Rhonda J. Hunt, M.Ed., NRP is an author, longtime paramedic and EMS educator, and—perhaps most importantly—proud Mom to Elliott and The Entourage.

Rhonda has spent much of her life caring for others. She began her career as a firefighter before becoming a paramedic in 1994 and an EMS educator in 1997. She holds a master’s degree in education and has dedicated decades to teaching and helping others.

Her love of dogs, however, began long before her professional career. Rhonda has shared her life with dogs for more than 60 years, with dachshunds holding an especially important place in her heart. Today, she lives in Middle Georgia with Elliott and The Entourage, a very real—and very loved—family of dachshunds with personalities every bit as colorful as the characters readers meet in her books.

Rhonda created the Elliott and The Entourage children’s book series to share the personalities, adventures, and antics of her real-life dachshund family while giving young readers positive messages about kindness, acceptance, family, belonging, and the importance of being yourself. The stories may be inspired by little dogs, but their lessons are meant for hearts of every size.

When she isn’t teaching or writing, Rhonda enjoys sharing Elliott and The Entourage with the many people who have come to know and love “the babies.” One of their favorite family activities is camping, and when the Entourage hits the road, nobody gets left behind—all nine dachshunds go along on every camping adventure! Whether they’re exploring somewhere new, relaxing at the campsite, or simply creating another story worth telling, Elliott and The Entourage are never far from the center of the fun.

For Rhonda, Elliott and The Entourage aren’t just the inspiration for the stories—they are family.