Q&A Interview with Special Guest Author Mona Risk

by Jeannie Ruesch

Happy Endings is pleased to welcome special guest and fellow Wild Rose Press author, Mona Risk today.

Previously posted on the Happy Endings blog**

Can you tell us a little about your latest release?

BABIES IN THE BARGAIN is a sweet and spicy medical romance that garnered several wins in contests. Imagine Grey’s Anatomy or ER in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The story is based on my daughter’s professional experience. Needless to say, the book is dedicated to her for her professional input.

Contest nominations: The Beacon; Launching A Star; The Suzannah; Great Expectations; Golden Gateway; Gotcha; Enchanted Words; Winter Rose; Duel on the Delta; Linda Howard Award of Excellence….

What inspired you to write romance?

My traveling.

In a different life, I was Director of the Analytical Division of an environmental company. A monotonous predictable life that suddenly changed when I won a contract to refurbish military laboratories in Russian countries. I traveled fifteen times to Minsk, capital of Belarus, and was well received by everyone. I fell in love with the country.

Five years later, I took early retirement to write my first book, TO LOVE A HERO. Through my novel, a fictional story about an American chemist and a Belarusian officer, I relived my fantastic trips to Belarus. My story highlights the hospitality and warmth of the gorgeous, gallant Belarusian officers who sing, toast with vodka and make a woman feel like a goddess.

Over the years, I traveled to fifty countries on vacation or business trips. I wanted to share my unusual experiences by setting stories in the beautiful places I was fortunate to visit. You can discover an authentic chateau of the historical Loire Valley in my romantic suspense, FRENCH PERIL. Unpublished yet, ISLAND OF PASSION, is a sizzling romance that takes place in Mykonos, Greece.

My medical romances are inspired by the many doctors in my family who are more than eager to help me research my medical cases and laugh while correcting my medical mistakes.

 

What romantic genre do you write?

I have written two romantic suspenses available at Cerridwen Press in ebook and paperback:TO LOVE A HERO and FRENCH PERIL.

In addition to BABIES IN THE BARGAIN, I have three medical romances that are part of a series called Doctor’s Orders. Rx FOR TRUST will be released by the Wild Rose Press on December 04, 2009.

What’s your favorite genre to read?

I read contemporary romance, medical romances and romantic suspense. A pencil in hand, I critique and analyze as I read.

Now if I read to relax, I favor historical romances, mostly Regency by Stephanie Laurens and Tracy Grant, or the oldies by Kathleen Woodiwiss, Johanna Lindsey, Heather Graham…

Have you always dreamed of being a writer? Did any other careers get filtered into that goal?

From as far as I can remember, I have been a dreamer and a writer, staring at the blackboard during a math class while re-plotting Cinderella and Aladin tales, or hiding from the coach during gym to pursue my latest self-told story. At night, I was the one entertaining my mother with my own bedtime stories after she tucked me in bed.

By the time I was a teenager, I wanted to be a doctor and messed it up because of the damn rabbit I had to dissect in premed biology lab. Even anesthetized, he was so cute I couldn’t stab him with a scalpel and cried during the whole lab session. It was easier to shift to Pharmacy and Chemistry than hurt the poor thing. But I never forgot my medical dream and indulged in creating gorgeous doctors and handsome specialists for my medical romances.

If you could possess the body of a historical person for 24 hours, who would it be, when would you choose to do it (in their time), and what would you do?

Uh…someone taller than I am. I don’t know if Cleopatra was tall but she was beautiful enough to bewitch Cesar and Marc Anthony, change the course of history and destroy those poor guys. Instead of fighting a hopeless war against Rome, I would keep Marc Anthony entertained and live a longer happily-ever-after with him, rather than taking my own life with a snake’s bite.

If they made a Made For TV movie of your life, who would you want to play you? Would this be a comedy? A tragedy?

Comedy. I hate tragedies. Maybe I can convince Kate Hudson. to play ME. Forget that we don’t look alike at all.

If you could become the heroine in a favorite book, which book would it be and how hunky is your hero?

I HAVE been a heroine in my own book. General Sergei, my hero in TO LOVE A HERO, is every woman’s dream according to my readers and fans. By the time I finished writing this book, I was madly in love with Sergei.

If you could “party like it’s 1999” with a celebrity or personality (alive or dead) who would it and where would you party?

I’ll take George Clooney or better Pierce Brosnan to the Seychelles islands for a rum cocktail and a swim.

Because this IS Happy Endings, I have to ask: What is your favorite fictional romantic happy endings — either from a book, a movie or TV show. Why that one?

The Cinderella ending as in Pretty Women, or My Fair Lady are very romantic. But I prefer the ending of “laws of Attraction” with Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore where two lawyers competing against each, or in that case, pleading in court against each other, fall in love.

BABIES IN THE BARGAIN coming July 3rd from The Wild Rose Press.

 

A video trailer:


Short Synopsis:

With only one year left to complete her medical training in Neonatology, Dr. Holly Collier vows not to let anyone mess up her sacrosanct schedule. Especially not the drop-dead gorgeous Dr. Marc Suarez who broke her heart seven years ago.

When a tragic accident transforms the carefree playboy into a dedicated but novice father to his nephew, Holly gives in to her maternal instincts and turns her structured life upside down for the orphaned preemie. But can she learn to trust Marc again and believe in true love?

You can read more about Mona’s books at www.monarisk.com and www.monarisk.blogspot.com

Thank you Jeannie for giving the opportunity to guest blog at Happy Endings.

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22 comments

Lavada Dee June 30, 2009 - 9:59 am

What a great life. The trailer for Babies in the Bargain is wonderful. Thanks for visiting and sharing your story.

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Mona Risk June 30, 2009 - 5:49 pm

Jeannie, thank you for inviting to blog at Happy Ending.

Reply
Judy June 30, 2009 - 6:08 pm

Mona, Great interview! You’ve had such varied experiences and the fact that you can use them to enhance your stories is wonderful! Good luck with them all!

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Mona Risk June 30, 2009 - 6:09 pm

Lavada Dee, Thanks for having me. What a beautiful site you have here.

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Jana Richards June 30, 2009 - 6:12 pm

What an interesting life you’ve had! And such interesting travels. Best of luck with the new book.

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Toni V. Sweeney June 30, 2009 - 6:14 pm

Envy, Mona! You base your book on those faraway places with the strange-sounding names which you’ve visited. I have to make mine up out of my head! Best wishes on Babies in the Bargain!

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Mary Marvella June 30, 2009 - 6:19 pm

Mona, Lavada made a good choice when she invited you to be her guest.
I also like romantic suspenses and comedies.

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Barbara Monajem June 30, 2009 - 6:44 pm

Hi, Mona! I love all the different settings of your books. It’s interesting that you read historicals to relax. Have you ever considered writing a historical about one of the cool settings you’ve used?

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Beth Trissel June 30, 2009 - 7:04 pm

I love your trailer, Mona. This interview is very interesting because I’ve learned some things about you that I didn’t know, like you crying about the bunny and not becoming a doctor, but being fascinated with medicine.
Wanting Kate Hudson to play you–very kewl lady. And better entertaining Anthony than Cleopatra, so you don’t both have to do yourselves in. I think that tragedy was a result of their picking a fight with Rome. True, if Anthony had been more preoccupied perhaps he’d have had less ambition and not tried to take over the world. πŸ™‚

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Paisley Kirkpatrick June 30, 2009 - 7:06 pm

You know how I love your stories, Mona. Good luck with this new one. I most definitely love those happy endings…I’m just a romantic at heart.

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Mona Risk June 30, 2009 - 7:19 pm

Thank you my friends for stopping by at the Happy Endings. They have such a beautiful blog here. I love the red background. What started as a lousy day is ending on a fun note thanks to all of you. You are the best.

Being a doctor was a dream I couldn’t realize when I started college, but what the heck, now I can mumble the medical jargon almost–only almost–like a doctor. I can see my daughter rolling her eyes.

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Silver James June 30, 2009 - 7:28 pm

Hi, Mona! Stopping in very late. This has been a crazy week. Good luck with the new book. It sounds like a real winner. Thanks for stopping by to visit us here at Happy Endings.

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Mona Risk June 30, 2009 - 8:17 pm

Thank you Silver James. I will visit often from now on. I’ve bookmarked Happy Endings.

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P.L. Parker June 30, 2009 - 8:44 pm

Good blog and the storylines of your books sound great.

Patsy

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Jane June 30, 2009 - 9:55 pm

Hi Mona,
Congrats on the upcoming release. I’m really enjoying “French Peril.”

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Lavada Dee June 30, 2009 - 10:13 pm

Thank you for the credit of inviting Mona but it was Jeannie. As always she does great interviews

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Celia Yeary July 1, 2009 - 5:17 am

MONA–I learned even more about you through this interview. Some of it was familiar, so I really enjoyed reading about your exceptional life. No wonder your novels are so good–you’ve lived much of them!Congratulations on your success–Celia

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Joanna Aislinn July 1, 2009 - 7:30 am

Loved this interview, Mona! Your life sounds like you’ve had some phenomenal moments to experience and you share it so well, I got to virtually experience some of it myself. (I could very easily feel like a goddess w/those Belarusan men πŸ™‚ Give me an accent any day!

Best of luck with your writing. I look forward to reading your work!

Joanna Aislinn
NO MATTER WHY
coming January 15, 2010
The Wild Rose Press
http://www.joannaaislinn.com

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Betty Hanawa July 1, 2009 - 8:57 am

great interview, Mona. Loved the bunny story. Looking forward to reading Babies in the Bargain.

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Mona Risk July 1, 2009 - 10:18 am

Thank you Patsy, Jane and Celia for reading this interview. Jeannie has special questions that make you stop and think and chuckle while you look for an answer. LOL

Thank you Jeannie, it was so much fun to answer your questions. How I wish Pierce Brosnan could read my interview!!

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sleepyj July 1, 2009 - 10:25 am

Mona, thanks so much for being with us yesterday and today. I’m late to the party (as usual) but I really enjoyed reading your answers and learning more about you. What a wonderful way to incorporate all that you’ve seen in your life.

Thank you for answering my quirky questions with such grace and fun! ~ Jeannie

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sleepyj July 1, 2009 - 10:26 am

Oh and yeah, I COMPLETELY get you on the Pierce Brosnan thing. Although I’m a sucker for Tom Selleck personally. πŸ™‚

Reply

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