It's June!

Hi gang!

Are ya all tuckered out from 2 months of A to Z? I am! LOL.

It's June. So...now what?

Well, during all the A to Z alphabet-ness, Keystone Alliance Gaylife Newsletter had their annual Readers' Choice Awards. For the third time since 2012, Vick and I were named LGBT Couple of the Year. That was very exciting, and humbling.

I figure that if we won that (and now have won that a few times), I must know what I'm writing about. Maybe my stories of love without boundaries have some merit after all! ;)

Maybe you should find out for yourself, and then you could let me know for certain. ;)

Happy reading!!!

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!

What to expect in 2016

I wish I could tell the future. To know what's going to happen, and to be prepared for it. Unfortunately, I can't. However, I can still tell you what to expect in 2016. As in what to expect from me.

This year, expect to see more in-depth blog posts. Expect to see more creativity in my blog posts as well. With things like the A to Z challenge in April, I plan on letting my imagination run wild, and to take you all along with me!

Expect more of a relationship with me. I want to personally connect with my readers. I think it gives us a tremendous friendship, and I also think that it gives both you as the reader, and me as the writer, a more complete experience with all of my stories.

Expect to see more of me. I plan on using social media more, and creating more of a presence, and making myself more accessible and more known.

Expect the unexpected. We never know what's going to happen, what life will throw at us, or what inspiration will hit and when. I ask that you please keep your minds open, and together we can experience some wonderful things!

2016 will be what we make of it, and I plan on making it the best. That's what I'm going to expect. What about you? ;)

Happy new year, and happy reading!

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!

Pianissimo for the holidays

It's December!

It's crazy to think we're at the end of 2015 already, isn't it?! Time goes by WAY too quickly!

Since the holidays are officially upon us, I thought it might be a good idea to look at my books as gifts for the readers on your list...or even yourself! ;)

This week, we'll look at Pianissimo.

Pianissimo is multi-facited. First you have the story of Corinne, a lonely military wife. Just when she thinks she is done worrying about her husband being sent off, he goes on one final deployment. She finds herself lonely and depressed. She needs to discover herself, and to find peace in her solitude.

There is the paranormal aspect of Corinne's house. She and her husband, Darryl, bought the house right before that final deployment. It's an old house, chock full of stories and secrets. For as lonely as Corinne feels, she soon discovers that she's actually not alone.

Finally, there's the story of Agnes and Margaret. A love story. A life story. These two women lead extraordinary lives, and they leave a glorious trail of letters, photographs, and even a diary, so their legacy can live on.

Pianissimo is a story about women. It is a story about the strength of women, the resiliency of women, the determination of women, the capability of women, the enduring spirit of women. It is much a human story as it is a paranormal story and/or a love story.

For readers who love books with tremendous depth, palpable emotions, multiple elements, and a feel good story, Pianissimo is a great book!

Get your copy here!

4.5 Stars
Darryl and Corinne Richards purchase their first house. With Darryl’s army career coming to a close, they feel ready to settle down in Louisville, Kentucky. With impeccable timing, Darryl is sent on one final tour, leaving Corinne to live in this new house and new city alone. Overwhelmed, Corinne becomes reclusive, living a quiet, boring life with her cats as she adjusts to her new surroundings. The problem is: someone or some thing does not want her life to be either quiet or boring. And then there’s the creepy piano in the basement… There is more to that creepy, dilapidated piano and her new home than Corinne could ever imagine. Through highs and lows, twists and turns, she begins to understand that even the most softly played music is powerful – and that even soft realizations and quietly subtle changes can have a profound effect

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

Final WeWriWa from The Model

It's time for another WeWriWa!

Click www.wewriwa.com for more information and to see other 8 Sentence Sunday posts.
This post is part of an ongoing blog hop hosted by Weekend Writing Warriors. Every Sunday, participating authors post eight sentences from a published work or even a WIP (work in progress). Then we hop to our fellow warriors’ blogs and check out all the fabulous fiction that’s happening! It's a great way to meet readers, writers, and your next favorite book!  :)

For this month, I am giving you snippets of Stephania's story in the Loving Her series, The Model.

She's exotic. She's beautiful. She's talented. She's unique. She's Stephania. A young successful model who started from nothing, she has experienced all the ups and downs of life. Never one to be kept down, she persists through life's trials and reaches for the fairytale ending she has always hoped for. Stephania's emotional journey is the fourth story in the Loving Her series.

Background on the snippet: Stephania is on the phone with a gentleman from a company that turned her down for a modeling job for being "too ethnic." True to form, Stephania lets him have it.

“You know, it’s not like I’m that dark. But just because I have black hair and full lips. Just

because my boobs actually fill a bra cup and I actually have an ass, I’m too thick and too ‘ethnic’ for

you. Okay. Whatever. If and when you are looking for a real woman and someone who is professional and truly representative of women everywhere, call me.” Steph hung up.

Hope you liked it! Happy reading!

More WeWriWa fun from The Model

It's time for another WeWriWa!

Click www.wewriwa.com for more information and to see other 8 Sentence Sunday posts.
This post is part of an ongoing blog hop hosted by Weekend Writing Warriors. Every Sunday, participating authors post eight sentences from a published work or even a WIP (work in progress). Then we hop to our fellow warriors’ blogs and check out all the fabulous fiction that’s happening! It's a great way to meet readers, writers, and your next favorite book!  :)

For this month, I am giving you snippets of Stephania's story in the Loving Her series, The Model.

She's exotic. She's beautiful. She's talented. She's unique. She's Stephania. A young successful model who started from nothing, she has experienced all the ups and downs of life. Never one to be kept down, she persists through life's trials and reaches for the fairytale ending she has always hoped for. Stephania's emotional journey is the fourth story in the Loving Her series.

This snippet has been edited to fit 8 sentences.

Background on the snippet: Stephania and her family has gathered together because her younger brother has just died. Stephania is talking with her mother and two sisters, Yoana and Erendiria.

Yoana turned to Stephania. “You are next if you keep this up; you need to stop.”
Stephania lifted her head and looked at her.
“I mean it.” Yoana said. “Was it not bad enough we lost Dad at an early age and now Alvaro?
Don’t put Mamá through anything more. Please, I beg of you.”


Hope you liked it! Happy reading!

Another WeWriWa snippet from The Model

It's time for another WeWriWa!

Click www.wewriwa.com for more information and to see other 8 Sentence Sunday posts.
This post is part of an ongoing blog hop hosted by Weekend Writing Warriors. Every Sunday, participating authors post eight sentences from a published work or even a WIP (work in progress). Then we hop to our fellow warriors’ blogs and check out all the fabulous fiction that’s happening! It's a great way to meet readers, writers, and your next favorite book!  :)

For this month, I am giving you snippets of Stephania's story in the Loving Her series, The Model.

She's exotic. She's beautiful. She's talented. She's unique. She's Stephania. A young successful model who started from nothing, she has experienced all the ups and downs of life. Never one to be kept down, she persists through life's trials and reaches for the fairytale ending she has always hoped for. Stephania's emotional journey is the fourth story in the Loving Her series.

Background on the snippet: Stephania has just crashed on the couch after another exhausting shoot. Her long-term girlfriend, Chrissy, is away shooting in Europe. Just as Steph begins to fall asleep, the phone rings.

This snippet has been edited to fit 8 sentences.

“Hey baby!” Some strange woman said.

“Uhhh…who is this?”

“It’s Ellie!”

“Ellie who?”

“Chrissy?”

“No, this is…”

The woman hung up.

Hope you liked it! Happy reading!

WeWriWa The Model

It's time for another WeWriWa!

Click www.wewriwa.com for more information and to see other 8 Sentence Sunday posts.
This post is part of an ongoing blog hop hosted by Weekend Writing Warriors. Every Sunday, participating authors post eight sentences from a published work or even a WIP (work in progress). Then we hop to our fellow warriors’ blogs and check out all the fabulous fiction that’s happening! It's a great way to meet readers, writers, and your next favorite book!  :)

For this month, I am giving you snippets of Stephania's story in the Loving Her series, The Model.

She's exotic. She's beautiful. She's talented. She's unique. She's Stephania. A young successful model who started from nothing, she has experienced all the ups and downs of life. Never one to be kept down, she persists through life's trials and reaches for the fairytale ending she has always hoped for. Stephania's emotional journey is the fourth story in the Loving Her series.

Background on the snippet: Stephania is sixteen years old and working full-time to help support her family after her father's death. A customer at The Taco Shop gave Stephania her business card and told her to call.

This snippet has been edited to fit 8 sentences.

Steph stared at the business card under the dim light of the lamp in her room: Joanne Wilcox –

Wilcox Talent Agency, representing models, actors and singers in the greater Philadelphia area

since 1975. Why would she have given her this card? Steph wasn’t a model, an actress, or a singer.

This woman must be delusional. What would it hurt to actually

call her? Steph wouldn’t actually lose anything, right? Maybe she would just give this woman a call.

Maybe.

Hope you liked it! Happy reading!

Final WeWriWa Snippet from The Ballerina

It's time for another WeWriWa!

Click www.wewriwa.com for more information and to see other 8 Sentence Sunday posts.
This post is part of an ongoing blog hop hosted by Weekend Writing Warriors. Every Sunday, participating authors post eight sentences from a published work or even a WIP (work in progress). Then we hop to our fellow warriors’ blogs and check out all the fabulous fiction that’s happening! It's a great way to meet readers, writers, and your next favorite book!  :)

During the month of February, I will be posting snippets from The Ballerina. This is Liz's story, and the first in the Loving Her series.

A southern, redheaded, pickup driving lesbian ballerina? You bet! Meet Liz: a southern belle with flair. Vivacious, eclectic and graceful, she is unique to say the least. The first in the series of Loving Her stories, Liz's story is the kind that stays with you long after you've closed the book.

Background on the snippet: Linda is doing work on Liz's truck. They are talking about Jen's health, as Linda finishes up her work.

“I’m just gonna hose this real quick,” she explained as she walked over the hose. Within a few seconds, all the dirt was being washed down the bay, and the truck’s air filter looked brand new again. Both women were silent as Linda made her way back towards Liz.

Linda quietly placed the air filter back end and carefully closed the hood of Liz’s truck. She then wiped her hands on a small hand towel, but they still were black as night.

As she looked up, she noticed tears welling up in Liz’s eyes. Cautious of her mechanic’s hands, Linda gently hugged Liz. “It’s gonna be ok, sweetie.”

Hope you liked it! Happy reading!

Some Samples

It's Thursday once again, folks!

Today, I would like to offer you some samples of my stories to wet your appetite...for more of my books! ;)

These are in no particular order. Hopefully, they will pique your interest.

From The Peace Officer
After a few silent moments, a small, meek woman peered around the corner. “Hello?” Her submissive voice hardly broke the silence. She was a mousy little woman. She was short and incredibly thin. She had flat brown hair and soft brown eyes. She exuded fear.
“Hi. I’m Officer Racanelli with the Doylestown P.D. I came because we got a call for a domestic disturbance.”
She weakly nodded her head.
“Can we sit somewhere and talk?”
She nodded again. She carefully stepped out into the room. Without uttering a word, she guided Brynn into the kitchen.
They sat opposite each other at the table.
“So what’s going on? Can I have your name?”
“Helen,” she peeped.
“Hi, Helen. What’s going on? What happened?”
Helen looked away, her eyes staring at the linoleum floor.
“N... n... nothing.” She mumbled.
“Helen, I doubt it was nothing. You wouldn’t have called us here if it was nothing, right? You know that’s a criminal offense, don’t you? You can’t call 911 for no reason. And something tells me you had a very good reason. So, what was it? You’re safe. Your husband is outside speaking to a male officer. It’s just you and me. So it’s okay to tell me what happened.”
“I…uhhh…well, my husband…gets angry. He gets angry sometimes.”
“He gets angry sometimes? What does he get angry about? Was he angry today?”
“Y – yes.”
“Okay. What was he angry about?”
“I didn’t vacuum well enough.”
Brynn strained to hear her. “Excuse me?”
“I didn’t vacuum well enough.” She said slightly louder.
Brynn paused. “You didn’t vacuum well enough. Okay. So what happened? Did he ask you about it? Did he tell you to vacuum again? What exactly happened?”
Helen took several deep, audible breaths. She still couldn’t bear to look Brynn in the eyes. “I was vacuuming.” She paused. “I was vacuuming and he – Andrew - grabbed me by the arm. He told me I missed a spot.”
“You missed a spot?”
Helen nodded as her eyes welled up with tears. “He…he…”
“It’s okay, Helen. You’re safe.”
“He grabbed my arm and he threw me down. He told me to look and see how I had missed that spot.”
Brynn quietly jotted down her notes. “Okay. Then what happened?”
Helen took another deep breath. “He pulled me back up.”
“And?”
“And he backed me into the wall and told me I had better not do that again or next time I’d be really sorry.”
Brynn reached out and began to stroke Helen’s arm.
“How did you call us? It’s incredibly brave that you did. How were you able to call us and not get hurt?”
“He went to the refrigerator and saw he was out of beer.”
“Okay. And then what?”
“I offered to go get it for him, but he told me that I needed to keep cleaning and get it right this time. So, he went to the store. I called when he was gone.” She said quietly.
“Did you feel you were in immediate danger?”
“He always gets worse when he drinks. I had no idea what he would do once he got back.”
“Did he do anything when he got back? How much time had gone between when he came home and when we got here?”
“Not long at all.” Helen replied. “He had just put the beer in the fridge and was about to sit down, watch the game and have one when you pulled up.”
“Okay, good. “ Brynn said, sighing a sigh of relief. “Can I see your arms?”
Helen hesitated. Slowly, she rolled up her sleeve. Bruises dotted her hands, forearms and elbow. Then, on her bicep, Helen’s arm had a perfect red hand mark around it.
“Do you mind if I take some pictures?” Brynn gently asked.
Helen slowly shook her head.
Brynn picked up the camera, walked over to Helen and got close to her arm. Helen whipped her head around in shame, making sure her face was not going to be seen in the pictures. Brynn snapped a couple of shots and then sat back down.
“So where do we go from here, Helen? What are you thinking? Do you want to press charges? Based on what I see here, we have enough to arrest him right now.”
Helen’s tears began flowing again. “I don’t know,” she whimpered. “I don’t know what to do or where to go from here. I’m scared of him, but if he goes to jail, what am I supposed to do? I don’t have a job or another home to go to. I can’t really go anywhere and I can’t afford for him to go anywhere.”
“Helen,” Brynn reached across the table again and tried to soothe her. “It’s okay. We can help you find a place to live. We can get you into a shelter for the time being until we can find you your own place. We can help you to find a job, too. It may not be a glamorous job, but we can get you a job. You don’t have to stay here. You can have your life back and be safe. Let us help you.”

From The Ballerina
Liz’s heart was pounding in her chest. “Ummmm…hi…Jen.” She struggled to find the words. “This is…Liz O’Kane calling. I’m…sorry for freaking out on you the other night. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and…I’ve decided…I…I’d like to see you again.” A wave of fear enveloped Liz. “If…you’re interested, come by the theatre tonight at nine. We’re doing an early show at seven, so the performance will be over at nine. I’ll be waiting for you after the show. Thanks. I guess I’ll see you later.” Liz hung up the phone hoping that she hadn’t sounded like a complete idiot in her message, and that Jen would actually show.

From The Vet Student
She walked up to her father. “She… this… Linda isn’t my first girlfriend, Dad. You only think I haven’t dated, because that’s what you wanted to believe. You remember my friend Samantha, from high school? She was my first girlfriend. I’ve always been this way.”
“No, no you haven’t!” Her mother screamed with tears racing down her face.
“You are only saying that to cover up for this…pervert! Mr. Williams is a good deacon of the church. He would never raise his daughter to be gay.” Her father shouted.
“Dad, it’s not in how we’re raised or that it’s any kind of a choice. We were born this way. I was born this way.”
“You were not! That is just another one of the lies this deviant told you!” He pointed down towards Linda.
“Dad, stop it!” Katie shouted. “Stop saying that about her. It’s not true. I love her!”
“That’s it,” Katie’s mother said sternly. She walked over and grabbed Katie’s arm, and started dragging Katie out of the apartment.
Katie struggled to get free. She dug her heels into the ground, only to be dragged harder. She tried prying her mother’s cold hand off her arm, but her mother’s grip only grew tighter. She stopped and tried to drop down to the floor. She could feel her mother pulling her arm up. Her shoulder began to hurt; her mother pulled even harder. Now her shoulder felt as though it might break. With one strong yank, Katie’s mother pulled her back up on her feet. Something in her shoulder snapped.
“No!” Linda shouted. “Katie! Please don’t…I love you!” Linda shouted; she tried to get up, but couldn’t.
Katie still struggled, trying to reach out to Linda. She tripped over her own feet and fell. Once again, her mother pulled her right up, cracking something in her shoulder yet again. The pain was excruciating.

From The Writer
The phone on Maria’s desk hadn’t finished ringing when she picked it up. “Maria Lopez.”
“Hi Maria. My name is Tom. I am calling from Documents ‘R’ Us. I was just
wondering…”
“I know who you are. I also know that you have called here several times. I’ve heard a few of my co-workers tell you nicely that we are not interested. I have also heard my editor tell you on three separate occasions that we are not interested.
“Let me tell you something. We don’t want it. We don’t want it, we don’t care; we don’t want to talk to you. Not now, not later, not tomorrow. Not anymore. We are done. And if you continue to call us here, you will enrage all of us. Most of us are Latinas. Hispanic women. Not just women, Hispanic women.
“Let me ask you something. Do you know what we Latinas are made of? What makes up us Hispanic gals, girls and ladies?”
The other end was silent. “Uhhh…” There was a long pause. “Aren’t all girls made of sugar and spice?”
“No. The sugar and spice and everything nice is what white girls are made of. We are talking about Latinas. Do you know what Latinas are made of? Let me tell you. They are made of sugar and spice; we are made of fire and ice. You do not want to piss off a Latina. Ever! If you do, you will become very sorry that you did.
“Are you starting to become sorry that you called here?”
Maria didn’t wait for an answer. “I hope you are. But you know what? This is nothing. This is just the tip of the iceberg. You have no idea what a Latina is truly capable of doing.
“Do us both a favor. Because honestly, I cannot be bothered to do this. Am I capable of making your life miserable? Yes. Do I want to? Not really. It means I have to drive out of my way, buy a baseball bat, wait until the wee hours of the morning. Are you getting my drift here, Tom? I could do things that you only see in Hollywood movies. But, I’d rather not be
inconvenienced. And I am sure you would prefer to maintain your safety. So please, do us both a favor and hang up the phone and take our number off your call list. Otherwise, I cannot be held responsible for my actions.”
There was nothing but a dial tone in her ear. Maria hung up.
Emmanuel stood in the doorway to his office and began clapping. Several other people stood up and began to clap as well. Maria smiled as everyone in the entire office rose to their feet and applauded her.

I hope you liked them. There is plenty more from where this came from! ;) Please check out ALL of my titles. If you like what you read, please leave a good review. It's how we small press folk are able to put food on the table. ;) Thanks!


Happy reading!