Lillian R. Melendez received a B.A. degree in English with a minor in Psychology from Trinity University in Washington, D.C. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America. She lives in South Orange, New Jersey.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

The hardest part was finding a way to make it understandable for the readers after they finish the book. Do they get the theme? Do they agree with the truth I believe in? These questions are always on my mind.

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I wrote my first novel and finished it within seven months. It took two more months to complete revisions.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published (if any)?

The whole process was a challenge. After I wrote the manuscript then others critiqued. I had to listen to both negative and positive advice about my story prior to submitting to publishers. The manuscript submission to literary agents and publishers was challenging, because of the anticipation of receiving responses. I welcome the challenge again with my next novel.

Have you written a book that you have not been able to get published? If so, can you share a little about it with us?

No, I have not written a book that has not been published.

How did you come up with the title?

The title, Dismantling Vindictiveness, came to mind with the advice from a reader. Both words represent the story, but each word was linked with another word. We both connected words to see which had more depth to it. Dismantling Vindictiveness was then chosen as the title.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I hope readers enjoy Dismantling Vindictiveness.