This International Nurses Day, we’re celebrating all nurses and would like to thank them for their expertise, dedication, support and care for patients and communities.

We’re joined on our blog by three of our Medical authors, Deanne Anders, Tina Beckett and Scarlet Wilson. Deanne discusses balancing her career as a full-time nurse and author, while Tina and Scarlet share more about their new duet and writing nurse protagonists. 

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I never planned on being a nurse even though I had worked as a volunteer in my local hospital ever since I was a teenager. Instead, I went to college for accounting and ended up working in the hospital payroll department. It wasn’t until after I had my last child, that I decided to go back to college for nursing and there I found my calling. Now, thirty years later, I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to serve my community and I’m proud that I now have a daughter and a son that have followed in my footsteps.

The funny part of this story is that I had set a goal of someday writing for Mills & Boon long before I became a nurse. Now, as a nurse and a Medical author, I feel I have the best of both worlds. It’s especially nice that I have access to a host of friends and co-workers when I have questions.

It was seeing our flight nurses coming in and out of the hospital that gave me the idea of writing a series about a group of nurses that love to fly almost as much as they enjoy being nurses. And the perfect place for this group of friends? Key West, of course.

Flight Nurse’s Florida Fairy Tale is my third story about my Key West Heli-Care flight crew. One of my favorite troupes, Friends to Lovers, Joanne and Casey have a special bond that they formed the moment they met. Only, it isn’t just friendship that Jo feels for Casey. She’s managed to hide her attraction for Casey for the four years they’ve worked together, but after her ex-husband starts making threats and he suggests she move in with him for her safety, she knows she’s in trouble. Between flights to Miami with critical patients and riding out a hurricane together, it’s the perfect life for these two adrenaline junkies. The only thing missing is the perfect HEA, something that I always enjoy giving each of my couples.

Deanne Anders

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Working with Scarlet on the California Nurses duet was such a treat. We’ve participated in several continuities together, and I am always amazed at what she comes up with for her wonderful stories! Pure gold! And as for nurses, I love writing about them. They are true heroes. They work so hard for their patients, sometimes getting very little in return. They absolutely deserve every bit of happiness they can get in life. So in The Nurse’s One-Night Baby, I couldn’t wait to give Serena Dias that kind of happy ending. It seemed I flew through this book to reach that goal. When I got to the last chapter, the tears flowed…happy tears, of course.

And what better place to set this duet than sunny California! I spent part of my childhood in California—not San Diego—but another part of the state, and I miss the spectacular climate and views. Toby and Serena take in some of the sights and spend time in beautiful Balboa Park—doing yoga! Serena introduces this slightly grumpy hero to all kinds of new experiences.

The California Nurses books were written with International Nurses Day in mind. It’s a day when we celebrate the effort and compassion that goes with being part of this medical profession. So if you know a nurse, thank them. If you or your loved ones ever receive care from a nurse, please acknowledge their efforts on your behalf. And if you are a nurse, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The world is a much better place because of you.

Tina Beckett

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For our Californian Nurses duet, I got to write something I’ve only done on a few occasions – a male nurse.

I loved writing my secret billionaire, Avery, (Nurse With A Billion Dollar Secret) who is hiding in plain sight from his unscrupulous family, and doing a job he is good at, and absolutely adores. I’ve had the pleasure of working with lots of great male nurses, even though in the UK, male nurses only make up around 11% of the nurse workforce. They generally all have a great sense of humour, and come in for a bit of ribbing from their female colleagues, which they take in style. I wanted to make sure that my character, Avery, had the same traits.

He also has a protective streak and takes Robyn, the shy doctor under his wing, and introduces her to the beautiful city of San Diego, where the story is based. And of course, like every good romance, they find that love blossoms between them!

I enjoyed writing a hero doing a job he absolutely loves. Even when Avery’s secret comes out about being a billionaire, he still wants to continue being a nurse, and contributing to patient care.  Most nurses I work with have the same commitment, and I’ve been surrounded in recent years, with staff who previously retired, coming back to work to assist in any way they can due to the demands on the service.  It’s wonderful to be alongside colleagues with such a wealth of experience, and, in my head, my hero Avery will still be working as a nurse in later years,

Scarlet Wilson

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By Lauren Gardiner