Toasting 2016

For the last three weeks, I told you about my resolutions, my goals, and what to expect this year.


This week, it's time to celebrate!

Here's to you!

Here's to us!

Here's to my books!

Here's to the stories that have yet to be written!

Here's to writing, creativity, and all artistic endeavors!

Here's to 2016 being an absolutely wonderful year!

Happy new year, and happy reading!

Resolutions for 2016

We are into the second week of 2016. This week, I want to share my resolutions for the new year.

This year, I resolve to be a better writer. I will push and challenge myself. I will study, take classes, and improve my craft.

This year, I resolve to expand my horizons. I refuse to limit myself to just one genre. Instead, I want to grow and see what new stories I can create. My books will now encompass a broader range.

This year, I resolve to create stories that will impact my readers. My books will touch your heart and change your mind. I write to entertain, but I also write with a greater purpose. That will be even more palpable this year.

This year, I resolve to reach a bigger audience. By creating new stories, and promoting my current titles, more people will be aware of my work, and will read them. By doing so, my previous resolution will be reinforced,

This year, I resolve to be the best person and writer I can be for one sole purpose: you!

Happy new year and happy reading!

2015 A to Z Challenge: Pianissimo - Day 10 (J)

 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.

We're in the double digits now! What better letter to start us off than J?!

J is for Justice.

Justice is not necessarily a word you'd think of when you read a paranormal story, but there is justice to be had in Pianissimo.

Agnes and Margaret face some horrible prejudice in their life time. Bigotry, hatred, lies, and accusations lead them to face their co-workers, and the entire town. With their lives and reputations on the line, and with virtually no one rushing to their side, they are forced to stand up for themselves. Will justice be served?

On the other side, there's Corinne learning about Margaret and Agnes. She learns not only of the lives they lead, but of the core of their beings. She learns about an entirely new way of life. She is forced to reconsider her old ideas and prejudices. Unlike the townsfolk of the early 1900s, Corinne's eyes and heart are opened. She uses them as inspiration to become a better person. She does them justice by restoring their one connection: the piano.

So yes, justice is a theme in Pianissimo. If you read it, you can find out if I do justice justice! ;)

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 2 (B)

 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 is day two, also known as b-day.


The b is for blossoming. When I initially had the idea for this story, I had no idea how much the main character, Corinne, would blossom as much as she did. I didn't plan for her to have some old critics and demons that she would need to overcome...let alone the fact that she did! She amazed even me!

Even though it may not look like a story about a woman who blossoms, it is actually a great story of self-discovery.

Happy reading!


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

Writing is a team effort

Happy Thursday, cats and kittens!

Today, I want to talk about life behind the scenes of writing a book. Just as there in an entire crew behind the cameras of a movie, there's a crew behind each and every book.

Believe it or not, writing really is a team effort.

I kid you not!

There's always at least one editor involved. No matter how good a writer is, we ALL need an editor. We just do.

Then, depending on the size and nature of the publishing company, you have people working on the actual publication of the book, marketing, book trailers, advertising, design and layout, printing, distribution, and more.

As you can see, there are many hands involved in the entire process.

What does this mean?

It means that we all need to be willing to work as a team. There is no room for egos. Each and every person involved has something wonderful to bring to the table. We all need to work with, accept, and appreciate everyone's gifts and differences.

I recently had a conversation with my publisher. She has been an amazing publisher. I've worked with her for the last 7 years. We've both seen and helped each other to grow. So when she approached me about changing the title of my upcoming release, I knew that I needed to put my ego aside and trust her. She hasn't steered me wrong yet. She, our editor and I all have the same goals for this book - and all of the books that we publish. We all want to do our best, and to see each book succeed. She wasn't bringing this up as a way to hurt me, or as some flighty, impulsive move. There was thought, reason, and planning. There is a method there, even if I don't see it.

Was it difficult to step aside? You bet! I pour my heart and soul into every book that I write. There is a reason behind every word, including the title.

I'm not so stuck on myself that I would argue. For as much as I would love to think that the title is superb, I can respect the fact that she and my editor see something different than I do. Their fresh eyes on the piece can only make it better. So I acquiesced. And as long as I keep my ego in check, I will remember that this will only help the book to be better than it already is.  :)

So the next time you crack open a book or turn on your e-reader device, remember that there's a big crew behind the scenes that worked with the author so that we could all give you the best stories possible.

Happy reading!!!

A to Z '14 - Opportunity

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.


O is for Opportunity.

My grandfather taught me a lot about opportunity.



He showed me how to look for opportunities in my life. Job opportunities, opportunities to help other, opportunities to better myself. Opportunity played a large role in his life and career.

One of the greatest lessons I learned was that if there was no opportunity right in front of me, to go make my own. Opportunity knocks, but sometimes you have to clear a path to open the door.



Opportunity works equally. There aren't just a select few that are given wonderful opportunities. Opportunities come to each and every one of us. It's what you do (or don't do) with the opportunities that makes the difference.

Don't miss out. Your next opportunity is right around the corner.



O is for Opportunity.

On Resolutions

I am not your typical thirty-something-year-old. I grew up watching classic TV shows like I love Lucy, Make Room for Daddy, Mr. Ed, and the like. One of the greatest facets to shows like these were the simplicity of their problems and the always perfect and happy resolutions that came within a half an hour.

There is one I Love Lucy episode where both couples (Lucy & Ricky, Ethel & Fred) are dealing with marital issues. At the end of thirty minutes, both couples are embracing. The women tell their husbands that they would much rather be in a rut with them than on a date with anyone else. How sweet! How romantic! How sadly untrue of real life!



Real life is dirty, grungy, raw, and anything but simple or perfect.

I live in reality, but I am a hopeless romantic. I want my life to have perfect resolutions like that I Love Lucy episode, but most of the time, it sadly hasn't. I'm not bitter, though. Still optimistic that each problem will resolve itself quickly and easily and the scene will end with everyone involved laughing (and maybe we'll even hear appaluse).

As a writer, I need to find a balance between that hopeless romanticism and reality. I hope that my books do just that.



Loving Her demonstrates the ugliness of today's world. Yet, we have couples that are truly dedicated to each other. Couples that truly stay by each other's side in sickness and health, in wealth and poverty, in joy and sorrow. They deal with death, illness, change. They deal with life and live in love.

Unbreakable Hostage deals with a dark reality, but ends in a way that we all hope our traumas will end: with tremendous hope.

Imperfect and Impeccable ride the emotional roller coaster that is life. They show us what true love and dedication are all about. Though the ending may not bring the resolution we had all hoped for, it does still bring us a peace and resolution that we can gladly accept. A resolution that brings us some peace.

My two short stories, Trajectory and Amnesie show us that even in our dark and imperfect world, love is the one thing that brings us comfort and hope.

As much as we want things to always end up rosey,we know that they may not. That doesn't mean that life doesn't have any rosey moments at all. Rather, life is a balance between the good and the bad; between the happiness and sadness. My reality is that balance. I have good days and bad days. I have joyful moments as well as sorrowful ones. As a writer, I use that balance and create new stories reflecting that balance.

So with that, I wish you Happy Reading!!!! ;)