Character of the Week: Corinne from Pianissimo

Corinne Richards: dutiful army housewife, isolated loner, former pianist, home owner, and now piano restorer.

Corinne thought she had finally "made it." She, and her husband Darryl, had just purchased their house. He was due to retire from the army, and they could finally start living the life they had always hoped for.

Life had different plans for her.


Instead, Darryl is shipped off for one last tour. That blow sends Corinne spiraling into isolation and depression. Prior to this, she connected with other military wives. This time...she just gave up.

It's important to look at her history in order to fully understand what brought her to the house in Louisville.


Corinne grew up in Indiana. Hers was a typical mid-Western upbringing. Her parents owned a modest home.

Corinne and her brothers played sports. Their mother also encouraged all of them to play the piano. The lessons didn't stick with the boys very well. Corinne, though, had a natural talent for it.

She was a senior in high school when she was faced with a most difficult decision: piano or soccer? She was being scouted for a possible soccer scholarship, so sports won. Only three games into the season, and she injured her knee, dashing her dreams. To make matters worse, her parents sold the piano after she made her decision, and thus she was left with nothing.

She and Darryl met at Indiana State. He was working towards a degree in electronics engineering, she was in the General Studies program. It was love at first sight. Their courtship lasted through all four years at the college.

At that time, Darryl wanted to get some hands-on training, so he enlisted in the army. Desperate not to lose him, Corinne begged and pleaded with him to get married. So they did. In a small ceremony performed by a Justice of the Peace, Corinne became Mrs. Richards, and was able to travel with Darryl to different posts.

Years of moving and tours came and went. When Darryl FINALLY decided not to re-enlist, Corinne couldn't have been happier. She was finally getting her husband all to herself. She could finally have a "normal" life like she had growing up. So they bought a house and got ready to settle down. Then Darryl gets shipped off one last time...

What they didn't know when they bought the old farm house was that it was rich in history. It belonged to one of the most prominent Louisville families. It had stories, it had pictures, it had a piano, it had ghosts!

The spirits of the Walker family made themselves quite known to Corinne, even though she had no desire to meet them. What begins as a frightening, and terrifying occurrence becomes a wonderful lesson in history and humanity for Corinne.

She discovers the old, dilapidated piano. She discovers the old photos, letters, and journals. And through it all, she discovers herself.

Corinne is not a likely heroine. She's a rather "average" gal. She has no dreams of making it big. She just wants a normal family life. What she discovers is that family is what you make of it. Her ability to open her eyes and open her mind makes her one of my favorites, and possible even one of the greatest heroines in literature.

Favorite quote from Corinne: "Time to get back to regular life."


Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro/dp/0692310819/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427504023&sr=8-1&keywords=lauren+shiro

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

2015 A to Z Challenge: Pianissimo - Day 13 (M)

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.

M's the word - uhhh...letter. And M is for Margaret.

Margaret is an interesting character. She's quiet in comparison to Agnes, yet she was bold enough to confess her love to Agnes. Music is her escape, yet it draws everyone to her.

Margaret is a good daughter, a wonderful friend, and an amazing companion. She embraces all that Agnes is and does. She shares similar passions with Agnes without ever losing her own identity.

Margaret is kind, compassionate, gentle, loving, strong, talented, unique, funny, passionate, and nothing short of wonderful.

Come get to know Margaret. She may be the best person you never meet (in person).

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 7 (G)

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.

This is the seventh day of our little adventure, so that means our letter will be G today. G stands for Girl Power.

That's a bit of a stretch, I know. Just hear me out.

The three main characters: Corinne, Agnes, and Margaret, are all very strong women.

Corinne is a military wife. She has had to move all across the country for her husband. She has moved, she has been alone for months on end. She has had her share of difficulties. Add to that her memories of her brothers telling her that power tools weren't for girls; she defies those memories and learns not only to use power tools, but how to restore a piano. That's some serious girl power if you ask me.

Then there's Agnes. She comes from a well-to-do family, but her parents die in a tragic accident, forcing her to run the farm all by herself. She maintains the home, the farm, the horses, and she's also a teacher! Agnes also does not back down from confrontation. She is one tough cookie!

Margaret may not seem like such a tough girl, but she is in her own right. She is tough in her ability to maintain the secret of the true nature of her relationship with Agnes, especially when being harassed by Clarence. She is quiet, but very strong. She supports Agnes through some incredibly difficult times without wavering. She, too, is incredibly strong.

Even though this may not seem like your typical "girl power" story, there are 3 incredibly strong women in this book. They all prove the true strength of women, each in her own way.

http://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro-ebook/dp/B00OEOTZMC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420832795&sr=8-2&keywords=lauren+shiro

Sunday Surprise!!!!

Happy Sunday, guys!

Yes, I know. It's Sunday. I have a surprise for you today.

Why?

Why not?

Here is my Sunday Surprise...



Book # 4 in the Loving Her series...







Stephania!!!!
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/379289


Yes! Earlier than expected, my surprise gift to all of you is Stephania's story!



I really had no idea what to write when I started her story. I was floored at the story that unfolded before me. It's amazing. Who and what she is was never what I would have thought initially. I really hope you like the gift and moreover, I really hope you like the story!



Go check it out! There's still some weekend left for your weekend reading! ;)

Enjoy!

On Femininity

One thing that always fascinates me is femininity.


What is femininity?



How do we define what is or isn't feminine?



Each and every woman on the planet is similar, yet very different.



Are we feminine when we wear dresses and jewelry?



Are we feminine simply because we are female?



The characters in Loving Her are all women, and they are all very different. Liz and Stephania have "stereotypical" feminine jobs as a ballerina

and a model.



Linda is nearly androgynous and works a typically masculine job, but she's still a woman.


They all have different personalities, different likes and dislikes. They're all human. They're all women.



Personally, I think femininity is individual, just like us. I don't think it's a black and white issue. I think that there are variations. I don't think someone like Linda is in any way less of a woman than someone like Liz.



I love that these characters are as diverse as they are. I love that these characters are true to themselves. Mostly, I love that these characters are real women, just like us.



Come get to know each and every one of them in their own stories.


The women of the Loving Her series will be some of the greatest women you've ever met.

Happy reading!