The Village Affair was scheduled for release on December 1, 2020. Unfortunately, it will be delayed. The year 2020 has thrown many of us into turmoil because of the pandemic and other personal challenges that have snowballed as a result. In my own life, I’ve had a few ups and downs as well. Even though I have the book half-finished as of the posting of this update, I cannot see that I will have it finished by December 1. Please accept my apologies for the delay. Naturally, I will keep you posted. In a few weeks, I will be pulling the pre-order off Amazon. Stay safe and healthy.
Posts by Vicki Hopkins
The Seaside Affair – Where to Buy
The Seaside Affair is only available at this time in eBook format on Amazon for $3.99 or is free to download if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription. You may ask why the eBook is not available on Kobo, iTunes, or Nook. It’s pretty simple. Amazon requires exclusivity when an author enrolls their book in Kindle Unlimited distribution. That means that we are not allowed to sell the eBook on any other platform in digital format. Enrollment in Kindle Unlimited is for a period of 90 days. My usual practice is to rotate my books in and out of KU. Eventually, I will take The Seaside Affair out and distribute it wide to other retailers. Many readers in Kindle Unlimited are also unaware of how authors are paid under this program. An author is paid each time you read a page and flip it to the next on your Kindle
Release Day!
Meet the cast of characters: Elizabeth and Francis Edwards – the siblings The Wilsons and their daughter Celia – the keepers of the secret The Davenport family – everyone has an agenda Lord Howard and Miss Whiting – The local aristocrat and his niece The theme behind the series is simple – It takes courage to follow your heart. Available now: eBook is exclusive for the next three months on Amazon Kindle. $3.99 or free with your Kindle Unlimited subscription. After three months, it will go wide to Nook, Kobo, iTunes, etc. Review copies at BookSirens will be available for free downloads as well. I will update you with the link as soon as I have it. Print paperback book is available for $12.99 at Amazon worldwide and will soon be in distribution through other retailers. It’s 336 pages long. Remember the best way to thank an author is to
The Seaside Affair Release Update
I have worked very hard to get the print version ready for release and will be approving the proofs in the next day or two. You may purchase worldwide on Amazon or at other retail locations such as Barnes & Noble. The book should be available on August 1 or very close to that date. Thank you so much! And I hope you enjoy The Seaside Affair. Each time I release a novel, I’m reminded of this quote by Winston Churchill. It expresses my thoughts exactly when I’m feeling frustrated about being an independent author. Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to
The Venturous Hearts Series
After finishing The Seaside Affair, I realized that the multiple characters and their open-ended stories would not serve well. After creating them, their existence demands resolution too. Meet the characters who take venturous risks to find love. The books border on the historical romance genre but include many other elements such as historical fiction and family relations.
The Seaside Affair – August 1, 2020 Release Date
Pre-Order Now on Amazon I have been working very hard on getting the book ready to send to Victory Editing in mid-June. There have been a few changes here and there, and I’ve attempted to tighten the story in some areas, fix a few plot holes, and expand other chapters. This reminds me of why I like to write shorter books! It’s been quite a few years since I’ve hit the 84,000-word mark. Nevertheless, the book will is up on Amazon for pre-order. I have decided to release the book on August 1st. Since I won’t have the edited version back until late June, early July, I need sufficient time to finalize the manuscript, and format for eBook and print. When I’m pressured, it’s easy to miss things so I want to take my time. Hopefully, the ebook and print will be released within a few days of each other.
The Seaside Affair – First Draft Done
Writing a book is a long, arduous process. This particular story has not been an easy one for me. I started with a premise back in the fall and stumbled along the way to the end. Multiple times I had to put the book aside and ponder where to take the story. Usually, it comes a bit easier for me, but sometimes life has a way of stifling the creative process. My muse definitely got gagged and tied up somewhere with this book. However, I am happy to report that on day 57 of being stuck at home because of a novel virus circling the world, I was able to focus on the book. Actually, I still had to pause a few days at a time and get into the heads of my characters. After much agonizing, laying in bed thinking about it, wandering around the house from the bedroom
My Thoughts Are With You
I wanted to take this moment to reach out to my readers during this difficult time that affects everyone worldwide. For the past ten days, I’ve been home, only peeking my head outdoors to take out the garbage. My groceries are delivered to my door, but unfortunately, not everything I order is in stock. Currently, I have 24 rolls of toilet paper, one can of Lysol spray, and two boxes of tissues. I’m good! On the concerning side, I’m 70 years of age – yes, I’m that old – so I’m taking the Oregon “stay-at-home” orders seriously. Many authors on Facebook have talked about what they can do to help readers. The suggestion was made to discount books, so I have lowered every book to 99 cents. Because I do not make the majority of my income from writing, I feel bad that it is impacting other authors who are
In Progress – The Seaside Affair
Old habits are hard to break. With every book and series I write, I start a separate blog to track my progress, write about my research, and build interest during the journey. The Seaside Affair is no different. Please visit it at The Seaside Affair on WordPress. I had thought about taking a break from historical romance but recently found myself drawn back regardless of my cozy mystery that I started writing a few months ago. Often new genres are a challenge to write, and when the muse arrives to take you for a walk on the beach, you don’t complain. Perhaps I need to take a trip to the Oregon coast to work on this book, although this one is set on the southern coast of England in a fictional town named Aycliffe. After starting this book, it’s going to include multiple characters and side plots to draw you
Lady Jane and Lady Charlotte – Updates
Lady Jane was released on September 16, and since that date has been well received. I loved writing the story about a woman whose character was forged because of a devastating heartbreak, and then bringing back into her life the man responsible. I’m extremely pleased with the strong reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as other sites. If you haven’t had a chance to read about Jane, or any other ladies in my collection, feel free to grab a copy. Lady Jane and Lady Charlotte (who just took the bestseller list by storm in the UK, CA, and AU this week), are available for 99 cents until October 31. I hope you enjoy the trailer below!
Pre-Order “Lady Jane” – September 16th Release date
Lady Jane is up for pre-order at all major retailers. Enjoy! It is a scandalous hot read, with a little more action in the bedroom than I normally write. Jane Cavanagh possesses the most scandalous reputation in London. With an ample allowance from her father, she’s able to live a lifestyle of autonomy. She answers to no one regarding her choices in life. For entertainment, she engages male companionship, enjoying multiple sexual trysts without an ounce of guilt. After a few months with a man, she moves to the next, leaving scattered victims of broken hearts strewn across the social landscape. Her motto is no love, no babies, and no marriage. When someone from her past returns into her life, Jane is sent into a tizzy of emotions she would rather not face. In a shattering display of spilled champagne, she comes face-to-face with Colonel Matthew Rutland, a decorated war
Leighton Series on Hold
Hi, everyone! The Leighton Family Saga has been put on hold for a while. I’ve had a difficult time marketing the first book and a pittance of sales, but let’s face it — most readers don’t like to read about poverty or bricklayers. Any historical fiction/romance with a duke is much more appealing. Nevertheless, I will continue it as time allows. In the meantime, the book did receive a favorable four-star review with Readers’ Favorite. Author Vicki Hopkins tells an amazing story about two siblings at odds with one another. It’s very relatable and an enjoyable read. Toil Under the Sun gives the reader the feeling of being from the lower classes, trying to survive and thrive in such a way that you can easily step into William’s shoes. I always like learning about pieces of history that I hadn’t before and Hopkins’s book has urged me to research further
Lady Jane (Regency Era – Ladies of Disgrace) In Progress
Lady Jane is my fourth “Lady of Disgrace” set in the Regency era. This is my first attempt to write Regency, so I’ve had to pull out my book, “Jane Austen for Dummies” written by Joan Klingel Ray, the President of the Jane Austen Society of North America, for research purposes. Each time I write a book, it is a different experience. My first book, I was filled with dread and self-doubt. My second book, I dreamed a lot about it. My third book turned into a “what if” scenario and the story unfolded. After that, I wrote three more books in my Legacy Series, and my subsequent “Ladies of Disgrace” books and “Romance with a Kiss of Suspense” books. As a general rule, I don’t plot. I hate outlining. I’m a panster, which is the type of writer who starts with a premise or theme and then writes from
Companions & Whitefield Hall
Whitefield Hall has been substantially rewritten and expanded, and will be out in eBook format in the next 24-72 hours on all major venues. In anticipation of its release, here is a post about companions in the Victorian era. My heroine in Whitefield Hall is a middle-class woman by the name of Elizabeth Dutton. Elizabeth has chosen a career as a companion, rather than seeking a husband and having children. Elizabeth Dutton is also the name of my third great grandmother who was born in Warrington, England, the setting of Whitefield Hall. Of course, the book is dedicated to her memory. As I researched the lifestyle of companions in the Victorian era, I discovered some fascinating reports. In addition, I discovered photographs of advertisements placed in the London paper (click link to read). Here is one that I tweaked for the book: Wanted – A respectable, young woman as a companion