Rosie A. Point: How Can I Get My Point Across With Fewer Words?
In this interview, author Rosie A. Point discusses the joy of writing shorter fiction with her new cozy mystery, Murder Among the Stacks.
Rosie A. Point is a USA TODAY-bestselling cozy mystery author of more than 90 novels and novellas set in fictional small towns across the United States. She loves writing about food, amateur sleuths, cats, and secrets; her favorite books are ones you can snuggle up with under a cozy blanket on a winter's day. Rosie lives in Cape Town, South Africa, with her son, husband, and adorable kitten, Shiva the Destroyer. For more information please visit RosiePointBooks.com, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
In this interview, Rosie discusses the joy of writing shorter fiction with her new cozy mystery, Murder Among the Stacks, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Rosie A. Point
Literary agent: Chris Mitchell, Mitchell Rights Management.
Book title: Murder Among the Stacks
Publisher: Adams Media
Release date: November 25, 2025
Genre/category: Cozy Mystery
Previous titles: Murder Over Easy, Maple Drizzle Murder, Vanilla Vendetta, and others.
Elevator pitch: Abby Jones’s dream bookstore opening in Cranberry Creek turns deadly when a famous author is murdered, putting her new life at risk. In this interactive cozy mystery, readers can follow Abby’s clues and solve the whodunit themselves through themed word search puzzles.
What prompted you to write this book?
A bookstore is my favorite place to be, and I’ve always dreamed of having a signing in one. And because I have an anxious temperament and a penchant for drinking too much coffee, I thought, Wouldn’t it be fun to kill the bestselling author from a fictional standpoint?
I love to write and read cozy mysteries that poke fun at small-town characters and the usual “suspects” in a murder mystery. The envious personal assistant, the bad reviewer, the aspiring author, and the mother who wishes she could be like her daughter—it’s a lot of fun to tug at the different threads and see who comes undone.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
Writing Murder Among the Stacks was a wild ride because I had a tight deadline. I started work on the book in April and the book will be published in November, which is just seven months since I began cooking up fun ways to murder an author.
I’ve always enjoyed writing shorter fiction because it’s a challenge to get as much across in as short amount of words as possible, and I loved the concept of a word search after each chapter. The idea itself didn’t change, but the direction some of the characters took shifted over the course of the story based on their motives. Everyone has a secret in Cranberry Creek and characters tend to get away from me. Thankfully, I had the help of a wonderful editor to rein them in.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I have learned a lot about the publishing process. It’s been a joy working closely with an editor and improving my writing and the story. I’ve become more analytical about the story, especially during the outlining process.
With a murder mystery, it’s essential to have a timeline, to understand the crime scene, how the murder was committed, and why. I tend to make my sleuths act rashly, and my editor has helped me temper my main character’s ambitions and improve the book as a result.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I was surprised at how many clues I could squeeze into short chapters. The process has improved my writing, even in my longer works of fiction, as I’m always considering whether a sentence is necessary. How can I get my point across with fewer words?
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope they will have fun, most of all, and that they will find an escape from the drab and mundane. I’d love it if my characters surprised them while they try to figure out whodunnit.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Please take a walk outside in the sunshine whenever you feel stuck or if you’ve been trapped in your office or writing room or just on your laptop for hours. Your mind will thank you for it, and so will all the people who are missing you.
