Pianissimo in Italian - coming soon!

Pianissimo, my paranormal story, is coming soon in Italiano! ;)

Copertura Reveal!

Pianissimo di Lauren Shiro

Darryl e Corinne Richards comprano la loro prima casa. La carriera nell’esercito di Darryl sta giungendo al termine, e la coppia si sente pronta a sistemarsi a Louisville, nel Kentucky. Con impeccabile tempismo, Darryl viene inviato nella sua ultima missione, e Corinne deve vivere nella nuova casa e nella nuova città da sola.

Sopraffatta, Corinne si isola e conduce una vita tranquilla e noiosa con le sue gatte, adattandosi alla nuova città. Il problema è che qualcuno o qualcosa non vuole che la sua vita sia né tranquilla né noiosa. E poi c’è quell’inquietante pianoforte in cantina…

C’è qualcosa dietro all’inquietante pianoforte sgangherato e alla nuova casa, più di quanto Corinne possa immaginare. Tra alti e bassi, colpi di scena e risvolti inaspettati, comincia a capire che anche una melodia suonata con dolcezza è potente – e anche anche le dolci rivelazioni e i minimi cambiamenti possono avere effetti profondi.

http://books.noisetrade.com/laurenshiro/preview-pianissimo-italian

A to Z II - X is for Xenial

Today is day 24 of my personal A to Z challenge, which means that X is our letter today. X is for xenial.

To be xenial is to be hospitable. Now that may seem contradictory considering Joe's reclusiveness, but in actuality, he's very xenial with Michael.


He comes out to him when Michael is still a complete stranger to him. Joe makes himself completely vulnerable to someone he doesn't know or trust. But he comes out as a way to extend his hand out to Michael when Michael says that he is gay. He's clearly nervous, and he just explained to Joe how he moved to Detroit from Phoenix to be with a man who was married to a woman. So he's scared and lonely. Joe admits he's bi so that Michael doesn't feel judged. He uses it as a way to reach out to Michael, to make him feel more comfortable and accepted.

Further still, Joe opens his home and his life to Michael. He spends quite a bit of time with him, which Joe doesn't normally do. Whether they go out, or just relax in Joe's apartment, the two men spend quite a bit of time together. For Joe to allow someone other than Claudette into his home, or to spend his free time with someone other than Pete or Claudette is as xenial as he can get. It may not rival southern hospitality, but it is quite hospitable nonetheless.

Keeping things relative, you can see that Joe is actually very hospitable with Michael. He opens himself and his home as much as he can. Joe, by nature, is a loner, but he is a xenial loner.

A to Z II - U is for Unique

Wow! It's Wednesday already! It's another day deeper in my personal A to Z challenge. Today's challenge is the letter u. U is for unique.

Unique is applicable to Trajectory in a few ways.

It is unique in that it is my first story with a male lead.

It is unique in that it is my first story with a bisexual lead.

It is unique in that it is not your typical love triangle story.

It is unique in that it is not just a love story.

It is unique in that it is not just a police story.

It is unique in that the characters are all very human: flawed and yet perfect. Deep, dark, emotional, each driven by their own hopes and fears.

There are many layers to Trajectory, and I have done that purposefully. I wanted to create a story of intrigue. Not just an LGBT story. Not just a SWAT sniper story. Not just... I wanted to create a story that was going to entertain, but also one that was going to make you think. Think about life. Think about the difficulties and perspectives that someone in Joe's position might have. Think about how much damage one unhealthy person like Michael can cause. Think about the importance of our relationships, like the relationships between Joe and Pete, and of course, Joe and Claudette.

Trajectory truly is unique.

A to Z II - T is for Time

Welcome to the twentieth day of my personal A to Z challenge for the month of May. Since today is day twenty, it means we are on the letter t. T is for time.

Time is an interesting concept in Trajectory.

You have time where Joe observes for hours and days on end, yet the story does not drag.

You have the expenditure of time for the complications of his situation with Claudette, as well as the unfolding of events between Joe and Michael.

You have the passage of time while Joe recuperates and rehabilitates  after Michael's attack.

When you're writing about a sniper who can lay still for hours or even days at a clip, but who also suffered serious injuries and has a long road of recovery ahead of them, time can be a tricky thing. It is sometimes difficult to write about the passage of time, this new and improved Trajectory, though, handles it perfectly.

A to Z II - P is for Pete

Welcome to another installment of my personal A to Z challenge. Today's letter is the letter p. The letter p is for Pete, of course.

Peter is a vital character to the story of Trajectory.

Without Pete, Joe would be an absolute wreck. Pete is Joe's rock. He is his confidant, his touchstone, his sanity. Pete gives Joe clarity, serenity, logic, insight...he's everything Joe needs to help him gain perspective. He doesn't judge Joe. When Joe feels completely alone in this world, he always knows he can count on Pete.

The two met in the Marines, and they quickly forged a good friendship.

After the Marines, they returned home to Detroit. They joined the Detroit Police Department together, and they both made the SWAT team. Through it all, their friendship remained strong as ever.

In the end, one fateful call changes everything between Joe and Pete. Nothing could ever take away that friendship, nor the importance of it to Joe.

Pete is a wonderful guy. Without him, Joe would never be - and could never be - the man that he is.

Pete is truly Joe's rock.

A to Z II - O is for Obscure

Today is day 15 of my personal A to Z challenge, which means that our letter today is the letter o. O stands for obscure.

Although Trajectory is centered around Joe, he is actually someone who very much lives in obscurity.
He lives behind the scope, when most people have no idea that he is watching them.

He leads a very quiet life outside of work.

He keeps to himself, mostly.

Joe enjoys his quiet, solitary, and obscure life. He prefers to stay away from the limelight. He hates being the center of attention. Life in the shadows is where he prefers to be.

Obscurity is not a bad place to be, if you're Joe Davis.

A to Z II - N is for Niche

Yet another day is upon us, my friends! Which means that we are another day deeper into my personal A to Z challenge. Today's letter is n, which is for niche.

In this case, we are talking about a niche - a special talent for something. Joe's niche for being a sniper.

Joe was destined for his job. His father was a sniper. He was in the Army. Joe inherited his father's patience and keen eye.

In the Marines, Joe proved his skills as a marksman.

In the Detroit PD, he honed and perfected those skills.

It may seem odd or even horrible to call sniping a niche, but it is. It's Joe's  niche. It's his talent. He has patience that very few people have. How many people do you know can lay motionless for days on end, watching people, and not sleep? It's a skill. How many people can shoot with pin-point accuracy? Indeed, sniping is Joe's niche.

Everyone has a niche in this world. Joe's is being a sniper. Claudette's is painting. Mine is writing. What's yours?

A to Z II - M is for Michael

Good morning! We have reached yet another day in my personal A to Z challenge. We are up to day #13, which means we are half way through the alphabet! Crazy, huh?

 It also means that we are at the letter M. M is for Michael.

Now, if you've read the original Trajectory, you know that Michael is nowhere to be found. It's true. Trajectory started out as a NaNoWriMo challenge. In that original manuscript, there was a male love interest for Joe. As things changed, and Trajectory became a short story instead of a novel, I cut out his bisexuality and his boyfriend.

Since we're back to reviving Trajectory into the full-length story it was meant to be, I am bringing back Joe's true identity. As well, I am bringing in a male to gain Joe's attention.

Michael is an interesting fellow. He is awkward and lonely. He reaches out to Joe just to try to make a friend. He moved to Detroit for a guy, only to have his heart broken. When Joe confides his bisexuality, Michael feels as though he has met a kindred spirit.

As time goes on, Michael finds himself wanting more of Joe. Joe sends him mixed messages, which Michael tightly grasps. He becomes obsessed. When Joe finally informs him that he is not interested in Michael romantically, Michael doesn't take it well. Things take a very unexpected turn for the worse.

Michael is from the past, but he's also a completely new character - a man all his own. He's a very unique man. Unlike the original male love interest, he's dark and complex. He brings a very interesting element to the new Trajectory.

A to Z II - L is for Loneliness

Welcome to yet another day in my own personal A to Z Challenge. Today's letter is the letter l. L stands for loneliness.

Joe is an incredibly lonely person. Despite his relationships with Claudette and Pete, Joe still feels very much alone in the world.

Alone because he and Claudette can't truly have it all.

Alone because Pete has a life and family all his own.

Alone because he has one of the most difficult jobs in the world, works insane hours, and is rarely home. Thus he really doesn't have time for much of a social life.

Alone because his father died when he was a kid.

Alone because his mother is gone now, too.

Alone because his sister is a junkie, and can't get her life in order.

Alone because he basically has no family left.

Alone because he keeps to himself. It's safer and easier that way.

Joe is lonely. Partially due to his circumstances. Partially due to his choices. L is for loneliness.