Tonight, while I was editing, I was doing my damnedest to set the tone. A creepy book should give readers the feeling that at any moment, something scary could happen. But it’s not just the creepy/scary vibe that I want to set in this book (Book 4 in the Bridgeport Mysteries series), I also want to give readers a feel for what normal life is like for these characters.
What is Zoey’s life like when she’s not solving murder mysteries? We know she lives in Bridgeport, a cozy town filled with eccentric characters. Personally, I’d love to live in Bridgeport. What else do we know? Her family is nearby, her best friends are just across The Square. She’s a musician by trade and spends a lot of time recording and playing music. She also spends a lot of time drinking tea.
Tea is a device I use regularly in the Bridgeport books. There’s something about tea that makes readers (me included) feel cozy. When characters are drinking tea I’m hoping that readers want to curl up under a blanket, find a comfy corner, make their own cup of tea, and join Zoey and the gang in solving the mystery. If you read any of the Bridgeport books you’ll know that Zoey typically brews a pot of tea when she and her friends are discussing a case. They gather in Zoey’s sunroom, and go over all of the things they’ve learned.
Tea is also Zoey’s go to drink when she has an upset visitor at her house. Camomile tea to soothe frayed nerves. She used tea when Yonika came and asked for help solving her daughter’s disappearance. She also serves tea when an upset niece or nephew comes to her house. Tea is Zoey’s way of trying to find zen in a crazy, topsy-turvy life!
Any tea drinkers here? If so, what’s your tea of choice?
Heather Elizabeth King 
My favorite tea is Earl Gray. Tea makes everything feel relaxed and peaceful besides tasting good,
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