Sep 11
Holiday Hills
The blog
Writing, the books, the dogs, the cat, the weather, the wildlife on the porch, and the occasional ghost story. Posted when there's something to say.
This weekend, while you’re enjoying the last long weekend of the summer, make sure to grab the Lily Sprayberry Cozy Mystery Collection Books 1-4 for FREE on Amazon! You…
People ask me all the time if writing crime fiction is complicated or if it makes me uncomfortable. It’s most definitely complicated, but it doesn’t make me feel…
One of my favorite places in There’s a New Witch in Town is the Enchanted Bookstore & Café. I think if it were real, I’d probably spend more time there than at home.
I’m turning sixty in a few months. I can’t believe it. Time sped by, and I wonder if it’s going to keep speeding like this. It didn’t feel like that in the process, but…
If you’ve read my Witches of Holiday Hills series, then you already know Cooper. He’s Abby’s familiar, her constant companion, and the one character who never misses an…
A few years ago, I got sick. Not the kind of sick where you have the flu and spend a few days on the couch watching television. The kind where your body stops…
Las Vegas usually brings to mind bright lights, casinos, and endless entertainment. This trip was different.
Meta announced subscription plans a couple of weeks ago. Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus, and WhatsApp Plus are their subscription services or what I call their ‘pay to…
People ask me how I write books, and I never know how to answer that without sounding like I have some kind of system that works every time. I don’t. I do the same…
There’s a point in every thriller where I stop pretending I’m in control of the story.
Because I live in the mountains, I always think I’m going to sit down and write in peace.
I think it’s time I reintroduce myself. So, hi! I’m Carolyn Ridder Aspenson, and I write cozy mystery and thriller books. I write about secrets for a living, which is…
Bonnie spotted us, beelined for our table, then dropped into the chair beside Belle without asking. Henrietta took the chair beside me. Billy Ray grabbed a chair from…
We’ve been working on my new office nook in the basement, and by we, I mean my incredibly talented, can-build-fix-create anything husband. Have I contributed? Yes. I did…
If you like thrillers that stay grounded, don’t insult your intelligence, and keep the tension tight from start to finish, the Rachel Ryder series might be exactly what…
If your TBR pile looks more like a cry for help than a hobby, let me gently steer you toward a solution: cozy mysteries. They’re not new, but in 2026? They’re having a…
The holidays are wonderful with their twinkly lights, hot cocoa, festive music, and seventeen different relatives asking if you really need another Christmas tree. (Yes…
Tis the season to sparkle… or at least try to without knocking over the Christmas tree. In my defense (and the cat, the dogs, and the hubby) it’s in a high traffic area…
There’s an old primitive Baptist church called Talking Rock Baptist Church tucked back in the hills not far from Jasper. In Talking Rock, actually. It’s truly a…
In the quiet hills outside Blue Ridge sits Tilley Bend Cemetery, a small, unassuming place with one of the region’s darkest tales tied to it. At first glance, it looks…
North Georgia has plenty of ghost stories, but one of the most talked about is the Lady of the Lake at Lake Lanier. The legend goes back to 1958, when a car carrying two…
A few weeks ago, I spent an evening at the historic Tabor House in Ellijay, Georgia with the Southern Girls Ghost Tours. It was a fun night, and unlike any other ghost…
Every small town has that one story everyone knows but no one can quite agree on. In Cumming, Georgia, where my kids grew up, that story is Booger Hill. If you’ve never…
When a high-powered executive is charged with murder, PI Jenna Wyatt must decide whether to trust the one person she’s never forgiven—or risk letting a killer go free.
My book, Get Up and Ghost is being featured in a special Giveaway! 🎁 One lucky winner will receive loads of eBooks (20) and a brand new Kindle! 📖📱 Join the giveaway now…
As the calendar turns and we welcome a brand-new year, there’s a quiet magic in the air. It’s not the kind of magic that comes with fireworks or grand resolutions, but…
IT’S RELEASE DAY FOR THE WITCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS!
IT’S RELEASE DAY FOR YOU DROPPED A CURSE ON ME!
Hello friends! What an interesting week I’ve had. Nature has come to visit daily. We’ve had our usual deer, turkeys, the neighbors cats, a coyote (kai-oat-a-gee as my…
Everyone likes bookmarks, right? I know I do. To celebrate the release of Walking on a Witchy Line, I’ve made a special bookmark! Click the here to download yours!
Woohoo! Abby and Cooper’s next adventure is live! Grab it here. It’s free in Kindle Unlimited.
I’m excited to be invited to Poe and Company Bookstore in Milton Georgia on for the release of my next Rachel Ryder book, Dark Intent.
I’m so excited to announce the early release of Walking on a Witchy Line, the next book in the Witches of Holiday Hills Cozy Mysteries is releasing early! The paperback…
If you’ve ever wondered how I dream up the captivating tales of the Witches of Holiday Hills, you’re in for a treat, or at least I’d like to think so!
We love our wildlife here on the mountain, though some I love more from a distance. Like the bears. They are cute, especially this guy, who’s not too old to kill me with…
Hey there, lovely people! Okay, so let’s dive right in, because I believe this important topic is the great debate of our time. Maybe not the great debate, but it’s…
Sarah thought she could escape her past. Fleeing the painful memories of her mother’s death and a brush with the law in Atlanta, she found refuge in the small town of…
I get a lot of questions from readers about how I write my Rachel Ryder series, so, today I’m peeling back the curtain on the electrifying process of writing detective…
Uncovered Truths released on April 23rd. FOUR MONTHS EARLIER than planned! Have you grabbed your copy yet? If not, you can do so here.
New posts, release news, and free books. Pick a list.