Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tonya Kappes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tonya, appreciate you joining us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

As a reader when one of my favorite authors made me feel like I was important to them, the feeling never left me. When I transitioned from writer to author, I knew I wanted every single reader to feel like I had felt as a reader with my favorite authors. This was before social media so I started to collect mailing address so I could send little notes to readers or even post cards of places I was visiting. Social media changed everything for me. For the better! I was able to really get in front of readers and talk to them. I cherish each one of them and wanted them to know it. Every reader has an opportunity to sign up for a real birthday card from me. Every month, and over the last ten years, I have been sending thousands of birthday cards to readers each month. Sometimes I’m the only card of acknowledgment readers get for their birthday and that means something to me. They matter to me. I also host an in person reader event where I rent a mystery train once a year in a different location for a weekend filled with mystery theater, local tours to the area and ending with a book signing.
When the pandemic hit, I knew community was more important than ever. Not only did I start a series called bedtime stories with Tonya where I would read my books to them live via YouTube and Facebook, I realized they too were craving a community at this time in our weird world, so I decided to start a Patreon group. There I have built a community of readers where we have monthly zooms, monthly book club, they get exclusive book content, we have annual Friendsgiving, sock exchange at Christmas, Galentine’s, Halloween party and so much more. We have built a thriving community where we have all celebrated marriages, births, special events and grieved divorces and lost ones. My ability to create a thriving community filled with awesome readers is something I’ve yet to see another author in my genre be successful at doing. I’m very grateful for our Patreon group. They give me so much life.

Tonya, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I had never intended to become a write, much less an author. In fact I have a report card from third grade where my teacher wrote in the notes section how I would’ve done much better in English if I’d only turned in one of the three required book reports. That says a lot! Right?
I was a teacher by trade and it wasn’t until in my mid-thirties I found myself a single mother going back to college to get another degree but this time in child therapy. I met some much younger girls in the college and one of them had a book club. I still wasn’t a reader and laughed when she invited me but she said there was wine and chocolate, so that got me there.
It wasn’t until about six months in did I finally not only got to Walden books to buy the book, but also started to read the book. Without a whole of details, I have to say that I couldn’t believe how the book took me out of my life and helped me escape. I was actually floored by how I’d forgotten about all of my problems while I read this book.
Fast forward to a few years later, married again with four children, I was hosting my book club and had told them a story dear to my heart. They were enthralled.
They told me I should write a book. Little did they know my husband hours before had told me the same thing.
Literally the next day I went to Walgreens, bought a notebook and pen and started writing my first novel while sitting under an big oak tree at my son’s peewee football practice and I’ve never looked back.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

When I first started writing I had joined all the writing groups I could possibly find. I was so green that I had no idea I had to write a book, print it and send it by mail to agencies to seek presentation. Lucky for me, I was offered a contract for the first book I had written. Sadly before the book was to be published, we parted way and I was distraught.
My husband had a Sony Ereader, the Kindle wasn’t available yet. He asked me if I’d ever thought about doing this thing called self publishing, then showed me how some men had put up short stories on this ereader.
It really intrigued me and my husband took it upon himself to figure out how to format this type of content. I was excited at the fact that I could be my own publisher! This was over fourteen years ago.
I had gone to one of my writer meetings and told them what I had planned on doing with the book I’d written and they kicked me out! Literally said I was vanity publishing which back in the day was exactly what they called it.
Well let’s just say it fueled me more and show them.
Mmhmmm, I sure didn’t let that slow me down one bit. And two years later that same large writing club was asking me to come to various meetings of their group all over the states to teach how to self publish. Gladly I took their money but I certainly didn’t rejoin.
THIS is what I had to unlearn!
I had to unlearn that one way is not the only way. I had to unlearn that my work was just as good as another author who was published by one of the ten publishers at that time. I had to unlearn that what industry told me was the right way was not and that I had to learn to listen to my intuition. I had to unlearn that what was successful for one author was not necessarily successful for my career.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I am very active with my readers. Not only do I make sure I provide all of my books in all the various forms so they can read them or listen, I make sure I visit with them. Every week I go live on social media and answer a reader’s question. We have the best time chatting with each other. I also host two online book signings a year where readers can purchase books and I sign them online while they watch and we have a big online party. If they can’t make it to in person signing events, I know they can come to the online ones.
I also host my own in person weekend event for the past ten years. We have been all over the states and have so much fun!
And the reader birthday cards are very popular and I love sending those.
For a more one on one with me, I also make it available by having my Patreon group.
I have learned over the years that I am my brand and my books are just merely under the umbrella of me. Readers want to connect and I want to connect with them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tonyakappes.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyakappesbooks/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authortonyakappes
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3IXNaM-pW1mIjbS2S9rHew
• Other: patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Tonyakappesbooks Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4423580.Tonya_Kappes