Delta asked Maria V. Snyder:

Hi Maria. I have decided to do a report on Poison study. So I was just wondering what the inspiration for the book was. Where you wrote it or what challenges contributed to the challenges Yelena faced?

Maria V. Snyder Hi Delta! Thanks for picking my book for your report. I sparked on the idea of writing a book about a food taster when I was reading Orson Scott Card’s book, How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy. In chapter 3, Card tells the writer to consider some questions before choosing the main character. He wrote, “Too often—particularly in medieval fantasy—writers think their story must be about rulers. Kings and queens, dukes and duchesses—they can be extravagantly powerful, yes, but too often they aren’t free at all. If you understand the workings of power in human societies, you’ll know that the greatest freedom to act in unpredictable ways is usually found away from the centers of power.”

This comment led me to think about a person who was close enough to the center of power to witness important events, yet not be the Prince or Princess. I thought about a food taster and a scene jumped into my mind. I saw a woman tasting food that was most likely poisoned through the eyes of the King. He watched her with heartbreaking horror because he had fallen in love with her. That led me to wonder about this woman. Who was she? Why was she there? Why would a King fall in love with her? And Poison Study was born. Of course it went through some changes - the Commander came along and usurped the King :)

As for challenges - I don't think my challenges matched with Yelena's - she was trying to survive and I was trying to find time to write with two small children in the house ;) I think the overall theme is persistence - not giving up until the end and also to not give up hope! Both aided Yelena in her quest for freedom and me in my quest to finish a book and then have it published!

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