I drink an inordinate amount of tea. Once I discovered Adagio teas, I loved the idea of blending teas to represent the characters in my stories. Adagio allows you to try a sample tin of each tea, which is what I’ve photographed here, or to buy a 3-ounce pouch or a 5-ounce tin.

In The Alondra Stories, Alondra DeCourval is a witch who often considers the astrological influences of the foods she eats as a way to gain or ground energy.

She blends her own teas as if she is compounding medicine. I decided she would be best represented by Ceylon tea, blended with black currant, blackberry, raspberry leaves, and rose petals. It’s sweet, full of perfume, and strong.

Her tea is for sale here: https://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=147040

On the Adagio site, Alondra’s tea is paired with her guardian Victor’s tea, which means you can buy the two of them together for a discount.

Victor Lockwood is a psychic doctor who has traveled the world helping to free the living from otherworldly creatures. He belongs to a lodge and works for the British Museum.

Victor’s tea is based on two kinds of Earl Grey, blended with vanilla and orange peel and accented with lavender and blue cornflowers. His tea is here: https://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=147041

Stella is Alondra’s closest friend. She appears in the stories “A Curiosity of Shadows,” which was collected in the Alondra’s Investigations chapbook, and in “Guardian of the Golden Gate,” which appeared in Strange California.

Stella works at Curios & Candles, a magic shop in San Francisco’s Lower Haight district. Her tea was inspired by chai: Ceylon black tea, with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and orange peel.

It isn’t overly spicy like some chais, but has a nice warmth to it. Stella would drink it with honey and oat milk, but I prefer it black. Here’s the link: https://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=147035

Stella’s tea is paired with Elizabeth’s.

Elizabeth Stewart is the owner of Prospero’s Books in North Hollywood. She appears in the story “The Fatal Book,” which was collected in Alondra’s Investigations.

Elizabeth was inspired by my friend, longtime-bookseller Martha Allard, so her tea was inspired by Martha’s favorite. It’s a green tea with ginger and the subtle flavor of lemons and mandarin oranges.

Here’s the link: https://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=147039

Marie Jackson is a voodoun priestess who rents her carriage house apartment in New Orleans to Alondra. Her tea comes straight from the pages of the story “Last-Born,” which was originally published in The Ghost-Breakers in 2005. It was republished in Alondra’s Investigations.

Marie’s tea is an herbal blend of chamomile flowers, rooibos, vanilla, lemon balm, with lemon grass, lavender, and marigold petals. It’s pretty to look at, smells good, and tastes great. Best of all, it’s blended to give you sweet dreams. Here’s the link: https://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=147038

Marie’s tea is paired with Simon’s, since they both appear in “Last-Born.”

Simon Lebranche first entered Alondra’s life in “Valentine,” when she was stalking him to steal his heart. That story was reprinted in my new collection, Unsafe Words.

Simon next appears in “Letter from New Orleans,” in which Alondra tells him about her ghostly experiences in St. Roch Cemetery.

Finally, he turns up in “Last-Born.”

Simon’s tea is Ceylon black tea with strawberries, blueberries, peach and apple pieces, and marigold petals. It’s one of my favorite teas. Here’s the link: https://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=147042

The teas are available individually, in ‘ships with a discount off the 3-ounce pouches, or in handsome reusable 5-ounce tins.

Enjoy!