Fresh Chat | The Joy in Being an Author with Dani Atkins author of THE STORY OF US

Thank you for joining us here at Fresh Fiction. THE STORY OF US is your second novel and is
released in the United States on June 9!

THE STORY OF US has tragedy, betrayal, a love triangle, friendship, secrets, and hard choices…the kind of story you read with one hand pressed over your heart. But THE STORY OF US is about hope, courage, and forgiveness. Did you know from the beginning how the story would end or did you learn along with Emma?

I have to admit there is a lot going on in THE STORY OF US and in places it is very much an
emotional rollercoaster ride. When I begin a novel I know just two things: where it will
start, and where it will end. It’s the bit in between that I am never quite sure about.
Not
knowing every detail of the story, but living through it as it unfolds, is both exciting and
at times quite scary. It also means that I can experience it as I hope the reader will do
when they read it. (All of this sounds like a very cunning author device to cover up the
fact
that I am rubbish at planning!)

Many writers have particular rituals that prepare them for writing. For some it’s making coffee in the morning, for others it’s yoga or walking the dog. What do you do to prepare yourself to write?

I had a very idealistic image of how it would be to work as a full time author. I thought I
would sit down at my desk at nine o’clock each morning and then work continually until
around
five each afternoon (with an indulgent hour off for lunch, of course). It didn’t take long
for me to discover that I’m nowhere near disciplined enough for that! I have a tendency to
get horribly side-tracked and it can sometimes take me ages to finally “get going”.

I do
begin each day by walking my dog (Dusty, a four year old border collie) and I find this
gives
me an excellent opportunity to think about what I want to write that day (which is about as
much forward planning as I every manage to accomplish). I particularly enjoy planning
dialogue whilst on these walks, and will often be found saying my characters’ words out loud
to the empty English countryside as we go. I am sure that anyone I happen to meet must
think
I am crazy – I know my dog does!

I read in an interview that you’re inspired by Stephen King and Nicholas Sparks. Can you see yourself writing in other genres in the future or is contemporary romance the perfect fit for the stories you want to tell?

I love writing, and I love a good story. To me the greatest joy in being an author is when
you have a story that you just have to share, be it a contemporary romance, a thriller, or a
young adult novel. I very much hope that in the years to come I will continue writing the
kind of contemporary romances for which I am presently known, but also journey into other
genres as well. Before THE STORY OF US and THEN AND ALWAYS were published I was working on
a
young adult novel, which I would very much like to dust off and return to one day. So, in
answer to your question… never say never.

Can you tell us what your fans have to look forward to from you in the future? Any chance you’ll be coming to the States?

I am currently working on my third novel, which I hope to complete very soon. It is an
emotional drama, dealing with love and family and relationship issues and I am already in
love
with the characters within it. It will be published in the United Kingdom at the beginning
of
2016.

I would love to visit the States, particularly if it gave me the chance to meet some of the
readers who have bought and enjoyed my books. As a family we have visited Florida a few
times
on holiday, and five years ago my daughter and I came for a very brief sightseeing trip to
New
York. But it was nowhere near enough, and there is so much more of your wonderful country
that I would love to see, and so many people I would love to meet.

One last question, our readers want to know what’s at the top of your Summer Reading list?

As usual my wish list of summertime reading is far greater than the time I know I will have
to
read them. I am, however, determined to set aside some “me” time to enjoy FINDERS KEEPERS
by
Stephen King (although I believe the plot is going to scare the life out of me) and also The
Miniaturist THE MINIATURIST by Jessie Burton (which lots of people have recommended to me).
And lastly, like most of the rest of the reading world, I simply cannot wait to read GO SET
A
WATCHMAN by Harper Lee.

About Dani Atkins

Dani Atkins lives in rural Hertfordshire, England, with her husband and two children.

About THE STORY OF US