Valentine WeWriWa: Liz and Jen

It's Saturday night, which can mean only one thing: WeWriWa! This month, to celebrate the Valentine's Day and love, we will be reading excerpts from my group of interwoven short stories, the Loving Her series. Each weekend, we will get a sneak peek into the love and lives of the four couples. So, without further ado, let's 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 to ten 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 excerpt: Everyone is celebrating Liz's debut as the new principal ballerina with the Pennsylvania Ballet, but Liz knows she couldn't have done it alone. So this is Liz's recognition and thanks to Jen...and then some. This excerpt has been (heavily) edited to fit 10 sentences.

 Liz rose from her chair and walked over to Jen; she seamlessly turned Jen’s chair to face her, and then she knelt down. “Jen, we’ve been together for seven years now; I love you - I always have, I always will. If we can weather what we’ve been through so far, we can get through anything. I want to be with you for all time, I want to always take care of you; I want to savor every moment of life with you by my side. Will you marry me?”
With that, a small, black box appeared; Liz opened it, and inside was a beautiful, delicate solitaire diamond ring. Liz could hear the group gasp quietly, but her focus was solely on Jen.
“Yes!”
Liz smiled down at her, “I love you.”

“I love you…more,” Jen winked at her.

Last Septemer WeWriWa from The Shelter Director

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!  :)


For the month of September, we will be reading excerpts from The Shelter Director, Jen's story 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?


Background on the snippet: Liz and Jen are in Philly now. Linda had given Liz a clip from the newspaper for the Pennsylvania Ballet. Liz is asking Jen if it's alright if she auditions (because Jen has been diagnosed with MS and she struggles). This snippet has been edited to fit 8 sentences.


     “Are you sure?” Liz asked for the fifth time, while still grasping tightly onto the clipping.
     “Yes,” Jen laughed.”Go! I want you to dance - I never wanted to hinder your career.”
     “You didn’t honey, I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
     “I am. I will be - I have Dad, Adam, and even Donna if I ever need anything. It will be fine; just go out there and kick some butt!”

I hope you liked it!

Happy reading!

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!  :)


For the month of September, we will be reading excerpts from The Shelter Director, Jen's story 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?


Background on the snippet: Fred encouraged Jen to go speak to the ballerina (Liz). Jen is beyond petrified - she's never done anything like this. She somehow musters up the courage to actually talk to her. When Jen finds out that the ballerina and her company are touring and won't be around for much longer, desperation kicks in.

     She hesitated for a moment. This was her one and only chance. She didn’t think the dancer would even pay attention to her. But there she was. This moment rested in Jen’s hand. Afraid of speaking and also afraid of losing her one and only chance, she somehow mustered the courage to speak.”I was wondering if you’d like to go out to dinner. Maybe have a local show you around?”

I hope you liked it!

Happy reading!

September WeWriWa is The Shelter Director

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!  :)


For the month of September, we will be reading excerpts from The Shelter Director, Jen's story 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?


Background on the snippet: Jen and her friend, Fred, are at the ballet. Jen has just laid eyes on their principle ballerina, Liz, and she is immediately smitten.

     The tall redhead ballerina caught Jen’s attention as soon as she leaped onto the stage. Her movements were beyond graceful: they were fluid, liquid.”Wow,” Jen whispered.
     “You think she’s hot?” Fred whispered in her ear.
     Jen sat staring at the tall dancer. She didn’t answer.
     “Must be,” Fred said to himself.

I hope you liked it!

Happy reading!

Final August WeWriWa from The Cop

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!  :)

Things are heating up in August! So for this month, we're looking at the scorching hot Donna from the Loving Her series.

Donna White is one tough cop. Behind the badge, though, is a very sweet, sad, sensitive soul. Truly a woman alone, Donna is simply trying to navigate her way through life. Who is Donna? She is dedicated, determined, distinctive and deep. Donna’s rich and touching story is second in the Loving Her series. 

Background on the snippet: Liz and Jen just showed up at Donna's apartment unexpectedly. Donna was initially miffed at their arrival - that was until she saw the reason for their visit. Jen gave her a little kitten. Donna is both excited and nervous. This snippet has been edited to fit 8 sentences.

     Donna bent down to look at the little face; her white, orange and black marbled head seemed so tiny compared to her large hands. Carefully, she began to gently pet the kitten. Almost instantly, the cat closed her eyes and began purring; Donna smiled brightly as she looked up at Liz and Jen.

     “But I can’t take all of this…” Donna started.

     “Please don’t fight us, Donna,” Jen said gently. “We know how hard things have been for you and we thought that maybe having a little companionship would be a good thing. We just wanted to do something nice for you - it’s about time someone did.” 

Hope you liked it!

Happy reading!

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

Final WeWriWa Snippet from The Ballerina

It's time for another 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!  :)

During the month of February, I will be posting snippets from The Ballerina. This is Liz's story, and the first in the Loving Her series.

A southern, redheaded, pickup driving lesbian ballerina? You bet! Meet Liz: a southern belle with flair. Vivacious, eclectic and graceful, she is unique to say the least. The first in the series of Loving Her stories, Liz's story is the kind that stays with you long after you've closed the book.

Background on the snippet: Linda is doing work on Liz's truck. They are talking about Jen's health, as Linda finishes up her work.

“I’m just gonna hose this real quick,” she explained as she walked over the hose. Within a few seconds, all the dirt was being washed down the bay, and the truck’s air filter looked brand new again. Both women were silent as Linda made her way back towards Liz.

Linda quietly placed the air filter back end and carefully closed the hood of Liz’s truck. She then wiped her hands on a small hand towel, but they still were black as night.

As she looked up, she noticed tears welling up in Liz’s eyes. Cautious of her mechanic’s hands, Linda gently hugged Liz. “It’s gonna be ok, sweetie.”

Hope you liked it! Happy reading!

Another WeWriWa from The Ballerina

It's time for another 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!  :)

During the month of February, I will be posting snippets from The Ballerina. This is Liz's story, and the first in the Loving Her series.

A southern, redheaded, pickup driving lesbian ballerina? You bet! Meet Liz: a southern belle with flair. Vivacious, eclectic and graceful, she is unique to say the least. The first in the series of Loving Her stories, Liz's story is the kind that stays with you long after you've closed the book.

Background on the snippet: Liz is laying in another hotel bed while she and her company continues to tour. The tour, the driving, and living out of a suitcase seems to be taking a toll on her.

Seinfeld played on the TV, but Liz wasn’t paying attention. It was a swirl of noise and colors in the background. The hotel bed was small, hard and incredibly uncomfortable. Life on the road seemed endless. She didn’t even know where she was any more. Cities blended into each other. Miles became exponentially longer. Home was just a distant memory.

Hope you liked it! Happy reading!

A Valentine's WeWriWa from The Ballerina

It's time for another 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!  :)

During the month of February, I will be posting snippets from The Ballerina. This is Liz's story, and the first in the Loving Her series.

A southern, redheaded, pickup driving lesbian ballerina? You bet! Meet Liz: a southern belle with flair. Vivacious, eclectic and graceful, she is unique to say the least. The first in the series of Loving Her stories, Liz's story is the kind that stays with you long after you've closed the book.

Background on the snippet: Liz and Jen had just had dinner together. Liz shows off her truck to Jen, and pulls into a spot with a perfect ocean view. Their understanding and expectations of the evening are polar opposite.




Silently, they watched the waves dance under the moonlight. Words would only detract from this incredible moment.
Jen quietly slid over the long vinyl bench seat until she was next to Liz, taking in this breath-taking scene.
“This is great.” Jen whispered.
“Huh?” Liz asked, turning to look at her.
Jen placed her soft hand on Liz’s face, slowly leaned in and gently kissed her.




Hope you liked it! Happy reading!

February WeWriWa: The Ballerina

It's time for another 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!  :)

During the month of February, I will be posting snippets from The Ballerina. This is Liz's story, and the first in the Loving Her series.

A southern, redheaded, pickup driving lesbian ballerina? You bet! Meet Liz: a southern belle with flair. Vivacious, eclectic and graceful, she is unique to say the least. The first in the series of Loving Her stories, Liz's story is the kind that stays with you long after you've closed the book.

Background on the snippet: Liz's company just finished a performance. They are all packing up to leave for the night. Little does she know that an innocent encounter will be life-changing.

“Rehearsal is at one tomorrow,” Karen said as she walked deeper into the group of dancers.

“Okay. I’ll be there.” Liz called back. Picking up her duffel bag, Liz walked out of the stage door.

“Ummmm…excuse me.” A quiet voice barely interrupted Liz’s thoughts.

Liz stopped to see a young, unassuming woman with bland brown hair watching her.

Hope you liked it! Happy Reading!

A Book Report by...My Mother!

My mother has sent me a book report for The Ballerina. I thought it was too funny not to share! Enjoy! :)

My book report: by: Mom





The Ballerina




Favorite description of a person: "quiet, mousy woman. Plainly dressed in an oatmeal colored button-down blouse paired with chocolate brown pants and similarly colored flat shoes"




Most disgusting description of feet: "The bottoms of her feet were layered sheets of callouses. Her toes appeared misshapen, flat and squished together. Even her toenails were discolored and appeared unhealthy. On her feet, Liz’s normally fair skin was red, cracked and peeling. Blood blisters and wounds of all sorts were sprinkled all over the tops of her feet."




Loneliest description: "The hotel bed was small, hard and incredibly uncomfortable. Life on the road seemed endless. She didn’t even know where she was any more. Cities blended into each other. Miles became exponentially longer. Home was just a distant memory. Familiarity resided in the unknown. Everyone was tired, uncomfortable, miserable. "



Favorite visual: "Karen’s voice was an audible lasso, roping everyone to her direction."




Most beautiful visual: " Her energy – her soul – emanated from her, creating an elegant moving sculpture on the stage. Her movements were adroit and effortless. She was the personification of beauty as she danced, twirled and leaped. Every movement from the slightest tilt of her head to the grandest arabesque was exquisite. "



One of many scary moments when you think they won't make it: "She paid no attention to her lonely partner on the other side of the couch."




Saddest moment: Jen finding out she has M.S.




Favorite name: O'Kane



Favorite ending: The entire last page




Great job! Loved the characters. My favorite thing is that they were not tempted by these other women and stayed true to each other.