Welcome to my weekly Author Spotlight. I’ve asked a bunch of my author friends to answer a set of interview questions, and to share their latest work.
Today, Dakota Storm – Dakota Storm was born and bred in rural southwest Massachusetts. Her love of writing romance brings many stories to life in her head; all culminating in a happily ever after.
Thanks so much, Dakota, for joining me!
GIVEAWAY:
Dakota is giving away a signed paperback of either “Hunter” or “rescued” – winner’s choice. Winner must be in the US. If the winner is outside the US, Dakota will send an eBook instead. Comment on the post below for a chance to win!
J. Scott Coatsworth: When did you know you wanted to write, and when did you discover that you were good at it?
Dakota Storm: I wanted to write as long as I can remember. The two classes throughout school I enjoyed most were creative writing and photography. Those were also my best grades, LOL. I was so focused on my writing during my other classes I rarely knew what was going on in them. I don’t know if I am good or not but I know I love doing it. I have a lot of great reviews and readers still wanting to read my books and that is the best feeling in the world. Each day I learn more and more and I love it more and more every day.
JSC: How would you describe your writing style/genre?
DS: My writing is contemporary M/M. In any book I write a HEA is a must, I have mine and always want my characters to have theirs.
JSC: What was your first published work? Tell me a little about it.
DS: Hunter, I was lucky enough JMS Books took a chance on me and published my work. Hunter is raw and gritty and sexy as hell. It’s fast paced and full of WTF moments. Hunter is a bounty hunter and meets a local guy named Donovan. Sparks fly and the sex is crazy hot, lots of action and crazy. Whereas my next story Rescued, is more sweet and sexy with lots of love.
JSC: What’s your writing process?
DS: I have so many ideas in my head, I usually pick the one that is talking the loudest to me, when I drive to work and when I go to sleep and wake up I think about the book. I am not a planner or a brain stormer. I write. I know what the beginning is and the end ..always a HEA! I write write write until I get there. Sometimes I think I know where I want the story to go but the characters surprise me and go their own way and that’s what I love most about writing.
JSC: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
DS: I always dreamt of being a writer but thought that was not within my reach, I always thought the idea of teaching or journalism would be a good fit but I went a different route and write part time, hoping someday to write full time.
JSC: Describe yourself using… ( a food, a book, a song, a movie, an animal, a drink, a place etc)
DS: I absolutely love dogs, I had two but both passed away, they were my kids. My heart still hurts to this day and will never get another. However I love donating and helping out charities as much as I can. I love rock N roll music, I grew up in the 80’s and love 80’s hair bands..LOL. I love all music actually but the louder the better. I don’t drink but love seltzer water and Latte’s (boring I know) Movies – I love chick flicks with a HEA or action movies, love the fast paced and craziness.
JSC: If you could create a new holiday, what would it be?
DS: National writing day. I think all the amazing authors out there deserve a day to just write, no phones, no work..nothing but writing!
JSC: Were you a voracious reader as a child?
DS: Yes, I loved the outsiders, and Charlotte’s Web and so many other books but I took some time off from reading constantly but then the twilight series came out and that brought me back into the love of reading again. I was reading throughout the years but not as much as I am now. A lot of readers didn’t care for Twilight but to me it was an amazingly written series.
JSC: What’s your greatest weakness as a writer?
DS: Time. I need more time to write, I work a more than full time job in the corporate world and it’s crazy. So I don’t always have time to write and it’s something that I want to do more of.
JSC: Would you visit the future or the past, and why?
DS: Future, hubs and I are starting a business and have plans with our family. So it’s all about the future.
JSC: What are you working on now, and when can we expect it?
DS: I am writing a story surrounding a coffee shop called Café (tentative title) A musician comes to town to try and figure out what’s next for his career when he meets the café owner. Their friendship is immediate, they have a lot in common and fall hard for each other but dreams won’t come true if you don’t go after them. Their hopeful relationship gets put on hold and a lot of twists and turns happen. I want this to be a series because there are many secondary characters that want their story and I am dying to write them.
And now for Dakota’s new book: Rescued:
Dean Montgomery loves his ranch and his family, but something is missing. When he sets out on a road trip to purchase land to expand his ranch, he finds himself stranded in a snowstorm.
When the sexy and gruff Colt James, a tracker and rescue worker, rescues Dean, both of their lives are turned upside down. Attraction sizzles, and hearts race. But then trouble brews, and Dean is needed back home. Can these two make their new relationship work?
Get It On Amazon
Excerpt
Note: may contain sexually explicit scenes of a homoerotic nature.
“Keep looking at me like that, and we won’t need to have the fire going.” Colt said it so softly, Dean barely heard him as he grabbed silverware to set the table.
“Sorry, I, uh …” Dean stammered, embarrassed. “You’re, uh …” He groaned. “I am usually not this much of an idiot when I speak.” Dean laughed as he stirred the stew in the pot. He turned the burner off and heard the shower turn off as well. “I am sounding like a complete moron. You can’t not know, how hot you are.” Dean winked at Colt’s stunned expression.
“Your turn, Dean.” Coop giggled as he grabbed a few more logs for the fire. Then he sat next to Dog and grinned.
“Yeah, Dean, do grab a shower. I’ll watch the stew and set up things. We’ll be ready to eat when you come out.”
“I can wait until after we eat if you’re hungry now.”
“Nah, go now. We don’t know how long the generator will keep kicking.” Colt turned around and grabbed some plates and napkins.
“Okay, I’ll be quick.”
Dean left the room, grabbed a change of clothes from his bag, and ran the water a little colder than usual. He needed to get his temperature down, kicking himself.
What kind of a moron sits there and cannot speak? Colt must think I’m crazy. I mean, God, the guy is hotter than anyone I’ve ever seen. He must think I am a total tool.
Dean rushed through his shower or tried to when his thoughts drifted to Colt with water sluicing down his torso, his hard muscles straining as he touched himself under the warm spray, the expression of ecstasy …
He knew it wasn’t the time to take care of his needs, but just thinking of Colt made his balls tighten up to the point of pain. He let loose a deep groan and reached down, running his hand over his balls. He jacked his cock slowly, imaging it was Colt’s hand, imaging it was Colt’s mouth. His heart beat with the rhythm of his fingers. It didn’t take long to satisfy his needs, considering he’d been on edge all day.
Loud yelling and Coop laughing and joking made Dean finish up in the shower and towel dry. He couldn’t remember grinning as much as he had the last few hours in all his life. Colt and Coop made him happy.
Dean, really, they helped you out. You live and work cross the state. Yes, you were considering buying some property here, but these two are settled in a family. You’re an outsider, and you don’t even know if Colt is gay. Get a grip.
Dean shook himself. It was the first time he really looked around at the décor in the bathroom. Rustic would be how he described it, homey and rustic. Just what Dean always imagined for his own home. He wanted a manly décor, but with some splashes of color. This was perfectly decorated with soft oranges and light yellows, making the room stand out, but in a nice, calm way. After putting on his sweats and T-shirt, he opened the bathroom door and ran right into a very hard chest, a chest that was rock solid and smelled of the outdoors and Colt’s own masculine scent.
Man, Dean felt himself get hard and was already tongue-tied.
“Dinner’s ready!”
Colt stared at Dean with fire in his eyes. Definitely some attraction on Colt’s part. Colt’s gaze did a quick but through glide down Dean’s body, and Dean felt he would go up in flames any minute. He also felt like Colt knew he just got off in the shower, which made Dean’s face heat up even more.
“Are you guys coming or what?” Coop yelled from the other room.
Author Bio
Dakota Storm was born and bred in rural southwest Massachusetts. Her love of writing romance brings many stories to life in her head; all culminating in a happily ever after.
Even though she lives up North she hates the winters but loves cuddling up with her husband by a toasty fire. She harnesses her other creativity through photography, in which she loves to hike and capture animals in the wild.
She loves to blog and read all genres but her favorite is m/m romance with a happily ever after. You can follow her on Facebook.
https://www.amazon.com/Dakota-Storm/e/B01N2659MJ/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1