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Friday, May 8, 2020

Does life inspire writing? #guestblogger #EMT #Romance @DonnaVStone


By D.V. Stone (Guest blogger)
Does life inspire writing? Absolutely! Hi, my name is Donna, and I write as D. V. Stone, and I’m so happy to be here today. Former parts of my life inspire the book Rock House Grill as an Emergency Medical Technician and small restaurant owner. And workplace romance? Yep, though mine was a bit different. I’m happily married for twenty-six years. So where was I twenty-seven years ago? In prison.

Ha, got ya!

I was an EMT in a women’s state prison. Since I was newly divorced, my co-workers conspired to fix me up with a New Boot. Yes, he was cute, but I was still recovering from a nasty divorce a year earlier. The last thing I was looking for was a romantic relationship. Well, those nurses and correction officers were sure this guy was the one for me. They insisted he wanted to go on a date with me, and to get them off my back, I finally agreed. Come to find out they were pestering him too. These would be matchmakers kept telling him, “Donna, the EMT (that’s how I was referred to by everyone, including inmates) wants to go out with you.”

Well, our first date was my annual squad dinner in March. Guess what? They were right. We became inseparable and engaged by May and the following May married.

Many years later, as a couple, we invested in a coffee shop called Heavenly Brew, which is in a scene from my book. We also bought a small restaurant.

EMT Shay McDowell in Rock House Grill has similar concerns. On a hot summer night, she’s called to the scene of an accident where Chef Aden House has wrecked his beautiful Camaro. I couldn’t name the car in the book, trademarks you know, but my sweet ride is Snowball, a dazzling white Camaro.

In another interesting coincidence of real-life mimicking fiction, during the time I was writing about Aden’s recovery from leg injuries, my dear Pete was too. Talk about hands-on research. 

 Pete with his crutches

Rock House is the first book of the Impact Series. Each one will focus on a different couple, First Responder, and a music theme. All of these are important to me. I love romance and Happily Ever Afters. There will be threads like Heavenly Brew and familiar characters. Jazz House is next up, and after that, I think the third will be Blues House. I’m also considering branching off on the musical theme with Honky Tonk Hold-Out. Who knows? Next year I retire, and we’ll be traveling around the country in our 5th Wheel trailer.

Well, I hope you enjoy reading about me and Rock House Grill. I’d love to give away a token of appreciation to your readers. Three gift bags holding a notebook, a sweet treat, and a signed bookmark. Just leave a comment with your email if you want one!






Blurb


One man’s choices—One woman’s impact

Aden House, successful but driven chef and TV personality, refuses to slow down. His life implodes one night, damaging him both physically and emotionally. He’s rescued by a woman he thinks of as his angel.

Shay McDowell has rebuilt her life after her divorce. She juggles volunteer EMT duties and her job, while dreaming of becoming a chef. She finds her way to Rock House Grill and back into the life of the man she helped save.

Can love be the ingredient needed to survive the many obstacles they face?

Excerpt

Easy, you’re going to be okay.” A soft voice eased through the chaos around him. The owner of the voice grabbed his arms and held them in a firm but gentle grip. “I’m right here with you. You are not alone.”

Can hardly m-move.” His voice slurred. “C-can’t see anything.”

You’ve been in an accident. I’m an EMT with the ambulance squad,” the velvety voice calmly explained. “You can’t see well because we’re under a tarp. Hold still, okay?”

“‘K.” A small light flickered at the edge of his vision. It shone into a bag next to him. Penlight.

You’re restrained to a board. It’s to keep your head from moving and causing more injury.” She continued to talk to him. The voice reached down somewhere inside him, calming and peaceful, so he focused on it. A glow from spotlights on the outside lit whatever covered them. The shadow gave the woman the appearance of a halo—like an angel.


About Me





Hi, my name is D. V. Stone. I am a multi-genre author of two independently published books. Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar is a fantasy romance. Agent Sam Carter and the Mystery at Branch Lake is a mid-grade paranormal. Recently, Rock House Grill was released by Wild Rose Press. I also host Welcome to the Campfire and A Peek Through the Window, both weekly blogs. Here’s a little more about me.


Born in Brooklyn, D.V. Stone has moved around a bit and even lived for a time on a dairy farm in Minnesota before moving back east. Throughout her wandering, she always considered herself a Jersey Girl. She met and married the love of her life, Pete—a lifelong Jersey Man, and moved this time to Sussex County. They live with Hali, a mixed breed from the local shelter and their cat Baby.

D.V.’s career path varied from working with the disabled to become a volunteer EMT, which in turn led to working in hospital emergency rooms and then in a women’s state prison. After a few years, she took a break from medicine and became the owner of Heavenly Brew, a specialty coffee shop in Sparta NJ, and a small restaurant in Lafayette. Life handed some setbacks, and she ended up back in the medical field, but this time in a veterinary emergency hospital. 

During the poor economy, she was laid–off from a long-time position she cared about. Devastated, D.V. wondered what to do with her life. Finding comfort in her love of reading, she realized it was now time to follow her dream of writing. It’s been a long road but worth every minute of it. Now a published author, she also works in a people medical office again.

Thank you for taking the time to read about me. Each time you open the pages to one of my books, I hope you’ll be swept away by the story and find encouragement in your own life, never to give up on hope.”

~ D.V. Stone


Buy Links




Find out more about D. V. 
 









6 comments:

D. V. STONE said...

Good morning! I'm so happy to be here. I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Thanks for hosting me today.
D. V. 🦉
PS I love owls

Debby said...

I enjoyed the post and will enjoy the book. I am adding to my list.
debby236 at hotmail dot com

D. V. STONE said...

Hi, Debby, thank you. I hope you enjoy it. D. V.

Lisabet Sarai said...

Welcome to Beyond Romance, Donna!

I loved your post... and your husband is really cute!

D. V. STONE said...

Thank Lisabet! I think so too😍
D. V.

Barbara Bettis said...

I love your meet story. And how lucky are you to be able to research first hand :) Best of luck with Rock House Grill.

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