We chat with author Matthew Aldrich about The Natural Order, which is a propulsive debut novel about a billionaire tech visionary who creates a method to stop aging, putting him in the crosshairs of an extremist group and forcing a tense reunion with his estranged son, who is dying of old age.
Hi, Matthew! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a theater kid at heart, but I transitioned to writing for film & TV in 2001. My first job out of college was at the Sundance Institute, which was as good an introduction to the entertainment business as I could have hoped for. I try to bring the lessons I learned at Sundance to every project I work on, even if it’s a big studio franchise (or especially when). In 2011 I started working on COCO at Pixar, which brought me and my family to the Bay Area, where we’ve stayed ever since. When I’m not writing I’m baking bread and pastries.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I think I had a knack for writing at a young age, but I didn’t have the discipline for it until high school. I started writing plays in my drama classes, I wrote for the school paper, that kind of thing. I got good feedback from teachers and peers, which is huge at that age.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: a Batman & Robin novella, don’t remember the name.
- The one that made you want to become an author: The World According to Garp
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: East of Eden
Your debut novel, The Natural Order, is out October 27th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Time heals nothing. Butter does.
Where did the inspiration for The Natural Order come from?
I’ve long been fascinated by the modern longevity movement, and the characters it attracts. I’m also a sucker for fountain of youth stories. When my own father, from whom I’d been estranged my whole life, became ill and died, I started thinking about these longevity pioneers and who they will inevitably leave behind. The story of the novel took shape after that.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
The whole thing was an exploration, but I had a good time writing about the titular organization.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
As this is my first book, the biggest challenge was self-doubt. So I kind of wrote it on the sly, and didn’t tell anyone about it until it was almost done.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
There are a lot of similarities between getting a movie made and getting a book published. They both take time, a fair amount of luck, and most importantly, an army of people helping you push the rock uphill. I was lucky to work with a fantastic editor who helped me shape the first draft into a proper book, and for that I’ll be forever grateful.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I’m reading the On the Calculation of Volume series by Solvej Bolle, and looking forward to book 5. I also just picked up Eating Behind Bars, a nonfiction book about prison food (I’m mildly obsessed with food and food security).
