So this is life during a pandemic. I’ve read articles comparing it to 9/11, but it’s not like that at all. Sure, the shock factor is there, but after 9/11 we could still hug our families and friends. In fact, we were drawn to them for comfort in the aftermath. With this, I’ve read about patients dying in Italy and begging to talk to their families, to say good-bye, and nurses making video calls, so these patients can at least have that much contact. So no, it’s not like 9/11. It’s worse.
I’m an introvert and don’t mind spending a lot of time alone. In fact, I need it. And yet even I’m feeling disconnected and lethargic under these new restrictions. I miss my family and friends with whom I made plans weeks ago, all cancelled now. I miss the gym! I miss my trainer! I miss my contractor and the guys working on my patio. I’ve actually started skipping my treadmill in favor of taking walks outside–which anyone who knows me will tell you is NOT my first choice. But I NEED to get out of the house, to breathe fresh air and feel the sunshine on my pale face, to build up some vitamin D! Hell, I don’t even mind walking in the rain. I’ve always rather liked it. I’m also listening to audio books when I go to bed, just to hear a voice reading to me.
No, I’m not desperate. Far from it. I’m getting a lot of writing done on XAVIER, and I have like 600 TV channels and multiple on-demand movie sources. Not to mention my own library of movies and TV shows. Most importantly, I have my friends on Facebook and Twitter who are all going through the same thing. We’re laughing (sometimes hysterically, it’s true) at the situation and amusing each other with stupid games. I have my longtime friends who play on-line word and trivia games with me, and I have family I can at least call.
So here it is…in the interest of not letting my readers down, and doing my tiny part to make this situation easier, I’m going to give away a book and a prize to one winner every time I blog–which is every two weeks. The book will be winner’s choice, any one of my books, print or e. The prize will be at my discretion (though I’ll ask the winner if she/he wants it, just in case. If not, I’ll keep it for the next prize.)
The first giveaway is THIS week. How to enter…
1. Send an email to dbreynoldswriter@gmail.com with HOME 1 on the subject line.
2. Return email address MUST BE A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS.
3. Include your first and last name in the body of the email.
4. All entries must be received by midnight, April 1, 2020. One (1) winner will be selected at random from among the entries received by the deadline.
5. The winner will be announced in my next blog (April 6) and also notified by return email. She/he will then have five (5) days to respond, after which a new winner will be chosen.
6. One (1) entry per person. All duplicate entries will be deleted.
Protect yourselves, protect the people you love, and stay safe. Because you’re loved, too. (And yes, I know there’s a missing apostrophe in the image–drives me fucking nuts!)
xoxo
DBR
Heart of the Wolf, an e-novella available in