1. What is the significance of your title, The Poetry of Murder?

2. Have you always been interested in writing murder mysteries?

3. This novel is a cozy mystery.  Why did you decide to write a cozy instead of a detective novel?

4. Your novel takes place on the south side of Chicago in the small community of Hyde Park. Besides being a resident, why did you choose this urban setting?

5. You received over 100 rejection letters from agents and publishers before being accepted for publication.  How did you cope with the rejection and what kept you pursuing your goal?

6. You are a trained technical writer.  Was the transition from technical writing to fiction writing difficult for you?

7. Your protagonist is an aspiring poet.  Why did you choose a poet to be your protagonist?

8. Everyone dreams of inheriting or winning millions of dollars like your heroine.  Why did you want to show that this dream could be a nightmare?

9. Your novel features underground fencing.  Are there really people participating in underground sporting events?

10. Your protagonist is in therapy.  Why did you want to feature “talk therapy” in your novel?