Natalie Lee ’99

Federal prosecutor by day and romantic novelist by night, Natalie Lee ’99 showcases her creative edge in her first novel, Save as Draft. The book tells of a young associate at a law firm and the trials and tribulations of her love life. However, steering far from the typical chick literature, this love story is told entirely through texts, emails, and Twitter and Facebook status updates.

Lee traces her appreciation for writing to her days as an undergraduate student at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, where she learned the foundations of screenwriting. “I got such a fabulous education at UCLA, and a fabulous education is one thing that no one can ever take away from you no matter what career path you choose,” she says.

After graduating in 1999, Lee caught the writing bug. She wrote a play entitled ROCKSTARNERD, which she and her co-workers produced and performed. The play was presented at a Group Repertory Theater in Los Angeles. Then after working four years as a “wactress” (waiter and actress) in the City of Angels, Lee found herself back in the classroom, studying law at the University of North Carolina. Only after two years of writing legalese and securing a job at a firm in Savannah, Ga., did Lee finally find the time to rekindle her love for writing fiction.

According to Lee, Save as Draft grew out of a broken engagement. And while the writing process was personal, and even painful, it became a cathartic experience. The book touches upon love in today’s world of cyber-dating, with Lee using her personal experience as inspiration for her character’s hilarious dilemmas. It also presents readers with a new perspective on interpersonal communication in the electronic age, giving hope to those looking for love via the Internet. Save as Draft has received positive reviews in several magazines, including Publishers Weekly and Date Night Magazine. Additionally, Lee won Best Local Author and Save as Draft won Best Local Book in Best of Savannah, Ga., along with national attention. Simon and Schuster, one of the nation’s most prominent and largest publishing companies, have requested rights to her book and will be among its publishers.

“You’ve got to be able to compartmentalize to get it all done,” Lee describes explaining how she juggles working as a full time lawyer and writer, “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. By day, I get to serve justice and make the world a safer place. By night, I get to write about my love life. My days and nights never get boring.” Lee even has an alter-ego, writing at night under her mysterious pen name Cavanaugh Lee, and working by day as the lawyer and lifetime Bruin, Natalie Lee.

To aspiring writers Lee says, “It takes discipline to get it done but passion to get it started (and to keep it going). Make sure you’ve got both.” Click here for information about Lee and Save as Draft