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Interview Author Dakota Banks + Giveaway
Filed in Dakota Banks , Giveaways , Interview , The Cornered Lover , The Crazy Lover Posted on August 31, 2010 @ 6:00 am
39 comments
We are really happy to have Author Dakota Banks here today. She is the author of the Mortal Path Series and book 2, Sacrifice was releases today. Woot! Congrats Dakota!!!! So today she is here to celebrate her new release. Be sure to stay tuned till the end or you will miss you chance to win a signed book. Please give Dakota a warm welcome.
BLI: Dakota, can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Dakota Banks: First, I want to thank Book Lovers Inc for inviting me here today!
I knew I wanted to be a writer from an early age. I was one of those kids who always carried around two or three books, and my dad had to sign a release at the library so I could get an adult library card when I was eight years old. I had phases where I read intensely in one area: science fiction, mystery, Shakespeare, Russian authors, poetry, Pulitzer winners, classics, biographies, mythology…. I’m probably forgetting some. Let’s just say the only reason I got a tan during the summer is because my mom made me read outside. I had a life other than books, too. I played high school volleyball (I had a mean spike) and had a lot of friends, not all of them book lovers (gasp!). I was writing throughout this time and getting rejection letters. Still have some of them. I got oh-so-close to having science fiction stories published but couldn’t seem to push my writing over the threshold.
College took me in another direction. I attended an engineering school, fell in love with math and computers, and ended up with a career in computers. Writing was pushed aside by my career and family. It wasn’t until I’d accumulated quite a few candles on my birthday cake that I came back to it with a now or never attitude. It worked.
BLI: Describe a typical day of writing? Are you a planner or pantser?
Dakota Banks: The first book I wrote was written day-to-day, figuring things out as they came at me. That book got me an agent, but didn’t get published in its original form. I rewrote it and published it later, after I had several books in print. I had a lost feeling the entire time I was writing it, so with my next book, I wrote a synopsis first. It was a terrific experience. My first synopsis was about 15 pages long and contained only the high points of the story, including the ending. It served as a guide for me in my writing (not that I stuck to it word for word) and gave me the feeling of knowing where I was headed in each writing session: toward the next high point in the synopsis. This method works for me, but may not for other authors. It leaves plenty of detail to be filled in, such as all the characterization, description, and dialogue, and that’s where my real interest lies–in the compelling details. I just need a framework to hang it all on.
BLI: What are 3 items that are must haves when you sit down to write?
Dakota Banks: I assume you mean besides my computer, right? 1.) A quiet place to work. I used to work with a laptop on the kitchen table, and my concentration was bad. I had two boys zipping around the house and the TV was close by. It’s amazing I got anything done. Now I have a bedroom for my office with a door I can close if the house gets too noisy. I also wear earphones and listen to classical music to create a bubble around me and my workspace. I am not one of those writers who could work through a hurricane. 2.) Tea or coffee. I like brewing loose-leaf tea. 3.) One or more cats. I’m a cat lover and have three of them, Peanut, Marble, and Snickers. They sleep on my large desk or nearby on a cat tree, and sometimes provide inspiration by walking over the keyboard. I’m still looking for an opportunity to fit “zgyk/” into a story.
BLI: What do you think is the difference between a reader and a real Book Lover?
Dakota Banks: On any given day book lovers are usually bleary-eyed and yawning from staying up all night finishing a good book. A reader would merely insert a bookmark, close the book, and go to sleep at the regular time. Book lovers have twenty bookmarks in their nightstand drawers but never use them.
BLI: If someone saw you sitting in a corner cafe , which book would they find in your hands?
Dakota Banks: Hmm. Tough to narrow it down. I’d say a James Rollins, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, or Lee Child book. And the croissant on my plate would be half-eaten, my coffee cold, because I’d gotten caught up in the book.
BLI: Did you want to be an archaeologist, or did you just find it fascinating to add it in your writing world? How did you research this topic?
Dakota Banks: I have a strong interest in archaeology that precedes the Mortal Path books. It’s an alternate path my life could have taken, I guess. My kids are adopted from Peru and Ethiopia, coincidentally two countries with great archaeological depth. I research by travel when possible, the internet, professional journals, and contacts with people in the field who are only too happy to spill their guts to a writer–unless they think they are on the verge of a new discovery.
BLI: Your Mortal Path Series is set in an highly intriguing world with Sumerian Demons and Immortal Assassins. Can you tell us a little bit about your world?
Dakota Banks: The Mortal Path world is built on Sumerian mythology. The Sumerian civilization (about 5,300 BC – 2,000 BC) is thought to be the earliest civilization in the world (though there may be a rival or two now), and was formed in Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, an area known as the Cradle of Civilization. You probably remember all of that from elementary school. Ancient Sumer is modern-day Iraq. The Sumerians were responsible for a great leap in development, giving us writing, mathematics, Hammurabi’s Code of Law, the wheel, astronomy, the clock and calendar, the potter’s wheel and kiln, boats, canals for irrigation and transport, bronze implements, and other things we take for granted now.
Some speculate that this big advance was due to alien intervention–that the Sumerian gods were aliens and that they left Earth after speeding up human development. Supposedly, these aliens are coming back to check on the fruits of their labors, and soon. In December 2012. Google “Planet X” and you’ll see what I mean.
For the Mortal Path, my idea was that seven demons serving the Lord of the Underworld remain on Earth, alive today and still carrying out their chaos and destruction orders. Since they can’t operate directly in the Great Above where humans live, they need to recruit humans and turn them into Ageless assassins. The Ageless then walk among us, doing the demons’ bidding. Maliha Crayne was once an Ageless assassin, but she rebelled against her demon’s control. To redeem her soul, she has to save as many lives as she’s taken under his command. There’s a ticking clock: whenever she saves someone, she ages a little. If she dies without achieving balance, her soul belongs to the demon, who will torment her forever. In addition to her personal redemption, she’s found a way to eliminate all of the demons from Earth, and is searching for artifacts to assemble that will allow her to do that. Needless to say, the demons oppose that idea!
BLI: Your heroine Maliha Crayne made a bargain with the ultimate evil and now tries to save her soul with her own hands. How did you come up with the idea for the over all story arc of the series?
Dakota Banks: I was intrigued with the idea of a person who was initially good being turned to the dark side and then having to claw herself (sometimes literally) back to the kind of person she originally was. I didn’t want my heroine to be all good or have just minor personality flaws, I wanted her to really struggle with a troubling past. I also like the idea the the demons remaining alive on Earth have been the source of wars, illnesses, droughts, and everything else that has kept the human race from achieving its true potential. If Maliha is able to find and use all the artifacts, what would the world be like then, without the destructive influence of the demons? Are we ready for another giant leap forward?
The final idea that really did it for me was the visual image of Maliha’s scale. She has a balance scale (like the scales of justice) carved on her body. When she saves a life, the scale comes to life and a figure moves from the “lives taken” side to the “lives saved” side. As soon as I had that in my head, there was no way I could set aside the Mortal Path story.
BLI: Maliha is an assassin and as strong as those come. Tell us a bit about her character. What do you like and dislike the most about her?
Dakota Banks: I like that she’s clever and brave and will throw herself into a situation when someone’s in danger, regardless of the threat to her. I really love that after hundreds of years of being an assassin, she had the courage to defy the demon and start down a path toward freedom, even though she’s told that no one has ever succeeded at what she’s doing. She’s fantastic with both martial arts and modern weapons. Now that she’s not under the demon’s control, she’s rediscovering the joys of friendship and longing for the kind of life she had before, as a wife and mother. But what man would love her, knowing the horrible things she’s done in the past? The things I dislike about her come from the period of her life when she was an assassin. Maliha can be self-indulgent, immature, stubborn, and yes, a bit snarky. But when a woman’s lived alone, having everything she wants–men, money, beauty, possessions–for over two hundred and fifty years, it takes a while to turn over a new leaf.
BLI: What can we expect of Sacrifice?
Dakota Banks: The title is meaningful. Keep a box of tissues handy. I certainly needed them when I was writing. Now I’ll let a reviewer’s words speak for me: “Sacrifice was an intense read…. Rich characters, out of this world action, fast-paced and heart-wrenching romance, what more can I ask from a great urban fantasy series?” – Larissa’s Bookish Life
BLI: I feel for Maliha and her plea throughout the series. I really want her to have a Happily Ever After. Can we expect one?
Dakota Banks: My original concept for the series was that Maliha would end the story alone, as she began the story as a solitary assassin. A “full circle” thing. I rapidly gave up on that, somewhere in the middle of the first book, when I realized I loved Maliha and her friends too much to do that. Yes, there will be a HEA, but not for some time. I don’t see it clearly yet.
BLI: Will there be more books in this series?
Dakota Banks: Yes. I’m writing the third book in the series now.
BLI: What is next on your schedule? Any other projects we should keep our eyes open for?
Dakota Banks: The Mortal Path books are so research-heavy and emotionally draining to write (don’t laugh–I go through every up and down with Maliha!) that while I’m actively working on one, I can’t fit in much writing on other projects. I do have plans for another paranormal series, a departure from the dark nature of Mortal Path, and a standalone that is a transitional novel, meaning one about a person with a terminal illness changing his life through paranormal means.
BLI: Now to the mean questions (we apologize in advance):
Can you summarize your Mortal Path series for us twitter style (140 characters tops)?
Dakota Banks: This is amazingly hard! Here we go, at 139 characters including spaces:
Healer unjustly burned as witch bargains with demon to be Ageless assassin. Now works to save soul and kill demons, helped by close friends.
BLI: Who’s your favorite side character?
Dakota Banks: I love all the side characters, so it’s hard to pick just one. I’d have to say Hound, who is a Vietnam vet who now runs a private eye service. Then there’s Yanmeng and Amaro and …
BLI: Now can you tell us 3 reasons why people should read your books?
Dakota Banks: Only three??
1). Whip swords
2). Shards of the Crystal Lens
3). Maliha and her friends – great characters I think you will LOVE
4.) Constanta’s grave
5.) Jake and Lucius
6.) Really bad villains torn straight from history
Stop me, somebody stop me!
BLI: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~*~*~Giveaway~*~*~
Thanks to Maria we have a SIGNED copy of Sacrifice to give away.
All you have to do is ask Dakota a question or just leave a meaningful comment about the interview.
Please leave us a way to contact you
(email in blogger profile or twitter name is okay).
This giveaway is International!
Giveaway ends on Saturday, September 11th and we will announce the winner on Sunday.
Good Luck everyone!
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Hello Dakota! I heard a lot of good stuff about your books and they are on my TBR pile 🙁 But after this interview and all the reasons one should read them, I'm diving into your worlds 🙂
I loved Mortal Path and the whole concept of the series is fascinating to me. I'm looking forward to Sacrifice.
Michelle
kweenmg@yahoo.com
Hi Dakota!
Your books are really interesting!The reasons given at the end of the interview are enough to convince me to read it!
Misha
mishamary@gmail.com
I love that she is about as good at following directions as I am 🙂 Just 3–I love that she listed 6. Whip Swords and really bad villians are a great reason to read a book 🙂
thehistorychic @ gmail . com
Hello! (I left the wet noodles at home ) Your write like a seasoned writer. I like the how Dark Time moves through the story and how you give the reader info without the "info dump" some authors do. The flashbacks work well. I can't imagine the research that goes into your books!!! Wow, it is like reading a spy novel as well as Fantasy. I love your characters and all this talk about Sacrifice has me worried . But you said there will be a HEA so I will hold on to that.
The scales on Maliha were a stroke of genius.
I'm starting Dark Time soon, I swear! Are there any places you've traveled to personally that are just an absolute must for those interested in archaeology or ancient ruins/sites? Or put another way, any stand-out favorite places?
b(dot)cardone(at)hotmail
I loved the interview. I was wondering if you have ever met someone in real life, that you considered truly evil? I did by accident, of all places at my son's preschool. He was another parent, who went on to murder two women.
I would love to read your book, it sounds really good.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
Hi Dakota,
I really love your books! Keep up the good work!
Lucy
lucybeugelingramos@gmail.com
When I was younger I remember I wanted to be an archaeologist my friend lived beside a place where there was this huge pile of dirt and we spend hours/days digging in it and finding completly useless things but for us it was wonderfull.
I have heard a lot about your books and I can not wait to read them.
Thank you for the giveaway:-)
forceofstars(at)yahoo(dot)dk
I've been hearing good things about these books! Entering contests left and right for a chance to win! Once the winners are announced, I'm either going to shout for joy or head out and buy a copy for myself!
I want to be a writer myself. Soon. Since I finished college now and am trying to find a full time job to start out on and be a writer at the same time.
What's it like to be able to write full time?
jessbess2505[at]yahoo[dot]com
Michelle – I'm glad you like the concept of the Mortal Path. It sure took me long enough to come up with one that I liked, down to the details such as the real names of the demons used in the mythology.
Misha1989 – Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll give the Mortal Path series a try.
Felicia – I could have gone on and on with the reasons to try Sacrifice, but I figured I could only get away with twice the amount requested.
Sharon – It's because of my writing background in thrillers and mysteries that I include a fully-developed thriller plot in each Mortal Path book. I'm hoping this makes my books stand out in a crowded field by giving the reader more bang for their buck, so to speak. At least my editor is excited about it.
Bethany – For archaeological traveling, the "must see" places are in Peru and Egypt. I would add Iraq, Mongolia, and China to that list, but there can be some, ahem, traveler's difficulties.
Debbie – An interesting question. I'm a keen observer of people, and sometimes I get feelings about them. An example would be that the guy sitting alone at the next table in a restaurant is going through a painful divorce, even though I don't know him and he hasn't said a word. At a Jack in the Box one day, there was a man sitting across the room from my husband and me. I almost left the place before we ordered, but I knew my husband was really hungry. (We were traveling to a conference.) That man was horribly evil, I just knew it the second our eyes met. I kept my eyes down and pushed my food around but couldn't eat much. I left feeling nauseated, chilled, and unclean, and wishing I'd been strong enough to challenge him, at least with my eyes. I had a feeling he expected women to react the way I did.
Lucy – I'm happy you enjoy my books,and thanks for coming in to Book Lovers Inc. today!
Mysteriousrose – Good for you! I admire your curiousity. I lived in a city when I was young, and the best thing I could manage was going to state parks nearly every weekend. (I'm sure I tested my parents' patience about this, until I learned to drive and could go by myself.) I would walk through the creeks and look for fossils. I smuggled out quite a few small (mostly less than palm-sized) ones, and to this day I'm always up for a creek walk. You're not supposed to remove anything from the park, so if there are any park rangers out there, please pretend you didn't read this. It was and still is the only thing available to someone who has to visit exciting sites as a tourist.
Jessica – Good for you, for starting your writing career early. Writing full-time isn't the glamorous job many non-writers think it is. It's an all-consuming thing, so that if you're not actually writing, you're probably thinking about your work in progress. Most full-time writers, who thought they were going to spend long days in pajamas and bunny slippers joyfully creating pristine paragraphs, are surprised to learn that at least 50% of your time is spent on the business part of writing, which means anything that doesn't directly build up your word count. But you love that too, because it enables you to do what you love.
Dakota
Great Interview!!!
Dakota if you could be any character of any book, who would you be and why?
chidoryx AT hotmail DOT com
Wow this series sounds like it has a little bit of everything. I love the kick ass looking woman on the cover. I also have to agree with Dakota that it is very important to find that quiet place in your house to get your work done. Even if your "work" might just be reading a great series. 🙂
apk1princess@live.com
Hi Dakota!
Congrats on the new release!
Question: you mentioned Maliha is amazing with martial arts and modern weapons, have you tried these as a research/inspirational method? 🙂
jen7waters(at)gmail(dot)com
I enjoyed your interview and I love your cover. I can't wait to read this one.
seriousreader at live dot com
Hi Dakota, I enjoyed the interview and the chance to learn more about your books. Maliha sounds like a fantastic character. I just love flawed characters that have to struggle for what they want, or for what they feel is right. The Mortal Path Series sounds intriguing, with a great premise, wonderful characters and lots of action.
Barabed1951(at)aol(dot)com
Great interview. Thanks for sharing today! I really enjoyed the first book and cant wait to get my hands on and read Sacrifice.
bacchus76 at myself dot com
Hello Dakota!
Wow! Awesome interview! The book looks really interesting. Added to my wishlist.
My question: Which character was the hardest to write?
Thanks for the giveaway!
itzel_library (AT)hotmail(DOT)com
Take care,
~Yelania
Lu – I've always admired Frodo Baggins from the Lord of the Rings, so if I could choose anyone to be, I'd be Frodo. I think he's a great example of the everyman rising to heroic stature when called upon. I'd like to think we all have that potential in us.
Alexa – I think I should have been a librarian, one of the Wonderful People :-), because I was born with a need for quiet. I don't mind low conversation, such as you'd have in a coffeeshop, but there are some things that just go straight to my brain and shut it off for doing anything useful. One is leaving the TV on all day whether anyone's watching it or not, as background noise. (Hope I'm not treading on any toes here.) Another is music, even music that I like, played so loud I have to cover my ears. Okay, I'm officially out of step with a large portion of society.
Jen7waters – My son is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and I have a couple of consultants, one for edged weapons and one for projectile weapons. I'm also a member of Police Pulse (an organization for active and retired law enforcement officers, but I talked my way in), and correspond with weapons and forensics experts. It's all part of developing resources to help make my writing as authentic as possible.
My sword guy thought I should get some hands-on experience, so he sent me several throwing stars. Yes, through the mail. They're heavier than I imagined, sharper, too, but with a little practice I was able to make them stick in a tree in our backyard and felt very much the ninja.
I do meditate as Maliha does, and any time I describe a meditation scene with Maliha it is an experience I've already had.
Linda – I love the book cover also! Thanks for stopping by Book Lovers Inc. today.
Barbara – Okay, everyone, I did NOT pay Barbara to write all those glowing things about the Mortal Path series. But I sure like the way you think, Barbara!
Donna – A repeat customer! Great news. The idea for a series author is to build up readership over several books, and I hope you'll still be with me after Sacrifice, waiting for book #3!
Yelania – Hmm. Hardest to write. I'd have to say Yanmeng, one of Maliha's closest friends and helpers. She saved his life during the Chinese Revolution. Yanmeng's background is about as far from mine as could be, yet I wanted to write about him in detail and authentically. I got first-hand accounts from those who lived through the Maoist period, and I also had the sections of the book dealing with Yanmeng read for accuracy by as many first-hand knowledgeable people as I could find. (Universities are great for this.) I don't rely on stereotypes when building a character outside my experience or ethnic background, and I hate seeing obvious stereotypes in other books. Since my children were adopted from Peru and Ethiopia, they'd jump on me if I didn't recognize and appreciate distinct cultures.
Dakota
I Like Kim Harrison two.Have not read your book yet but there deffently on my list of books to read some day.Thay look great.To bad there is a few hundred books on that list will be getting to it soon.LOL
sasluvbooks(at)yahoo.com
I love archeology also – that was the first thing I wanted to be when I was a kid, but then I decided to just satisfy myself by traveling to all of those great archeological sites.
I love that your heroine is a former assassin. Something about that plot line totally draws me in so I'm looking forward to reading your books.
jen at delux dot com
I've been hearing good things about this book. Looking forward to reading it! Great interview!
sstewart2505[at]yahoo[dot]com
I haven't read this author yet but I sure want to now! Please enter me in the giveaway.
sowickedlovely@live.com
Stacey – And I thought my TBR list was unmanageable at 50 books! LOL!
JenM – Having Maliha be a former assassin works in so many ways in the books. It gives her a reason for being so experienced in the use of all types of weapons and generally being a Most Dangerous Person. It also gives her something major to struggle against, something that is so close to the surface that it can still slip through sometimes.
Sue – I hope you enjoy Sacrifice, and that you've come to know something about me as well as my books. My idea is that I want you to feel like a friend of mine before you even pick up one of my books. I'm a good listener and not as bent out of shape as some authors are. Friends?
Jennifer – Great! I'm glad you want to give Sacrifice a try. If you haven't read book one in the series, Dark Time, you might want to go to my website, dakota-banks.com. On the Contest page, I'm giveing away a dozen signed copies of Dark Time.
Dakota
Wow. That sounds awesome! The book really grabs at my attention. I love the covers too! Maliha looks like a total kick butt heroine!
stewart[dot]carrie94[at]yahoo[dot]com
Sounds great! Can't wait to get my hands on your books, Dakota! I am your typical book lover and I used to hide my books under my shirt when I go to the washroom/ stash my books under the blanket when my mom rushes into the room in the middle of the night demanding to know what's keeping me up so late (she always knows the answer, considering that I am the worst liar in the known universe..oops).
I simply love writing AND reading! I often write short stories in my free time or when I am stuck in class (my economics teacher's voice has a first rate hypnotic quality. So I have to start pretending to take notes-when in the truth I am making the heroine slash monsters- to stop myself from going into a drooling snoring state).
How long do you usually take to actually finish writing a book? When did you write your first novel/ short story?
Thanks for the lovely interview. You can reach me at luvpinkpanther@gmail.com
What a great interview! I love the story!
Thank you for sharing it with us 🙂
Pink Panther,
The Mortal Path books are very research-intensive. Each one takes about 9 months to write, and then my editor reads it and (doing her job just right) points out problems and places where the book can be improved. A second set of eyes going over the manuscript is just what I need, and I love it that my editor offers such personal attention.
I wrote my first short story at 8 years old, for a school newspaper.
Dakota
How did you pick the names for each of your characters? Were they names of your friends or things that just popped up in the spur of the moment?
mashimaro_18@hotmail.com
I'm very relieved, that there will be a HEA for the series. It looks really good.
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com
Why did you choose that book cover?
:DDD
regards: maidenhealer@hotmail.com
First of all I have to say that the covers for your books are awesome. Second, I love the concept of a Sumerian background in your books, it's very original. I haven't read your books yet but I'm definitely adding them to my TBR pile!
Thanks for the interview!
spettolij AT gmail DOT com
Beautiful interview.
I havenot read any of your books. I would love to win it and read them. I then donate to Middletown public library. Our funds have been cut for new books.
They are taking donations. Thanks for the chance to win
chaarmedone1512@aol.com
Hi Dakota!
you are a new author to me and your book sounds really interesting and I don't know how I missed it that long…it seems to be an incredible word you created and I will definitively explore it!
wish you all the best, Ina
Hehe I like your "3" reasons 🙂 Sounds like a really good read!
juliecookies(at)gmail.com
Maliha is a fantastic character, thank you for taking the time for the interview.
Chllybrs(at)gmail(dot)com
I don't know anything about Sumerian mythology but I love all the other kinds of mythology. These books sound so freakin good! I may just have to buy them 🙂
Funny. The three things you list needed for writing I love for reading too! All of my kids and myself carry around at least three books at all times as well.
Thanks for the great giveaway.
danasandstrom@sbcglobal.net
This sounds like a really interesting series. I love reading about assassins!