#BlogTour #AuthorInterview – “Rock House Grill” by D.V. Stone

Welcome to my blog, D.V. I’m happy to chat with you about RHG, especially since I’ve read this story and enjoyed it.

What inspired you to write this book? 

A few years ago, I heard about NaNoWriMo, which incidentally is going on now. National Novel Writing Month is in November. The challenge is 50,000 words in 30 days. I’m pretty competitive, even with myself. But how to do that? It’s an immense amount of writing. With that in mind and not wanting to get lost in the world of research, I wrote what I knew. As a former  EMT with restaurant experience and a love of music, off I went. Rock House Grill was conceived and fleshed out. I made the deadline but then shelved it for a few years. Editing is not my most outstanding talent. Then one day, in 2019, I pulled it out and began to submit to publishers. Do you know how sometimes you think you’ve screwed up badly, but then it works out? Well, in May of 2019, I sent out a bunch of submissions. A few days later, I reviewed those and realized I’d sent the wrong salutation to Wild Rose Press. I sent a new email. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I know you’re the Wild Rose Press.” Believe it or not, an hour or so later, there was a reply requesting the manuscript. The rest is history.

What can we expect from you in the future? 

I’m working on Jazz House, the second in the Impact Series. I also hope to have my second mid-grade independent in the Agent Sam Carter series. The first is The Mystery At Branch Lake. The one I’m finishing up is The Mystery At High Pointe Tower. I have a great time writing these. Aimhirghin, Kingdom At A Crossroad, is waiting patiently for me as well as my second Shield-Mates book.

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters?

Rock House Grill follows the lives of Aden House and his twin sister Olivia House. Aden is a chef who dreamed of owning a restaurant. He’s an overachiever who doesn’t know when to step back. Olivia has a degree in business and hospitality. She deals with depression and anxiety (and I hope one day to give Olivia her own story). They conceive and develop first Rock House but are nearly done with Jazz House, Olivia’s baby. Both restaurants are music themed. Shay McDowell is an EMT who dreams of being a chef. She’s been dealt a lot of bad cards in her life, but she’s tough yet vulnerable. Like the Linda Ronstadt song, she’s been cheated, been mistreated, when will she be loved.  

Who designed your book covers? 

Tina Lynn Stout designed both Rock House Grill and Rainbow Sprinkles’ covers. They are both fantastic, and Rainbow Sprinkles’ looks like a piece of art. I used an online service and created Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar cover. There’s a lot to making a good book cover, and I’ve learned over the years how important they are. Can you judge a book by it’s cover? Absolutely. It the first impression a reader gets. There needs to be a certain balance in the art, text, title, and author name. If it’s a series, the book covers need to be cohesive. Because I’m multi-genre, I’ve struggled with creating my independents. An author needs to be recognizable, which comes from branding. I write romance, contemporary, suspense, fantasy, and mid-grade. What does that logo look like? I’m still figuring it out.

What did you edit out of this book?

There initially was a chapter about Shay and Joanna on duty. The calls that they responded to on one long night. My editor didn’t think it should be in the story. Not moving it forward. Instead, I submitted the chapter to Wild Rose for an addition to their Australia Burns series. Remember the Australian wildfires about a year ago. The Wild Rose Press and the authors all donated stories to raise money for the relief effort. Instead of one book, it became a three books series. 911, What’s Your Emergency, is in the first book of the series. 

Blurb

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?

Buy Links

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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.

Giveaway

Silver Dagger Book Tours is hosting a $10 Amazon Gift Card giveaway. Check out the main page of the tour to enter.

https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/rock-house-grill-book-tour-and-giveaway

Bio

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. In April, Rock House Grill was released by Wild Rose Press. And on July 8th Rainbow Sprinkles part of my publisher One Scoop or Two series became available.

I also host Welcome to the Campfire and A Peek Through the Window, both weekly blogs. Recently I’ve begun to review books by other authors and share my favorites in a monthly newsletter.

On the personal front I’m a full-time employee in a medical office, wife to an amazing husband, mother to one son, and not your average grandma to three beautiful grands. I’m a woman of faith, trusting and believing in God. I drive a Camaro when not behind the wheel of my camper, 2Hoots—a 41 foot long 13.2 feet high 5^th Wheel.

My greatest pleasures are spending time outside with friends and family, cooking over the open fire, sipping a glass of wine, and reading. 

Hali, my rescue dog always reminds me to let readers know “Woof, woof.” Which is loosely translated  Support your local animal rescue.

You can find out more about D. V. by following her on Social Media
Website  Amazon Author Page  Facebook  Twitter    Instagram
Pinterest    Bookbub     Goodreads    Newsletter 

Blogs
Welcome to the Campfire Blog     Peek Through the Window   

Books by 
D. V. Stone

Rainbow Sprinkles
After the storm come the rainbows.
Amazon  Barnes & Noble   iBook’s

Rock House Grill 
One man’s choices. One woman’s Impact
Amazon    Barnes & Noble     iBook’s      Google Books Kobo

Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar
One foolish thought. One brutal act. Instead of a peaceful alliance––war.
Amazon 

Agent Sam Carter and the Mystery at Branch Lake
A Mid-grade paranormal
Amazon

Contributing Author
Australia Burns
Amazon