A to Z II - A is for Again?!

Alrighty kids, here we go again! This is my own A to Z challenge, and is in no way related to the group that organizes the big challenge in April.

I wanted to do an A to Z for another WIP. I am re-creating Trajectory into a full-length novel! To celebrate it, we're going through the alphabet.

A is for Again?!

That is the question and exclamation. Again?! Why am I working an old story and expanding it to a full-length novel? Why Trajectory again?

Honestly, I love Joe. I love him, and I never felt as though the original story did him any sort of justice. So when Kimberlee Williams of Vanilla Heart Publishing and I were talking, we were both excited at the idea of a full-length Trajectory. So I began working on it, and it just flowed and flourished.

Again?! Yes, again.

Trust me, it's worth it!

A to Z Challenge - A is for Amazing

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

It's time for another A to Z Challenge! This year, I want to tell you about a story that is currently a WIP (work in progress). It's the story I'm writing in honor of my baby lovebird, Robert. It's a fantasy story, but it's really a story about emotional healing. So let's examine it by going through the alphabet!

A is for Amazing.

Not that the story is amazing, but the location is. The Good Pirate, Robert takes place in a land called Locreya.

Locreya is a magical land filled with all kinds of creatures, colors, talking trees, and things beyond your wildest imagination. It is a land of endless possibilities. The inhabitants are just as amazing as the land itself. Everyone and everything is bright and beautiful. Dogs can talk. Sharks tap dance. A bird is a good pirate. A joker of a tree greets you every time you come into Locreya. There is love, there is magic, there is wonderment. This story has a lot of elements that are nothing short of amazing.

Come back tomorrow when we discover what the letter b has in store for us!

2015 A to Z Challenge: Pianissimo - Day 1 (A)

Happy April Fools' Day, folks!

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.

So, let's get started!



A is for Atyical.

Pianissimo is an atypical story for me. I had never written a paranormal story before. I also haven't read a heck of a lot of paranormal stories. I was really going out on a limb, but I felt compelled to write this story. It needed to be told. So I gave it my best shot. I don't think it turned out too poorly for a novice paranormal writer. And it seems that readers agree! On Amazon, Pianissimo currently has an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars! :)

I'm glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and wrote an atypical story. I hope you are, too!

I hope you liked our first letter! I think it's a good start to the A to Z Challenge. So for now, 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

A to Z '14 - Appreciation

Happy April 1st, gang!

Once again, I am doing the A to Z challenge. This year I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.


So let's get going.

A is for Appreciation.

Appreciation takes on a few forms here.

My grandfather had a great appreciation for the arts. He sang. He actually performed in many vaudeville competitions. We are all proud to say, "he never got the hook!" Have you ever seen the movies or cartoons where a big hook came out and pulled the bad performer off the stage? That's actually rooted in truth! The performers whose acts were...weak...would get pulled off stage. Thankfully, my grandfather never got the hook! :)



His love and appreciation of the arts still runs deeply in our family. My mother sings and plays the organ. My brother is an actor (who can also sing and dance well, he just doesn't admit it! LOL). I sing, I used to dance, and I write. My grandfather appreciated all of our various talents.


But I also have appreciation. I appreciate who he was and what he did. I appreciate his singing and love of the arts. I appreciate all of the support he ever gave me. I appreciate him and the life he gave us.


Appreciation in life is incredibly important. It gives us the ability to broaden our horizons, and it gives us gratitude for our own talents and those of the people around us.


A is for appreciation.

C: Creativity

Creativity is another favorite subject of mine.



Creativity is limitless. One person's creativity may lie in music, yet another in advertising. Creativity is as unique as we are.



In my Artist's Way group, we have writers, photographers, painters, musicians, visual artists, dancers...you name it. I love being surrounded by the diversity. I am...not the best drawer/painter/artist. I would LOVE to be, but my skills are rudamentary at best. However, being surrounded by people whose mediums are so diverse ignites something in me. I am more willing to take risks and try new things because of this group. Though I feel my artwork is juvenile, they somehow make me feel as though my art is in fact art and can be appreciated as such. They allow me to be creative in whatever way I choose.



I love that. I love just creating. Even if it's something a two year old can do, just to take part in the creative process heals me. It is cathartic, healing, joyous and freeing. Creation is more than just expression.



How creative are you? In what ways are you creative? When was the last time you allowed yourself to be creative?

A: Art

First off, I want to thank Arlee Bird, the creator of this blog hop/challenge. Though I have not met him in person, I am inclined to think he's gotta be a pretty darn good guy & awfully smart to have come up with this! Thank you for this wonderful opportunity, Arlee! :)

And now onto today's letter: A.



Art. Art is. Art is subjective. Art is expression. Art is political. Art is thought-provoking. What is art? What isn't art?

When I was in college, I adored these statements and questions. For as universal as they are, the answers are also always unique. I love that about art. I love that what is art to me is not art to you, but we can still respect the medium, regardless of what it is.

Dance.


Music.


Writing.


Visual.



...art is indeed limitless. That, in my opinion, is the greatest gift of art.