To Bead or Not to Bead...

I must thank Cozy Mystery Book Reviews for allowing me to participate in their first blog tour, which is also my first blog tour.Welcome everyone who is new to my blog. I hope you like what you read and continue to stop by.

I'd like to welcome Tonya Kappes, and celebrate the release of Strung Out To Die. It's interesting to note that as I write this interview, I'm finishing making some bracelets...beading them in fact. While I don't consider myself a true beader, I enjoy making jewelry and using beads in other projects as well.




Kathy: Holly is a beader, do you bead as well? If so, how did you discover the hobby and what do you tend to create?

TK: Yes! I am a beader. I co-owned a beading business for five years in the early 2000’s when it was just becoming popular and we sold it. Now being able to stay in the craft by writing about it has been so much fun. I even bead bracelets for author swag giveaways!

Kathy: Pets are part of the family for many of us, including our cozy mystery characters. What made you decide upon a pig as Holly's companion?

TK: I have series with dogs and cats which make everything so much more fun. But a PIG! And a bead eating pig at that just added humor to the novel. Plus I think pigs are cute.

Kathy: The Divas are a multigenerational bunch. Do you have a group of friends whose ages span a few generations?

TK: I do!Especially being an author with readers from 19-90. I learn a lot from all of them.

Kathy: "The Under" is an interesting aspect to the story and quirk for Holly. Will you tell us about it?

TK: Some people don’t get “the under” but I do. Who really does like to stick their hands in a dark place? That’s weird to me. I give all of my main characters a quirk that makes them stand out and this just happened to fall with the beads rolling around.

Kathy: What first drew you to the cozy mystery?

TK: I love the friendships, animals, and small towns.

Kathy: Do you write any other genres?

TK: I do write women’s fiction with a dribble of romance and I mean dribble!

Kathy: Tell us about your series. (Please describe your series in a sentence or two.)

TK: Sentence or two? Impossible…I’m a writer.  This is such a fun series! I had so much fun playing around with the Divorced Divas who are five woman, ranging in ages from 19-90), and they have formed a self help group in the local bead store, The Beaded Dragonfly. They talk about all the ways to kill off their exes, who are still in their lives. BUT when someone does show up dead on the bead floor and one of the Divas is accused of the murder, they all become sleuths to figure out who is framing one of them. Strung Out To Die is a humorous story about friendship, love, and murder!

Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

TK: Of course Willow, the pig, is my favorite. She sort of steals the show! The oldest Diva, Agnes Pearl, is pretty fun to write too.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

TK: I’m currently reading my critique partner’s draft of a future novel.

Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

TK: I have three teenage boys at home. All of their sports are my hobbies ;)

Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

TK: Diet Coke, Red Hots, Pop Chips, and cheese.

Kathy: Do you have plans for future books, either in your current series or a new series?

TK: I have three new series planned, but won’t see the light of day until 2014. As for the Divorced Divas, there are five novels planned so far.

Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

TK: My readers by far.

Thank you so much Tonya for taking the time to answer my questions.

Want more Tonya Kappes? Check out the following sites:
Website: http://tonyakappes.blogspot.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tonyakappes
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyakappes11
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/tonyakappes/