Character of the Week: Stephania from The Model/the Loving Her series

Stephania is as unique as her name. You will never meet such an...interesting character.

Let's come get to know her.

Stephania is one of four. Her mother is Salvadorian. Her father was a Mulatto American. He was fluent in Spanish as he had great hopes of being a missionary in Latin America. He went to El Salvador on a missions trip. It was there that he met Gabriela. He fell in love with her. He saw the poverty she came from, and he wanted to give her a better life. So when he returned to the States, she came with him.

Life wasn't always easy. Harold actually had no formal degree. Now with a wife, he was forced to find any job he could. The first job that was offered to him was as a school janitor. He worked hard for what little pay he earned, but he was bound and determined to give Gabriela a good life. The family was raised in a poor section of Philadelphia, but it still surpassed Gabriela's home in El Salvador. They lived a modest life, and the children wanted for nothing.

Their seemed to be a normal, quiet life until Harold passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack. Suddenly, the family found themselves in a tragic situation. Gabriela lost her husband, and her only income. The children were now fatherless, and their futures suddenly looked bleak.

At fifteen, Steph had no choice but to work. Her mother did various odds-and-ends work whenever she could. Stephania dropped out of school and worked at a taco store in the mall. It wasn't great work, but it brought in money. Her sisters, Yoanna and Erendiria earned money by cleaning houses and offices.

The family was able to keep a roof over their head. Alvaro, Steph's younger brother, was the only one who was able to stay in school as he was too young to work. The women all sacrificed, but they held no resentments. They were happy to keep the family safe and together.


At sixteen, Stephania has an experience that is something out of a fairy tale. By some force of serendipity, a modeling agent sees Stephania at work, and offers her the chance of a life time. Gabriela is skeptical at first, but it ends up being the family's Cinderella story.

Early on in her modeling career, Steph meets an energetic model named Chrissy.

Stephania never really ponders whether or not she's gay. She always found women attractive, but she never put a label on herself.

Chrissy opens Stephania to love, lust, and life in the fast lane. Sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll were the norm for their daily life. Their careers and use of recreational drugs puts them in some interesting situations. Following her parents' example, Stephania is completely smitten and loyal to Chrissy from the beginning. Unfortunately, Chrissy is unable to respect Stephania in the same manner. Their wild life knows no bounds, especially for Chrissy.


Time after time, Steph hopes that things will change. Perhaps she's reading too much into things. Maybe Chrissy will realize the depth of her love and remain faithful to her. Chrissy is given many chances, but she fails every time.

In the midst of all this, Steph receives horrible news that her brother, Alvaro has died.

When the family comes together, pressure is placed on Steph to come clean. Alvaro died from an overdose of heroine. After losing her father, and now her brother, Stephania is at a cross roads.

During all of this, Chrissy is nowhere to be found.

The final nail in her coffin isn't Alvaro's death, however. It's at a moment where Chrissy dismisses Steph's heritage and upbringing.

Stephania finally found the courage and self-respect she needed. She then focuses on her work, and her life improves tremendously.


By yet another serendipitous encounter, Steph meets Linda Scott, a local lesbian who is a mechanic. The two hit it off, and they forge a great friendship. They begin to work on an annual calendar to help benefit the LGBT community. By doing so, they both open themselves up to new people and new experiences.

When Stephania finally meets Maria, something clicks. She realizes she has met someone like no one else she's ever met. Maria is older, wiser, calmer, and far more stable. Maria reminds Steph of her family, and the importance of love and devotion. She is fascinated by Maria's work as a writer. Moreover, she is fascinated by the woman.

One date becomes two becomes a trip to New York. The pair had taken their relationship slowly. Stephania still struggled with trust issues resulting from her relationship with Chrissy. Maria lived a quiet solitary life for far too long. This trip became the turning point for their relationship. One night at the hotel, Stephania comes out from the bathroom looking ravishing in some lingerie. Maria's reaction is not one Steph could have expected. But with all the love in her heart, she spends the night consoling Maria.


Their relationship solidifies thanks to that trip. From there on, they knew theirs was a marriage in the truest sense.

Due to her drug use, and even her childhood, Stephania can be quite eccentric. She is liable to say unusual things, make silly faces, or be just plain quirky. She is a free spirit, and she enjoys her uniqueness. She does not worry about how other people perceive her. Any judgment is their problem, not hers. She is odd, but she is genuine. Her love and concern are unwavering. She is loyal to her family friends - to the bitter end at that. She may say something that could shock or embarrass you, but she will give you the shirt off her back.

Stephania is a very fun character. She is intense, immature at times and wise at others. She struggled through so much in her life, and yet she is one of the most tender people you'll ever meet. She is grateful for all that she has, and she clearly appreciates the people in her life. Unusual, unique, and unforgettable, Stephania is one great woman.

Favorite quote from Stephania: “No skin off my back, cusca.”


Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Model-Loving-Her-Book-ebook/dp/B00GVLL3NA/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1427078079&sr=8-16&keywords=lauren+shiro

Next July The Peace Officer WeWriWa!

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!  :)


Happy #8SentenceSunday! This month, our WeWriWas will be from The Peace Officer, Brynn's story in the Loving Her series.

Brynn Racanelli is a daughter, a sister, a friend, a partner, a police officer, and so much more. Devoted to serving others through her police work, and to helping her sister who battles chronic Lyme Disease, she is the the poster child of selflessness. But she does have wants, needs, hopes, and dreams. After the sad ending of a long term relationship, she wonders if she will ever be able to get what she wants. Will fate finally bring her the life and love she’s always dreamed of?



Background on the snippet: Brynn was just called for a domestic disturbance. A male officer is speaking to the husband. Brynn just met the wife to get her version of the story. This snippet has been edited to fit 8 sentences.

They sat opposite each other at the table.
“So what’s going on? Can I have your name?”
“Helen,” she peeped.
“Hi, Helen. What’s going on? What happened?”
Helen looked away, her eyes staring at the linoleum floor; “N... n... nothing,” she mumbled.



I hope you liked it!
Happy reading!

Character of the Week: Alex from Imperfect and Impeccable

Few people can say they went from addict to professional woman by the time they were in their twenties. Then again, Alexandria Whetherby is not like most people.

Alexandria, or Alex, Whetherby is someone who has known tremendous hardship.

She and her twin brother, Byron, were born to a single mother. Their biological father walked out when he discovered she was pregnant.

Growing up, the kids didn't have much. Their mother, Mary, struggled to make ends meet. Uneducated and in dire need of money to support her family, Mary turned to prostitution. She was by no means proud of what she did, but she needed to provide for her children.

The family got by. As Alex and Byron grew, some of their classmates became privy to their mother's line of work. The bullying and teasing was far too much for Alex. The pain and shame it caused was horrendous. With no other ways to cope, she would retaliate with violence. 

Things only escalated when Mary became pregnant by a John. 9 months later, Candace was born. Hurt, confused, and angry, Alex began to break into her mother's liquor cabinet, and she drank. It didn't take long for Alex to become a full-fledged alcoholic by the age of twelve.

By the time she reached her teens, Alex was still drinking heavily, and she had begun to experiment with drugs. Byron had become the man of the house. He began working to support the family. He took care of his baby sister Candace. He also tried to clean up Alex's messes as best he could. At sixteen he was playing the roles of husband, father, and brother to everyone in his family.

Alex's addictions took a tremendous toll on the family. She was no stranger to the local police. Her name had become synonymous with trouble. Whether it was underage drinking, associating with some of the more disreputable people of St. Louis, bar brawls, drunk driving, waking up in unusual and unknown places (often with unknown people), or any other unpleasantness you can imagine that comes with a life of using and abusing drugs and alcohol, Alex lived it.

By her twenty first birthday, she had been through three rehab programs. After 3 months of sobriety, Byron offered Alex the chance of a life time. He offered to pay for her schooling to become a paralegal. In return, she was to call him daily, and allow him to inspect her home for alcohol and drugs whenever he chose. Desperate to create a life for herself, Alex agreed.

It seemed that the trials and tribulations of the family were finally coming to a close. Normalcy was just around the corner. Or so they thought.


Towards the end of her schooling, Mary was in a terrible car accident. She wasn't expected to pull through. After everything she had been through, she might miss out on seeing her daughter achieve full sobriety. The family - and their church - rallied around Mary. Miraculously, she pulled through. She still had a long rehabilitation ahead of her, though. As a way of giving back to her mother and family, Alex promised to pay for her mother's care. Multiple surgeries, and many months later, Mary went into a nursing facility. It was a hefty monthly bill, but one that Alex said she was happy to pay.

Alex built a nice life for herself. Addiction-free, she enjoyed all that a stable job, and happy familial relationships have to offer. In her sobriety, she became fascinated with human behavior. It wasn't unusual for her to go to airports, parks, or even the bars, just to sit and watch people. That is exactly what she did on February seventh.

That night, she got quite an eye-full. A bunch of kids from the university were celebrating a girl's birthday. They were your typical loud, raucous college group. Except for the birthday girl. She was a small waif of a woman. She clearly couldn't hold her liquor. After getting out of her seat, she took about two steps before nearly falling head first into Alex's table. When she stood up, there was something magical about this young woman.

She had alabaster skin, brown hair. She was pretty, and genuine. Her smile sparkled. Alex was instantly entranced. The young gal excused herself and stumbled her way into the ladies' room. After a short while, she returned. Her name was Carol. Carol and Alex hit it off right away.

Although you rarely hear of a stable, long-term relationship starting at a bar, Carol and Alex's did. From that night on, they spent the next twelve years of their lives together. They are twelve years of happiness and hurt. They are twelve years of adoration and anger. Good, bad, high and low, they stay by each other's side through it all.

Alex had Byron buy Carol's father's GTO, so they could give it to her as a college graduation gift. Carol eventually bought a home for Alex. They love and give and do for each other. They support each other.  Theirs was the love and devotion that fairy tales are made of.

Speaking of fairy tales, it's no secret that Alex's favorite movie is The Princess Bride. She watches the movie constantly. She quotes it daily. That movie is a part of who Alex is. She loves that movie for multiple reasons.

First, it's comedy is timeless. The jokes and quips never get old. She laughed equally as hard the first time as she did the hundredth time.


Second are the back stories. Each character has such a great story. Their lives and experiences are all something Alex can relate to one way or another.


Then, of course, is the love story. Alex falls in love with the love between Buttercup and Wesley. She dreams of a love like that - and she finds that in her relationship with Carol.


The Princess Bride gives Alex hope. It shows her what true love has to offer. It shows her that friends can come from many different walks in life, and still have an incredible bond. It reminds her of what family and friends are really all about. It inspires her. The Princess Bride shows her that anything and everything is possible. That hope, that promise is what she keeps close to her heart, and she enjoys that much more every time she watches it.

It's also important to note Alex's love for the holiday season. Even at her lowest point, Christmas held something wonderful to her. There was joy, there was innocence, there was the magic of Santa Claus - she loved it all. The Christmas spirit gave her a hope very similar to the one from The Princess Bride.

Now, getting back on point, like any couple, Carol and Alex have their issues. Alex still harbors serious abandonment issues. Like a truly devoted couple, though, they work through the hard times, and celebrate the good times.

Every facet of them, their relationship, and their family is tested when it is discovered that Carol had AIDS, and Alex contracted it from her. Each woman had to face her own mortality. As young, professional women, they were forced to greatly change their perspective on life. They needed to learn how to best take care of themselves, while also supporting each other. It was tremendously difficult to say the least. At times, they succeed. At times, they struggle. They remain true to themselves and each other through it all.

They eventually join a support group. Through that, not only do they forge some wonderful new friendships, Carol briefly reconnects with her college roommate, and they are  better able to care for themselves.


Life goes on, and so do Carol and Alex. A trip to the bank, however, turns into something much worse. They suddenly find themselves as hostages in a bank robbery. Alex gets caught in the cross fire between the police and the thief.

She does not die right away, but she becomes terminally septic in the hospital. She finally succumbs, but not before reminding Carol that not even death can stop true love.

Alex is a strong, beautiful woman. Despite tremendous hardship, she remains positive, optimistic, and incredibly devoted to and grateful for the people around her. A truly remarkable story about a truly remarkable woman.

Favorite quote from Alex: “No, Carol. You must be confused from the accident. I've always been with you.”

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

July WeWriWa is The Peace Officer!

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!  :)


Happy #8SentenceSunday! For July, and especially the 4th, I wanted to go All-American. So this month, our WeWriWas will be from The Peace Officer, Brynn's story in the Loving Her series.

Brynn Racanelli is a daughter, a sister, a friend, a partner, a police officer, and so much more. Devoted to serving others through her police work, and to helping her sister who battles chronic Lyme Disease, she is the the poster child of selflessness. But she does have wants, needs, hopes, and dreams. After the sad ending of a long term relationship, she wonders if she will ever be able to get what she wants. Will fate finally bring her the life and love she’s always dreamed of?


Background on the snippet: It's late at night. Brynn can't sleep, but her partner, Erika is sound asleep. Brynn finds herself in a position that many of us find ourselves in at one time or another. Brynn loves Erika, but the relationship has become...stagnant. We find ourselves in the midst of Brynn's internal monologue.

What could possibly be left for us? Three years is nothing to sneeze at, but it also seemed that there is a finish line right smack in front of us. Can I – can we – somehow continue forward and bypass that finish line?
Brynn looked at Erika again. She didn’t want to hurt her. She didn’t want to lose her. But she didn’t want to pretend, either. She sighed, closed her eyes and prayed for sleep to overtake her.


Hope you liked it!
Happy reading!

Character of the Week: Maryanne from Amnesie

Life is constant change. No one knows that better than Maryanne Jones.

Maryanne had a simple life in upstate New York. She was born and raised in the North Country. It was a quiet, solid upbringing. She knew the harshest of winters, and the sweetest of summers. Like so many people, Maryanne could never home. Despite the weather, and the simplicity of life, there was a draw to northern New York that very few people could resist.

Maryanne was fortunate enough to find a job that she loved working for a cell and telecommunications company. She did very well there, working her way up from entry-level to mid-management. She was proud of her accomplishments and career. She was living a life that many people only dream of: one where she loved her job, and she loved her home.

She purchased an old farm house with six acres by an apple orchard. It was the perfect house. It was big and old, and it had tons of charm and character. It was a lot of house for one woman, but Maryanne wouldn't have it any other way.

Maryanne and Elfi met by chance. Elfriede was doing an internship in pediatric nursing at Rome Memorial Hospital. Maryanne had gone there to fix some of the phone lines throughout the hospital. At one point, Maryanne was in an office where Elfi was working. Maryanne asked for Elfi's assistance. In the short time they worked together fixing the phone line, there was a chemistry that neither woman could deny. Maryanne gave Elfi her number. The rest, as they say, is history. Elfi was able to get a position at RMH, and she joined Maryanne in the big old farm house.

One night, Maryanne was driving home from work when a drunk driver hit her. It was a horrific crash. At first, she had been presumed dead, until one of the paramedics found the slightest of pulses. It was a miracle that she survived.

She was in a coma for a month. When she awoke, she had lost almost all of her faculties. She went through extensive rehab, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. Her recovery was a very long and difficult one.

Maryanne's recollection of her hospital stay was fuzzy at best. She knew she had been away from her home for an extended period of time. She couldn't be sure, though, if she was in a hospital or hotel. She remembered having a job, but did not understand why she could no longer work. She knew things had changed, but she wasn't sure why or what.

At first, things seemed to go well. Her home coming was a good one, and she and Elfi got into a good routine fairly quickly. Being home-bound, though, began to wear away at her. Day in and day out, Maryanne became increasingly bored. Her life suddenly became mundane. It also seemed that as time went on, Elfi became more distant. What Maryanne remembered of her - or what she thought she remembered of her - was very different from the woman she currently lived with. The more time went on, the more bizarre things seemed to become.



This is where we meet Maryanne in her story. Alone and confused. There seems to be tremendous discord, tension, and miscommunication. After 8 years, had their relationship run its course?
                                 


Everything seems to be wrong for both women. Neither feels they can say or do the right thing by the other. Things are misplaced, conversations are confusing...nothing adds up. Finally at a breaking point, Elfi makes one last consorted effort to save their relationship - and Maryanne.

Maryanne does not realize that she is a strong woman for having survived all that she had. Tender, but fierce, wise, yet confused, she is a woman who is simply trying to make sense of the world around her.

Favorite quote from Maryanne: "I can’t trust you! You lie to me. You hide things. You keep changing everything. How the hell am I supposed to trust you?"

Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Amnesie-Lauren-Shiro-ebook/dp/B007NJQZZA/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1428801539&sr=1-9&keywords=lauren+shiro