Author Spotlight: Neva Altaj

Neva Altaj writes steamy contemporary mafia romance about damaged antiheroes and strong heroines who fall for them. She has a soft spot for crazy jealous, possessive alphas who are willing to burn the world to the ground for their woman.

Her stories are full of heat and unexpected turns, and a happily-ever-after is guaranteed every time.

There are authors that we as readers hope to get a chance to interview. When I dropped a message to Neva Altaj, I never thought I would get a response. Because honestly… we get no more often that you realize. But she was gracious to answer all my burning questions, and then some. As with all author spotlights, we ask the questions about their writing as well as their newest release. So, read on for some insight to one of my go-to authors that is newer on the scene.

Those burning questions for Neva Altaj the author:

Leah: What drew you to the romance genre?

Neva: I’ve been reading romance novels for years. The first ones I picked up were Harlequin editions I found at my grandma’s house when I was around thirteen or fourteen. That was 25 years ago, so I guess you could say I’ve been into romance for a quarter of a century! Wow, does that make me sound ancient? After Harlequin, I moved on to more classic works like Jane Austen, and I read everything I could get my hands on—romance or not. But the real turning point came when I discovered Amazon and started reading ebooks. Before I had kids, I was reading close to a hundred books a year.

Leah: You published Painted Scars in 2022…what pushed you to publish this book? Do you have unpublished works hiding in a box somewhere? (We know of multiple authors that do)

Neva: Writing has always been therapeutic for me. I started when I was in a dark place, and it really helped me pull myself out of that slump. Maybe that’s why I resist the idea of writing full time—it would turn something I love into work. I prefer to keep it as a hobby that brings me immense joy. I don’t have any unpublished works, but I do have a few ideas for a new standalone in the post-apocalyptic romance genre.

Leah: How do you balance the development of the romantic relationship with other elements of the story?

Neva: I approach writing much like I do reading—by following my instincts. When I feel a romantic scene is needed, I write it. I don’t plan the plot ahead of time; often, I don’t even know what’s going to happen in the next chapter.

Leah: Can you share any writing rituals or habits that help you stay focused and productive during the writing process? 

Neva: I actually started writing on my phone while sitting on my balcony one evening. And now, I can only write on my phone, and it has to be on my balcony—so it’s sort of become a ritual for me. I don’t push myself with deadlines or word count goals. For me, writing is a hobby, not a job.

Leah: What challenges do you face when writing, and how do you overcome them?

Neva: After writing 11 books, I’ve found that writing spicy scenes can be a real challenge. I try to keep them fresh and varied, but it’s still tough at times.

Leah: How do you handle romantic tropes and clichés to keep your stories fresh and engaging for readers?

Neva: I have a list of my favorite tropes that I enjoy reading, and I try to include at least two or three of them in each book. I guess you could say I’m a “mood writer”—I write the tropes that match the mood I’m in at the time.

Leah: You aren’t afraid of the taboo, the hard, the sometimes psycho… do you find this difficult to navigate?

Neva: Lately, I’ve come to realize that everyone I know has a little bit of craziness in them. Some people just hide it better than others. So, for me, writing “psycho” characters doesn’t feel difficult at all—it’s just part of life.

Leah: What inspired you to write mafia? 

Neva: There wasn’t a specific inspiration. When I started writing my first book, I was simply in the mood for a mafia romance.

Leah: Your world is fairly complex with all the mafia factions… do you have any tricks to keeping the characters straight?

Neva: Not really! I usually find a way to fit new characters and events into the established story arc. One challenge, though, is keeping timelines consistent, especially when two or more books overlap. I actually created an Excel sheet to track the timelines for each book so I can refer to it when necessary.

Leah: Do you have favorite characters from the books you’ve written?

Neva: Kurt, the cat, will always be my favorite—he’s just so adorably grumpy! But typically, my favorite couple is the one I’m writing about at the moment.

Leah: Will we be seeing any more books in the second-generation series?

Neva: Yes! Two more for sure, but maybe more depending on how things unfold. I never imagined the main series would grow to 12 books (I never planned for Painted Scars to become part of a series). But as long as inspiration keeps flowing, I’ll keep writing.

Leah: What is one thing you want readers to walk away from your books remembering?

Neva: If a reader finishes my book with a smile on their face and feels satisfied and happy, then I’d say I did my job right.

And all the questions about the newest release, Sweet Prison:

Leah: The way in which this story line flows was a risk with the hero and the heroine being apart for a decent amount, but it works so well with the way their story plays out, did you find it difficult to create the tension with these two characters while keeping them separate?

Neva: It was definitely a challenge. Having them meet for the first time around the 50% mark was risky, but I truly believe that any other approach wouldn’t have worked for the story. I tried to build the tension through their letters and show the depth of their connection through the correspondence and its impact on both of them.

Leah: The set up of this book with the letters was different than previous books, but worked… was there a fear that it would take away from the story itself?

Neva: There’s always some fear before a book is released. Every time I publish something new, I worry that everyone will hate it. It’s important to consider what readers might expect and enjoy, but I try not to let that dictate the story too much. If I love the story I’m writing, and I love the characters, I trust that readers will feel that too.

Leah: Massimo is such a potent character… you aren’t afraid of pushing the limits with your heroes…Is it exciting to take risks and allow these characters to tap into the chaos?

Neva: All of my heroes are a bit morally grey, but I wanted Massimo to slide deeper into the darker side of that spectrum. He doesn’t care about anyone except Zahara. I wanted to create a hero readers might initially hate but eventually fall for by the end.

Leah: You aren’t one to shy away from some of the taboo… but this was the first step-sibling romance… what motivated this choice rather than having it been a more random option?

Neva: Massimo and Zahara’s story wasn’t planned. They were just supporting characters in Darkest Sins. The story hit me out of nowhere during a funeral scene in Darkest Sins and wouldn’t leave me alone. I could have gone back and edited the “step-sibling element” out, but that would have changed the essence of their story. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve come to realize not every book I write will be loved by every reader—and that’s okay.

Leah This story and Nera’s story overlap the timeline more than any of your other books… was it hard to create the stories with the secrets while keeping the dynamics the same?

Neva: It wasn’t necessarily hard, but it was challenging to avoid repetition. At one point, I considered adding more scenes to Sweet Prison to explain events from Darkest Sins, but I decided against it. I didn’t want to detract from Zahara and Massimo’s story. I just added a note suggesting readers read Darkest Sins first for a better understanding.

Leah: Where do you get your inspirations for your characters? I LOVE Drago, but have to wonder how you come up with the traits/quirks/intensity of them all.

Neva: Little details make characters feel real, and it’s these unique traits and quirks that really breathe life into them. I think one of the most important aspects of writing is creating characters who feel authentic and relatable, even if they’re in fantastical or extreme situations. People aren’t perfect, and neither are my characters, which makes them more grounded. Perfect characters often feel distant or unrelatable, but by adding little imperfections or idiosyncrasies, they become more human.

It’s these kinds of personal details that I think can really connect with readers. Sometimes the quirks I give my characters are small, seemingly insignificant things, but they make the character feel lived-in and believable. They reflect how people are in real life—no one is ever just one thing. We’re a mixture of experiences, fears, dreams, and contradictions, and that’s what I try to capture in my writing. The beauty of writing characters this way is that it’s easier to build empathy for them. Readers can see themselves in the flaws and strengths of these characters, which creates a deeper connection to the story as a whole.

For example, I drew on my own experiences when creating Vasilisa’s fear of water and water creatures. I’ve always had a bit of an irrational fear of the water myself, especially deep water, and the creatures that live in it.

Leah: Zahara was so much more than I was anticipating when we meet her in Nera’s book.  Was it challenging keeping her innocence true with her character while building her strength as well.

Neva: It’s often assumed that shy, introvert people aren’t capable of doing bold, daring things. But I believe people are complex. Zahara is shy and innocent, but she also has the strength to fight against her nature when it’s necessary to protect those she loves.

Leah: When you build these stories… do you plan out their arcs or are you a pantser?

Neva: I’m a total pantser. When I start writing, I usually only know the basics that you read in the blurb. I always write the blurb first, and then the idea grows into the book from there.

Leah: I 100% believe in their HEA at the end… with the way their story plays out I wasn’t sure but in the end it was perfect… was there a fear you wouldn’t be able to make it feel authentic?

Neva: Honestly, my biggest concern was that readers would see Massimo as purely evil, which was never my intention. He’s morally black, no doubt, but he’s not evil—there’s a difference. While his methods are extreme, they come from a place of deep, complicated emotions rather than malice. It was important to me that readers could see that distinction.

With Massimo, I wanted to create a character who, despite being ruthless and unpredictable, still had moments of vulnerability and care (particularly toward Zahara). He’s a product of his environment and experiences, shaped by a world where survival often means sacrificing parts of your humanity. But that doesn’t mean he’s beyond redemption or incapable of love. I really hoped to show the nuance in his character, where even though he operates in the moral shadows, his motivations are layered and complex.

I think it’s important to show that sometimes even the darkest characters can have depth. They might be flawed, broken, or even dangerous, but there’s still something human underneath.

Thank you to Neva Altaj for answering all the questions and then some. HAPPY READING!

CLICK HERE FOR ALL OF NEVA ALTAJ’S SOCIALS

CLICK HERE to read Leah’s review of Sweet Prison.

CLICK HERE to listen to Becky and Leah review Silent Lies.