Show Notes
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 Fest! This festival brings readers and authors together in the most immersive and community-focused way possible. Imagine being part of a real-life cozy mystery! Join us as we discuss all the juicy details about the events, including an interactive crime scene, cooking demos, and panels hosted by your favorite authors, all set in the pic...
More from Reality Writes
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 and I discuss the book, spoiler-free, of course. When a popular ghost-hunting TV crew takes over the Secret Bookcase for an overnight shoot, Annie agrees because the publicity could be a wonderful for an indie bookshop. But when a crew member ends up dead, the haunting turns out to be the least of her worries. I describe this one as a g...
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 Lynn Arbor, a professional audiobook narrator. We talk about all the steps of audiobook narration, how authors and narrators find each other, and the incredible amount of work behind a single finished hour of audio. Victoria walks us through her whole process, from prep and casting character voices to punch-and-roll recording and profe...
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 options and it depends. In this episode, The Tech Guy and I map out the three routes open to writers today: traditional publishing with the big houses, hybrid presses, and going the indie route. We walk through the honest pros and cons of each, given real-world examples and cover everything from advances and royalty splits, to who actual...
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. Then The Tech Guy and I give a spoiler-free (of course) overview of this latest installment. We're back in Ashland during the fall in this one, from Lithia Park to the bustling plaza, the setting is picturesque and the perfect place to set a murder. Also, listen for a hint at a returning face that longtime readers are really going to love ...
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 know that the real work begins once you've finished? The Tech Guy and I dive into what marketing an author's book really looks like, busting some pretty common myths as we go. We're also sharing actual lessons from over 15 years of signings, giving a peek into what publishers really do for your as an author, and explain why readers who sh...