Interview with Ellie Alexander

How many books have you published?
I write multiple mystery series. Death On Tap will be my eleventh published book. (It will be released on October 3.) I still have to pinch myself sometimes when I think about how many books I have floating around in the world.

How did you become interested in writing?
I was an avid reader as a child. I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. My mom would take me and my brother to the library once a week and I would return home with a stack of books that I would devour in a matter of days. Reading really ignited my desire to write. I loved being able to travel to distance places through the pages of a book. Throughout my early and middle childhood, I wrote tons of stories, including my first mystery which I wrote in second grade. It was titled The House on the Haunted Hill and had plenty of spooky cobwebs and creepy sounds—like footsteps in a creaky attic—but absolutely no plot!

What is a day in the life of an author like? Do you write a certain number of words, do you write in the morning or evening, etc?
I’m an early riser and a creature of habit. After a leisurely cup of coffee (or two or three cups of coffee) I start writing first thing. I write 2,000 words every day. Sometimes that might take me a few hours and sometimes it takes me the entire day. As soon as I hit my word count I get outside and take a long walk. I find the best ideas and breakthroughs tend to happen when I’m not in front of the computer screen. Walking helps clear my head and make space for new ideas. When I’m working on a manuscript I don’t edit it at all as I go. I keep a notebook next to my laptop and will jot down things that I know I want to change later, but I don’t do any actual editing. Once I have a complete first draft I print it out, let it sit for a few weeks, and then come back to it with fresh eyes to start editing and incorporating any changes I noted during the initial drafting process.

Do you plot the entire book first, then write or plot as you go?
Historically I’ve always plotted the entire book. One of the best things about mysteries, in my opinion, is that the reader has the same opportunity as the sleuth to piece together the clues and figure out whodunit. Outlining helps give me a direction and flesh out each suspect and what they are lying about and hiding. That in turn embeds red herrings into the plot. If every character is lying about something, then the odds are good that the reader will suspect each of them at some point. However, since Death On Tap is my eleventh book I decided to toss out my outline and try writing without a road map. I think sometimes you have to shake things up. It was a very different experience to write without a solid plan, but I think was a good challenge for me and pushed me out of my comfort zone.

Do you use real people and places as models for your books?
Yes. The settings in all of my books are real places. I want the reader to feel completely immersed into my character’s world, and I love getting to write about places that are near and dear to my heart. My Bakeshop Mysteries are set in Ashland, Oregon which is home to the world-famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It is not uncommon to see someone wandering around Ashland’s quaint streets

wearing a court jester costume. That might not be true if I set the book somewhere else. Death On Tap is set in the Bavarian town of Leavenworth, Washington, where every building is designed to resemble a German alpine village. Walking through Leavenworth’s downtown feels as if you’re in Europe with window boxes overflowing with bright red geraniums, the smell of pretzels and bratwurst, and the sounds of polka music. When I’m working on a book I visit the actual location and spend a big chunk of time listening, observing, and taking notes and pictures. I use that real-world material when I’m writing, to infuse life into the setting.

Who is your favorite author?
Can I only name one? There are so many authors I love! If I have to pick one I would say Maud Hart Lovelace. She wrote my most favorite childhood series, Betsy, Tacy, and Tib.

How do you promote your books?
I’m very active on social media. I try to engage with readers online and do a ton of fun giveaways related to my books. I also do launch parties and book talks where I bring in local businesses and create an experience around the book. It’s been a great way to connect with the community and highlight interesting venues and products. It’s also wonderful to bring book lovers together (either in a real or virtual space) because we share a common interest—reading. In a deep way, I feel like the world needs more of this right now. Politics and disagreements fade away when readers come together to discuss their mutual love of books.