Last WeWriWa of 2014!!!

Hello again, fellow bibliophiles!


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!  :)

This weekend is the last weekend of 2014, so I am giving you a big one...perhaps the biggest one of the year! Enjoy!


Today's snippet comes from Pianissimo.

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.

Quick background: Corinne has been sorting through some old pictures and papers she found in a box in the basement.

Her hand hit something hard. What was that? Corinne finally looked down into the box.

It was a book! She clutched it and brought it up onto the table. She carefully opened the front cover.

Agnes Walker 1907.

With gentle trepidation, Corinne turned the first page.



Hope you liked it! Happy reading!!!  :)

Holidays are best spent with great books!

Happy Thursday, gang!

It's not just Thursday...It's Christmas!!!

To celebrate the holiday, I want to give you a little sample from First Christmas. It's a follow up short story to Pianissimo.

Corinne tightly held her coffee mug. It was forty two degrees out. Cold enough for her. She pulled back the curtain and looked out the window. No white Christmas here. Not today, anyway. Corinne couldn’t help but to feel bummed by seeing green grass. It wasn’t anything like her childhood Christmases in Indiana.

“Oh well,” she sighed.

Darryl was still sleeping. It was about a quarter after eight. He should be getting up soon. She hoped. She wanted to spend Christmas with him, even if it was a quiet one. It was their first Christmas since he retired from the Army. It was their first Christmas in this new house. It was almost like it was their first Christmas all together. It was incredibly important to her. She didn’t want to sit in solitude on this day. She had done enough of that when he was out serving.

Just as she was about to let go of the curtain, she saw that Rich and Susie were out across the street.

Corinne smiled and opened the door just enough to step out and wave.

Rich looked up and saw her. He gently nudged Susie. “Merry Christmas!” They called out.

Corinne continued to wave. “Merry Christmas!” She shouted back with a big smile.

They smiled back, got into their car and drove off. Corinne loved them. They were the greatest neighbors she had ever had. They were friends. They were even like family. She was so grateful to have forged such a great relationship with them.

She stepped back in and closed the door. A chill ran through her. She took a long sip of her warm coffee. That should help her to warm up quickly.

Suddenly, Millie and Mollie came racing out of nowhere, nearly tripping her. Just as Corinne regained her stability, she could hear the heavy thump of Darryl coming down the stairs. Good! He was up. Now Christmas could begin.                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Hope you guys like it! You can purchase your copy here. Happy reading and merry Christmas!  

The Shelter Director WeWriWa!

Happy 8 Sentence Sunday, folks!

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!  :)



Today, we're reading a snippet from The Shelter Director, Jen's story. Book # 6 in the Loving Her series.

Shy, quiet, humble – Jen is the kind of person that would give you the shirt off her back and then ask you what else you need. She may not be a movie star, but she’ll treat you like one. She works diligently to help save cats. She sacrifices her life and stability to accommodate her partner. She gives until it hurts, and her reward is a devastating diagnosis. What will her life become?

In this snippet, Jen just had her first conversation with the breath-taking Liz.


Jen stood frozen in disbelief. Thoughts raced and swirled in her mind. So much so, that it all just became a blur of words and emotions. Jen was brought back to reality when Fred tapped her on the shoulder. Jen did not move.

“So, what happened?” Fred’s voice danced above the noise of the world around them.

“She talked to me.”

Happy reading!!!

Dr. James Duggins

Happy Thursday, boys and girls!

Today's blog is going to be different. Still focusing on the Lambda Literary Awards, I want to talk about Dr. James Duggins and the Dr. James Duggins Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist Award.

I was just nominated for this amazing award by my publisher. I am honored and thrilled and humbled. The timing, however, is sadly ironic.

I was nominated on Monday. On Tuesday, I read that Dr. Duggins had passed away over the weekend.

Dr. Duggins was an amazing man. Not only was he a true scholar, he was also a pioneer and a hero. He paved the way for us LGBT writers. His works are among the greatest pieces published in our lifetime. He gave to charities and organizations in order to help the LGBT literary community. LGBT authors such as myself would not be where we are today if not for him, his bravery, his openness, his determination, and his generosity.

I am saddened to hear of his unexpected passing. This is a tremendous loss for us all. He will always be greatly remembered and admired.

I posted an article on Facebook about his passing. A friend commented on how we are losing such heroes, and that they are leaving giant vacancies in our society. I agree. That can be changed, though.

No one will ever be able to replace Dr. Duggins. However, we can step up to the plate. I could easily just stay where I am, and not create any forward movement. Anybody can do that. But does that help me? Does it help the LGBT community? Does it help the literary world? The answer to all of those is no.

I have always been a fighter. I have needed to struggle and fight for everything I have today. I don't regret it one bit. Using my own tenacity, I shall honor Dr. Duggins by doing my best to continue to fight and pioneer for LGBTs. My road is much smoother because of what monumental changes he brought about. But I will do my best to continue to pave that way for other LGBT writers. Dr. Duggins has left us his legacy, and also a responsibility to continue to carry out that legacy. With all of my heart, soul, and determination, I will do what I can to contribute.

It is an honor to have been nominated for an award that bears the name of such a great man. Regardless of what happens, I will do my best to honor that name with my work.

Thank you, Dr. Duggins. You are an incredible human being. You will be greatly missed and remembered.

http://www.lambdaliterary.org/features/rem/12/15/in-remembrance-james-duggins/

Another 8 sentence Sunday for y'all

Happy 8 Sentence Sunday, folks!


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!  :)


Yes, it's time for another WeWriWa!

This week, I'm doing an excerpt from The Peace Officer, book 5 in the Loving Her series.

Brynn Racanelli - daughter, sister, friend, partner, 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. Will fate finally bring her the life and love she’s always dreamed of?

The early morning sky looked like a giant baby blanket. Perfect layers of pastel pink, yellow and blue colors; the fluffy clouds provided the quilting. Nothing, not even the chill in the early November air, could penetrate Brynn’s sense of freedom and satisfaction.

Her horse, Petunia, raced as hard as she could. The trees and landscape around them were nothing more than a blur of various colors. Petunia’s white and grey dappled neck and face were striking against the backdrop of this autumn morning. She snorted as she ran faster and faster. Brynn held the reins right against her neck, at the base of her mane.


Happy Reading!!!  :)

Lammy-tacular!

Happy Thursday, gang!

I have some very big, exciting news!

My newest release, Pianissimo, has been nominated for a Lammy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What is a Lammy, you ask?

A Lammy is a Lambda Literary Award. Lambda Literary is the paramount foundation for all genres of LGBT writing.


For more information, please visit  http://www.lambdaliterary.org


So, in light on the nomination, I want to celebrate all things Pianissimo!

Here is the trailer for Pianissimo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1hWP81TVrg


Here's a little teaser for you:

The hot water splashed all over the sink as Corinne rinsed off another plate. She placed it on the rack and went to the next one. More soap. She scrubbed the melted cheese off of it. As she scrubbed, Corinne thought she heard something. She paused, only hearing the running water from the faucet.
“Darb.”
There it was again. A voice. A strange voice. She couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman speaking. It
was almost like a scratchy whisper. It was very weird. It was like nothing she had ever heard before, and yet she couldn’t be sure she actually heard anything.
Maybe she hadn’t. Maybe it was just her imagination playing games with her. This isolation and solitude was definitely taking a toll on her. It was probably nothing more than that.
She brought her eyes back down to the plate in her hand, and she restarted scrubbing that old, nasty,
melted cheese off of it.


Want more of a sample? Check out this FREE four chapter sample book! http://books.noisetrade.com/laurenshiro/pianissimo-by-lauren-shiro-four


Last, and certainly not least, here is the link to get your copy in e-book or print!
http://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro/dp/0692310819/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1418175573&sr=8-1


Happy reading!

Feminism in my books

I just read an article about some of the forward leaps that have been made in the name of feminism this year. That caused me to look at myself and my work.

For as long as I can remember (yes, even as a kid. No joke), I have been adamant that females are equal to be males, and should be treated as such. So, I live feminism. I also write feminism.

You'll note that the majority of my main characters are women. And they are strong women. They are career women, wives, daughters, sisters, lovers, fighters, individuals. My characters come from all walks of life. They run the gamut of personalities. They are not defined by their looks or their jobs. They are simply who they are as human beings.

For as much as I want to raise LGBT awareness, I also want to support the feminist movement. I want to remind all readers that we are so much more than our race, orientation, and gender. What we look like, what our physical bodies are, do/does not define us. We need to raise our voices. We need to remind the world that our size and gender do not mean that we are lesser in any way. We are so much greater than our bodies.

So, women and men alike, I implore you to read my books. Come discover these characters who defy race, gender, and orientation. They remind us that we are all simply human beings.

More WeWriWa Comin' Atchya!

Happy weekend, y'all! It's time for...WeWriWa!!!

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!  :)

Today, I'm doing another snippet fro The Vet Student, book 8 in the Loving Her series.
Determined to escape the small town and her religious, stifling parents,Katie works hard to get into veterinary school...in Philadelphia. Katie refused to let anything – or anyone – destroy her dream. Not even her own parents. She suffered many losses along the way, but she gained so much more. Tumultuous and tender, Katie’s story closes the Loving Her series... for now.

In this snippet, Katie is working her part-time job at a pizza parlor, and she has just seen Linda for the first time.

As Katie whizzed by, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a smirk slide across the tall girl’s face. The smirk. There was something about lesbians who smirked in such a way. It was a tell-tale sign. Katie couldn’t stop the giant grin that came across her face. She had been noticed…by a very sexy lesbian. She hoped the stunning brunette would be interested, and it seemed like maybe she was.

Happy reading!  :)

Introducing Introductions

Happy Thursday, readers!

Have you recovered from stuffing yourself at Thanksgiving last week? LOL.

Today, I want to introduce you to a couple of things.

First off, I would like to introduce you to First Christmas.

First Christmas is a short story that is a continuation of Pianissimo. It's Darryl and Corinne's first Christmas together in the new house. But it's also about a Christmas between Agnes, Margaret, and Margaret's family.

You see how each couple celebrates. You see how each couple connects. You see how the stories from each couple intertwine.

It's a short read, and it's a good way to continue the stories in Pianissimo. Or, if you haven't read it yet, it can also serve as a good introduction to Pianissimo! ;)



Speaking of introductions, I want to introduce you to another introduction for Pianissimo!

If you click here, you will find a FREE 4 chapter preview of Pianissimo!

I know what it's like to buy a book, not knowing the author's voice or being unsure if you'd like the read. This is the perfect way for you to get to know me and my books. This FREE preview allows you to sample the book. Once you've read it and are hooked, you're able to purchase your full copy and enjoy the story in its entirety.


So there you have it, folks! A couple of introductions to help you decide if you're going to put Pianissimo on your holiday wish list. ;)


I hope you enjoy them both!

Happy reading!