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.

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!

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.

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!

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).

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!

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.

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.