A to Z II - S is for Sniper

It's Monday! Which means we are back at it with my personal A to Z challenge. We are kicking off this week and this day with the letter s. S is for sniper.

What else were you expecting?


Yes, we know Joe is a sniper.

He was a sniper in the Marines before he was a sniper with Detroit SWAT.

Joe's father was a sniper.

It's in his blood, in his DNA.

He has the eyesight and patience that very few people have.

Call it a gift.

Call it a curse.

It is simply Joe's destiny.

A to Z II - J is for Joe

Another day, another letter! Today's letter is the letter j. J is for Joe.

What to say about Joe?

There is so much.

Without Joe, there is no Trajectory.

Joe Davis is a regular guy, and yet, he is anything but ordinary.

I love him. Now granted, I do love all of my characters. There is something special about Joe, though. For someone as tough as he is, his vulnerability is so endearing to me. He is so human, and I love that. He has depth, he has emotion. He's just awesome. I'm not just saying that because he's mine. If Trajectory was another person's book, I would still be madly in love with him. He's just a wonderful character. He's a great person, plain and simple.

I love his complexities, and his simplicity.

I love him and Claudette. I love them together; I love his love for her. I love the nature of their relationship. I love them.

Trajectory is my first story with a male lead, and also my first bisexual lead. I think Joe handles that beautifully. He is an excellent lead, regardless of gender. I think his bisexuality is a topic that is well discussed throughout the story - and in the end, he gets the result he could only have dreamed of.

So today is for j, today is for Joe. Joe is truly a wonderful man. I am honored to tell his story.

A to Z II - C is for Claudette

Today is the third day of my personal A to Z challenge, which means we're up to the letter C. C is for Claudette. You can't have Trajectory without talking about Claudette.

Claudette is the great love of Joe. They are perfect together. To better understand their relationship, it's important to look at her as an individual.

Claudette is French-Canadian. Born in Quebec, Claudette's life was deeply enriched by the French Canadian culture, languages, art, and her family. Her parents were artistic, and they made sure that she grew up with the arts. She was surrounded by people and places that influenced her heavily. She was fortunate to experience all art forms, and to live a life most people only dreamed of. She was told she could do or be whatever she chose. She took that to heart. She found her passion for painting when she was sixteen. Within a year, she had won awards and some notoriety. She studied art tremendously in Canada, but she wanted more. So at the age of twenty, she moved to Detroit, where she studied art at Cranbrook.

She was a true artist: free-flowing, free-thinking, and very independent. While in school, she painted to make money. Whether it was painting your living room or your family portrait, she was happy to paint. She lived alone and did as she pleased. That kind of free-form painting and living continued on well past college. She took on all kinds of painting jobs, and she just lived freely and independently.

She and Joe met by chance in a cafe. He went in to enjoy a cup of his favorite coffee when he saw her painting the scene around them. He told her he liked her work. Once he looked into her eyes, he was completely infatuated.

The couple had a rather unusual relationship. He a cop and she an artist, they both enjoyed their freedom. Through their three year romance, they each maintained their own apartments. Their relationship was built on autonomy and respect. Neither judged the other for what they did, and they were allowed to fully be themselves. That also applies to Joe's bisexuality, which is incredibly important to him. Her knowledge of that, her lack of judgment and open-mindedness about it is absolutely tremendous.

In Joe, Claudette found stability and reason to balance out her artistic whims. She found someone who allowed her to live her own life, but still include her in his. For her, their relationship was the perfect balance - the perfect yin and yang.

As time progressed, Claudette yearned to have a family of her own. Coming from a small, close-knit family, Claudette wanted to share that experience with Joe. Despite his work, she knew he would have been the perfect husband and father. The only problem was that he did not want children.

The couple discussed the topic at length. Claudette brightened Joe's life in a way that no one else could. Neither wanted the relationship to end, but family became too important of a topic for her to continue to wait.

Unable to sever ties completely, Claudette continued to take care of Gertrude, Joe's cat, when necessary. His door was always open to her, hers always open to him.

Though she loved him dearly, Claudette was far stronger in her independence than Joe. The dissolution of their relationship shattered him far more greatly than it did her. One fateful and tragic event, though, brings them back together...potentially forever.

Claudette is stunning, both inside and out. She is a woman of great depth and interesting character. She is intriguing, creative, soft, and independent. Claudette is truly a remarkable woman.

A to Z II - B is for Bi

Today, we are focusing on the letter b and the story Trajectory. B is for bi.

Though not discussed in the original short story, Joe is bisexual. By working this into a full-length novel, I am able to address his sexuality, his fears; I also address the complexity of his relationship with Claudette, and how that affects his relationship with a man named Michael.

Joe, just like any other person, is very complex. His sexuality is only one facet of his identity, but it's a facet that he focuses on. I don't want to give anything away, but it is a central topic in this new version. I've always known him to be bi, I just haven't addressed it until now. Becoming a full-length novel, I have the opportunity for him to discuss and explore his identity in a way I couldn't previously do.

You know I have to write LGBT fiction. It's what I do. Joe is my first male lead character, and also my first bi lead character. I think it's really important to discuss bisexual topics, and to address concerns that affect the bi community.

This is Joe's coming out moment. Yes, he's bi. Yes, it is central to his story. Yes, I address it as best I can. The new Trajectory will be another work of mine to help support the LGBT community, and to raise awareness for LGBT issues.

A to Z Challenge - E is for Emmalee

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

It's time for another A to Z Challenge! This year, I want to tell you about a story that is currently a WIP (work in progress). It's the story I'm writing in honor of my baby lovebird, Robert. It's a fantasy story, but it's really a story about emotional healing. So let's examine it by going through the alphabet!

Today, we are up to the letter e. E is for Emmalee.

Emmalee is the name of the main character, the narrator in The Good Pirate, Robert.

We experience all of Locreya, and all of the adventures with Robert through Emmalee's eyes. We also get to experience her thoughts and emotions. Writing in first person gives you a whole new perspective on the story. It's really quite fascinating to write.

Emmalee is a curious, strong willed, vibrant young woman. She pokes fun at Robert, but is quite dependent on him.She quickly finds her place among his crew. She shows us that magic and fantasy are real...even in adulthood.

Emmalee is a wonderful character, and she is the best person to narrate the story of Robert. She brings it to life!

Come on back for the letter f tomorrow!

Another WeWriWa Scorcher from The Cop

It's WeWriWa time!

Click www.wewriwa.com for more information and to see other 8 Sentence Sunday posts.

This post is part of an ongoing blog hop hosted by Weekend Writing Warriors. Every Sunday, participating authors post eight sentences from a published work or even a WIP (work in progress). Then we hop to our fellow warriors’ blogs and check out all the fabulous fiction that’s happening! It's a great way to meet readers, writers, and your next favorite book!  :)

Things are heating up in August! So for this month, we're looking at the scorching hot Donna from the Loving Her series.

Donna White is one tough cop. Behind the badge, though, is a very sweet, sad, sensitive soul. Truly a woman alone, Donna is simply trying to navigate her way through life. Who is Donna? She is dedicated, determined, distinctive and deep. Donna’s rich and touching story is second in the Loving Her series. 

Background on the snippet: Donna' heart has just been broken by Heather, a woman that Donna loved deeply. Feeling completely abandoned and alone, Donna sought out Linda - someone that Heather had introduced her to. Donna felt a kinship with Linda from the moment they met, so she thought she might find a friend in Linda. Here, Donna approaches Linda, and her emotions get the best of her.

     “Dude, what did she do to you?!” Linda stepped forward again.

     “I loved her. I was about to tell her I loved her and then she told me she was moving. She said there was nothing between us and that I suck in bed and I knew that we weren’t going anywhere and that this was nothing and...” Donna rambled. “My parents are dead and I work a lot and I have no friends…” Tears rolled down her face while she blubbered endlessly.

Hope you liked it!

Happy reading!

Character of the week: Byron from Imperfect and Impeccable

He is a man who is as big in spirit as he is in size. There is nothing small about Byron Whetherby.

Byron's story starts out when his father walks out upon learning that his mother is pregnant with him and his twin sister, Alex.

His mother struggles greatly to give them all that she can. She has no formal education, though. Desperate to give her children a good life, Mary does the unthinkable (she becomes a prostitute).

Byron never had a strong man or fatherly figure in his life. He knew life was hard for his mother, and he greatly appreciated her and her sacrifices.

As he and Alex grew, he watched his sister fall into the pit of addiction. Drinking, drugs - Alex's inability to cope only added stress to the family. When Mary accidentally becomes pregnant by a John, Alex plummets even further.

Feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders, Byron stepped up. He took care of Candace. He took care of the house. He even took care of Alex as best he could. Life for Byron was anything but easy. He had tremendous responsibilities that no child should have to shoulder. For as young as he was, he knew there was no one else to do what was needed. Despite lacking a father, he fully understood what it meant to be a man.

In high school, Byron began to work for a contractor. It wasn't glamorous, but it helped to pay their bills. 

Day in and day out, Byron labored. He did grunt work. He labored to take care of Candace. Alex's addictions taxed him greatly. He worked diligently to help his mother and his family. He never complained. He couldn't complain. No one else was going to do it, so he had to. Life didn't give him opportunities to whine. He did what was needed without ever uttering a single complaint. That personality trait stayed with him throughout his life.

By the age of 21, Alex had stayed sober for 3 months. Byron saved enough money to send Alex to school to become a paralegal. There was one condition, though. Alex would have to allow him to check her house at any moment for alcohol, and she was required to call him daily as a check-in. She needed to prove that she took her sobriety seriously. He refused to pay for schooling if she was only going to throw it away. He loved his sister, and he wanted to help her. He knew that part of helping her included some tough love.

Alex agreed. She went to school and had turned her life around tremendously.

Just as she began to close in on graduation, their mother, Mary, was in a horrific car accident.

Once again, Byron felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. If Mary didn't pull through, Alex and Candace would both rely on him completely. Being the strong man he was, Byron gathered his sisters, and their church all around Mary. People helped. People donated. People prayed. It was a long, difficult road, but Mary began to improve.


It was soon clear that Mary needed more help than what any of the kids could give her. Finally in a place to give back to the family, Alex stood up and payed for their mother's care at the facility.

Byron, at this point, owned his own contracting company. He worked just as diligently as he did in high school. He was a successful business owner thanks to his tenacity and persistence.


His life wasn't necessarily easy, but he remained grateful for all that he had.

He still watched over both of his sisters very closely. When Alex began dating a white girl named Carol, Byron was anything but pleased. He worried about Alex's sobriety. He worried about her facing discrimination as a black woman, a lesbian, and now part of an interracial couple.

As time went on, Carol and Byron were able to come to good terms, and she became the newest member of their family.

Speaking of family, at his mother's facility, there was a beautiful young nurse named Erin. Erin was Asian. Her jet black hair and porcelain skin were enchanting. She had a beautiful smile, and an adorable little body. Byron was quite smitten with her. But he didn't think a smart girl like her would have any interest in a grunt like him. He kept his fondness for her a secret for years.

When Mary passed years later, Byron invited Erin to her memorial service. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. More importantly, it gave Byron the opportunity to forge a new, different kind of relationship with her.

Byron and Erin were an unusual pair, but their relationship was ideal. While finally opening his heart to Erin, he was also closing his heart off from Carol when he learned that both she and Alex had AIDS, though.

His world came crumbling down upon hearing the bad news. He was hurt, angry, and scared. He and his family had lost so much, and now he was losing his twin. He couldn't deal.

He and Alex had many conversations about Carol, their health, and the situation. After some time, he warily came around.

 Byron was suddenly learning how to balance work, his family, and romance. It was all very new and foreign to him, but he managed to make it all work. So well so that he and Erin eventually married.

Erin brought him the stability and logic he so desperately wanted and needed in his life. She was strong - a rock upon which he could lean. She was gentle. She taught him love, patience, and understanding. With her and his sisters, Byron's family was complete.
When Alex suddenly dies, Byron loses it. Not even Erin or Candace to bring him any kind of solace. His anger and pain were indescribable. As things play out, his perspective changes. Carol is no longer the bad guy. Instead, she is his final connection to Alex, and he can't lose that. Losing both her and Alex was far too great for him. He couldn't imagine his life without either of them.

Life changes, and Byron feels completely unable to cope. He is broken. Only the wisdom and strength of Candace can guide him through his darkest of days.


Byron is a man who is bigger than life itself. He is complex, and has many layers. He is the big brother we all want.

Favorite quote from Byron: “Carol, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I gave you flack about being a white girl the first time I met you. I’m sorry for all the hurtful things I said to you when you told us you and Alex had AIDS. I’m sorry for how poorly I treated you after Alex died. I’m just so sorry for all of it.”
     “All of my life, I always had to watch out for Alex. She was my twin, but we were so different. I
had to protect her. I thought I was protecting her when you came around. I couldn’t see that you
were protecting her far better than I ever could. I see that now, though. I am so sorry.”

Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Imperfect-Lauren-Shiro-ebook/dp/B00KXHUN84/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1429484712&sr=8-11&keywords=lauren+shiro
http://www.amazon.com/Impeccable-Lauren-Shiro-ebook/dp/B00KXNR1LA/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1429484712&sr=8-9&keywords=lauren+shiro