From chemistry in the lab to chemistry between people.

Welcome to the new authors who recently joined Sweet Romance Reads, a fantastic group. 

Let me explain how my life shifted from chemistry in the lab to chemistry between people.

I grew up in a house cluttered with books, so many books in bookcases, drawers, under the beds in boxes. My mother built tables with columns of books covered with a nice red tablecloth adorned with a vase of artificial flowers. Yet my father, a literature professor and writer, repeated that writing books never fed a man and insisted that his daughters should seek scientific careers. And we did. But I never imagined that hazardous waste analysis would lead me to write novels. 

When my Ph.D. and work in chemistry landed me contracts to refurbish laboratories in foreign countries, I traveled to more than fifty countries on business or vacation. To relax from my hectic schedule, I avidly read romance and mentally plotted my own novels. Eventually, I left my high-pressure scientific career to share with readers the many stories brewing in my head. 

While struggling on the first draft of my first novel, I sent emails to Debbie Macomber and Stephanie Laurence, my two favorite authors at the time. They both answered with encouragement and Debbie advised me to join RWA and my local chapter. I received my first contract during a Florida Romance Writers conference in 2007 and published six books in the next three years.

Self-publishing my novels was the best thing I ever did for my publishing career. In 2012, my books landed on the Amazon bestseller list for contemporary romance and medical romance. Amazon translated Babies in the Bargain in German and French, and later Right Name, Wrong Man in German. I was walking on cloud nine when Amazon posted my name in the 100 most Popular Authors in Romance list for several months.

Filled with energy and enthusiasm, I hid in my writing cave and wrote for days and nights, stopping only to walk on the beach or exercise at the gym. I tried my hand at creating series like Holiday Babies Series that garnered over hundred reviews. When the sales decreased, I coordinated boxed anthologies with other authors. Together, we formatted, uploaded on various platforms and promoted non-stop, and reached the USA Today bestseller lists (8 times) and the New York Times bestseller list. 

I was delighted to receive an Outstanding Achiever Award from Affaire de Coeur Magazine; a two-time Best Contemporary Romance of the Year from Readers Favorite; a Best Romance Novel of the Year from Preditors & Editors Readers Poll; and an EPIC Award finalist.

I write contemporary romance, sweet romance, romantic suspense, medical romance, and paranormal fantasy. Sprinkled with a good dose of humor, my stories are set in the fascinating places I visited, from exotic Belarus, historical France, touristic Spain, and lively Italy 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.

If you like to travel and love to read, come and enjoy my international romances. Meet the spirited heroines and the alpha heroes who share irresistible chemistry in stories that simmer with emotion.

Join my Newsletter or meet me at: 

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 Here are my latest sweet romance novels published in December 2016 and January 2017

Holly Jolly Christmas: 

Prequel to the series.

On Christmas Eve:

We want a mommy for Christmas.

Traveling in Winter

Do you hesitate before flying to spend Christmas Holiday in Chicago, or driving from New York to Florida for a taste of warm weather and sunshine?

Now that I live in the South, I remember with admiration and apprehension our adventures on the highways and the not-so-easy trips we didn’t hesitate to embark on years ago. True we were young and couldn’t afford to fly the whole family from Ohio to Boston for a week vacation at Christmas and Easter. It was more convenient to pack the kids, the dog, and my daughter’s parakeet in the big station wagon. My husband would fold the backbench, and the kids would lie down in their sleeping bags with Rino, the German shepherd between them and Birdie in his cage in a corner.

As the soon as we started on the road, I unfolded the map on my lap and spent my time studying it to discover where to exit for bathroom breaks and meals. If they weren’t asleep, the kids read or sang. We often played games, some type of Wheel of Fortune without wheel, such as find a word that starts with... or a modified Jeopardy, such asking the state capitals and other questions. This was in the ancient time, you know those olden days when no one had a cell phone.

Sometimes, the weather did not cooperate. Once we faced a snowstorm after three hours on the road and watched with horror the cars skid in front of us. “Careful,” I grumbled to my over-confident husband before we ended in a ditch like many in front of us. God must have been watching over us as we managed to avoid bad accidents.

I would drive when the weather was fair. I remembered that one time when it started pouring just as I tackled an endless high bridge. I normally suffer of Acrophobia--an irrational fear of heights, and I felt the blood ice in my veins. In spite of the windshields wipers working furiously, I couldn’t see a thing in front of me.

“I can’t drive.” I glanced at my husband, begging him to help.

“Keep going. We're on a crowded bridge.” 
As if I didn't know!

Behind us, the high beams blinked continuously. The damned bridge was crowded and seemed to climb higher with every turn of the wheels. I was tempted to close my eyes and let go.

“Don’t kill us, Mom,” my son screamed from the back.

That’s when I started reciting every prayer I knew and pledged I’d be a good person if we could get to the end of the bridge safely. Miracles do happen. We finally reached that end of the bridge.

Now I live in Florida and never travel north between December and May.

Please, share your ‘special’ traveling experiences.

To show you how to travel safely and enjoy your trip, read HER CHRISTMAS CRUISE, 

and visit Barcelona, Spain, and Italy.

Amazon

The perfect fiancé is a cheater and the fabulous Christmas wedding is off. When a desperate Julia stops at the travel agency of Tony’s mother to return the cruise tickets, the dedicated psychiatrist is there to pick up the pieces. Sparks fly between them and Tony is willing to put his life on hold for Julia. Nothing goes according to plan, but the would-be honeymoon cruise may fulfill their secret dreams.

 

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How do you handle all of it?

With Labor Day approaching, vacations are officially over. 

I had a long break from writing during these past three months. After entertaining the grandchildren for two weeks at the beginning of the summer and two weeks at the end of August--and developing a monstrous chronic headache-- I am looking at my monitor screen and wondering where to start. The logical thing would be to write a list and organize my priorities.

I did. This way I hope I won’t forget important tasks, as I did last Friday, the last day of my grandchildren's vacation. I was so busy supervising five kids, eleven, ten and nine-years-old, swimming and playing in the pool, I forgot to write my monthly post for a blog, and I forgot a physical therapy appointment. Although both the blog and the appointment were marked on my calendar. How could I do that?

I love the children to death and enjoy watching them chat, discuss, argue, play on their electronic gadgets, and sing or scream, but I think my mind unconsciously protests and turns itself off.

On Facebook, many parents posted pictures of teenagers moving to college and discovering campus life.Young mothers must have released big sighs of relief after watching their precious kids board the school bus. Later, they were probably sipping a delicious cup of coffee and enjoying their first minutes of freedom knowing that the children were safely tucked in school for a few hours.

I don’t have college or school-age children but I watched my grandchildren gather their new books and head to their classes.

Still for me too, work should seriously start. My husband just said with a smile: “It’s so good to hear the silence.” Yes, it’s great to enjoy again a neat and peaceful house and be able to talk to an adult without constant interruptions.

But why am I so confused and turning around my place like a lost soul? 

Vacation blues?  Do you ever experience them?

Mona Risk is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author. 
WEDDING SURPRISE is her most recent release.
http://amzn.com/B00T24CULM

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/wedding-surprise

iTunes: http://indi.uno/16YpUf1

B&N: http://indi.uno/1CZOgTr

Her contribution to the Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 on pre-order is: