Mona Risk

Launch Party for SWEET CHRISTMAS KISSES 2

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Mona Risk

You are cordially invited to the Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 Launch Party

Tuesday September 1st (today)

From 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm

https://www.facebook.com/events/1645202319060340/

Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 Product Description and Blurb:

Welcome in the holiday season with 19 heartwarming and wholesome novellas from New York Times, USA Today, national bestselling, and award-winning authors.

Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 takes you from the Smoky Mountains to Florida’s sun-drenched beaches, from the Italian Alps to Paris, France, and even to a quirky little town in Arizona. The Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 bundle features all-new, stand-alone stories that are sure to make you laugh, sometimes bring tears to your eyes, but always put you in the Christmas spirit. Foreword by New York Times bestselling author, RaeAnne Thayne.

Christmas Papa by Mona Risk, New York Times, USA Today, National bestselling and Award-winning author. With twin toddlers to care for, she can’t forget her past until a playboy’s kisses challenge her to believe in herself.

Gingerbread Kisses by Beate Boeker, USA Today and National bestselling author. A cookie specialist finds sweet romance in the snowy Alps of Italy.

Boycotting Christmas by Melinda Curtis, USA Today, National bestselling and Award-winning author. A bachelor seeks Christmas magic from a woman who’s boycotting Christmas.

A Christmas to Remember by Denise Devine, USA Today, National bestselling and Award-winning author. Stranded together in a blizzard, Katie and Ryan discover the true meaning of Christmas.

An Angel for Christmas by Raine English, USA Today, National bestselling and Award-winning author. A down-on-her-luck single mom finds love at Christmas.

The Cowboy’s Christmas Bride by Aileen Fish, USA Today and National bestselling author. A snowstorm and a cow in distress bring a rancher and a veterinary student together for the holidays.

Lucky Break Christmas: Second Honeymoon by Patricia Forsythe, USA Today, National bestselling and Award-winning author. Christmas is the perfect time to try and make a failed honeymoon go right.

Beach Walk by Grace Greene, USA Today, National bestselling and Award-winning author. An oceanfront cottage—Kelli lives there; Dylan wants to. Will Christmas give them a do-over at finding happiness?

An Irish Christmas Blessing by Roxanne Rustand, USA Today, National bestselling and Award-winning author. Eve goes to Ireland to run a quaint village bookshop and meets a stranger who just might steal her heart.

Christmas Wedding by Magdalena Scott, USA Today and National bestselling author. Second chance love, and a designer dress, in a Christmas card setting.

Finding You at Christmas by Kristin Wallace, USA Today, National bestselling and Award-winning author. She’s going to find her destiny this Christmas.

Christmas Laurel by Christine Bush. Can a female army veteran find healing and love with the magic of Christmas?

Country Christmas by Lois Greiman, Award-winning author. Heartbreak turns to happiness in the healing splendor of the Black Hills of South Dakota.

The Christmas Crusade by Shanna Hatfield, National bestselling author. Two old flames reunite with a little holiday magic.

The Christmas Charm by Susan R. Hughes, National bestselling author. Can childhood friendship blossom into love?

Evergreen Romance by Julie Jarnagin. A couple reunites while working together at a Christmas tree lot.

My Christmas Cupcake by Shaleen Kapil. A last minute Christmas Eve errand to the bakery cooks up romance.

A Christmas Spark by Ciara Knight, National bestselling author. An abandoned cabin becomes a healing home for the holidays.

Sweet Blizzard by Milou Koenings. He saves her life, she could make or break his; will the gift of love come in time for Christmas?

Editorial Reviews:

“Mona Risk knows how to pull a reader into the minds of her well-crafted characters.” ~Night Owl Reviews

Beate Boeker “An absolute delight to read” ~Amazon Reviewer

Melinda Curtis “Season of Change has found a place on my keeper shelf.” ~Brenda Novak

Denise Devine “This writer never disappoints.” ~Christine Arness

“I just love all of Raine English’s books…” ~Amazon Reviewer

“Aileen Fish creates characters that seem to jump off the page.” ~Amazon Reviewer

“Patricia Forsythe’s books show warmth and humor…” ~Roz Denny Fox

“Grace Greene, with a captivating style, writes a compelling story…” ~Camellia – Long and Short Reviews

“Roxanne Rustand has a gift for capturing the essence of relationships…” ~Midwest Book Reviews

“Magdalena Scott…carried me along to a get-away where… I end up back in touch with my better nature.” ~Amazon Reviewer

Kristin Wallace “I appreciate Kristin’s fast paced storytelling…” ~Amazon Reviewer

“Master Storyteller Christine Bush always leaves her readers feeling warm and fuzzy…” ~Debra Mullins

Lois Greiman “Amazingly good!” ~Romantic Times

“Shanna Hatfield has come to be one of my favorite authors…” ~Cyn’s Reviews

“Susan R. Hughes creates couples who are so real that I always feel like I might know them, or at least wish I did.” ~Jeanie Jackson

“Julie Jarnagin shows her mastery of plot with a story that engages the reader…” ~Amazon Reviewer

Ciara Knight “Readers will be sucked into Knight’s story…” ~InD’Tale Magazine

“‘Oh rats! The book is over!’ and you are sad and head directly to Milou Koenings’ website…” ~Bubble Bath Books

Posted in Contemporary Romance, Mainstream | 1 Comment

Cork and Blarney Castle-Ireland

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Mona Risk

On the second day of our cruise, our ship docked in Cork Harbor, the second largest natural harbor in the world after Sydney. Founded in the 7th century by St. Fin Barre, Cork is the gateway to romantic Ireland and is also the single most important port of emigration from Ireland. Blarney Castle

The region around Cork is also home to one of the densest concentration of prehistoric monuments in Western Europe. And, in a land where fable and fact blend to become folklore, it was near Cork that the great Tuatha De Danaan, a race with magical powers, was driven underground by the conquering Celts.
Set in a sprawling park, this romantic ruin was the stronghold of the McCarthy clan, and features thick stone walls.

I wasn’t one of the intrepid visitors who scaled the narrow passages of Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone. Those who kiss the Blarney Stone are said to be gifted the power of eloquence.

The Legend of the Blarney Stone

The Legend of the Blarney Stone For many centuries, as everyone knows, English monarchs tried to impose their will on Ireland. Queen Elizabeth I, eager to extend the influence of her government, sent a deputy to Cormac MacCarthy who was Lord of Blarney and demanded that Cormac take the tenure of his lands from the Crown. Cormac set out to visit the Queen and plead for his traditional right to his land, but he despaired of success for he was not fluent of speech. Shortly after starting his journey, he met an old woman who asked him why he looked so forlorn. He told her his story and she said “Cormac, when Blarney Castle was built, one stone was put into place by a man who predicted no one would ever be able to touch it again. If you can kiss that stone, the gift of eloquence will be conferred upon you.”

Cormac succeeded in kissing the Blarney Stone and was able to address the Queen with speech so soft and words so fair that as long as he lived he never had to renounce his right to his land.Today kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of the gab.

In 1446 the Blarney stone was set at the top of a tower of the castle.

Next we visited the Blarney Woolen Mill Shop. This converted mill is Ireland’s largest Irish gift store selling traditional Irish goods, including Waterford crystal, Irish linen, hand-loomed Donegal tweed, knitwear, bone china and Celtic brooches.

Look at the trunks of trees dressed with knitted wool. They were all over the landscape in front of Blarney Castle.

The highlight of our tour was watching these young girls perform an Irish dance.

Posted in Contemporary Romance, Uncategorized | Tagged Blarney Castle, Blarney Stone, Claddagh Ring, Ireland, Irish dance, legend | Leave a comment

The British Isles – Guernsey

Posted on August 4, 2015 by Mona Risk

I just returned from a wonderful cruise around the British Isles. Would you like to come along with me for a repeat ?

For seven days, I will share pictures and comments about the seven stops of the ship.

First stop, St. Peter Port in Guernsey Island.

These tiny Channel Islands, modern yet pastoral, separated from Normandy in 1204, with a population on 65,000. St. Peter Port is the capital with a population of 16,000. The official language is English but the legislative language is French, and there is an island dialect of Guernesiais, close to the French and spoken by 2% of the population.

Our guide informed us that the island which is part of the Commonwealth has its own government and governor. No tax for its citizens and free health service for the children under six and senior over seventies.

During WWII, Guernsey was heavily fortified by Hitler. We saw battlements and visited the Occupation Museum with its tunnels.

Victor Hugo lived here in exile for 15 years at the Hauteville House with his wife Adele and four children. His son, Charles, noted that this house was “a veritable three-story autograph, a poem in several rooms.” Both Les Miserables and the Huntchback of Notre-Dame were written in Guernsey.

Sir Edmund Andros lived in Sausmarez Manor. He was the Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey, and at various times Governor of New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia and North Carolina. He was the one who changed the name of New Amsterdam to New York when he was its first British Governor.

William Le Lacheur is another famous resident who built a coffee empire in Costa Rica and Europe.

French Impressionist Renoir created some of the most valuable painting of the island’s cliffs and bays.

With its cobbled streets and picturesque seafront marina, St. Peter Port is considered one of Europe ‘s prettiest harbor towns. The Gold and Silversmiths Workshops are situated in a converted barn that dates to 1582.