Jennifer Vido: What inspired your new release, THE SWEET SPOT? Amy Poeppel: I was inspired in part by the iconic brownstones in my beautiful neighborhood of Greenwich Village, an area that is in many ways the sweet spot of New York City. I wanted to write about a family that is lucky enough to move into a home very near Washington Square Park, although it must be said that this new home is in dire need of renovation! I was also inspired by my many friends who always manage to keep their senses of humor, even in the face of hardship, women whom I admire more and more the older I get.   Jen: Who is Lauren Aston, and what’s going on in her life? Amy: Lauren is an artist, a mother of three, a wife, a daughter, and a sister. Her career as a ceramist, which was already important to her, has suddenly taken off, thanks to the attention of a home design guru named Felicity who commissions a big order of Lauren’s porcelain pieces. Now that Lauren has so much work to get done, the Aston family finds itself with a childcare problem that they temporarily solve by inviting…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE SWEET SPOT 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Three women—who have every possible reason to despise each other—band together when a baby belonging to exactly none of them lands on their metaphorical doorstep. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I’ve lived in Greenwich Village for almost fifteen years. It’s a special place with loads of personality! I wanted to write a book where the characters move into in a brownstone close to Washington Square Park. In my opinion, this neighborhood is the sweet spot of New York City. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely! I would love to be invited to Lauren and Leo’s brownstone to hang out with the whole family. I hope Olivia, Melinda, Phillip, and Evelyn will also be around! 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Of my three protagonists, Melinda is my favorite. She’s a middle-aged woman I would describe as bitter, smart, and funny. In spite of the initial impression she makes, she has a very big heart. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? Lauren, one of the main…

Jen: What inspired you to write your new release, ​Musical Chairs​? Amy: The countryside, family, wine, and a little Mozart! I was excited to write a book about a family spending the summer together in a house that has seen better days. And I wanted to include adult children who move back home with their messy problems, dogs, and habits. Also, since my children are all musicians, I decided to place several of the characters in the world of professional music. I wrote a book trailer that makes it pretty clear that there are certain elements of my real life that worked their way into the novel. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IffxAo-QMh4 How would you describe Bridget and Will’s unique friendship? I remember watching Nora Ephron’s iconic movie When Harry Met Sally in 1989 and admiring the longtime friendship between the characters. In discussing male-female friendships, Harry says that “the sex part always gets in the way,” and I wondered. . .  Does it have to? I began writing MUSICAL CHAIRS in an effort to celebrate a male-female friendship, a solid, marriage-like bond between two characters, a bond that–one hopes–can withstand the test of time, conflict, old secrets, and…