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. 🎄

We’re recapping Ashland Mystery Fest 2025—aka my favorite weekend of the entire year! In this episode, we’re sharing behind-the-scenes stories from the third annual festival, including reader highlights, cozy chaos, mystery dinners gone wild, and why I still don’t have a t-shirt gun (yet). We’ll talk about what worked, what we’ll tweak for next year, and how it felt to hug hundreds of mystery-loving darlings from around the world. If you missed it, come live it with us. If you were there, get ready to relive all the joy.

Join mystery author Ellie Alexander and The Tech Guy as they dive deep into Ellie's exciting venture into romance writing! In this episode, Ellie reveals her upcoming holiday rom-com duet, one of them featuring beloved characters from her Meg Reed mystery series.

After writing dozens of mysteries, Ellie discovered that switching from plotting murders to plotting meet-cutes presented unexpected challenges. She shares behind-the-scenes stories about unlearning the mystery formula, creating emotional growth arcs instead of red herrings, and bringing back fan-favorite character Meg Reed for a cozy Christmas romance set in beautiful Bend, Oregon.

Plus, hear about their romantic (and slightly disastrous) honeymoon bike adventure down a Hawaiian volcano, discussions of Portland's true beauty beyond media portrayals, and the possibility of turning fictional scavenger hunts into real-life events. Whether you're a cozy mystery fan or romance reader, this episode offers insights into genre-switching, character development, and the art of feel-good storytelling.

What happens when a mystery author teams up with a talented artist to create something completely new? Join Ellie and the Tech Guy as they welcome Rebecca Demos, the artist behind the Color & Sleuth interactive mystery coloring book series. We'll dive into how this unique collaboration came together, explore the creative process of blending storytelling with visual art, and discuss the challenges of reaching both mystery readers and coloring book enthusiasts. Rebecca will share her artistic process and discuss what it's really like to co-create books across different creative disciplines. Whether you're curious about creative partnerships, love coloring books, or just want to see how two very different art forms can merge into something special, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at an innovative approach to mystery entertainment.

How do you go from zero readers to thousands of engaged "darlings" who genuinely care about your writing journey? Join me and the Tech Guy as we break down the real strategies behind building an authentic mystery community. We'll share what actually worked (and our spectacular failures), discuss the balance between vulnerability and boundaries, and give you actionable steps for connecting with readers who become true supporters. Whether you're a published author struggling to find your tribe or an aspiring writer wondering how to start building relationships before you even have a book, this episode reveals the practical side of community building that goes way beyond social media follower counts. 😍

In this episode, we tackle the messy ethical dilemmas authors actually face. Should you blurb another author’s book if you don’t like it? What happens when you want to use real-life businesses or locations in your murder mystery? How do you handle using actual people as the inspiration for a villain or a victim? We'll present real scenarios, poll the live audience for their takes, and give you our brutally honest answers about what we'd do (not what we should do). Bring your own moral compass and prepare for some uncomfortable truths about the publishing world.

Ever wondered how I keep all my characters, timelines, and plot twists straight across multiple cozy mystery series? In this special live episode of Reality Writes, we’re diving into my personal systems for series writing—from my (messy) story bibles to real-life continuity slip-ups and the readers who caught them. I’m also answering your live questions, talking about keeping things fresh in long-running series, and sharing a few tricks I’ve picked up along the way to having dozens of books published. Join me and Tech Guy for a cozy, behind-the-scenes chat about the secret sauce that keeps a series going strong. 📚😍

Hello, Darlings! A reader recently asked me how I come up with the food themes in my books, and I couldn’t wait to bite into this one! In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of my Bakeshop Mysteries and sharing how I research (and test!) every recipe, including some delicious—and disastrous—kitchen moments. From writing a scene inspired by a raspberry Danish to traveling all the way to Costa Rica for coffee research, we’re talking about how food fuels story, connects readers, and becomes a character in its own right. Warning: you may leave hungry. 😋