Natalie Goodwinn
Natalie Goodwinn writes from Atlanta, Georgia. Drawing from her background in biology and medicine, her stories celebrate nature, science, and the joy of understanding. Her short fiction has been published in Exposition Review literary magazine. When she is not writing, she enjoys playing with her kids, music, and serenading her husband on karaoke (much to the kids’ chagrin).
Catch Snakes, Not Feelings
A commitment-averse teacher with a snake infestation is determined not to catch feelings for the local “snake guy,” aka wildlife relocation specialist, as his compassion for misunderstood reptiles repaints her perception of the ecosystem around them.
Single for the first time in years, Erica Beckett leaves her city life behind to start fresh as a teacher in coastal Georgia. Invigorated by her newfound freedom, she vows to never date again.
Her dreams of self-sufficiency shatter when she realizes her new yard is a hotspot for snakes, forcing her to hire Will, a wildlife relocation specialist, better known as “the snake guy.” He’s infuriatingly handsome and obsessed with reptiles, seeming to think that they need protection from her. Intrigued and infatuated but still clinging to her independence, Erica
proposes what she thinks is the only reasonable course of action: becoming friend-with-benefits. But Will shuts her down… unless she’s willing to actually date him, which is totally against her policy.
Frustrated, Erica teaches herself to handle snakes without a “snake guy.” Next thing she knows, she’s sponsoring a secret Snake Club that threatens her job and challenges her assumptions about wildlife. When increasingly dangerous & exotic snakes start appearing in increasingly unexpected places, avoiding Will (and her feelings for him) becomes impossible, forcing her to decide if she’ll stick to her rules or learn to embrace the ecosystem she’s invaded.
Publication
US: Orange Blossom Publishing
Release date: 9 March 2027
