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. So grab your coffee (or wine) and join Ellie and the Tech Guy for some story-spinning secrets.
Episodes
71 episodes
Author Talk—Writing a Book is Only Step One
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 know that the real work begins once you've finished? The Tech Guy and I dive into what marketing an author...
To AI Or Not To AI: That is the Question (for Writers)
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 the mics for an honest look at AI as seen from both writer's and reader's lenses and how it is i...
Last Chance Summer Dance—End of Summer TBR Reveal!
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 the towering TBR stacks sitting on our nightstands. We've got some thrillers, a mystery favorite, indie b...
Writing My Fall Rom-Com—A Fall to Remember
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 and I sat down for a spoiler-free deep dive into my new rom-com. I share why this one feels so different f...
You Asked, We Answered—A Reader and Writer Grab Bag
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 episode. This one is a true grab bag, pulled from the messages and DMs that landed while we were away. I sh...
Ashland Mystery Fest 2026—Your Complete Guide to the 4th Annual Festival
Picture yourself stepping into a real-life cozy mystery — stunning fall foliage, charming streets, and 14 authors who can't wait to meet you. That's the Ashland Mystery Festival.In this episode, we're giving you the full 4th Annual Ashl...
A Murder at the Mansion—Inside Book Three of the Novel Detectives
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 one comes with a first: an actual pet in the plot. Annie and Fletcher get called out to investi...
The Cozy Contract—What Readers Expect and Why Authors Can't Break It
There is an unspoken agreement between every cozy mystery author and her readers. Nobody signs it, but every cozy lover knows exactly what it says and can feel it the moment something goes wrong. In this episode, the Tech Guy and I break down a...
Reader Confessions—Bookish Hills We'll Die On - Part 2
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 to our fan-favorite Bookish Hills episode, I'm sharing five more hot takes that readers feel v...
Word Count Goals—How I Built a Process That Actually Works
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 writing process. From the very beginning, when I was working another job with a kindergartner at home...
Fall Cozy Energy—A Sneak Peek at Upcoming Books
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...
Your Burning Writer Questions Answered—Scene Craft, Querying & More
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 myste...
Live From Leavenworth—Sloan Krause Mysteries Q&A
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...
From Sprayed Edges to Box Sets—The Book Trends We're Obsessing Over
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-...
Fake It Till You Bake It—Answering Your Biggest Mystery Recipe Questions
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 sw...
When the Story Takes Over—What Really Happens When Your Book Changes Mid-Draft
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...
Independent Bookstore Day—Why Your Local Shops Matter
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 b...
A Death In The Dark—A New Mystery Plotted on a Road Trip
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 ...
First Draft Pitfalls—5 Things for Writers to Watch for
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. <...
Why Reading Matters—And What We Can Do About It
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 ...
The 4th Annual Ashland Mystery Festival—Author Lineup Revealed
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...
Why Setting Matters—Building the World of Your Story
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...
Writer and Reader Scams—How to Avoid Them
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 em...
Conferences, Conventions & Festivals…Oh My!—A Mystery Insider’s Guide
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 Mali...
Book 22 is Here—The Whisking Hour & a Bakeshop Glow-up
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 Ho...
