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Tonya Kappes Tonya Kappes

TonyaKappes.com News

YIPPEE! Surprise!! NEW release!!! THREE books!

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I can’t begin how to express just how excited I am about buying my rights back to my Kenni Lowry Mystery series!

What does that even mean? It means that my publishing company, Tonya Kappes Books, has the rights and owns all of the Kenni Lowry Mystery Books. Basically, when I originally wrote them, I sold them to a publisher for a royalty rate. This meant they got most of the percentage of money and paid me a percentage. This is how publishers work.

In most cases the author gets 8% of total sales. It’s NOT much but on the other hand the publisher does all the leg work in getting them edited, book covers, a tiny bit of marketing which leaves room enough for the writer to continue to write more books. BUT in my case, there were no more contracts for the Kenni Lowry Mystery series and the publisher owned the rights to the books, the characters and storylines.

Eddy and I sat down over the past year and negotiated a deal with the publisher who owned the rights. Of course I used a high power literary attorney and did my work before I went to the publisher. Over the past couple of months the lawyer and publisher went back and forth on the contract until we were all happy with a payment and termination of the publisher owning my series.

I’m not going to say the amount because it’s confidential to the termination, but I can say that it wasn’t cheap. Now….Eddy of course knows the amount and he asked me, “why is this worth so much to you? Not that I’m questioning the amount, but do you know your why?”

I do! This series is so dear to my heart. Literally if you took a stroll through Cottonwood using a town map, you’d be walking through my hometown of Nicholasville, Kentucky. Not only that, but some characters might look or seem familiar to people I know as well as the places!

In fact, in 2016 mama and I took readers on a tour of Nicholasville and the places you’re going to visit in Cottonwood in the series. Over the next few days, I’m going to take you on that tour! Keep in mind the tour was in 2016 and I talk about preorders, release dates and the original publisher. I’m just sharing the content for you to enjoy because it’s not public anymore. Just for y’all to get a glimpse into what you’re in store for!

Regardless of whether or not you read it, I love it. I love it so much that I believe in these characters and the storyline that I am so excited to let y’all know that I’ve re-launched the first three books in the series! They released today!! And they are in Kindle Unlimited! The paperback will be here in a few weeks, but I just couldn’t wait.

Every month a new one will launch until the release of BLOWIN’ UP A MURDER, the next book in the series is to be released in April!

Mariah, my most awesome and amazing cover artist, went to work immediately on the series covers and she NAILED it with this one!

So sit back, grab you a sweet tea or hot cup of coffee (or drink of choice) and enjoy the next few days as me and mama take you on your very own personal tour of Cottonwood ( Nicholasville style!).

 

GRAB YOUR BOOKS TODAY!

And this is how A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series started.

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I have so many interviews over the years that I have transcribed into written form that I thought was perfect for readers who missed them. In this interview, I was just releasing the first book in the Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery Series.

The interview was initially for the Cake & Punishment books written under my pen name, Maymee Bell published with Crooked Lane Publishers.

It was fun to look back over the interview and see what I had said about the Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery Series.

Enjoy! Be sure to scroll to the end for a fun giveaway!

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A couple months ago, I reviewed Tonya Kappes’ latest book, Cake & Punishment, written under the name Maymee Bell. Since then, she’s come out with the first ebook in her new Campers & Criminals mystery series,  Beaches, Bungalows & Burglaries. I don’t know how she found time to answer questions, but she did. Thank you, Tonya.

Lesa: Tonya, I don’t even know where to start with questions because
you’re such a busy author. Why don’t you tell us about yourself and Maymee
Bell?

Tonya: Hahhaa!! Yes. I am busy. But we are one in the same. Originally,
when I took the contract from Crooked Lane for the Southern Cake Baker Mystery
Series, it is a straight cozy. There’s no paranormal in it, which is what I’ve
written for so long in my cozies. My granny’s name is Mamie and I love that
name. It was in her honor that I decided to use a variation of her name as my
pen name.

Now I look back and think that I probably didn’t need to do that.

Lesa: Would you introduce Sophia Cummings?

Tonya: Sophia is what I’d call a typical twenty-something going into her
thirties that’s realized family and friends are really what the world is about.
She’d spent so much time trying to get out of that small hometown, she’s
rediscovered it after she goes back for a visit. This time she’s more mature
and finds everything she’d been searching for while she’s been gone is actually
right there in her small town.

Lesa: Tell us about Cake & Punishment, without spoilers.

Tonya: Sophia is a “famous” pastry chef. Her heart has been broken and
she flees to her small hometown to hide. It just so happens (wink) that her
high school best friend is getting married that same weekend and the cake baker
has backed out on baking the wedding cake. Of course, Sophia steps up to make
it and just so happens to stumble upon a dead body.

Lesa: I may be wrong, but I count ten series that you’re writing or have
written. Which ones are currently active?

Tonya: Yes! I’m currently writing The Kenni Lowry Mystery Series, which
is a ten book deal with Henery Press. The Southern Cake Baker Mystery Series
with Crooked Lane. The Killer Coffee Mystery Series, The Magical Cures Mystery
Series, and (new) A Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery Series all self
published.

 

Lesa: The first in the Camper and Criminals
series is just out. Would you tell us about it?

Tonya: OMG….let me tell you how much I love this series. As a child, my
parents had a camper. We had so much fun in that thing. I was a campground rat,
running around barefoot, jumping in the rivers/lakes and had such fond memories
of traveling around. I knew I had to write a series based in a campground in
the Daniel Boone National Park set in Kentucky.

 

You find a lot of funny characters in campgrounds, so they fit
right on in with my characters. It was perfect. I’m happy to say that readers
are LOVING it!

Lesa: You have to pick one. What’s your favorite series, and what’s it
about?

Tonya: The Magical Cures Mystery Series hands down. June Heal and the fun
gang put me on the cozy mystery map and they still continue to sell so well.

Lesa: You seem to specialize in Southern mysteries with humor. What
authors influenced you?

Tonya: None! I’m southern and when I started writing, there
weren’t any out there. That’s when I knew it was my niche.

Lesa: Where do you like to take friends when they come to visit you in
Kentucky?

Tonya: I live about ten miles from Cincinnati. Our zoo has a famous
little hippo named Fiona. Everyone wants me to take them to see her. If you’ve
not seen her and her story, look her up!

Lesa: I’m a public librarian, so
I end my interviews with the same question. Would you tell us a story about a
library or librarian in your life?

Tonya: Yes! I live about three
streets over from our library. I always love to go over there and talk when
they ask. Our librarian, Lisa, is awesome. She and I instantly clicked. We also
do Jazzercise together. We sweat and read together, what a perfect combo!!

*****
If you’re exhausted just reading this interview, you’re not the only one. Tonya is hard to keep up with. The only way to keep track of her books is to check out her web site at www.tonyakappes.com

Over the moon reviews for Lanterns, Lakes, & Larceny

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I’m so over the moon with this early review of LANTERNS, LAKE, & LARCENY.
Everytime I sit down to write a book, I always strive my best to make it completely different than the other ones in the series. New twists, new turns that’ll take a reader on a fun escape from their everyday life.
Like a normal person, I always question, re-question until I just have to release the book. Once it’s released into the world it is no longer mine.

Thank you Lee!!

“This has to be one of my favorite books in this series. It’s so well written and so exciting to read. Lots of twists and turns and twisted people and their reasonings. I just love the reconnections and the storylines. So exciting!!! Can’t wait to read the next book!”

Grab your copy today!!