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It's June, darlings, but we are diving headfirst into fall because that's just how publishing works, and also because fall is my favorite season and I refuse to apologize for it.
In this episode, The Tech Guy and I talk about why fall has become such a dominant season in books (genre mashups! cozy everything! readers simply demanding it!), and then I get to do my favorite thing: tell you about what's coming.
First up is A Fall to Remember, releasing September 1st, a sweet, low-spice cozy rom-com set during Half Moon Bay's real (and genuinely massive) pumpkin festival. I'll tell you the whole story behind it, including the viral "accidental influencer" video that helped inspire the premise, and the heroine, Miranda, who never asked to become internet-famous but did anyway. This one will also be my very first book with sprayed edges!
Then there's The Pumpkin Vice Café, book 23 of the Bakeshop Mystery series, releasing September 29th in trade paperback for the first time. Lance is hosting a big event, the event planner doesn't make it to the end of the chapter, and Jules is once again pulled into solving a murder alongside all your favorite Torte regulars. I'm also kicking off a bake-along starting in July, working through a recipe from every single book in the series, leading up to the release.
And I saved one surprise for the end: a third fall book is coming in the Novel Detectives world. A Murder at Midnight releases October 13th and follows Annie and Fletcher as a group of ghost hunters takes over the bookstore for an overnight investigation with, of course, a body to solve along the way.
All three books are available for pre-order now!
Links:
A Fall to Remember — https://amzn.to/4fTeX4EThe Pumpkin Vice Café — https://amzn.to/448kldKA Murder at Midnight — https://amzn.to/4uNmPsj
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Got writing questions? We've got answers. In this episode, The Tech Guy and I dig into the questions that land most in our inbox, starting with a great one from a writer, Matt, in Cleveland, about how to structure and set scenes in a cozy mystery. From there, we cover coaching availability, what makes the Mystery Series Masterclass work, plotting vs pantsing, traditional vs. indie publishing, querying agents, writing genre mashups, and whether authors really have to be on social media. The Tech Guy has some thoughts on that last one. Tune in, darlings, and keep those questions coming!
Mentioned in this episode:
Mystery Series Masterclass – https://courses.elliealexander.co/
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We're coming to you live from Leavenworth, Washington—the real-life Bavarian village from the Sloan Krause Mystery series! While I was busy signing books at A Book for All Seasons, The Tech Guy was hard at work "researching" the local breweries. In this special on-location episode, we talk about what it's like to write about a real place, why I return in different seasons for inspiration, and I answer your most-asked Sloan questions: Is she coming back? What about audiobooks? Do you need to like beer to love the series? Grab a pint (if that's your thing) and a warm pretzel and listen now! 🍺🥨
Links to places mentioned in this episode:
Leavenworth, Washington: https://leavenworth.org/
A Book for All Seasons: https://abookforallseasons.com/
Icicle Brewing: https://iciclebrewing.com/
Blewett Brewing: https://www.blewettbrew.com/
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In this episode of Reality Writes, I'm sitting down with The Tech Guy to talk about the book trends shaping what readers are buying, collecting, and obsessing over right now. We cover cover art cycles, the love-hate relationship with movie tie-in covers and glossy finishes, the return of box sets, the stunning (and sometimes messy) world of sprayed edges, hidden Easter eggs under hardcover dust jackets, chapter illustrations making a beautiful comeback in adult fiction, and the growing world of special editions, cookbooks, graphic novels, and escape rooms expanding beloved series.
Loved this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, drop your thoughts in the comments, and if you have book trends we didn't cover — we want to hear them!
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You asked, and I'm answering! This week on Reality Writes, The Tech Guy and I are pulling straight from my overflowing inbox to tackle the baking questions I get most often from you. Am I a professional baker? Do I test every recipe? Can you swap almond milk for whole milk? We're also talking about foodie fiction beyond cozy mysteries, the dream of a Bakeshop Mystery cookbook, and why Jules probably needs to add more salads to the menu. Tune in, grab your favorite sweet treat, and let's get into it!
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Have you ever wondered what really happens between the book an author planned to write and the one that ends up in your hands? In this episode of Reality Writes, I'm pulling back the curtain on one of the most surprising — and honestly, sometimes terrifying — parts of the writing process.
The truth is, even the most thorough outline is really just a starting point. Once you're deep in a draft, characters start feeling more real, threads reveal themselves, and sometimes the story you thought you were writing turns into something completely different. And that's not a failure. That's actually a sign it's working.
In this episode, we dig into:
Why mid-draft plot changes are a feature, not a bug — and why I tell my writing students to expect themHow to track structural changes so nothing falls through the cracksThe real meaning of "kill your darlings" (Tech Guy finally learned what it means)Why sample chapters at the back of a book are never quite finalWhat happens when the killer changes — and you have to rebuild every threadThe biggest manuscript overhaul I've ever faced (hint: it involved a 2027 book, and I basically gutted the whole thing)Whether you're a writer navigating your first draft or a reader curious about what goes on before a book reaches you, this one's for you.
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Independent Bookstore Day is April 25th—and we're kicking off the celebration early! 📚
In this episode of Reality Writes, we're sharing everything you need to know about why indie bookstores are so much more than just a place to buy books. From the ongoing comeback story of independent booksellers across the U.S. to the very personal ways these shops help create community, connection, and discovery—this one's a love letter to your local bookstore.
We cover why the in-store experience is so desirable, the awesome economic impact of shopping local, how indie booksellers have become a third space for readers, why pre-ordering from your local shop is a triple win, and how to support indie bookstores online through services like bookshop.org and Libro.fm even if you don't have one nearby.
Plus, The Tech Guy completes his Dungeon Crawler Carl collection courtesy of Beach Books in Seaside, OR, and I share my upcoming appearances at Copper Bell Books in Ridgefield, WA, on Thursday, April 23rd, and Vintage Books in Vancouver, WA on Saturday, April 25th, Indie Bookstore Day!
Love indie bookstores as much as we do? Drop your favorite shop in the comments. We want to know where you love to browse and start building a list of shops to visit! And, if you haven't subscribed yet, hit that button so you never miss an episode of Reality Writes.
Happy reading, darlings!
Links:
Bookshop.org
Libro.fm
Copper Bell Books
Vintage Books
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A man staggers into a detective agency covered in blood with no memory of the night before and...
The Tech Guy and I go spoiler free on a brand-new cozy mystery, A Death In The Dark, the latest entry in my Novel Detectives series (a spin off connected to the Secret Bookcase Mysteries), then pull back the curtain on how the story came together in a very specific place: a six-hour road trip with a my runner son as my brainstorming partner.
We also get practical about the publishing side, including why the ebook release lands before the paperback this time and what a big US print run means for local bookstores. If you’re a reader who loves series order, new releases, and behind-the-scenes context, we keep it clear and friendly without giving away the twists.
For writers, we talk about how to plot a mystery novel from a single “glimmer” of an idea, how asking what-if and why questions generates suspects and motives fast, and why research matters even when most of it never makes it onto the page. We even touch on dialogue and grammar, because sometimes writing “wrong” is exactly how you make characters sound real.
Subscribe for more writer-ish and bookish chats, share the show with a friend, and leave us a rating or review so more book lovers and writers can find Reality Writes.
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You've done it — you've written a first draft! But before you send it out into the world, there are five common pitfalls that trip up nearly every new writer, and I've seen them time and time again while coaching my writing students.
In this episode, The Tech Guy and I walk through each one: scenes that take place in a vacuum, too many characters, info dumping, a missing emotional arc, and stilted dialogue.
These aren't things to be embarrassed about — they show up in every first draft, including mine. The goal is to know what to look for so your second pass can really make your story sing. Whether you're working on your first novel or you're a reader who's ever thought "wait, where are we right now?" — this one's for you. Tune in and let us know what you think!
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Reading is in trouble — and not just for kids. In this episode, I'm sitting down with the Tech Guy to talk about some genuinely alarming statistics about literacy in the United States, discuss why reading matters more than ever, and share some easy, actionable ways you can help turn things around.
From the surprising health benefits of cracking open a book (six minutes of reading cuts stress by 68%!) to how you can get more young readers excited about books in your community, this episode is a shoutout to all the readers out there to take action.
Grab something warm, settle in, and let's talk about why you — yes, you — are making a difference just by being a reader. Let us know what you think!
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The announcement you've been waiting for is here, darlings! I'm so excited to reveal the author lineup for the 4th Annual Ashland Mystery Festival — October 8th through 11th, 2026 in Ashland, Oregon.
In this episode, The Tech Guy and I share who's joining us this year, including a brand-new cozy adjacent element that I think is going to absolutely blow your minds. We also talk about what makes this festival unlike anything else in the mystery world, what to expect from the weekend, and a little teaser about the Saturday night dinner theme.
If you've ever wanted to spend four days fully immersed in cozy mystery goodness surrounded by authors and fellow readers, this one's for you. We'll see you in Ashland!
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Ellie Alexander and the Tech Guy explore the role of setting in storytelling and why the places where stories unfold are just as important as the characters themselves. Ellie shares how she approaches choosing locations for her books, including the decision between using real places and creating fictional towns.
They also discuss the advantages of small-town versus big-city settings in mystery novels, the research writers do to bring locations to life, and how sensory details like smells, sounds, and atmosphere can make readers feel like they’re inside the story.
The episode provides practical advice for writers, including how to track important details about your fictional world so your setting stays consistent throughout an entire series.
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Online scams are getting smarter—and both writers and readers are being targeted.In this episode of Reality Writes, the Tech Guy and I break down the most common scams we’re seeing right now in the publishing and book world.From AI-generated emails inviting authors to fake book clubs, to scammers pretending to be literary agents, to bots impersonating authors on social media—we share real examples of what these scams look like and how to avoid them.We also talk about why we stopped running giveaways on social media after one of my accounts was spoofed, how scammers trick readers into sharing personal information, and why you should never pay for an advance reader copy of a book.Have you experienced any of the scams we discuss in this episode? Any others that we should know about? Help spread the word by letting us know in the comments!
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If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens at mystery conferences, conventions, and festivals, this episode is for you.Today on Reality Writes, I’m breaking down the differences between festivals, genre-specific mystery conventions like Malice and BoucherCon, general writing conferences like Willamette Writers, and even bookseller and library conferences. They may sound similar but they serve very different purposes depending on whether you’re a writer, a reader, or an industry professional.Whether you’re a Darling who loves attending events, or a writer thinking about your first conference, I hope this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how it all works.
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Book 22. I can hardly believe I’m even typing that. If you’ve been here since Book 1...thank you. Truly. And if you’re just joining at Book 22? Welcome to Torte.In this episode of Reality Writes, we’re celebrating the release of The Whisking Hour, the 22nd book in my Bakeshop Mystery series. In this episode, we talk about what it feels like to write 22 books in one series, a spoiler-free look at what you can expect in The Whisking Hour, why this is the FINAL Bakeshop book in this format, and a special re-release of Meet Your Baker.We also talk about what it takes to keep a long-running series fresh, how publishing trends impact authors (sometimes in ways we can’t control), and why I’m incredibly grateful that the Bakeshop Mysteries are continuing.✨ I’d love to hear from you:– Do you prefer mass market or trade paperback?– Do you have a favorite Bakeshop book, character, or cover?And don’t forget — our After Party is waiting over on Patreon!
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I’m talking romance today — specifically how love fits into cozy mysteries, why some readers adore it, why others don’t, and how I’ve woven romantic arcs into my series over time.
We also dig into my recent shift into writing rom-coms, what surprised me most about the genre, and how writing romance has actually made me a better mystery writer. From slow-burn relationships and love triangles to Hallmark expectations, fall vibes, and why I’ll probably never write “spicy,” this episode is a behind-the-scenes look at how romance really works in my books.
If you love cozy mysteries, rom-coms, or you’re a writer curious about crossing genres, this one’s for you.
📚 Mentioned in this episode:
A Very Novel Murder
The Whisking Hour (Book 22 in the Bakeshop Mystery series)
Clued in to Love
A Cozy Kind of Christmas
Upcoming fall rom-coms, including A Fall to Remember
🎧 Patrons can head over to Patreon for the After Party — where things might get spicy (PG-13 spicy… at most).
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Writing doesn’t happen in a vacuum — readers are a huge part of the experience. But when it comes to reader feedback, not all of it carries the same weight.In this episode of Reality Writes, I’m talking honestly about reader feedback: when it’s genuinely helpful, when it’s not, and how writers can learn to tell the difference without spiraling.This episode is for writers navigating feedback at any stage and for readers who want to engage thoughtfully with the authors they love.✨ A Very Novel Murder, the first book in my new Novel Detectives series, is out now!
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How does a cozy mystery series last for dozens of books—and what causes one to end early? Ellie Alexander and Tech Guy go behind the scenes to talk series writing, subplots, reader expectations, publishers, and the real-world happenings that shape long-running cozy mystery series.
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Ellie Alexander is facing her most intense writing year yet—10+ books, multiple series, overlapping deadlines, and an endless stream of rewrites, page proofs, edits, and launches.
In this candid kickoff to Season 3 of Reality Writes, she and the Tech Guy break down the real-life logistics of being a full-time working author in 2026. They talk about managing burnout, the reality of saying no, how Ellie plans her schedule (and when it falls apart), and what it takes to stay creative under pressure.
Whether you’re a reader, a writer, or just someone trying to make your passion a career, this one pulls back the curtain.
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It’s officially peppermint mocha season…for some of us. In this episode, Tech Guy and I dive into the great holiday debate: when is the right time to start reading (or writing) holiday books? We’re talking about cozy autumn reading trends, the publishing realities of holiday releases, how to get in the festive spirit when it’s 75 degrees outside, and why your sales might spike and then nosedive with seasonal titles. We also want your recs! Tech Guy’s still on the hunt for his next favorite holiday book, so we’re counting on you, darlings. 🎄
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