Prepare for a thrill; Invasive Species is the first ever horror novel from mystery author tEllery Adams. It turns out that she story on her own life! In this episode of Why Authors Write, host Mary J. Cronin sits down with Ellery Adams to dive deep into her chilling, genre-bending novel Invasive Species—a Long Island sea-monster story that explores mothers, daughters, power, and what happens when sisterhood fractures.

Set in a rural, water-bound Long Island community in the early 1980s, Invasive Species blends Desperate Housewives, Stranger Things, and mythic folklore into a terrifying tale featuring a reclusive neighbor, Mrs. Smith, a hungry sea creature, and teenagers who see the truth long before the adults do. Ellery shares how this “pink-tentacled horror story” is also one of her most autobiographical books, rooted in a real Mrs. Smith from her childhood and a neighborhood ruled by gossip, isolation, and the sea.

Mary and Ellery explore:

• Author inspiration & themes – how a mysterious neighbor, coastal life, and 1980s gender expectations shaped the story.
• Sisterhood vs. monsters – why the scariest characters might not be the creature, but the women who turn on each other.
• Teen heroes & libraries – how Stephen King, coming-of-age stories, and 80s library culture inspired the book’s young protagonists and the Icelandic housekeeper, Una.
• Ellery’s writing process – from 1,000-words-a-day discipline and coffee-shop drafting to using massages and walks to break through the “muddy middle.”
• Surviving rejection and failed series – how Ellery rebuilt her career multiple times and became a full-time working author.
• Real-talk advice for writers – querying in the slush pile era, building armor against criticism, and pursuing passion projects that don’t fit the market.

If you love horror with heart, character-driven mysteries, or candid writing advice from the bestselling author of over 40 mystery novels, this episode is the thrill  you’ve been looking for!