Dakota is a talented young author from Truckee, CA. He has been telling creative stories since he started to talk. Inspired by all of the fantasy reading he does, he set the goal of writing his first novel when he was 10 years old. He began seriously writing at the age of 12 and completed his novel just after his 14th birthday. This debut novel, Mourning Stars, combines his favorite genre: fantasy, adventure, and historical fiction. Much of his inspiration comes from his favorite authors: J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan, Christopher Healy, and Shannon Messenger. When asked what he wants to be when he grows up, Dakota responded, "I already AM what I want to be when I grow up." One could take this at face value and assume that he means an author, but Dakota's gift with words makes one wonder if he means something deeper. Perhaps that he is a socially and environmentally conscious proud young man who sets his goals high and knows he can accomplish anything he sets his mind to.