Mona Risk
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 and not so sweet, with suspense
elements or medical themes. Sprinkled with a good dose of humor, her
award-winning stories are set in the fascinating places she visited. Learn more
about her and her books at her website.
Of
all the countries I visited, France has always been my favorite. Its rich
culture and history appeal to me. I spent days and weeks touring the
countryside, visiting chateaux, monuments, churches and museums. Being fluent
in French, I feel comfortable in Paris and love strolling along the streets of
Paris where several friends always welcome me.
A
few years ago, my husband rented a car and we toured the Loire Valley. I was
impressed by the magnificence of the chateaux. I visualized gallant aristocrats
entertaining beautiful women in lavishly decorated galleries and plush gardens.
Stories played in my mind. I don’t write historical romances but kept thinking
about the settings.
A
year later, while spending Christmas with my sister, my niece enthusiastically
related her summer training in a French chateau. As an American student in
Architecture from Harvard University, she was offered the unique opportunity to
work on the restoration of a chapel in France. When I asked jokingly, “Was the
owner a haughty old man?” My niece answered: “He was a young, handsome count
and the five girls in my team had a crush on him. He dated my friend.”
Oh,
oh. Chateau. Handsome count. Training on a historical chapel. Maybe looking for
a historical statue. I had an epiphany. Here was my story premise. My muse
supplied a budding romance. I could imagine my heroine, a pretty American
architect, just like my niece. As for the hero, of course, he would be a
gorgeous French count.
When
I pitched my blurb to an agent at the RWA conference, she suggested I change
the plot to make it a romantic suspense. I took her suggestion to heart and
upped the stakes with a missing statue and the murder of a professor.
French Peril was born. It was first published in 2008. Recently,
the title was changed to Her French
Count and the novel became part of the box set, Foreign Lovers,
that encompasses four novels: Her Greek
Tycoon, Her French Count, Her Russian Hero, and Neighbors and More.
Foreign Lovers
Set in romantic
or exotic international places, the romance novels in this box set are sizzling
with passion, emotion, and sensual tension and sprinkled with humor.
Her Greek Tycoon (Her Greek Romance): A sexy and humorous Romeo and Juliette Greek style, set in Mykonos Island. Will Stefano be able to convince Ashley he's not the enemy anymore?
Her French Count (French Peril): A Da Vinci Code in a French Chateau. Count François has his hand full trying to protect the pretty American architect who's turned his life upside down.
Her Russian Hero (To Love A Hero): Clash of cultures and intrigues. On her first business trip to a Russian country dominated by male chauvinism, the beautiful American scientist finds more chemistry than she bargains for. But the man she's attracted to is a national hero admired by men and adored by women, the Major General of Belarus.
Neighbors and More: A contemporary romance novel with elements of suspense and humor. In a High Rise where so many neighbors live too close for comfort, the handsome Sicilian lawyer, and wealthy young divorcée, try to hide their idyllic romance. When a neighbor drowns in the Jacuzzi, life will forever change in the Blue Waves Building.
3 comments:
Happy New year, to you, Lois!!! Thelma Straw in manhattan
Thanks, Thelma! Same to you.
Hi Lois, thank you for having me on your blog.
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