A to Z II - V is for Victory

Welcome to another day, folks! Another day means another letter. Today's letter is....v. V is for victory.

Trajectory is a victory of sorts.

It's a victory in just how different it is from my other work and in that it is able to stand on its own. It may not compare to a work by James Patterson, but for what it is, it is a victory for me.

It's also a victory for Joe. Joe was a character that came to me in a dream, and I absolutely loved him. I still do. I felt that I did him a disservice with the first Trajectory. Now, I feel much more proud of this work.

That same feeling applies to a man named Shane. He is a police SWAT sniper that I interviewed when I first began to put this story together. I truly felt as though I did him a great disservice. I think now, this new, completed piece honors him and his donation to me much more.

It's also a victory for you. Really, you are the biggest winner here. You get a full, well-rounded, engaging story. If that isn't the greatest victory, I don't know what is!

So yes, Trajectory is a victory. It is a victory for us all!

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!

Resolutions for 2016

We are into the second week of 2016. This week, I want to share my resolutions for the new year.

This year, I resolve to be a better writer. I will push and challenge myself. I will study, take classes, and improve my craft.

This year, I resolve to expand my horizons. I refuse to limit myself to just one genre. Instead, I want to grow and see what new stories I can create. My books will now encompass a broader range.

This year, I resolve to create stories that will impact my readers. My books will touch your heart and change your mind. I write to entertain, but I also write with a greater purpose. That will be even more palpable this year.

This year, I resolve to reach a bigger audience. By creating new stories, and promoting my current titles, more people will be aware of my work, and will read them. By doing so, my previous resolution will be reinforced,

This year, I resolve to be the best person and writer I can be for one sole purpose: you!

Happy new year and happy reading!

NaNoWriMo: Why word counts count

Happy November, everyone! For many people November equals NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month. It's a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. I want to take this opportunity to go through NaNo with you, and to look at the writing process in great detail.

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This week, I want to discuss word counts.

To start off, we need to look at the breakdown of word counts. As a general rule, they go as follows:

Short Stories: 20,000 words or less

Novellas: 20,000-40,000 words

Novels: 50,000 words or more.

NaNo sets the goal at 50,000 words, which is a good goal. At 50,000, you should have a very well rounded story, and good foundation for the novel itself.

50,000 is a lot of words! Yes it is. Any writer will tell you that there are times when 50,000 feels more like 5,000,000,000. It's not always easy, but word counts are important to keep in mind.

Why?

First and foremost, if you're seeking publication, publishers watch word counts carefully. If the word count is low, they see an emaciated story that will need lots of editing to beef it up. That's time and money that they're not willing to spend. On the flip side of that, if the word count is too high, the piece is too long and no one will read it. So you need to watch your count if you want to get published.

What if you're not seeking publication? What's the point of watching your word count?

Well, those of us who are die-hard grammar policemen/-women will tell you that you need to follow the rules. 

For those of you who are rebellious and don't like rules, look at a word count as a challenge. It's a goal to meet. It's a good frame to help you beef up and trim off sections of your story. It will show you what sections of your novel require more attention and editing. 

I personally find word counts to be a great guide in my story writing.

A good word count is not necessarily indicative of good quality, per se. However, a good word count is indicative of the fact that the writer has been paying attention. If they're paying attention, chances are they're paying attention to the quality and the quantity.

So yes, word counts count.

2015 A to Z Challenge: Pianissimo - Day 22 (V)

 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 V-day!

V is for Vanilla Heart Publishing. I have been with VHP since 2007. Over the past 7 years, we have shared numerous triumphs.

The greatest part, though, is that I was never allowed to rest on my laurels. As soon as one project was finished, I was quizzed about my next story. Better still, I was challenged. I was pushed to try new things. To grow and improve as a writer. To expand my genres and style. Thanks to the encouragement and support, I have a list of titles I can be proud of. I was given the opportunity to re-write the Loving Her stories into the series it was meant to become. Because of VHP, I was able to write Pianissimo.

Writing is not a solitary job. There is a team - or there should be - behind every good book. I love my VHP team; I love my VHP family.

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 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 3 (C)

 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 3, which means the letter of the day is C.

C is for Corinne. Corinne is the main character in this story. I really didn't have too much of a background for her when I first started writing it. It took me two years to write this piece, and large part of that was learning about Corinne, and watching her grow and develop as a person.

Corinne is just like you and I. She's a down-to-earth, regular gal. She has her passions, and her pet-peeves. She is emotional at times. She is human.

This story is as much about her as it is the Piano, Agnes and Margaret. She has to learn who she really is, what she's truly capable of doing, and what beliefs she holds in her heart.

I am not ashamed to say that my stories are character-driven. My books are as much about understanding and sympathizing with the characters as much as it is the plot. I want you to know and experience these people as I do. I want to put you in her mind, in her life.

Come get to know Corinne! She's an absolutely wonderful person, and I think you're going to love her. ;)

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

The deeper details of Pianissimo

Happy Thursday, everyone!


Today, I want to talk more about my newest release, Pianissimo.

I know I've talked about it a lot, but let's examine some of the deeper and smaller details.

This is a story of:

1) A haunted house

2) An old piano

3) Personal growth and discovery

4) Forbidden love

5) A girl and her horse

6) A lonely military wife and her two cats

7) A headstrong woman who was orphaned at a young age

8) Construction, reconstruction, and refinishing projects

9) Family and friends

10) The meaning of true love

There you have it, folks. 10 more reasons why you should go grab your copy of Pianissimo today!
Here's a link, so you don't have to wait and open another tab. ;)  http://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro-ebook/dp/B00OEOTZMC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415807712&sr=8-1&keywords=lauren+shiro

Happy reading!