Nathalie M.L. Römer

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

I have rather diverse interests and I'm a self-taught artist and love doing crafts. I love photography. Travelling around Sweden where I live is what I do to unwind from the more stress. I've lived in Sweden since early 2015 having transplanted here from England and I live here with my partner and love of my life Anders. Growing up in Amsterdam, I was born in the Netherlands. I've lived in sunny Curacao. Also, according to my partner, I'm an excellent cook. He says so. I guess you'll just to trust he's right. If I could have any pets right now, I'd get a German Shepherd.

When and why did you start writing books?

I started late in life in November 2014 because of... well, earlier life (stresses) got in the way. I was fulfilling a personal dream. I've not looked back. The best advice I got from Orna Ross is: "The more you write the better you get at it." I write stories I would want to read. Also, I'm unapologetically wordy. One thing I realised early on is that I wanted my books to weave a world that people could picture as they read my books. A school librarian once told me: "You'll either be an artist or an author when you grow up..." I guess she was right on both counts as I also am now fulfilling the other dream of being an artist in my spare time.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

I have a disability so working outside my home is hard. So I looked for something I could do from home and so I landed on the idea to write stories. Working from home requires as much discipline as a job you do outside your home, and I had to learn everything from the ground up. I'm still learning something about this industry every day. I chose the path to be an independent author and I established an independent publishing company which I co-own with my partner, Anders. Being an author is a full-time job for me. A career I'm enjoying much, and all that would make it perfect is to know there are many fans out there who enjoy my books. In fact, in honour of my main series and the rather unusual characters it contains, the wolves, I call my fans my Wolf Pack. In a Wolf Pack there's loyalty, trust and companionship. That's what drives me in this career that I can convey those values in the stories I write.

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

Marrida is in doubts my favourite character across my dozen or so stories I have written to date. Like me, she has gone a period of bullying early in her life. In the book series she appears in, The Wolf Riders of Keldarra, she is learning to overcome the feelings she has been left with because of this happening to her, and as the series progresses readers will see her grow as a person, which also reflects my life. She'll surprise you because she has much courage.

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

It's not a book that's hard to read but a theme within my books that's hard for me. I'm an optimistic person who goes by the "glass half full" sort of outlook. Personally, I always see the best in people, even when it can cause me to face problems. So my outlook on life and also my beliefs (as a Pagan) find me clashing at times with some of the themes and story beats I'm required to write in my stories and I cannot avoid them because otherwise the story I deliver doesn't feel genuine to me. I find myself pushing through these moments in my writing days and feel relief when I emerge on the other side. The aforementioned traveling to unwind helps a lot...

Who is your favourite author and book?

Since childhood there have been two authors I've enjoyed the most. For fantasy it's JRR Tolkien who inspired me directly in writing an long adventure. The other author is Isaac Asimov. The book I, Robot is still my all time favourite. However, I'm partial to any good book really which has a compelling story.

What book are you reading right now?

I'm more an audiobook person, and listen to stories when I'm working on art. The next book I'm reading will be Golden Curse by M. Lynn.

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

I get inspiration from many different places. I look at current events that happen in the news. I might get inspiration from fables, myths or legends. I read about historical accounts. If I see a personal story and something in it is interesting I might adapt it. I'm never running out of potential sources really. The story of people and how they endure is the greatest inspiration of them all.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

What I like the most is relaxing beside my partner Anders on the sofa and us enjoying a good movie together. Or we may travel around the country and find a beautiful lake to sit by. The possibilities are endless...

Do you have any new books in the works?

I'm currently finalising the fifth book in my book series 'The Wolf Riders of Keldarra', which is a nine-book series. The book is called 'Cities of the Sailors' and it's launching on 5 July 2022. Then, with a short break in between, I'm off to work on the next few books releasing later in 2022 and next year...