This week I am really excited to have author Dakota Cassidy as my victim *cough* I mean guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog. Dakota has alot of books out there but her most famous so far are The Accidental Werewolf
and her newest release Accidentally Dead
. For a chance to win one of these books keep reading! If you need to know more then don't just skim the interview but actually read it :)----------------------
Amber - Firstly I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer my
questions! I really appreciate it!
Dakota - Thanks for having me, Amber--I appreciate the cyber time :)
Amber - To start us off could you tell us a little bit about 'Accidentally Dead
' and 'The Accidental Werewolf'?Dakota - The Accidental Werewolf
is about Marty Andrews, multi-level cosmetics sales guru, bitten in a total accident by a werewolf. Accidentally Dead is the second in the series and focuses on Nina Blackman, Marty's friend and also her biggest source of grief in The Accidental Werewolf. Nina was always the pin in Marty's cosmetic bubble--she began as Marty's sales recruit, and quite frankly, she sucked at selling cosmetics. She was negative and difficult when he's at her best. But I hope folks will see that she has a real heart of gold, and she's not nearly as bad as her fresh mouth is :)Amber - 'Accidentally Dead
' has just hit the shelves and 'The Accidental Werewolf' was out in February! Things must be busy? How do you keep up with everything and find the time to write?Dakota - I don't know--are you available for hire? LOL. Actually, writing is my full time job. I write about 10 hours a day, all told. Most times it's in snippets of three hours or so interspersed with housework, laundry, my sons and life in general. Working at home ain't easy, but for the most part I do 16 hour days :)
Amber - I know that you have written quite alot of books and I have only read your contribution to the Paranormal Mates Society. What other books do you have on offer for readers and how do they compare to the 'Accidental' books?
Dakota - Oh, my gravy--I have probably thirty or so e-books in various lengths, many of them series related and all are erotic, whereas The Accidental series is more mainstream. Hot, but not quite that hot :)
Amber - Nina is the leading lady in 'Accidentally Dead
' and Marty in 'The Accidental Werewolf'. Does that mean Wanda is next up? What paranormal creature will she be?Dakota - I'll never tell. Tee hee :) All I can tell you is this--Wanda's in deep doo-doo and it ain't pretty :) And yep, she's next!
Amber - So what is next? More 'Accidental' books? Any other projects you are working on?
Dakota - Actually, I'm working on a stand alone right now called Kiss and Hell--due out the summer of 2009. It's about a medium and the hawt geeky demon who needs her help to figure out how he ended up in Hell.
Amber - Who are you more like? Marty, Nina or Wanda? Do you base your characters on anyone you know?
Dakota - Totally like Marty on the outside. Love shoes, clothes, makeup. Nina on the inside. I think all the stuff she says--I just don't say it. LOL And I'm much like Wanda in that, I hate confrontation (unless it's in my head), and I'm very diplomatic. And there are definitely some aspects about the girls that are based on some people in my life.
Amber - In 'Accidentally Dead
' we hear that Wanda reads alot of paranormal books. Do you have any favourite reads?Dakota - Nina Bangs. Love her. Adore her. Aspire to BE her. LOL. I'm kidding. Nina was the inspiration for me to step outside the box and hit the crazy train. her concepts are wildly funny. Also love Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Michele Bardsley, and Angela Knight.
Amber - The girls all have to do some research when Nina becomes a vampire. Do you have to do alot of research for your books? Do you use Wikipedia or Vampires for Dummies?
Dakota - I hit Wikipedia a couple of times for sure, and various other sites for some technical info about clothing in a certain time period, but for the most part I just make it up. I haven't met any real live vampires to dispute my crazy concepts--so the fields wide open. LOL
Amber - With so much going on you definitely need to take time to relax now and again. So how does Dakota Cassidy relax?
Dakota - Hang on and let me look that word up. LOL. I'm a big movie fan, so I watch movies, read a book, sleep. God knows I can never have enough sleep.
Amber - If your leading girls Wanda, Nina and Marty were going to be made into a TV Series/Movie which actresses would you love to see playing the parts?
Dakota - Hmmm, I'm going Reece Witherspoon for Marty, Nina's definitely Megan Fox, and Wanda's probably Jennifer Love Hewitt. I think... Can I have more time? LOL
Amber - Anyone who reads your bio knows you have alot of goals in life. There is just one I have to ask about - You want banish the colour yellow forever. What is it that is so bad about the colour yellow? ;)
Dakota - Yellow is the color of Hell. Tee hee. Almost no one should really wear it--it's a rare person that it truly works on. And mostly, that's just been a long running gag for me. I'm really okay if you wear yellow. Most of the time. LOL
Amber - A genie comes along and grants you 3 wishes? What would they be?
Dakota - My sons suddenly have a place to live and it doesn't involve me in any way. Endless contracts to write all the books I have swirling around in my head. Move to Vegas with my honeybunny Rob and see barry Manilow at The Hilton at least one a week.
Amber - A huge thank you Dakota! It was great to have you here on Amberkatze's Book Blog! Hopefully you will come back again ;)
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Contest Time -
As always I love to have a contest to compliment my author interviews and I usually only have one prize. However this week there are 2 prizes on offer and that means 2 winners!
One of the prizes on offer this week is my copy of the new release from Dakota, Accidentally Dead. 
The other prize is a signed copy of 'The Accidental Werewolf' from Dakota! How to enter -
To enter the contest let us know what 'Accident' Wanda will have in the 3rd book? Marty became a werewolf and Nina is a now a vampire. So what do you think Wanda will be? No guess no entry!
Anyone who is already signed up for my newsletter or signs up by the end of the contest will also be entered. So if you make a comment and are on the newsletter list you will be entered twice! You can sign up for the newsletter here.
Two winners will be picked by Raffle King on Sunday 13th of July. So don't forget to come back and see if you are a winner!
All my books are registered at Bookcrossing but I do not expect the winner to journal my book or be a member of Bookcrossing.
Looking forward to seeing your entries!
Labels: Author Interviews, Contests, Dakota Cassidy, New Releases, signed copy
At 6 July 2008 at 13:36, 
Qwill
I don't think that Wanda becomess a paranormal at all. I guess that she falls for someone who was or is something paranormal. Maybe she falls for a demon??? But somehow she must become immortal because I just can't see Marty and Nina spending eternity without their referee. *throws hands up* Actually I've no clue but can't wait for the next book! *g*
So if I'm reading all the comments right, turning into a witch or fey is out and the third title is possibly The Accidental Human.....
Is it possible to be turned into a human? I also like the idea of a demon. Someone who thought they were always human but they really were a demon.
What about a dragon? Those are sexy beasts. It could also be a doppelganger who becomes human.
At 6 July 2008 at 19:12, Daun Ann
Ok, let's get into the mind of Dakota Cassidy.....'boy is it a mess in here, can't find anything'. Nevermind, let's not. Title is The Accidental Human...let's see, she want's to be a paranormal, but falls in love with plain ole human and stays that way. Other than that, I'm not sure of your way of thinking 'Kota.
I can't wait for Kiss and Hell, that sounds GREAT. I am part of your newsletter and I have #1 book, I NEED #2 book and have been SLACKING in picking my name to win book #2.
At 6 July 2008 at 20:54, Cynthya
My first thought was demon, followed by witch. But it has to be something you can become, so not sure demon qualifies. I'm also not sure if you could become a witch accidentally. Maybe if you suddenly discovered your powers? Of course, knowing Dakota, it could be something really off the wall like a banshee or centaur. :)
At 7 July 2008 at 00:37, LadyVampire2u
Loved the interview and I am a huge fan of yours Dakota. Accidental Human huh? Well, I'm thinking that a normal animal will be bitten somehow by a paranormal and turn into a human. Just a crazy guess but hey, anything is possible, especially with you writing. And I definitely mean that as the highest compliment!
At 7 July 2008 at 04:29, Kathy
Yellow's the color for hell? I saw an episode from the 3rd season of Desperate Housewives last night and Bree looks great in yellow, but I wouldn't, lol. Blonde hair too much yellow.
I think Wanda will be a changeling that turns into a black widow spider. The hourglass looking like a weird tattoo on her abdomen.
At 7 July 2008 at 08:02, Daelith
Okay, Dakota said "Wanda's in deep doo-doo and it ain't pretty" so that automatically made me think of a zombie. But I can't envision the heroine of a book having flesh and body parts drop off. Though it would be funny to see Nina and Marty constantly trying to fix her face. *L*
Next thought was a demon.
But for my overall guess...just to be different, I'm going to say a banshee.
Okay - Marty's a Werewolf; Nina's a Vampire - neither have questioned Wanda about losing weight and being so tired...so, considering I'm doing chemo - I'm going with Wanda is dying, returns as an Angel needing to earn her wings which will be tough with friends like Marty and Nina...in fact, Wanda could turn into a Guardian Angel for Marty's puppies (which I think she should have and they would keep her too tired to put on makeup and she would always have puppy Japanese snot drawings on her clothes)...and let's face it - Nina , although immortal, will need a Guardian Angel to make it through her Bat initiation successfully.
Amber - most excellent questions! I've now joined your newsletter.
I too can't wait to see what's up with Wanda. Dakatoa has a true knack for getting her reader's invested emotionally in her characters...as your blog proves. it's hard to be patient for the next series installment.
What I especially love to read in all the interviews is who an author's favorite/inspiration author is...that's how I actually came across Dakota - per Michelle Bardsley, who I got from a Katie MacAlister, who I got from Maryjanice Davidson, who I got from Stephanie Meyer (...or something like that)...so, passing the word along really works.
OOOHHHH! Most excellent question about movie stars playing characters for TV/Movie. Dakota - love Reese for Marty; Jennifer for Wanda; but how about Debbie Mazar, the eerie blue eyed chick from the Beethoven dog movie...yes, blue eyes instead of brown, however, Debbi has the attitude and potty mouth down.
Last comment - banish yellow? I question your wisdom - which of course I'm doing in a prostrating position (from the computer, ha!) because orange is sooooo ugly, on a car, on a wall, on my skin as a tan...I agree yellow sucks and makes 99% of the people in the world look like bananas or bees when paired with black - it's just orange is worse. It truly makes me mad and I want to slap the person wearing it...just ask my FT roomie, Dave,...of course, he may like the slapping...just now thought of that...maybe I won't slap him next time he wears it as a punishment.
Gina G.
Springfield, IL
At 7 July 2008 at 21:03, Nessa
Hmm...
Well, my first thought was banshee... or possibly some other kind of faerie creature.
But if the title is The Accidental Human... I may have to go with her loosing powers or being someone who was supposed to be born with powers and wasn't. *shrugs*
Just taking shots in the dark here, as I've never read either of the books. (Bad me, I know.)
Oh, and I hate yellow too. There's like one very particular sort-of pale shade that I can pull off... but it's impossible to find.
At 8 July 2008 at 13:19, Daelith
Ever seen the movie, Death Becomes Her, with Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis? That's what I thought of after I posted.
Also forgot to add, I'm also a yellow hater. When I was a little girl, my mother got on this yellow kick and decided to do my room in yellow gingham. My dresser and bedside table were painted yellow. I had yellow gingham curtains, bedspread with matching pillows and canopy and yellow shag carpet, *gag*. It looked like a huge canary exploded in my room.
It was only recently that I found myself interested in books regarding vampires and the paranormal. So I would love a chance to read either one of these books. I think that Wanda... may accidentally die... and come back alive. So like a zombie, the living dead, I guess. haha.
Carmen T
carmenalexistsang@gmail.com
by Kelley Armstrong
Hi Dakota!
Yuck, yellow. I'd never wear that color, lol.
Well, since Marty's got werewolf, Nina's getting vampy, I'll go with some sort of ghost for Wanda, maybe? Or she's able to be invisible!
Oh, the possibilities. Being invisible + Gym full of hot guys = Heh heh heh.