Heart of Stone
The Stone Series
Book 1
Dakota Willink
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Date of Publication: December 27, 2015
ISBN: 0997160314
ASIN: B019NXMK6G
Number of pages: 458
Word Count: 133,464
Cover Artist: Dakota Willink
Book Description:
Krystina Cole was a girl on a mission. She had big dreams and aspirations, none of which included a man by her side. She knew better than that – at least until she met Alexander Stone, the New York billionaire real estate tycoon. She saw the way that he looked at her, and the dark promises in his eyes. She was curious about his world and all that it entailed. But the shadows of her past haunted her, making her afraid to explore possibilities that she could never before have imagined…
Alexander Stone was a man who knew how to get what he wanted. He understood the value of finesse, and the importance of patience and diligence to achieve the desired result. He was successful and wealthy, relying on his naturally sharp instincts to guide him through life. 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 of 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.
Amazon
The Stone Series
Book 1
Dakota Willink
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Date of Publication: December 27, 2015
ISBN: 0997160314
ASIN: B019NXMK6G
Number of pages: 458
Word Count: 133,464
Cover Artist: Dakota Willink
Book Description:
Krystina Cole was a girl on a mission. She had big dreams and aspirations, none of which included a man by her side. She knew better than that – at least until she met Alexander Stone, the New York billionaire real estate tycoon. She saw the way that he looked at her, and the dark promises in his eyes. She was curious about his world and all that it entailed. But the shadows of her past haunted her, making her afraid to explore possibilities that she could never before have imagined…
Alexander Stone was a man who knew how to get what he wanted. He understood the value of finesse, and the importance of patience and diligence to achieve the desired result. He was successful and wealthy, relying on his naturally sharp instincts to guide him through life. 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 of 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.
Amazon
About the Author:
Dakota Willink is a self-employed writer and editor, and the author of Heart of Stone, a contemporary romance novel.
She has always had a passion for reading and writing. From the time she was an adolescent, she enjoyed curling up with a good paperback, reading genres that ranged from thriller and fantasy, to mystery and romance. She always dreamed of one day writing her own book, but had put her aspirations on hold to focus on her family and a career that would pay the bills.
Although she earned a degree in business and had built a solid reputation in retail sales, her heart continued to be with fictional characters – whether they belonged to a favorite author or if they were just stories that she made up in her own head.
In 2013, Dakota gathered enough courage to turn her dreams into a reality. In between playing chauffeur to two very busy children and working her job during the day, Dakota began to put words on paper. Eventually, she began to describe her life as a book. Everything she saw or heard throughout the day, intertwined with her imagination for the creation of future writings. By 2014, with the support of her husband and two children, she gave up the security of a steady paycheck and began working on her first novel full time.
Dakota Willink is a lover of music, and appreciates the power and stimulating effect it can have on the brain. She often uses lyrics and melodies to help her through bouts of writers block. At the end of her novel, you can find an authors note that recognizes and thanks the artists that gave her inspiration.
Dakota resides in the Western New York area, where she enjoys spending time with family, her two Labrador Retrievers, and her spoiled rotten cat. During the summer months, she can often be found on a boat, soaking up the sun on the Great Lakes with her family.
Official Website: http://www.dakotawillink.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DakotaWillink/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DakotaWillink
Amazon Author Central: http://www.amazon.com/Dakota-Willink/e/B019UOHLYO
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14808492
Dakota Willink is a self-employed writer and editor, and the author of Heart of Stone, a contemporary romance novel.
She has always had a passion for reading and writing. From the time she was an adolescent, she enjoyed curling up with a good paperback, reading genres that ranged from thriller and fantasy, to mystery and romance. She always dreamed of one day writing her own book, but had put her aspirations on hold to focus on her family and a career that would pay the bills.
Although she earned a degree in business and had built a solid reputation in retail sales, her heart continued to be with fictional characters – whether they belonged to a favorite author or if they were just stories that she made up in her own head.
In 2013, Dakota gathered enough courage to turn her dreams into a reality. In between playing chauffeur to two very busy children and working her job during the day, Dakota began to put words on paper. Eventually, she began to describe her life as a book. Everything she saw or heard throughout the day, intertwined with her imagination for the creation of future writings. By 2014, with the support of her husband and two children, she gave up the security of a steady paycheck and began working on her first novel full time.
Dakota Willink is a lover of music, and appreciates the power and stimulating effect it can have on the brain. She often uses lyrics and melodies to help her through bouts of writers block. At the end of her novel, you can find an authors note that recognizes and thanks the artists that gave her inspiration.
Dakota resides in the Western New York area, where she enjoys spending time with family, her two Labrador Retrievers, and her spoiled rotten cat. During the summer months, she can often be found on a boat, soaking up the sun on the Great Lakes with her family.
Official Website: http://www.dakotawillink.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DakotaWillink/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DakotaWillink
Amazon Author Central: http://www.amazon.com/Dakota-Willink/e/B019UOHLYO
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14808492
Interview:
1. Where do you get your ideas? They are just in my head…there really is no rhyme or reason as to how I get my ideas. Sometimes I’ll just be driving in the car, and one song lyric can spark an idea for an entire chapter. Sometimes it only takes hearing a line in a movie to form an entire plot twist. But then there are times when I’m laying in bed thinking of something totally unrelated to my writing, and a random thought pops in my mind and causes me to jump out of bed and open my laptop.
2. Do you have a dream cast for your book? 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 Cole, I pictured Lacey Chabert with brown curly hair. I envisioned Ian Somerhalder for Alexander Stone. As for how they would act out the roles, I didn’t think that far ahead.
3. How do you handle writer’s block? I have been fortunate enough to find an outlet that rejuvenates my creativity, and helps to get rid of the dreaded writers block. To put it simply – music. I, like my heroine in Heart of Stone, can feel the sound of music. I have used it many times for inspiration while I work. You can find a list of artists that inspired me at the end of my book.
4. What inspired you to write this book? I always wanted to write, but considered writing a pipedream until a few years ago. Then I met someone locally that wrote and published. She was a wife and mother of three – and just as busy as I was. It was then that I realized that I needed to stop making excuses and just do it. So I did. When my husband read what I had been working on, he became my biggest fan and encouraged me to quit my job to focus solely on finishing Heart of Stone.
5. What’s the hardest part of being an author? Lately, it’s time management. As an independent author, I work on obtaining all book promotions for Heart of Stone. It’s tough balancing my time between the Heart of Stone book release, finishing Stepping Stone, and my personal obligations.
2. Do you have a dream cast for your book? 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 Cole, I pictured Lacey Chabert with brown curly hair. I envisioned Ian Somerhalder for Alexander Stone. As for how they would act out the roles, I didn’t think that far ahead.
3. How do you handle writer’s block? I have been fortunate enough to find an outlet that rejuvenates my creativity, and helps to get rid of the dreaded writers block. To put it simply – music. I, like my heroine in Heart of Stone, can feel the sound of music. I have used it many times for inspiration while I work. You can find a list of artists that inspired me at the end of my book.
4. What inspired you to write this book? I always wanted to write, but considered writing a pipedream until a few years ago. Then I met someone locally that wrote and published. She was a wife and mother of three – and just as busy as I was. It was then that I realized that I needed to stop making excuses and just do it. So I did. When my husband read what I had been working on, he became my biggest fan and encouraged me to quit my job to focus solely on finishing Heart of Stone.
5. What’s the hardest part of being an author? Lately, it’s time management. As an independent author, I work on obtaining all book promotions for Heart of Stone. It’s tough balancing my time between the Heart of Stone book release, finishing Stepping Stone, and my personal obligations.