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Happy Release Day!



Emma Lee Raines sees dead people
Proprietor of the Eternal Slumber Funeral Home, Emma Lee can see, hear, and talk to ghosts of murdered folks. And when her high school nemesis is found dead, Jade Lee Peel is the same old mean girl—trying to come between Emma Lee and her hot boyfriend, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross, all over again.
There’s only one way for Emma Lee to be free of the trash-talking ghost—solve the murder so the former prom queen can cross over.
But the last thing Jade Lee wants is to leave the town where she had her glory days. And the more Emma Lee investigates on her own, the more complicated Miss Popularity turns out to be. Now Emma
Lee will have to work extra closely with her hunky lawman to get to the twisty truth.

It's a Family Tradition

Growing up around the holidays in my home was so much fun. We had a huge family Thanksgiving and on the Friday after we'd have leftovers. It was the best! 

After we'd have the big leftover lunch, my dad would drag out the fake Christmas tree that was tied together with twine and the big box of ornaments while my mama made cookies and apple cider. The Chipmunks along with Frank and Dean sang throughout the house those amazing old Christmas songs. 

It'd take us at least an hour to sort the branches of the tree by the rubbed off colors that were painted on the wire stems. Then we had to plug those in while fluffing them. It'd take another hour just to do that. Then came the lights! Of course they were all balled up and we had to untangle them to plug them in and find the ONE bulb that was out so we could replace it so the rest would work. After we finally got the lights on and the ornaments on, dad put on the angel. The very last thing we did was take a family photo. 

It seemed like a lot of work, but it was making fun memories of fighting, arguing and me saying how different I'd do it when I grew up. 

Throughout the years, the same tradition took place. It was awesome. Of course when I had children, I knew we had to continue it. And we do! 

Now that my boys are grown, they still get excited about going to Granny and Grandaddy's to put up the tree. I'm huge on family traditions throughout the year and I'm beyond thrilled my grown children are just as much into it as I am.


We are missing a couple of grandchildren this year due to work but there's still plenty of family traditions to go!

What is one tradition you used to do or do now? 
Leave a comment to be entered to win a $5 Amazon gift card. Be sure to leave your email address in your response! I'll pick a winner next week!

Rock Opera

By most of my posts during the holidays (Valentine's included!), you can tell I'm a big on traditions. Some of these traditions were started by my mom and passed along through me.
Cake for breakfast on birthdays are big as well as notes in lunch boxes etc. . .


Putting up my parent's Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving is something I've done since I was baby and now passed down to my children, their grandchildren, throughout the years. Even now that four of the six grandchildren in college, they all come home to put up granny and granddaddy's tree!

There is a tradition that my mama and I do that I look forward to every year!
ROCK OPERA!!!
 Huh??

Everyone and their brother knows the famous Christmas songs of the Trans Siberian Orchesta (TSO for short).





BUT they aren't just a Christmas song band. They are actually considered ROCK OPERA. They are so awesome! I mean flames and fireworks awesome!
Every year my mama and I go. I love it when people have no idea the rock and roll part of the three hour program and kinda freak out because they had no idea it was a real rock show.

TSO now does the whole Christmas show part (which is a nice story for children to go along with the music along with falling snow.) for the first hour and a half while they do the other rock stuff for the last hour and a half.



Mama and I make a night of it. We go out to supper and go to the show. We have the best time! I love it!

Do you have a favorite holiday tradition? Or have you gone to see TSO? Leave a comment and be entered to win a $5 Amazon gift card!
Enjoy~



Death Becomes Us Cozy Mystery Book Club

Before I started writing, which was in my mid-thirties, I belonged to a book club. We had so much fun. We'd show up, grab a drink and catch up with each other for the next twenty minutes while we wait on everyone to get there.

We had so much fun discussing the books and the anticipation of what book was going to be picked next. It was a lot of fun. But like a lot things....time, children, and life happened and our book club had a hard time meeting.

Writing is my full time job and I have a hard time finding time to read. It's been a challenge for me. I have to carve out one or two days a month to do nothing but read. Then what. . . .I want to discuss the book, but my two dogs, Charlie and Scooter, don't have much  to say.

Then it hit me! I wanted to start an online book club that featured cozy mysteries. I'm so excited with the interest. I decided to have it on Facebook. I know some people aren't on Facebook, but a lot are and it's such an easy place to be and come together as a group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/403108960079286/

If you aren't on Facebook, I beg that you join. It's easy and free! There is so much community over there and discussing books are one of them! We love books right?! Join Death Becomes Us Cozy Mystery Book Club on Facebook! We'd love to have you!



Do you belong to a book club? If so, what is your favorite thing about going? Leave a comment (with your email address) to win a $5 Amazon gift card! Winner will be announced on Friday!

Last week's blog winner is PENNEY!

Happy Thanksgiving





Since it's Thanksgiving week and we are all ready to stuff ourselves full of great food, I'm including a breakfast casserole I make ahead of time for Thanksgiving morning and let it cook while I start the Thanksgiving feast food. My kids and husband love it.

Ingredients:
1 package (16 oz.) of bulk ground sausage. I like a little spice to mine so I get a mild or hot sausage.

1 onion (chopped or you can buy a bag of the frozen already chopped)

1 red pepper (chopped or you can buy a bag of the frozen already chopped)

3-4 cups frozen square hash browns

2 cups cheddar cheese

3/4 cups Bisquick (I use gluten free Bisquick because Eddy is gluten free and it's the same measurements)

2 cups of milk

6 eggs

Optional black pepper

Directions:
I preheat my oven to 400
Spray a 3 quart baking dish ( 13 x 9 inches) with cooking spray
Over medium heat, cook the chopped onion and red pepper along with the sausage until the sausage is cooked with no pink. Drain the meat. Add the meat mixture, frozen hash browns, and 1.5 cups of the cheese in the baking dish.
In a bowl, combine the milk, Bisquick, eggs, and pepper (optional). Pour over the sausage mix in the baking dish.
Bake for around 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over top and bake another five minutes or until the cheese has melted. I'm a big believer in letting the food stand for 5-10 minutes after taken out of the oven. Enjoy!


What food are you looking forward to eating around your Thanksgiving table? Leave a comment to be entered to win a $5 Amazon gift card.
Happy Thanksgiving!



You can find this recipe along with  many others in 

SCENE OF THE GRIND
BOOK 1


Pre-Order your copy of Scene of the Grind, the first book in a new coffee mystery, A KILLER COFFEE MYSTERY SERIES.



After a bitter divorce, Roxanne Davis (her friends, though few call her Roxie) has moved back home to Honey Springs, Kentucky where she's opened the tourist lakefront town's first coffee house, The Bean Hive. 


With the excitement of the Bean Hive opening and rush of business, Roxie is moving on with her life until she finds that one of her best customers, Lilia Walters, was found dead after eating one of Roxie's best-selling doughnuts after Roxie's aunt Maxine gave Lilia as a peace offering.



Gossip in Honey Springs is as hot at the coffee served at the Bean Hive and Roxie has to uncover who is behind the murder not only to save her shop, her aunt, but her life.
Happy reading!! ~ Tonya




Tonya Kappes
USA TODAY Bestselling Author has two Schnauzers, Scooter and Charlie!
Friend me on Facebook here. * Follow me on Twitter here.
Learn about my books here.

Congratulations to last week's blog winner Margaret Devine! Please email me Tonyak11@yahoo.com to claim your prize.


Fa-la-la Time Of The Year

This is the time of year that I find myself going to more craft shows, more concerts, and more weekends spent with friends who like to do those things.
In a couple of weeks I'll be going to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra with my mom. It's a lot of fun and I'll talk about that in a couple of weeks along with some real cool pictures.

It's the fun and creative crafts that really grab my attention. And Pinterest isn't helping either! I am a member of a mega church and it's really big. In order to really get to know people, we have small groups.

My small group is called the Creative Crafty Chicks. We meet every Tuesday and I love it. We have the best time. We have snacks and craft. I'm not a very crafty person but they are and are so good about letting me join. They quilt and paint and all sorts of stuff, while I can talk and tell stories. Hahahhaa!

Anyways, some of us have been to some craft fairs or on Pinterest and finding fun holiday crafts to make. This week we made these cool wine bottles. Mine are the snowmen.




How fun is that? It's a great group and I can't wait to share all the fun stuff we make!

What about you? Do you find yourself going to more craft fair or making fun seasonal crafts this time of the year?
Leave a comment and be entered to win the weekly $5 Amazon GC giveaway.



You can check out the new Killer Coffee Mystery Series debuting on January 27, 2017! 



SCENE OF THE GRIND
BOOK 1


Pre-Order your copy of Scene of the Grind, the first book in a new coffee mystery, A KILLER COFFEE MYSTERY SERIES.



After a bitter divorce, Roxanne Davis (her friends, though few call her Roxie) has moved back home to Honey Springs, Kentucky where she's opened the tourist lakefront town's first coffee house, The Bean Hive. 


With the excitement of the Bean Hive opening and rush of business, Roxie is moving on with her life until she finds that one of her best customers, Lilia Walters, was found dead after eating one of Roxie's best-selling doughnuts after Roxie's aunt Maxine gave Lilia as a peace offering.



Gossip in Honey Springs is as hot at the coffee served at the Bean Hive and Roxie has to uncover who is behind the murder not only to save her shop, her aunt, but her life.



Happy reading!! ~ Tonya




Tonya Kappes
USA TODAY Bestselling Author has two Schnauzers, Scooter and Charlie!
Friend me on Facebook here. * Follow me on Twitter here.
Learn about my books here.





Southern Fried Cover Reveal!


I'm so excited to show you the cover of Southern Fried, the second book in the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series. Isn't it amazing?
The wire around the cast-iron skillet is barbwire that is very important to the mystery. I'm beyond so excited for this book!
It's releasing April 2017 and I'm beyond thrilled for you to come back to Cottonwood, Kentucky and visit.
The first book in the series, Fixin' To Die is now available, so if you haven't read it, be sure to before Southern Fried comes out.
Dianne Jessie, a Krew Member, won a NAME THE BOOK contest on my Krew Member page on Facebook.
I'm reaching out again! To you!!
Dead and Breakfast is my current working title on the third Kenni Lowry Mystery Series book. I just found out that another mystery author has named her book Dead and Breakfast that will be out next year before this one. I'm asking you for your help! I'm looking for something VERY specific. A play on words with a southern twist that has to do with murder. The setting is at the Inn, a bed and breakfast in Cottonwood.

Leave a comment to help me name the book! I will announce the winner next week! And when you leave a comment, you will be entered to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card! Winner announced next Tuesday!

Head down, fingers moving and GO!

Have you heard of Nanowrimo?



National November Writing Month is what Nanowrimo stands for. 

Every year I look forward to this event every November. I write every day of the year. So it really shouldn't be a big deal if I participate in Nanowrimo, but it is!

There is so much hubbub for writers the entire month. 
The Nanowrimo website has links and writer's forums that get you motivated. Trust me, writing is a very lonely job. All day long I sit on my hinny and sit in front of my computer. It sounds like a lot of fun when in reality, it's difficult. You have to be disciplined to be a writer. 
I turn off my cell phone, I turn off social media, and I set the timer on my watch so it reminds me to get up and move. 

Mentally writing exhausts me.
My mind is always going with characters talking to me, deadlines looming, blogs to get written, readers to communicate with and there is literally no one to vent to about these things. Of course my husband is an amazing listener, but he still doesn't get it. He tells me, "you're living the life," only because I'm home and can do all the home things that need to be done.

I LOVE MY JOB! 

I'm not complaining. I'm only trying to show you just how lonely writing truly is. 
Nanowrimo is like a holiday for me. 

The website starts in October with guest authors, tips and tricks, even recipes to keep you writing. I guess most writers don't write every day. I do because I like a routine. They post inspirational videos! I love it.

During the month, Nanowrimo has a winners badge. How do you win? They provide you with a word count ticker. A novel by definition is a 50,000 word document/story. So in order to win Nanowrimo, you have to write at least 50,000. That's a little over 1,600/day. I'm used to writing between 3,000-5,000 words a day so it's not a problem for me to win the badge.

It's the bringing writers together once a year for a long month event is what gets me pumped. There is even a local meet up for writers who are participating and I love that! It's a month of inspiration that lasts me all year long.

What about you? Do you have something you look forward to every year that inspires you? Leave a comment and be entered to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment. xo

A Charming Death is FREE this weekend!!


Spend Halloween weekend in the magical village of Whispering Falls in this ! A !

Halloween Weekend Treat!

Who doesn't love a little Halloween treat!
A Charming Death, a novella in the Magical Cures Mystery Series is FREE!!
NO TRICK!!!
A Charming Death is ONLY free for FIVE days so be sure to pick up your copy of this All Hallow's Eve tale today! And tell your friends!

This is a short story in the Magical Cures Mystery Series between books 7 and 8.

The wedding is finally here! 

June Heal and Oscar Park's upcoming nuptials are sending the Dark Sider and Good Sider spiritual in a tail spin on this All Hallow's Eve wedding celebration. Aunt Helena wants June to have a Good Sider ceremony, while Aunt Eloise wants Oscar to have a Dark Sider ceremony. When one of the Aunts is poisoned, June and Oscar aren't sure they will have enough time to figure out who is sabotaging their wedding before Mr. Prince Charming walks her down the aisle?

Grab your copy today!! Click here!

Get Witch or Die Trying Release Day and Giveaway!

I'm beyond thrilled that GET WITCH OR DIE TRYING, book three in the Spies and Spells Mystery Series is released today! Get your copy now! http://amzn.to/2cQ9PyD

Get Witch or Die Trying

When an arrest goes wrong and the perp ends up dead, SKUL special agent Mick Jasper is under investigation and stripped of his badge. SKUL hires Maggie Park not only because of her ability to blend in with society when undercover but her uncanny ability to know things she shouldn't. Little does the agency know that Maggie is a witch and has special powers she uses to her advantage to clear special agent Jasper's name and hopefully bring the real killer to justice before the killer figures out who she really is.

Here is the first chapter! Enjoy!


Chapter One

I knew it wasn’t going to be a good thing.

As soon as Riule, my mom’s cat who also just so happened to be her familiar, jumped up on top of me to get me out of bed this morning, a deep-rooted feeling told me today was not going to go well. I didn’t need my witchy instincts to tell me that.

“You aren’t doing it right,” Mrs. Hubbard said in a dull and troubled voice. She hiked King, her Yorkie, up a little further up on her hip.

Her feisty mood was back, but this time it was on our turf—The Brew’s kitchen, our family’s retro diner in downtown Louisville, Kentucky—and not out on the green where our house sat across from Mrs. Hubbard’s, our very nosy neighbor.

The Brew only served breakfast and lunch, so I was praying the time would go by fast. Real fast.

“I am doing it right,” Auntie Meme’s voice grated harshly.
She stood over the stove actually using a whisk to stir the ingredients, which was awfully strange to me since Auntie never used a mortal utensil to cook. That alone told me it told me it wasn’t going to go well.

Mrs. Hubbard, along with King, stood over her shoulder, which meant that Auntie Meme couldn’t just snap her fingers and make everything good or make Mrs. Hubbard disappear, which I was pretty sure was rolling around in her hot-tempered head.

Auntie Meme turned around and came nose-to-nose with Mrs. Hubbard. King’s lip quivered as a low growl crept past his gnashed teeth. Auntie’s bright red hair stuck up on her head like a dog that was about to pounce on its prey—a stark contrast to Mrs. Hubbard’s neatly styled grey chin-length hair and pearls studs in her ears. They eyed each other. Auntie drummed her fingers together. It was only going to take one quick flick and both Mrs. Hubbard and King would go poof. Auntie turned back to the boiling pots on the stove.

I let out a little sigh, thankful that Auntie Meme had backed down. Something that was extremely rare.
Auntie Meme and Mrs. Hubbard have always had the neighbor feud thing going on. Our family diner, The Brew, had always been a safe haven away from our nosy neighbors—at least until I opened my big mouth.

A month or so ago when I was snooping around for Auntie Meme after she’d accused Mrs. Hubbard of stealing a package left by the mailman on our front porch, Mrs. Hubbard had invited me in for a cup of tea and her homemade carrot cake. I was enjoying her cake so much that I’d almost forgotten to look for the package.

This was where my big mouth got us in trouble. I had told my auntie and my mom that I didn’t see the package in Mrs. Hubbard’s house, but that she’d made the most spectacular little cakes that were so moist. In fact, I raved so much that I’d convinced Auntie Meme that she needed to feature the mini-carrot cakes in the diner for the fall and winter seasons. Mom thought it was a fantastic idea since she needed to keep the prying eyes of Mrs. Hubbard away while she decorated for the Belgravia Court Historic Homes Christmas Tour, which might be sped along by a little magic that might be unexplainable to the mortal eyes.

That brings us to today. Mrs. Hubbard was beyond thrilled to come to the diner and make her cakes with Auntie’s help. Plus, Mrs. Hubbard said that her house was falling down around her and she couldn’t afford the repairs. She was hoping the money she was going to make from the cake sales at the diner could help her pay for some of the repairs.

Belgravia Court was where we lived in Old Louisville, Kentucky. It’s its own quaint little pocket just far enough away from the city to feel like a village with old historic charm. Which was why Mom and Auntie moved our family here. Gosh, Auntie Meme was pushing two-hundred years old and who knew how old Mom was, so the old was just comfortable to them. Which brings me back to the 1890’s Victorian homes on Belgravia Court.

Belgravia Court ran for three blocks, with all of the Victorian houses facing each other with a green courtyard running through the middle. The backside of our houses led to an alley on each side where we had our own detached garages. It was truly a magnificent place to live with the charming, gaslight-lantern-lined pathway along the green. It was magical and we didn’t have to put a spell on it to make it that way.

Mrs. Hubbard lived across the green with King. Both very nosy and very loud. When Mom talked Auntie into letting Mrs. Hubbard come to The Brew to make her cakes, it was due to the fact that Mom needed a good day’s work to prepare the house for the upcoming Belgravia Court Historic Homes Christmas Tour that ran every weekend from the end of November to January. We were only a couple of weeks away and Mom had already been working on this for a month.

Only a few houses were chosen to be included in the exclusive tour and with a little wave of the hand, Mom made sure our house was picked. Mom was competitive and was pulling out all the magic she could muster up to make our house stand out above anyone else’s on the tour, which was very strange to me since we spent so much time trying to stay out of sight and blend in with the mortals.
One little problem, Mom didn’t have a Christmas decorating bone in her body. She was really good at the other holidays, but for some reason she just couldn’t pick one theme or even one century. She had what I called the Christmas flu and our house looked like she’d just vomited decorations everywhere. Yeah, it looks as lovely as it sounds.

Which brings me back to today. Here in the kitchen at The Brew where Auntie Meme was unable to use her magic to whip up her usual daily specials to keep Mrs. Hubbard off of Belgravia Court so Mom could use whatever means necessary to fix the decorated house.

“You need a little more flour, Meme.” Mrs. Hubbard was a ticking time bomb as she flinched behind Auntie Meme. King yipped alongside of Mrs. Hubbard.

“Gladys, you need to shut up. You and your ankle bitter are making me nervous.” Auntie threw her hands in the air and swiveled around. Her rosy red cheeks were redder than normal; her red hair that normally stuck straight up in the air was flattened with a layer of flour. I could see the spell that was on the tip of her eyelids as her black eyes assessed the situation.

Slowly I shook my head at her. She sucked in a deep breath and rolled her shoulders back.
“I’m sorry, Gladys.” It took a lot for Auntie Meme to swallow her witchy pride and not throw a spell on poor old Mrs. Hubbard like she’d done so many times before.

Harmless spells, but spells nonetheless.

“I sure could use some help filling up the salt shakers, Mrs. Hubbard.” I knew that if I got Mrs. Hubbard out of the kitchen for even a minute, all would be well and Auntie Meme could do her thing to the carrot cakes.

“Oh that’s a great idea.” Auntie planted a grip on each side of Mrs. Hubbard’s shoulders a little too close to where King was being held. He tried to nip at Auntie’s fingers, but quickly stopped after Auntie lifted a finger and sent a little shock to his system. “That way we can hurry up and open so the customers can get in here and taste these delicious treats.”

All three of us looked at the cakes just taken out of the oven. They were sunken in the middle. Definitely not fit to feed to a hog, much less a human, mortal or witch.

“I guess we could use a little break,” Mrs. Hubbard agreed.

She put King on the floor next to her and scuttled across the floor. She ripped the hairnet off of her grey head of hair. She’d insisted on wearing the hairnet since it was code for the health department, little did she know that the health department had never shown up here thanks to Auntie’s flip of the wrist.
She stopped shy of the door between the diner and kitchen. Her eyes darted between Auntie Meme and me as she fiddled with the string of pearls around her neck. She wore her usual uniform of black pants and cardigan. Today’s color choice was key-lime green. She tucked a strand of her chin-length hair behind her ear and disappeared into the diner.

I gave Auntie the bright-eyed, hurry-the-heck-up look before I followed Mrs. Hubbard into the dining area.


“Here you go,” I said to Mrs. Hubbard.
 I reached under the counter and retrieved a refill caddy with all the condiments needed to refill the items on the table.
“Just fill up what you see needs to be done. I’ll start over in that corner.” I pointed to the window up front. “And work my way around until all the tables are ready to go.”

Both of us went in opposite directions.

“I’m glad you are featuring your cakes here. I can’t wait to have one.” I set the caddy on the retro dining table.

Auntie Meme had fond memories of that time in her life, so when she opened The Brew, she wanted a diner with a black and white tile floor, sparkly vinyl covered metal chairs, and the retro tables to go with it. There was no way I was going to wear the retro outfits she’d originally wanted, so we opted for aprons instead.

“It’s a trial run.” Mrs. Hubbard’s brows rose. “And by the taste of things and look of things, it’s only going to be today since she can’t seem to get it right.” She tsked, “How on Earth does she bake and cook all day long and not be able to get a simple cake right?”

“I think she’s just trying too hard to perfect your recipe,” I replied.

“Well, I was banking on that money to help fix up a few things in my house.” There was a worry in her tone that I hadn’t heard before.

I kept my head down so she couldn’t even try to read the look on my face because I was afraid she was right. If Auntie didn’t like how things went today, she wouldn’t let Mrs. Hubbard come back. I put a napkin, fork, spoon, knife, and frosted plastic cup in front of each chair at each table. My head jerked up when I noticed a shadow of a person cast into the diner from the outside morning sun just starting to peek over the buildings in downtown where the diner was located.

The person wore a black round-brim hat that covered the eyes. It must’ve been a customer looking to see if we were open because they took off when I looked up. I shrugged it off and went about my chores of filling up the items on the table, but when Vinnie whizzed by, I paused, rubbing my hand over my red dangling crystal necklace.

Vinnie is my 1964 AC Cobra and also my familiar. I know he’s not the regular familiar that mortals have gotten used to seeing in the movies and books, but that’s how little mortals really knew about the real witchy world.

Vinnie had a mind of his own and kept me safe. When he sped off from where he’d parked this morning it made my stomach curl. My necklace didn’t warm (the usual sign of danger) nor did I get any witchy sense that something was wrong.

The rattle of pans and a loud crash, sort of sounding like a mini-explosion, was followed up by a puff of flour bursting through the window between the kitchen and diner, leaving me with little time to think about Vinnie.

“Oh, lordy.” Mrs. Hubbard shook her head, her tongue heavy with sarcasm.

“Auntie Meme?” I called out. “Are you okay?”

The cloud of flour settled and she popped her head through the window. Her hair no longer had even a speck of white flour in it as it had when Mrs. Hubbard and I were in the kitchen with her, nor did she look ruffled.

“I’m happier than a puppy with two tails.” The smile on her face told me that she’d done a little magic while I’d occupied Mrs. Hubbard. Her hands lifted up a tray of the most beautiful little carrot cakes that looked exactly like Mrs. Hubbard’s.

“Knock me down and steal muh teeth!” Mrs. Hubbard’s eyes popped open at the sight of the cakes on the tray. “How on Earth did you get those baked so quickly?” Mrs. Hubbard giddy-upped on over to the window and peered at the cakes that were as pretty as a picture. “And you frosted them exactly how I do it,” she said.

Her tone set off alarm bells ringing in my head. Auntie Meme had to be really careful. Mrs. Hubbard was one smart old bird.

I walked over and took the plate of small cakes from Auntie and put them underneath the glass dome on the counter to display.

“Well? How did you do it so fast?” Mrs. Hubbard wasn’t going to be satisfied with the silence Auntie Meme had given her.

“You made me nervous looking over my shoulder.” Auntie Meme clicked the heels of her black boots and twirled around on the balls of her feet. Her shoes clicked against the black and white tile of the kitchen floor. “And that’s why I actually own and cook at my own diner,” Auntie Meme was both excited and aggravated.

“She is good.” I tucked a piece of my long black hair behind my ear as I tried to avoid Mrs. Hubbard’s eyes and smooth the less than believable explanation Auntie Meme had given her.

“Good?” Mrs. Hubbard questioned. “Something ain’t right. It takes at least a good hour to cool one of them small cakes and ice it. That doesn’t even include the baking time. There’s no way we’ve been out here for more than five minutes, much less an hour.” Mrs. Hubbard glanced back at the kitchen window before her eyes shifted back to me. She shook her finger at me. “I know something fishy is going on because I know your car wasn’t parked there when we walked out here.”
My eyes followed her finger. Vinnie’s alarm was going off.

“Auntie!” I screamed across the diner’s dining room.

“What?” Her head popped out of the kitchen window.

“I. . .” I pointed over my shoulder. Her eyes flew open.

“Go!” She gestured.

The red gem warmed against my skin. My gut dropped.

**GIVEAWAY**
What is your favorite Halloween candy?? Leave a comment and one lucky winner will win a $5 Amazon Gift Card!!!

***GIVEAWAY OVER*** MELISSA DAVISON WON!


Gratitude!

Hearts
When I opened an email from a reader with the subject line GRATITUDE, I was flabbergasted she was sending me gratitude!
If you think about gratitude, what comes to your mind? I’m sure it’s different than what comes to my mind. Most readers don’t realize that you are the center of my world.
Of course I love creating all sorts of stories in my head and writing them down, but I never dreamed that anyone other than my own mother would want to read them.
It wasn’t until my husband looked at one of my favorite author’s novel did he inform me that he knew I could write one of those.
With those few words of encouragement, I began writing that night on what turned out to be a novel that would never see the light of day. Through persistence and thick skin, I finally was able to get my first novel, Carpe Bead ‘em, published.
If only one person bought that novel, I had fulfilled my dream of publishing. This made me a real author! And not only did one person buy it, over thirty-thousand copies sold in the first month Carpe Bead ‘em had been out. Quickly it shot to the bestsellers list and beyond.
I was beyond filled up with gratitude. You see, it’s not about money to me. It’s about connecting with readers and forming relationships with them. I have met my readers at conferences, for dinner, for dessert, and weekend retreats.
My gratitude is you, the reader.
You have a busy life just like me, I know~I have four teenage boys. And in today’s crazy world you take time out of your day to sit down and make time for my made up stories. This blows me away! And you make me a better writer! I write about family, love, and emotions. I take you on a journey that I hope fills you up with gratitude as much as I’m filled up by you.
What is something you are GRATEFUL for? 

A CHARMING VOODOO SCAVENGER HUNT!










***TWO GIVEAWAYS***
**GIVEAWAY ONE**
AN AUDIO BOOK FROM THE MAGICAL CURES MYSTERY SERIES!
TO ENTER, leave a comment on this blog post with your e-mail address. If  we are friends on Facebook, I can get in touch that way, and feel free to friend me if we aren't!

**GIVEAWAY TWO**




tonya


a Rafflecopter giveaway



xo~ Tonya
USA TODAY Bestselling Author of the
Magical Cures Mystery Series
Friend me on Facebook here. * Follow me on Twitter here.
Learn about my books here.
Check out my latest novel in the Magical Cures Mystery Series
A CHARMING VOODOO
BOOK 10
A Charming Voodoo Ebook
Preorder your copy of A Charming Voodoo today!
Synopsis:
Bubble. . . bubble. . . 
Whispering Falls is abuzz with the new
housing development and new shops
popping up all over the magical
village right before the annual All
Hallow’s Eve celebration.

Cures and trouble. . . 
June Heal’s intuition
is on high alert and she just can’t shake
that something bad is about to happen.
Magic stirs . . .
June finds Violet Draper standing over a dead body
In the new pumpkin patch hours before it’s supposed
to open for hayrides.

And trouble doubles . . . 
Once again, June has to put her sleuthing skills to work
and figure out who the real killer is before the new
citizens pack up and move right back out of town.
Happy reading!! ~ Tonya

Serial Watcher AND Giveaway!




Generally we southerns like to sweep family issues under the rug until they rear their ugly head and want a little attention, then we just slap a little lipstick on it or a monogramed necklace and call it good.

But I just can't keep this issue under the rug. It doesn't look pretty in lipstick. And it refuses to wear a necklace....

My family. . .here it goes. . .we are serial watcher.



netflix-hp

SHOOOWEEE!! That felt good getting that off my chest!

We watch Netflix and Amazon Prime. I have four boys and they all watch different things on each of those online streaming services. Most suppertime talk is them telling me about the new series they found or new movie they watched the night before.

They don't watch TV during the day, but they do watch the online streaming at night. Since my Eddy and I are working during the day, it was useless for us to continue with Direct TV so we got rid of it!

My boys were so upset! I asked them when do you watch Direct TV and all of them replied "NEVER." I found it so interesting that their generation doesn't remember a time without cable TV. I clearly remember when cable was installed in my childhood home and I clearly remember the first Disney show and the first video premiere on Mtv!

Needless to say, we haven't missed a bit of cable or Direct TV, but we sure are stuck on watching series of TV shows. I love that my boys are watching the old 90210 shows from the eighty and nineties and old movies I grew up watching. I especially love when one of them recommend a series for me.

Lat week my Austin asked if I watched Longmire because it was a show that would go right along with my writing. NOW...I'm on season two! ADDICTED!!!! I can not only watch ONE episode, I watch THREE in one sitting!!!

What about you? Are you a serial watcher?

Answer my question in the comments section and you will be entered to win an audio book in the Magical Cures Mystery Series!!
Don't forget to enter the rafflecopter to be entered to win A KINDLE, $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD, AND TWO KAPPES EBOOKS!



a Rafflecopter giveaway












***TWO GIVEAWAYS***
**GIVEAWAY ONE**
AN AUDIO BOOK FROM THE MAGICAL CURES MYSTERY SERIES!
TO ENTER, leave a comment on this blog post with your e-mail address. If  we are friends on Facebook, I can get in touch that way, and feel free to friend me if we aren't!

**GIVEAWAY TWO**




tonya


xo~ Tonya
USA TODAY Bestselling Author of the
Magical Cures Mystery Series
Friend me on Facebook here. * Follow me on Twitter here.
Learn about my books here.
Check out my latest novel in the Magical Cures Mystery Series
A CHARMING VOODOO
BOOK 10
A Charming Voodoo Ebook
Preorder your copy of A Charming Voodoo today!
Synopsis:
Bubble. . . bubble. . . 
Whispering Falls is abuzz with the new
housing development and new shops
popping up all over the magical
village right before the annual All
Hallow’s Eve celebration.

Cures and trouble. . . 
June Heal’s intuition
is on high alert and she just can’t shake
that something bad is about to happen.
Magic stirs . . .
June finds Violet Draper standing over a dead body
In the new pumpkin patch hours before it’s supposed
to open for hayrides.

And trouble doubles . . . 
Once again, June has to put her sleuthing skills to work
and figure out who the real killer is before the new
citizens pack up and move right back out of town.
Happy reading!! ~ Tonya


Lisa Ks Book Reviews: It's here!A CHARMING VOODOOBook 10 in the Magica...

Lisa Ks Book Reviews: It's here! A CHARMING VOODOOBook 10 in the Magica...: It's here! A CHARMING VOODOO Book 10 in the Magical Cures Mysteries by  Tonya Kappes Released today! Bubble. ...

Happy Release Day!









Bubble. . . bubble. . . 
Whispering Falls is abuzz with the new 
housing development and new shops 
popping up all over the magical 
village right before the annual All 
Hallow’s Eve celebration. 

Cures and trouble. . . 
June Heal’s intuition 
is on high alert and she just can’t shake 
that something bad is about to happen. 

Magic stirs . . . 
June finds Violet Draper standing over a dead body 
In the new pumpkin patch hours before it’s supposed 
to open for hayrides. 

And trouble doubles . . . 
Once again, June has to put her sleuthing skills to work 
and figure out who the real killer is before the new 
citizens pack up and move right back out of town. 

Password CrAzY!!

passwordscloud

Oh my...One of our own Whodunit authors, Laura Bradford, had emailed me telling me that my email had been hacked. Immediately my heart sank. Not because I feared someone was going to send my hacker $5,000 to a secret account to get me out of jail in Tahiti, but the dreaded thought of trying to figure out a password and remembering it!
Every year I change my passwords. I keep them for a year and I have a place where I store them. This year was no different. When 2016 rolled around, I went through the dreaded password change. I'm not talking just blogs, Facebook, etc. . .I'm talking utility companies who I pay bills online, banking, all my blogs, websites, Goodreads, Amazon, Google docs, and many more. It's painful.
So when I got Laura's email, I groaned loudly because it's only FEBRUARY and I just started remembering the new ones without my notes that week! Not only that, but now the password gatekeepers of my email server said I have to have a capital letter, lower case letter, number and symbol. Symbol?? Now that's a new on to me and now I still can't remember my new password.

How often do you change your passwords?

If you haven't had to opportunity to read USA Today Bestselling novel, A CHARMING CRIME, now is your time! It's currently  FREE!
TK Charming Crime USA

Happy Release Day!



Betting Off Dead 
And their off! 
Gambling on horse racing is Kentucky's number one sport but when Kentucky Derby Thoroughbred picked to win the Derby, Rails and Nails, ends up poisoned, SKUL special agent Mick Jasper and rookie witch Maggie Park, who keeps her witch powers a secret, are called in to investigate a world of illegal gambling where a run for the roses can prove to be deadly.

Conference For A Cause

I love going to conference where readers are the center of the conference. I'm always on the look out for them, but recently I had been contacted by another author who is doing something a little different.
She is hosting a Toys For Tots Christmas Reader Conference. When she asked me to host a table I didn't have to think twice! I knew it was going to be a wonderful cause.
The luncheon is Saturday December 3rd in Newport, Kentucky. I'll be posting event information soon! Let me know if you'd like to come. I'd love to meet you.

toys for tots
Do you do any charities?

Maggie vs Tonya

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000030_00046]
Judge smacks the gavel on the desk to get order in the courtroom. On one side of the courtroom Author Tonya Kappes is preparing to defend the lawsuit Maggie Parks has filed against her. While Maggie Parks is on the other side of the courtroom.
Judge: Ms. Parks, please state your claim.
Maggie Parks: I’m here today for you to order Tonya Kappes to make my familiar an animal like every other witch out there.
Judge: What exactly did she make your familiar?
Maggie Parks: A 1965 red AC Cobra.
Judge: A car? A muscle car?
Tonya Kappes: Funny (she snickers under her breath).
Maggie Parks: See! She thinks it’s funny! It’s not funny. Everyone else in my FAMILY has an animal. My sister Lilith has a bird, Aunt Meme has an owl, and mama has a cat! I get a car?
Judge: Ms. Kappes, what do you have to say for yourself?
Tonya Kappes: It’s funny. Vinnie is a 1965 muscle car that is so jealous of Maggie’s suitors, including Mick Jasper the undercover agent for SKUL, the Secret Keepers of the Universal Law. He has to get in Maggie’s car sometimes during the investigation and Vinnie is so jealous of him. Mick is very cute and hot, if you know what I mean.
Maggie Parks: It’s not funny! Vinnie locks Mick in and drives crazy, zipping in and out of traffic, warming Mick’s seat until his pants are practically on fire. (Maggie tries to hide a giggle.)
Tonya Kappes: See, funny!
Judge smacks the gavel: I rule in favor of Author Tonya Kappes. She knows how to use her imagination to bring smiles to even the maddest of faces.
Maggie Parks darts out of the courtroom and all we hear is Vinnie squeal his tires.

What about you? What type of familiar would you want?

Spies and Spells
Spies and Spells Book 1
While Maggie waits for her Witchy Hour, she works at the family diner with her mom, aunt Meme and Lilith, her sister - all witches. Soon Maggie gets entangled with a mysterious handsome stranger, Mick Jasper, and his secret U.S. organization, SKUL. Has she found her calling?

Caught me by surprise!

There is something I discovered about myself and it actually took me by surprise. 
Over the last eight years I've had two offices. The first one was in our old house and it was a living room that we never used. My Eddy had converted it to an office and even had custom built shelves put in along with a chalkboard and a very cool barn door. 
It was beautiful. Only one problem...I never used it! I kept my stuff in there but I ended up writing my novels while sitting in an overstuffed chair or in the corner of my comfy couch. 
Four years ago we moved to a new house. There was a great office on the first floor as soon as you walked into the house. I painted it, bought a new desk, a new chair, rug, curtains, and hung up my accomplishments. It was a cool office. One problem. . .I never used it. 
I  ended up doing a Feng shui of my home and added all that I needed to add to make the office more creative for me. I repainted, re-arranged, redecorated and all was beautiful. One problem. . .I never used it. I ended up curling back up on the comfy couch or siting in a chair in a small room that sits off of the kitchen. There is a black square cube where I sit my coffee. The top of the cube comes off and my Eddy joked about the cube being my office because I stuffed it full with all the things I needed while I was writing that novel. 
One day a couple of months ago Eddy suggested we move the basement laundry room up to the first floor where the office that I never use was located. There were a few other things that needed to be re-arranged for a big remodel we will be doing in a few years so the first half of the office was going to just sit empty while the other half became a nice new laundry room. 
During the remodel, I kFullSizeRenderept my desk in the first half in front of the window, which when it was my real office the desk sat in the corner of the back of the room. I would sit at the desk and talk to Eddy while he worked on the laundry room. I began to gaze out of the window at my water fountain and the flower bed. I started to get a feeling, an urge that I needed to write, right then!
It was as if my creative juices started to flow. The small half of the room was cozy, almost hugging me. Then it occurred to me. Everyday for the past eight years I had an office but I chose to write in a snug place like a small couch, a comfy chair or even in the back seat of my van. I was a little surprised. 
Over the past couple of weeks, the remodel has been completed. My laundry room turned out amazing and the small half  of the old office has been transformed into a small office until the big remodel in a couple of years and I've gotten so much writing done in there on the super humid days when it's just been too hot to go outside. 
I even get to look out at my fountain and watch the birds wash themselves. 
Is there a special place you love to hang out in your house?
Thank you to my Kappes Krew team for making awesome blog post suggestions. Cecelia Kelsey is the wonderful Krew member who suggested I blog on my summer produce. Thanks Cecelia!!
Be sure to check out Tonyakappes.com for upcoming novels and preorder links!
A CHARMING VOODOO               BETTING OFF DEAD             
RELEASE DATE:9/26                    RELEASE DATE: 8/29                
A Charming Voodoo EbookBetting Off Dead EbookGhostlyReunion




 RELEASE DATE: 12/27

ANSWERING A READER QUESTION

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