When New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder visits the Milanof-Schock Library this month, she'll give readers a taste of her books - literally. Presenting the program "Ideas, Influences and Poisons," the author of "Poison Study" will not only talk about her books and her writing process, but she will also offer participants a "poison" tasting, said Kim Beach, operations coordinator for the library.

You'll have to attend for yourself to see just what that poison is, but Beach said she expects a fun and entertaining event at the library, located at 1184 Anderson Ferry Road, Mount Joy. Snyder's talk will take place on Monday, April 17, from 6 to 8 p.m.

"This is a great opportunity for budding authors to learn more about the writing process," Beach noted. "It will be another fun evening at the library."

Snyder, a meteorologist turned novelist, is the author of multiple novels and short stories. Her Study Series, about a young woman who becomes a poison taster, includes "Poison Study," "Magic Study," "Fire Study," "Shadow Study," "Night Study" and "Dawn Study." She has also written the Glass Series - "Storm Glass," "Sea Glass" and "Spy Glass" - as well as the Insider books "Inside Out" and "Outside In," among other titles.

At the library program, Snyder will talk about how she gathers ideas from a variety of sources and turns them into novels. Additionally, she will teach participants how to be a professional food taster using the knowledge she gained from researching "Poison Study." She will also discuss her newest novel, "The Study of Poisons," which will be released on Saturday, April 15. A stickler for research, Snyder takes a deep dive into her subject matter, learning how to ride a horse, how to pick a lock, how to fence and how to work with molten glass among other skills to give her novels a realistic feel.

The evening at the library will feature a question-and-answer session, and books will be available for sale. Participants are also welcome to bring their books from home to be signed by the author.

Beach noted that she had not read Snyder's work before Kirstin Rhoads, community relations coordinator for the library, suggested bringing the author in, but she's now a fan. "I was hooked from the first book I read, 'Poison Study,'" she remarked. "We all need to branch out and try new things sometimes."

Registration is required for the program. To register, call the library at 717-653-1510 or sign up on the calendar page at http://www.mslibrary.org.