Interview with Dakota Monroe

What happens when a beloved coming-of-age warrior story collides with a dystopian future that feels a little too plausible? I sit down with author Dakota Monroe, whose fantasy romance and dystopian romance novels have built a fiercely loyal readership, to talk about the creative spark behind Daughters of Ash and the emotional craft that makes her characters hit so hard.

Starting with Dakota’s path from lifelong reader to published indie author, including the series that shaped her love of romance and tension. She opens up about being neurodivergent and how that affects her writing process, from hyper-attuned facial expressions and body language to the way she writes trauma with intense physical detail. If you’ve ever wondered why some books feel like you’re living inside the character’s skin, her explanation lands.

Then we go deep on Daughters of Ash, the Bound by Order series, and the scenes that mattered most: a low-stakes simulation that lets the world breathe, and a mission that becomes a turning point for Cassia when safety ends and reality starts. We also talk about the darker theme underneath it all, the pressure indie authors face to publish at an unsustainable pace, and how Dakota protects her creativity from burnout. 

If you love author interviews, writing craft, dystopian fantasy, slow-burn reverse harem tension, and honest talk about publishing, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a reader friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

Transcript

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Welcome Dakota Monroe

Jordan 0:21

She's been writing and publishing for several years, building worlds across fantasy, dystopian, and paranormal romances, just to name a few. Readers may know her from her Shadows of Crown series, or my personal favorite, the Bound by Order series. A lifelong fantasy reader, she decided it was time to bring the worlds in her imagination to life on the page. Through her story, she hopes to create an escape for readers, a place where they can get lost, even if only for a little while. And she does just that. Please welcome to the podcast, Dakota Monroe. Hi. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast. I am so excited. Me too. I'm really happy to be here. Thank you for having me. Oh my gosh. No, like thank you so much. And before we start with the interview, I do want to ask you what has been the highlight of your week so far.

Dakota Monroe 1:16

Well, this for one. This has been a highlight. I've been waiting. Um, but also we got the uh Daughters of Ash audiobook cover back this week, which was really exciting.

Jordan 1:27

I'm very excited about that. Oh my gosh, that's so exciting! Is it you're here? I'm gonna be a total dork. Is it is it gonna is it gonna match this?

Dakota Monroe 1:36

Well, that's cute. Yeah, so I had um they asked me to send them the layers that I had. And when I drew the cover, I was new to Procreate, and so I merged a bunch of layers and I sent them just terrible things, but they somehow made it work a bit. So yeah.

Jordan 1:57

Hey, that is that is all that matters because when I and I know this is a question I will ask you later, but like when I found out you drew this, I was like insane, and so I knew I needed to have it, which I also knew I was going to get it this whole time, but like I was like, it's stunning, it is stunning. And I know too, normally I don't answer the question, but I feel like I have to answer the question this time because the highlight of my week is to be able to interview, interview you. I am so excited. So this is I'm like when I so I know a little backstory for the listeners. When I reached out to your PA, I was like, fingers crossed, she wants to do an interview, fingers crossed, and I like didn't know because I know like sometimes like authors don't want to, and I totally understand that. But like when you came back and was like yes, I was like, I died dead. So I just needed to say that, and I'm I'm so excited.

Dakota Monroe 2:55

Yeah, me too. I was shocked when she came to me. I normally don't say yes to these, but I really like you. So I was like, oh my gosh, we're gonna do it.

Jordan 3:07

So okay, I'm so excited. I'm so excited. Okay, so we will dive right on in. And I broke this up into four parts, which author, and then of course, daughters of ash, because I'm obsessed, and then reading and personal. So we'll start with author first. What inspired you to start writing and to write romance books?

Dakota Monroe 3:28

To be honest, I'm not sure.

Why She Writes Romance

Dakota Monroe 3:30

So I have been writing since I was a child, and before I was a writer, I was a reader, and I have loved reading for so long. I used to get in trouble in school actually for reading during class. I just remember thinking at times that I want somebody to feel about my writing the way I feel about these books. And I wrote songs, poems, short stories, novels. I have so much that I've written since I was younger. Um as far as romance, however, I think I have to attribute that to the Mortal Instrument series and Twilight. I fell in love with romance after reading those, especially with is it Clary and Jace from the Mortal Instrument series? I loved their dynamic, and I just can't write or read anything that's not romance anymore.

Jordan 4:29

Oh, I was obsessed with that series as a kid. That series was everything. Oh my goodness, and how Cassandra Clare, I think, is the author, really. I just you get like so sucked in, and I I totally agree, even though I'm I'm not an author, I I can't write anything, so you guys get all the kudos. But that series is so good.

Dakota Monroe 4:52

I it's so good. Mine likes the original books, and they're just shreds, they're hanging on by nothing.

Jordan 5:00

But then, but then you know they are truly loved books. Yes, exactly. So you have mentioned that you're neurodivergent. Has this ever impacted your writing?

Dakota Monroe 5:12

I think so. I uh get actually quite a few messages and comments of readers telling me that they feel uh really immersed, I

Neurodivergence And Deep Character Emotion

Dakota Monroe 5:25

guess, in my books, and they feel like they are in the character's shoes and they are feeling their emotions and experiencing what they're experiencing. And I think for me, so when I was younger, I I did not, I guess, react um in public the way that I guess quote, normal people do, however they put it. And so I used to get bullied a lot for it. And I spent months in front of a mirror, like testing facial expressions and tones of voice and inflictions and body language and all of it based on how I was feeling. So I would categorize my physical feelings into those things, and I think that really comes through in my writing because I am the character when I'm writing. So I physically describe what they're going through. And yeah, I do think it impacts it, and I'm glad for that.

Jordan 6:23

So but then can it be hard in a way when you're almost embodying the character? Because I'm just thinking about Daughters of Ash, like that, and don't get me wrong, that book is amazing, but it can be a tough read at times.

Dakota Monroe 6:39

Yeah, it is. Um, I all of my FMCs go through some kind of trauma, and Cassias will get a lot worse as the series goes on, and it gets really difficult to be in their shoes sometimes, just feeling what they feel like the disgust or the fear or whatever it may be. It's it's difficult sometimes. So I have many projects going on at once just so I can switch between them if I'm feeling some type of way.

Jordan 7:07

And then it's like you can take a break. That that's good. Yep. You've published a few books now. What do you wish you knew before you published your debut book?

Dakota Monroe 7:22

I think I think one thing that I wish I knew is how demanding

Indie Publishing Pressure And Burnout

Dakota Monroe 7:30

some of this industry can be. There's I a lot of the readers, most of the readers I've spoken with and met, they're really great and they're so kind and understanding. There is just this, and not to be rude, but subset of the community that really expects indie authors to pump out three plus books a year. And I had gotten sucked into that when I first started publishing, and I got burnt out so quick and it sucked. But I kind of dug myself out of that. And I'm just in a place now where I will just do what I'm feeling like doing, and I don't make promises to anybody anymore. And I encourage other new authors to do that. It's it gets really kind of peer pressury and depressing to have those expectations on you. I mean, it's great for the authors that can and want to do that. That's totally cool. Do that, but not for me. I wish I knew that when I started.

Jordan 8:33

No, and I it makes me so sad because I feel like they, of course, it's those readers and those like followers that are the loudest. And it's so frustrating that they're the ones that say things in comment because I just it's it's so tough because it's I don't understand why you would want something to be rushed if you want it to be good, you would think I I would wait however long needed to be like waited for the book that you want to write. So it's just it uh makes me so sad.

Dakota Monroe 9:11

Um when we were younger, sorry, I'm old you are, but then was younger. Um we we didn't have like all of the Kindles and um ebooks, and we had to wait years in between books and a series, and I mean, still I'm fine with that. I just feel like the whole community has just started peer pressuring indie authors to just keep pumping them out, and it's really sad. I wish that they didn't do that because this is our craft, and for a lot of us it's our therapy, and that just kind of burns it, you know?

Jordan 9:47

So yeah, and no, and it's true, and it's also those same people that will be like, This book stinks, and it's like, well, if you weren't so mean and telling people to rush, then that wouldn't have happened, but here we are, right? Uh has your writing changed from your debut book to your most recent?

Dakota Monroe 10:09

I think anybody who reads my debut versus like Daughters of Ash was my most recent would 1000% agree with me. After

Craft Growth Plus Plotting Style

Dakota Monroe 10:21

I had written that series, so A Bonds and Daggers was the first book that I published, and that was a trilogy. After I had written that, I have done some classes and some learning on different writing craft, especially for fantasy books. And how do I put it? I just I don't feel like I'm like great, but I just feel like I've gotten better in a way that I've learned techniques. And so I go back to my debut and I can't, it's like looking at yourself in a video or listening to yourself on something, like I can't look at it anymore.

Jordan 11:02

It's like the sun, you can't stare directly at it. Would you ever go back and re-edit it to your voice now?

Dakota Monroe 11:11

As of right now, no. I it would be difficult because that's my most popular series, believe it or not. And a lot of readers come to me about that series because it is just pure working through trauma. And they really resonate with the characters in there. So if I did decide to do that, I would really have to focus on keeping all of the aspects that readers resonate with without ruining it and putting it in my current voice. So right now, no, I don't have plans, but if I decide to, yeah.

Jordan 11:53

That's fair. That's fair. Um so don't hate me for asking, but out of all your books, do you have a favorite character? And if so, who?

Dakota Monroe 12:06

Okay, so I thought about this. I am stuck between um Ariella from Shadows of the Crown and Cassia from Daughters of Ash. I think it's difficult for me to choose because they're both so different, but they're both so me. Ariella is just a very strong, no nonsense, hates men, gets things done, kind of woman. Love her. But Cassia is strong in her own way, and she's learning to grow in this world that she's never seen, and going through all of this trauma for the first time. I really, I really love both of them. I don't think I could choose between them.

Jordan 12:51

Okay, that's fair. That's fair. And I feel like that was that's a really good answer. Uh would you say you're a plotter, pantster, or the mix of the two?

Dakota Monroe 13:02

Definitely a mix of the two. Um, so my process is I like to outline the basic scenes of a book, um, just to make sure I'm hitting all of the beats that I want to hit. But then when I go to write it, I write whatever comes to me. And sometimes I will delete a beat if it's not if the characters are not feeling it, or add one. Um, but I really like to outline it and then just write how it comes. So it's definitely a mix of the two.

Jordan 13:36

But okay, so then I'm kind of curious, talking about Daughters of Ash before we get to Daughters of Ash, when you first like kind of wrote the outline, did it change even though like you kind of you have the outline, but then you kind of just write. But did the outline change when you started to write it?

Dakota Monroe 13:57

Yes. I uh I have the original somewhere. Um, but yes, it absolutely changed as it took me a while to find Cassia's voice, but as I got more into her character, I I just her story changed. I was like, you know, this doesn't fit with her character anymore. We have to do this, and I think actually most of the outline ended up changing while I was writing it. So okay.

Jordan 14:23

So the last question in authoring what has been your proudest author moment?

Dakota Monroe 14:30

I wouldn't say it's one moment, but a culmination of moments. I think I feel the proudest when I get these messages from readers about how XYZ book or character really spoke to them and healed something in them, or this is their favorite book they've ever read, or they will be singing this from the rooftops. I those make me cry, those make me keep going when like imposter syndrome for authors is a very real thing. So sometimes I'm just like, I don't want to do this anymore. But then I get these messages and I don't know, I just I feel loved and I really, yeah, I love it.

Jordan 15:14

That's that's like so cool, and that must be like so awesome too, because I feel like in a way, you're putting your feelings and thoughts and opinions in this book, and then finding someone that can connect to it, it's almost like the person's being able to connect to you too. No like parasocial relationships here, but in a way, like through your writing, can connect. So, like that's kind of cool.

Dakota Monroe 15:41

Yeah, absolutely. I really I agree. I put a lot of myself in each of my books. It's my version of therapy. So when somebody comes to me and they're like, this really healed something in me. I I really resonate with this character, that heals something in me. It's really great. It's I just love it.

Jordan 16:01

Okay, so now Daughters of Ash, which I am so excited to talk about. It is so good. What inspired you to write this book? And how did the story come to you?

Dakota Monroe 16:14

A couple years ago, I was watching Milan with a friend who had never seen Milan before, by the way. Crazy.

The Origin Of Daughters Of Ash

Dakota Monroe 16:21

I love that movie. Um, but I was watching Milan with her, and I just randomly had a thought that was like, what if this was in the world of the handmaid's tale? And then I paused and was like, wait a second, I need that. And a couple days later I had the first outline for Daughters of Ash, and I was halfway through drawing the map, and that's how that started. Yeah.

Jordan 16:50

Oh my wait, so not a qu I know I've kind of been asking questions that are not on here. And now, did this story just flow out of you? Did you kind of just start it and then couldn't stop and finished it within like a short amount of time?

Dakota Monroe 17:05

Yes. That's how every one of my stories comes out, is just I get this idea and I cannot stop working on it until I have it fleshed out. And that's what I did with Daughters of Ash. It just it kept flowing and I was so excited to create a dystopian world. I uh love dystopian worlds so much, and it was it was really fun to start putting together.

Jordan 17:32

Okay, because I had so much fun reading it. I know I like started it on a the plane ride. I I was going from California back home on the East Coast, and I started my like Kindle version, and I could not stop reading it. I got to like 65%, and the only reason I stopped was because I had to get off the plane to drive home. And I was like, I don't want to leave this world yet. And it was just, it's like one of those books you can't put it down at all. That's really nice. What scene was the most fun to write? And then what scene was the most challenging to write?

Dakota Monroe 18:13

I think the most fun to write was when Cassia and the team are going through their simulation in the rain in one of the abandoned cities that are by them. I uh one of my favorite things about dystopian books and movies is when we get to experience the world in a low stakes way. And so when I made this scene, I just really enjoyed putting Cassia through it and having her take it seriously, but also it was low stakes. And it it was just really great to, I guess, world build that part of everything during that scene. And I love that. That was a great scene to write. I think the hardest scene, however, was it was maybe one or two chapters after that when she went on her first mission with the team. And this scene this scene gets to me because it is the first time uh in Cassia's life that she is uh really experiencing uh any kind of trauma. Um, you know, she's been hidden and her mother has told her stories of the breeding facility that she was raised in and she's heard things from her father, but she has never experienced anything truly except for warmth and safety and love and her family. And even when she joined the enforcer team, up until that point where they went on their first mission, she still wasn't able to grasp the whole reality of what she's gotten herself into and what this world is really like. And so when they went on their or her first mission, and she had this moment of having to decide between, you know, I'm here. This is what I came here for to help women. But if I help her right now, I'm gonna get caught and I'm going to die, and I can't help anyone else. And so that was her very first moment in her life where she experienced the reality of what's happening. And then she had to watch them kill the men. And I think what was really hard about that was one diving through the dynamic of how she would react in the moment because that was such a big moment for her character. That was a turning point for her character in the book, but also how she reacted afterwards. Everyone reacts to trauma differently, and I really wanted to flesh out the way that Cassia handled that and how that ended up shaping her character in the chapters onwards. And so I really struggled with that scene. I rewrote it a few times until it got to a place where I felt like that was it for her character and was what was meant to happen for her. So yeah.

Jordan 21:06

And it's it's so interesting because like I as I read it, I don't think about how it's the turning point because you just think about how like she's responding. And even though you're like, oh, you have to help them, but then she's like, I can't, because then I can't help any uh anybody else. And I'm like, oh my god, you can't help them. Like, and so it's like one of those things. And I know too, like for myself when I'm reading it, there's I think there's like multiple points throughout the book where not that she wants to give up, that's not the right word, but it's almost like like before she like gets there, she's like, Okay, maybe I should turn around. Like, maybe I shouldn't do this. And then there's like a couple other points where I think she like questions it. And I think that's really cool. And I think that shows a more complex character in a way. There's it's not just like, oh, I'm going for it, which in a way that can be cool too. But I I like the indecision at times because I think everybody can relate to that. Like I know that for myself in different aspects of my life. So I think it was cool to see her thought process at different moments in this new world. World to her essentially. And I really liked that.

Dakota Monroe 22:25

Yeah, that was important to me actually, to make sure she was questioning almost everything that she did. And what I think is interesting about her character is in the beginning, before she leaves her house, she sits in front of the mirror and she really questions everything. And then she decides to do it. And some people might look at that and be like, well, she's super intelligent. She's super smart. Why, why the hell would she just leave her house like that? That's so stupid. But this is where her naivety comes in because she is not that intelligent. You know, she doesn't know what's going on out there. And I think that was such an important part of her character. Um, I actually changed that uh from the original outline. So it was gonna be kind of more like Mulan, where her brother was gonna be called and she was gonna take his place. But I was like, no, I need her to make this decision herself. And that's what ended up happening. So yeah, that was important for her character.

Jordan 23:24

Oh, and and you can see that too, because I think I think you're right that it's something that she needed to make the call for. It was, it didn't need to be, it couldn't be somebody else essentially making the call for her. Yeah. If you could pick only one song to pair or sum up the book, what song would you pick?

Dakota Monroe 23:44

Labor by Paris Palompi. I I don't know if you've heard that song. It goes around usually on dystopian type videos on socials. That is the epitome of this series. I use it in almost every marketing video that I make for Daughters of Ash. I think it is the perfect song for it.

Jordan 24:04

Like I wrote it down so that way I could go listen to it later.

Dakota Monroe 24:07

Yes, it's perfect.

Jordan 24:09

I think you'll agree once you listen to it for sure. What do you hope? And I know you kind of I don't know, this this question actually could be different, or the answer could be different. What do you hope readers understand about the story or characters that might not be obvious at first?

Dakota Monroe 24:24

One of the big things, I actually talked

Trauma, Choice, And A Scary Future

Dakota Monroe 24:26

about this at the end of the book in one of those author note acknowledgement things, but I think what's important is to recognize well, recognize apologies. Well, this is a fictional book, this is a fantasy world. I created this world, but I created it based off of how I feel our country is going to look in a few decades if we keep going the way they the way that we are. And so there is so much truth to this story and the upcoming books in the series that are really scary. They're going to be so hard to read that I guarantee so many people are gonna have to put the book down because they cannot read it. And I just I really hope people understand how close to reality that this is.

Jordan 25:20

You know, it's it's fictional, but it's also not and I think that's also why it's tough at times to read. I I do think there's a little bit of hope in the books. That's what's kind of nice because at least there's hope somewhere in these pages, but I definitely see what you mean. Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so now we can get into the cover. I saw that you mentioned you did the cover for Daughters of Ash. Did you always know you were gonna do the cover, or did this kind of just like you were just drawing it and then like bam, cover?

Dakota Monroe 26:00

I've been drawing my whole life. I really was obsessed with drawing Brad dolls. Fun fact um when I was younger. I love it. But I know,

Drawing The Cover And Teasing Book Two

Dakota Monroe 26:09

but I had just started a digital drawing. So I just started using Procreate on my iPad around that time, and I just had this image of a woman who was on fire from the inside, and her skin was flaking off into ashy pieces. And I was like, I need to draw this, but I wasn't very good at digital drawing, so it took me 44 hours to get her right exactly where I wanted her. And as soon as I saw it done, I was like, this is the cover. This is what I want people to see when they look and are wondering what kind of book this is. So yeah.

Jordan 26:48

Oh my wait, that's so cool. So did you have did you have the story already and then the image in your head to draw, or did you essentially draw the cover first and then wrote the story?

Dakota Monroe 27:02

Um I had the outline done at that time. I had only written little pieces of it, um, but I did not have the full story or manuscript done. I just, I don't know, I just had an image come to my head. I think that was around the time I got the title too. Um, I thought of the title and it just all came from there.

Jordan 27:25

That it that is so cool. Do you so do you plan on drawing the covers for the rest of the series too?

Dakota Monroe 27:33

Yeah, I'm like halfway through working in the second book right now. It's actually pretty cool.

Jordan 27:39

Oh my gosh, I'm so excited. Which kind of goes into the next question because I noticed that this is book one in the Bound of Order series. Can you tease anything about book two?

Dakota Monroe 27:54

Yes, I'll tease a couple of things. One, we do get some romance and a lot of tension in book two, which I'm very excited about. Um, and two, I haven't really thought about doing this on socials. My PA does most of the things for me. I'm really bad at marketing, but I wanted to tell you the title because I know you love Daughters of Ash so much. So the second book is called Sons of Syndicate, and the cover is one of the three MMCs um with cracked skin, and he has like a glowy eye, and it's really intense and gritty, and I love it. I can't wait to share it.

Jordan 28:36

Oh my gosh, I am so excited, and I love the title, and it fits so well with Daughters of Ash. Like, oh my gosh, which okay, so I I do have to ask, I did so I know when I finished Daughters of Ash, I might have stocked your social media and your website, and I saw that there was possibly gonna be four bound of order books. Are we still thinking that? Are we thinking yes?

Dakota Monroe 29:07

I have outlines for all four of them, actually. I have titles for all four of them and ideas for the covers. Um the Tantor, I think that's how you say it, media, who acquired the rights for Daughters of Ash, acquired the rights for all four of them, actually. Um, so I had shown the outlines for everything. And so they will all be getting audiobooks and there will be four books.

Jordan 29:35

So my gosh, I am so excited. I can't wait.

Dakota Monroe 29:40

I know I hope they hate me after the second movie. So I'm sorry. Oh no. I think I think everybody is really gonna hate me at the end of book two.

Jordan 29:50

Oh no, I'm so scared now. It's gonna be it's gonna be good. It's gonna be good. It's gonna be good. I'm gonna eventually I'm gonna be like crying, tears streaming down my face, and be like, what did you do to me, Nicka? What did you do? Yeah, you'll be like, yeah, it's oh my gosh, it's that like Harry Potter reference of like Ron Weasley being like, you're you're gonna be like miserable, but you're gonna be happy about it. Oh that that one. I'm just like picturing that as that now. Yep. Okay, so now we can dive on into reading. Are there any authors who you looked up to before becoming an author, or even authors that you look up to now?

Dakota Monroe 30:41

Absolutely. So when I was younger, and I guess still to this day, I loved Cassandra

Favorite Authors And Reading Habits

Dakota Monroe 30:49

Clare and Suzanne Collins. I can't even tell you how many times I've read the Mortal Instruments series, bringing that back up, and the Hunger Game series. I my books are torn apart. I've read those hundreds of times, not even kidding you. I looked up to them so much. They are, especially Suzanne Collins, a big reason why I wanted to write books in the first place. Um, I just was I fell so in love with their worlds, and I I think it's really great that they're both still creating the most amazing stories. I'm so excited for the new Hunger Games movie.

Jordan 31:27

Yeah, too, me too. It's gonna be so good. I know. And I I am a huge Hunger Games fan too. I love that series. It's actually side note, it's the series that got me into reading, and so I feel like yeah, so I feel like it holds a special place in my heart because I was like, Yeah, yeah.

Dakota Monroe 31:47

So I feel like that's a great series to start with. That's wonderful.

Jordan 31:51

I know, right? Oh, it's okay. Uh, so what is your favorite quote that you have ever written?

Dakota Monroe 31:59

This was really difficult to think about. Um, however, when somebody asks me this, I always have one that just pops into the forefront of my mind. And it is from Shadows of the Crown. And it is when the FMC Ariella tells the MMC to beg for her, and he says to her, Every heartbeat of mine is a promise to you. And that is for sure my favorite thing I've written. I love, I love that quote.

Jordan 32:31

Oh my gosh, it's it's so good. I love it. Yeah. So what is what genre is your go-to genre to read?

Dakota Monroe 32:45

My guilty pleasure is a paranormal shifter reverse hand. Anytime I'm in a slump, anytime I don't know what to read, or I just want something to like I that's what I go for. I have so many of those on my TBR. I could read them day after day after day. I don't care if they have the same plot.

Jordan 33:08

Honestly, those are pretty solid. Which also fun fact, when I started Daughters of Ash, I didn't realize, and I know this is a total slow burn, but I didn't realize it was gonna be a reverse harem. And then I like finished, and I still don't think it even clicked for me because it wasn't until I saw one of your posts that you were like, oh, it's a reverse harem. And I was like, What? And it's so silly because there are three male main characters, but like in my head, it still didn't click.

Dakota Monroe 33:43

Yeah, it's that was intentional with the first book. I really wanted their relationships to start nowhere with nothing, and we kind of build up one MMC at a time throughout these next books, so it's very slow.

Jordan 34:00

But see, I feel like that's better because I also love a slow burn. So I actually loved that nothing happens in this book. Like you're just kind of getting to know everybody, and I feel like it's also nice too for like the world building. I feel like you can really get into the world, you really can know the characters, and I love it.

Dakota Monroe 34:20

Yeah, me too. I I really loved that it wasn't focused on the romance. It was great.

Jordan 34:26

It was, yeah. So are you a Kindle paperback or audiobook girly? Definitely Kindle.

Dakota Monroe 34:36

I I can read paperbacks. I struggle though. It's I think the pages are just too white for me. That hurts my eyes, and I cannot do audiobooks. So sorry to all the audiobook girlies. I hate them. I cannot sit and listen to them.

Jordan 34:51

You're like, no, I cannot do it. No. Okay, that that's fair. I I do I do love an audiobook, but yeah, I also love my Kindle. I do kind of agree with you with paperbacks. Paperbacks are more like my trophies now. Like you read it and then this goes on the shelf, and that's like what I like. I just sometimes too. It's like I think you go from like reading on your kittle and it's just so light, you can change the font, the size, and then trying to pick up like a paperback or a hardcover. Forget hardcover. Like, that's just it's way too heavy, and you need the light on. Like, ugh, it's just it's too hard. It hurts the head, can't do it. It really does. Um, okay. So we're in the last question for reading. What is your favorite book? A book you would recommend to anyone and everyone.

Dakota Monroe 35:47

This one is super easy. The mindfuck series. I don't care if you don't like dark romance or dark themes or anything. I think that series is just incredible, not just because it's a good story, but oh my god, the character growth, what Lana went through, just her character in general. Amazing. I recommend that to absolutely everybody.

Jordan 36:09

Oh, that book is so good, and I totally agree with you there. That one. Love it. Okay, so we're in the last section, which is the last three questions. And uh, so when you're not writing or reading, what do you do in your free time?

Dakota Monroe 36:27

Drawing. I that's such a short answer. I don't have many hobbies. Um, I am reading like 70% of my time and then split the rest between writing and drawing. I also work full-time, I'm not a full-time

Work Life, Huskies, Goals, And Goodbye

Dakota Monroe 36:43

author, so I have to do that as well.

Jordan 36:47

You're like, I have to do that. Which, okay, so then sorry, side note question. Do you want authoring to be your full-time job, or do you like your full-time job, want to keep that as your full-time? And then like writing's like your side gig?

Dakota Monroe 37:03

Difficult answer for me. Um, I do enjoy my job. I work at a university, it's what I've always wanted to do. Um, however, I would love to be a full-time author to just focus on the things that I really am trying to get on the page. But if I were gonna do that, I couldn't do it in a way where I was contractually obligated in any capacity because then it would be like a chore to me, and I just my writing would suffer for it, and I couldn't do it that way.

Jordan 37:37

No, and that's fair. I know a lot of people have talked about because it's like author, like writing is like fun, and if you can keep it fun, that's like the best way to do it. But then it's almost like anybody that does their dream job, it's like it is fun, but then when it becomes like your source of income, it can become very stressful very fast.

Dakota Monroe 37:59

Yeah, that's that's where I'm stuck on it because I would love it, but I just it feels like it would become a chore, you know.

Jordan 38:05

Yeah, and then and then that's not fun. Yeah. So what is a fun fact about you that the read your readers and the listeners might be surprised to learn?

Dakota Monroe 38:17

Something that everybody is always surprised to learn about me is that I have four Siberian huskies, and they are crazy and they shed a lot. Yes, they do, but yeah, that's something that always gets everyone.

Jordan 38:32

Oh my gosh, I never would have guessed that. But that's so cool. I I yeah, I have four cats, but I want a puppy so badly, but we have yet to get one.

Dakota Monroe 38:44

Yeah, there's so much work, but they are so bored that I love them.

Jordan 38:49

Yeah. That's can I ask their names?

Dakota Monroe 38:54

Yeah, um, so I have uh two females and two males. Um, my oldest is Tan, and the next two oldest are the same exact age, Ayana and Curtis. He was a rescue, and then my youngest, his name is Sage.

Jordan 39:13

Perfect games. Yeah, they both done really well. Okay, so the last question: what is one future goal that you would like to achieve?

Dakota Monroe 39:24

I think for me, I don't like to make long-term goals. So I think a short-term goal for me would be to publish all of the stories that I'm working on right now. I'm a chronically ill girly over here, and it's just really difficult to write when I just have so much to say and I can't say it. And I think that's a big goal of mine, is just all the stories that I'm working on, there's a lot of them. I just want to get them published and get them out in the world. So yeah.

Jordan 40:05

And I know your readers and myself included are so excited for all the future stories, and we cannot wait for them. And that is all the questions I had for you. I did want to give you the floor. So if you wanted to plug yourself, um, say where people can find your books.

Dakota Monroe 40:27

Yeah. Let's see. Well, I do have a website, I coded it myself. So go look at that.

Where To Find Her Books

Dakota Monroe 40:36

The colors are pretty. I love the colors on there. I also put all of my art on there if you ever want to see some NSFW art. Um, the Daughters of Ash audiobook comes out in just over a month. I'm so excited for that.

Jordan 40:51

I'm so excited.

Dakota Monroe 40:53

Yes, I know me too. People not hate audiobooks. I will be listening to hours.

Jordan 40:59

And hopefully, and it will be amazing. And I know I'll be listening, and I'll have to like before book two comes out, I'll re-listen for like a refresher before book two. So it's like perfect. Yes. And then and then your Instagram, is your Instagram just Dakota Monroe author or author Dakota Monroe?

Dakota Monroe 41:20

I think it's author Dakota Monroe. I think all of my socials have that exact same thing. That is very handy.

Jordan 41:28

Yes, it is. Okay, well, uh, that is all I had for you. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast. I had the best time interviewing you and just thank you so much.

Dakota Monroe 41:42

Thank you very much for me. This was not as bad, not in a bad way. I was just really nervous. So it wasn't as bad as I thought. I had a really great time talking with you. Thank you.

Jordan 41:55

That makes me so happy because I had the best time. And like, and also to be honest, I know I was nervous to interview you. So, like, I don't know if that helps in any way or if that makes it worse. But like, I was like, I hope I hope it's good. I hope she likes it. Yeah. No, yeah, I loved it. I loved your questions. I just have to this was really nice. This was so nice. I'm like, oh, okay. Well, and thank you. Thank you.