Thanksgiving in St. Maarten

On Thanksgiving Day we docked at St. Maarten Island.

After admiring the beautiful turquoise color of the Carribean Sea, we enjoyed the day on the Dutch side of the island. Apparently 16,000 tourists visited St. Maarten on Thanksgiving Day. Can you count four ships?

We had a quick walking tour of the shore area.

This map of the island is made of marble tiles, inserted in the ground, at the entrance of the town.

Playing with the grandchildren was the highlight of my cruise.

No shopping for me. I was too busy holding little hands.

Although they had nice beach wraps, not expensive.

The Captain's Pub next to the boutiques.

Too soon it was time to go home to the ship.

If you like to travel and love to read, come and enjoy my international romances. I will take you around the world through stories that simmer with emotion and sizzle with heat.

BABIES IN THE BARGAIN winner of 2009 Best Romance Novel at Preditors & Editors and winner of 2009 Best Contemporary Romance at Readers Favorite.
Rx FOR TRUST, winner of 2010 Best Contemporary Romance at Readers Favorite and 2011 EPICON.
http://www.monarisk.com/

A Memorable Thanksgiving

For many years Thanksgiving vacation meant family reunion with about forty relatives and a dozen close friends gathering for lunch and dinner at my parents' house, or my aunt and uncle's, exchanging news and jokes, and making plans for the next year. As the children grew and the parents' health failed, the reunion took place at my house.
But the dear old people left us one after the other. So this year we decided to break the tradition that held sweet and painful memories.

My son suggested a cruise and we welcomed the idea. With nine adults and two small children, we boarded the Ruby Princess ship, sailed the Caribbean and enjoyed a week of relaxation and togetherness. After a day at sea, we docked at Princess Cay, an island owned by the Princess company, and lunched on the beach. Here are some pictures taken on Princess Cay Island. For the next three days I will post pictures of St. Martin, St. Thomas, St. John islands and Grand Turk.
Older people lay on comfortable lounge chairs.

Pretty girls dipped their legs in the ocean.

The children played in an enclosed kidd-camp under the close supervision of several monitors chosen from the ship staff.

If you like to travel and love to read, come and enjoy my international romances. I will take you around the world through stories that simmer with emotion and sizzle with heat.

BABIES IN THE BARGAIN
Rx FOR TRUST
http://www.monarisk.com/

Thanksgiving

Have a happy THANKSGIVING.

Don't eat too much.

Relax and read.

See you in a week.
I will back with many stories and beautiful pictures.

Here is a list of of award-winning books you will enjoy reading.

TO LOVE A HERO
FRENCH PERIL
BABIES IN THE BARGAIN
Rx FOR TRUST

If you like to travel and love to read, come and enjoy my international romances. I will take you around the world through stories that simmer with emotion and sizzle with heat.

Fort Lauderdale

Today I am blogging at:

http://www.voicesftheart.blogspot.com/

About psychic, dreams, and incredible things. Please come and visit.

Yesterday was a gorgeous day here in Fort Lauderdale with a perfect 78 degree temperature.

I spent an hour swimming in the ocean.

If you are looking for a nice vacation in warmer climate, come and visit South Florida.

We don't have the beautiful foliage colors of the north states or the snow-covered slopes, but we offer the amazing blue variation of our ocean and the most beautiful sandy beaches, the Intercoastal and its many canals.

Yes I am partial to my Florida, its speldid sunrises on the ocean and colorful sunsets.

I'll be back tomorrow with a lovely video to show you.

If you like to travel and love to read, come and enjoy my international romances. I will take you around the world through stories that simmer with emotion and sizzle with heat.

BABIES IN THE BARGAIN
Rx FOR TRUST
http://www.monarisk.com/

Back to writing, blogging, and more

Today I attended a workshop on how to update my blog and website. You’ll notice I already applied what I learned and gave a facelift to my blog. I even added a followers’ box and I hope to see you joining my list of followers.

I have good news to share with you. Rx FOR TRUST, my latest contemporary romance that won Best Book of the Year 2010 at Readers Favorite, is now a finalist at EPICON 2011.




I was thrilled when I received the email with that good news. The winners will be announced at the EPICON conference in Williamsburg VA, in March 2011. I hope I’ll be able to attend. It’s a little bit like the Golden Heart or RITA award for ebooks.

Following that good news, I managed to kick myself —hard—and sit on my computer to write. My muse rushed back with a story set in Greece. So we are going to travel together to the beautiful island of Mykonos.


If you like to travel and love to read, come and enjoy my international romances. I will take you around the world through stories that simmer with emotion and sizzle with heat~

BABIES IN THE BARGAIN

Rx FOR TRUST

http://www.monarisk.com/

So much has happened

My last blog was dated September 23, 2010. I posted to announce good news: Rx FOR TRUST won Best Contemporary Romance of the Year 2010 at Readers Favorite. I was smiling to my ears.

The day after I stopped smiling. My heart clutched by anxiety. My Mom started coughing. The doctor ordered her to bedrest. She never came out of that bed alive. My sister, my aunt and I stayed with her day and night. Five days later, on September 28, Mom died surrounded by her loved ones.

Family and friends gathered around us and offered support and prayers.

My mother is remembered for her lovely smile, her positive attitude, her incredible endurance.

A month had passed but I still can't look at her pictures without crying, although I am sure she is in a better place and praying for us.

I received a very nice poem from my friend, Mimi. It applies so well to my Mom.

Fill not your hearts with pain and sorrow,

But remember me in every tomorrow.
Remember the joy, the laughter, the smiles,

I've only gone to rest a little while.
Although my leaving causes pain and grief,

My going has eased my hurt and given me relief.

So dry your eyes and remember me,

Not as I am now, but as I used to be.

Because, I will remember you all and look on with a smile.
Understand, in your hearts, I've only gone to rest a little while.

As long as I have the love of each of you,

I can live my life in the hearts of all of you.

Rx FOR TRUST: A Winner!!!

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” Walter Scott.

Successful physician and loving mother, Olivia Crane fiercely believes youthful mistakes should be kept secret and skeletons are better left in the closet. Dr. Luc George, the French psychiatrist, she loved ten years ago, detests secrets. Can he help her conquer her inner fears or will he get burned by the past too? Will Olivia grab her second chance and finally find happiness with the love of her life?

Happy Ever After~5 Cups. Mona Risk writes a beautiful love story about second chances and being afraid to take a leap of faith. Prescription of Trust is a fast paced book that you just can’t put down until the end.

Readers Favorite~ 5 Hearts This is the first book of the Doctors Orders Series by Mona Risk. If the rest of the books in this string is of this caliber, Ms. Risk will find herself with a very successful series on her hands.

From a fan: I totally recommend Mona Risk!!!!!!!! Read and you wont be sorry. Worth every penny you pay for her books. Take it from the constant reader! ;)

If you like to travel and love to read, come and enjoy my international romances. I will take you around the world through stories that simmer with emotion and sizzle with heat~