2015 A to Z Challenge: Pianissimo - Day 24 (X)

 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.

We're already up to day 24! We're at the letter X! X is for Xenagogue.

A xenagogue is a guide.

In Pianissimo, Agnes is our guide. 

Agnes' spirit reminds Corinne, quite frequently, that she is not alone. The house and the piano are saturated with Agnes' energy. Corinne is guided to the basement, to the piano, to the box of letters and photographs all by Agnes' ghost.

It is Agnes' photographs, diary, and letters that walks us through her entire life.

Ultimately, this is Agnes' story. She guides us through Corinne's experiences, as well as her own life. Through her diary, letters, and pictures, we are able to connect the two.

Although the story isn't told from Agnes' perspective, she is the foundation and the xenagogue through all that is Pianissimo.

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

Inspiration

Good Thursday morning, world!


A couple of days ago, I was struck with inspiration for a very brief short story. A friend caught me feverishly writing down my thoughts for that piece. He asked if that was how my stories originate. I explained to him that sometimes they do, but not always.

So that got me thinking about how my pieces come to life. There are so many forces that stir inspiration in me. I thought it might be interesting to discuss and explore them (in no particular order).

Personal experience. The piece from the other day came into being from a moment in my own life. Whether it's something I see or hear, something I own, or something that happens to either someone on my life - or even me. It's not to say that my writing is a reenactment of my life. The story came from seeing my own shadow out of the corner of my eye, and my imagination ran wild with it. So even little things like that can suddenly become story worthy.

Pictures/Images. I'm a visual person. Sometimes if I look at a person or place, a story pops into my head. It's amazing how much one person's face can impact and inspire me. From celebrities to everyday folk, watching the sunset to watching kids play in a park, I am able to find inspiration almost everywhere.

Dreams. Dreams didn't start encouraging my work until the last few years. Now, they are a font of inspiration. Various stories and/or characters spring to life in my sleep. This is still a new source of inspiration for me, so sometimes these dreams need to be worked and re-worked. Ultimately, however, a good, solid story can come from even the most bizarre of dreams.

This is a good overview of inspiration. Just like anything in life, this isn't all encompassing. These are just a few sources of creativity for me. There are more - and I'm sure there are more to come, but this is a good start.


I hope you found this to be interesting. More over, I hope you find my stories to be captivating!


Happy Thursday, and happy reading!!!