A Peek Through My Window with D. V. Stone

What's new. Since I've been furloughed from my day job in a medical office, I'm finding it difficult to maintain the structure of my daily writing. The get up and go to work  stopped suddenly almost two weeks ago.  It's amazing how routine is ingrained in me. Here I thought I was flexible. I was, I was flexible in my own box. Now I'm in a box created by circumstances.

Intervention. So my intervention in this matter was to create a new office. I set up the space in my camper where I'll be, Lord willing, working after retirement and we take it on the road.

Necessity. Of course I need things like my laptop and internet service and I started out with these things but everything still felt out of sorts. 

Domain. To solve this, I grabbed some of my stuff and moved it down here. Some of my owl collection is a must. The white board with upcoming blog visits. A paper mache fish. The books I've published and been published in, as well as some of my writing helps. The Thesaurus of  Emotion and Chicago Manual of Style.
 
Observation. As I've made this room my own, I find myself settling in and not experiencing the lost and confused emotions.  

Well, what does this mean? So many of us are tossed  into unfamiliar ground during this difficult time. We have our family all around us in our space. Or maybe, you are alone now for long periods of time. My recommendation is to attempt normalize what you have now. If you find yourself crowded, carve out a time and place where you can get away for a little while and refresh your spirit. Take a bubble bath. Sit on your steps outside. Go to your room. Insist those around you to respect that time. Even if you have children. When my son was young he knew unless there was an emergency, mom was in time out. She would be back involved soon. If you are alone, try to remember the telephone is not only for texting. I video chatted with my son's family. Find solace in your online community. And my final recommendation for both isolation and crowding- turn off the news for a while. Turn up the tunes and dance like no one is watching. 

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Pre-Order your copy here

I’m happy to report Rock House Grill which is available for pre-order, received another 5 Star review. 
~Rock House Grill is an incredibly uplifting story about slowing down, savoring the little miracles in life and taking a chance on love. It’s what I would call an inspirational romance but it’s so much more than that.~ 
Full Review from N. N. Light's Book Heaven
 
 And for a peek inside Rock House’s window, here’s a scene about Olivia, Aden’s twin sister. She experienced great loss in her life and though surrounded by people, often suffers from profound loneliness and isolation.
 
“Liv.” David stood as she approached the table, and he kissed her cheek.
“Hi, I’m glad you called.” Her cheek tingled where his lips touched. “This is a great start to my day.”
When she sat down, the waitress approached the booth. “Good morning, are you folks ready to order?”
“Mmm, I’ll have a spinach, tomato, and basil omelet with a cup of Sumatra.” Olivia answered without looking at the menu.
David ordered the same, and they made small talk over their coffee until the food arrived a few minutes later.
They were finished and sitting back when he asked, “Will you go to the hospital benefit dinner with me next month?”
No one knew they were seeing each other. They kept a low profile as a couple. Was she ready to out their relationship? Olivia twisted her napkin. “I don’t know, David. I kind of like the way we are. I’m not sure I’m ready to let others know about us.”
“Are you ashamed of me?” David placed his napkin on the table.
“No! Of course not.” Her heart began to pound. “It’s just there’s so much going on. And you’re Aden’s doctor…”
“Those are all excuses.” He sat back in his chair. “Tell me the real reason.”
An hour later they were still sitting at the table, and she’d told him all about Manny. “I loved him so much. At his funeral, it felt like a piece of me was buried with him, not the rose I’d laid on his coffin.”
“I’m so sorry.” David reached across the table and took her hand. “I know what it’s like to lose someone.”
 Olivia couldn’t meet his eyes. Before she chickened out and ruined any chance with him, she said, “I don’t know if I could live through losing someone again. I’m afraid to love like that a second time. And David, I think I could love you that way.”
David took her hand, lifted it to his lips, and pressed a kiss to it. “Olivia House, we’ve only known each other a couple of months, but I already love you.”
Her mouth fell open, and her head dropped. Several emotions ran through her. Panic, followed by fear, danced together before both were chased away by hope. Hope that what he said was true. Hope that she wouldn’t grow old alone and bitter, but instead with this handsome and loving man beside her.
“I know it’s all new, but I don’t want to hide us anymore.” David reached over, and with his index finger he lifted her chin. “I want to introduce you to my friends and family. I don’t want to have to avoid Aden or tap dance around the truth. Will you think about it?”
Still speechless, Olivia nodded.
David stuffed some bills into the black folder on the table. Glancing at his watch, he rose. “I don’t want to leave, but I’ve got to go. Let me walk you to your car.”
He helped her into her jacket and placed his hand low on her back.
Stepping outside of the cafe, Olivia smiled, amazed to see snow flurries though it was early November. They walked in quiet contemplation to her sedan.
“David…” She broke the silence.
“No, don’t say anything yet.”
He slipped his arms around her and kissed her like she hadn’t been kissed in years.
Cars drove by, beeping at them.
“Get a room,” someone yelled, laughing.
When he pulled back, both were flushed and out of breath. “I’ll call you later, after the surgery.” Reaching behind her, he opened the car door.
She plopped into the seat, then lowered the window, and David leaned in with an adorable, smug smile on his face.
“You okay?”
“Uh-huh.” She didn’t trust her voice.
“I’ve got to go. Drive safe.”
Starting the car, Olivia glanced at the rear-view mirror and watched him walk back toward the hospital. She touched her lips, and a huge grin erupted on her face. When David disappeared around the corner, she put the car in drive and pulled out.

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