Back at it again with another author takeover! This week our friend Natalie is going to talk about herself, her author journey, and her book! We can’t wait for you to hear about this amazing book that straddles the line between fantasy and horror!
*trigger warnings: this is in no way meant to discourage readers from purchasing books, and it is not a personal reflection of our opinions. Our goal is to normalize trigger warnings as a method to educate and inform readers.
TW The Fragile Keepers: suggestive/sexual content, gore, death, tragedy, self-harm, and what might be considered "body horror."
About The Author
Introduce yourself, who are you, what do you do for work, what are your current hobbies, and what is your favorite color?
My name is Natalie Pinter. I’m an author, reader, mom, wife, and yoga instructor. I worked as a bookseller for many years and I love reading and discussing literature. I’m also a nature lover and enjoy art, films, and photography. My tastes veer to the dark and fantastical. It’s hard to choose a favorite color, but it probably lands somewhere on the blue spectrum.
Where were you born, where did you grow up, and where do you live now?
I was born and grew up in Northern VA. I moved around a bit and lived in New York, CA. I currently reside on the emerald coast in FL.
What prompted you to become a writer? Is it something you’ve always known you would do or was it something you fell into?
I’ve always wanted to write. I used to make up stories in my head when I was a little kid. For a long time, I just daydreamed about writing though. It took a while before I realized I needed to sit down and do it. Now I’ve been writing for many years.
Elevator pitch your book to us in 50 words or less!
When a pair of millennial siblings find a fairy in their backyard shed, they must live with the gifts and curses she bestows upon them.
About The Book
What genres do you like writing?
Speculative fiction, contemporary fantasy, literary fiction, horror.
Tell us about your writing, what have you currently published, and where can readers find it?
I currently have one novel published through a small press and some short stories published in a literary magazine and an anthology. My novel can be purchased through Amazon and most online book retailers (Barnes & Noble, Target, Books-A-Million, etc) It can also be ordered through most independent bookstores.
Tell us about your inspiration behind your first novel? What inspired the characters in your story?
I have a lifelong obsession with faeries and I wanted to tell the story of what would happen if one just appeared in the real world and how it would affect those who found her. I’ve read many faerie novels, but never one that simply dealt with this precise concept/situation.
How did you come up with the name for your book? Do you decide on names first or do you find that you can’t pick a name until you have finished your story?
The title was hard. I had a different one that I loved, but it was from a famous poem and too many other books shared that title. My friend helped me come up with The Fragile Keepers. I’m really happy with it, as it’s a double entendre. If you read the book, you’ll understand what I mean.
About The Rest
What books do you think everyone should read, and what is your preferred genre when you read?
I don’t know if there is a book everyone should read, because tastes vary so much. Some people enjoy light entertainment. I often want to have my heart ripped out. I’m a mood reader and I tend to like weird and creepy, emotionally draining books or mystical stories that transport me to another world or give me a new perspective on the one I already inhabit.
What is your favorite book?
That is so hard, but if I were trapped on a deserted island and could only have one book to read ever again, it would be Little Big by John Crowley.
What advice do you have for new writers?
Read a lot. Write a lot. Don’t wait for inspiration. Make writing a habit. Try to find critique partners who are supportive and a good fit, and practice critiquing. Read books on the craft. Learn the rules and become comfortable enough with them to break them sometimes.
Book Blurbs And More!
Following a lightning storm, Andre and her brother Ben discover a winged girl cowering in their backyard shed. The millennials are thrilled by the appearance of a mythical being, but they are wary too, particularly when she warns them that a dangerous monster has followed her from "Elsewhere."
The girl, (Shae) is desperate to return to a world she can now only scarcely recall. Exquisite and beguiling, Shae evokes a protectiveness on their part—especially when she grants them gifts of extraordinary new talent. Andre and Ben want to help her however they can.
But the siblings soon find out that these gifts carry ghastly side effects. Andre is enchanted by prophetic dreams, but they wither her grip on reality; Ben creates sublime music, but his health deteriorates. And then, to their horror, they discover that Shae must complete a terrible task before she can return home and that everyone they know and love is in danger. Andre and Ben must now figure out how to thwart a being they've grown to care for.
What they don't realize is that Shae is changing—she's beginning to develop a conscience, and an affinity for her human hosts. And as her time runs out, she must make a terrible choice before all their lives spiral into a grisly climax of cruel irony and heartbreaking sacrifice.
Avoiding pure escapism, it rewards the reader with a journey into the marvelous and the magical. The fantasy that Pinter draws offers a commentary and perspective on the ordinary world we all now inhabit, a world infected with diseases of all kinds: ecological, cultural, and spiritual.
--Terror House Magazine
Find More about Natalie and her book on her website below!
As always we hope you loved meeting Natalie as much as we did!
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