D.V. Stone's Blog, page 45

Escape to A Far Away World

Thursday, June 27, 2019
Escape to A Far Away World

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As someone who is constantly looking to read different authors and in many different genres, I always enjoy finding someone new to read and that was what interested me about D. V. Stone, today's guest in My Writing Corner.


D.V. Stone tells us she lives in northern New Jersey and she has two books published independently through



Amazon. Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar, is a fantasy romance while Agent Sam Carter and the Mystery at Branch Lake, is a mid-grade paranormal.

She says she uses her past experience as an Emergency Medical Technician and owner of a small restaurant in her writing. She combined the two, and during National Novel Writing Month, she developed the Rock House Grill. Rock House, will be the first book in the Impact Series, a contemporary romance soon to be published by Wild Rose Press.

But D. V. says she likes to hit the road and travel too. With her husband Peter, dog, Hali, and cat, Baby, they set out looking for new adventures on the road, traveling in their RV. She will be taking her passion for writing with heron the road, and she says she knows ideas and inspiration are everywhere and she's looking for them.
Her latest book is Felice: Shield Mates of Dar

Just keep swimming. Persistence and Disappointment

Welcome back to Saturday's Adventure story. I mentioned last month we planned a trip to the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum. We made it. Despite every pothole and traffic jam, we arrived unscathed, but for a few jarred nerves. May 14th was our 25th wedding anniversary. In the past, we've taken trips to celebrate, and this year was no exception. Jamestown NY is located in Upstate, NY near Lake Erie. Bonus, I've never seen a Great Lake and looked forward to my first experience with it...

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Just keep swimming. Persistence and Disappointment

Welcome back to Saturday's Adventure story. I mentioned last month we planned a trip to the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum. We made it. Despite every pothole and traffic jam, we arrived unscathed, but for a few jarred nerves. May 14th was our 25th wedding anniversary. In the past, we've taken trips to celebrate, and this year was no exception. Jamestown NY is located in Upstate, NY near Lake Erie. Bonus, I've never seen a Great Lake and looked forward to my first experience with it. 

One of the things we love is history. Architectural, American, the things that make us the great country including the bad parts such as war. One of the biggest impacts of our modern American culture is the arts. Especially, the mediums of television and movies. From the beginning these have captivated and touched our imagination and emotions. Humor is subjective. Often inspiring. It eases tension and brings people together if done well. Tasteful, tacky, slap-dash or sophisticated some comedians transcend it all. One of my hero's is Lucille Ball and not only for her talent in front of the cameras. She was a wife, mother, savvy business woman. Strong and unwilling to compromise on what she knew was right for her. Of coarse there were ups and downs. She was human as are we, but can we take a look at this icon of Americana?
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The museum opened in 1996, but I didn't read about it until last year. From that time on, it was one of the top trips we planned. I definitely love Lucy, and always watched her show growing up. That said I really didn't know much about her. She had her disappointments and victories. Imagine if she listened to the person who said this to her...​ My own story becoming an author is also one of persistence. Since putting fingers to the keyboard my first manuscript nine years ago, Aimhirghin, Kingdom at a Crossroad, is still a work in progress. I struggle to get Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar, in the hands of readers. Recently, I discovered that Rock House Grill could take six months to a year to become available. But like Lucy, I'm not willing to give up. Years ago, I was tested for personality type. The results were task and goal oriented. My editor at Wild Rose Press mentioned early on, I was efficient at getting things back to her. In that way, I'm kind of like Sheldon Cooper of the Big Bang Theory when he can't get the third knock it. Tis a blessing and a curse. Anyone remember this episode? There was undoubtedly disappointment in most of Lucy's schemes. She and her sidekick Ethel were always cooking up something. Trying to break into show business or make a couple of bucks. Somehow it never seemed to work out for her on the show.  Talking about disappointment, do you recall above when I mentioned never seeing the Great Lakes? Here's the best photo I could get of beautiful Lake Erie... Could have been a pond for all I could see. The fog was more persistent than I was. We plan to return up to this area soon. I've never seen Niagara Falls either. Life can be full of disappointments. Rejection of query letters is a big one for writers. I just lost a competition for Cover Wars with my book cover, Felice. But, our regular lives can be full of disappointments too. We don't get the raise or promotion. Kids lose the big game. Family members do something to bring you down.  Quitting is not an option. I work in a medical office. You know who does the best after getting a terrible diagnosis? I'll tell you. It's those who refuse to give up. Who has the Dory chant now going through their head? "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming." 

I saw a sign the other day. Don't let yesterday take up to much of today.   Good words. Sometimes hard to do. 


Here's a slide of some pictures I took. Oh, by-the-way, this was a camping trip after all. Here are some photos of the lovely place and areas nearby we stayed. This was our set-up and each night we were treated to the sunset through the trees. In the mornings Hali needed her coffee before anyone spoke to her. Okay so I anthropomorphize a bit. Notice the Owlie mug. I loved walking through the mists at Erie State Park. Couldn't you imagine stepping into one of these scenes and entering Middle-Earth? Recommended Movies
Pursuit of Happiness
Shawshank Redemption
​ National Comedy Center Lucy Desi Museum Quote of the month
​Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success. C. S. Lewis

Get the paddles STAT!

Developing a story line is like an ECG. It must move along at a steady pace. Unlike a healthy heartbeat there also needs to be regular surges caused by Adrenalin. These would be the exciting parts.

Unfortunately, too often writing hits irregular beats where a good critique is needed. If adjustments aren't made in time, an Author risks the dreaded block or flat line.

The good thing is if you have good characters and are willing to consider changing your "lifestyle" and make hard choices the work can be resuscitated.

I'm in that place now. My work in process Jazz House is on the stretcher. I have a decision to make about a recurring character in the Impact Series and it's going to be painful.

How about you? What in your life needs to be assessed and changed

Why do I write?

A friend gave me a key chain that says
Live the Life You Love, when Pete and I purchased our RV. One of the requirements for the purchase was a place for me to work.

I consider writing to be my career. One which I love. I still work a paying job, but every chance I get, out comes the laptop, pen, or camera.

Ideas and inspiration are everywhere.

Recently, a friend asked if I needed to be at my desk to create. “Nope,” I replied. For instance, one of the songs in Kingdom at a Crossroad was written while I worked the lumber desk at one of my jobs.”

Books have always been a major part of my life. From Little Golden Books through the childrens classics like Heidi, Black Beauty and Misty of Chincoteague, I’ve always enjoyed slipping away to another world.

The authors and genres over the years have by turn made me laugh and cry. Sometimes they scared me to death or pushed me to the edge of my seat.

So, in that spirit I hope to one day gift you with those emotions. Sit and laugh and cry, scream or quietly contemplate. To take an adventure and visit new places. Make new friends and conquer some enemies.

Maybe you to have the wanderlust and we’ll meet in a campground or rest stop.
In the words of J.R.R. Tolkien.

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

J. R. R. Tolkien

My delete button is tired

My husband has a love hate relationship with a Holly bush in front of my house. For years he’s tried trimming it to keep it under control. This past spring he’d had enough. Grabbing his saw, he went to the ground and cut it down. Funny thing, a couple of weeks later green started sprouting from the stump. Now he is carefully trimming to keep it from becoming an overpowering entity it once was. Not only is the Holly healthier so are the plants around it.

Many people think editing is chasing down grammar and punctuation issues. That’s true, but editing a novel is so much more. Often, it’s like pruning a tree or a bush.

In a rush of emotion, words pour over the page often in an unruly fashion. Cohesion and logic take a back seat to growth. Once you take a step back the delete key becomes your surgical scalpel and critique partners your nurses.

Editing used to be my arch nemesis but over the years I’ve come to that same love/hate relationship as Pete and his Holly bush. Sometimes my work is overwrought and drastic steps need to be taken.

In the end though I’ve found the worth of a worn out delete button.

It's always a different book

When you edit, you must be open to your characters taking over.

While waiting for Rock House to be approved by the editor, I am working on Jazz House. Originally it was going to be an Olivia and David story but a new character jumped to the forefront.

Early feedback from critiques like Olivia, but they LOVE Madeline. Turns out I do too. Olivia and David will still be prominent secondary characters but the spot light will shift.

With the decision made, an exciting story line opened up. Ideas, like light bulbs going off, showed me possible twists and scenarios.

You're not done yet?

When I run into folks that know I write books, one of the most common questions is-

When is the next one coming out?

That is never an easy answer. Like many authors I juggle home and family. Work a full-time job.

Aimhirghin, Kingdom at a Crossroad is where it all began seven years ago. My first foray into writing is still a work in progress.

Felice took three years from conception to fulfillment. Agent Carter close to two.

Retirement is coming soon. I plan on traveling the country in my RV. It has an office for my writing.

Until then When will the next book be ready to launch? Not sure. But soon.