Wednesday, 14 December 2016

My Interview With Author Dakota Willink



Q & A

1.     When did you first realize you wanted to become a Writer/author? I always wanted to write, but I made excuses about not having enough time. Then one day, I met someone locally that had written and published. She was a wife and mother of three, and just as busy as I was. So, to make a long story short, I just sat down at the computer one day and started typing. I didn’t have a plan or an outline, I just wrote the first things that came to mind. It was that simple.

2.     Where do you get your ideas for your book? Honestly, the ideas kind of pop into my head at random times. Sometimes just a song lyric will trigger an idea for an entire character. Between my phone and my computer, I have notes for at least 20 different future books and their characters.

3.     What kind of things do you enjoy when not writing? I love the water. My family and I spend on lot of time on Lake Erie during the summer months. I’m also a travel junkie. When the season changes and I can’t be at the lake, I’m often planning a getaway to someplace warmer.

4.     How many books have you written? Which is your favorite? I have written 2 books, but Stepping Stone is my favorite because I had a lot of fun writing it. I spent so much time on getting the character development down in Heart of Stone, that it was nice to be able to just tell their story in Stepping Stone.

5.     Do you have any suggestions to help others who have a passion for writing? Never give up. It’s hard work, but determination is key. I once read somewhere that 97% of writers don’t finish their book. I don’t know how true that is, but if that number is accurate, it makes me sad to think about all the great unfinished stories out there. Strive to be among the 3% of writers. Become an author.

6.     What do you think makes a great story? For me, it depends on the genre. If I’m reading crime, mystery, or romance, I like the characters to be believable and feel what they are feeling. If I’m reading fantasy or sci-fi, I just want to get lost in another world.

7.     Which Writer/Authors inspire you? My biggest inspiration is J.K. Rowling because she never gave up.  Her strength and perseverance to tell her story is awe-inspiring. For those that don’t know how she came to be where she is today, I urge you to look into her background.

8.     What are you working on at the moment?(optional) Currently, I’m just trying to get through the holidays and the launch of Stepping Stone. After the New Year, I plan to get back to work on Set in Stone (the 3rd book in The Stone Series).

9.     What genre are your books? Contemporary Romance

10.                        What drew you to the genre you write? I read almost every genre of book, but I read romance more often than not. Because of this, I found that it was what I was most comfortable writing.

11.                        Which Actor/Actress would you like to see portraying the lead character from your most recent book?(any book you like) I did have two celebrities in mind when I was describing the characters appearance, although they were not my intention when I started out. It just sort of happened that way. For Krystina, I pictured Lacey Chabert with curly brown hair. I envisioned Ian Somerhalder for Alexander. As for how they would act out the roles, I didn’t think that far ahead.

12.                        Do you write full-time or part-time? I’m fortunate enough to be able to write full-time.

13.                        What is the hardest thing about writing? Sometimes it’s hard to keep reader feedback out of my head. I often find myself second-guessing what I’m about to write because of something a reviewer may have said. While their feedback is immeasurable, I can’t allow it impact a storyline. I have to remind myself to just tell my story and block out outside influences.

14.                        Any tips on how to get through the dreaded Writer’s block? Music usually helps me. Sometimes, I need to just put it down for a day and look at it fresh the next morning.

15.                        Do you read much, and if so who are your favorite Authors or genres? I have so many favorites and it’s hard to pick. I haven’t had much time for reading lately, but I’ve recently become a huge fan of Jodi Ellen Malpas. When I want to break away from romance, I also enjoy books by Ken Follett and Steven Saylor. Emma Campion is great too.

16.                        Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included? I would like the readers to be made aware of a super power that they have – their opinions matter more than they know. For an author, it’s not always about the total sales. It’s about drawing in readers to connect with a book. The only way for authors to know that they succeeded in doing this is through book reviews. Reviewing a book is the best gift a reader can give to an author. We listen to reviews to learn about what we are doing right, as well as what we are doing wrong. To those that have written a review for me – I thank you!

17.                        How can Readers discovery more about you and your work?(please provide proper links)

Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview 😊

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