Ellie Alexander

Welcome friend! There is something undeniably comforting about returning to a familiar place in fiction—especially when that place is filled with warmth, community, and the promise of something delicious just out of the oven. Today, I am delighted to welcome Ellie Alexander to the blog to talk about her beloved Bakeshop Mysteries series. With more than forty novels to her name, Ellie has created stories that offer both escape and emotional connection, inviting readers into worlds where friendship, creativity, and resilience shine

In this interview, we talk about her writing journey, the charm of Juliet Capshaw’s world, and the cozy magic that keeps readers coming back for more. I am so excited to experience it myself!

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Get to know the author: Ellie Alexander

Hi Ellie! Welcome to Armed with A Book. It is a pleasure to chat with you. Please tell me and my readers a bit about yourself.

Thanks so much for having me! I’m the author of nearly fifty novels. I have to pinch myself when I say that because I can’t quite believe it’s true. I’ve spent the last two decades writing professionally, and all my books have strong themes of food, friendship, connection, love, and… you know, a side of murder because they need a bit of extra spice. 

You write about cozy pleasures—baking, bookcases, beer, small-town rituals. What’s another cozy element you personally associate with your writing that might surprise readers?

My office. It’s the ultimate cozy escape. I have my writing space decked out with cozy pleasures like a plush blanket and soft throw pillows on the small couch that I use when I’m editing a manuscript by hand. There are prints of everything from Shakespearean insults to a colorful coffee flavor wheel, vintage cookbooks, a skull coffee mug, artistic maps of my fictional worlds, and so many trinkets and treasures that readers have gifted me over the years. When I’m working on a new book, I immerse myself in the story with a vanilla spice-scented candle, a curated playlist, pretty little twinkle lights dangling from the ceiling, and some delectable snacks on hand. I feel like if I set that tone, it will seep into my writing.

Torte feels like a living, breathing place in the series. How long has the bakeshop been in the Capshaw family, and what did inheriting it mean for Jules at that moment in her life?

Torte is so real to me that sometimes I forget it is a figment of my imagination, especially when I’m in Ashland and think to myself, “I should pop in, grab a coffee, and say hi to Andy.” The bakeshop has been in the Capshaw family since Jules was a toddler. Her parents started a legacy of being a gathering spot for the community, a place where everyone is welcome, and everything in the pastry case is to die for. So much of Jules’s early story is centered around the idea of coming home and what it means to return home after time away. She’s conflicted about whether Ashland is ultimately where she wants to land, and it’s Torte that draws her back and helps her realize this is where she’s meant to be.  

If you had to describe Juliet Capshaw in three words, what would they be?

Romantic, curious, and kind. 

With so many delicious treats appearing throughout the series, what’s the most mouthwatering dish you’ve written so far—and did it require taste-testing?

This is a tough one! I test every recipe that ends up in the book. Sometimes the recipes are winners right out of the gate, especially if it’s a family recipe that’s been passed down. But other times, I have had to bake, bake, and bake again to get it right, or at least up to Jules’s standards. One of my all-time favorite recipes is for a chocolate hazelnut torte with mocha buttercream and apricot preserves. My dad would bake the torte every year for my mom’s birthday, and it’s a labor of love, but oh-so worth it. 

Which Torte treat would you order on a rainy fall day in Ashland?

I would start with a coffee and have Andy, Torte’s resident barista, make me his signature cardamom, orange latte with rich shots of espresso and a lovely balance of spice. I’d pair that with a flaky, soft morning bun layered with more cardamom, Turbinado sugar, and a dusting of warming spices. Oh no, just thinking about this has me wishing Torte was real! 

You’re now more than twenty books into this series. What are the top three moments in Jules’ life that you most enjoyed writing—and which books should readers pick up to experience them?

One of the gifts of writing a long-running series is being able to develop a character like Jules. Like with any of us, she has experienced her fair share of joys and losses. I would recommend starting with the first book in the series, Meet Your Baker, because Jules embarks on an entirely new life. She’s spent the past decade working as a pastry chef on a boutique cruise ship, and she leaves the ship and her husband behind to return to her hometown of Ashland and heal her broken heart. Then, I would jump to Nothing Bundt Trouble. This book is a flashback to Jules’s early childhood and tackles her grief over losing her father young. I bawled my eyes out writing this book, because it’s very cathartic and healing for her to discover his old journals and see what an indelible mark he’s left on her. And it’s set in the eighties—all the retro food and fashion! Lastly, I’d meet up with Jules again in A Smoking Bun as she’s deeply settled into her life in Ashland and starting to contemplate her next chapter, starting a family, expanding her baking empire, and so much more. 

You’ve written over forty novels across your career. How do you make sure each book still feels fresh—to you as the writer and to longtime readers?

Every time I start a new book, it feels like meeting for coffee to catch up with a dear friend. Of course, when I have coffee dates with friends in real life, we don’t tend to stumble upon dead bodies. My characters are such a part of me at this point in time that I’m always excited to hang out with them again, and I hope that’s what readers take away when they pick up one of my books. 

What’s your definition of the perfect murder—at least on the page?

I think the perfect murder (on the page, of course) needs a finite number of suspects. Five is the sweet spot for me. Too many and it gets confusing to track. Too few, and it’s obvious who the killer is. Then we need a victim with plenty of reasons for someone to want to murder them. Each of the suspects should have a motive for wanting our victim dead and some juicy secrets and lies to keep readers guessing. And then, finally, we need closure. We can’t have a perfect murder without tying up all the loose ends and red herrings. There’s nothing worse than getting to the end of the book and still having lingering questions. 

Jules balances friendship, family, love, and responsibility alongside sleuthing. How has her emotional life evolved since the early books in the series?

When Jules first returns home to Ashland, she’s heartbroken. Although she’s not broken, which I think is an important distinction. Her early journey is about figuring out what it means to come home again and to learn how to become the narrator in her own story. Once she does that and starts settling into her new life, she realizes how much her world has expanded. 

It’s been a delight to watch her grow, evolve, and step into her power. I think her arc is universal—the idea that we have to break away from who we once were to learn who we want to be. There’s more growth in store for her in the books ahead, which I’m really excited about. 

Food plays such a central role in how people gather in your stories. What do you think shared meals allow characters to reveal that dialogue alone can’t?

Food is the ultimate connector. Jules firmly believes that sharing a meal just might be the way to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Food is her love language, and she wants everyone to have a seat around her table. 

From a writing perspective, there’s such great movement and sensory details that can be woven into food scenes. Sometimes it’s about taking a beat as a character sips a strong coffee and considers why they might need to shift their view or sits with heavy emotions. Other times, a table filled with soups, sauces, fresh-from-the-oven breads, and flowing bottles of aromatic wines creates a vibrant, lively atmosphere where the joy and energy naturally come through with clinking glasses and happy laughter. 

You openly share your publishing journey and coach other writers. Why was it important for you to support emerging authors so transparently?

When I was first writing, I felt like there was so much mystery about the publishing side of the business, and it is a business. I think it’s critical for new writers to understand that while the act of writing is a creative journey, if you want to be published professionally (and that’s both with traditional and indie publishing), you need to treat your writing like you would any other job. I think it’s important to take some of the mystique away from publishing and peel back the curtain. There’s a pervasive myth that when you sign a book contract, it will be all rainbows and unicorns, and a private limo with champagne chilling in the backseat will deliver you to book events all across the country. But the reality is that carving out a long-term career as a writer takes ongoing work, not only in your writing but also in the vast amount of time required to market and connect your books with readers. If you know that from the start, I think the journey is much easier.  

As a writing teacher and coach, what’s one piece of advice you find yourself giving again and again?

I’m constantly reminding writers that comparison is the thief of joy. It’s one of my favorite quotes and something I think new writers should tattoo on their skin. It’s so hard to be vulnerable and take a risk to share your story and words with strangers, and it’s way too easy to get caught up in comparison. It’s a universal struggle, and I always try to remind writers that only they can tell a story from their own, unique lens. If you get caught up worrying about what everyone else is writing, you lose the one thing that makes you special—your voice.  

Finally, when readers close this book, what feeling do you hope they’re left with?

I hope my books provide a moment of escape. I came to writing because of my own grief after losing my mom, and I know what comfort reading brought to me when I was caring for her. If even one reader can seek solace and be swept away into a story where, at the end of the day, all will be right with the world, then I feel like I will have succeeded. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

This has been a delight! Thank you so much for having me.
Happy reading and baking! 

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me! 

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Thank you, reader, for joining us! Add this book on Goodreads.The Whisking Hour is now available wherever books are sold! Be sure to check your local library too.

Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy and Sara C. for the interview opportunity! Stay tuned for my review! 🙂