Author Spotlight: Ellie Alexander

Ellie Alexander is the author of over 40 mystery novels and counting. She writes several popular series, including the Bakeshop Mysteries and the Sloan Krause Mysteries. Her latest series, the Secret Bookcase Mysteries, is a huge hit and has drawn praise from readers and critics alike.

Learn more about the Secret Bookcase series.

As a writing teacher and coach, Ellie helps aspiring writers learn the craft and get published. She offers coaching and courses through an online writing academy and shares behind-the-scenes information about the writing and publishing process on her podcast, Reality Writes.

Cozy Crime Reads Interview with Ellie Alexander

What drew you to the cozy mystery genre?

My mom and grandmother first introduced me to the cozy. They were both prolific readers and would pass books between one another and on to me. It was such a gift and a point of connection to share stories, chat about fictional characters who felt like family, and puzzle through who we thought the killer might be.

What essential elements make a cozy stand out to you as a reader?

At its core, the cozy is about community. Community can look very different depending on the writer and their worldview, but at the end of the day, the key element of a cozy, whether it’s set in a bustling borough in New York or a tiny town tucked in the remote corners of the Pacific Northwest, is the community surrounding the murder and how they come together to track down the killer, bring them to justice, and restore the sense of peace and safety around them.

Do you have a favorite amateur sleuth?

So many! Where do I start? I fell in love with culinary cozies when I started reading Diane Mott Davidson in college, so I will have to say, Goldy Schulz. She’s the ultimate chef sleuth with an incredible palate and knack for solving murder. Diane Mott Davidson ended the series in 2013 with book 17, and I’m still hungry for more. Maybe one day, Goldy will make her return. Fingers crossed.

What inspired you to write your first cozy mystery?

My first series (which I’m re-releasing next year) is set in the Pacific Northwest and features a young, bumbling journalist who wants to be an investigative reporter but can’t get a job, so she claims to be an intrepid adventurer to land a job writing for an outdoor magazine. The entire series came to me when I was hiking one weekend and happened to see a young woman dressed in pink from head to toe with a group of burly mountain guides. I had so many questions and wanted to know her story. I went home and started writing immediately!

How do you research and create your books' “cozy” elements, like the settings and community?

I have to immerse myself in the worlds that my sleuths inhabit. For my new Secret Bookcase Mysteries, I’ve tapped all of my bookseller friends for their insight and input into what running a bookstore behind the scenes is really like. Spoiler alert—it’s a lot of work and a lot less time spent reading. I spent weeks shadowing professional pastry chefs for my Bakeshop Mystery Series, taking culinary classes and workshops, and bingeing shows like The Great British Baking Show.

What is one critical step in your writing process that helps you transform an idea into a finished book?

Writing a bad but fast first draft. I embraced the mantra, “You can’t fix a blank page,” early in my writing career. The most important thing is to get the bones of the story on the page and not worry about making it look or sound pretty. That all comes later in the editing process.

What advice would you give aspiring cozy mystery authors who want to start writing their first novel?

Read, read, and read some more. Read everything you can get your hands on in the cozy genre. Pay attention to plot, pacing, characters, and setting. Then, start thinking about how you can create your own unique world with your voice using those same elements.

How can readers connect with you online?

I love connecting with readers. You can find more information and links to all of my social channels at:

 https://elliealexander.co.

A Secret Bookcase Recipe From Ellie Alexander

Ellie includes many tasty recipes in her Bakeshop Mysteries and other books. 

She shared this original Gingerbread Cookie Recipe with us. It comes from A Holiday Homicide, the fourth book in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series. The recipe is super easy and makes delicious cookies!