Dakota Willink - With Romance, the Sky is the Limit

Dakota is a multi-award winning contemporary romance author. She often says she survived her first publishing with coffee & wine. As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about The Stone Series, focusing on the first book in the series: Heart of Stone.

Please give us a short introduction to what Heart of Stone is about.

Alexander Stone was a man who knew how to get what he wanted, but a chance run in with Krystina Cole quickly turned his world upside down. Her quick wit and firecracker attitude was the complete opposite of what he wanted in a woman, and his instincts failed him at every turn. However, both Krystina and Alexander are clinging to the secrets in their past, and neither of them are willing to compromise. Krystina’s hardened heart makes emotional surrender a hard limit. But for Alexander, revealing his past could have devastating results. 

This book is the first in a series.  Did you plan from the start to make this into a series? Can it be read as a standalone?

Heart of Stone was never meant to be a standalone. I always knew it would be the first in a series. I wasn’t sure if the series would be three or four books at the time, but ultimately decided on three. The third book is releasing next week.

Readers report that this is a real page turner - how do you manage to keep them hooked?

A lot of the chapters end abruptly, or with mini-cliffhangers so to speak. Plus, I try to keep the words flowing easily by throwing in just enough sexual tension and a bit of humor throughout to keep it interesting.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I love to draw and paint, although I don’t do it as much as I would like to. Being an author is more than a full-time job at times.

Where do you think romance as a genre is heading? Where do you want it to go?

With romance, I think the sky is the limit. Almost anything goes. As for where I want it to go, I’d like to see more strong heroines. I want them to fall in love and experience real passion, yet still maintain their own identity.

What is the hardest thing about being a writer?

I have two very busy teenagers and I write full time. Juggling my author schedule with theirs can be challenging at times.

What are you working on right now?

Right now, I’m focusing on the release of Set In Stone, the third book in The Stone Series. After that, I have a couple other books in the works. One is a spin off from The Stone Series. The other is about a single mother who finds love when she least expects it.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

Almost everything about my work can be found on my website (www.dakotawillink.com).  I’m really active on social media, particularly Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DakotaWillink/). I’m also on Twitter and Instagram @DakotaWillink