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 Read More
Posts by Vicki Hopkins
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! Read More
Future Branch!
For the past ten years, I have written historical fiction and historical romance, with a few sub-genres of Gothic romance and historical romantic suspense. I’ve even written one women’s fiction book for my own personal reasons. After fifteen books in the historical genre, I’ve decided that I need a change. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m often the “odd duck” in the group of swans who constantly write about dukes, earls, and the rest of the English aristocracy. Even though I’ve had my share of the landed gentry in some of my books, I’ve also done poor bricklayers, grumpy Cornwall mine owners, and a few other non-titled male folks. If there is such thing as genre burnout, I think I’ve arrived. As a result, I’ve decided after the release of Lady Jane on September 16, 2019, to change my typewriter keyboard and start murdering people. On the personal Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
Arsenic & Blythe Court
How do you commit murder? Well, in the Victorian era arsenic was a good way to do in your rivals, spouses, and enemies. Blythe Court, contains arsenic, and you may wonder if my use is accurate. Hopefully, you know by now I do my research, even if it really does sound extremely odd when you read the story. Arsenic, in case you need a quick education, is a chemical element. It occurs in many minerals. During the Victorian era, it was widely used in commercial products. It was also available to purchase in bottle form from a druggist—half an ounce cost a penny, enough to kill 50 people. Unbeknownst to the Victorians, they were slowly poisoning themselves from wallpaper to clothes. The poison caused agonizing deaths until they finally realized the dangers of the chemical and began putting restrictions in place. Here are a few of the products that contained Read More
Cornwall Mining & Thorncroft Manor
When I write historical romance, I take the time to research. All of my books are carefully laced with background material regarding the setting and era in which my characters lived. Thorncroft Manor was no different. The majority of my research in this novel related to the city of Pendeen and the Cornish mines along the coast of Cornwall, England. Most of the facts about Cornish mining were taken from the websites linked below. If you are interested in learning more, here is an opportunity to read about the real miners who toiled in the depths of the earth. Life from the past always fascinates me, no matter what the subject. Research helps stories come alive when you travel back in time to how people lived, worked, and loved in centuries past. “In 1839, 7,000 children were employed in Cornish tin mines. Until the age of 12, young boys worked Read More
Blood, Sweat, and Tears
I’ve been doing some cleanup on my Legacy Series Book blog and came across this post I wrote long ago. The entire series is on sale, by the way, until June 21st for 99 cents. This blog post came after writing book two, I believe. It speaks volumes. The Blood – I guess I equate the blood part to various aspects of being an author. It’s the pain you go through being a writer from the voices in your head to the critical, and sometimes cruel voices in your reviews. When you pour your soul into any work, you bleed. A part of you becomes imprinted upon the page. Your thoughts, struggles, and life experiences are woven between the chapters and hidden in certain words. Usually, your readers are none the wiser they exist, but they do. Once your DNA is in the work, then comes the blood from people Read More
In Remembrance
Tomorrow marks the end of the First World War one hundred years ago. These are my ancestors who lost their lives. I dedicated my book Lady Grace to their memory. Read More
Kindle Unlimited & Updates on Leighton Family Saga
I’ve officially pulled all of my books from Kindle Unlimited, which is the service where you can subscribe for a monthly fee to read multiple books. Unbeknown to many readers, the services are plagued with problems. Suzan Tisdale wrote an open letter to Jeff Bezos regarding the KU stuffers, scammers, and thieves that may be an eye-opening account I encourage you to read. CLICK HERE. Other authors are leaving the service as well and releasing their books on all platforms such as iBooks, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, etc. If you are unaware, to be in Kindle Unlimited, you must sell your soul and be exclusive with Amazon. Authors are banned from selling their books anywhere else. If those problems are not enough to discourage authors, the fact that I make a whopping four cents when someone reads eight pages of my book is enough to keep me in the poorhouse of authors. Read More
What’s Next?
After finishing three Ladies of Disgrace stories, I’ll probably put that idea aside for now. However, I’m so happy at the great reviews Lady Charlotte has received! Thank you very much. It was a fun book to write, and it appears everyone likes Charlotte. What’s next? I’m still mulling over my options regarding what to write – contemporary, historical romance, time travel, or another family saga. In my files, I actually have three other books I’ve started writing, but they’ve all fizzled out. Not feeling the muse. At the present time, I’m seriously considering another family saga based on my family ancestry. I have amassed such a wealth of information from the rags to riches story of my second great uncle and his descendants from the 1850s through 1930s. From the struggling poor, a family suicide, the will to succeed, with subsequent marriages and children I have enough plot to Read More
Readers’ Favorite Gives Lady Charlotte Five Stars
A few months ago, Lady Grace received a five-star review from Readers’ Favorite. Today I received an email that my review had been posted for Lady Charlotte and am happy to report another five stars. You can read the review at this LINK. If you’ve read any of the three books of the series, please leave reader reviews as well. Here is a link to one of my blog posts about the importance of reviews for authors and how a few words help. READ HERE Thanks so much for following this blog and reading about my ladies of disgrace. Read More