Shows / Reality Writes
Reality Writes
The Reality Writes Podcast stars bestselling mystery author Ellie Alexander and her Tech Guy husband as they reveal the ins and outs of writing. Ellie, who has written for big names like Macmillan and Simon & Schuster, and indie publishers like Storm, shares her journey from story ideas to publishing. Together, they dive into the highs, lows, and funny moments of creating captivating stories. With a blend of humor and honesty, Reality Writes offers a behind-the-scenes look at the writing world…
Episodes
Reality WritesOur Holiday TBR—From Cozy to Downright Creepy
Send us a message! It's never too early to start your holiday reads, darlings, so The Tech Guy and I are each sharing six books on our respective holiday TBR…
Reality WritesFour Years of Mystery Fest—Highlights and What’s Next
Send us a message! The Ashland Mystery Fest just wrapped its fourth year, and The Tech Guy and I are still riding high while we recap all of it for you. We…
Reality WritesInside A Murder at Midnight—A Spoiler-Free Sneak Peek
Send us a message! This episode opens with an excerpt from A Murder at Midnight, book four in the Novel Detectives, releasing October 13th. Then The Tech Guy…
Reality WritesHow an Audiobook Gets Made—Inside Narration With Victoria Lynn Arbor
Send us a message! Have you ever wondered what actually goes into making an audiobook? If so, you're in luck because this week I'm joined by my friend Victoria…
Reality WritesPaths to Publication—Pros, Cons & Life Lessons
Send us a message! "What's the best way to get published?" This is a question I get most from new writers and my answer is always the same: there are several…
Reality WritesCozy Mystery Sneak Peek—The Pumpkin Vice Cafe
Send us a message! We open this episode with an actual excerpt from The Pumpkin Vice Café, book 23 in my Bakeshop Mystery Series, releasing September 29th…
Reality WritesAuthor Talk—Writing a Book is Only Step One
Send us a message! A Fall to Remember is out this week. YAY! So, it's the perfect time to talk marketing. Are you writing a book? Congrats! However, did you…
Reality WritesTo AI Or Not To AI—That is the Question (for Writers)
Send us a message! To AI or not to AI? For me, it's not really a question and, in this episode of Reality Writes, I tell you why. The Tech Guy and I get behind…
Reality WritesLast Chance Summer Dance—End of Summer TBR Reveal!
Send us a message! Summer is flying by, darlings, so I'm calling this one the Last Chance Summer Dance. The Tech Guy and I share what we've been reading plus…
Reality WritesWriting My Fall Rom-Com—A Fall to Remember
Send us a message! Fall is my favorite season, darlings, so of course I set a whole book there. With A Fall to Remember arriving September 1st, The Tech Guy…
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You Asked, We Answered—A Reader and Writer Grab Bag
Send us a message! We're back from our travels, darlings, and my inbox was overflowing, so we did the only sensible thing and turned your questions into an…
Reality WritesAshland Mystery Fest 2026—Your Complete Guide to the 4th Annual Festival
Send us a message! Picture yourself stepping into a real-life cozy mystery — stunning fall foliage, charming streets, and 14 authors who can't wait to meet…
Reality WritesA Murder at the Mansion—Inside Book Three of the Novel Detectives
Send us a message! Book three in the Novel Detectives is almost here! I sit down with the Tech Guy to preview A Murder at the Mansion, out July 21st, and this…
Reality WritesThe Cozy Contract—What Readers Expect and Why Authors Can't Break It
Send us a message! There is an unspoken agreement between every cozy mystery author and her readers. Nobody signs it, but every cozy lover knows exactly what…
Reality WritesReader Confessions—Bookish Hills We'll Die On - Part 2
Send us a message! Five more bookish hills. One major disagreement. And The Tech Guy is confident he's going to win this one. In this reader-focused follow-up…
Reality WritesWord Count Goals—How I Built a Process That Actually Works
Send us a message! Every book I've ever written started the same way: one word at a time. In this episode of Reality Writes, I walk you through my complete…
Reality WritesFall Cozy Energy—A Sneak Peek at Upcoming Books
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesYour Burning Writer Questions Answered—Scene Craft, Querying & More
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesLive From Leavenworth—Sloan Krause Mysteries Q&A
Send us a message! We're coming to you live from Leavenworth, Washington—the real-life Bavarian village from the Sloan Krause Mystery series! While I was busy…
Reality WritesFrom Sprayed Edges to Box Sets—The Book Trends We're Obsessing Over
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesFake It Till You Bake It—Answering Your Biggest Mystery Recipe Questions
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesWhen the Story Takes Over—What Really Happens When Your Book Changes Mid-Draft
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesIndependent Bookstore Day—Why Your Local Shops Matter
Send us a message! Independent Bookstore Day is April 25th—and we're kicking off the celebration early! 📚 In this episode of Reality Writes, we're sharing…
Reality WritesA Death In The Dark—A New Mystery Plotted on a Road Trip
Send us a message! 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…
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First Draft Pitfalls—5 Things for Writers to Watch for
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesWhy Reading Matters—And What We Can Do About It
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesThe 4th Annual Ashland Mystery Festival—Author Lineup Revealed
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesWhy Setting Matters—Building the World of Your Story
Send us a message! Ellie Alexander and the Tech Guy explore the role of setting in storytelling and why the places where stories unfold are just as important…
Reality WritesWriter and Reader Scams—How to Avoid Them
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesConferences, Conventions & Festivals…Oh My!—A Mystery Insider’s Guide
Send us a message! If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens at mystery conferences, conventions, and festivals, this episode is for you.Today on Reality…
Reality WritesBook 22 is Here—The Whisking Hour & a Bakeshop Glow-up
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesWriting Romance Across Genre—Cozy Mysteries to Rom-Coms
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesReader Feedback—When to Listen and When to Let It Go
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesBehind the Scenes—How a Cozy Mystery Series is Built to Last
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesPlotting 2026—New Books, Projects, and Intentions
Send us a message! Ellie Alexander is facing her most intense writing year yet—10+ books, multiple series, overlapping deadlines, and an endless stream of…
Reality Writes'Tis the Season (Already?)—Seasonal Book Trends in Reading & Publishing
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesAshland Mystery Fest Recap—Highlights, Behind-the-Scenes & T-Shirt Guns
Send us a message! We’re recapping Ashland Mystery Fest 2025—aka my favorite weekend of the entire year! In this episode, we’re sharing behind-the-scenes…
Reality WritesCozy But Not Deadly—Changing Up Genres
Send us a message! Join mystery author Ellie Alexander and The Tech Guy as they dive deep into Ellie's exciting venture into romance writing! In this episode…
Reality WritesMystery Meets Art—Behind the Color & Sleuth Series
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesBuilding a Mystery Community—A How-To Discussion
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesWhat Would You Do?—Author Ethics Dilemmas
Send us a message! 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?…
Reality Writes21 and Counting—The Secret Sauce to Series Writing
Send us a message! Ever wondered how I keep all my characters, timelines, and plot twists straight across multiple cozy mystery series? In this special live…
Reality WritesHow a Cozy Becomes a Culinary Mystery—Research, Recipes & Baking Fails
Send us a message! 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…
Reality WritesReaders Behaving Badly—Seriously, Who Says This Stuff?
Send us a message! I’ve gotten some reader messages that are…let’s just say memorable. In this episode, I’m sharing a few of the wildest things people have…
Reality Writes5 Bookish Hills I'll Die On—Controversial Takes
Send us a message! Get ready for some spicy book opinions in this episode of Reality Writes! I’m breaking down five bookish hills I’ll die on—from why I DNF…
Reality WritesMeg Reed Investigates—The Cozy Mystery Series Returns
Send us a message! Hello, Darlings! What happens when you revisit the first mystery series you ever wrote—ten years later? In this episode of Reality Writes…
Reality WritesAshland Mystery Fest 2025 Preview—with Author Emmeline Duncan
Send us a message! What happens when two mystery writers team up to plan a cozy crime scene in real life? In this episode, I talk with Emmeline Duncan about…
Reality WritesBack at it—A Recap & All the Bookish Things Coming Soon
Send us a message! Hello, Darlings! We’re back and just getting warmed up! After a hectic couple of months, we’re settling back into a rhythm and looking…
Reality WritesBehind the Scents—Crafting Candles and Cozy Mysteries
Send us a message! Hey, Darlings! The Tech Guy came up with a new segment for the podcast that has me a little worried—"Stump Ellie." 🕵️♀️ Put your cozy…
Reality WritesSoufflés and Seasides—Exploring the 20th Bakeshop Mystery
Send us a message! Hey, Darlings! 🎉 We're back with a special release week episode all about "Killing Me Souffle," the 20th book in the Bakeshop Mystery…
Reality WritesAshland Mystery Festival—3rd Annual Reveal & Details!
Send us a message! Hello, Cozy Mystery Fans! 🔎📖 We're buzzing with excitement in this episode as we reveal the all-star lineup for the 2025 Ashland Mystery…
Reality WritesCelebrating Book Love—New Releases and Creative Inspiration
Send us a message! Hello, Darlings! 🎉 I’m thrilled to welcome you back to Reality Writes for our special Valentine’s episode! Love is in the air, and I’m…
Reality WritesBehind the Blurb—The Truth About Book Endorsements
Send us a message! Hey there, Darlings! 📖 This week, The Tech Guy and I are untangling the mystery of book blurbs. Did you know these little lines of text from…
Reality WritesWriter's Toolbox—Harnessing AI for Efficiency
Send us a message! Hello, Darlings! 🌟 In our latest episode of Reality Writes, The Tech Guy and I are diving into the controversial and intriguing world of AI…
Reality WritesAsk the Author—Slide into my DMs
Send us a message! Welcome back, darlings, to another exciting episode of Reality Writes! In today’s episode, “Slide into My DMs,” we’re braving the crisp…
Reality WritesPost-Launch Hustle: Marketing Your Book After Launch
Send us a message! Hello, darlings! Welcome to another road trip edition of Reality Writes, the podcast where we dive deep into the book world. I’m your host…
Reality WritesRoad Trip Revelations—Work-Life Balance for Writers
Send us a message! Hey there, Darlings! Come along on our special road trip edition of Reality Writes. In this episode, we're headed home from the LA area to…
Reality WritesYear-End Reflections—Travel, Writing Numbers, and What's to Come in 2025
Send us a message! Hello, Darlings! 📚 It’s the year-end wrap-up in Episode 20 of "Reality Writes," where The Tech Guy and I reflect on an incredible 2024 and…
Reality WritesAuthor Tips–Writing During the Holidays
Send us a message! The holiday season is here, and in this cozy episode of Reality Writes, the Tech Guy and I dive into tips for staying inspired and…
Reality WritesTitle Tactics—Baking Up the Best Book Names
Send us a message! Hello, fellow cozy mystery buffs and pun aficionados! 🕵️♂️💕 It’s time for another cozy episode of "Reality Writes." This week, The Tech Guy…