Here we go ... let's jump into bed with the erotica author, Dakota Storm!
Dakota says she believes that sex includes the mind as well as the body, stimulate the brain and the body will follow its lead. She believes erotica tells a story. There is a background, the hows and whys of the way people meet. The characters are fleshed out so the reader can picture them, maybe even identify with them, but they're made more real. And the sex, always hot and steamy, is a natural progression of the story and designed to arouse the reader. Porn, on the other hand, is all about the sex. There's not usually a story, there are names of people that you know nothing about, and the sex, though sometimes hot, is the main focus throughout.
Boiled down, and kept Dakota blunt, erotica is a mind blowing orgasm that drains your body and leaves you limp, while porn is a hand job orgasm, while quite satisfactory for a moment in time you are nowhere near satiated. So, erotica is steak and you're fulfilled for hours. Porn is fast food, a five minute meal.
So without further ado, let’s see what makes this enigma tick!
Dakota, first things first, give us the rundown on who is Dakota Storm.
I’m an easy going person and get on with almost everyone, and I have an imagination that drives most of the people close to me wild. I talk books and writing most of the time, and any author would do, but people who aren’t just don’t get it.
I’m from the UK, Wales to be exact, in a little town called Swansea. You’ll often find me on my laptop, or twitter lol, and a lot of the time out walking my dog.
I’ve met you when I joined Mr. Blackthorne’s group and your – True Shades of Passion: Pink – was one of the first books of the authors in the group that I read. How did you come up with the idea of writing a kind of an … instruction manual, so to speak, on lesson in eroticism?
Ah! Now there’s a question. My True Shades of Passion idea came from an experience when I was younger, and I thought about how I would have dealt with the issue now, knowing more than I did back then. Then I got to wondering if anyone else would have come up with the same answer and thought I’d write it down. Who knows, maybe there is someone out there that is in the same position now that I was back then.
Where do your ideas come from and how do you decide on a title for your books?
My ideas come from day to day thing. Something I see, or hear, will trigger something that I think would make a good story. My titles usually come after my book is written, like it tells me what it should be called.
You’re well known as writing in the erotica genre, but you also write under a different name in another genre. Which genre and how did you ‘migrate’ from the one to the other?
My other genre is supernatural, werewolves and vampires, both things I have loved to read growing up. I hopped over to erotica when a friend mentioned it, and at first I was a little skeptical, I mean there are so many great erotica authors already out there, but the more I thought on it, and when my idea flashed through my mind, I thought I’d give it a try and see how it went.
So, the big question everyone always asks us female Erotica writers. How much of your own experiences are in your stories?
Lol I knew that one was coming. You’re right it’s asked often. There are a lot of personal experiences in my writing, though I do use creative license to build on the parts that are pure fantasies.
If you have to choose one book that you have written that have had a major influence on your life, which one would it be, and tell us how it influenced you.
I’d have to say True Shades of Passion: Red. When I wrote my main character Molly I based her very closely on myself. I remember feeling how she does, not happy with her sex life and wanting to do something to fix it. By the time I wrote how she decided to change things she took over, being brave enough to go after what she wants, and willing to put herself out there and try. I guess it made me realize how I was holding back, not living my life as much as I could have been. So, you could say Molly taught me a lesson there.
Which of the books you have written so far did you enjoy writing the most and why?
I’d have to say 00sexy. By the time I wrote that I had started being braver in life, so my character Eve was a kick ass female military woman that I really enjoyed writing. Who knows, maybe there’s another lesson to learn there right? J
What kind of challenges do you face in your writing and what do you do to overcome them?
Sometimes I write a scene and it doesn’t rest well with me. I’ll re-read it and re-read it, but if that doesn’t work I walk away for a while. Very often I’ll start something else, and when I’m in the middle of it the answer just pops into my head.
What does your writing process look like? Are you a plotter or a pantster? Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
Oh my! It looks like a right mess. I’m a pantser. I write directly to my laptop, write notes in my pad that I have at the side of me, and use post it notes that you’ll find stuck everywhere. Even places they shouldn’t be stuck too. I found one stuck to my milk bottle in the fridge lol.
As authors we deal with reviews all the time. Some are bad, some are good. Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
To be fair I don’t watch for them, but if I do see them I will post about them on my Twitter or Facebook account. I post both, good and bad, which I hope gives people a real idea about my books. Some might buy them because they see the good reviews, and that’s great, but others might buy them to see if they’re as bad as the review said, and okay maybe some will agree, but then there are others that won’t and will go on to buy more.
What is your least favorite part of the publishing / writing process?
That’s easy, editing. I hate it with a passion. I very often read what should be there and not what is.
Who is your favorite author and how have they affected your own writing or life experiences?
Wow there are too many to mention! I loved laurel K. Hamilton, Christine Feehan, and Sherrilyn Kenyon, all who influenced my other genre, but then there is Ian D Moore, Indie author of Salby Damned. I started writing about the same time as Ian and we pushed each other, egging each other on. I often wonder if I would have pulled the plug a time or two, but he always gave me a kick in the pants.
There’s also Tim Dutton, Indie author of Broken and Abused. Now he writes first person style, not something I’ve had much experience with, well, to be honest, apart from a short story I sent in to Mr B I hadn’t had any, but it was eye opening to realize there was another avenue I hadn’t even thought of.
What do you consider to be your best accomplishment and what do you still want to accomplish as an author?
I think my best accomplishment was not giving up, even when my laptop broke and lost a lot of work, but what I’d like to accomplish is to have readers mention my name and be happy to recommend me to other readers.
Of all the books you have read, what book do you wish you could have written and why?
There’s no particular one, though there are many. I’d love to have written all the ones that took me on a journey I didn’t want to end.
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
I guess I couldn’t write true crime, mostly because I believe it should be an eye for an eye, and that’s not how this world works.
Is there a certain type of scene that's harder for you to write than others? And if so, how do you make it shine?
That would be fight scenes. I get people involved and move them around like puppets to be sure it works so that I know it’s physically possible J
Tell us a little of what is in the pipeline. What can we expect to see from Dakota Storm in the near future?
You’ll see my True Shades of passion series come to an end, a slight mix of my genres, and another collaboration or two, which may become another series.
You’ve recently collaborated with another author. Tell us a little more about that experience and who the lucky one is.
Yes, I wrote with Zak Hardacre. I’m not sure we wrote in the normal way of collaborators, as we wrote our own parts and emailed it back and forth to each other. It was great fun, we laughed over some parts, and hashed out the workings of others, and there was phone calls and text messages until they came out of our ears lol, but Zak is a great guy and has a really clear writing style, so we complemented each other.
What is the best advice you can offer to aspiring authors?
Never give up, don’t write for others, and don’t write to get rich, it won’t happen.
Most authors nowadays use Social Media to promote their work. What is your view on that? Do you believe it works? What about being exposed in the Social Media arena irritates or angers you the most? How do you deal with that and/or any advice for others on how to deal with it?
I think it works to a certain extent. It connects you with would be readers, and them with you. I often find my readers are people I converse with more than they’ve seen an advert.
What annoys me the most are the trolls, you know the ones out to cause hassle for everyone else, and also the ones that think it’s okay to send pictures of their favorite sausage and demand pictures in return. I find posting them publicly stopped most, but if not the very nice little block button works wonders
And now for the fun part. Some crazy quickies that no one ever dare ask!
You are very passionate about the military. Any particular reason why?
Yes, My grandfathers. One was a Staff Sergeant in the army, and the other was Military Police. When I was growing up I saw how a lot of people disrespected all things Military, and how they would always deal with it in good grace. I don’t think I could ever have been as respectful as they were, but I can support the Military they both loved.
What is your biggest failure?
Not getting to my writing while my dad was still with me. He was an amazing man and would support even my erotica.
What is the biggest lie you've ever told?
That I found my dog as a puppy lol. Shhh I bought him!
Have you ever been caught speeding or driving under the influence?
I had points on my license for going 77 in a 70 zone, but in my defense I was on the way to the hospital.
What is your favorite drink?
That has to be coffee, boring I know, but if I had to choose an alcoholic drink it would be Tia Maria.
Characters often find themselves in situations they aren't sure they can get themselves out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?
That happened in Melting for the Marines. My male characters are twins, and were supposed to end up were supposed to find a woman each, they didn’t. I let them have their way ;)
What is your biggest fear?
Not doing all that I want to.
What is your pet name for your hubby and tell us how it came about.
Hitman lol. When my niece was a baby and she had her first birthday party the older kids thought he was a hitman because of some film they’d all seen. It’s not much of a pet name, but we aren’t flowery kind of people lol.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
To teleport. It would be a really cheap way to see the world.
If you were a movie star, who would you be and why?
Sandra Bullock. I love her attitude and fun loving nature.
What animated character is most like you?
Dory the fish out of Finding Nemo. I often find myself in a room wondering why I went in there
What secret desires do you have but are too shy to admit to?
I’m still too shy to admit them lol
If you had to choose between chocolate cake and a carrot, which would you choose? Why??
Chocolate obviously lol. I have a sweet tooth and I treat myself once in a while.
If you were a bird, what would you be and why?
A Hummingbird, because they never stop, not even when they’re eating.
What were you like as a teenager? Oooh, tell us about your first kiss!
For the most part I was relatively quiet, though that means when I did get into trouble it was usually a dozey. My first kiss was when I was 11. I was mortified because it was in front of all my class mates and I didn’t have the time to move it somewhere quieter.
Do you have any recurring dreams/nightmares? Do you believe that dreams have a deeper meaning?
I do. I dream regularly about a wolf. I’ve been told she’s my spirit guide, so yes I believe there are meanings behind your dreams, you just have to look at them the right way to see what they are.
Thank you, Dakota for taking the time to chat with me. It was a lot of fun to get to know you better. Well, there you have it folks ... the enigma behind that sexy smile.
Go on, don't be shy, please leave a comment.
Want to know more about Dakota Owens? Find her here:
Twitter: @_DakotaStorm