First blog post of 2016!

Happy New Year!

With 2016 waiting like a blank canvas, I think it's a good idea to discuss my goals for this year.


I want 2016 to be a big year, full of big changes, big successes, and big stories.

Big changes. I'm coming into 2016 working on stories that are unlike anything I've written before. If you follow me on Facebook or have read my WeWriWas in November, I am working on a magical story based on my baby Lovebird, Robert. I'm attempting to emulate J. K. Rowling by writing something that could be deemed a childrens' story, but is written in a more mature voice so that even adults will enjoy it. It'll be very exciting to see where this story goes, and to watch it come to fruition.

Big successes. I  have goals of seeing my stories - old and new - reach bigger audiences. I have goals of seeing my stories receiving more reviews, and watching my rankings go up. I have goals of continuing to publish great stories for you to enjoy. Everything that I do that is positive, that is helpful, that creates movement and momentum, everything that I can achieve is a success. 2016 will be a year that is chock full of them.

Big stories. I'm working on a few pieces, and I plan on writing many more. I write stories of love and life without boundaries. Stories that will touch your heart. Stories that will stay with you, long after you've closed the book. Stories that are powerful, poignant. Stories that are educational as well as entertaining and enjoyable. Stories that you will love.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, folks. 2016 is going to be one heck of a year!

Happy new year, and happy reading!

Character of the Week: Corinne from Pianissimo

Corinne Richards: dutiful army housewife, isolated loner, former pianist, home owner, and now piano restorer.

Corinne thought she had finally "made it." She, and her husband Darryl, had just purchased their house. He was due to retire from the army, and they could finally start living the life they had always hoped for.

Life had different plans for her.


Instead, Darryl is shipped off for one last tour. That blow sends Corinne spiraling into isolation and depression. Prior to this, she connected with other military wives. This time...she just gave up.

It's important to look at her history in order to fully understand what brought her to the house in Louisville.


Corinne grew up in Indiana. Hers was a typical mid-Western upbringing. Her parents owned a modest home.

Corinne and her brothers played sports. Their mother also encouraged all of them to play the piano. The lessons didn't stick with the boys very well. Corinne, though, had a natural talent for it.

She was a senior in high school when she was faced with a most difficult decision: piano or soccer? She was being scouted for a possible soccer scholarship, so sports won. Only three games into the season, and she injured her knee, dashing her dreams. To make matters worse, her parents sold the piano after she made her decision, and thus she was left with nothing.

She and Darryl met at Indiana State. He was working towards a degree in electronics engineering, she was in the General Studies program. It was love at first sight. Their courtship lasted through all four years at the college.

At that time, Darryl wanted to get some hands-on training, so he enlisted in the army. Desperate not to lose him, Corinne begged and pleaded with him to get married. So they did. In a small ceremony performed by a Justice of the Peace, Corinne became Mrs. Richards, and was able to travel with Darryl to different posts.

Years of moving and tours came and went. When Darryl FINALLY decided not to re-enlist, Corinne couldn't have been happier. She was finally getting her husband all to herself. She could finally have a "normal" life like she had growing up. So they bought a house and got ready to settle down. Then Darryl gets shipped off one last time...

What they didn't know when they bought the old farm house was that it was rich in history. It belonged to one of the most prominent Louisville families. It had stories, it had pictures, it had a piano, it had ghosts!

The spirits of the Walker family made themselves quite known to Corinne, even though she had no desire to meet them. What begins as a frightening, and terrifying occurrence becomes a wonderful lesson in history and humanity for Corinne.

She discovers the old, dilapidated piano. She discovers the old photos, letters, and journals. And through it all, she discovers herself.

Corinne is not a likely heroine. She's a rather "average" gal. She has no dreams of making it big. She just wants a normal family life. What she discovers is that family is what you make of it. Her ability to open her eyes and open her mind makes her one of my favorites, and possible even one of the greatest heroines in literature.

Favorite quote from Corinne: "Time to get back to regular life."


Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro/dp/0692310819/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427504023&sr=8-1&keywords=lauren+shiro

Character of the Week: Claudette from Trajectory

Trajectory is a short story of mine about a Police sniper named Joe Davis. Joe's life encompasses all that is good and all that is bad in humanity. Claudette is his rock.

Claudette is French-Canadian. Born in Quebec, Claudette's life was deeply enriched by the French Canadian culture, languages, art, and her family. 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.

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.


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, 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. One fateful and tragic event, though, brings them back together...potentially forever.

Claudette is such a strong, mysterious woman. I love her independence and sense of self. She has such tremendous depth. She is a character who is beautiful both inside and out. Her story with Joe is unlike anything else I've ever written. I think you will find it to be an interesting and unique read.

Favorite quote from Claudette: “Go to Gertrude. She will give you all the guidance you need. Go
home. Be in your own environment. Be where you belong. Then the answers will come to you.”

Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Trajectory-Lauren-Shiro-ebook/dp/B004VS2GP4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1426894069&sr=8-8&keywords=lauren+shiro

Character of the Week: Liz from The Ballerina/the Loving Her series

Hiya kids!

Today is the first Thursday in May!

I hope you had fun going through Pianissimo in the A to Z Challenge with me. Now, it's time to jump into my Character of the Week series with both feet.

To kick it off, we are starting with Liz from The Ballerina in the Loving Her series.

Liz is a bright, sunny character. She's full of life. She's funny, she's outgoing...she's a true red head! Let's get to know the woman behind the fiery red hair.

Liz comes from a small town called Robbins, North Carolina.

She is one of five from her biological parents. Her family was poor, and they struggled terribly to take care of five children.

Every week, her parents would take her to church. The music stirred something within her, and Liz would always dance around happily. Her joy was noticed by many people in the church, especially Robert and Kathy O'Kane.

The O'Kanes were unable to have children. They lived a quiet life, working hard on their farm. Every week at church, they noticed the happy little red-headed girl dancing around the church. Despite the fact that she appeared dirty and not well cared for, she was a jovial little spirit. Something drew Kathy to little Liz. She and Robert talked about it at length. They weren't sure if what they were doing was wrong, but they decided to approach Liz's biological parents.


They carefully discussed their affinity for the young girl. The O'Kanes told them they understood the hardships of raising five children, and they offered their home to Liz. Liz's biological parents didn't need much time to think. One less mouth to feed, one less burden. Liz would be well cared for, and they would still be a part of her life.


Liz was young enough to not recall the transition to her new home. She always remembered the O'Kanes as good, caring, fun parents. Liz would see her biological family in church. She'd even visit on occasion. Something didn't feel right, though. She felt uncomfortable there. Her siblings would tease her. Her birth parents were rough and distant, at best.

Liz came home with bruises on her arms from her biological father more than once. At that point, the O'Kanes sought full adoption, and Liz officially became their daughter.

Liz grew up working on the farm, and studying dance very seriously. From her experiences with her biological family, she was very grateful for all that she had. Her parents worked hard; they sacrificed and supported her love of dance through the years. Life wasn't always easy, but it was always good.

When it came time for Liz to go off to college, she received a full scholarship to Julliard. As a token of his love and support, Robert bequeathed his old truck to Liz. Though a farmer, Robert had always had dreams of owning a big, flashy show-truck. As a token of her love, Liz turned his old farm truck into a work of art.

Right out of school, Liz auditioned and was hired by a touring company. Always one to stand out from the crowd, she surpassed dancing in the ensemble, and was given the lead role. That was a foreshadowing of how well she would do in her dancing career.

In The Ballerina, we meet Liz at her curtain call after a performance in Florida. She captured the eye and heart of Jen. Liz had always been so dedicated to her adopted parents and her passion for dance, that romance was never even a thought that crossed her mind. Jen opened her up to many things.

After all her parents had done for her, Liz was petrified of coming out to Kathy and Robert. Would they accept her? Would they be disappointed in her? She would not be able to live with herself if they were angry or displeased in any way. Years went by. Jen was always with Liz, and the O'Kanes liked Jen very much. By the time Liz came out to them, Jen had dispelled any of their assumptions. Liking Jen for who she was made it very easy for them to accept Liz and Jen as a couple.

Like all couples, Liz and Jen had their share of trials and tribulations. Their dedication to themselves and to each other is what gets them through even the darkest of times.

Liz is like no one you've ever met before. She's an amazing woman with an amazing story. She's fun, she's vivacious, she's eclectic. Liz is just one of those awesome people. I loved writing her story, I hope you love reading it!

Favorite quote from Liz: "But I am more than just a ballerina."

Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Ballerina-Loving-Her-Book-ebook/dp/B00EP01SP2/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1426886459&sr=8-12&keywords=lauren+shiro

2015 A to Z Challenge: Pianissimo - Day 16 (P)

 For the third consecutive year, I am participating in the A to Z blog challenge.
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

This year, we're going to go through my latest full-length novel, Pianissimo.

Today just happens to be the 16th day, so that means our letter is P. P is for Pianissimo.

Pianissimo means softly, or to play softly. With a story that talks about softness, gentleness, caring and compassion, the title is quite fitting.

It's a title that is meant to grab and intrigue you. I think it does just that (it's ok for me to say that. I wasn't the one who came up with the title! LOL).

In this story, the music is played softly; the love between Agnes and Margaret runs deep and softly; the changes and growth Corinne experiences come softly; the restoration of the piano comes about by a soft touch.

It may mean softly, but it still has a tremendous impact!

http://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro-ebook/dp/B00OEOTZMC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420832795&sr=8-2&keywords=lauren+shiro

2015 A to Z Challenge: Pianissimo - Day 14 (N)

For the third consecutive year, I am participating in the A to Z blog challenge.
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

This year, we're going to go through my latest full-length novel, Pianissimo.

Two weeks in, and we are up to the letter N. N is for night. I'm actually going to talk about how time of day or night plays an important role in the story.

There are a few really good - and very important - nocturnal scenes.  

In one such scene, we are introduced to Agnes as just the vision of a woman's silhouette in the darkness of night. This scene originates as one of Corinne's dreams, but we revisit and relive it later on in the story.

In another, we see the story take a tremendous turn the night of the school's holiday party. Agnes and Margaret walk out one evening to make an appearance at the holiday party. Still seen as an unusual pair of single friends, Agnes feels the need to go to keep in the good graces of the powers that be in their school district. They plan it being a short visit, and it is exactly that when Clarence decides to speak to Margaret. In this scene, not only are we introduced to Clarence, we see the story take a sudden, dark turn.

There's also the very powerful scene of Agnes and Margaret leaving the movie theatre hand-in-hand, when they are confronted by an unknown man. With all of Agnes's strength and wit, she cuts him down to size by telling him that she has poor night vision, and that is why she is holding Margaret's hand. What's interesting is that this scene is the only time when Agnes' vision is discussed. Does she truly have poor night vision, or was that simply a lie to get that man away from them? What do you think?

Just as we deeply ponder the meanings of the people and events in our lives in the darkness of night, I will leave you to contemplate those thoughts and questions.

Indeed, N is for night.

http://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro-ebook/dp/B00OEOTZMC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420832795&sr=8-2&keywords=lauren+shiro

Inspiration

Good Thursday morning, world!


A couple of days ago, I was struck with inspiration for a very brief short story. A friend caught me feverishly writing down my thoughts for that piece. He asked if that was how my stories originate. I explained to him that sometimes they do, but not always.

So that got me thinking about how my pieces come to life. There are so many forces that stir inspiration in me. I thought it might be interesting to discuss and explore them (in no particular order).

Personal experience. The piece from the other day came into being from a moment in my own life. Whether it's something I see or hear, something I own, or something that happens to either someone on my life - or even me. It's not to say that my writing is a reenactment of my life. The story came from seeing my own shadow out of the corner of my eye, and my imagination ran wild with it. So even little things like that can suddenly become story worthy.

Pictures/Images. I'm a visual person. Sometimes if I look at a person or place, a story pops into my head. It's amazing how much one person's face can impact and inspire me. From celebrities to everyday folk, watching the sunset to watching kids play in a park, I am able to find inspiration almost everywhere.

Dreams. Dreams didn't start encouraging my work until the last few years. Now, they are a font of inspiration. Various stories and/or characters spring to life in my sleep. This is still a new source of inspiration for me, so sometimes these dreams need to be worked and re-worked. Ultimately, however, a good, solid story can come from even the most bizarre of dreams.

This is a good overview of inspiration. Just like anything in life, this isn't all encompassing. These are just a few sources of creativity for me. There are more - and I'm sure there are more to come, but this is a good start.


I hope you found this to be interesting. More over, I hope you find my stories to be captivating!


Happy Thursday, and happy reading!!!