As a long-time national security expert, Natasha is often asked why she started writing fiction— specifically, why she began with science fiction and has now delved into epic fantasy. In practice, she finds both genres to be quite similar. They both deal with fantastical worlds that transcend reality. In epic fantasy, the stories revolve around magical systems, fictional creatures, and made-up worlds. Science fiction often takes place in the real world, albeit in the near or distant future, and confronts an array of astonishing technologies and speculative scenarios. Both genres consider philosophical themes and ask deep “what-if” questions, for example, about the meaning of our existence.

For Natasha, there is a logical progression from science fiction to writing epic fantasy, and it concerns her life journey. As a kid, she was an avid fan of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis and consumed tons of fantasy literature. In college, she studied German and German literature. She delved into the German Romantics, who favored the supernatural, myths and legends, nature, and the idyllic countryside—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Heinrich Heine, Friedrich Schiller, and others. From the start, Natasha seemed destined to write fantasy novels.

However, her graduate education and professional career took her in a different direction–and quite by coincidence. When studying international politics in Monterey, California, there’s a slight risk of getting involved in weapons of mass destruction (WMD) while hanging out at the local bar with friends. At least that’s what happened to Natasha. Monterey is home to the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS)–a premier graduate program that is part of Vermont’s Middlebury College and houses the world’s largest think tank devoted to education, research, and training in WMD nonproliferation. In fact, she now works there (remotely) as a Senior Research Associate, more than two decades after graduating.

Ultimately, this is where the stories behind the Lara Kingsley and Morgan Shaw series begin—with Natasha’s deep fascination with cutting-edge science and technology cultivated at MIIS, a desire to understand how new technologies shape society and politics, and a determination to leave the world in a better place.

Natasha initially set out to study something more “normal” than to think about the world’s most devastating weapons and how to prevent them from going boom. However, in the end, nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons checked several previously unknown mandatory boxes—face danger (i.e., things that go boom), understand science and technology, navigate geopolitical complexities, and deal with matters of war and peace.

For the past twenty years, whenever Natasha tells people what she does for a living, she feels compelled to follow it up with a few scary musical notes—dun, dun, dun. She’s built an impressive career with stints at the United Nations and several think tanks, and has spent most of her career working for the Department of Defense at the National Defense University. In addition to teaching the next generation of senior military officers and civilian leaders about WMD, terrorism, and emerging technologies, Natasha spent three years in the Pentagon advising senior government leaders on WMD.

Her science fiction stories benefit from real-world injections from the daily drama of politics and intrigue in Washington, D.C. As a bonus for her day job, stretching her imagination through fiction helps Natasha see angles others miss, giving her an edge over her colleagues. Sometimes, she even fancies herself as saving the world from destruction, one story at a time.

Despite her interest in science fiction, Natasha couldn’t stop thinking about her childhood love of epic fantasy. With several novels under her belt, she decided to try writing in the genre, and she’s been hooked ever since.