I've been nominated...AGAIN!

Happy Thursday, kids!

Today, it is with great excitement that I announce that I have been nominated for MORE awards!

I don't mean to toot my own horn.

I am just honored and excited about all of this!

The Keystone Alliance/Gaylife Newsletter has announced its semi-finalists for their Readers' Choice Awards. I am honored to not only be nominated, but to be a semi-finalist...and in 4 different categories to boot!

http://gaylifenewsletter.com/wwwrcasemifinalistballot.html

I am a semi-finalist for:

1) NEWS MEDIA STAFF OR COLUMNIST

2) LESBIAN OF THE YEAR

3) GLBT COUPLE OF THE YEAR (with my wife, Vicki Shiro)

4) MISS GAYLIFE CONGENIALITY

Semi-Finalist votes will be accepted between February 1st thru February 28th.  Finalist votes will take place between March 5th thru April 5th. Winners will be announced on April 20th in the newsletter.

Send your ballots to keystonealliancegaylifenewsletter@hotmail.com.

Thank you all for your votes and support! It means the world to me!

Thank you, and happy reading!!!

THANK YOU!!!!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for voting for Pianissimo.

For the third consecutive year, my work has won a spot in the Top Ten. Pianissimo came in 6th, and I am very grateful and excited. There is no way I could have done as well as I did without your help. Thank you is inadequate comparative to the gratitude I feel. I deeply appreciate it!

For anyone who has not yet checked out Pianissimo, I would like to share a couple of links, and even an excerpt for you.


First, here is the video.

Second, here are the first 4 chapters as a sample for you to read before you buy the book in its entirety.

Lastly, here are some buy links for you:

Amazon
Smashwords
All Romance Ebooks

And here's a little snippet to wet your appetite. ;)

As she peered around the corner, something green caught her eye. Slowly, the form took shape from

under the shadows. It was an old piano. A very old piano. As Corinne stepped closer, she read a large brass plate that still sat regally on the old instrument. R. S. Howard. It was an R. S. Howard upright piano. The backboard was missing, exposing the scrawny, naked strings and hammers. A few of the keys were permanently depressed. The piano’s original rich wood finish was hidden under an old coat of drab olive green paint.

Why on earth was there a piano in the basement? Who keeps a piano down there? It’s an unfinished

basement. It’s not like people would be entertaining company in this hole. It was so weird.

And why was it painted? Who would paint a piano? Especially such an ugly color. It looked stupid.

Corinne just shook her head in confusion.

As she stared at the old instrument, memories of her musical days came flooding back to her. She

remembered the years and years of piano lessons. She remembered all the recitals and concerts. She smiled reflecting back on all those great memories.

She walked over to it. She could only imagine the beautiful music that had once been played on the old piece. She softly touched it. A burst of a cold sensation struck her hand and raced up her arm. 

Corinne immediately dropper her hand. The cold feeling was gone.

She was struck by a burst of energy while she continued to stare at the piano.

“Hello?” A man’s voice echoed down the stairs.

I hope you liked it. Happy reading!

The 2014 P & E and Team VHP

Hiya troops!

I may be beating a bit of a dead horse today. I want to talk about the P & E Poll...again. The polls close one week from today, so I really just want to explain the importance of it, not just for me, but for all of VHP.

As some of you may remember, Loving Her Volume 2 took 2nd place in its category last year. Does that make me hungry for the win? I'd be a liar if I said it didn't.

But there's so much more to it than just the win. 

Yes, I want to win. But, it's not just about the accolades for me. Oh sure, it's nice to have bragging rights. The thing is, I don't want to just win. I want to use the win.

Vanilla Heart Publishing and I have some big goals for Pianissimo. I really want to use this book as a means to create more social awareness and acceptance. In order to have a bigger impact, a broader readership is necessary. An award-winning book is more likely to gain more readers, and thus have a bigger positive social impact. That's why I'm asking for your help. Your votes will help me to reach others. I want to touch lives, open minds, and change hearts. With your help, we can do just that.
Together, we can make this world a better place. 

Please vote for Pianissimo here (please note that entries are listed in alphabetical order).

But I don't want you to vote just for me.

My publisher, and all of us VHP writers have been nominated. I would ask that you please help support all of us by voting. You may vote one time in each category. Here are all of the awards Team VHP has been nominated for:

*Angela Kay Austin: Rumer http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelr.shtml

*Charmaine Gordon: the River's Edge Trio
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/shortstoryr.shtml and Housebroken 
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelr.shtml 

*Chelle Cordero: Holiday Happiness  http://www.critters.org/predpoll/shortstoryr.shtml
Can We Talk? http://www.critters.org/predpoll/nonfiction.shtml
Author Page http://www.critters.org/predpoll/author.shtml
Writer's Workshop Living, Breathing, Writing http://www.critters.org/predpoll/writerws.shtml
The Potpourri Parlor http://www.critters.org/predpoll/promotions.shtml
Within The Law Cover Art http://www.critters.org/predpoll/bookart.shtml

*Malcolm R. Campbell: Emily's Stories  http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelyoungadult.shtml and Jock Stewart and the Missing Sea of Fire http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelmys.shtml

*Neva Squires-Rodriguez: In Too Deep 
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelr.shtml and In Too Deep Cover Art
 http://www.critters.org/predpoll/bookart.shtml

*Tamara Philip: The Trouble with Playing Cupid http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelr.shtml

*Vanilla Heart Publishing: http://www.critters.org/predpoll/ebookpublisher.shtml

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone!

I cannot believe it's 2015. It feels like 2014 just started! It is amazing how quickly time flies, isn't it?

So of course, I want to talk about the new year, hopes, dreams, goals, and the like. New Year's Day is a day of reflection and hope, so let's do just that.

In reflection, I am proud of what 2014 gave me. Taking 2nd place in the P & E Poll, having all 8 Loving Her stories revamped and re-published, and having Pianissimo come out.

There were certainly hard times, especially after breaking my back this summer, but overall, I think it was a good year.


Holding onto that excitement and joy, I look forward to 2015. The New Year promises some wonderful experiences as Pianissimo has been nominated for a Lambda Literary "Lammy" Award AND for the P & E Poll.

As an aside, I would love to place or even win the P & E this year. Please click here, scroll down and vote for Pianissimo. Thank you!!!

It will be exciting to see what the Lammies have in store as well! Win or lose, I don't really care. To be nominated is such an honor, that I am thankful either way! :)

What else is there? Who knows?! My hope is that my readership will continue to grow, and that my books can have a positive effect on our world today. Even if I touch just one person's heart, I can rest assured knowing that I've done some good. That's really all I want out of all this: to help people. to promote understanding, respect, and acceptance within the human race. To help people open their eyes. To remind us all of our humanity and connectedness.

I can tell you that I am working on some short stories that I plan to have released in 2015.

However many stories or experiences arise day by day remains to be seen. Regardless, I will stay positive, I will continue to write for the greater good, and I will be forever grateful for all the blessings I have received (and continue to receive)!


Happy New Year (and, of course, happy reading), everyone!

Lammy-tacular!

Happy Thursday, gang!

I have some very big, exciting news!

My newest release, Pianissimo, has been nominated for a Lammy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What is a Lammy, you ask?

A Lammy is a Lambda Literary Award. Lambda Literary is the paramount foundation for all genres of LGBT writing.


For more information, please visit  http://www.lambdaliterary.org


So, in light on the nomination, I want to celebrate all things Pianissimo!

Here is the trailer for Pianissimo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1hWP81TVrg


Here's a little teaser for you:

The hot water splashed all over the sink as Corinne rinsed off another plate. She placed it on the rack and went to the next one. More soap. She scrubbed the melted cheese off of it. As she scrubbed, Corinne thought she heard something. She paused, only hearing the running water from the faucet.
“Darb.”
There it was again. A voice. A strange voice. She couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman speaking. It
was almost like a scratchy whisper. It was very weird. It was like nothing she had ever heard before, and yet she couldn’t be sure she actually heard anything.
Maybe she hadn’t. Maybe it was just her imagination playing games with her. This isolation and solitude was definitely taking a toll on her. It was probably nothing more than that.
She brought her eyes back down to the plate in her hand, and she restarted scrubbing that old, nasty,
melted cheese off of it.


Want more of a sample? Check out this FREE four chapter sample book! http://books.noisetrade.com/laurenshiro/pianissimo-by-lauren-shiro-four


Last, and certainly not least, here is the link to get your copy in e-book or print!
http://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro/dp/0692310819/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1418175573&sr=8-1


Happy reading!

I got a One Lovely Blog Award Nomination!

I want to thank Tamara Philip of http://tamaraphilipwrites.wordpress.com/ for nominating me! :)




According to Ms. Philip, this award was created by Works of Art by Sara as a way to recognize her favorite blogs. Recipients pay it forward by passing the award along to their favorite blogs. and of course it quickly grew because it’s a very sweet thing to do!


Here are the rules:
You must thank the person who nominated you and include a link to their blog.
You must list the rules and display the award.
You must add 7 facts about yourself.
You must nominate 7 other bloggers and comment on one of their posts to let them know they’ve been nominated.
You must display the award logo and follow the blogger who nominated you.


1) I have very small hands. My wedding ring was a size 4 or 4 1/2.
2) I have moved over twenty times since the year 2000.
3)I can read and write in Spanish far better than I can speak it. :)
4) My upcoming release, Candles on the Spinet, took 2 years for me to complete.
5) Thanks to my maternal grandmother, I can curse people out in Slavish. LOL
6) Our house was built in 1860.
7) I like to play around with wood working and wood furniture restoration.



Here are my wonderful nominees (please check them out. As a side note, Ms.Philip already nominated some of the people I wanted to nominate, so this became a bit tricky! LOL. Rather than just nominating ANY blogs, I am nominating 2 that I really believe in):
http://www.sylviavanbruggen.com/
http://naturespeaceandhope.wordpress.com/