A corporate escapee who lives in Atlanta, Kathy Manos Penn went from crafting change communications to plotting page-turners. Adhering to the adage to “write what you know,” she populates her mysteries with well-read, witty senior women, a sassy cat, and a loyal dog. The murders and talking pets, however, exist only in her imagination.Years ago, when she stumbled onto a side job as a weekly columnist for a small local paper, she saw it as an entertaining diversion from the corporate grind. Little did she know that her serendipitous foray into writing for fun would lead to a cozy mystery series. How does she describe her life? “I’m living a dream I never knew I had. Picture me sitting serenely at my desk surrounded by the four-legged office assistants who inspire the personalities of Dickens & Christie. Why is Dickens a fiend for belly rubs? Because my real-life dog is. The same goes for Christie’s finicky eating habits and penchant for lolling on top of the desk or in the file drawer. She gets it from my calico cat who right this minute is lying on the desk swishing her tail and deciding which pen or pencil to knock to the floor next.” Visit her website for information on the Dickens & Christie cozy mystery series—photos, blogs, a map of Astonbury, and more.