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!

ANOTHER A to Z Challenge!

Hello again, fellow bibliophiles!

This year, I am challenging myself even further by doing a second A to Z Challenge. Please note this one is completely personal, and is not affiliated with the wonderful folks who host the annual A to Z Challenge in April.

National Police Week takes place in May, as is National Peace Officers Memorial Day. So in honor of that, I want to do an A to Z challenge with Trajectory.

Now you might be wondering why I'd do a challenge with a short story I wrote a few years ago. Well, I have some big news for you. I am currently reworking Trajectory to be a full-length novel! Call it an overhaul, if you will, but this story will be bigger and better than ever.

So to revisit the story, the characters, and to give you a taste of what's to come, we're going to do a May A to Z with Trajectory. We start tomorrow with the letter A. See you then!

Changes

Hiya troops!

I apologize for the brief hiatus. Life just does that some times, doesn't it?

We're at the end of October, nearing the end of the year, and we've gone through all the characters from all of my books. Where do we go from here?

Well, that's a darn good question. As of right now, I have a few WIPs, but one is getting significantly more attention.

If you're friends with me on Facebook, I'm sure you've been inundated with pictures and videos of our baby Lovebirds. One of them was a special little guy named Robert.

Robert suffered some brain damage from an accidental encounter with one of our dogs. He survived, but the effects were obvious. He was slower to develop than his siblings. He was smaller than his siblings. He was slower to develop feathers, and he was behind in his coordination. But he was so cute, and so much fun. I couldn't resist sharing my pictures and videos of him.

He gained quite an audience. So much so, in fact, that he even has his own blog! Please check it out at http://robertsbirdbrain.blogspot.com/




Robert captured the heart of many, so when he unexpectedly passed away, many hearts were saddened.

In his very short life, Robert created a world of good. In his passing, I needed to share that goodness with the world. So, for the first time since I began writing fiction almost a decade ago, I am writing a fantasy. Robert is the hero of this latest novel. I have never done anything like this, but boy is it fun to just let my imagination run wild! I am trying to somewhat emulate J. K. Rowling in writing what is both a children's story, as well as a novel for adults - a story that can reach all audiences. I do hope that you will join me in this endeavor.

So this is where we stand at the present moment. Where we go from here has yet to be determined, but since Robert was so awesome, I have no doubt that this will be awesome as well!

Happy reading!

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!

Another WeWriWa Scorcher 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: Donna' heart has just been broken by Heather, a woman that Donna loved deeply. Feeling completely abandoned and alone, Donna sought out Linda - someone that Heather had introduced her to. Donna felt a kinship with Linda from the moment they met, so she thought she might find a friend in Linda. Here, Donna approaches Linda, and her emotions get the best of her.

     “Dude, what did she do to you?!” Linda stepped forward again.

     “I loved her. I was about to tell her I loved her and then she told me she was moving. She said there was nothing between us and that I suck in bed and I knew that we weren’t going anywhere and that this was nothing and...” Donna rambled. “My parents are dead and I work a lot and I have no friends…” Tears rolled down her face while she blubbered endlessly.

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

June WeWriWa: The Writer

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!  :)

This month, we will be focusing on Maria's story in the Loving Her series: The Writer.

Everyone has that one friend - the mother of the group. Maria is that one friend; nurturing, wise, and with a spicy streak, Maria is the matriarch of the clan. Cerebral, emotional, and even sometimes comical, Maria’s story is the seventh in the Loving Her series. The Writer tells the story of Maria through grief, and joy, love and fear, and an emotionally challenging family relationship that threatens to interfere with the love she'd given up ever finding again...

Background on the snippet: This is the beginning of the story. Maria is about to make the first of many life-altering changes. She is about to leave her job of twenty years to write for another publication. This preludes her job interview for the new periodical.

     Maria sat nervously in the chair. She hadn’t had to do anything like this in decades. Did she have what it takes? Would she succeed, or would her nerves get the best of her?

     The young girl who sat her reappeared. “Come this way.” She motioned for Maria to follow her.

     Taking in a deep breath, Maria rose and began to follow her through a maze of cubicles until they reached his office.

I hope you liked it! Happy reading!

More Vet Student WeWriWa fun!

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 May, we will be reading snippets from The Vet Student, Katie's story in the Loving Her series.

One night changed everything for Katie. From that moment on, her life was propelled forward like a rocket. 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. Even in the face of danger, Katie held true to herself and her beliefs. 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.

Background on the snippet: Katie is seeing her best friend, Sam, for the first time in a long while since she started vet school. They have been friends forever. Sam came out to Katie during their senior year in high school. When Katie left for Philadelphia, they were "dating." Through correspondences, the girls stayed in touch, but each began to live her own life independent of the other. Sam's father forced her to date a young man named Dave. This is what happens when time and space separate people, no matter how close their bond.

“Katie, this is Dave, my fiancé.”
Katie felt as though she had just been punched in the gut. Fiancé? Hadn’t they only just started dating? Was this why Sam seemed so aloof? She didn’t know what to make of all this. She felt like she was losing her sanity and her best friend all at once.

Looking back at him, she said, “Dave, this is my friend, Katie.”


I hope you liked it! Happy reading!

2015 A to Z Challenge: Pianissimo - Day 16 (P)

 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 just happens to be the 16th day, so that means our letter is P. P is for Pianissimo.

Pianissimo means softly, or to play softly. With a story that talks about softness, gentleness, caring and compassion, the title is quite fitting.

It's a title that is meant to grab and intrigue you. I think it does just that (it's ok for me to say that. I wasn't the one who came up with the title! LOL).

In this story, the music is played softly; the love between Agnes and Margaret runs deep and softly; the changes and growth Corinne experiences come softly; the restoration of the piano comes about by a soft touch.

It may mean softly, but it still has a tremendous impact!

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 15 (O)

 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.

And on the fifteenth day, there was O. O is for Originality.

They say every story has been told. I think many people would speculate that to be true. If that's the case, what's the point in writing more stories?

Because no matter what, each writer puts their own spin on the stories.

This could certainly be chalked up to a cliche story of self-discovery. It could be considered just another "if these walls could talk" book. But is it really? Are Corinne, Agnes, and Margaret really just flat, two-dimensional characters? Can you compare Pianissimo to another story line for line?

You could give two writers or even two hundred writers all the same prompt. You would, undoubtedly, receive two hundred different stories.

So perhaps every story has been told, but not all in the same way. Grab a copy of Pianissimo, and see for yourself!

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 8 (H)

 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.

Hi! Here's how hauntings heal hurt hearts!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Today's letter is H, obviously.

H is for hauntings, but also more than that.

The hauntings are a big part of the Pianissimo story. The house is haunted, and the piano is haunted. Corinne sees, hears, and experiences things she never could have imagined. She dealt with some crazy haunted stuff!

The hauntings also helped her, though. The more she learned about the house and piano, the more she learned about herself. At first, she felt isolated and alone as she dealt with the hauntings. As time went on, she realized she wasn't alone. 

The hauntings and discoveries Corinne makes all help her to heal. They help her to become a stronger person. They help her to learn new things - to become brave. As much as they help Corinne to heal, there's also a part of it where it helps the souls of Agnes and Margaret to heal as well.

Hauntings aren't always a bad thing. Sometimes they really help us to grow.

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 5 (E)

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 the fifth day, so we're up to E. E is for extraordinary.

I know, that sounds egotistical at best, but please hear me out.

Pianissimo is my first paranormal story. It was a little tricky at first, but it began to flow fairly quickly. I had a lot of fun writing this story. It was a extraordinary experience to write it.

It's extraordinary in how it developed over two years. I watched this story transform from a small possibility into a novel that I am proud of. I have come a long way as a writer. I am excited to see these changes in myself, and in my work.

Pianissimo may not be my best work of all time, but it is the best that I have created thus far.

Check it out. You might just think it's extraordinary too! ;)


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