Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .

What drew you to the genre you write?
I started reading mysteries from an early age. The Boxcar Children series was one of the first that I remember checking out from my elementary school’s library. My grandma also used to watch Murder, She Wrote reruns on The Hallmark Channel when I was growing up, which I also give credit for my love of mysteries. It wasn’t until the pandemic in 2020 when I started devouring cozy mysteries, though. They brought me so much comfort, and they allowed me to “visit” places that were closed due to quarantine. Plus, I was living several hours away from my closest family, so I wasn’t doing a lot of socializing. In a way, I think I lived vicariously through the protagonists in my favorite cozy series in those days, and I wanted to offer a similar escape for readers.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
I’m not sure if I’d call it a quirk, but the first thing that comes to mind is my protagonist Reece’s love of nineties female singer-songwriters. This is 100% based on me. The foundation of my love of music is listening to Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, Shania Twain, and The Chicks in my parents’ cars growing up. Reece loves to put Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do” on and dance around the lounge when he’s closing up shop.

Tell us how you got into writing?
I’ve always been a writer in some form. Before I started writing fiction, I was primarily a songwriter, and I did that exclusively through college. In college, I attended the Chautauqua Writers’ Festival as part of their songwriting workshop. They also had fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction workshops, though, and it really inspired me to shift my focus. I wrote a literary fiction novel (which will never see the light of day) before writing cozy mysteries. When I wrote the first draft of that first book, I developed a daily writing habit that I’ve maintained ever since.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
Outside of being a writer, I’ve made a career for myself in tech marketing. I love it, and it keeps me on my toes. Though the marketing work I do in my day job is very different from the marketing work I do to promote my writing, I feel like I’ve struck up a great balance.

How many books do you have published?
Whiskey Business is my debut novel, but I’m hard at work on book two in the Mixology Lounge Mysteries series. I’m hoping this is just the beginning of a long, prolific writing career. I have no shortage of ideas, that’s for sure.

Where do you write?
I write at a desk in the corner of my living room. When I write, I like to have a steaming mug of coffee and a candle burning beside me. I often set a kitchen timer and write in fifteen or twenty-minute sprints to keep me focused.

What is your ideal time to write?
If I don’t sit at my desk as soon as possible after waking up, my writing probably won’t happen that day—or at least it won’t go very well. I’m usually awake at 5:00am, at my desk by 5:30, and I’ll write until 8 or 8:30. I need to get my writing done before the rest of the world wakes up.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
When I get close to a deadline, I’ll often devote an entire weekend to writing or editing. I also tend to work more in the evenings when I’m getting close to a deadline. In those cases, I love snacking on kettle corn. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and salty.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
Probably literary fiction. I love to read books that are character-driven and lighter on plot. Of course, I love to read cozy mysteries, but I find it difficult to read them while I’m writing them.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I know I made reference to my songwriting earlier, but I also used to perform music live. Throughout high school and college, I played coffee shops, small art festivals, wine walks, and even in some bars after I turned twenty-one. I played the guitar and sang. I haven’t been on a stage since I was about twenty-two, though.

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
I drink a LOT of water. However, if I’m out with friends, I love to enjoy a beer. I’ve been getting into sours lately.

Who is an author you admire?
Kate DiCamillo. I would absolutely not be a writer, and I probably wouldn’t be a reader to the extent that I am if it were not for her. Because of Winn-Dixie is the book I credit with my love of reading. We read it as a fourth-grade class. We wrapped up a chapter with somewhat of a cliffhanger on a Friday, and I needed to know what happened next. I scraped together some birthday or holiday money and bought a copy of the book that weekend so I could get back into the story. Over the years, I’ve listened to many interviews with Kate DiCamillo. She’s always been open about her writing process, and it inspired me to begin writing, two pages at a time.

Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?
There’s a misconception that writing is a solitary craft. While there are many hours spent alone in front of a screen, the most important thing you can do is to start building a writing community as soon as possible. Attend writing conferences. Join organizations like Sisters in Crime. Take writing courses that will connect you to other writers. Join Facebook groups that connect you with readers. The people you will meet will not only cheer you on, but you’ll find critique partners, beta readers, and mentors who will propel you in ways you never thought possible. I can’t imagine where I’d be without the community I discovered.

What are you reading now?
I just finished reading My Friends by Fredrik Backman. I absolutely adore his writing, and I’d highly recommend checking out this book.

What is next for you?
Like I mentioned earlier, I’m editing book two of the Mixology Lounge Mysteries. It is too soon to announce a release date, but it will be out in 2026. I’m excited for readers to see what’s new with Reece and the rest of the Subplot crew, so I’m focusing my energy on getting the next book ready to go.

Where can we find you?
I love connecting with readers! You can find me at my website, adrianandover.com. I’d recommend signing up for my newsletter, as I share giveaways, recipes, and glimpses into my writing process. I’m also on all social media platforms as Adrian Andover (@AdrianAndover). Each week, I post a video called “Waffle Wednesday” to Instagram and Facebook, which is probably the best way to connect with me on a regular basis. Someone told me it feels like a weekly FaceTime call with a friend, which was exactly my intent. I share what I’m reading, what I’m writing, and what I’m up to. It’s been an amazing way to connect with readers and hear what’s new in their lives, too.

Now to have some fun . . .

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Breakfast—no question!

Fruits or vegetables
Growing up, I would’ve said fruits. Today, I try to incorporate as many vegetables into my diet as possible.

Chocolate, vanilla, or another flavor
Between chocolate or vanilla, I’m going vanilla. But anything cinnamon-flavored is my ultimate favorite.

Sweet or salty snacks
Salty, if I had to choose. Although I love on munching on one of each to balance each other out.

Ice cream or cake
Cake!

Cooking or baking
Cooking. Baking is a bit too precise for me. I don’t love to measure. I “eyeball it,” as my grandmother used to say.

Dining in or dining out
Dining out, for sure. I love enjoying dishes that I’d never be able to make on my own at home.

City life or country living
I have to say I enjoy the city life more. I love having a community of friends, small businesses, parks, and other forms of recreation within walking distance.

Beach or mountain
I live by the beach (and I love it), but I’ll answer mountains because I love to visit.

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall
Fall, all the way! I love cooking soups, lighting a spiced candle, and eating and drinking anything pumpkin-flavored. I also must say that I love all four seasons, and I can’t imagine life without the contrast of them all.

Extrovert or introvert
I’m a highly-social introvert!

Early bird or night owl
These days, I’m an early bird. But my scripted answer to this question has always been, “I’m an early bird and a night owl, but I am NOT an afternoon person.”

And even more fun . . .

What’s your favorite movie?
I love the film Philadelphia, starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. I’ve seen it many times, and it never fails to choke me up. Every year or two, I feel called to watch it again.

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
Survival gear, necessities, and logic aside, I’d want to have an eReader and an iPod (each with everlasting battery life and already loaded with a huge library of my favorite books and music, of course). Also, give me a notebook (with endless pages and a pen attached that will never run out of ink). If I have those three things, I’ll be set.

My bio:
Adrian Andover is the author of WHISKEY BUSINESS, his debut novel and the first entry in the Mixology Lounge Mysteries series. Growing up, Adrian spent countless hours reading mysteries from Cam Jansen to The Boxcar Children and watching Murder, She Wrote with his grandma. Fast forward to 2020. Andover was living alone in a 200-square-foot studio apartment at the height of the pandemic when he found a joyful respite in cozy mysteries. However, not seeing many gay men represented in the genre, he set out to write his own novel. When he’s not reading, writing, revising, or publishing a story, he enjoys taking long walks, attending live music events, spending time with friends, and tasting new craft cocktails around his chosen hometown of Asbury Park, NJ.