Series: The Impact #1
Publication date: April 6th, 2020
Synipsis:
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?
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Trailer
Guest Post
Can you, for those who don't know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
Hi everyone! I'm so excited to be here talking about my favorite things, books, and writing. I began a bit later in life. Having a family while working full-time and volunteering takes a lot of time. These are all important things. Many of you can probably relate to having your dreams put on the back burner. I'd started writing a few times over the years, but it wasn't until a lemonade from lemons situation. I'd been laid off from a job I loved when the economy tanked. I wallowed for a bit, then realized this was the time I'd been waiting for all those years. My son was grown. So, no kid, no job equaled hours to do what I wanted to. It helps that I have a very supportive husband.
What is something unique/quirky about you?
I used to be an EMT. I volunteered with the local squad in Pennsylvania, worked in an emergency room as one, and then in a women's state prison. It was in prison that I met my husband, Pete. We love to tease people who meet us by telling them he was a corrections officer and met me in a women's prison. They stare at me. Their expressions are priceless. I've also co-owned a coffee shop called Heavenly Brew who's sign is hanging in my kitchen. I also ran a small restaurant and ice cream shop with my husband. All these things are inspirations in my books.
Where were you born/grew up at?
I was born in Brooklyn, NY. When I was ten, my family moved to NJ on a small "hobby" farm. Then, during my freshman year in high school, my father wanted to be a real farmer, and we moved to Minnesota bought a herd of dairy cows. My hat is off to all those who live this life. Unfortunately, it was a short-lived dream, and he passed away from a heart attack at the age of 38. My mom sold the farm and moved us all back to New Jersey, where I bounced around for a while between NY, NJ, and PA. I'm happily ensconced in Northern NJ, where I've lived now for 26 years.
Who is your hero and why?
My husband, Pete, is my hero. He embraced my son, who he raised as his own. My grands love him and call him Grumpy, which of course, he's not. He supports all my crazy endeavors and is my biggest cheerleader. On top of that, he helps build or fix houses for those in need of assistance with a West Virginia Christian organization. Pete also raises money to buy Thanksgiving food baskets for people in need. He'll do without if he sees someone suffering. And he's very funny. All year long is Christmas at my house. He builds these huge outdoor displays from January to October. November and December, he sets them up for others to enjoy.
What are you passionate about these days?
Kindness. There's not enough, especially on social media and the news. People feel free to say whatever they want, even if it hurts someone. We used to be able to disagree with courtesy and discussion. I remember years ago at a family Christmas get together. My former sister-in-law was Wiccan. Her other guests were Jewish, Pete, and I Christians. Guess what? We had a great time. you don't have to agree with others, but you should respect their right to their beliefs, whether religious, political or whatever. Like momma says, "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all."
What do you do to unwind and relax?
My husband and I are Glampers. That means we have a camper with all the amenities of a home. It's called a Fifthwhell because the hitch sets in the back of a truck, and her name is 2HOOTS. There's two of us, I love owls, and we're hoots. Travel and history are two of my favorite things, but flying is not my cup of tea, and I've had some disturbing hotel experiences. I retire next May. Wow, it's only six months away. We plan on Snowbirding during the winter. Workcamp is an option to reduce the cost and something we can both do. Our camper has a bunkhouse that will be my office, so I can still write. I also read to relax, I'm not much of a TV person except for a few shows I enjoy. My phone is also my preferred reading vessel, especially at night around the campfire.
Do you have a favorite movie?
Several depending on my mood. My go-to genre is action/adventure, and I'm an Avengers fan. Guardians of the Galaxy probably my favorite. But I also love Letters to Juliette and Under the Tuscan Sun. Oh, and Dream Girls get played when I'm in the mood. The first time I saw it was in a movie theater in upstate New York. My sister and I went to Wine On Ice in Elmira. Before the wine tasting began, we went to the movies. Dream Girls was playing. I've never experienced anything like what happened before or since. At the end of Jennifer Hudson's song Your Gonna Love Me, the entire theater leaped to their feet and gave a standing ovation.
Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?
Definitely Rock House Grill. It screams movie to me. I also have a work in progress called Aimhirghin, Kingdom At A Crossroad. It's an epic fantasy along the lines of LOTR but much more romance. One day...
What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
I've attended the New Jersey Romance Writers conferences in the past, and next summer, two days after retirement, I'll be in Tampa for the Florida West Coast Writers, Inc.
Ignite Your Imagination 2021 Conference. Two authors I have on my bookshelf are CL Wilson and Roxanne St. Claire will be there. I'm a fangirl. I expect to gush. I hope when I have more time after retirement to enjoy more conferences.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/spirit animal?
The owl. Several years ago, I visited a bird sanctuary in Florida. At the bottom of one of the cages sitting in straw were these three round balls with huge eyes. They enchanted me. Then one stood up, and I laughed until I cried. Google Burrowing Owls. The round balls sat on top of two skinny sticks called legs. Since then, I've collected owls. Both my office and my camper, 2HOOTS, are decorated with them. I've even put one in my logo.
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. Se 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 Lafeyette. 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."
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