The Dead Romantics

Florence is a ghostwriter for Anne Nichols. Do you think books written by ghostwriters are just as important to an author’s legacy as those written by the author themselves?

Usually, keeping secrets can shake a person’s trust in someone else. But Florence’s dad kept the secret that he knew who Florence ghostwrote for and had read all of those books. Do you think some secrets can actually build trust once revealed?

Throughout the novel, Florence struggles with trying to find the perfect ending. If you could write any sort of happily ever after, how would it go?

Both Ben and Florence find comfort in romance novels. What are some of your favorite comfort reads?

There are many depictions of afterlives in the media—ghosts, reapers, spirits—from all different cultures. Why do you think the theme of death is so universally explored in stories and the concept of life (or some semblance of it) after death?

What is a book you loved that you believe more people should read? What did you love most about it?

Death, and how a person handles it, is a big part of the novel. If you could leave a list behind for your loved ones, like Xavier does in the story, what would be on it?

If Ben and Florence were put in a punderdome, who do you think would win? Kidding—but in truth, do you think humor and tragedy go hand in hand? Why or why not?

Do you feel Lee Marlow was justified in writing When the Dead Sing? Do you think original ideas exist? Or do we all pull inspiration—knowingly or not—from the experiences we’ve had and the people we’ve met throughout our lives?

If Ben and Florence had a sequel, what do you think it would be about? How do you think Ben will handle his new-found power of seeing

dead people?

What do you think Florence will write next?