Rhonda Hopkins's Blog

Enter for a chance to win some great cozy mysteries!

The post Cozy Mystery Giveaway! appeared first on Rhonda Hopkins.

Tired of the same old date night ideas?
Enter for a chance to win a landslide of ideas to share with that
special someone or your friends with this sweet romance
giveaway! Enter by September 30!

A WITCHY SECRET: SNEAK PEEK 2 Standing, Grandma Ruby pointed at me. “Let’s go work on your magic.” “Now? It’s two hundred degrees out there.” I sat where I was and pulled my phone out when I felt the vibration. Grace had texted to let me know her mom was okay with everything and thought …

A WITCHY SECRET: SNEAK PEEK 2 Read More »

The post A WITCHY SECRET: SNEAK PEEK 2 appeared first on Rhonda Hopkins.

KOBO PLUS NOW AVAILABLE IN THE US & UK! Click on the image above to go to Kobo Plus Kobo Plus (Kobo’s version of Kindle Unlimited) is now available in the US and the UK!!! It’s been available in the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, France, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand for a while now. For $9.99 …

Kobo Plus Now Available in the US & UK! Read More »

The post Kobo Plus Now Available in the US & UK! appeared first on Rhonda Hopkins.

“What was that?” Grandma Ruby asked? “I didn’t hear anything.” Dee said. Everyone else looked at my grandmother with a question on their faces. I dug in my pocket and fished out Mom’s credit card, handing it to Danu. Grandma and I headed to the other side of the store. “Why can’t I smell pretty?” …

A WITCHY SECRET: SNEAK PEEK 1 Read More »

The post A WITCHY SECRET: SNEAK PEEK 1 appeared first on Rhonda Hopkins.

“What was that?” Grandma Ruby asked? “I didn’t hear anything.” Dee said. Everyone else looked at my grandmother with a question on their faces. I dug in my pocket and fished out Mom’s credit card, handing it to Danu. Grandma and I headed to the other side of the store. “Why can’t I smell pretty?” …

A Witchy Secret Snippet Read More »

The post A Witchy Secret Snippet appeared first on Rhonda Hopkins.

A WITCHY SECRET Chapter One Excerpt *Reminder: you’re reading this prior to it going to my editor and in its unpolished state. 😉 Entering the living room, I found my cousin Danu sitting in one of the oversized leather chairs, her feet propped up on the matching ottoman. Her thumbs flew over the phone’s keyboard …

Witchy Secret Excerpt #1 Read More »

The post Witchy Secret Excerpt #1 appeared first on Rhonda Hopkins.

ONCE UPON A HALLOWEEN A Wicked and Wild Cozy Anthology I am so honored to have been selected to participate in the Once Upon A Halloween Anthology. There are so many talented authors in this collection. I’m even fangirling a little bit at some of the names! My short story, A Witchy Spookfest (part of my Witches of Whispering Pines world), is included. Scroll down for an excerpt from my story! About Once Upon A Halloween Once Upon a hallowed eve…Halloween, the day where the veil between the normal and the paranormal is as thin as a whisker on a witch’s chin… Twenty-three original cozy mysteries cook up tales of fun, mayhem, and murder! With a sprinkle of seniors with sharp minds and smart mouths, a dash of witches with familiars and more sass than sense, and a pinch of whodunits in quaint little towns. Once Upon a Halloween has your next favorite author. Who will it be? Nearly Departed by Patti LarsenA String of Perils by Penelope CressThe Clown, The Witch & The Cat by Steven HiggsWitch’s First Zombie by Valia LindCostumes & Cadavers by Katherine H. BrownAos si by Tommy UelandPumpkins and Premonitions by Martina DaltonBait and Click by Kari GanskeCandy Korn Killer by Brittany E. BrinegarA Witchy Spookfest by Rhonda HopkinsSweet Scary Deal by Judith A. BarrettThe Black Rose by Louise R. InnesMurder and the Showgirl by Lynda BrunelleMurder at the Pawstume Party: A Pupcakes and Pawtries Cozy Mystery by Daphne McLeanHalloween Cat Crimes by Julia KotyTea is for Tricks by Karen Sue WalkerTake Your Pixie by Willow MasonA Shaman’s Samhain by Belinda WhiteScandal at Samhain by Carly ReidThe Mystery of Alice by K.E. O’ConnorThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow-Point by Linda M. AuHunting Witches by Annie WhittakerHalloween Hoedowns Can Be Deadly by Ryan Rivers Excerpt from A Witchy Spookfest A Witchy Spookfest:A Witches of Whispering Pines Short Story By Rhonda Hopkins ©2021 Pumpkins. Ghosts. And, a body. Chapter One I slapped my hands over my ears, as if it would cut out the repeated “whee” sounds coming from the small brown owl doing loop-de-loops above our heads. It only made Trixie’s voice echo louder, but being my witch’s familiar, no one could hear her but me. “Beatrix!” I shouted, and she came to a stop over me. She hovered for a couple of seconds before plummeting toward the ground. “Use your wings! Use your wings,” I cried. I sighed in relief when she began flapping them again. Her flight smoothed out and she came to rest on my shoulder. “Oh my gosh! I thought for sure she was going to go splat!” My best friend, Grace Sullivan, walked back toward me. She reached out a hand and rubbed the bird’s feathers. “Man, that would have sucked,” Trixie said. I rubbed my hand over my heart. “It definitely would have sucked.” “You scared me. How come you yelled at me?” Trixie rubbed her head against my cheek. Grace and I resumed our walk through the forest toward town. The smell of evergreen trees and floral scents accompanied us on our trek. “I’m sorry I yelled, Trixie. You were just ‘wheeing’ in my head and it was making me a little crazy.” I stroked her head with a finger. “Oh.” Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed her head lowering. “I’m sorry, Charlie. I forget. I just want to share everything with you.” Well, crud. That made me feel lower than a slug’s belly. Beatrix only became my familiar a couple of nights ago, so we were still getting used to each other. She showed up out of nowhere and introduced herself to me, insisting I call her Trixie because Beatrix was too old-fashioned. My heart warmed at the instant love I’d felt for her. It seemed as if she’d attached to my soul as soon as she appeared. I spoke out loud so Grace wouldn’t feel left out. “I know. I’m still learning, too.” And I was. I struggled to keep my thoughts blocked off from the young horned owl. “I love you and I want to share things with you, too. It’s just that sometimes I need a little space in my head so I can think. I’m not used to having someone in my mind all the time. Maybe we can try to block our thoughts a little bit?” “I’ll try. It’s going t—. Kkkeech.” I stopped mid-step and snatched my feathery familiar from my shoulder. Then I held her out in front of me with both hands while she continued to gag. “Oh no! Don’t puke on me!” Trixie finally relaxed in my hands. “Are you okay?” I pulled her against my chest, caressing her feathers. Her breathing slowly went back to normal and she nodded. “I got dizzy.” “Okay. No more loop-de-loops today.” Now that the worry had evaporated, Grace snickered. “You should have seen your face when you thought she was going to hurl on you.” I opened my mouth to tell her it wasn’t funny, but a laugh escaped instead. I’m pretty sure my panicked expression had been comical. “Trixie, do you want to stay in the forest?” I asked. She looked up at me with a sadness in her eyes. “I can’t go with you, can I?” My finger stroked under her chin. “No. I’m sorry. It’s illegal to own owls, and even though we both know I don’t own you; the humans wouldn’t understand.” The owl huffed. “Okay. I’ll just fly around for a while.” “No more loop-de-loops,” I cautioned. “Bye, Charlie and Grace!” Trixie flapped her right wing at us before ascending into the sky. It felt like part of me was missing already. Chapter Two As Grace and I stepped out of the forest and into town, the sun’s brightness had me reaching on top of my head to pull down my shades. Unfortunately, they weren’t there. I blinked a few times to let my eyes adjust. Even though we were celebrating Halloween this weekend, temperatures in the eighties still reigned during the day in East Texas. All Hallows Eve was a big deal in Whispering Pines. The school district even planned a teacher workday on the Friday when the event fell on a weekend. Grace and I were taking full advantage of our free day. Considering it was my favorite holiday, my excitement level soared as we continued walking amidst all the spooky delights.  Our small town held festivals eleven months out of the year, welcoming citizens from neighboring towns and cities. For the month of October though, it went all out. Across the road, the festival grounds bustled with activity. Vendors took care setting up booths, tents, and stands. My sister and I had helped our mom get all of her herbal creams, healing lotions, gemstones, crystals, and jewelry in her tented area last night. Being a witch, she always cast a spell over her tent and the grounds to keep everything safe from those that would do harm. As we walked toward the town square, I became giddy at all the shops and businesses that showcased decorations and sales for the upcoming weekend event. Ghosts, goblins, trolls, werewolves, and other creatures greeted us along our trek. I laughed at the images of old crone witches with green skin, wart-covered noses, and black hats. If the human residents of our town only knew they had real witches and other supernaturals living amongst them, they’d freak. Thank the stars they didn’t know about my family though. We’d be in real trouble with The Witch’s Council. After a recent run-in with them, we needed to keep a low profile. “What are you and Jackson doing tonight?” Grace knelt to tie a misbehaving shoelace. I grinned. Just the thought of my long-time friend turned boyfriend made my insides flutter. “We’re going to the festival for a while and then doing the last hayride at McCready’s farm.”  Grace stood and took my arm in hers. “Sounds fun.” Her blonde hair had been pulled into a high ponytail, and it bounced along behind her as we strolled along the sidewalk. I pushed my own auburn hair out of my face, wishing I’d pulled it back as well. “What are you and Kat doing?”  A smile lit up her face. Grace and I had known each other our whole lives, so I’d been surprised when she recently told me she was bi. She’d held off saying anything because she’d been afraid of how others would react. Fortunately, her family and friends had been supportive, and the few whispers at school died down quickly. Living in a small town, gossip had never been in short supply, and it didn’t take long for new rumors to take over. Grace’s new girlfriend, Katrina “Kat” James, had been the reason she’d finally spoken up. “Definitely the festival. Not sure about afterward.” “Charlie!” My head whipped around, and I groaned at the sight of the septuagenarian waving me down. “What?” Grace asked. I turned back to face her. “Mr. Peterson. Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll go away.” I dropped her arm, and we picked up our pace. I kept my head down, arms pumping. “Charlie Cooper! I know you saw me. Stop this instant.” I sighed and turned around. The man passed right through people in his way. Those more sensitive gasped and shuddered. A young woman in her twenties ran her hands up and down her arms, looking around. After a few seconds, she shook her head and continued on her way. I grabbed Grace’s arm and pulled her over to stand in front of me. “Stand there so it doesn’t look like I’m talking to myself.” She giggled. Of course she found it funny. She wasn’t the one who had to put up with being accosted by the grouchy spirit on a regular basis. When the man stopped beside Grace, I looked him over. A worn cowboy hat covered a balding scalp I only knew about because I’d found his picture in the news archives after his first appearance. He’d died in the nineties but still sported his farmer’s tan. He appeared solid, not ethereal as I imagined a ghost would be. It was only after he passed through people and objects that I’d initially realized he was dead. “Hi, Mr. Peterson. I –” “Don’t you ‘hi’ me, young lady. When are you going to do what I asked?” His electric blue eyes glowered at me. I fought to control the grimace at his words but lost. “I’m trying to figure out how to do that, Mr. Peterson. I can’t just walk up to your grandson and tell him I have a message from his long-deceased great-grandfather.” Grace snorted. He gave her a scowl before turning it on me. “Well, why the heck not?” “Um, because it would make me look insane, and it’s a life goal of mine not to get locked into a mental facility.” The man’s chest rose and fell, even though he didn’t need to breathe. Did other spirits behave this way? With him being my first ghost, it was hard to know. His anger morphed into sadness, and the expression on his face got to me. I couldn’t imagine how frustrating it would be to wander around not being able to communicate with anyone. Especially if you had important information you needed to give a loved one. My posture relaxed, and I sighed. “Grace and I are going to get toys for the Christmas drive. As soon as we drop those off in the festival bins, I’ll go see David.” Every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the townspeople bought gifts for children to be given away at our annual Christmas Festival. Even most of the out-of-town visitors got into the spirit, dropping presents into the bins as they entered the festival grounds. Grace’s eyes widened at my capitulation, but she didn’t say anything. Though she’d tried to help me come up with a way to approach the man’s...

The post Once Upon A Halloween Anthology appeared first on Author Rhonda Hopkins.

I tried something new for my email subscribers yesterday and it seemed to be a big hit. Yay! I’ll be adding this as a semi-regular feature in my emails. If you’ve read and enjoyed any of my Witches of Whispering Pines books, I think you’ll enjoy this added bonus for signing up to my email list. Want a sneak peek? Here’s the news I sent from The Whispering Pines Gazette, the newspaper for my fictional town of Whispering Pines, TX. Breaking: Have You Seen This Woman? by Frank Devlin, editor-in-chief Twenty-six-year-old Amanda Weaver has been reported missing by her traveling companion. The Whispering Pines Police Chief, Evan Cooper, provided the following information. Amanda Weaver arrived in Whispering Pines with Fran Mitchell Thursday just after noon. Ms. Mitchell stated they went their separate ways around three o’clock and she hasn’t seen or heard from Ms. Weaver since. The young woman never returned to their room at the Whispering Pines Inn last night. Attempts to contact her have been unproductive. Chief Cooper and his officers are investigating. As our local citizens are aware, our police department rarely waits for the usual forty-eight hours to lapse believing that it’s critical to ensure the safety of our local community and visitors. Amanda Weaver has long light brown hair and brown eyes. She is 5’6″ and weighs approximately 125 pounds. We had to go to print before we received a photo. Please check online for that and other updates. If you have any information about the whereabouts of this young woman or if you have seen her since her arrival in town, please contact the Whispering Pines Police Department immediately. September Festival! by Charlotte “Charlie” Cooper, Lead Reporter at Whispering Pines High School Vendors are hard at work setting up for the monthly festival which opens tomorrow night at 6 pm. Parker’s Frozen Delights has a new ice cream flavor you don’t want to miss! This reporter got a sneak taste. So yummy! Kelly’s Charmed Creations will be giving out samples of a brand new hand cream and oh my… some might say it’s simply magical! Ted’s Twists will have his fantastic pretzels on sale for 50% off Friday night from 6 pm to close. Make sure you get one or five! Have you been on the Ferris wheel lately? Well, why not? It’s a great way to see the sites from above. And, maybe you’ll see a flying pig while you’re up there. Make sure to read Tristan’s article! I hear there’s speculation as to what Ruby Goodwin might wear this weekend. My great-grandmother is nothing if not… expressive. Of course, there are many other goodies as usual. You’ll just have to take a walk around the festival grounds to see what’s new and partake of your favorites. A Flying PIG? by Tristan Davis, Reporter Well, this is certainly an interesting one. Several Whispering Pines citizens have reported seeing a pig flying around on the north side of town near the forest. They’re adamant it was a pig and commented on the panicked squeals coming from the animal. This reporter hasn’t seen it and so far there’s no photographic evidence, so you’ll just have to decide for yourself. ____________________________ If you subscribe to my email list, you’ll not only get the above type extra bonuses but access to my subscriber-only section here on my website where I offer exclusive content such as flash fiction, character interviews, bonus scenes from books, and more. Your information will remain private and you may unsubscribe at any time.  Did you know the first book in the Witches of Whispering Pines series, A Witchy Mistake, is FREE on all major retailers? (Please note: Amazon sometimes changes the price at will, so if you find A Witchy Mistake is not free in any country on Amazon, please let me know and I’ll try to get it fixed asap.)

The post New Witches of Whispering Pines Feature appeared first on Author Rhonda Hopkins.

Hey everyone! I’m excited to announce that I’ll be working on a new YA romantic suspense novel with JJ Belding. JJ is actually a pen name for romance author, Kristy K. James. UNRAVELING ME will be available at most major retailers soon. I’ll post again when I have the links for that. Oh! And, I’ll be publishing this book under a brand new pen name, Zoe McKay. Why the new name? While this novel will be clean (meaning no on-page sex, swear words, or graphic violence) it will contain more adult themes than my YA (young adult)  Witches of Whispering Pines series. I didn’t want readers to expect the same thing for this book or a few others that I have coming up which will definitely be for an older more mature young adult audience. In the meantime, here’s the description and a cover teaser. 🙂 Another new town. Another new school. Another chance to fit in. Except sixteen-year-old Maya Sullivan has never really fit in anywhere. Not even at home. Especially not at home. With a distant father and a resentful, emotionally abusive mother, she’s never experienced what it might be like to be happy and carefree. And it seems like she never will. The only student she’s allowed to hang out with is her next-door neighbor, Liam Caldwell, but only because their journalism teacher requires it for a school project. As they spend more and more time together, researching their assignment, it’s not long before Maya realizes she feels more for him than friendship. Maya also discovers that the information they’re uncovering is bringing to light some questions about her life. Questions that, when answered, could tear her world apart. Join my email list to get notice when Unraveling Me releases! I also have exclusive content that is available only to subscribers, including bonus scenes, other fiction, and more. When you subscribe, you’ll get a passcode to unlock that section of the website. Have you read any of Kristy’s books? Are you looking forward to reading Unraveling Me? Let me know in the comments.

The post New YA Romantic Suspense in the Works! appeared first on Author Rhonda Hopkins.