Author Interview-TONYA KAPPES Author-AX TO GRIND

Welcome.  Today we have a treat.  Tonya Kappes is visiting and sharing a little about her book
Ax To Grind!

Welcome Tonya I am delighted to have you visit the blog! 

I am looking forward to reading Ax To Grind for The Great Escapes Tour. 

I love to ask this question because I am a dog lover.  Just wondering do you have a dog or a cat the has your heart? Oh my...you don't follow me on social media! Hahahaa! My dogs have their own group of fans. I have two Schnauzers, Charlie and Scooter. Charlie kinda steals the show because over the past three years he's gone on 19 medications a day for Congestive Heart Failure, a back leg amputation and a toe amputation on his only back leg...Scooter is just a little ornery. But all my readers LOVE Charlie. Plus, there's always a dog or cat in my books.

Kitty Kappes was my own personal grumpy cat that also had her own fan club, but sadly she passed away a year ago.

Do you have any little guilty pleasures that you indulge in when you writing? YES! Coffee...lots and lots of coffee...and that's just not when writing. It's all the time!

Which is more intriguing as a place to write.  A private island?  A cabin in the woods?

The busy city? A cabin in the woods. Only because if I was on a private island, i'd want to be outside in the warm sand with my eyes closed. I can work inside looking over an amazing wooded area all day long. No thanks on the city! I'm a country girl.

Is this your first tour with Lori at Great Escapes?  No way! I only use Lori and I've got over 45 published books.

I noticed that you have several series.  I am curious is the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series a spinoff from the Killer Coffee Series? Oh no. Two separate series all together. Kenni Lowry Mystery Series is a bit paranormal while Killer Coffee Series is a straight cozy mystery.

All your titles seem so fun.  I can’t wait to read a few! 

At the risk of hurting feelings can you share with us your favorite of all your series?  (we won’t tell) Hmmm...all of them.

Which series has been the easiest to write?  Hardest? All of them for both answers!

Let’s chat a little about Ax To Grind  I haven’t read it yet so I am very curious about the title?  Ha! We try to stick with names that are more southern and true to Kentucky sayings. All the titles in the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series will be a play on words.

What scene in the book do you like most? I love when Kenni gets to work with the ghost of her Poppa because they are good at solving crimes and playing off of each other. All of those scenes are fun to write.

If you were to have coffee with one of the cast who would you choose? I would go to Honey Springs, Kentucky at The Bean Hive because I know Roxy Bloom in the Killer Coffee Mystery Series can make a great cup!

You’ve gotten me really interested.  I hate to cut this little chat short but I think I need to go and read Ax To Grind! 

Thanks so much for chatting today.  I hope you have a Great tour!

About the author 

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been publishing numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plot lines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans.
Sign up for her newsletter on her website at Tonyakappes.com .

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Interview With Author Lesley Diehl

Welcome Lesley to my little Reading Journey.  I’m excited to talk a little about  Old Bones Never Die.

Before we get too deep into the bones of the story can you tell us a little about yourself.

 In my former life (before I retired to write mysteries) I was a professor of psychology and university administrator. I took an early retirement to move with my husband to New Mexico. He grew up in the West and always wanted to retire there, but somehow we eventually ended up spending half the year in Upstate New York and the other half in rural Florida. We’re both mystery writers and love writing in both locations. Since I spent much of my career in New York, the river valleys and mountains there speak to me and find their way into the setting of many of my books and stories. The same is true for rural Florida with its swamps, fields of grazing cattle and abundant wildlife. I love to cook, garden and work on the 1874 cottage we bought set on a trout stream in the Butternut Valley in Upstate. In Florida we enjoy exploring this unusual part of the state. I like being able to offer readers a setting they are unfamiliar with.

How did you choose Florida as the location of the Eve Appel series.

 I chose rural Florida, off from both of its coasts because it is an environment not yet spoiled by too much development. It is a gem isolated in time, a ranching and farming area where spurs still jingle in the post office and you can rub elbows with a handsome cowboy doing a little boot scootin’ on the dance floor of a local country bar. Life here has been altered little by the developers—no condominims, but a lot of ranches, farms, fish camps and RV parks. The people are country folks who work hard and play harder. I thought it would be a great place to drop my sophisticated, Connecticut-raised protagonist and see how she fared fitting in. She seems to be doing well. She’s won the hearts of many of the locals, but also offended a few as she sticks her nose into murders.

I see that Eve is one busy girl.  How many books are in the series? 

Old Bones Never Die is book 5 in the series. A Secondhand Murder was the first followed by Dead in the Water, A Sporting Murder, Mud Bog Murder, and now Old Bones Never Die. In each book Eve takes on a killer with the help of a motley crew of family and friends including a Grandmother, Eve’s best friend, a hunky detective, a mob boss, a handsome Miccosukee and his grandfather and assorted ranchers, and, of course, some very bad dudes.

I haven’t had the chance to read any of the previous books.  Does the reader need to read the books in order to get a grasp of the story? 

A reader can read them in any order, although, because I’ve had Eve change and grow as she’s adjusted to life in the swamps, I think the reader might like to follow her growth and that of the other characters in the books.

I am always curious what the author thinks of this question.  What actress would you place in the role of Eve.

 I’m not crazy about that question because I don’t see many movies. I prefer looking at Netflix, the British programs, and I don’t think there are any English actors who would do Eve or any of the other characters in the books.

What hunky actor would play Sammy?

The same goes for actors. There are few American actors who I see playing a Miccosukee and too few Native Americans available for the role especially because Sammy is so much taller than most Indians. Although he is part white, his soul is essentially Miccosukee. I think that demands someone part Indian.

I always enjoy getting to know some of the sub-characters in a book. And I choose my favorite when I write a review. 

Do you have a favorite in Eve’s circle of friends and would be sleuth’s?   

 I like Eve’s mob boss friend, Nappi Napolitani because I let the stereotype of a crime boss lead the reader into making assumptions about him, but most of them I take on and reveal how untrue they are. Nappi is a warm, supportive, loving man, a gentleman with a lot of “connections,” yet he’s never been found guilty of a crime. It’s also doubtful that he’s ever been responsible for killing anyone. The most egregious crime we see him commit is helping Eve do some breaking and entering in the first book. Along with Eve’s grandmother, Nappi just “gets” Eve and supports her snoopy nature. He uses his reputation as a tough guy to threaten people into cooperating with him. He rarely loses his temper or gets physical with anyone. At one point in this book Eve realizes she doesn’t know much about him and she begins to wonder if he really is a mob boss.

I really enjoyed reading Old Bones Never Die can you tell us how you came up with the title? 

 The bones uncovered by one of Sammy’s relatives date back over thirty years. The person responsible for burying them hopes they never will be unearthed because of what they say about a crime committed then, but these old bones may be buried, but their story will never die.

Eve always does seem to get into some fixes and I am sure there is another installment coming soon.  Can you tell us if  there will be any new character’s added to the cast?

 I like to keep the old characters that I’ve developed as important in Eve’s life, but I also think a story can be kept fresh if new ones are introduced. There are new ones coming in eh future, people from Eve’s past who reenter her life in unexpected ways.

Back to busy girls.  I see that Eve isn’t your only sleuth.  Do you have any intentions of

introducing Eve to any of the other ‘sassy country girls’.  Maybe working a case together?

I’m afraid that might be too much sass, but it would be interesting to see whether the sass of each gal gets in the way of the others. I suspect there might be some competition for center stage because they are all such bold characters. Hera Knightsbridge, the brewer in my microbrewing series set in Upstate New York thinks she can go it alone and doesn’t need anyone’s help until she realizes her brewery needs an injection of cash to stay in business. Her application for a loan is refused when she becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a brewing competitor. Hera becomes determined to find the killer so she can clear her name, but she might just need the help of an old lover and the present sheriff in the county. Hera sounds a little like Eve in personality, doesn’t she?

Both Dr. Laura Murphy, the professor in the Laura Murphy series and Emily Rhodes, the retired preschool teacher turned bartender in the Big Lake Murder mysteries are unlike Eve in physical make-up—she’s tall and slender and they both are short and a bit chubby—but they reflect Eve’s tenacious determination to take out the bad guys (and gals). So that a lot of estrogen fueled power surges in one room if I paired even two of them!

I did a blog once where I brought some of my women together to talk about me. It was great fun and I might try that again. Most of them thought I was quite a boring person, but they seemed to like one another.

I guess I should let you go now so you can get back to Eve and the gang!

Thank you so much for chatting.

A Fine Year For Murder-Lauren Carr-Book Author Spotlight

About the book (provided by I Read Book Tours)

After months of marital bliss, Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are still discovering and adjusting to their life together. Settled in their new home, everything appears to be perfect … except in the middle of the night when, in darkest shadows of her subconscious, a deep secret from Jessica’s past creeps to the surface to make her strike out at Murphy.

When investigative journalist Dallas Walker tells the couple about her latest case, known as the Pine Bridge Massacre, they realize Jessica may have witnessed the murder of a family living near a winery owned by distant relatives she was visiting and suppressed the memory.

Determined to uncover the truth and find justice for the murder victims, Jessica and Murphy return to the scene of the crime with Dallas Walker, a spunky bull-headed Texan. Can this family reunion bring closure for a community touched by tragedy or will this prickly get-together bring an end to the Thorny Rose couple?

Buy the Book:  Amazon  ~ Add on Goodreads

Author's Bio:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Enter to win the giveaway.  Click here

Read my review on March 1

The Perfect Tear-Book Spotlight/Giveaway

About the book

Eleanor, a timid orphan, has no clue to her real purpose, but she also has no desire to become a subservient old maid, like the miserable nuns she is forced to with. Eleanor believes Edward, whom she loves, will save her from being forced to take vows. She knows Mother Superior has no intention of letting her leave–her songs are the only thing keeping the grey mist at bay. Her devastation is complete when she discovers Edward is a prince and heir to the throne, but it is the impetus she needs to leave the safety of the abbey and go in search of her long lost father.

She doesn’t get far before discovering her true destiny. With only her instincts to protect her, she must match wits with a powerful being intent on the destruction of her world. If she does not find The Perfect Tear and release its healing power into the land, she will become an accomplice in the destruction of all she loves.

Buy the book
 Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble

Read about the author below this fabulous Giveaway...




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author/Book Spotlight--Michael Judkins-Interlude to Sentimental Me

Author/Book Spotlight

A collection of emotionally driven poetry that covers the story of pain, tribulations, happiness, self-esteem and self discovery through love and heartache. The Interlude will take readers on a journey of determination and imagery, which leads to the formation of

short stories and performance poetry.

​Buy Interlude to Sentimental Me 

(click on bold type for direct links)

 Amazon   Google play  ~  Smashwords  ~  Kobo  ~   Aois21market

Book Description for Sentimental Me! Volume 1:

Sentimental Me – displays his ability to wrest good from bad, to display the courage to dig deep within himself to help others. Through an inspired melding of his unique voice and inspiring photographic images of nature, Michael provides the reader with a unique perspective of the human condition, inspiring others to follow their own creative paths without boundaries.

Buy Sentimental Me: Amazon (click for direct link)

Author's Bio:

Michael Barry Judkins was born in the Bronx, New York, along with his four brothers and sisters. Michael’s childhood memories, although bittersweet, provided a rich foundation for him to draw upon later in life as an accomplished author.

Delightful memories of trips to the zoo or picking apples with his mother contrast greatly to daily reminders of what any hard-working family must battle in building a life in an urban setting. Domestic violence. Drugs. Gangs. All play their part in shaping a person – whether for good or bad is often an individual’s choice.

After spending years immersed in typical, reactive adolescent behaviors like skipping school, smoking and drinking, Michael began experimenting with other alternatives to developing new relationships and helping resolve social issues. As he took these first, proactive steps to be part of the solution, and not the problem, the germ of the idea for his first book – Sentimental Me – was born.

Graduating from high school a year early, and after a foray into the music business, Michael completed a BS degree in Human Services and MS in Mental Health Counseling. A daydreamer for as long as he can remember, Michael’s inability to forge a relationship with his beloved father before he passed when Michael was only two years old still haunts him today. His mother’s cherished memories of his father’s spirit and honored Armed Forces service, while providing some solace, also serve to make Michael wonder what might have been, if only…

​

Today, with several poetry collections and short stories in the works, Michael’s first release – Sentimental Me – displays his ability to wrest good from bad, to display the courage to dig deep within himself to help others. Through an inspired melding of his unique voice and inspiring photographic images of nature, Michael provides the reader with a unique perspective of the human condition, inspiring others to follow their own creative paths without boundaries.

Michael now resides in Allentown, P.A., and welcomes all readers to feel free to contact him at judkins_michal@yahoo.com to discuss your reaction to his work, or learn more about upcoming releases.

Connect with the author:  Good Reads ~  Facebook
 Enter for a chance  to win a print copy of Interlude to Sentimental Me or a $15 Amazon gift card (Open to USA only) Ends July 16

a Rafflecopter giveaway This spotlight was provided by 

Candidate For Murder Author/Book Spotlight

​

Book Description:

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the local year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clothes lines.

When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run as mayor of Spencer!

What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight Gnarly becomes the front runner—at which point his political enemies take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front runner, of course.

Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply embarrassing the front runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge from the United States Army, but to throw in a murder for good measure. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

Author's Bio:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries. The twelfth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series, Candidate for Murder will be released June 2016.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Prizes: ​

Win a Fire Tablet, 7" Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB (Open internationally) Winner will be person to use #Vote4Gnarly most often - Ends Aug 5, 2016

Click here to enter the giveaway