A to Z II - I is for Identity

We are moving right along! We are already up to the 9th letter in my personal A to Z challenge! In this challenge, I am focusing on my new and expanded version of Trajectory. So today, we're up to the letter i. I stands for identity.

Identity is a major theme in Trajectory. Joe's identity is everything to him. His identity as an army brat, his identity as a Marine, his identity as a SWAT sniper and a cop, his identity as a bisexual male...he is very much consumed by how he identifies himself.

Joe is very much stuck in his own head, so his perception of self is really all he has to go on. His identity, his description of himself is the only thing he knows about himself.


He knows he's the son of a good military man who went on one final tour, and never came home.

He knows he pushed himself very hard during his time in the Marine Corps, and it paid off.

He knows he's a good, honest cop, and that he does his job well as a sniper/observer. He's in high demand for good reason. He identifies himself based on the quality of his work.

He is incredibly focused on his identity as a bisexual male. It's something he's known about himself for years, but he has always tremendous trepidation about coming out. He worries about being judged for it. He holds on tightly to that part of his identity, always afraid to let it go.

Identity is a very strong theme in Trajectory. It is key in how Joe lives his life. How about you?

A to Z Challenge - I is for Imagination

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!

Today is brought to you by the letter i, which is for imagination.

This is the first time I have ever attempted any kind of fantasy story. This book pushed my imagination in ways I never knew existed.

People couldn't just be people. Leopards couldn't just be yellow with black spots. They needed to be blue and purple. Locreya had to be a land greater than anyone's imagination.

As someone whose writing is much more grounded in the grit and concrete of real life, this story has challenged me. It has also opened my imagination. My creativity is at a new height. As I write it, I struggle less for the obscure, the unusual, and the unique. The Good Pirate, Robert requires a lot of imagination, but it has also given me my imagination back.

I can't wait to see what j brings us tomorrow. I hope you'll join me!

2015 A to Z Challenge: Pianissimo - Day 9 (I)

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.

Here we have the letter I. I is for ingenuity.

The definition of ingenuity is "The quality of being clever, original, and inventive." Corinne is just that. Having never touched a power tool before, she becomes bold and brave and takes on the daunting task of restoring a piano. She knows nothing of wood types, restoration, tools, hardware...none of it.

She's smart, though. She researches it endlessly. She befriends Rich, who helps her out and teaches her. She pushes fear aside and she does what she never thought she could do.

Corinne is clever. Corinne is original. Corinne is inventive. Corinne is ingenious.

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

I: Intuition

Intuition is an interesting topic.


So many of us doubt our intuition. That creepy guy over there can't be too horrible, right? That job interview didn't go as well as I thought it did. I'm proud of this painting, but no one else will like it.


Our intuition guides us, helps us and tells us the truth, whether we want to hear it or not.


Our intuition is what drives us to create in the first place. We would not pick up that paint brush or laptop if our intuition didn't tell us that the image or story didn't need to come out. Our intuition tells us to submit our work for that art show, to take that pottery class, to take the risk and go for the dream job.


But we don't listen. I don't have time to paint. I can't leave my husband with the kids every Tuesday night so I can take the pottery class. It would be a career suicide for me to leave this mediocre job.



Our souls crave more. They crave the results we get when we do listen to our intuition.


Yes, we need to be practical. We also need to listen to our gut. There is a place where we can pay our bills and play with our creativity as well. Instead of listening to the noise outside, we need only listen to our intuition.