Tonya Kappes & the Fixin' to Die Tour

I'm pleased to welcome Tonya Kappes back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Tonya has a new series, which just debuted last week! FIXIN' TO DIE is the first of the Kenni Lowry Mystery series.

Kathy: You start a new series, the Kenni Lowry Mystery series, with FIXIN' TO DIE. Was there a specific inspiration for this series?

TK: I knew I wanted to do another series with a ghost in it because I've had so much fun writing the Ghostly Southern Mysteries with HarperCollins. I grew up in a small town and it was definitely my inspiration for the book. As a matter of fact the book is dedicated to my hometown of Nicholasville, KY because of all the fond and fun memories.


Kathy: The ghost of her grandfather has come back to become Sheriff Kenni Lowry's deputy. Do you ever wish a deceased relative would come back to help you?

TK: YES! My own granny. She taught me a lot and if I could just spend a few more minutes with her....


Kathy: Instead of an amateur sleuth, Kenni is a law enforcement professional. Has that changed how you approach the story?

TK: I've had to really dig into the Kentucky law where most amateur sleuths are a craft. It's a bit more research but I'm having a good time doing it. Plus she has to be a little bit smarter than the average sleuth when it comes to solving crimes. She just can't stumble upon most clues/evidence.


Kathy: When it comes to writing I understand there are 2 general camps-plotters, who diligently plot their stories, and pansters, who fly by the seat of their pants. Are you a plotter, a panster, or do you fall somewhere in between?

TK: This is a great question for right now! I have always been a panster. ALWAYS! Until....the last three books I've written and FIXIN' TO DIE isn't one of them. I write so many different series, I had to find something to keep me from straying along the way while writing. As a panster, I was finding that I was using names from different series and just completely messing up. Now I do a chapter outline for each book. It takes me about three days to do, but then I can sit down and pants my way to the end. BUT there is a clear plot outline now.


Kathy: This series is your first with Henery Press. Does writing for a different publisher change anything for you?

TK: So different! HarperCollins LOVES the cliche southern speak that is so normal to me and my dialect and they only want my novels to be around 50,000 words. Henery Press doesn't really like all the cliches, so I had to cut many of those out, which is strange to me because we really do talk like that and use those cliches everyday, all day long. And they want a lot longer books.


Kathy: Authors are required to do a lot of their own marketing, especially for a new release. You seem to have such fun marketing your work. What's your favorite part of marketing? Is there anything you dislike about marketing?

TK: My favorite part is connecting directly with the readers. I love doing in person author events and I love meeting readers I've seen on social media for years. The only thing about marketing I dislike is the cost. Since I pay for everything, it's hard to do a lot of those reader events I love so much.


Kathy: I'm not sure how I missed it, but I did, and now I'm disappointed. You had a coloring book available! Do you enjoy coloring? Do you prefer markers, colored pencils, crayons, or some other method? I love coloring and hope you decide to sell more copies of your coloring book!

TK: I do NOT like to color. I never have. BUT I had so many readers emailing me about coloring pages that my assistant, Jayme, came up with the coloring book and we did a limited run of only 50 with only 8 pages. We might do more :)


Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

TK: Sure! I currently finished writing the sixth book in the Ghostly Southern Mysteries. The fifth one, A GHOSTLY REUNION, will be released in December and is up for preorder. I'm currently writing the second Kenni Lowry Mystery, SOUTHERN FRIED as well as writing the ninth Magical Cures Mystery, A CHARMING HEX. I'm a busy gal.  

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Review
 
FIXIN' TO DIE by Tonya Kappes
The First Kenni Lowry Mystery

A female sheriff, especially in a small town in the South, has lots of challenges, but Sheriff Kenni Lowry hasn't had too many challenges until the morning Old Doc Walton is found murdered. With her deputy out of town, and the fact that she isn't fully equipped to deal with a murder investigation, she calls on the state reserves for assistance as well as her good ole boy jailer. She may also be getting help from someone else...is that voice she's hearing just her own subconscious, or could it actually be someone else?

Between small town Southern gossip, an annoying attraction, and the appearance of her grandfather's ghost, Kenni must solve her first murder as sheriff of Cottonwood, Kentucky. Kenni Lowry is a likable protagonist. She's smart and tough, with feminine charm and a lovable dog named Duke. I love he addition of Poppa, or Poppa's ghost to be more accurate. Who better to support Kenni than her beloved grandfather who was also the previous Sheriff? He's the perfect partner to help solve crimes; he knows the job, can investigate unseen, and is just a fun person with a good sense of humor. I also appreciate the way Kappes introduced the ghost to Kenni, but I'll let you read about that.

FIXIN' TO DIE is a rock solid start to a new series. Fresh characters, small town secrets, and an engaging mystery combine to create a satisfying read. Plus there's a ghost!

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For a chance to win your own e-copy of FIXIN' TO DIE simply leave a comment on this blog post telling us if you'd like to have a deceased relative come back and help you. And if so, who would return? Leave your comment along with an e-mail address no later than 11:59 pm EDT Tuesday, June 21, 2016 in order to qualify.