I’d love to get some insight into your marketing strategy. It’s really a mix of mystery and women’s fiction, which has allowed me to explore some grittier, darker topics. And this series has given me a chance to blend genres. Through Nora, I get to live this fantasy. I’ve always fantasized about owning a bookstore. The characters in this series are so real to me that I actually miss them when I’m not working on their stories. The Secret, Book, and Scone Society books are challenging to write, but they’re also very rewarding. I get to have afternoon tea, a falconry lesson, and wander through a mansion stuffed with books. I get to live in Jane Steward’s world of luxury, beauty, and literary events. The Book Retreat Mysteries are like a writing vacation for me. Do you have a favorite series to write? Does your writing process change depending on the series? You have several mystery series under your belt, including the Book Retreat Mysteries, Supper Club Mysteries, and the Books by the Bay mysteries.

They connect us to others, relieve our loneliness, and teach us that we are capable of surviving tough times and even growing from those experiences. If we encounter a character going through a similar situation to ours, that connection makes us feel less alone. The ability to escape inside fiction grants us a rest from our reality. We have a friend or loved one in need of a book distraction, and we find them the perfect thing to read. How do you approach incorporating this theme into your mysteries? What do you love about mixing healing and personal growth with books?Įvery reader has performed some kind of bibliotherapy at one point in their lives. Your books often explore the theme of healing and finding solace through literature. I knew my main character couldn’t advise other people unless she’d been through her fair share of difficulties, so I gave Nora Pennington a shameful secret and outward scars to show others that she had literally been through a trial by fire. That led to research on bibliotherapy and the idea of having a bookstore owner who was also a bibliotherapist. It all started with a discussion I had with a friend about the healing power of books. Where did you get the inspiration for this series? Each member of the Society has her own unique background, personality, and skills.

Hi Ellery, thanks so much for joining! Your Secret, Book, and Scone Society series follows a cast of strong women who, as their name implies, share secrets, read books, enjoy pastries and, of course, solve the occasional murder.

Paper Cuts by Ellery Adams