Hi there, darlings—it’s your girl Kendra, and I’m back with another one of those interviews that makes you want to grab a glass of wine, curl up in a cozy chair, and start plotting a murder. On the page, of course. Probably.

This time, I’m chatting with Jenna Maeson—yes, that Jenna Maeson, the wickedly clever mind behind the Jenna Maeson Mysteries, which are exactly what you’d expect from someone who drinks coffee like it’s a sacred rite and writes books in the slivers of time she steals between corporate life, mom life, and full-on creative world domination.

Her latest, Tails of Trouble, drops June 30th (That would be today, for the temporally challenged), and let me tell you, if you like your sleuths sassy, your murders puzzling, and your cats possibly judgmental, you’re going to want to be first in line. Jenna is all about cozy crime with a side of heart, delivering full stories that stand alone but pack even more punch when you devour them as a series. She's self-publishing like a boss, wrangling marketing, edits, and deadlines like she’s been doing it forever—but her real superpower? That sharp, sparkly brain that somehow balances murder and mentorship in equal measure.

You’ll find her on Instagram at @jennamaesonmysteries, TikTok at @jennamaesonbooks, and over on Facebook as Jenna Maeson – Author. And if you hit up her site, www.jennamaesonmysteries.com, there’s even a free book in it for you. You’re welcome.

So, ready to dive into writing quirks, hangover cures (spoiler: it’s breakfast tacos, obviously), and what it really takes to juggle storytelling with real life?

Then let’s go—because Jenna’s got answers.

MCU – My son and husband play Marvel Rivals and I like Jeff the LandShark and Rocket Raccoon. And I think Tony Stark in the movies is amazing. That’s basically the extent of my reflections on either universe.

Coffee, tea, or cacao?

Coffee. With cream and sugar. 1 cup per day to remain human.

Favorite hangover recovery recipe?

I live in Texas so breakfast tacos are my hangover cure.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

At a very young age. I like to say I was writing books before I could write words. I would draw a pile of pictures, hand them to my mom, and dictate my “story” to her while she wrote down the words. But I can remember from the time I was in kindergarten that people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I’d say author.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

There is no process to the madness really. It’s generally just a random thought that I keep turning over until it turns into a story.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I still work a full-time corporate job, on top of writing, so I write mostly in the evenings. My husband and son are big gamers so while they are occupied after dinner I usually write for a couple of hours every night.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

This may not be a quirk exactly, but I usually don’t know what my books is really about until my second round of edits. I start with an idea and write it, but when I go back through I usually figure out what I probably really meant for it to be about in the first place.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I already sort of answered this one, but author mostly. I think I went through all the normal cycles of also wanting to be a fireman, a cowboy, a ballerina, and a princess – and for a short time a farmer.

Does writing energize or exhaust you? - 

A little of both honestly. When I latch on to an idea I get really excited and pour myself into it full force – until I burn myself out. Usually by the time a book is getting into final edits I am sick of it and end up taking at least a few days of non-writing time.

I did and do. Mostly because my real full name is long and hard to pronounce. An 11 letter last name with an 8 letter first name is hard to fit on a book cover.

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I try to walk the line as best as possible. I write the stories I want to write but if I am categorizing it into a certain genre (like cozy mystery) I try to make sure it at least touches on the elements that cozy mystery is known for.

Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you building a body of work with connections between each book?

In this current series I feel like each book can stand on its own, but they are also connected. So you get a full story out of one book but if you want to understand the relationships and connections better you need to read them as a series.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Don’t listen to other people. Writing can be a career that pays the bills. Also, a time is coming when publishing books gets a lot easier (now).

What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

I did a six month mentorship class under indie author Maria Secoy. She teaches the ins and outs of the self-publishing process and really takes the time to help you work through your challenges.

What did you do with your first advance?

I will let you know when it happens. But if I were to get it today, it would be pay off debt. And go on a vacation.

Do you write novels, novellas, short stories, episodic fiction, poems, screenplays, or something else? What is your preferred format?Right now I am writing full length novels but I’ve also been dabbling in short stories/flash fiction for writing contests and literary magazines. I like the challenge of trying to make a story come to life in dictated number or words or pages.

Self-published currently. I would love to have something traditionally published one day, o. I think self-publishing has a bit of an advantage because the author is in charge of what they write and when they publish. But it is a major undertaking to promote and market your own self-published book. Traditional publishing has the advantage of more support and less that the author themselves have to pay for, plus a lot of the word still think that’s what makes you a “real” author. The downside is the current literary market and trends tend to dictate what gets accepted at a certain point in time, and can have influence over your story if the agent is trying to make it fit a certain market.

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

2 unpublished books, 2 series that haven’t come to fruition yet, and about 4 standalone novels in various states of completion.

What do you have coming next?

June 30th the third book in my current series, Tails of Trouble, will be released. I am also part of an anthology with 24 other writers that comes out in September. I may also be part of a second anthology that is coming out around Halloween. And I waiting on results/acceptance/rejections from various contests, magazines, and conferences.

And that’s a wrap, babes.

Wasn’t Jenna an absolute delight? Brains, wit, murder—and marketing savvy that could put a Wall Street exec to shame. Whether she’s chasing plot twists or toddler chaos, this woman shows up with style, sass, and a whole lot of coffee. And let’s be real—any author who can weave cozy crime, pet antics, and real emotional depth into the same book? That’s someone I want on my bookshelf and at my brunch table.

If you haven’t already snagged her freebie at jennamaesonmysteries.com, now’s your moment. And keep your eyes peeled for Tails of Trouble—because when Jenna drops a new mystery, it’s the kind of trouble you want to get into.

Until next time, keep turning pages and solving crimes, darlings.

 —Kendra Cassidy, out. 🔍💋