The Next Best Thing

Posted by Mona Risk | 11:22 AM | 8 comments »


I was tagged by the fabulous Beth Trissel, author of SOMEWHERE MY LOVE, and here I am answering a few questions.

What is the title of your book?
CHRISTMAS BABIES, very appropriate for the Christmas season.

Where did the idea come from for the book?The story takes place in Florida where I live. While living in northern states, I have often wondered how people celebrate Christmas on the beach. Now I know and I love it. Like my daughter, the heroine is a pediatrician and neonatologist. But what if this heroine who deals with tiny patients all day long can’t have children of her own?
What genre does your book fall under?
Contemporary romance, with some medical scenes, although most of the story takes place out of the hospital or on the beach at Christmas time.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I love Kate Hudson. She’s sassy and confident. She can handle the role of Dr. Madelyn Ramsay. I can picture Matthew McConaughey in the role of Dr. Nick Preston.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
The best synopsis was given by my friend Mary Ricksen:
Would that we all realize about love without needing a health scare to convince us.

Where (or when) can we get your book?
CHRISTMAS BABIES is available at Amazon for 99cents. It’s a bestseller with a rank #180 in kindle store and #41 in Contemporary romance. Link to order: http://tinyurl.com/burgd9j

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
My manuscript is 36,000 wc. I wrote it in four weeks while in  a cruise in the Middle East and India. I was relaxed. The words flew off my fingers.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
This is my first Christmas story. I wrote several medical romances in the same genre. BABIESIN THE BARGAIN, NO MORE LIES, and RIGHT NAME,WRONG MAN.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? The story involves an interesting look at foster care and adoption. Believe me, I did some intense research about these subjects.

Blurb: A heartwarming holiday story set in South Florida.

Dedicated to her patients, the serious Dr. Madelyn Ramsay never had time for fun. An unexpected health problem jolts her into the realization that there’s more to life than just work. She longs to surrender to the magic of Christmas.


But can she handle the charming and secretive Dr. Nick Preston who carries his own package of disillusions? Can she allow two newborn twins to worm their way into her heart?

***The next stop on The next Big Thing (Monday the 31st) will be with the talented Celia Yeary, either at her blog: http://celiayeary.blogspot.com/

8 comments

  1. Josie // December 24, 2012 at 11:38 AM  

    Mona,
    I love this book! It's so appropriate for the Christmas season, or any time of the year. Merry Christmas!

  2. Mary Marvella // December 24, 2012 at 12:31 PM  

    Thanks for the cool post, Mona. I'm with Josie! That book is perfect for any season! I'm glad Beth tagged you.

    MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

  3. Scarlet Pumpernickel // December 24, 2012 at 12:37 PM  

    Mona, I love the cover and the storyline for this book. I've got my copy and am just waiting for a moment's downtime to enjoy it. Your books are terrificc, keep 'em coming!

  4. Beth Trissel // December 24, 2012 at 2:03 PM  

    What a lovely post, Mona. Such a great story idea.

  5. Mona Risk // December 25, 2012 at 3:31 PM  

    Thank you, dear friends.

    MERRY CHRISTMAS

  6. joye // December 26, 2012 at 1:39 PM  

    Even though Christmas is over, I would love to read this one. It sounds like a fun read.
    JWIsley(at)aol(dot)com

  7. Patrice Wilton // December 26, 2012 at 2:19 PM  

    Sounds great, Mona! Another big success for you. Happy holidays!

  8. Mary Ricksen // December 26, 2012 at 3:43 PM  

    It's terrific, just like all your books are Mona! Merry Christmas to a very special soul...