Halloween 2016!!!

Happy Halloween, kids!

To celebrate the spookiest of days, we have to talk about my paranormal story, Pianissimo.

Here's a little excerpt sure to put a chill in your spine:

The outside world was morphed and swirled around through the old leaded glass. Corinne stole an extra glance at the warped view as she vacuumed the cat hair off the area rug and then the couch. She smiled at the quirkiness of the old windows. Sweat raced down her face as she cleaned diligently despite the horrid hot, humid weather. After several minutes, she finally stopped the vacuum.
   As soon as the whirl of the motor died down, Corinne thought she heard something. She strained to hear it. After concentrating for a few silent moments, she could finally make out the faint sound of a woman crying.
   Why was there a woman crying? Was someone hurt? Did something happen? Corinne hoped whoever it was was alright.
   Panic stricken for the other person, Corinne ran through the house looking in every room, opening every door. What was going on? Who was that? There was no one in the house. She ran out through the back door to see if any of her neighbors were hurt. Not one sign of life. What in the world?   Something had to be happening.
   She could still hear the cries.
   Corinne walked briskly back into the house. As she came in, she felt drawn to the inside basement door.
   Corinne went to slide back the lock, but it was so hot, it singed her hand. Corinne immediately removed her hand from the door. She looked at her palm which was blazing red. She blew gently on it to try to ease the scorch. The crying was clearer now.
   Braving the lock once again, Corinne quickly undid the latch. She pushed the door open with all her
might. The darkness rose up the stairs like billowing clouds of smoke. There it was. The crying was clear and loud now. A woman wept down in dark, dank basement.
   “Hello?” Corinne’s voice trembled with fear. “Hello? Who are you? Are you ok? Do you need help?”
   Her voice echoed mildly down the stairs.
   The crying continued.
   “Who are you? Are you okay? Do you need help?” Corinne repeated herself.
   Still no response, only sobs.
   Corinne stood at the stop of the stairs, frozen with fear. The burn on her hand began to throb. She looked at her hand. Her palm was red and beginning to blister. Yet, there were no signs of fire. No smoke, there was no scent of anything burning, no crackling or visible flames. Was it possible the fire had only just begun? Why was the door so hot that she couldn’t touch it? If she were to go down there to help this woman, would she end up hurt herself? She was truly torn: unsure of whether to brave the basement stairs or tend to her hand.
   After a perceived eternity, the sobbing suddenly began to fade away. Just as when it began, Corinne found herself straining to hear this woman once again. Eventually, there was utter silence.
   Now paralyzed by both fear and confusion, Corinne stood in place and looked back at her hand. The blister was gone and her palm looked completely normal. No longer red, no longer painful. As if nothing had happened, life in the house was still and peaceful again.


There's plenty more where that came from! For more hauntingly good stories, check out Pianissimo (as well as my other books):

https://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro-ebook/dp/B00OEOTZMC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477920352&sr=8-1&keywords=pianissimo+lauren+shiro

Happy Halloween!

Pianissimo for the holidays

It's December!

It's crazy to think we're at the end of 2015 already, isn't it?! Time goes by WAY too quickly!

Since the holidays are officially upon us, I thought it might be a good idea to look at my books as gifts for the readers on your list...or even yourself! ;)

This week, we'll look at Pianissimo.

Pianissimo is multi-facited. First you have the story of Corinne, a lonely military wife. Just when she thinks she is done worrying about her husband being sent off, he goes on one final deployment. She finds herself lonely and depressed. She needs to discover herself, and to find peace in her solitude.

There is the paranormal aspect of Corinne's house. She and her husband, Darryl, bought the house right before that final deployment. It's an old house, chock full of stories and secrets. For as lonely as Corinne feels, she soon discovers that she's actually not alone.

Finally, there's the story of Agnes and Margaret. A love story. A life story. These two women lead extraordinary lives, and they leave a glorious trail of letters, photographs, and even a diary, so their legacy can live on.

Pianissimo is a story about women. It is a story about the strength of women, the resiliency of women, the determination of women, the capability of women, the enduring spirit of women. It is much a human story as it is a paranormal story and/or a love story.

For readers who love books with tremendous depth, palpable emotions, multiple elements, and a feel good story, Pianissimo is a great book!

Get your copy here!

4.5 Stars
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

Halloween WeWriWa!

Happy Halloween! Today is the day for good scares. So, in keeping with October's tradition of all things frightening, I am once again sharing snippets from Pianissimo. What better way to celebrate Halloween than with a paranormal story?!

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!  :)

Background on the snippet: Corinne is going to do laundry when she suddenly sees the ghost of Agnes Walker.


Snippet edited to fit in 10 sentences:

        Corinne brought a small load of laundry down the rickety stairs into the basement when something caught her eye. A figure stood by the old mangled piano. It was her – the woman from her dream and in those pictures: it was Agnes!
     Tall and lean, and figure and her face were undeniable. 
     Slowly, Agnes turned to look at Corinne. Her face was wrinkled, yet regal; her hair was elegantly worn up; her clothes were an echo of days gone by. Her eyes grew wide and bright for a moment. “Margaret?” There was an unusual quality to her voice: a whisper, and yet a scream; clear, yet scratchy - hers was a voice like none Corinne had ever heard before.
     Corinne stood, holding the laundry basket, unable to move.



Hope you liked it!
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

Another Chilling WeWriWa Snippet from Pianissimo

'Tis the season for some good scares. So, in keeping with October's tradition of all things frightening, I am once again sharing snippets from Pianissimo. What better way to celebrate Halloween than with a paranormal story?!

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!  :)

Background on the snippet: 
Corinne has just discovered the old, dilapidated piano in the basement of her new home while she waits for some service men to deliver a new washer and dryer.

Snippet edited to fit in 8 sentences:

     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.




Hope you liked it!
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

Halloween Scares for WeWriWa!

(Said with an Eastern European accent) Good evening!

Ok, just kidding. 'Tis the season for some good scares, though. So, in keeping with October's tradition of all things frightening, I am once again sharing snippets from Pianissimo. What better way to celebrate Halloween than with a paranormal story?!

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!  :)

Background on the snippet: 
Corinne is having a dream that is more of a vision than anything else. This depiction is an image that will return to her again later on in the story.

Snippet in 9 sentences:

     A tall, thin woman stood in the dark, her arm rested heavily on some kind of ledge – perhaps a bureau or other piece of furniture. It was too dark to tell. The moonlight slithered its way in through the window, shadowing her tall, lean figure on the wall. She didn’t move. She couldn’t move. Even if she could, she wouldn’t want to. The silence pierced her soul. The room sat mute, but the woman seemed tense and overwrought with the noise in her own mind.
     Unable to breathe, unable to move, the woman stayed motionless; the furniture was the only thing

supporting her.


Hope you liked it!
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: 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: Margaret from Pianissimo

Margaret brings the softness and grace to what is Pianissimo.

Margaret Begum was a rather quiet young girl. She tended to keep to herself. As a child, she found more enjoyment in playing her piano than playing with other children.

She was the youngest of three. Her older sister Josephine, and her brother Walter, were both much more outgoing than she. They would play with other children. They loved receiving toys for Christmas, whereas Margaret was thrilled if she received new sheet music. The differences in personalities were something that carried through all of their lives.

She and her siblings grew up in modest conditions. Louisville was a good city to be raised in. Their house certainly did not compare to Agnes', but it was a good home nonetheless. Her mother, Lenora, was a teacher. Her father, Horace, was a carpenter. The children never wanted for anything. Hers was a good childhood.

Margaret followed in her mother's foot steps in becoming an educator. She greatly enjoyed working with young children. She loved helping them to learn how to read. She also gave piano lessons to students after school. She felt very enriched by her students' successes.

She taught at a smaller school for 3 years before moving on to the Primary School of Louisville. When she started at the Primary School, she met Agnes Walker.

Agnes was like her: quiet, and somewhat reclusive. She was much happier keeping to herself than to join in the gossip with the other teachers. Margaret found herself immediately drawn to Agnes, and the two hit it off right away.

A wonderful friendship blossomed immediately. It didn't take long, though, for Margaret to feel something more. She was experiencing emotions she never had before. She viewed Agnes as a beautiful, remarkable woman. She felt as though Agnes was a companion of sorts, and she wanted more. She wanted to spend every moment with Agnes. She eventually realized that she was deeply in love with her.

Margaret was afraid of her love. She had never experienced anything so potent. It wasn't right for women to love other women. She must have been crazy. She tried to deny it. She tried to fight it. She tried to suppress it. But she couldn't. There was only one thing she could do: confide in Agnes.

Margaret mustered up all the courage she had. She was utterly petrified. What would Agnes think? Was she about to ruin the best friendship she ever had? What was going to happen?

What ended up happening was the romance of a life time. Agnes loved Margaret as much as Margaret loved her. It was perfect.

Their relationship continued to bloom, and Margaret eventually moved in with Agnes.


For their first Christmas together, Agnes gave Margaret a brand new piano. That gift symbolized their love - and life. The piano took on a life of its own. It gave both Agnes and Margaret the beautiful gift of music. It gave them serenity as Margaret used the piano in Margaret's candle ritual to guide the souls of their loved ones to Heaven. It represented the depth and understanding of their love. It also represented the timelessness of their love, and the endlessness of their love as the piano stood the test of time. It was battered and abused, but it lived on in the house. That one gift meant so very much.

Though she was happy, Margaret's family - especially her siblings - looked down on her decision to stay "single." They could not understand why she wouldn't want to marry a man and start a family of her own. They couldn't understand the true nature of her relationship with Agnes, and they did not approve. Lenora and Horace were somewhat accepting of Margaret's unusual life, but neither Josephine nor Walter approved. They pulled away from her tremendously.

It was difficult being estranged from her family, especially at the times of her parents' deaths. Walter was cold, but respectful. Josephine was simply rude. She hardly spoke to her sister, and she deplored Agnes. Josephine passed very harsh judgment the day that Margaret moved in with Agnes. Josephine turned her back on her sister. At a time of deep grief, when they lost each of their parents, Margaret's grief was worsened by the distance between her and sister. Margaret tried to reach out, but Josephine and Walter remained aloof. Agnes was always there, though. She was the rock when Margaret needed her the most.

Like any good marriage, Agnes and Margaret went through life's highs and lows together. That is until October 11, 1949. Margaret had contracted TB. She fought valiantly. Agnes was by her side as much as she could be. Hospital rules limited her time with Margaret. Unfortunately, because of those rules, Margaret passed away in the hospital alone. Her family never came for her, and Agnes was not allowed to stay with her.

Margaret Begum is such a beautiful, gentle soul. It's impossible to to not love her. She makes Pianissimo the wonderful story that it is.

Favorite quote from Margaret: “My, you are magnificent!”

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

2015 A to Z Challenge: Pianissimo - Day 25 (Y)

 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.

This is the twenty fifth day of our challenge, so we are up to the letter Y. Y is for Yes.

Yes. Yes to this story. Yes to these characters. Yes to Pianissimo.

This is a story unlike any I've ever written before. There were challenges as well as successes. There were lessons and rewards in writing a book like this.

There were times I doubted myself. There were times I was ready to give up. There were times where I shook my head and wondered if this was even feasible.  

Thankfully, neither Agnes, nor Margaret, nor Corinne would let me abandon ship. Though sometimes quietly, they just kept chanting, "yes."

With them as my cheerleaders, I continued to type and type and type. I researched, I studied, I created. The further along I got, the louder the cheers were.

After two years of working on this, Pianissimo came into being. Yes. Yes it was meant to be written. Yes it was written. Yes it is a story I can be proud of.

Yes is a very powerful word, and yes is the word for Pianissimo.

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 21 (U)

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.

This is the 21st day. so the letter of the day is U. U is for unique.

Pianissimo is a unique story. A combination of "if these walls could talk," self-discovery, the paranormal, parallel stories, diary entries and love letters, Pianissimo tells multiple stories.

It tells Corinne's story of self-discovery.

It tells the love story and the life story of Agnes and Margaret.

It tells the story of a haunted house and haunted piano.

It parallels the lives and marriages of Corinne and Darryl against that of Agnes and Margaret.

There is not cliche or redundant. This is a truly unique story that will work its way into your heart.

Click the link below to discover the uniqueness and beauty that is Pianissimo.

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 8 (H)

 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.

Hi! Here's how hauntings heal hurt hearts!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Today's letter is H, obviously.

H is for hauntings, but also more than that.

The hauntings are a big part of the Pianissimo story. The house is haunted, and the piano is haunted. Corinne sees, hears, and experiences things she never could have imagined. She dealt with some crazy haunted stuff!

The hauntings also helped her, though. The more she learned about the house and piano, the more she learned about herself. At first, she felt isolated and alone as she dealt with the hauntings. As time went on, she realized she wasn't alone. 

The hauntings and discoveries Corinne makes all help her to heal. They help her to become a stronger person. They help her to learn new things - to become brave. As much as they help Corinne to heal, there's also a part of it where it helps the souls of Agnes and Margaret to heal as well.

Hauntings aren't always a bad thing. Sometimes they really help us to grow.

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

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!