Dani Atkins is a dream come true...plus a book giveaway

Photo by Hannah Couzens

We're excited to have Dani Atkins back at CLC today. Her latest novel, A Million Dreams, published last week. Melissa A really enjoyed it and will be reviewing soon. Head of Zeus has THREE copies for some lucky readers in the UK. And so everyone else isn't left out, we will choose a winner to receive one of Dani's previous novels. 

Dani was born and brought up in Cockfosters- a small London suburb at the end of the Piccadilly Tube Line.

This served her well for commuting into the city, where from the age of 18 she worked in a succession of secretarial positions in companies as diverse as a BMW car dealership to the BBC. Dani spent her two hour commute avidly reading and dreamed that one day she would become an author herself.

When her two children grew up and left home, Dani set about turning this dream into reality and devoted her time to writing. She now lives in a rural Hertfordshire cottage with her husband, a soppy border collie dog and a haughty Siamese cat. (Bio courtesy of Goodreads.)

Visit Dani on Facebook and Twitter.

Synopsis:
Beth Brandon always dreamed of owning a florist, but today the bouquets of peonies and bright spring flowers are failing to calm her nerves. Because today, Beth has a life-changing decision to share with her husband.

Izzy Vaughan thought she and her husband would stay together forever, but sometime last year, their love began to fade. They both find such joy in their young son Noah – but is he enough to keep them together?

Eight years ago, something happened to these two women. Something that is about to bring them together in a way no-one thought possible...

Thought-provoking, emotional and uplifting, this is a gripping love story for fans of Jojo Moyes and Amanda Prowse. (Courtesy of Goodreads.)

What was your inspiration for writing A Million Dreams?
The inspiration for A Million Dreams first came to me after I heard about a couple in America and the incredible series of events that thrust them into the limelight ten years ago. To identify them will give away too much of the plot, so all I’ll say is that their story fascinated me and acted like a starting pistol in my head, firing off a question that I simply couldn’t ignore... ‘I wonder what would happen if...?’

Which character could you relate to more: Izzy or Beth?
Usually when writing I’ll develop a fondness for one particular character, they are the person who I relate to more than any other in the story. Luckily characters in your books aren’t like your children, so it’s perfectly okay to have a favourite! However with A Million Dreams I related to both Izzy and Beth. I wanted good things to happen for both of them. I wanted each of them to get exactly what they wanted. But for one to win, the other had to lose, and it was difficult to be cruel to a character who’d already found a place in my heart.

If A Million Dreams were made into a movie, what are some songs that would be on the soundtrack?
"You and Me Against the World" by Helen Reddy – an oldie, but the words fit the theme of the book so perfectly. In fact I just played it to check if it should be included in the list, and it made me cry.
The second song is a little more recent, but just as moving, "Slow Down" by Nichole Nordeman.
Both of them would be on my chosen soundtrack.

What TV series are you currently binge watching?
I discovered a great new series when visiting my daughter in Australia last year. It is an American show called Younger, and comes from the creator of Sex and the City. It is set in a New York publishing house, so lots to relate to if you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes. When I came back home I was really disappointed when I couldn’t find it on any of our UK channels, but happily it has just popped up on Comedy Central. That’s my Monday evenings sorted for the foreseeable future.

What is the strangest thing currently residing in your purse/handbag?
My handbag is the size of most people’s carry-on luggage, so it’s full of a great many bizarre items, most of which I deem as absolutely essential and not strange at all. However others might find the miniature retractable steel tape measure a little odd, as well as a first aid kit so extensive I could probably perform an emergency appendectomy if you asked me to.

What is the last dream you vividly remember?
Last night I dreamed that as a birthday surprise my adult son and daughter performed a complicated dance routine that I had to judge. As they weren’t very good, Dream-Me sadly had to give them a Craig Revel Horwood-worthy critique. I think Strictly must be playing on my mind!

Thanks to Dani for visiting with us and to Head of Zeus for sharing her latest novel with our readers.


How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the UK giveaway here and the worldwide giveaway here. 

UK giveaway:
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Worldwide giveaway:
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Giveaways end November 24th at midnight EST.