A to Z II - G is for Gravity

Wow! We are one week in in my personal A to Z challenge, which brings us to the letter g! G is for gravity.

Trajectory is a rather dark and very serious story. There's a lot of gravity to it.

There's the gravity of Joe's job.

There's the gravity of Joe's relationship with Claudette.

There's the gravity of Joe's relationship with Michael.

There's the gravity of Joe's relationship with Pete.

This is one story with A LOT of gravity.

A to Z Challenge - G is for Gumption

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!

G is for Gumption.

Just like in real life, in the story, Robert has a lot of gumption. He is brave and tenacious, determined and strong-willed.

Despite his brain damage, the real Robert fought valiantly to learn to climb and develop normally like his siblings. He was delayed, but he pushed himself, and never gave up.

I have taken that trait and carried it into the story. I think his gumption is notable and noble; it is a vital piece to this particular story. If he wasn't a brave character in the book, the emotional healing would never happen. Instead, he faces a fear that no one else does, and he's not a victor as much as he is a helper, and makes everyone the winner.

I think tenacity is a very admirable trait. I loved that about the real Robert, and I would not be doing him justice if I made the fictitious Robert any less determined.

It's amazing how much gumption one little bird had.

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow when we explore the letter h!

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

A to Z '14 - Giving

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.


G is for Giving.


My grandfather was the epitome of selflessness. He gave and gave and gave.

He donated his time, money and energy into helping inner city you, the MS Society, his church, his family...the list is longer than I know. He gave because he could and because he knew it was his duty.

Realistically, it's everyone's duty. We all have the opportunity to give in various ways. It doesn't have to be money. Donate your time to helping another person. Give your old clothes and books to a charity or shelter. Use your talents to enhance someone else's life. Everyone can give something to someone somewhere.



Giving doesn't hurt. Quite the contrary. It helps both the giver and the receiver. It brightens everyone's day - it brightens everyone's life!



So please, give. Give in any way you can. It will bless you more than words can ever say. I know because I've seen how it impacted my grandfather and our family.

G is for Giving.

G: Gardening

It's ironic that I would write about gardening as I have whatever the antithesis of a green thumb would be. I LOVE flowers and plants and things, just somewhat inept in the care of such plants.

My lack of flora skills aside, gardening is actually a wonderful creative outlet. With gardening, you have the process of planting the seeds or bulbs and then nurturing the plant until it blooms fully.




Just as a writer types letters with tremendous focus and detail, just as they carefully edit their piece until it blooms, so does a gardener tend to their work.



In every creative process, there is some divine intervention in the process. Any painter will tell you that they just become a vessel for the colors and images to arrive on the canvas. As a writer I can tell you that the words and story just flow from my hands, they don't necessarily come from me. In gardening, the process comes in watching mother nature and helping (i.e., watering) when applicable.



You decide which plants go where, what colors you like, etc. Gardening is painting in real life.



It is beautiful, it releases stress and it is incredibly artistic/creative.

Take a look at these images and tell me I'm wrong. ;)