I live with my husband, children, cat and tarantula in Centurion, South Africa. During the day, I take care of my kids and I write whenever they don’t require my immediate attention (in other words, not nearly enough). And, three times a week, I make an appearance at Sultry Studios to attend aerial fitness classes.

My love for writing has come a long way. I think I really wanted to tell stories from the time I started reading on my own…age nine, I think? The very first story I ever wrote (intending to end up with a novel) was a Hardy Boys fanfiction piece that never got past the fifth paragraph. At that age, I hadn’t even heard of fan fiction. All I knew was that I loved the characters…or maybe it was just the smell of books. Haha. I sometimes struggle to distinguish between such things.

Writing everything from badly drawn comic books in primary school to shameless fanfiction (about Taylor Hanson, no less) in high school to story essays to my first award-winning short story, I always knew that I would one day use my talent to carve out my spot in the world.

Then came university. My plan hadn’t really changed but it’s funny how people can slowly whittle away at your confidence when you don’t pay attention. I still wrote often…but I no longer finished anything.

Somewhere in those first four years after school, I came to believe that writing was not a career; it was not a viable option; it was something that only happened overseas.

After that, I spent most of my adult life resisting my true destiny. I made many choices based on false information and guidance, resulting in soul-crushing unhappiness, to finally find out who I really am.

I am Natalie, writer and lover of all manner of fantasy stories.