HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!
What better fun than to color a heart balloon with a skull in it???
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The Value of a Reader
In 2010 I was asked to do a guest blog post. I’d only been published a year into and had a very clear vision of what my purpose to becoming an author. As you know, I’d never set out to become an author. I didn’t even start reading until I was well into my 30’s.
Honestly I’ve never read the GREAT classics or even have an itch now to pick them up. But I still have the same purpose even after all of these years. This blog was fun to revisit and I thought you’d like to read it too. Keep in mind this was the very beginning of Facebook and a new place to hang out with readers! So fun!
The graphic was also something I had made back then. I also had a lot of merchandise made up with the logo because I DO LOVE MY READERS!!!
This was my very first book signing! And my very first reader to sign for! Her name is Joy!
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I’ll never forget the very first email I had received from a reader. She was telling me how much my books helped her through a very difficult time in her life. That is when I sat back and really took notice of how important a reader is.
You see, I started writing for myself. And when I decided to pursue publishing I still had myself in mind. I wanted to see my book on Amazon or on the shelf at the book store. It had become a dream of mine. BUT I never took into consideration who was going to buy my book. . .outside of my family.
And her email really touched me. Her words filled my soul with gratitude and joy. After her email, it was like the flood gates opened. One after the other, more and more reader mail popped up in my email. Each one had something different to say about my stories.
The more I heard from them, the more they fed my muse. I wanted to give them more. It wasn’t about me selling more books, it was about pleasing the readers that I had gained. I wanted to make them feel good and continue to feel good.
Sometimes I think that authors forget about the reader. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not putting any authors down or saying that I’m the right one here, but I see readers different than most writers.
I started a TONYA KAPPES STREET TEAM. This is a Facebook page where my readers have gathered and we talk about everyday life, what they are reading, or just a quick hello. It’s not a place for my readers to praise me. It’s the place where I PRAISE them!
Here is what it’s all about:
This is a team that I have assembled because you have been so supportive and an instrumental part of my success. I’m creating this group to help spread the word about my books. The best sell for an author is personal recommendation.
The best way for me to do that is for you, my friends, to spread the word through email or word of mouth would be a great big help. There isn’t much to it.
As a member, you will join my online yahoo group which is a yes to the street team invite.
And in return you get a chance to:
* have a character named after you in my books
* win monthly drawing for Street Team Members only-you are automatically entered. (this includes gift cards, books, and other fun stuff)
* In the month of my releases, you have a chance to win a $25 Visa Giftcard
* Fun tips about my characters
* Extra more things!
What do you have to do to be a COZY KREW STREET TEAM MEMBER?
You only have to do none or all of these:)
* spread the word to family and friends about the books of mine that you really liked
* take promo materials to local writers groups, conventions, etc…
* be my friend
* pick one of my books for your book club
* skype me into your book club or google plus is fine too
* if you have a blog, feature my new book trailer, review my book, interview me
* post reviews for my books on all the reader-centric sites like Goodreads, Shelfari, Amazon, Barnes and Noble etc… I can’t take credit for the street team concept.
It was coined in the 70’s with music executives working on spreading the word about new artists, and making them bigger names. But as authors, we have to find inventive ways with the explosion of social media to reach readers other than book signings.
Campfire Chicken and Dumplins’
Campfire Chicken and Dumplin’
We might not be in our southern kitchens when we are camping, but we can still keep cookin’ our fabulous southern style food while camping and trust me when I say that this chicken and dumplin’ recipe will bring all the campers to your campfire to see what y’all are cookin’!
Ingredients
1 Dutch oven chicken 2-1/2 to 3 pounds- cubed- I use the already roasted chickens you can get at the grocery store. OR you can buy a chicken and boil it over the fire in a Dutch oven until cooked-about 30 minutes.
3 cups water
1 cup chopped onion
4 celery ribs sliced
3 medium carrots sliced
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups biscuit/baking mix/gluten free if you need
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
Directions
1. Remove chicken from bone and cube.
2. Put the chicken in a Dutch oven along with the water, onion, celery, carrots, celery seed, salt and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil over the campfire.
4. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender- about 45 minutes.
5. For dumplings, combine the biscuit mix, milk, parsley and remaining sage to form a stiff batter. For an easy hack, you can bring along a can of biscuits and keep them in your camper refrigerator until you make this recipe.
6. Drop by tablespoonfuls into the simmering chicken mixture.
7. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes because this will make the dumplings puff up and cooked through.
8. Serve, eat and enjoy!
MEET BUNNY!
I love this throwback character post of Bunny Bowowski!!! I hope you do too!
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Hi-do! Good morning! Welcome to The Bean Hive. I’m Bunny Bowowski.
You can grab a regular coffee from the coffee bar or a tea. But you look like you want one of them fancy drinks like a latte, or one of them caramel macchiato. You know, they are filled with sugar. Don’t take my word for it. I’m just an employee that’s making those Killer Lattes, ummm, Star Studded Lattes since Lemon Productions is here filming a movie.
But I bet you’re here to check out all the noise about the #killerlatte. I mean, really. Just because that Hollywood actress, Daisy Lemon, came in here to get a Star Studded Latte but was kidnapped in the process, doesn’t make it a #killerlatte.
But you’d have to ask Roxanne Bloom, Roxy if you know her, about any sort of particulars. She was the one who seen Daisy last. I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but she’s asked me to look after the coffee house while she headed down to the police station.
Mmmhmmm. Now I did hear the ransom note was accompanied by a photo of Daisy. She was dripping in diamonds. And not just any diamonds. All the diamond jewels used in the movie. I bet that’s got to be heavy around her neck.
I heard Low-retta Bebe. . .huh? Oh! You don’t know Loretta. We call her Low-retta because when she says her name, her southern accent, well, you know what I mean.
Anyways, Low-retta owns Diamond’s downtown and she offered all her jewels for the production company to use while they were filming. Daisy Lemon had all them on. Ain’t that strange?
Oh no…the police didn’t leak the photo. Maxine Bloom did. She’s got her sneaky ways to getting things. She write Sticky Situation, the gossip column in the Honey Springs Newspaper. But claims she’d doing a piece for People and she got her hands on the kidnapper photo.
Now that’s just hearsay because I ain’t seen the photo.
I’ve rattled on enough. You enjoy your Killer Latte, I mean. . .you know what I mean. Y’all come on back. Remember that around these parts, the gossip is just as hot as the coffee. Toodles!
Readers: Do you like recipes in your cozies? Do you ever make the recipes?