And, in any case, we think Dani can be a role model for kids.
Dani is pint-size and feisty. She’s not the type of girl who is about to let anyone tell her what she can and cannot do–well, unless you are an adult. She’s sweet, respectful, and always willing to lend a hand to those in need. Sometimes she may bend the rules a bit in order to solve a case, but she’ll never break them. She values her friendships and will always be there for you in a time of need.

What’s this we hear about your daughter having something to do with the book?
Although a purely fictional character, Dani is very much a compilation of my daughter and myself. The Dani P. Mystery series was originally written for my daughter. The sweet kindness and loyalty you see in her persona is definitely a reflection of my daughter, whereas her sass and obstinate side is definitely me. She is the epitome of sugar and spice!

Tell us more about yourself.
My name is K. Lamb and I love literature. I am also a firm believer that literature is a gift to be passed on to young minds. As adults, we need to make a commitment to children everywhere by reading to them and helping them to cultivate their own passion for literature.

I was blessed to grow up next door to my grandmother who was an avid reader and who shared this gift with me. From as far back as I can remember I have found myself lost in one storybook after another until I finally began writing myself. When my daughter was young I started making up stories for her. I also encouraged her to write down her own stories. One year for Christmas I took all of her stories and had them printed in a leather bound book with gold lettering on the cover. It was a compilation of her literary works. I’ll never forget the excitement on her face.

Many years later it was with my husband and daughter’s encouragement that I decided to publish my first book. Of all the things I have written through the years, both children’s works and YA, I knew that the Dani P. Mystery series would be the first I would release.

And there’ll be more?
Dani and the Mall Caper, the next book in the series, was recently released. I am currently working on Dani and the Rocking Horse Ranch, Dani and the Hidden Treasure, and I have the fifth book on the storyboard.

These days, with video games and other distractions everywhere, it’s still important to get children reading, isn’t it?
Earlier I touched on the fact that I see reading as a gift, but it goes far beyond that in reality. Children that are early readers are better students. By starting the process at an early age, you are setting them on a path for their future. As they grow and become invested in books, it will make them want to succeed. They will begin to develop their own goals. It goes beyond giving them the opportunity of getting lost in a treasured children’s book. It opens up a whole new world where their future is anything they can imagine.

Well said.
Do you have a website?
I would love for everyone to visit me at www.danipmystery.com. My website is broken down into two sections: an easy-to-navigate section for children and a separate parent/teacher section. The children’s section includes coloring pages and puzzles and the parent/teacher section includes learning resources to accompany the books.

What about social media?
I can be found @danipmystery on Twitter or at http://facebook.com/danipmystery.

What’s next?
Dani isn’t the only one who sees a little excitement in her future. I plan to continue working on the Dani P. Mystery series and to also work on some of my young adult novels to ready them for publication. I have been delighted with this amazing experience and look forward to continuing on the path of indie publishing.