A to Z II - T is for Time

Welcome to the twentieth day of my personal A to Z challenge for the month of May. Since today is day twenty, it means we are on the letter t. T is for time.

Time is an interesting concept in Trajectory.

You have time where Joe observes for hours and days on end, yet the story does not drag.

You have the expenditure of time for the complications of his situation with Claudette, as well as the unfolding of events between Joe and Michael.

You have the passage of time while Joe recuperates and rehabilitates  after Michael's attack.

When you're writing about a sniper who can lay still for hours or even days at a clip, but who also suffered serious injuries and has a long road of recovery ahead of them, time can be a tricky thing. It is sometimes difficult to write about the passage of time, this new and improved Trajectory, though, handles it perfectly.

A to Z Challenge - T is for Team

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!

We are wrapping up this week with the letter t, which represents team.

Our narrator, Emmalee, hasn't gotten much press here. She is as much a part of this as Robert.

The more time she spends with Robert and his crew, the more she loses self, and becomes a part of the team.

When three of the crew members disappear and end up in Mulrad, Emmalee puts in the same amount of effort as crew members who had known them for years.

Emmalee is such a great teammate, that she even takes on a special assignment from Robert. That assignment is key for his plan to rescue everyone from Mulrad, and bring them all back. Her duty is not an easy one by any means. In fact, it is the most difficult job anyone could have in this plan. She does it, trusting Robert, and understanding the importance of teamwork. By doing so, she helps many others.

Teams and teamwork are essential in every stage in life, and thus it is an important theme in The Good Pirate, Robert.

Alrighty. Tomorrow is a day of rest. Monday, we're back at it again, jumping into the letter u!

2015 A to Z Challenge: Pianissimo - Day 20 (T)

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.

Can you believe it's been 20 days already? We're up to T! T is for timelessness.

When I write, although my stories are contemporary, I aim for timelessness. I think it's important to write stories that aren't dated. For the stories and characters to be relevant now, and for years to come.

The historical part of this story is rooted in the truth of that time period, yet it is poignant today.

The modern part of this story is applicable to our life and times right now. Yet, the humanity of it is timeless.

My stories are character driven because we will never lose our emotions, our connection, our humanity. Regardless of what happens days, weeks, months, years, or even decades from now, the people and events in Pianissimo will never lose their relevance.

A good story is one that stands the test of time. Pianissimo does just that.

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 - Time

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


T is for Time.

My grandfather taught me a few things about time. He told me about the importance of time. How time with friends and family was far greater than time spent working. He showed me the value of an hour.



Living to 93, he also taught me that we don't have the time we think we do. He and I had always talked about me writing his memoirs. I figured I had enough time. He never got sick. If I had, I think I would have started to work on it with him. No, he fell and broke his neck. He was in the hospital for about a week. I got a call the day before he died. I was there by 7 am the next morning and stayed with him till he passed that evening. There was no preparation time. I couldn't just ask him to give me all the details he wanted in his memoirs. Even after 93 years, there wasn't enough time.




Time is a very fragile, precious gift. We never really know exactly how much time we're going to have. So value your time. Celebrate your time. Enjoy every moment in your life.

Time is important.



T is for time.

T: TV killed the Writing Star

We live in a world of distractions. TV, internet, smart phones, constant news feeds, twitter, Facebook. We watch TV, tweet and play on Facebook all at the same time. We are innundated with information, and yet we listen more. When was the last time you truly listened in a conversation without looking at your phone or at least thinking about it?



I am guilty of it as well; I am anything but a saint with this.



The issue that I as a writer find is that these distractions kill my ability to focus and write. Oh wait, I can't write yet, I haven't checked my phone in 5 minutes. Oh, I'll watch that TV show and then I'll write. Yeah, we all know how that goes.



You see and read about it all over the place. Turn off the TV and write. Go to a place where you won't be distracted. The tips are endless and the advice is all the same.


I have to admit, it's difficult to do. We live in a world of noise. We multi-task constantly. When I come home after a long day, I just want to sit on the couch and not think. This is just what we have allowed our lives to become.



The sad part is, technology has killed (or is killing) many art forms, writing included. Television shows and movies are anything but original. People don't read full news articles any more. They watch videos or just read quick excerpts. As long as there are pictures, people will look. A reader is more likely to read a blog with pictures than something that is picture-less.



People don't read like they used to. Books on tape/CD/MP3 are all the rage as are e-books. Why? Because it is easier to listen (or read while on Facebook)than to sit down and thoroughly enjoy a book.


It saddens me, really. I hate to see such a decline in my favorite form of art. It kills me to know that as hard as I work to write, most people want the abridged version. Length is frightening to people nowadays.



What does this mean for me as a writer and the industry as a whole? Honestly, I'm not sure. I fear that the future of writing is short. I fear that the craft will die. But, I won't allow myself to be a part of that decine. My hope is that with my effort, and the efforts of other writers, we can revive our craft. Perhaps we can help it to renew and rise up like a phoenix.


So readers, please keep reading. And we die-hard writers will keep writing! :)
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