Old and New Resolutions by Mona Risk

On December 31, I wrote my new resolutions. As I do every year. And every year I promise myself I will do my best to put them in practice all year long. Usually I manage to reach the end of February before I slack.

This year starts as an absolute disaster and I'm afraid I will fail.

1- Dieting: no bread or wheat.
Unfortunately, I cooked and baked so much for the kids and friends. Seriously, I can't just throw the leftovers. Someone has to finish all the delicious sweets before I can start dieting. Guess who's doing her best to clean the fridge of cakes, baklavas, chocolates, special breads... Oh my stomach!

2- Walk 10,000 steps: I have been walking and walking...in my house, but there is no way to reach that number. My new “fitbit” is slower than a turtle, beside walking outside is out of the question. So far the weather has been stormy.

3- Write three new books.
Last year I published three new books and I managed to start a new story a month ago. If the weather continues to be nasty, I am sure I will finish my current story soon.

4- Talk to my kids every day. Hmm... Shouldn't they be the ones calling their old mom? When I told them that, the answer was, "Mom, you're far from old. I wish I had your energy. Can you babysit on Tuesday?"
Maybe I should call once a week or once a month!

I look at the card on which I used my best penmanship to write my resolutions and sigh. It's only January 4. Maybe I can start on these resolutions on February 1st?

Did you write your resolutions? Do you manage to keep them?

Available at Amazon

Dr. Sylvia Reynolds promised to be at her parents’ house, in time for Christmas dinner. Her priorities change when she stumbles on a baby rattle and meets the gorgeous man who rescues her and his baby niece.

James Alexander, a successful lawyer, who doesn’t know the ABC of baby’s care, must deliver his five-months-old niece to her grandmother. Because of the blizzard paralyzing the Midwest, flights are canceled and passengers are trapped in airports for endless hours. At the end of his wit with a crying baby, James begs the lovely pediatrician for help.

Can Sylvia turn her life and career upside down for a motherless baby who holds on to her for sheer survival and for James who wants her to stay with him for different reasons?

Babies in Books

“This is not a monkey. It’s an o-ran-gu-tan.” The three-year-old boy pointed at the picture on his electronic tablet. “You don’t know anything, Mon-Mon,” Scott added as his brothers, Brian and Ethan scowled at me suspiciously. The little sweethearts are triplets.

“Okay, I see. Maybe we can play the orangutan game,” I said with my most amiable tone of voice. I badly wanted to cooperate with the triplets I was babysitting while their mother, my young cousin, was at the doctor.

“No, too tricky for you.” Brian shook his head and Ethan protected his tablet behind his back.

Playing on the tablet was too tricky for a writer and grandmother!!!

A month ago I had the pleasure of hosting fourteen children under twelve for Christmas dinner and their week vacation. Among them we had two sets of twins and one set of triplets. All adorable and so good at using their ipads and their parents’ iphones! Even the three-year old triplets tapped their little fingers faster than I can ever do it.  

I also regularly babysit my grandchildren. The exhausted young parents never hesitate to bring their little angels—or monsters, depending if I’m full of energy or at the end of my patience—to spend two to four weeks with Grandma and Grandpa’s. I love chatting with them.

Is it any wonder that I have become quite an expert at taking care of young children?

“Write what you know,” a well-known editor advised during one of her workshops.

Have you ever featured children in your story?

I had several babies in BABIES IN THE BARGAIN; a teenager in NO MORE LIES; a baby girl and four little boys in AN UNUSUAL CHRISTMAS.

Children add a touch of humor and emotion to our stories, and bring smiles in our lives.

Babies play a major role in my Holiday Babies series.

Books in this series can be read in order or as stand-alone reads.

Holiday Babies Series:

Holly Jolly Christmas: Prequel to the series.

Christmas Babies: A sweet and powerful Christmas Story.

Valentine Babies: Can he love a woman expecting another man's baby?

Mother's Day Babies: Never too late to find love and happiness.

Wedding Surprise: Is it the worst or best wedding surprise?

Christmas Papa: Who's my Papa, Mommy?

On Christmas Eve: We want a mommy for Christmas.

“Mona Risk knows how to pull a reader into the minds of her well-crafted characters. Her work takes us on a journey be it local or overseas.”~Night Owl Reviews.

Holiday Babies Series new releases, 99c, @MonaRiskS #SweetRomance

To my friends and readers,

Happy New Year.
Wishing you health and happiness in the coming year.

Here are two new releases that are sure to bring you smiles, tears and laughter. I hope you will enjoy these two sweet stories as much as many readers did.

5.0 out of 5 stars

By sandybar57

This is a fabulous book in the Holiday Babies Series! The author held my attention from the very beginning, with me shedding mostly happy tears throughout the story.

5.0 out of 5 stars

By Jen Craig This book was sweet and charming and reaffirms that it is worth giving people second chance and that true love will prevail. I loved this story and highly recommend it.

~~~~~~~~~

Book 6 of Holiday Babies Series: Available on Amazon
Prequel to Holiday Babies Series: Available on Amazon

 5.0 out of 5 stars

By Loves Reading

 Another wonderful heartwarming romance in the holiday babies series from Mona Risk. Lovely to catch up with the characters and a lovely happy ending for Christmas.

 

5.0 out of 5 stars

By Joanne

Beautiful story about endings and new beginnings. Mona Risk has written another winner. The sweet promise of young love between Heather and Jeff will have you rooting for them all... Read more

Making a Difference

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Ghandi

Some people see themselves as ordinary people going about their daily activities without concerns about their surroundings. They are just happy to make ends meet, put enough food on the table, take care of their families with a little extra on the side for entertainment and vacation. When asked about what they do for a living, they will mention their JOB, going to work for a paycheck and doing what they have to do.

Driven by ambition, others are dedicated to their careers, and devote every moment to accomplish their goals. When asked about what they do for a living, they will talk about their CAREER, about their hard work and perseverance to climb the ladder of success in their field.

A few special people want to make a difference in their world. They really believe in a cause larger than themselves and they would go out of their way to make a difference for others. When asked about what they do for a living, they will enthusiastically elaborate about their calling, their mission in life, their vocation. Their happiness does not come from money, or status, but from having a positive impact on the lives of others. 

As we are approaching the holidays and the end of this year, how do you analyze your accomplishments?Wealth? Status? Inner satisfaction? Positive impact on the others?  

 ON CHRISTMAS EVE is part of USA Today bestseller anthology SWEET CHRISTMAS KISSES 3.

Amazon

http://a.co/78RQmEH

Five fruits to help you lose weight

If you are starting a diet or trying to lose a few pounds, here are five fruits that can help you:

Apples: remember that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. It also keeps your hunger away.

Watermelon: low in calories, high water content.

Raspberries: low calories, high fiber content.

Grapefruit: a grapefruit will fill you and can make a good breakfast.

Orange: low in calories, an amazing weigh-loss fruit.

On pre-order, SWEET CHRISTMAS KISSES 3

Amazon
Apple
Kobbo Books
Google

My contribution to this box is a sweet Christmas story

ON CHRISTMAS EVE 

Book Description

 Tiffany broke their engagement five years ago when she thought Matthew cheated on her. But fate keeps throwing him in her path. His tender gaze erases years of loneliness and her heart squeezes with longing. And then, she notices the two little girls in his arms. His daughters? Where is their mother?

Can Tiffany and Matthew forgive each other, live in the present, and create a new future?

A tireless traveler, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Mona Risk writes contemporary romance, medical romance, and romantic suspense novels, all simmering with emotion. Sprinkled with a good dose of humor, her stories are set in the fascinating places she visits— or in Florida, her paradise on earth.