Interviews With Writers

Author Interviews from Writers Around the World

  • Home
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Interview Submission
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sites in the BookGoodies Network
You are here: Home / Interviews / Interview with Author – Dakota Willink

Interview with Author – Dakota Willink

By Interviews With Writers

Profile-Pic
Author Bio:
Dakota Willink is a self employed writer and editor, and the author of Heart of Stone, a contemporary romance novel.

She has always had a passion for reading and writing. From the time she was an adolescent, she enjoyed curling up with a good paperback, reading genres that ranged from thriller and fantasy, to mystery and romance. She always dreamed of one day writing her own book, but had put her aspirations on hold to focus on her family and a career that would pay the bills.

Although she earned a degree in business and had built a solid reputation in retail sales, her heart continued to be with fictional characters – whether they belonged to a favorite author or if they were just stories that she made up in her own head.

In 2013, Dakota gathered enough courage to turn her dreams into a reality. In between playing chauffeur to two very busy children and working her job during the day, Dakota began to put words on paper. Eventually, she began to describe her life as a book. Everything she saw or heard throughout the day, intertwined with her imagination for the creation of future writings. By 2014, with the support of her husband and two children, she gave up the security of a steady paycheck and began working on her first novel full time.

Dakota Willink is a lover of music, and appreciates the power and stimulating effect it can have on the brain. She often uses lyrics and melodies to help her through bouts of writers block. At the end of her novel, you can find an authors note that recognizes and thanks the artists that gave her inspiration.

Dakota resides in the Western New York area, where she enjoys spending time with family, her two Labrador Retrievers, and her spoiled rotten cat. During the summer months, she can often be found on a boat, soaking up the sun on the Great Lakes with her family.

Heart of Stone is available in paperback and for Kindle eReaders.

What inspires you to write?
I’m a lover of music, and appreciate the power and stimulating effect it can have on the brain. I often use lyrics and melodies to help me through bouts of writers block. At the end of my novel, you can find an authors note that recognizes and thanks the artists that gave me inspiration.

Tell us about your writing process.
I am an author that just writes whatever comes to mind. I once tried outlining the framework for my book, but found that it gets in the way of the creative process. I’m the type of person that will just think of an idea, then let the words flow. I never let the lack of a computer at my fingertips get in the way, and I can often be caught dictating ideas to Siri when I’m driving and my imagination strikes.

For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I try to imagine how I would think and feel by putting myself in my characters “shoes”. It helps me to write with emotion.

Who are your favorite authors?
The last time I stayed up all night reading a book was when the last Harry Potter book was released – I am a huge fan. As for other books, I read so many genres and have quite a few favorite authors. Sylvia Day, Ken Follet, Steven Saylor, Nora Roberts, Dan Brown, and Shayla Black are amongst them.

How did you decide how to publish your books?
I did a lot of research on this, and decided to go with Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and CreateSpace. Since I was new to self-publishing, I found Amazon to be the most user friendly. CreateSpace, a partner of Amazon, was a great way to provide paperback versions of my book to those that prefer to turn a page the old fashioned way. However, because my book is a contemporary romance (content for 18 years or older), any potential advertising with Amazon was out. Because of that, I will be looking to expand my audience with Kobo Books, Nook, and other eReader platforms after my agreement with Amazon’s KDP Select is over.

What do you think about the future of book publishing?
It’s so easy to self-publish now, that I think some “brick and mortar” publishers will struggle to survive. However, for the reader, buying a book written by an unknown self-published author can have risks because just about anyone can publish today. It becomes a crap shoot – you could end up buying a mismatched story with poor editing, or you could land your new favorite author. That’s why it’s so important for readers to write author reviews. But no matter how good or bad a reader thinks that a book is, they need to remember that it takes a lot for somebody to put themselves out there. Every writer puts their heart and soul into their work.

What genres do you write?
Contemporary Romance

What formats are your books in?
eBook, Print

Website(s)
Dakota Willink Home Page Link
Link To Dakota Willink Page On Amazon

Your Social Media Links
Facebook
Twitter

Filed Under: Interviews, Romance Tagged With: contemporary romance, Dakota Willink, Heart of Stone, indie author, NYC, women's fiction

Follow Us!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search our Site

Featured Books

Featured Book: Of Men and Dragons: Jack's Landing by Steven Hayen

About Featured Book: Of Men and Dragons: Jack's Landing by Steven Hayen Jack was having a very bad day. He'd been scouting the edges of the known galaxy when he'd crashed onto a planet at the beginning of its iron age. What was worse, the natives are seven-foot-tall carnivores who are faster, stronger, and every […]

Featured Book: Conversations with Ayahuasca by Ol Serbon

About Featured Book: Conversations with Ayahuasca by Ol Serbon Promotional sale: E-book for $0.99. Dates: June 21st – July 26th Description: I wasn’t planning on becoming an author, but a writing spell suddenly kicked in during an ayahuasca ceremony that took place at one of the spiritual retreat centers in the Sacred Valley, Peru, in […]

Featured Book: Darkleich: Man Of War by Bryan R Barton

About Featured Book: Darkleich: Man Of War by Bryan R Barton An invisible enemy A war between worlds. And only one man can prevent it all: Darkleich When an invisible ship starts attacking a growing coalition of planets, the panic-stricken leaders appoint Darkleich, a courageous and honorable soldier, to uncover its secrets. Especially since the […]

Featured Book: YOU BETTER RUN by Willow Rose

About Featured Book: YOU BETTER RUN by Willow Rose Promotion dates: 06/15/2022 to 06/21/2022 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The beach read of the summer! When 19-year-old Meg Briggs wakes up after having a crazy party with her friends, she finds a girl in the pool. Dead. Who is this girl? How did she end up in the pool? […]

Featured Book: Black Water by Ninie Hammon

About Featured Book: Black Water by Ninie Hammon After witnessing her husband’s murder, Bailey Donahue is hidden away in the Witness Protection Program. Her family believes she is dead. She can’t even see her 18-month-old daughter. Hopeless, she attempts suicide and wakes up with a psychic gift: the ability to paint crimes and disasters that […]

Categories

  • Action & Adventure
  • Activity Books
  • Audiobook
  • Audiobooks
  • Autobiographies
  • Bargain Books Under $3
  • Biblical Studies
  • Biographical Fiction
  • Biographies & Memoirs
  • Birds
  • Body/Mind/Spirit
  • BookGoodies Network Merch
  • Business Books
  • Buyer's Guides
  • Children and Young Adult Books
  • Children's – Education & Reference
  • Children's Books
  • Children's eBooks
  • Christian Fiction
  • Christian Non-Fiction
  • Coloring Books for Kids
  • Comedy
  • Cowboy Romance
  • Cozy Mystery
  • Devotionals
  • Dogs
  • Drama
  • Educational/How-to
  • Erotic
  • Erotic Science Fiction
  • Erotica
  • Essays
  • Fairy Tale
  • Faith and Religion
  • Fantasy
  • Featured Books
  • Features
  • Fiction
    • Romance
  • Fiction Audio Books
  • Fitness
  • Giveaways
  • Health & Fitness
  • Heat Level 1 – G Rated Clean Read
  • Heat Level 2 – PG
  • Heat Level 3 – PG-13
  • Heat Level 4 – R Rated
  • Heat Level 5 – NC-17
  • Historical
  • Historical Fiction
  • Historical Romance
  • Horror
  • Humor
  • Humor (Fiction)
  • Inspirational Books for You
  • Interviews
  • Journal
  • Kindle Unlimited
  • Kindle Unlimited eBooks
  • Kindle Vella
  • Kindle Vella Serial
  • Limited Time Free Promotion
  • Love and Marriage
  • Magic
  • Memoir
  • Military Science Fiction
  • Music
  • Mystery
  • Mystery/Suspense
  • Mystery/Thriller
  • New Age
  • News
  • Non-fiction
  • Nonfiction Audio Books
  • Nonfiction Audiobooks
  • Paranormal
  • Paranormal Romance
  • Permafree
  • PermaFree Books
  • Personal Growth
  • Pet and Animal
  • Poetry
  • Print Books
  • Prophecy
  • Regency Romance
  • Romance – Erotica
  • Romantic Suspense
  • Science Fiction
  • SciFi
  • Spiritual Growth
  • Thriller
  • Time Travel
  • Travel
  • Urban Fantasy
  • Women's Fiction
  • Women's Health
  • YA – Action and Adventure
  • YA – Fantasy
  • Young Adult

Podcasts with Writers

Interview with Author – Dalton Smith

Interview with Author – Germany Kent

Interview with Author – Lillian and Dave Brummet

Interview with Author – Sherabim Joy

Interview with Author – Nina Bingham

More Posts from this Category

Featured Books

Featured Book: Delivering His Gifts by K.C. Crowne

Featured Book: So Wrong by Ajme Williams

Featured Book: Forgiveness Unforgettable by Nikki Lee Brannon

Featured Book: Stevie Tenderheart A Silent Kiss Goodnight (Stevie and the Tooth Fairy) by Steve William Laible

Featured Book: Understanding Childhood Trauma & How To Let Go; 11 Effective Tools You Need To Heal (From a Fellow Survivor) by Julian Demarco

More Posts from this Category

Around the Site

  • Home
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Interview Submission
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sites in the BookGoodies Network

Copyright © 2022 · A BookGoodies Partner Site · Powered by WordPress and Genesis