Saturday, January 24, 2026

Don't miss the giveaway of 15 signed paperbacks of Quest, the finale of the Mortal Path series. Only a few days left!

The end of the Goodreads giveaway of 15 signed paperback copies of Quest: Mortal Path Book Four by Dakota Banks is just days away! Open to US and Canadian residents. Quest is the long-awaited finale of an epic urban fantasy/action-packed/romantic/thriller series featuring Maliha Crayne.

She's a 300-year-old assassin who made a deal with a Sumerian demon to save her life from an unjust death sentence.

After centuries of killing at his command, she's turned rogue, now attempting to balance the scale of lives taken with lives saved.

Get your entry in by the deadline, January 28th. Enter here.

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Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Giveaway - 15 Signed Paperbacks of Quest, Mortal Path Series Finale!

Goodreads Book Giveaway


Quest by Dakota Banks
    Quest 
     Giveaway:
    Starts January 16, 2026
    Ends January 28, 2026

    See giveaway details
    at Goodreads.

     15 signed paperbacks!
      by Dakota Banks

Mythology-based,
Urban fantasy/thriller,
Series finale!
Open to US and Canadian Residents

    Enter Giveaway

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Friday, January 2, 2026

Mortal Path eBook series giveaway is HERE!

Mortal Path Series Giveaway

Last day is Saturday, January 31st - Enter NOW!

Four eBooks. One epic journey.
The Mortal Path series — Dark Time, Sacrifice, Deliverance,
and Quest (series conclusion) — can be yours.

✵ Giveaway starts Saturday, January 3, 2026.
✵ All four Kindle eBooks — FREE.
✵ Enter using this short form.
✵ Entries accepted until Saturday,
    January 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM.
✵ No tricks. Just an amazing reading experience.
✵ No Kindle device? No problem!
    Read on any device with the free Kindle app.

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Thursday, December 18, 2025

FREE - Limited Time - Quest: Mortal Path Book Four Kindle E-Book

To celebrate the conclusion of the 
Mortal Path series, I’m making the 
Kindle edition of Quest
 free for a few days.

FREE! Quest: Mortal Path Book Four
(Kindle version), 
where urban fantasy meets
suspense and ancient mythology,
is free from 
Friday 12/19 - Tuesday 12/23, 2025! 

Friday - Tuesday,
regular price $3.99 after
Tuesday, 12/23/2025.

The epic, highly anticipated conclusion to the Mortal Path series is here.

Bound by a demonic pact for three centuries, Maliha Crayne has fought relentless battles to protect humanity and her own soul. With the world on the brink of destruction, Maliha races against time to reassemble the Great Lens, an ancient artifact powerful enough to banish the demons threatening the future of humankind forever. Learn more about the rest of the series here.

Perfect for fans of:

Urban Fantasy • Paranormal Romance • Mythological Fantasy • Supernatural Thrillers • Action-Adventure Fantasy • Strong Female Heroes

"Readers who like their paranormal romantic suspense novels to feature nonstop action, twisting plots, and deadly heroines will devour Banks' clever and compelling
Mortal Path series." - Lisa Gardner - #1 New York Times bestselling author

p.s. No Kindle device? No problem! Read on any device (phone, tablet, computer) by going to read.amazon.com after purchasing the e-book. 

Enjoy the read -- and thank you for being part of the Mortal Path Journey!
Dakota Banks

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Thursday, December 11, 2025

Trailers for Quest: Mortal Path Book Four, series conclusion

 Here are two trailers for the Mortal Path series conclusion, Quest.

Turn up the sound to listen.


      


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Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Conclusion of the Mortal Path series!

 



   Quest: Mortal Path Book Four
   Series Conclusion!

eBook, $3.99, ISBN-13: 979-8232240738
   Trade Paperback, $19.99, ISBN-13: 979-8232641849

   The epic, heart-stopping conclusion to the Mortal Path series is here.

Bound by a demonic pact for centuries, Maliha Crayne has fought relentless battles
    to protect humanity, and her own soul. Now, the final war is at hand.

   With the world on the brink of destruction, Maliha races against time to reassemble 
   the Great Lens, an ancient artifact powerful enough to banish the demons
   threatening the future of mankind forever.

    From volcanic peaks to the depths of the Underworld, Maliha and her fearless team face:
   • Deadly supernatural enemies
      • Ancient Sumerian magic
      • Brutal betrayals
      • And sacrifices that may cost everything

   As the final shards of the Lens fall into place, destiny exacts its ultimate price. The fate of
   Maliha—and the fate of Earth, hang in the balance.

  Will she finally balance the scales of her past… or will ancient demons claim dominion over 
   the world?

  Immerse yourself in a gripping tale of myth, magic, redemption, and relentless action where 
  courage is tested, loyalty is forged in fire, and love defies even death.

  QUEST delivers:
     ✔ Urban fantasy packed with nonstop action
     ✔ Supernatural suspense & dark mythology
     ✔ A fierce, unforgettable female warrior
     ✔ Martial arts combat & high-stakes missions
     ✔ Romance woven into epic adventure
     ✔ A breathtaking, emotional series finale

   Perfect for fans of:
   Urban Fantasy • Paranormal Romance • Mythological Fantasy •
   Supernatural Thrillers • Action-Adventure Fantasy • Strong Female Heroes

   The final battle has begun.

   Claim your copy of QUEST today and experience the
   legendary conclusion to the Mortal Path series.

   Full of action, drama, suspense, paranormal thrills, and romance,
Quest has it all.
 
   Find it on Amazon here.

     Read an Excerpt Now!


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Sunday, June 2, 2024

International Thriller Writers Announces 2024 Thriller Award Winners!

 

2024 ITW Thriller Award Winners!

During a gala banquet and celebration held on Saturday, June 1st at the Sheraton Times Square in New York City, the International Thriller Writers announced the winners of the 2024 Thriller Awards. 

BEST FIRST NOVEL

I.S. Berry – THE PEACOCK AND THE SPARROW (Atria)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL

Luke Dumas – THE PALEONTOLOGIST (Atria)

BEST E-BOOK ORIGINAL NOVEL

Robert Swartwood – THE KILLING ROOM (Blackstone Publishing)

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

Elizabeth Wein – STATELESS (Little, Brown & Co.)

BEST SHORT STORY

Lisa Unger – UNKNOWN CALLER (Amazon Original Stories)

BEST AUDIOBOOK

Gregg Hurwitz – THE LAST ORPHAN (Macmillan); Narrated by Scott Brick

BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL

S.A. Cosby – ALL THE SINNERS BLEED (Flatiron Books)

Congratulations to all the finalists! 

Also receiving special recognition during the ThrillerFest XIX Awards Banquet:

·         2024 ThrillerMaster, Tess Gerritsen

·         2024 ThrillerMaster, Dennis Lehane

·         2024 Spotlight Guest, Steph Cha

·         2024 Spotlight Guest, Ruth Ware

·         2024 Silver Bullet Award, Louise Penny

·         2024 Thriller Legend, Audible

·         2024 ThrillerFan, Ayo Onatade

The Board of Directors and members of the International Thriller Writers wish to congratulate all the winners and nominees of the 2024 Thriller Awards. 

Special thanks to the Thriller Award judges for their hard work and dedication!

Submissions for the 2025 ITW Thriller Awards will open on June 12, 2024 at https://www.ThrillerWriters.org.

Tosca Lee
ITW Board of Directors, Vice President, Awards


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Friday, March 15, 2024

Screenplay wins Best TV Pilot!

Colossus Film Festival My screenplay "Bound by Blood," adapted from Dark Time, the first book of the Mortal Path book series, is the winner of the BEST TV PILOT award for the first 2024 cycle of the Colossus Film Festival! I move on to the yearly program now, and I have high hopes there.
Colossus Film Festival Poster

 
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Monday, March 11, 2024

International Thriller Writers Announces Finalists for Thriller Awards!


The International Thriller Writers (ITW) is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2024 Thriller Awards! Learn more about the finalists by clicking the LINKS to their websites below.

ITW is an honorary society of authors, both fiction and nonfiction, who write books broadly classified as “thrillers.” This would include (but isn’t limited to) such subjects as murder mystery, detective, suspense, horror, supernatural, action, espionage, true crime, war, adventure, and myriad similar subject areas.

ITW’s mission is “To bestow recognition and promote the thriller genre at an innovative and superior level for and through our Active members; to provide opportunities for mentoring, education and collegiality among thriller authors and industry professionals; and to grant awards for excellence in the thriller genre.” 

One of the main purposes of the organization is to provide a way for successful, bestselling authors to help debut and midlist authors advance their careers. To that end, ITW has designed numerous, effective programs and events which promote debut and midlist writers and their work, sometimes in partnership with bestselling authors. In addition, ITW promotes literacy, gives money to worthy organizations, supports libraries, and advances the genre. Finally, it brings together almost a thousand writers, readers, publishers,  editors and agents at its annual conference, ThrillerFest, as well as at CraftFest, a writing workshop program, and PitchFest, where aspiring authors can meet and pitch top literary agents.

Interested in joining ITW? I've been a member for years! Read about membership qualifications and find out how to apply. 

Best Hardcover Novel

Best Audiobook

  • I.S. Berry – THE PEACOCK AND THE SPARROW (Simon & Schuster Audio)
    Narrated by Pete Simonelli
  • Gregg Hurwitz – THE LAST ORPHAN (Macmillan)
    Narrated by Scott Brick
  • Freida McFadden – THE HOUSEMAID’S SECRET (Bookouture)
    Narrated by Lauryn Allman
  • James Patterson, Mike Lupica – THE HOUSE OF WOLVES (Hachette Audio)
    Narrated by Ellen Archer
  • Emma Rosenblum – BAD SUMMER PEOPLE (Macmillan)
    Narrated by January LaVoy

Best 1st Novel

Best Paperback Original Novel

Best Short Story

Best Young Adult Novel

Best E-Book Original Novel


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Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Mystery Writers of America Announces Nominees for the 78th Annual Edgar® Awards


Hello everyone! Mystery Writers of America (MWA) announced the nominees for the 2024 Edgar Allan Poe Award, which will be celebrated on May 1, 2024, at the New York Marriot Marquis in Times Square. This year's Edgar Awards Banquet will be in honor of the 215th birthday of one of the most famous mystery writers in literary history, Edgar Allan Poe. Purchase banquet tickets here. 

MWA is the premier organization for mystery writers, professionals allied to the crime-writing field, aspiring crime writers, and those who are devoted to the genre. I'm an Active member. Some 3,000 members who are fiction and non-fiction writers, screen and television writers, publishers, editors, and literary agents have joined MWA. You can join, too - no need to be published, just a supporter of the genre. See Membership Information. 

Here is your chance to get to know each of the nominees in their respective categories!

Best Novel

Best Paperback Original

Best Fact Crime

  • Kim Cross (In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America’s Child)
  • Zeke Faux (Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall)
  • John Glatt (Tangled Vines: Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family Murders)
  • Nathan Masters (Crooked: The Roaring '20s Tale of a Corrupt Attorney General, a Crusading Senator, and the Birth of the American Political Scandal)
  • Barbara Rae-Venter (I Know Who You Are: How an Amateur DNA Sleuth Unmasked the Golden State Killer and Changed Crime Fighting Forever)
  • Joe Sexton (The Lost Sons of Omaha: Two Young Men in an American Tragedy)

 Best Critical/Biographical

 Best Short Story

Best Juvenile

Best Young Adult

Best Television Episode Teleplay


Additional Awards to be Presented by MWA

Robert L. Fish Memorial Award

  • Bill Bassman (“Errand for a Neighbor” - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Jan-Feb 2023)
  • Kate Hohl (“The Body in Cell Two” - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, May-June 2023)
  • Sean McCluskey (“The Soiled Dove of Shallow Hollow” - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Jan-Feb 2023)
  • Meghan Leigh Paulk (“It’s Half Your Fault” - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, July-Aug 2023)
  • Gabriela Stiteler (“Two Hours West of Nothing” - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Setp-Oct 2023)

The Simon & Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award

The G.P. Putnam’s Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Award

The Lilian Jackson Braun Memorial Award

Special Awards

Grand Masters

Ellery Queen Award

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Monday, May 29, 2023

Bound by Blood Teleplay Scores Again

Notching another contest win for Bound by Blood, the Mortal Path series pilot teleplay that covers the first part of BOOK ONE: DARK TIME. An especially fun festival that I was invited to attend. Great people! 😍 

Logline: A Colonial woman unjustly burned as a witch struggles to reclaim her soul from the ancient Sumerian demon who saved her and used her as his Ageless assassin for over 300 years.




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Mortal Path Teleplay Bound by Blood

 Dakota is pleased to announce the latest contest win for the pilot script for the first book in the Mortal Path series, Bound by Blood. 😀

Toronto Indie Filmmakers Festival





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Monday, October 18, 2021

Bound by Blood Teleplay Official Selection

The Big Apple Film Festival and Screenplay Competition chose the teleplay Bound by Blood, adapted from the first book of the Mortal Path series, as an official selection! 😊😊😊



Bound by Blood is an action-thriller TV Pilot with strong mythological elements 
in which a Colonial woman unjustly burned as a witch struggles to reclaim 
her soul from the Sumerian demon who saved her from the flames and used 
her as his Ageless assassin for over 300 years. Adapted from an award-winning
 book series by the same author.

Love it!

Dakota

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Thursday, June 10, 2021

Mortal Path Screenplay wins Best TV Script!


WINNER!


 Feedback Excerpts for "Bound by Blood," TV Pilot Episode for the Mortal Path series:

The concept for Mortal Path is refreshingly original in both its idea and execution. The way history and mythology are merged to together to create a unique story is astonishingly intelligent. There is a near limitless possibility of episodes in each of Susannah’s attempts to save souls.

Susannah is a deep, complex protagonist that has a tragic, yet interesting story. The teaser is an effective of way showing her heightened spiritual sensibilities and how that arouses skepticism in those around her. Despite her moral failings, there are a lot of scenes showing that she has a deep desire to do good, which makes her more likable.

Mortal Path is rich with impressively written emotionally poignant dialogue. One of the strongest aspects of Mortal Path is the vivid way a wide variety of emotional scenes are depicted in the script. The strong concept gives it an exciting amount of market potential. The dynamic nature of the story easily lends itself to serialization. The fact that its already based on an established book series inspires more confidence in producers looking to pick up the series.

Final Comments:

Mortal Path ("Bound by Blood" TV Pilot) is an impressively written pilot that sets up an amazing idea for a series. The characters are easy to empathize with and the writing of the script is emotionally poignant. The level of detail that went into the vivid descriptions is highly impressive.

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Saturday, April 13, 2019

New Book Trailer!

I'm pleased to show off the new cinematic book trailer for Dark Time, the first book in the Mortal Path series. I'd love to see Mortal Path as a TV series and I'm working toward that, with a screenplay named "Bound by Blood" as the pilot episode and this trailer to help stir up interest. Maliha's story is captivating and I think it's binge-worthy, too! Wish me luck.

 
Want a book trailer like this for your own book? Authors, get the highest quality and an unbelievably low price (really) for a cinematic book trailer at Motion Tank! I'm excited about my new trailer and wouldn't think of looking elsewhere in the future. Why not work with this new company founded by a professional producer/composer to launch your book in style? Don't wait, business is going to be brisk at Motion Tank!
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Sunday, November 11, 2018

Veterans Day in Paris

The Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and in any weather by Tomb Guard sentinels. Sentinels, all volunteers, are considered to be the best of the elite 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), headquartered at Fort Myer, Virginia.

Yet Trump didn't want to get wet in a light rain Saturday and stayed warm and dry inside the U.S. Ambassador's residence in Paris rather than honor American soldiers who died in WWI at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery. Learn about the cemetery in the video below. Then he skipped town on Sunday as the Paris Peace Forum was about to start. The Peace Forum is a global gathering of leaders dedicated to international cooperation and multilateralism.

Tomb of the Unknowns Arlington National Cemetery

Our president is, among many other failings, not a patriot. 

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Saturday, September 15, 2018

ThrillerFest XIV - 2019 Best Prices End October 31st


ThrillerFest XIV - 2019


ThrillerFest XIV - 2019

LOWEST PRICES FOR THE CONFERENCE
END OCTOBER 31ST

The ThrillerFest team proudly announces that the 2019 conference, held at the Grand Hyatt, New York City from July 9-13, 2019, will include: 

ConsultFest: New! One-on-one fifteen minute session with a top acquiring editor or agent to get instant feedback on your query letter or first two pages of your manuscript. The writer will be assigned a time during CraftFest or ThrillerFest. Up to two consultations may be purchased when registering for any package.
ATF Pre-Conference Workshop: Presented by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Add authenticity to your thrillers! The pre-conference ATF Workshop is a limited attendance event on the day before the main elements of the ThrillerFest conference. Space is limited and has previously sold out quickly. The workshop will be held at the Grand Hyatt.
Master Class: This one-day intensive writing program allows your instructor to focus on your craft and your story. Everyone is welcome, from beginning writers to well-established authors. Teachers for Master Class 2019 include top-selling members of ITW who will work with you in a small class setting. Instructors this year will be Grant Blackwood, David Corbett<, Karen Dionne, Robert Dugoni, Steven James ,D.P. Lyle, Gayle Lynds, Donald Maass, and F. Paul Wilson. Space is limited, so sign up soon.
CraftFest: Learn the craft of thriller writing from the best in the genre! Hone your thriller writing skills on many topics to provide you with the tools needed to take your writing to the next level. Special feature: CareerFest! Now that you've written that sparkling manuscript, where do you go from there? You don't want to miss it! 
PitchFest: Face-to-face pitching with fifty-plus top agents and acquiring editors who are actively looking for new thriller writer clients. Don't miss this exceptional opportunity. Purchase an admittance package that includes PitchFest.
ThrillerFest: Spotlight guests, extraordinary programming, author book signings, and camaraderie. Includes the ThrillerFest Grand Opening Reception on Thursday evening, July 11th.
Thriller Awards Banquet: John Sandford will receive his 2019 ThrillerMaster Lifetime Achievement award. 2018 Silver Bullet Award James Rollins will present the 2019 Silver Bullet Award. All Thriller Award Winners will be announced. Fun, entertainment, and before and after cocktail parties!
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