In celebration of the release of Pianissimo, here is the excerpt for the page 69 trial. After reading this, you might just want to get your hands on a copy! ;)
“Margaret!” Agnes called from the other bedroom. “Come see what I just found!”
Margaret walked in from the living room.
Agnes stood proudly in the closet door frame holding up a pair of black trousers.
“What…?”
“They’re pants! These are my father’s trousers!” She looked down at them. “I can’t believe they’re here. I
had no idea. I thought all of his belongings were long gone.”
“What do you intend to do with them?”
“Well I think I should wear them!”
“What?” Margaret laughed.
Agnes pulled the pants on under her dress.
Margaret laughed hysterically. “Now that, my love, is quite the fashion!”
“I agree. It is all the rage in Paris!”
“I could only imagine.” Margaret chuckled.
Agnes began walking around the room. “I must say, I do quite like this.”
“You do?”
“It would be better with just a blouse rather than this dress. This is comfortable, though.” She sat in the chair. She sat with her legs open and she leaned back in the chair. “So this is what it feels like to be a man! Oh this is so much better than having to act like a dreadful lady. You may sit anyway you choose. You may slouch. You need not worry about posture or appearing inappropriate. Oh this is wonderful! You should try it, Margaret. I think you shall enjoy this as much as I.”
Margaret chuckled again. “I’m not quite so sure of that. I think I shall leave you to be the man. I am quite comfortable as I am.”
Agnes quickly pulled the pants off, bundled them up and tossed them at Margaret. “Spoil sport!” She teased.
Margaret leaned back in laughter. “Oh you are too much!”
“Shall we keep them, then? You may parade around the house as Michael, not Margaret.”
Again Margaret burst into laughter. “Oh sweet Agnes! This is why I love you so! Only you could make me laugh like this.”
Agnes walked over and kissed Margaret on the forehead. “And this is why I love you so. You laugh at my silly humor and you understand me like no one else can.”
Margaret looked up and smiled at her. “We truly are two of a kind.”
“Indeed. We are perfect together.” Agnes smiled back.
Dear Diary,
Today was brimming with news. We – or at least I – felt inundated with change.
First, the day brought us an unusual situation. Nathaniel Adams, Lacy’s husband, came over. He apologized for his wife’s behavior. Multiple times, actually. He seemed so genuinely embarrassed, saddened and apologetic. They clearly had a difference of opinion about us.
He called on us to see if Margaret would be willing to let bygones be bygones and to teach their children, Richard and Abigail, how to play the piano.
Margaret, being the wonderful woman that she is, was more than happy to provide lessons for them.
He was so appreciative of her kindness. He’s a good man. How he ended up with such a hag as herself, I do not know or understand. It’s wrong and hateful of me to say such things, I know. Our conversation today has really changed my perspective on their family, and on her.
Regardless, he is a good man, and Margaret will gladly educate his children. Perhaps this will change Lacy. Even more hopefully, this could possibly bridge a friendship between her and us.
In other news, the war has finally come to an end. A second world war. How tragic that our world has turned into this. Dictators killing people. Countries attacking and controlling other countries. Hatred, fear, propaganda, massacre. Sad, so tragic and sad. All I can do is shake my head, for I can’t even fully understand how things have come to this.
What changes – both good and bad – we have experienced in our lifetimes. Two world wars. Airplanes and automobiles becoming common household and commonly used items. Technological changes like radios and moving pictures. Prohibition. From the Roaring Twenties to the Great Depression. We have seen it all.
Truth be told, I worry about the future. We have watched such horrible and brutal acts like those of Hitler and Stalin. If our world today can create such monsters, what else lies ahead?
I’m quite happy the war is over. It is nice to be able to breathe and not worry about friends and loved ones who must see the atrocities of war. One less thing to fret about, I suppose. I pray that this peace is one that lasts not just for decades, but for centuries. May this bring the end of such death, anger, and evil.
Thankfully, the news of the day was all good. It was different, but all so wonderfully positive. I suppose all of this news proves that every day does prove to be an adventure. With that thought, I shall retire and see what tomorrow will bring.
Until then, good night.
Agnes.
Margaret walked in from the living room.
Agnes stood proudly in the closet door frame holding up a pair of black trousers.
“What…?”
“They’re pants! These are my father’s trousers!” She looked down at them. “I can’t believe they’re here. I
had no idea. I thought all of his belongings were long gone.”
“What do you intend to do with them?”
“Well I think I should wear them!”
“What?” Margaret laughed.
Agnes pulled the pants on under her dress.
Margaret laughed hysterically. “Now that, my love, is quite the fashion!”
“I agree. It is all the rage in Paris!”
“I could only imagine.” Margaret chuckled.
Agnes began walking around the room. “I must say, I do quite like this.”
“You do?”
“It would be better with just a blouse rather than this dress. This is comfortable, though.” She sat in the chair. She sat with her legs open and she leaned back in the chair. “So this is what it feels like to be a man! Oh this is so much better than having to act like a dreadful lady. You may sit anyway you choose. You may slouch. You need not worry about posture or appearing inappropriate. Oh this is wonderful! You should try it, Margaret. I think you shall enjoy this as much as I.”
Margaret chuckled again. “I’m not quite so sure of that. I think I shall leave you to be the man. I am quite comfortable as I am.”
Agnes quickly pulled the pants off, bundled them up and tossed them at Margaret. “Spoil sport!” She teased.
Margaret leaned back in laughter. “Oh you are too much!”
“Shall we keep them, then? You may parade around the house as Michael, not Margaret.”
Again Margaret burst into laughter. “Oh sweet Agnes! This is why I love you so! Only you could make me laugh like this.”
Agnes walked over and kissed Margaret on the forehead. “And this is why I love you so. You laugh at my silly humor and you understand me like no one else can.”
Margaret looked up and smiled at her. “We truly are two of a kind.”
“Indeed. We are perfect together.” Agnes smiled back.
Dear Diary,
Today was brimming with news. We – or at least I – felt inundated with change.
First, the day brought us an unusual situation. Nathaniel Adams, Lacy’s husband, came over. He apologized for his wife’s behavior. Multiple times, actually. He seemed so genuinely embarrassed, saddened and apologetic. They clearly had a difference of opinion about us.
He called on us to see if Margaret would be willing to let bygones be bygones and to teach their children, Richard and Abigail, how to play the piano.
Margaret, being the wonderful woman that she is, was more than happy to provide lessons for them.
He was so appreciative of her kindness. He’s a good man. How he ended up with such a hag as herself, I do not know or understand. It’s wrong and hateful of me to say such things, I know. Our conversation today has really changed my perspective on their family, and on her.
Regardless, he is a good man, and Margaret will gladly educate his children. Perhaps this will change Lacy. Even more hopefully, this could possibly bridge a friendship between her and us.
In other news, the war has finally come to an end. A second world war. How tragic that our world has turned into this. Dictators killing people. Countries attacking and controlling other countries. Hatred, fear, propaganda, massacre. Sad, so tragic and sad. All I can do is shake my head, for I can’t even fully understand how things have come to this.
What changes – both good and bad – we have experienced in our lifetimes. Two world wars. Airplanes and automobiles becoming common household and commonly used items. Technological changes like radios and moving pictures. Prohibition. From the Roaring Twenties to the Great Depression. We have seen it all.
Truth be told, I worry about the future. We have watched such horrible and brutal acts like those of Hitler and Stalin. If our world today can create such monsters, what else lies ahead?
I’m quite happy the war is over. It is nice to be able to breathe and not worry about friends and loved ones who must see the atrocities of war. One less thing to fret about, I suppose. I pray that this peace is one that lasts not just for decades, but for centuries. May this bring the end of such death, anger, and evil.
Thankfully, the news of the day was all good. It was different, but all so wonderfully positive. I suppose all of this news proves that every day does prove to be an adventure. With that thought, I shall retire and see what tomorrow will bring.
Until then, good night.
Agnes.
Darryl and Corinne Richards purchase their first house. With Darryl’s army career coming to a close, they feel ready to settle down in Louisville, Kentucky. With impeccable timing, Darryl is sent on one final tour, leaving Corinne to live in this new house and new city alone.
Overwhelmed, Corinne becomes reclusive, living a quiet, boring life with her cats as she adjusts to her new surroundings. The problem is: someone or some thing does not want her life to be either quiet or boring. And then there’s the creepy piano in the basement…
There is more to that creepy, dilapidated piano and her new home than Corinne could ever imagine. Through highs and lows, twists and turns, she begins to understand that even the most softly played music is powerful – and that even soft realizations and quietly subtle changes can have a profound effect.
"So much to enjoy! The stories flow together so beautifully, I felt transported back in time to peek into Agnes and Margaret’s deep and abiding love for each other, and back to the present day to be with Corinne as she investigated the house she and her military husband bought just before he shipped out for his last tour of duty. Exciting and wondrous exploration of a time and situation, written with grace and delightful style.” -Shay Norgaard-Melton
Get your copy here! http://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro/dp/0692310819/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413984212&sr=8-1&keywords=lauren+shiro
No comments:
Post a Comment