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Death Becomes Us Cozy Mystery Book Club

Before I started writing, which was in my mid-thirties, I belonged to a book club. We had so much fun. We'd show up, grab a drink and catch up with each other for the next twenty minutes while we wait on everyone to get there.

We had so much fun discussing the books and the anticipation of what book was going to be picked next. It was a lot of fun. But like a lot things....time, children, and life happened and our book club had a hard time meeting.

Writing is my full time job and I have a hard time finding time to read. It's been a challenge for me. I have to carve out one or two days a month to do nothing but read. Then what. . . .I want to discuss the book, but my two dogs, Charlie and Scooter, don't have much  to say.

Then it hit me! I wanted to start an online book club that featured cozy mysteries. I'm so excited with the interest. I decided to have it on Facebook. I know some people aren't on Facebook, but a lot are and it's such an easy place to be and come together as a group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/403108960079286/

If you aren't on Facebook, I beg that you join. It's easy and free! There is so much community over there and discussing books are one of them! We love books right?! Join Death Becomes Us Cozy Mystery Book Club on Facebook! We'd love to have you!



Do you belong to a book club? If so, what is your favorite thing about going? Leave a comment (with your email address) to win a $5 Amazon gift card! Winner will be announced on Friday!

Last week's blog winner is PENNEY!

Happy Thanksgiving





Since it's Thanksgiving week and we are all ready to stuff ourselves full of great food, I'm including a breakfast casserole I make ahead of time for Thanksgiving morning and let it cook while I start the Thanksgiving feast food. My kids and husband love it.

Ingredients:
1 package (16 oz.) of bulk ground sausage. I like a little spice to mine so I get a mild or hot sausage.

1 onion (chopped or you can buy a bag of the frozen already chopped)

1 red pepper (chopped or you can buy a bag of the frozen already chopped)

3-4 cups frozen square hash browns

2 cups cheddar cheese

3/4 cups Bisquick (I use gluten free Bisquick because Eddy is gluten free and it's the same measurements)

2 cups of milk

6 eggs

Optional black pepper

Directions:
I preheat my oven to 400
Spray a 3 quart baking dish ( 13 x 9 inches) with cooking spray
Over medium heat, cook the chopped onion and red pepper along with the sausage until the sausage is cooked with no pink. Drain the meat. Add the meat mixture, frozen hash browns, and 1.5 cups of the cheese in the baking dish.
In a bowl, combine the milk, Bisquick, eggs, and pepper (optional). Pour over the sausage mix in the baking dish.
Bake for around 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over top and bake another five minutes or until the cheese has melted. I'm a big believer in letting the food stand for 5-10 minutes after taken out of the oven. Enjoy!


What food are you looking forward to eating around your Thanksgiving table? Leave a comment to be entered to win a $5 Amazon gift card.
Happy Thanksgiving!



You can find this recipe along with  many others in 

SCENE OF THE GRIND
BOOK 1


Pre-Order your copy of Scene of the Grind, the first book in a new coffee mystery, A KILLER COFFEE MYSTERY SERIES.



After a bitter divorce, Roxanne Davis (her friends, though few call her Roxie) has moved back home to Honey Springs, Kentucky where she's opened the tourist lakefront town's first coffee house, The Bean Hive. 


With the excitement of the Bean Hive opening and rush of business, Roxie is moving on with her life until she finds that one of her best customers, Lilia Walters, was found dead after eating one of Roxie's best-selling doughnuts after Roxie's aunt Maxine gave Lilia as a peace offering.



Gossip in Honey Springs is as hot at the coffee served at the Bean Hive and Roxie has to uncover who is behind the murder not only to save her shop, her aunt, but her life.
Happy reading!! ~ Tonya




Tonya Kappes
USA TODAY Bestselling Author has two Schnauzers, Scooter and Charlie!
Friend me on Facebook here. * Follow me on Twitter here.
Learn about my books here.

Congratulations to last week's blog winner Margaret Devine! Please email me Tonyak11@yahoo.com to claim your prize.


Fa-la-la Time Of The Year

This is the time of year that I find myself going to more craft shows, more concerts, and more weekends spent with friends who like to do those things.
In a couple of weeks I'll be going to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra with my mom. It's a lot of fun and I'll talk about that in a couple of weeks along with some real cool pictures.

It's the fun and creative crafts that really grab my attention. And Pinterest isn't helping either! I am a member of a mega church and it's really big. In order to really get to know people, we have small groups.

My small group is called the Creative Crafty Chicks. We meet every Tuesday and I love it. We have the best time. We have snacks and craft. I'm not a very crafty person but they are and are so good about letting me join. They quilt and paint and all sorts of stuff, while I can talk and tell stories. Hahahhaa!

Anyways, some of us have been to some craft fairs or on Pinterest and finding fun holiday crafts to make. This week we made these cool wine bottles. Mine are the snowmen.




How fun is that? It's a great group and I can't wait to share all the fun stuff we make!

What about you? Do you find yourself going to more craft fair or making fun seasonal crafts this time of the year?
Leave a comment and be entered to win the weekly $5 Amazon GC giveaway.



You can check out the new Killer Coffee Mystery Series debuting on January 27, 2017! 



SCENE OF THE GRIND
BOOK 1


Pre-Order your copy of Scene of the Grind, the first book in a new coffee mystery, A KILLER COFFEE MYSTERY SERIES.



After a bitter divorce, Roxanne Davis (her friends, though few call her Roxie) has moved back home to Honey Springs, Kentucky where she's opened the tourist lakefront town's first coffee house, The Bean Hive. 


With the excitement of the Bean Hive opening and rush of business, Roxie is moving on with her life until she finds that one of her best customers, Lilia Walters, was found dead after eating one of Roxie's best-selling doughnuts after Roxie's aunt Maxine gave Lilia as a peace offering.



Gossip in Honey Springs is as hot at the coffee served at the Bean Hive and Roxie has to uncover who is behind the murder not only to save her shop, her aunt, but her life.



Happy reading!! ~ Tonya




Tonya Kappes
USA TODAY Bestselling Author has two Schnauzers, Scooter and Charlie!
Friend me on Facebook here. * Follow me on Twitter here.
Learn about my books here.





Southern Fried Cover Reveal!


I'm so excited to show you the cover of Southern Fried, the second book in the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series. Isn't it amazing?
The wire around the cast-iron skillet is barbwire that is very important to the mystery. I'm beyond so excited for this book!
It's releasing April 2017 and I'm beyond thrilled for you to come back to Cottonwood, Kentucky and visit.
The first book in the series, Fixin' To Die is now available, so if you haven't read it, be sure to before Southern Fried comes out.
Dianne Jessie, a Krew Member, won a NAME THE BOOK contest on my Krew Member page on Facebook.
I'm reaching out again! To you!!
Dead and Breakfast is my current working title on the third Kenni Lowry Mystery Series book. I just found out that another mystery author has named her book Dead and Breakfast that will be out next year before this one. I'm asking you for your help! I'm looking for something VERY specific. A play on words with a southern twist that has to do with murder. The setting is at the Inn, a bed and breakfast in Cottonwood.

Leave a comment to help me name the book! I will announce the winner next week! And when you leave a comment, you will be entered to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card! Winner announced next Tuesday!

Head down, fingers moving and GO!

Have you heard of Nanowrimo?



National November Writing Month is what Nanowrimo stands for. 

Every year I look forward to this event every November. I write every day of the year. So it really shouldn't be a big deal if I participate in Nanowrimo, but it is!

There is so much hubbub for writers the entire month. 
The Nanowrimo website has links and writer's forums that get you motivated. Trust me, writing is a very lonely job. All day long I sit on my hinny and sit in front of my computer. It sounds like a lot of fun when in reality, it's difficult. You have to be disciplined to be a writer. 
I turn off my cell phone, I turn off social media, and I set the timer on my watch so it reminds me to get up and move. 

Mentally writing exhausts me.
My mind is always going with characters talking to me, deadlines looming, blogs to get written, readers to communicate with and there is literally no one to vent to about these things. Of course my husband is an amazing listener, but he still doesn't get it. He tells me, "you're living the life," only because I'm home and can do all the home things that need to be done.

I LOVE MY JOB! 

I'm not complaining. I'm only trying to show you just how lonely writing truly is. 
Nanowrimo is like a holiday for me. 

The website starts in October with guest authors, tips and tricks, even recipes to keep you writing. I guess most writers don't write every day. I do because I like a routine. They post inspirational videos! I love it.

During the month, Nanowrimo has a winners badge. How do you win? They provide you with a word count ticker. A novel by definition is a 50,000 word document/story. So in order to win Nanowrimo, you have to write at least 50,000. That's a little over 1,600/day. I'm used to writing between 3,000-5,000 words a day so it's not a problem for me to win the badge.

It's the bringing writers together once a year for a long month event is what gets me pumped. There is even a local meet up for writers who are participating and I love that! It's a month of inspiration that lasts me all year long.

What about you? Do you have something you look forward to every year that inspires you? Leave a comment and be entered to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment. xo

ANSWERING A READER QUESTION

AMAZON COZY MYSTERY BOOK CLUB: https://amzn.to/35jiXar GOODREADS COZY MYSTERY AMAZON BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION: https://www.goodreads.com/topic...