Natalie Mae is an ex-programmer, dark chocolate enthusiast, and author of young adult novels. She has also been a freelance editor and a Pitch Wars mentor, and she feels it notable to mention she once held a job where she had to feed spiders. When not writing, she can be found wandering the Colorado wilderness with her family. Find her on Twitter and Instagram [...] and online at [...].

AN EAGERLY-ANTICIPATED NEW FANTASY SERIES: YA fantasies continue to dominate bestseller lists, and this series is sure to stand out among the crowd with its incredible package, distinctive voice, imaginative world-building, and compelling cast of characters (some of whom you'll love to hate!). And the anticipation for this series is palpable with The Kinder Poison having already been selected as a Best Book of Summer 2020 by People magazine and listed as one of the 10 Most Anticipated YA Fantasy Books of the Summer by Hypable!

ABOUT THAT WORLD-BUILDING: The world of this series is both unique and reminiscent of ancient civilizations. Orkena is brimming with magic, from abilities like pyrokinesis and spells that obligate obedience to runes that provide protection and curses that can damn one's soul. And Natalie has crafted such an evocative setting that captures both the wondrous opulence of royalty and the brutal, unforgiving nature of the desert.

PITCH-PERFECT, ACCESSIBLE VOICE: Natalie's writing is rich and pace-y with a modern voice that evokes more contemporary novels, making this a truly accessible story for any reader-even those who might not necessarily gravitate toward epic fantasies.

WELL-CONNECTED AUTHOR:The Kinder Poison and The Cruelest Mercy are the first books that Natalie has published under her name. But she has been actively building her audience ever since the publication of her first novel years ago under a pseudonym. Along the way, she's also built strong connections with many bestselling fantasy authors, including Stephanie Garber, Renee Ahdieh, Claire Legrand, and Kendare Blake!