Interview with Natalie Alder

Hello Romance Author Natalie Alder! Thank you for visiting with me today!

Thank you for having me here!

I went by your website and the first thing I saw was a shirtless cowboy. I enjoyed that. (Readers, you should go take a look!) 😛

I’m glad you like the shirtless cowboy on my website. I’m quite fond of him.

You talk about character building in your books, allowing their personal life experiences and stories unfold during the romance. How does that process start for you?

As far as character building, when I start writing a new character, they just sort of unfold as I write. They may become like someone I know. Or they may be someone I met and know nothing about but I’ve given them this story of who I think they might be, what that person might be like. And often the characters develop from situations unfolding in the story and they can help explain background.

Do you purposely invent challenges for your characters?

Yes, of course, they need to have some bumps in their journey. That’s how we find out how they think, act/react, and move on.

What do you consider to be the key elements of a great romantic read?

Realistic characters and situations with a good amount of sexual tension then resolution.

What is a typical day like for you?

Coffee, gym, chores, promotion and/or write, cocktail hour, dinner, read, bed.

When not writing, what is your go-to entertainment to relax? Do you have a favorite TV show? A favorite author to read?

I read a lot. Most of the 700 or so books on my Kindle are written by indie authors. I like to support them and read new authors I haven’t read before. My cats like when I read. My lap gives them a place to hang out and snooze.

Tell us about the Tapestry Series. What inspired it? What will make it stand out for readers? How many books are you planning for the series?

I started writing it when I was around twelve years old. I was in 4H and big into horses. I carried the notebook I was writing it in with me and added to it over the years.
I think it’s different from most romances in that it has a story that is told about a family throughout all the books in the series but from different views. Each book is about a different member of the family (which is not a new concept) but the overall story about the family is told through each of the different characters’ eyes. So, for example, the main events that occur may be endured by one member of the family while another is devastated. Also, childhood memories are different for each of the members. And they each have their own unique plan for the future. And it’s not just about sex.
The Tapestry Series is a rather appropriate descriptive name for the series in that each of the characters’ stories weave together to tell the family’s story; it may look good on the front, but when you look at the work behind it, you can see the back side is not so pretty.

Describe your hero and heroine for book 4.

Book 4, Fringe Benefits, is the father, William Becker’s, story. William had married his high school sweetheart, Maddie. He was so head-over-heels in love with Maddie and they had three children. Together they ran William’s family’s race horse farm. But his wife died young from breast cancer, leaving him to raise the children and run the farm.
Since the children have grown and moved on in their adult lives, William now takes the opportunity to find love again when it practically falls into his lap. This love, Leslie, is the fringe benefit to a business deal that the struggling farm is really in need of. She is the brood mare manager at another race horse farm and will be managing the deal with William.
Leslie has history with an abusive ex-boyfriend who comes back into her life after being released from prison and begins threatening her and William. One question the book presents is whether they will survive the menacing ex-boyfriend but then a second question is presented related to something Leslie isn’t willing to share with William. She becomes scared for her life as well as William’s and tormented about seeing only leaving him as the answer to her problems. But I won’t tell you what happens.

Sounds exciting! Do you have any upcoming news you would like to share?

All that I am working on is in progress, so I don’t have anything I can share at this time but it will all be good. Just, please, be patient…I’m working hard.

Do you have a message to leave with your readers?

Thank you for your support! I love reading the reviews and hearing what readers want in future books to see or know of different characters.

Natalie, thank you so much for dropping by!