Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes

Writing Passion + Readers = Success

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:41:00 +0000

Of course I'm around writers all the time and each have different roads they have traveled to get published.

It's no secret that I left a publisher to pursue a self publishing career almost two years ago and haven't looked back. You see, I only wanted to touch ONE reader with my story. And boy did I ever reach readers!

I always say that my readers are the best readers that any author has! Everyday they encourage me, keep me motivated to NOT watch Dr. Phil and write.

Over a year ago, I was so humbled to get an email telling me that a few readers had nominated my first novel, Carpe Bead 'em as a 2012 eFestival of Words in the Women's Fiction/Chick-lit category. What was MORE humbling was when Carpe Bead 'em took home the title a few months later!

Then. . .a few weeks after that, Spiltsville.com had double finaled in the 2012 Next Generation Indie Awards in the mystery and humor category!

THen. . .I get an email telling me I'm an Amazon Mover and Shaker. . .

THEn. . .I get an email telling me that a reader had nominated my short story romance, A New Tradition in the 2013 Indie Romance Convention Awards in the novella contest.

THEN. . .A New Tradition won!

THEN. . .I got an email telling me that A Charming Crime was nominated in TWO categories in the 2013 eFestival of Words best fantasy category and best heroine category!

But it doesn't stop there.

I decided to honor Carpe Bead 'em and A Charming Crime for their success and offer it to readers for .99 for a limited time.

Again. . .readers blow me away!

Just yesterday, A Charming Crime hit #8 on Amazon's Movers and Shakers, #43 in the top paid 100 on Amazon, AND #12 on Barnes and Noble top paid 100!

It's about my readers! This year I vowed to meet those readers who have put me at the top and nominated me for all of the amazing awards.

Last week I attended the Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation Luncheon and met so many new readers.
Next month I'm attending the Annual Reader and Author Get Together AND hosting a tea with fabulous authors Duffy Brown and Nancy Naigle.

But it doesn't stop there! All of 2013 and 2014 is filled with events where I'm traveling the Continental United States to meet all of you and thank you personally for making my passion a success. . .reaching ONE reader and beyond!

Be sure to check out my website for full details on each event and how I can TREAT YOU to a fun event on ME!

xo

Honored, humbled, and HAPPY!!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:31:00 +0000

WOW! WOW! WOW!

I have to say that I am one very, very, very lucky gal!

YEP! You read it correctly!

A New Tradition is the winner of the 2013 READER CHOICE AWARD IN THE ROMANCE NOVELLA CATEGORY!!

I'm am so honored, humbled, and happy! NOT to mention. . .GRATEFUL!!

It was amazing to see all of you come out and vote, everyday for a full month! Everyday my heart swelled when you would show up on the STREET TEAM page and cheerlead us to the end. I loved how we came together, shared with our families and friends.

What it told me....THAT I HAVE THE BEST READERS AROUND!! We have a unique and special STREET TEAM. WE are truly friends, cheerleaders, helping hands, an ear to listen. . .you are my everything!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

xoxo
Tonya

Whooo Hooo!! Big NEWS!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 13:04:00 +0000

I swear! My readers NEVER cease to amaze me! Last week I was informed that I have been nominated in TWO categories of the Indie Romance Convention's awards: Best Friend to Readers and Short Story Novella! My books have been nominated before in other contests that have been driven by industry professionals like editors, other authors, agents etc....Don't get me wrong, those are sweet nominations to be recognized by your peers! BUT when you get recognized by your readers. . .that is entirely out of this planet!!

It's super simple to vote! AND I'd LOVE to have your support!
Click HERE and click A NEW TRADITION BY TONYA KAPPES, hit vote and you are done!

You can vote everyday until APRIL 30TH!

Thank you to my amazing readers!! You guys rock and I love y'all!!!!

Real READERS Always Find Time To Read!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:45:00 +0000

Happy Monday! Happy READER MONDAY!
Today I'm excited to introduce you to an amazing reader, Lori Cimino! I met Lori on Facebook through another reader friend of mine, Dru Ann Love. Lori is such a great friend to authors. She is an avid reader and gives her favorite authors a little time of each day through social networking. AND she always finds time to read. . .

I have never understood it when I hear people say, "I love to read but I never have the time." Don't get me wrong, I do understand that everyone has obligations-- kids, jobs, relationships. But if you really love to do something, really enjoy it, you find the time to do it.

My favorite pastime has been reading and I have had a love of books for as long as I can remember. My mother has a passion for the written word and I am so grateful that she shared it with me. My earliest memory of books is around the age of 4 when we would walk to the bookmobile and pick out books. And it was around age 10 that I discovered my love of mysteries in the local library. I will always cherish the memory of the first time mom took me to a bookstore and I bought my very first book, I was 12.

I have always found ways to steal moments of time to read. Where ever I am, where ever I go, I ALWAYS carry a book or E-reader with me. I read during lunch breaks, while waiting for appointments or in lines. I even read during long road construction stops and in the car while my husband runs errands. In fact, I often go early to appointments or the movies just so I can have some quiet time to indulge in my latest armchair adventure. I used to read while my kids took naps or while watching them at play.

Of course, now that I am an "empty nester" I have more time than ever to read. My bedtime ritual is to read an hour or so before I go to sleep. I ride my recumbent bicycle and read or when my husband commandeers the tv for video games. When I am deeply invested in a story I have been known to read during commercial breaks while watching television.

My point is, if you love to read allow yourself to find the time. If your life seems to busy or hectic it is even more important to find the stolen snippets of time for yourself. And this is true of any pleasure you enjoy. You need those moments, whether it is 10 minutes or 2 hours to unplug from real life.

Treat yourself well and blessed be.

How do you find time to read?

This Indie Author is HUMBLED!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:48:00 +0000

Every day I wake up to an amazing group of readers on my STREET TEAM! They put a spring in my step as soon as I wake up. There is nothing like them!

Last week one of my STREET TEAM members let me know that I had been nominated for not only ONE BUT TWO categories in the INDIE AUTHOR CONVENTION 2013 AWARDS!

Best Friend to Readers and Best Romance Novella for my short story A NEW TRADITION!

WOW! I was blown away! This is a reader based nomination and I have NO clue who nominated me. That in itself is humbling.

Voting is now open! I'm asking you (okay begging) to please click over and vote for me. Voting ends on April 13th and you can vote everyday until then!

Thank you so much!!

Here are the direct links:

BEST FRIEND TO READERS

BEST INDIE ROMANCE NOVELLA

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Kelli Mounce! You won any Tonya Kappes ebook from Monday's guest blog!! Contact me with what book you would like! You have one week to claim your prize!

Reading Through The Eyes of My Son~READER MONDAY

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:08:00 +0000

Today I'm so excited to welcome my friend, Ann Miller to READER MONDAY! I've known Ann, as a personal friend, for over five years. Not only is Ann a good friend, she is a GREAT mom of three wonderful kids. She is always promoting reading and education in their daily life.

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Reading through the eyes of my son has been amazing!

My son Austin is eight and in the third grade this year. He has rekindled my love to hold a book and flip pages again. This year when he started third grade we were introduced to the idea of Accelerated Reader points and tests. Austin has to get five AR points a month in order keep up his third grade standard for all kids in his class.

In August, he had the highest number of AR points in the WHOLE third grade at his school. Austin was in AR heaven at school and got a certificate to bring home at the end of the month. Literally on the first day of school we planned to play at an area park with his younger twin siblings and he decided to read a new book that came his way. He sat under a tree at the park and finished his first whole chapter book. This series of books enamored him and he had to finish all of the books in the series.

My son gets his love of books honestly…… from a mother and grandmother who love to read also. He was read to all the time from utero until he started reading on his own in kindergarten.

I have worked in the education field all my life and I must say I have a HUGE collection of books for all age readers. Flipping the pages of a book are a rare find these days now with all of the readers out. I personally do not have a reader yet… we are the proud owners of three for our kids.

Sometimes I enjoy flipping to the back of the book to get a preview of what happens at the end. Must say don’t have much time these days to flip the ole pages of books as much as I used to, but when I do it is a wonderful treat.

I must smile now as I see Austin with at least five books in back pack that he is reading at one time. We write on his book log each night (or sometimes the night before the whole thing is due) what book he has read and for how many minutes.

It makes my husband and I so happy to see his love of books. He has now started his own series of books based upon that book he first read under that tree in his own style. I believe now Austin is up to his thirteenth book in his series with some great illustrations. He is also very excited that his mom is friends with a great author Tonya Kappes.

We all love to read! How do you promote reading in a child's life?

Leave a comment to be eligible to win any ebook copy of one of Tonya's book! Your choice! Winner will be announced on Wednesday!

Gluten Free Doesn't mean DIET!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:24:00 +0000

I'm excited to have author Sibel Hodge to the blog! She has a fabulous new gluten free cook book out!

Amazon

Hello! A big Soup Opera welcome to you…

For those who don’t know me, let me tell you a little bit about how this book was born. Well, for starters, I’ve been cooking since I was about ten years old. Under the watchful eye of my nan, who was a fabulous chef, I developed a love of food that has lasted…let’s see…ahem, at least eleven years (yes, I can still be twenty-one in my head), and she taught me how to make mouth-watering meals from scratch. Now I want to pass that knowledge on to you.

I’m the author of thirteen other fiction and non-fiction books for adults and children, and in my spare time, I’m Wonder Woman. When I’m not writing or saving the world from dastardly demons, you can find me in the kitchen, cooking up a storm.

Being half Turkish Cypriot and half British, I was introduced to exciting culinary delights from an early age. When the rest of my mates were eating plain meat-and-two-veg dinners, I was tucking into Mediterranean delights of mousaka, meze, and pilavs.

Turkish people love to eat, therefore they love to cook! In the first cookbook in my gluten free/wheat free series, A Gluten Free Taste of Turkey, I combine my knowledge of tasty, easy-to-cook recipes with nutritious and scrummy Turkish food.

My love of Mediterranean food and the healthy Mediterranean Diet went on to spark my interest into a vast wealth of international dishes. Increasing your recipe bank means you can travel all over the world, and sample all kinds of cuisine, without ever needing your passport!

I’m also a qualified health and fitness professional, with a special interest in nutrition. We all live busy lives these days, don’t we? But that doesn’t mean we have to swap healthy, easy-to-cook, delicious meals for junky fast food. We are what we eat, and if we put rubbish in, it won’t be long before we’re feeling rubbish, too. I firmly believe that our ever-increasing health problems, diseases, and allergies are due to the chemicals, pesticides, and hormones that are pumped into our food and environment. I want to show you that healthy meals can taste great and be easily prepared.

I’ve been cooking gluten/wheat free since I met my hubby over a decade ago. When he first told me he was coeliac, I had a panic attack. I’d never heard the word before, and my first thought was that it meant he had some peculiar sexual quirk that I wasn’t going to like very much. When I finally discovered it meant he couldn’t eat gluten, which is found in barley, oats, wheat, and rye, I had an even bigger panic attack. Trying to find something in the supermarkets back then that didn’t include those ingredients was a nightmare. As well as being blatantly advertised, it’s often cunningly disguised as “thickener”, “stabilizing agent”, “shortening”, and “Ricin”. OK, I made the last one up, but gluten can have severe side effects for people who are coeliac or intolerant/allergic to it.

Maybe now would be a good time to let you into my little secret (stands up and coughs)… I have a serious soup fetish! There, I confessed! Whether it’s summer, winter, or spring, you’ll find me eating the stuff (sometimes in secret). I’m a regular soup-a-holic, and I know that I’m not alone in this little culinary foible. I mean, how can you not love a little bowl of goodness that’s so versatile? Whether you’re looking for a simple starter, a light lunch, or a hearty dinner, soup is the perfect dish every time.

So will you need any specialist ingredients or equipment for this recipe book? No! There’s nothing worse than buying a cookbook, reading through the recipes, and then banging your head against the kitchen worktop because you’ve discovered you need a particular blend of this, or an obscure jar of that, and you just can’t get hold of it. You’ll probably find most of the ingredients used in this cookbook already lurking in your store cupboard or, failing that, your local supermarket. Unlike when I first started cooking gluten free all those years ago, you can now find so much choice in gluten/wheat free products in the shops that you shouldn’t have any trouble getting hold of everything you need to create my tasty, international delights. The only thing you may need to pick up (if you don’t already have one) is a hand blender, and these are both easily available and cheap.

If you’re not coeliac, or sensitive to gluten/wheat, should you eat a gluten free diet? Well, many people are turning to a gluten free/wheat free diet because it can have many health benefits, including an increase in energy, better digestion and elimination, improving cholesterol levels and auto-immune disorders, controlling weight and bloating, and making you super attractive to the opposite sex (yes, I made the last one up again – just checking you were still awake). Whereas twenty years ago, a gluten free diet would be bland and boring, today it can be eclectic, vibrant, and delicious, and these are the dishes that I wanted to share with you in A Gluten Free Soup Opera.

The recipes included in this book should be used as a guideline because you know your taste buds better than anyone else does. If you want to substitute one ingredient for another that you like more, then go for it. This is how great recipes are born, and it’s all about making the food work for you. Wherever you can, please try to use organic ingredients. It’s kinder to the environment and animals, and it’s healthier for you.

The most important thing in cooking is to have fun with it, so experiment, eat, and enjoy!

Sibel XX

Recipe from A Gluten Free Soup Opera

Moroccan Sweet and Sour Soup

This recipe does exactly what is says on the tin – it’s sweet, it’s spicy, it’s sour, and it’s fun! Moroccan food is all about flavour and colour, and this dish is an explosion of both.

I’m using dried apricots here, and whenever possible try and get apricots that are naturally air dried, rather than those dried using sulphur or sulphur dioxide, which can cause allergies in some people. They will probably be darker in colour than the usual apricots, but the taste is the same and they’re healthier for you.

Did you know that as well has being a great source of dietary fibre and protein, chickpeas are also rich in folate, calcium, and manganese, plus they’re also low in fat, which is always a bonus! But if you don’t like chickpeas, substitute them for a can of beans like cannellini, borlotti, kidney, or black-eyed.

Ingredients:

· 1 onion – chopped

· 1 carrot – diced

· 1 red pepper – diced

· 1 green pepper – diced

· 8 – 10 dried apricots – chopped

· 4 cloves of garlic – crushed and chopped

· 2 inch piece of fresh root ginger – peeled and chopped finely

· 400 gr can of chopped tomatoes

· 400 gr can of chickpeas – drained and rinsed

· Juice of half a lemon

· 2 – 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

· 1 pint (approx. 2 ½ cups) of chicken stock/vegetable stock/water

· ¼ teaspoon of dried cinnamon

· 1 tablespoon of ground coriander

· 1 teaspoon of ground cumin

· ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg

· 1 tablespoon of tumeric

· 1 tablespoon of paprika

· ¼ – ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes

· ¼ teaspoon of black pepper

· Salt to taste

· Olive oil for frying

Method:

1. Fry the onions and peppers until soft.

2. Add the other ingredients, except for the fresh coriander, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 35 – 45 minutes.

3. Stir in the fresh coriander and serve.

Serves 4 – 6

* Vegetarian/Vegan Options – Use vegetable stock

* Dairy Free

Be sure to check out Sibel's website for links to purchase all of her books!

March Mayhem Days!! .99 Novels TWO DAY SALE!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:45:00 +0000

For two days only some very talented authors have come together to offer you great deals on ebooks for your Amazon Kindle. All of the below Kindle books have been marked down to $0.99 for March 19 and March 20.

The Tech Guy ~ Lia Fairchild ~ Emma Barton is a workaholic. Nothing is more important than becoming managing editor of the magazine she works for. And she has the perfect plan to achieve that goal. Then Guy Walker enters her office. Sexy, sweet, and super popular, the new tech guy takes the office by storm. Will he derail every strategy Emma has in place? If he discovers her secret, it could ruin Emma’s career and turn her life upside down.

Taking Love in Stride ~ Donna Fasano ~ Track coach Andrea O'Connor is fuming at the audacity of Ian Powers, the very attractive father of one of her students. He offered to buy school equipment only if Andrea agreed to train him for a half-marathon. Well, train him, she would. And not just in running. As a widower with a high-powered job, Ian needed some instruction in being a father to an active teenage daughter. Yet as this overbearing man opened up, Andrea found herself learning lessons--in loving. Ian knew that Andrea, with her assertive attitude and her penchant for stilettos, was some woman! But her vulnerable heart was on the run, so he'd have to prove that his love, unlike his running, had limitless endurance--and once he caught this swift beauty, he'd never let her go.

Harvest ~ Faith Mortimer ~ Billy returns home and marries his love, while Richard has to make a decision between the two beautiful women in his life. Richard discovers he is torn between love and duty. In Sorrel he finds what he believes is his soul-mate, whereas sexy Miranda keeps Richard guessing. When Richard discovers an old war-torn photograph of a woman and two children he is shaken to the core. What was it his father did & never divulged to his wife and family?

The Baby Trap ~ Sibel Hodge ~ When Gina turns thirty-three her body clock unexpectedly begins clanging in her ear with annoying persistence. The only problem is, having a baby isn't as easy as she thought. Whether she's feng shui-ing the house to death with fertility symbols, throwing out her husband's tight boxers in favour of baggies, swapping wine and chocolate for green tea and yams, popping fertility drugs like M&M's, or having sex so precision-timed it makes international warfare manoeuvres look unorganized, her life is turned upside down. And when nothing seems to be working, her quest for the B-word turns into an obsession. Can Gina stay sane, get pregnant, and keep her marriage together? Or will her baby trail become a baby trap?

Abigail ~ Heather Marie Adkins ~ When Abigail's supposedly immortal faery mother is found murdered, her human father sells her in to slavery. Bought by a young and wealthy landowner named William, she is whisked away to a Grecian island to play caretaker for his baby sister. However, the island has a deadly secret connected to Abigail's past. Her budding romance with William is shattered by Abigail's intimate, unwanted connection with the island's faery prince. Meanwhile, the Faery King is planning revenge upon the family. Abigail must join forces with the very race she's sought to deny, to save the humans she has learned to love.

Carpe Bead'em ~ Tonya Kappes ~ Orphaned at a young age, Hallie Mediate was raised by her (slightly) crazy Great Aunt Grace on the wrong side of the tracks in Cincinnati. Hallie dreamed of escaping her hometown and never looking back. After putting herself through college, landing her dream job in Chicago, and starting a romance with her handsome running partner Bo Pompillio, life is finally exactly as she wants it. That is, until she’s transferred back to the hometown. Not wanting her past to cross paths with her future, Hallie puts her relationship with Bo on hold.

Cold Case Morphs ~ Barbara Silkstone ~ A wacky novella with a squirt of BEETLEJUICE, a squish of GHOSTBUSTERS, and a twist of the infamous. The newest detective agency in Asheville, North Carolina takes on their first case. The Cold Case Morphs enter the world of noir comedy as they rush to the aid of a lonely Victorian ghost. Warning… this is a soft-boiled detective romance with a Beetlejuice paranormal side.

The Time Contessa ~ Georgina Young-Ellis ~ The Time Contessa is an adventure to Siena, Italy, 500 years into the past and 100 years into the future. Something has gone wrong with an historical timeline, causing a famous painting to disappear from the world’s conscious memory, surfacing only in people’s dreams. Two members of MIT’s Chronology team, Dr. Cassandra Reilly and her colleague Jake, must go to Renaissance Siena to repair the timeline so the artist who painted the portrait of a beautiful woman known as Giuliana will ultimately live to complete it. However, the past holds many pitfalls, both dangerous and romantic.

Jealousy's Rage ~ Melissa A Smith ~ Forget everything you think you know about the Gods of Olympus and Atlantis. Both are real, and both are hidden in plain sight. Finally taking his long awaited vacation, Declan finds the one person who just might let him grow old. Although Ellie just might feel the same spark, she’s been mistreated one too many times in the past to trust. Seeing this challenge as one he knows he can win, Declan dives in head first.
But as in all things, his job gets in the way. It steals away his future and any hope at love.

Reader Monday: Kindle Helped Find New Authors!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:22:00 +0000

I'm so excited to have Street Team member and friend, Sue Lopp on my blog for READER MONDAY! I am amazed at how owning a Kindle has changed reader's buying and reading habits.

I love to read. As long as i can remember books have always been a part of my life. I am an only child and I can remember spending summers with Trixie Beldon... Nancy Drew ( who i wished i was. I always wanted a best friend named , George ).. Encyclopedia Brown. Those were some of the best summers ever.. wondering what adventure i was going to go on next. As I got older that didn't change I always had a book with me, never knew if you were going to be stopped by a loooong train or stuck in a traffic jam..I was ready...

Some people cannot wait until Friday to get here, not me Tuesdays were my favorite day. NEW RELEASE DAY. I would be at Costco or Sams club to get my hands on the new releases especially the hard backs. I was particular which books I purchased in hardback I bought. ( I have collection of some of my favorite authors books in hardback they look nice on my bookshelves ). I had my list for the month. Then I would head over to Barnes and Noble and check out all the new paperbacks, leaving there with an arm load.. then all then all things changed. I bought my first Kindle.=. I WAS IN BOOK HEAVEN. One click here and one click there and as of today I have over 1300 books. Hi my name is Sue and I am a bookaholic (in all honesty I really didn't know if I was going to like reading on the Kindle I thought for sure I would miss holding a book.. NOPE..LOL )

Since I have had my Kindle my reading habits have changed. I don't read as many as the same authors as I did I still will buy Stephen Kings book in hardback the day it is released, but also for my kindle. I have one clicked a lot of new authors for me and I have to say that I don't think I would have bought them at the bookstore. I love that some authors give there books either free or very low priced to give us readers a chance to sample there work. There are a lot of series that I have become hooked on based on these authors kindness, and once I like an author I have to read all that they have written ( that is just the way I am ).

I also belong a few street teams which I enjoy very much. I enjoy telling people about new books that I am reading or have read. I am friends with authors on facebook ( I know that they have so many "friends " that they don't know boo about me... however having them respond to something that I comment on is really great I know that if I was to meet them in person I would only be saying glub glub glub ). I have been to a few virtual book release parties.. now those are fun...

and where else but on Facebook can I join in on a big brother party with fellow street team members ... Come on June 26th .... ( Tonya Kappes street team has a great bunch of friendly members.. )

If anyone has any books suggestions for me.. would love to hear them... :)

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Remember my first annual SPRING BOOK FLING is coming up on Thursday on my STREET TEAM!! I'd love for you to join us.
Join the Street Team HERE!!

AND

Don't forget to pick up the newly released novel in the Magical Cures Mystery Series, A CHARMING WISH.

AMAZON
BARNES AND NOBLE

It soared to the bestsellers list in one day!! AND it's 9 FIVE STARS!!!

So. . .what books can you recommend for Sue Lopp??

RELEASE DAY AND BLOG TOUR for A CHARMING WISH

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:33:00 +0000

It's here!! It's a couple of days early. . .but I don't mind!

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

"Tonya Kappes' A Magical Cure Series, charmed me until the end!" ~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

Bubble, Bubble. . .

It seems shop owner and newly appointed Whispering Falls Village President June Heal has it all: Beauty, wits, bewitching powers...Sheriff Oscar Park. Life is good. Because life in Whispering Falls is magical.

Cures and Trouble. . .

But when a member of the community is found dead on the steps of A Charming Cure, June's homeopathic cure shop, and her fingerprints show up at the scenes of local robberies, she is kicked off the village council and her powers fall under scrutiny. Until it's uncovered who is wreaking havoc on the town...June's magic is suspended.

Magic Stirs. . .

With the help of a rather obnoxious genie and Mr. Prince Charming, June's Fairy-God cat, June is determined to figure out who is framing her. Time is of the essence when it becomes clear that the true villain is trying to get rid of her...permanently!

And Trouble Doubles. . .

Oscar Park will do anything to protect June even if that means giving up all of his magical powers. . .or worse, his life.

My blog tour starts tomorrow and I hope you join me! There are prizes and fun to be had!

March 17, 2013
A Charming Wish Book Tour stops at Cozy up with Kathy
March 14, 2013
A Charming Wish Book Tour stops at Mochas, Mysteries & More
March 15, 2013
A Charming Wish Book Tour stops at Cozy Mystery Book Review
March 16, 2013
A Charming Wish Book Tour stops at Omnimystery
March 17, 2013
A Charming Wish Book Tour stops at Shelley Reads & Reviews

March 19, 2013
A Charming Wish Book Tour stops at Musings & Ramblings
March 20, 2013
A Charming Wish Book Tour stops at A Blue Million Books
March 21, 2013
A Charming Wish Book Tour stops at A Chick Who Reads
March 28, 2013
A Charming Wish Book Tour stops at Melina's Book Blog
April 3, 3013
A Charming Wish Book tour stops at Read Your Writes
April 12, 2013
A Charming Wish Book tour stops at Dru's Book Musing

Be sure to spread the word about this series. Don't forget to join my STREET TEAM so you can join in on the launch fun at my SPRING FLING PARTY where over fifty authors have donated a copy of their novels!

Reader Monday with author Kari Lee Townsend

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:59:00 +0000

Happy Reader Monday!!! Today is an exciting day since our guest reader is author Kari Lee Townsend! I met Kari a few years ago on line and we have kept in touch every since. Kari started out writing young adult and quickly ventured into the cozy mystery genre when she realized she had a real talent killing people and solving crimes! The second novel in her Fortune Teller Mystery Series comes out this month, TROUBLE IN THE TAROT. Her hero and heroine are a hoot to read about and I just had to have Kari on today to give you the scoop! I hope you pick up TROUBLE IN THE TAROT!

Detective Mitch Stone & Psychic Sunny Meadows Top 10 Things That Irritate Them The Most

Detective Stone

· 10 ~ Liars, cheaters, disloyal people, and bullies

· 9 ~ Downtime, relaxation, doing nothing

· 8 ~ Forced time off by his captain

· 7 ~ Wasting his time on a wild goose chase

· 6 ~ Anyone getting the jump on him

· 5 ~ Suspects who think they’re smarter than him

· 4 ~ Troll like mayors who abuse their power because they feel inferior

· 3 ~ Working with a partner when he’s a lone wolf kind of guy

· 2 ~ Creepy cats that stare him down and make him jumpy

· 1 ~ Bubbly psychic quacks who won’t listen and put themselves in danger

Sunny Meadows

· 10 ~ Liars, cheaters, disloyal people, and bullies

· 9 ~ People who are constantly on the go who refuse to slow down and relax

· 8 ~ People who think they know her but don’t really have a clue

· 7 ~ Parents who refuse to let her stand on her own

· 6 ~ People who break the law and think they can get away with it

· 5 ~ People who aren’t open to thinking outside of the box and trying new leads

· 4 ~ People who think she’s too small and incapable of handling herself in tough situations

· 3 ~ People who aren’t’ open to at least trying to believe in her ability

· 2 ~ People who don’t like her cat

· 1 ~ Cynical grumpy detectives who refuse her help when they clearly need it

TROUBLE IN THE TAROT (book 3 of the Fortune Teller Mysteries – March 5, 2013)

For psychic Sunshine Meadows, sometimes fortunes can be deceiving…

Lately Sunny has been experiencing a period of big opportunity: her business in Divinity, New York, is thriving, and Detective Mitch Stone has finally agreed to take Sunny on a date. But thanks to her clairvoyant abilities, Sunny knows better than anyone that life deals out bad cards along with the good.

When Sunny agrees to read tarot cards at the annual summer Solstice Carnival, she meets her Granny Gert’s “arch nemesis” Fiona Atwater, and is overcome by a vision of Fiona in a violent argument. Sunny knows trouble is brewing when Granny and Fiona start having squabbles all over town. But the fighting comes to a head when a local baker gets run over by a big white Cadillac—and Granny and Fiona are found at the crime scene.

Sunny knows she should step aside and let Mitch handle the investigating, but she’s not about to ignore her visions and leave her granny’s life in fate’s hands…

Kari Lee Townsend lives in central New York with her understanding husband, her three busy boys, and her oh-so-dramatic daughter :-) She is the National Bestselling Author, Agatha & RT Reviewer's Choice Award nominee for her Fortune Teller Mystery series. Kari also writes romance under the name Kari Lee Harmon. Small towns, mystical elements, quirky characters and a few chuckles along the way are what her books are all about. To find out more about Kari and all of her books, check out her websites at: www.karileetownsend.com & www.karileeharmon.com

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CONGRATULATIONS MICKC for winning the ARC of A CHARMING WISH!!! Be sure to contact me from the contact tab so I can get the ARC to you! You have one week to claim your prize!

Happy Birthday Prizes!!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 16:04:00 +0000

As most of you know. . .today is my birthday!! I actually love my birthday and celebrate an entire week! This year is a little different; we moved into a new house so I got a lot of NEW stuff that I consider a birthday present.

I'm also hosting a giveaway on my STREET TEAM, which you have to be on Facebook to join. Click here to the STREET TEAM page. I'm giving away the first two novels in Heather Webber Blake's Witch Crafter Mystery Series. The third one will be out in April! AND they are signed by my good friend, Heather!

AND. . .

This birthday week is the THIRD release of A Magical Cure Series novel, A CHARMING WISH, on March 14th!

In honor of the release, A CHARMING CRIME, the first in the series is .99 this week! I'm so happy to say that A CHARMING CRIME made it to #12 on Amazon's Movers and Shaker's list! WOW! WOW! WOW! That in itself was a great birthday present.

But I have to show you what my guys did for my birthday. . .

They created a bathroom for ME! It has a cool waterfall shower and marble sink! PLUS, I love Hunter Rain Boots and RED. A gal in a houseful of guys needs her own bathroom!! Needless to say, I'm a super happy gal this birthday WEEK!!

Today I'm going to be giving away an pdf ARC of A CHARMING WISH to one lucky comment! Tell me what your favorite birthday gift you have ever gotten! I will post the winner under tomorrow's post. YOU have one week to claim your prize.
Please go back through last week's posts to see who won the giveaways from last week!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

Interview with Indie Chick Karin Cox!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:27:00 +0000

I'm very excited to welcome Karin Cox! She is a fellow Indie Chick with a new release! Be sure to check out our interview after the blurb of her new release, CRUXIM. AND be sure to leave a comment to win an ebook copy of CRUXIM!!

What is Cruxim?
Amedeo is Cruxim, a mysterious, immortal fallen angel. Destined to seek redemption as a vampire hunter, he quenches his insatiable hunger on vampire blood. But when the object of his passion, the novice nun Joslyn, is turned into a vampire and enters a vampire coven, Amedeo's worlds collide. Shattered by the loss of his beloved, he vows to rid the world of vampires once and for all, even if it means destroying Josyln in the process.

A Paranormal Game of Cat and Mouse
Joining Amedeo on his quest to rid the world of the undead is Sabine. Half-woman, half-lioness, she is a Sphinx, a Guardian who has protected humans from vampires since the dawn of time. Yet Sabine comes to this fight pursued by her own enemies. An evil scientist, Dr. Claus Gandler, knows the secret of Sabine's mythological past, vowing to torment her for eternity or destroy her forever.

Immortal Ever After
Captured by the evil doctor, Amedeo and Sabine are paraded as sideshow freaks in the Circus of Curiosities. Only vampire Joslyn has the power to intercede. Will she prove Amedeo's redemption, or his destruction?

What attracted you to writing in the first place?

I’ve been a writer as long as I can remember. My earliest memory of writing is winning a poetry contest when I was in about fourth grade, so I was probably about eight or nine. With my (enormous) earnings, I bought a kite and I thought, Now this is a gig I could get used to. I still make about the same amount of money per annum. J

English was always my favorite subject at school, but when I applied for university, I listened to all the naysayers who said, “You’ll never get a job if you do an Arts degree.” So I enrolled in a Science degree in the hope of becoming a zoologist. Big mistake.

Within a year, I’d transferred to a Bachelor of Arts to study English Literature, Communication Studies and Myth and Ancient Literature, which led to my career in editing and to my job as an inhouse author for an Australian publisher, rather ironically writing books about ... zoology and natural history! Writing has always been a natural state for me. I’m one of those people who jolts awake in the wee hours to scribble ideas in a notepad by my bed or to put them in “notes” on my iPhone. It’s cathartic, a necessary process of working through my own tumultuous thoughts and emotions.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?

I haven’t yet settled into one genre, and I’m not sure that I will. Currently, I have literary fiction, paranormal romance, young adult dystopian, young adult fantasy, romance, a thriller novel, children’s fiction, and a heap of poetry all sitting in various stages of completion on my hard-drive. I also write non-fiction across many genres: social history, natural history, travel and children’s non-fiction. New Holland Publishers in Australia are just releasing two of my social history books for kids—Gold Rush and Settlement—this month, and another two will follow in April and two more in 2014. So it is anyone’s guess whether I will eventually pick one genre or whether I’ll keep sticking my fingers in a lot of pies (and potentially getting burned by some).

How has your upbringing influenced your writing?

My dad was always a writer, and my sister, too, so I think it is fair to say that writing runs in my family. They have always supported me and encouraged me to follow my dreams. I think that is the best gift parents can offer a child: belief in their dreams

Where do you get your inspiration and ideas from?

Mostly, they just come to me. Usually at two in the morning when I’m trying to sleep—I am an insomniac. But I think every author weaves some of their own experiences or interests into their novels. Cruxim was such pure fantasy that it doesn’t have a great deal of the real “me” in there. I’ve never been a vampire, or in a freakshow (thank goodness), but I have been in a situation where I’ve felt like I was in love with two people before (and neither of them even knew about it), so I can relate to the feelings Amedeo experiences.

Do you have any writing rituals or listen to “mood music” when you write? Where is your favorite place to write?

I get very absorbed in my world, so I prefer to write late at night, from 9 pm to 2 am. I like the silence then, when my kid and my partner are asleep and my imagination can run away with itself. The biggest writing ritual I have at present is a program called Write or Die. I’ve spent so many years editing that it can be hard for me to let go and just hammer out a first draft. Very hard. And I am a terrible procrastinator, so if I have to fact-check, I’ll spend an hour googling a place or an object for historical reference, even if it only appears for one line in the novel! I set Write or Die to kamikaze, which means it will start eating my words if I linger for too long, and I force myself to do 1000 words in an hour. Then, I later edit, research, fact-check and rewrite the heck out of it. It works for me.

I write in a recliner in my living room, or on my deck overlooking the pool.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world?

My bed. Good stuff happens there ... like sleep, and dreams. It smells and feels like home. J

Fame or fortune, which would you prefer?

Fortune, hands down. I’m not remotely interested in fame. It seems like fame would come with too many downsides, particularly the kind of life-changing attention authors like Stephanie Meyer or JK Rowling have found. With fortune, I can spend my days writing, reading and learning, and I can use that money to help others. I don’t believe in being filthy mega rich. I think we would all like to be comfortable, but by world standards, I already feel very lucky. I live in Australia, I have food in my belly, I have a wonderful family, a roof over my head, a job. I am already blessed. If my writing could make me enough that my partner didn’t have to do the daily grind of working in construction and I could pay our mortgage and put food on the table with my words alone, that would make me a very happy girl indeed.

What was your favorite part of this book to write? Which part was the hardest?

My favorite parts to write were the love scenes, or what I see to be love scenes: when Joslyn’s love for Amedeo first becomes clear with the passionfruit scene; Amedeo and Danette, and what happens to her; and the scene where he tries to save Sabine from the burning tent.

The hardest part was definitely writing the ending. I worried that some readers would be annoyed about what happened to some of the characters. But much more is explained in the sequel, which I am currently writing and which explains why things turned out that way. Amedeo might just discover that his upbringing isn’t as typical for a Cruxim as he thought it was.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?

I wanted to be the woman in the pink spangled tutu who did handstands on the back of horses in the circus. Despite some time devoted to practicing this on the back of my childhood Shetland pony, Mr. Ed, it appears I never quite got good enough. But there’s still time.

If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

Probably still an editor. I’ve worked as an editor for fifteen years, and I still love it; however, I really want to focus on writing my own books for a little while now.

If you could live inside the world of a book would you choose?

It would be Mary Renault’s The Bull from the Sea and The King Must Die. Ancient Greece. Cretan Bull Ring. Amazon women. But I’d also be pretty happy in Rivendell or Hobbiton.

Give your fans three fun facts that they may not already know about you.

I have two elbow creases on each arm, which sounds weirder than it looks (thankfully).

I can ride a horse like a maniac when I get the chance, and I pretty much grew up on horseback.

I adore cats. They can be cruel and selfish and self-absorbed, but they’re so darn cute and funny and deeply self-conscious at times. I can’t help it

Chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry?

Vanilla. I like the versatility. Add peaches. Add Milo. Add macadamia nuts. Add whatever topping you like. What’s not to like?

If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose?

Jimi Hendrix, Mary Renault, Dorothy Parker, CS Lewis, Lord Byron.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

My Kindle (loaded with books). My family. Water (It is a desert island, right? If it’s just a deserted island and it has a spring, replace water with wine)

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.

Because it will make you think, and hurt, and understand that we all make mistakes and that things are often not how they first appear.

So what’s next for you as an author? Any last words?

Next is the sequel to Cruxim, which I know many of my early readers are eagerly anticipating. I’m hoping to have it out by Easter, and it is tentatively titled Creche. It provides a lot more background into Amedeo’s past—background that even he was unaware of, and also into Sphinxes and the mythology surrounding them. So it explains a few incidents in the first book and why they panned out the way they did.

I’m also working on several other projects, some non-fiction, some fiction and some for children, and running my website for indie authors to find reviews, Indie Review Tracker. I’m always busy. If I only had a few more hours in each day (about twelve more a day would be great!) I could get a few more books out this year too. My book of short stories, Cage Life, is doing really well at present too, so I’d like to take some more time to do a few more shorts in 2013 as well. As for sleep, well ...

Stay at Home Mom on READER MONDAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Happy FIRST READER MONDAY of March!! I'm excited to have Jaime Smith here today! She's is an avid reader and an amazing Goodreads player! She is awesome at promoting her favorite authors. Jaime is here to talk about how a stay at home mom can sneak in a little reading time with a couple little ones around the house. IT'S NOT AS EASY AS IT SEEMS!

So you would think being a stay at home mom would be a readers dream.

But not always the case! I am a stay at home mom to two little girls aged 1 & 4. I get up to to feed two little girls breakfast and find something for them to do that is entertaining. I pick up my book then and start to read. Ten minutes into the book there is the 4 year old yelling from the potty to come help her. After that is typically the demand to watch a movie.

Great you think!

Pop in the movie go back to book then baby comes wanting to crawl all over you and play. Ok that is always fun anyways. So before you know it it's lunch time and you make them & yourself lunch. Of course you got to feed the littler one in between your own bites. After lunch they start to get sleepy.

YES! Just what you needed for a reading break.

So you lay them down and once more dive into your book till the four year old eyeing you looks really sad and says, mommy read to me one of my books. So you go and grab a pile because after all my 4 year old can enjoy story time for an hour easily. All though I'm bummed about not getting to read my book, I'm over the moon that my little girl is following my footsteps in love of books! Also reading children books to your children is really such a precious thing that I secretly really enjoy. So the little ones then fall asleep on me finally during story time.

I don't dare move them in fear of waking up. I can read now I think except my book it just a little bit out of hands reach now with two children sleeping on me. After about a hour and half the angels wake and are up and playing.

I usually can get in 30 minutes to an hour here. Then it's snack time & more entertaining them. Before you know it it's evening and the hubby is on his way home! THANK GOD!

I'm one very lucky girl to have a great husband who knows how important reading is to me so when he get's home he takes over the kids duty and I get to read a good hour to two before supper! Then we work on putting the kids to sleep and having some alone time for just the two of us. Then it's off to bed where I presume will be major reading time now, only I'm so tired that I literally fall asleep with a book on my face.

To add to this all I have extreme health issues with my heart so that makes everything twice as hard and causes me to be tired often. So basically my main serious reading time is the weekends when husband is home from work.

I love reading so much and leaving reviews to help authors and other readers but I never can seem to keep up with the piles and piles of books but you know what I DON'T MIND! That is what it is to be a reader who is in love with books! Besides it's only 4 1/2 more years before both kids are in school and then I know I will have more reading time!

Also as my girl's get older I hope that they will also continue their love of books and we will all be curled up on the sofa reading together! Family is all about love as well as books. You got to really appreciate both and how they can come in hand if your willing to make it all work.

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WOW! Jaime! You are a busy gal during they day. And I thought I was busy with three teenagers running around! Jaime is very talented! She didn't mention she makes amazing book marks! I'm sure she's taking orders! Just leave a comment to win a copy of my novel, STRUNG OUT TO DIE and one of Jaime's cool bookmarks!
(I will post the winner on Friday and you have one week to come back to claim your prize!)

What Makes Single Dads so Sexy? Author Donna Fasano has the secrets!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 02:00:00 +0000

I have to say that I am VERY excited about today's guest! She is an Indie Chick with me AND she writes romance. . . and who doesn't LOVE romance??? Plus she has a new book in her Single Daddy Club Series.

Umm. . .little know fact about ME. . .I married an amazing single daddy!!! YES~they are very sexy!

What Makes Single Dads So Darned Sexy?

Come on. You have to admit it. When you're out at the mall or the playground, and you see a dad alone with his child, your heartstrings get a good, hard tug. You pause, your eyes follow him, you watch him smile down at his kid…and you get tingly all over.

What is it that makes bachelor dads so sexy?

You might be too young to remember the movie Three Men and a Baby, but just look at this picture:

Who wouldn't find these guys drool-worthy? When a man automatically picks up a crying baby, or races to rescue a toddler who's fallen, or stops what he's doing to comfort a child, a complicated chemical reaction takes place in a woman's brain that makes her think…mmmm, now that's sexy.

Let's break it down:

A single dad who puts his kids needs before his own will, more than likely, put his woman's needs before his own too. (Sexy!)

A single dad who raises happy, well-adjusted kids has proven he's responsible, mature, and strong. (Sexy!)

A single dad who dedicates himself to his children has shown that he's a good and caring provider, and the selfless love he exhibits shows he's willing to sacrifice for his family. (Sexy!)

Raising kids takes patience, discipline, kindness, tenderness. (Sexy, sexy, sexy, and sexy!)

The simple answer would be human nature; procreation is a basic human instinct, and, as women, we are attracted to men who show signs of being good mates and excellent fathers. Now, that doesn't mean we're willing to "be fruitful and multiply" with the bachelor dads we meet…but is does help explain why seeing a father hug his baby makes us think, awwww, that's so sweet…and sexy!

Do you think single dads are sexy? One lucky comment wins a BOXED SET!!!! I will announce the winner on Reader Monday!!!

Single Daddy Club Boxed Set Links:

Kindle – www.amazon.com/Single-Daddy-Club-Boxed-ebook/dp/B00B4H3IYI/

Nook – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-single-daddy-club-boxed-set-donna-fasano/1114198504?ean=2940016037219

Kobo – http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Single-Daddy-Club-Boxed/book--RnN6vERxUezvQcQgzRbkg/page1.html?s=hFCRjm2QD0-rUIs5-X98Ug&r=1

iBooks – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/single-daddy-club-boxed-set/id595755620?mt=11

Author Bio:

Donna Fasano is a three time winner of the HOLT Medallion, a CataRomance Reviewers Choice Award winner for Best Single Title, a Desert Rose Golden Quill Award finalist, and a Golden Heart finalist. Her books have sold over 3.6 million copies worldwide and have been published in nearly two dozen languages. Her books have made the Kindle Top 100 Paid List numerous times, climbing as high as #17.
What others are saying about Donna's books:
"...complex, funny, and realistic..." ~Wilmington News Journal
"Excellent!" ~Bookreview.com
"Could not help myself from reading excerpts to my husband and friends. This book is well written, the characters are real, everyday folks. It is very easy to identify with them. Donna Fasano is a talented author." ~Elizabeth M. Caldwell on Amazon
"...a fast paced riotous look at family life today. Donna Fasano is right on target!" ~Donna Zapf, SingleTitles.com

Author Contacts:

Blog: http://www.DonnaFasano.com

Facebook: hppt://www.Facebook.com/DonnaFasanoAuthor

Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/DonnaFaz

Muse Wednesday! Pamper this author!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:19:00 +0000

Transitioning a blog from writer focused to reader focused is really hard to do! I've been trying to come up with ways to incorporate both and I've been hitting a brick wall! So. . .I thought it would be fun to let y'all know what really gets my muse going. How much fun will that be?? Especially on hump day!

Every Wednesday I'm going to feature what gets MY MUSE awake and helps me get my words on a page.

Many hours of my writing is spent sitting at the computer, straining my eyes, multi-tasking at my guys sporting events, hours in car line (just to mention a few!). . .IS ALL WORTH IT!

I wouldn't change any of it! I absolutely adore my life. In fact, I LOVE MY LIFE!!

There was one thing that I did want to change. . .MY NAILS!!

Think about it. I have to sit at the computer all day long and look at them while I happily type away. I also notice them at book signings. It's not that I hate my nails or that they are ugly, but they are boring.

My nails are thin and brittle. I wash them all the time, use lotion, and sanitizer because I'm a germ freak!

Anyways, years ago (like in the 80's) I had acrylic nails for years, and then one day the strangest thing happened. My fingers began to itch and swell. I became allergic to them. So started my twenty years of ugly nails.

No matter how many times I polished them, they looked bad and they cracked! Recently I had decided to see if I could wear acrylic again. . .NOPE! Within twenty-four hours my fingers reacted the same way they had done twenty-years ago....sigh....

BUT....

SHELLAC came along and I have been saved! My manicurist, I go to a salon where you have to make appointments, told me that she would have my nails pretty in no time. And she was right!

Every other week, I have a standing appointment with my fun and fabulous manicurist to keep my nails amazing while I'm busy working on my next novel and signing the last. It's something that I have begun to look forward to. We have made a friendship that is going to be long lasting! Plus. . .pampering myself a little makes me happy and more productive!!

Do you do something to pamper yourself??

Reader Monday with Book Reviewer FORGET THE HOUSEWORK I'M READING

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:28:00 +0000

Happy Monday morning! The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day in Kentucky! I'm excited to have book reviewer Tobi Helton on the blog today! A year ago, Tobi did a review of my chick-lit novel, Carpe Bead 'em, and I couldn't help but fall in love with her blog (especially since the review was AMAZING!).

I have found that her blog, Forget the Housework, I'm Reading, is a great place for reviews. I have found so many new reads from her.

Hi! I’m Tobi I’m on Tonya’s Street Team and I have my own Book Review Blog Forget the Housework, I’m Reading……

I love reading and I started my blog when I found a book that had so MUCH potential and ended too quickly with forgiveness to the male character too easily. So, I wanted to vent! In a positive way but had to get it out of my system. This brought the birth of my first blog Mommy to 3/Book Lover. As my blog grew and more authors began asking me to read and review their books I worked with my now friend Elizabeth Ann West on creating a more reader friendly and fun blog basing my ratings on how much housework I avoided or neglected during the reading of a book!

Through my blog and author friends I have gained more and more author friends and non author friends. I love meeting people and talking. I could talk to a brick wall honestly.

I support all authors. Indie, published and the in between. I thoroughly enjoy reading ROMANCES, romances of all kinds. However, I can’t do horror, not if you want me to sleep!

I read by my mood. If I need a lift in mood, I pick up one of Tonya’s books. Then there are times when nothing will do but Cowboy romances (my guilty pleasure). OH and paranormal! I love all kinds of paranormal. Let’s just say I’m known for my eclectic reading.

Anyway, Thank you Tonya for having me! I hope to do this again.

Oh....Do you read by your mood??

The winner of last Reader Monday blog of Heather Blake's signed novels It Takes A Witch and A Witch Before Dying is. . .SUSIE R.!!! Contact me through the contact tab so I can mail your books to you!!!

Join an Author Street Team and Support Their Work

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:13:00 +0000

Yippee!! Another Reader Monday! Allyson Brann is a member of my Street Team. She's an avid reader and an active street team member of many authors! Allyson is an amazing example on what a street team member should do for their favorite authors!

I Love Reading!!!!

I love books!

Particularly all types of romance novels!

I feel like reading is a great escape,just a time to curl up with a good book,for me a cup of coffee or a drink and just relax!

So over the last year I have been active on Facebook,Twitter,Goodreads, and Pinterest! I have found lots of great authors and books and made new friends!

I also joined several street teams as well, now these authors that have made my days more relaxing and better, I can help them by sharing, tweeting,pinning,liking and posting reviews! That only takes a few minutes of my time and in return these authors keep writing great books!

I am on Tonya Kappes Street Team and not only is she a great person but an awesome author! I have fallen in love with her books!

(I'm hosting a party on my STREET TEAM! If you aren't a member follow the link HERE and join!)

Alexa Grace' s Street Team is another one I am on as well as Jennifer Probst, Carrie Ann Ryan, Lilana Hart and Lia Davis! I have enjoyed being on each of these ladies street teams for numerous different reasons!

Obviously I love their books and want them to keep publishing more:) But I have had so much fun, I truly enjoy checking the post on Facebook as well as the blogs, they have made reading even better if that was possible!

Okay I could go on and on about why I love reading but I don't want to put anybody to sleep!

Hope everyone enjoys their day and check out these authors their books a great reads!

Allyson

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Thank you so much, Allyson! I'm so honored to have you on my STREET TEAM! So much so that I'm going to give away TWO BOOKS books by HEATHER BLAKE! And they are signed!!!

Tell me what you like best about the Street Teams you are on!

If you would like to write an article for READER MONDAY, I'd love to have you! Shot me an email by using the contact me tab at the top!

Gluten Free Saved This Author!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 18:07:00 +0000

I know all the rage has been going gluten free, but it really did save my life as a writer!

And I'm NOT the one in my family that went GLUTEN FREE!
As a writer, I'm constantly talking about how I never sleep. It's true. Writers barely get enough time alone in their heads to have a real conversation with a non-make believe person, especially in their sleep.

I wake up in the middle of the night with my characters poking my brain, telling me about why they had to kill someone in their book or how come they had to have big hips and not the perfect size six. It's true! I even keep a journal next to my bed to write down some of the things they say so I will remember it in the morning. Plus my husband snores, which is a double whammy for me!

I use to love this game show!

Anyways. . .last summer I took a road trip with my author friend Heather Webber (aka Heather Blake). She is gluten free for a variety of reasons, but some of her symptoms struck a chord with me. Migraines, aches, pains etc....

I don't get headaches, much less migraines, but my dear husband does! I wonder if he needed to be gluten free? He gets about three migraines a month. So the more I talked with Heather about it, the more I wanted to tell my husband. What did he have to lose?

So I got this big idea that I would put him on gluten free. Of course everyone and their brother thought my husband had this family disease (which he does not) and was so concerned that he went on gluten free to help with any symptoms of that. But we tried to tell people that he didn't have the disease, but they were still leery, or nosy, so we let them believe what they want.

After a couple months of gluten free living, the unthinkable happened! Not only did his migraines completely stop, HE STOPPED SNORING! I was in between novels, and my characters had settled down a little bit. I STARTED TO SLEEP MORE THAN FOUR HOURS A NIGHT!

I was waking up refreshed and more creative than ever! My husband may not be allergic to gluten, but being gluten free has helped my writing career.

Have you tried gluten free? What has been your experience?
(BTW....gluten free is NOT calorie free or low fat!)

Readers LOVE Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:09:00 +0000

Readers LOVE Valentine's Day!

Writers LOVE to write about the meaning behind Valentine's Day. . .ROMANCE!

Really Valentine's Day was named after several Christian Saints by with the name of Valentinus. Some of these saints were imprisoned for performing marriages for soldiers who were forbidden to marry because their job was to go around and minister to Christians. They were not supposed to be married.

BUT who isn't a sucker for love??

(Isn't this heart donut cute? It's from a local bakery and it's half the calories of a regular donut!)

There is way more to the history of Valentine's Day, but the romance is what struck a cord with me as a writer. And I know readers love romance. Take the Fifty Shades of Grey series~every single woman reader (okay, not every single one....but a ton of them!) went goo-goo-gaa-gaa over them.

Reader Monday on Why Leave a Review!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 11:31:00 +0000

Happy Monday! That means that it's READER MONDAY!! I'm excited to introduce a very cool reader, Jean Segal, to the mix! I met Jean on line. She is an amazing reader and reads a lot.

As an Indie author, I take every single necessary step to make sure that my novels are just like traditional author's novels, from hiring a top-notch editor to amazing cover artists. BUT the one thing I do and suggest to a lot of Indie authors is to put a link in the back of the book that will immediately take the reader to a page where they can leave a review.

Reviews are so important to authors, especially Indies. Good or bad, I always BEG my readers to leave a review. I'm excited to know that Jean has taken advantage of this option!

All my life I read books and never even gave it a second thought to write a review until I got my Kindle.

At the end of each book it would ask me to review the book. At first I would disregard the request and went on to read the next book. Each time I went on Amazon looking for free and inexpensive books to load on my Kindle I would read the reviews to see what other people thought of the book before purchasing it. It wasn't until after reviewing one on Tonya's books that it clicked.

Since then and after joining Tonya's Street Team I've learned a lot. One thing I've learned is that authors want honest reviews. They want our honest opinion of their books. Now when I read a review that peaks my curiosity about a book and helps me decide to buy it on Amazon I let them know. When I get done reading a book I try to review as soon as possible while it's fresh in my mind. I try not to start the next book until I've written my review.

Since joining Tonya's Street Team I've gotten to know lots of new authors and enjoyed many of their books My "to be read" list just keeps growing.

I am currently reading Angel in Flight by Gerry McCullough. I won this book on Tonya's blog in December. It's a great book so far. When I finish reading it I will be sure to write a review.

What about you? Do you use the clickable link and leave a review after you finish a book?

Reader Monday. . .Let Me Whisk You Away!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 11:22:00 +0000

Happy February!! It's a wonderful month to celebrate LOVE. . .especially your love for reading books! Don't you love when an author whisks you away to another place? That is exactly what my guest, Kellie Mounce, is talking about today! Please welcome, Kellie!!

I LOVE BOOKS. I have had this love affair for as long as I can remember. Put me in a bookstore and I can be lost for hours. There is just something about the feel of a good book in your hands. It doesn’t matter if it is a new book with crisp pages or a worn book with its age showing in the creases. The smell of the pages always leads me into my very own corner of the world.

The first “big girl” book I read as a child was James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. I remember not being able to put it down for a second. All I had to do was close my eyes and I was there with James, my friend. We had quite an adventure living inside that giant peach! We went over a cliff into the sea where we were carried by sea gulls to New York City. We were chased by the Cloud Men and had to rescue our friend Centipede who fell out of the peach. We ended up on top of the Empire State Building. What a great time we had! I look at my friend James and I can finally see happiness in his eyes. He knows he is now free to live the life that every little boy should. I hug him and promise to visit very soon. I open my eyes, smiling because I know my friend is just a page away!

When an author can take you on an adventure, make you feel emotions that you might never have felt before and leave you wanting more…that is when you know you have a treasure in your hands! I still feel like I’m 7 years old when I see my first “big girl” book. It will always have a special place in my heart.

Do you remember the first “big girl/boy” book that took you on an adventure?

The Creative Writer

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:42:00 +0000

I've always been a very creative person. My first job was in a little boutique in Lexington, Kentucky on the University of Kentucky campus. My job was to paint names or sorority symbols on any merchandise that could be painted. That included sorority bows, shirts, socks, cups, acrylic clipboards, vases, and much more!

It was so much fun! And I loved pleasing people. That is when I knew that I had to feed my creative juices and when I realized I'm a giver. The only way I knew how to keep those creative juices happy was to double major in Elementary Education and Family Therapy. That didn't last long. . .I thought I was going to have creative control of teaching and counseling, but the politics wore me out!

So. . .years later I put my creative flow into writing. Of course with all my other duties as a mom, wife, friend, etc. . .I also have a house that I have to decorate. Lucky me! I have that creative flow that is still going strong.

I've always decorated in darker colors, even have black cabinets and black doors. That means that ALL of my accessories are also very dark woods and paints.

Now we are moving! If you missed THAT crazy blog, click here for the down-low! A lot of my reasoning for having such dark colors was to hide all the little dents and dings that my guys have made. Listen. . .with three boys that are VERY active, I have a lot of balls in the air, literally, and I don't have a lot of sit around knick-knacks that can be broken.

GUESS WHAT???

They are teenagers now and know better than to break anything! That means my new house is free reign for new colors!

I'm a very upbeat person! I love quotes! I love to have light and air surrounding me! It feeds my creative flow. This move is going to be great! We are putting in a very cool pool (when I met with the pool company, I had NO idea how many pool designs are out there!) and I think the house decorations should reflect the light, fun, love feel of our family!

Along with writing my novels, I'm repurposing items that I have to add to the new things I have bought (yes, my amazing husband said that we are supposed to be getting rid of items and not buying new....I'm coming home with something new every day for the new house!)

My new decorating style is more Shabby-Chic/French Country look with whites, creams, light grays, and OLD!

(I'm using old shutters, old ladders, skids, old barn wood, and much more to create new furniture! I had an interior decorator came and she LOVED my idea! Plus she gave me some great ideas for window treatments! Much on that later!)

YES! I'm visiting a lot of resale centers, Goodwills, Craigslist and antique stores to get those perfect finds!

Needless to say. . .my creative juices are overtaking my life and that includes my writing time! This week I made a new writing schedule that allows me to take a break and paint an item or just go crazy on Pinterest!

In the meantime. . .I just couldn't wait to decorate with the items that I have already repurposed....I redid my guest bedroom because we aren't moving for another month! And I just couldn't wait!!!

(The new house guest bedroom will have different painted walls and wainscoting on the wall!! PLUS I have a really cool headboard that my hubby is making!)

I'm loving the new airy feeling and I can't wait to share my moving journey with you!!! Cheers!

Have you ever changed your decorating style? Did you get all new items or did you repurpose like me??

Be sure to grab THE DARE ME DATE~#2 in A SMALL TOWN ROMANCE SHORT STORY SERIES! Or give it for Valentine's Day! It makes the perfect romance!!

FIVE STARS! "This was a quick, fun, easy read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I liked seeing what the dare was & what would happen. Funny & romantic short story. Great Valentine's story!"

Reader Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:39:00 +0000

When I asked Melissa Lapierre to be our guest on READER MONDAY, I knew I had to know all about her history as a book blogger! I met Melissa when she blogged on my book, Carpe Bead 'em. She was such a delight to communicate with. I started following her blog because she has some great authors and books on there!! So be sure to follow the links below to check her out!!

Please welcome MELISSA LAPIERRE to READER MONDAY!!

I can't remember a time when I wasn't a reader.

As a little girl I never wanted to take naps (my how that has changed as I've aged!!!), so my Mom would plop me in my bed with a stack of books and my childhood cat, Patch. 35 years later I'm still happiest surrounded by books and cats.

In middle school I couldn't devour the Nancy Drew books from the school library fast enough. Nancy was the beginning of my love of mysteries. After that I discovered Agatha Christie, then dove into the wonderful contemporary cozies that are so popular today.

I read other genres...I love historical romance particularly, as well as true animal stories, Christmas books, and the paranormal, but mysteries will always be my first love. My Kindle collection (LOL I have three...a Keyboard, Touch, and Fire) has made my book obsession grow exponentially. What did we ever do without modern technology???

In August 2011 I decided to start a book blog (http://www.mochasmysteriesandmore.blogspot.com/) to share my love of books (and cats!) with the online community. I'd always kept paper book journals, but wanted to keep a digital record as well. It has ended up being just about the best decision I ever made.

Blogging has truly changed my life.

I absolutely cherish the friendships I've made with fellow bloggers and authors. Every time I receive a review request in my email it just amazes me that someone is asking my humble opinion on the work they've shed their blood, sweat and tears over. I never fail to be awed and honored, and wouldn't trade that feeling for anything in the world.

My ultimate goal is to someday work in the book industry, either in editing, promotion, or even the bit of writing I've dabbled in myself. It seems that with the rise of indie publishing the sky's the limit, and I couldn't be more excited to be just a small part of it!

What about you? Has your love of reading ever turned into a hobby or job like mine?

Aimee Hicks!! You won a free ebook copy of my latest novel STRUNG OUT TO DIE!! Be sure to email me your email addy so I can send it to you!

Holly Harper’s life is finally getting back on the right track after her divorce from “what’s his name.” She and a group of divorcees have formed a strong bond plotting creative ways to get back at their exes and created a self-help group known as The Divorced Divas where their meetings are held in Holly’s bead store, The Beaded Dragonfly.

It’s no secret that Holly’s ex husband, Sean Harper, and the wealthiest bachelor in Swanee, Doug Sloan, don’t get along because Sean is constantly fixing all of Doug’s shoddy handy man work. Plus all the Divas would love to get their claws in some of Doug’s money.

When Doug ends up dead on the floor of The Beaded Dragonfly with a string of cat eye beads around his neck, it’s up to Holly to figure out whose framing her.

Crazy WRITER Life!

noreply@blogger.com (Tonya Kappes) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:28:00 +0000

My life has been CRAZY!! I mean CRAZY CRAZY! You know that my amazing wonderful husband just refinished my kitchen and my office!

Seriously! They are gorgeous!

Anyways....my husband had an awakening (due to a few decisions we have been making lately) that life is too short NOT to enjoy what you have and what we don't have is a pool and the five sport carpools that we are in. . .shew!

Okay. . .he had me at the five sport carpools that I DRIVE! Man, wouldn't it be nice not to be in my car all the time and be able to use that amazing new office he did for me?

I smiled because we just don't have room in our back yard for a pool, but still the dream of not being in the car all the time was very appealing. Looooong story short. . .my husband and I found a house! A house that is a couple streets away from my guys school, which means no carpools, AND a . . .

WOW! So we put a full price offer on the house and got it! Then. . .two mortgages?? UH! Wait. . .someone wants to buy my house on the first day it went up for sale! And then another, and another!

But today, I get to sit in my new office in my old house and write! My guys are home for a snow day, and I get the warm fuzzies listening to them in the house and looking out my windows at the beautiful snow falling while enjoying one of my last writing days in my new office.

BUT. . .the new house has an office that I will create to feed my muse just like I did here!

What about you? Have you ever gotten a wild hair and done something crazy?

One comment will win an ebook copy of my newest novel, STRUNG OUT TO DIE!

**BONUS BEADED BRACELET PATTERN IN THE BOOK**

Holly Harper's life is finally getting back on the right track after her divorce from "what's his name." She and a group of divorcees have formed a strong bond plotting creative ways to get back at their exes and created a self-help group known as The Divorced Divas where their meetings are held in Holly's bead store, The Beaded Dragonfly.

It’s no secret that Holly’s ex husband, Sean Harper, and the wealthiest bachelor in Swanee, Doug Sloan, don’t get along because Sean is constantly fixing all of Doug’s shoddy handy man work. Plus all the Divas would love to get their claws in some of Doug’s money.

When Doug ends up dead on the floor of The Beaded Dragonfly with a string of cat eye beads around his neck, it’s up to Holly to figure out whose framing her.

Congratulations to Kim Reisdorf! You won the ebook copy of my latest Small Town Romance Short Story, THE DARE ME DATE! Just in time for Valentine's Day!!