Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Discover a New Culture by Mona Risk

Any reader would probably wonder why I set my book AN UNUSUAL CHRISTMAS in a little known country such as Belarus.

During the mid-nineties, I have often traveled to Russia and Belarus for business and kept copious notes. I was quite impressed by the Russian culture and hospitality and decided to set my new book in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. With my heroine, Dr. Jillian Burton, you will discover a different civilization, visit interesting places, marvel at the Russian architecture, taste the exotic food, toast with vodka, wear the warm chapka, experience many of the local customs, and fall in love with a gallant Belarusian doctor.

In Belarus, the government stops the heating between May 1st and October 31st. I went to Minsk for the first time in October 1994 and was greeted by a freezing rain and a brisk cold that seeped through my clothes. Do I have to mention that I was shivering outdoors and indoors, and I never drank as many cups of hot shaye—tea?

Our first official meeting attended by officers, chemists and doctors, took place in a government building called the Hall of Officers. After a series of speech, our Belarusian hosts invited us to celebrate the new contract with toasts of vodka that we were supposed to drink bottoms up while saying Na Dzhrovia—cheers. No orange juice or ice was added to dilute the 40% alcohol drink. My throat burned and my stomach caught fire. Eventually I got used to their strong drink and find it a practical way to stay warm. When I got sick, my Belarusian friends insisted on treating me with vodka, their universal remedy against cold, cough, stomach pain, and headaches!

The Belarusians are very hospitable people. We were invited for dinner in many homes. After the inevitable toasts of vodka, we ate the delicious stuffed cabbage, potato pancakes, orange caviar, black bread and sausage. The children impressed me with their impeccable manners and their fluent English. They often acted as interpreters for their parents.

In Minsk, I used a car with an excellent heating system and a chauffeur who spoke English. My rental car became a haven during the freezing months of winter and the only place where I felt warm and comfortable.

What part of the world would you like to discover?

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Mona traveled to more than fifty countries on business or vacation. Eventually she left a scientific career to share with readers the many stories brewing in her head. She writes contemporary romances, sweet or not so sweet, with suspense elements or medical themes. Sprinkled with a good dose of humor, her stories are set in the fascinating places she visited, from exotic Belarus, and historical France, to the beaches of Greece, the monuments of Egypt and the mysterious Islands of Seychelles--or more simply in Ohio, Florida, Boston and Washington, DC. Her titles garnered many awards. A winner of Best Romance Novel at Preditors & Editors, Best Contemporary Romance at Readers Favorite, Epic Award Finalist, first-place wins in Enchanted Quill, Launching a Star, and Wallflower. Find Mona on Facebook, or Twitter, or visit her website.

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Mona’s latest releases are boxed sets for Christmas and Holidays, all available at Amazon, KDP:

Christmas Here and There: 3 romance novels, with emotion and humor. Christmas at the beach, on a cruise, or in Russia.

Holiday Babies Series: 3 bestsellers novels, about Christmas and holidays, with twin babies and humor.

Foreign Lovers: a different genre of contemporary novels with sizzling romance, sensual tension, and suspense in international settings.

11 comments:

  1. You make Belarus sound romantic in your stories, Mona, but I think I'd hate it in real life if I had to live somewhere cold without heating. It makes me grateful I have so many modern conveniences and a warm house.

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  2. Mona, your book sounds like a fabulous place to visit! What a neat way to experience another culture -- and its chilly climate -- vicariously, knowing there's a heater nearby!

    Although I might be brave enough to sample just a bit of that Russian vodka first-hand. To test out its warming properties, of course.

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  3. What an incredible experience, Mona. I, too, left a career in science for writing romance and I love incorporating other cultures. Your book sounds wonderful!

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  4. Hi Helen, the place is cold but the people were so nice, I really enjoyed Belarus, in spite of the awful weather and difficult conditions.

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  5. Hi Sierra, it was an incredible experience that I never regretted. Amazingly, some Belarusian friends found me through Facebook and bought my romance novels set in Belarus. I think one of them recognized himself in the hero. LOL

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  6. Thank you, Rula. I will look for your books.

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  7. What a fascinating post, Mona. Thanks for sharing your adventures. No wonder you write such amazing international romances. Kudos!

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  8. Love this blog, Mona! Thank you for sharing it with all of us! Too funny about your friends from Belarus and the one as the hero!

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  9. Hi Ginny, so glad you enjoyed my post. I had a blast during my fourteen business trips to Belarus, Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. But it was in Minsk, Belarus that I mad a lot of friends.

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  10. Hi Melissa, I am the one who has to thank you for our amazing group.

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  11. I really enjoyed the romance in this book and hearing about the hospitals. I did have problems with the adoption. Did Belarus open for adoptions again? I know that they closed international adoptions in 2004.

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