Natalie Anderson, author of Melt

Think you know winter? You don’t know winter until you’ve checked out the dry, frozen depths of Antarctica, friend. So says author Natalie Anderson in her latest book, Melt. In this sweet tale, two icy, closed-off hearts start to thaw after they meet and get to know each other in one of the most icy, closed-off places on earth. Today at BLI, Natalie talks a bit about her inspirations behind the Antarctica-based book, and she shares some of her commonalities (and differences!) with the characters she created in this story. Please give her a warm (pun intended ^_^) welcome!

Alisha: In your book Melt, you describe all types of things about Antarctica: the various modes of transportation, the facilities, the types of people and functions found there heck, even some of the social functions! How do you know so much about this place?

Lake Fryxell, in the Transantarctic Mountains

Natalie: I live in Christchurch, New Zealand which is the ‘Gateway to the South’ – the New Zealand Antarctic programme leaves from here as does Operation Deep Freeze, a US programme. So out at the airport (my side of town) there is a big Antarctica ‘HQ’ and a big tarmac where they put everything to be loaded onto the planes etc. And the planes themselves are there of course! Across the road is a big tourist facility called The Antarctic Centre – which is a specialist museum kind of place where they have all kinds of info about Antarctica – geographical stuff, history of the first explorers, what life is like there today and so on. They also have a Blue Penguin colony (they’re soooooo cute) – these are penguins who have been rescued and who probably wouldn’t survive back in the wild (several have physical disabilities).

So I’ve spent quite some time at the centre in the last few years and I’ve always been interested. I also know a few people who’ve been down for short trips, I read lots and LOTS of newspaper articles and features and then – it’s just amazing the kinds of things people put up on YouTube!!! There is footage there of ‘IceStock’ (the New Year concert at the US Base) and there’s a billion clips of the planes arriving and departing and of course, penguin and seal encounters ☺

Alisha: Are continental visits, such as the one main characters Emma and each take, common in real life?

Natalie: Absolutely. At the New Zealand base (the base in MELT is fictional) they recruit support staff each summer to cope with the influx of visitors. While the population is tiny over winter, they say the place becomes like a ‘hotel’ in summer – they have resident artist and writer programmes, youth representative programmes, science and research of course, then support staff to maintain and construct things, chefs, domestic staff – and then visiting politicians and media people!

Alisha: Have you been to Antarctica? If not, would you consider going for a measure of time?

Natalie: I’ve never been there and yes I’d absolutely say yes to a trip! Writing MELT was a kind of ‘wish fulfilment’ for me! It’s definitely on my bucket list. I’m really attracted to it for some reason – like Emma. I guess I’m intrigued by the extreme environment – and how vast it is. I think it would be so humbling and awe-inspiring.

Alisha: In one scene, Emma busts out her e-reader to pass the time on a long flight. Are you a big e-reader reader? Or are you more of a physical book (p-book) kinda person?

Natalie: At this stage I’m still more p-book than e-book although that is changing of course with all these wonderful e-first/e-only books coming out! But because I spend all my work day reading and writing on a screen, I like to ‘rest’ my eyes in bed with a physical book. But it’s changing for me too – as it is for so many readers! It’s nice to be able to choose depending on my mood ☺

Alisha: Emma, a skilled painter, prefers to paint in a hyper-realistic style. What types of art are you most drawn to?

Natalie: I adore Art Galleries. I’m always blown away by the incredible talent you see there. I don’t have any kind of drawing or painting kind of talent and I know how much effort goes into training for anything creative so I’m always super impressed when you see such expertise. I love looking at works that make me think or that move me in some way. I love sculpture and also those amazing painters who can capture such incredible detail with a pencil or a paintbrush. But I also love the arts-and-crafts artists – so the pottery and the fabrics, and the wearable art and stuff. Basically I love it all – I feel ‘enriched’ by a trip to a gallery, it’s a favourite thing to do.

Alisha: You’ve written a considerable number of romances over the years. What are your favorite types of stories and characters to write about?

Natalie: I really love writing contemporary romance – it’s what I love to read and what I love to write. I love having strong heroines who are passionate about things in life and having them meet and equally strong guy who might just happen to have a great sense of humour and a touch of outrageousness about him as well! It’s just such fun ☺

Alisha: Thank you so much for your visit to BLI, Natalie!

Natalie: Thank you so much for having me!

USA TODAY bestseller Natalie Anderson writes fun, frisky, feels-good contemporary romance for Harlequin Mills & Boon and Entangled. With twenty books published, she’s also been a Romantic Times Award nominee & a finalist for the R*BY (Romantic Book of the Year).

She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand with her husband, four children and what feels like a million ducks.

Where to find Natalie:
Website | Twitter | Facebook

About the book:

When two frozen hearts collide…

Emma Reed closed her heart to love years ago after a lifetime spent getting kicked around foster homes and bad relationships. Now she’s on a mission to prove she deserves her recent award to paint a mural for a research base in Antarctica. Nothing and no one is going to get in her way.

After months working in recovery zones around the world, Hunter Wilson planned to escape everything this holiday season by rebuilding a lab at the Kiwi Research Base. Alone. No to family, no to fun. It’s isolation not intimacy he’s aching for. But when he sees the determined artist, that ache becomes an urge – after all, shouldn’t someone show her what two people can do with twenty-four hours of brilliant sunlight?

In the coldest place on earth, even the most frozen hearts can melt.

Buy it from Amazon or Barnes and Noble

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~*~*Giveaway*~*~

Entangled Publishing is graciously offering a copy of Natalie Anderson’s Melt to one lucky commenter!

All you have to do is leave a meaningful comment about the post, or tell us if you would ever be willing to visit Antarctica for a time!
(You can read our full giveaway policy here)

Please be sure to include a valid email address in the comment form (need not be in the actual body of the comment).

This giveaway is open to all!

Giveaway ends on Saturday, February 18th, 2012; we will announce the winner on Sunday.

Good luck!!!!

About Alisha

Alisha, the bespectacled and ever nerdy California girl, simply won't leave home without a book in hand. She loves language learnin' and is working toward becoming a bonafide grammar ninja. On any given day you'll find her haunting local libraries or baking scores of cupcakes and sweet treats.

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