Dakota Rebel's in the House!

Or...erm...you know...on the blog.

Since starting my publishing career, I've met a lot of fascinating and awesome people on the interwebz, and Dakota is one of the best. I love this woman. LOVE her!

I'd like to invite you to learn more about Dakota. And if you leave a comment you'll be entered in a contest to win a copy of her new ebook, Frienemies! Please leave your email address - contest closes Sunday night (10/2/11) at 8pm EST.

From what or where do you derive the most inspiration for your stories?

Brian and Justin and Harry and Draco have been HUGE inspirations for me. I like to picture either of those couples when I'm working on a new book. I feel both couples belong together and in my head every story revolves around their hotness.

Tell us about your upcoming releases?

The book I'm most excited for is Vamplet. It's a M/M retelling of Hamlet with vampires. It was so much fun to write and it's getting released in conjunction with several of my friend's (*cough, Bronwyn Green, *cough) retellings of classic Shakespeare works so I'm doubly excited.
I actually have a release coming out every month through the end of the year so that's pretty exciting for me. Mitch is being re-released in October with Resplendence Publishing. I also have a M/F short coming up. It's been a LONG time since I've written a M/F. I was surprised at how difficult it was for me. I kept trying to give the heroine boy parts. Lol. Habits die hard I guess.

What are you working on at the moment?

What aren't I working on, lol? I have many WIPS (work in progress) going at the moment. My favorites are the sequels to Mitch and To Hate and To Hold. But I also have a M/M that takes place in Las Vegas that I've been working on for over a year. Someday I may even finish that one. Maybe.

What would you do if you weren’t a writer?

Oh my God. I don't even want to imagine. Then these voices wouldn't be 'real' and I'd be in some sort of hospital for crazy people. I don't care for pudding enough to live in an institution.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

I like to pretend to be a crafter. My mom and I are doing two craft fairs this year and when I'm not writing and/or editing and/or working at the day job, I'm covering things in paper and trying to come up with funny things to say in greeting cards. I love doing it, but it's harder than it looks and sounds. I tend to only have time after 9 pm and to anyone who knows me…that's not my best time. I prefer to be in bed by 9.05 pm when I can help it.

Of all of the characters you’ve created, who is your favorite and why?

For a long time, the answer to this one was a no brainer. I would have spit out Ethan Connor from To Hate and To Hold without even having to pause to consider. But now, well, I'm pretty fond of Elijah from Blood of the Fallen. And Donnie from Frienemies (because he may or may not be based on a fictional character I love and a real boy I adore.) Plus, there will always be a special place in my heart for Diego, my first published vampire from Sweet Dreams. You never forget your first.

Do you find it difficult to keep love/sex scenes fresh and interesting?

Not really. While in my head the boys may always look like one of the before mentioned couples, they always have their own personalities and styles. Every scene between my characters is special to them and special to me. That is enough to keep me on my toes and make sure their experiences are unique to them.

Do you listen to music when you write or do you need quiet? If you listen to music – what kind?

I almost always listen to music. And the style varies immensely. Some books call for classical, some for hard rock and one even seemed to thrive on Christmas music. You never know what the muse will want to hear at any given time so you'd best be prepared to make her happy. If momma ain't happy ain't no one happy.

What makes a man sexy?

I LOVE a funny man. Men who may not be conventionally handsome are insanely more attractive when they have a sense of humor. Preferably a sense of humor that meshes with mine. Inappropriate and quick, that's how I like my men…wait, that's not quite right.

Do you family and friends know you write erotic romance – if so, how have they reacted?

Most of my family knows. Before my dad passed away he told his friends I write westerns. Lol. He was very proud that I was a writer but he couldn't admit what I write. And my mom once asked me "Is this because I read gay porn when I was pregnant with you?" My in-laws have the 'don't ask don't tell' policy which is just fine with me. But for the most part everyone is very supportive and great about it.

What’s your favorite food?

Ice.

Do you have any bad habits?
I still bite my nails on occasion. And I have a severe iron deficiency (and allergy) which leads to me chew ice constantly. Apparently this is terrible for my teeth and I really don't get the correlation between anemia and ice chewing, but I'm told there is one, so there you go.

If you were stranded on a desert isle, what five things would you want to have with you?

Ice. Internet. Laptop. A magic wand. Magical powers to go with the wand. (That's probably cheating but anyone who knows me knows I would never put myself in a position to GET stuck on a desert isle, so I'm assuming I'm a character in one of my books now and can have whatever I want.)

And here's a little bit more about Dakota!

Dakota Rebel lives in Detroit, Michigan with her husband Mr. Rebel and two incorrigible children, Jr. Rebel and Rebel Jr. 2.0.

Her friends are made up of the most amazing people on the planet. They not only accept her faults but often encourage them.

Dakota smokes more than she should, drinks less than she'd like to, and is the life of any party that ends by 9 p.m.

She adores her fans like nobody's business and encourages them all to email her at Dakota.rebel@hotmail.com.

You can find her at her blog, twitter and facebook.