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 Challenge - V is for Victory

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!

V is for victory!

As I've intimated before, Robert's story is one of good versus evil. Of course, good triumphs. It always does. In this case, the victory is not one you might imagine. This victory is one that doesn't crush the bad entity, but rather frees him from his bondage of darkness. This victory allows for "good" and "evil" to cohabitate peacefully. The victory is one where everyone wins, literally.

I think that in Robert's story, it was important to have a plot that didn't have him causing harm to another, but rather creating a way that would benefit everyone. That was the kind of spirit Robert had.

A victory where everyone wins is the greatest kind of victory, and the only kind Robert would every stand for.

The wild and wonderful w is tomorrow! Don't miss it!

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

A to Z '14 - Valiance

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


V is for Valiance.


My grandfather was a very valiant man.


He served in WWII. He was an MP for a while, and eventually became a speech writer in the Army. He wrote for one of the generals. He was one of the first people to hear about D Day, and wrote a speech for the general that day.


He was valiant beyond his military service, though.


He was never afraid to take risks. Business risks, personal risks - he lived on the edge without being reckless.


Never once would he refuse to stand up for what he believed in. Defending what his right, he was brave and courageous when necessary.



He showed me that you could be brave without being pompous. He was quietly strong. Never one to start a fight, but always ready to do what was best.



Valiance, courage, bravery are all wonderful attributes to have. They cannot be used carelessly. But when used properly, they are the mark of a true hero.


V is for Valiance.

V: Victory

What real victory is, in the context of the arts, is in the making of the creation. To be brave enough to create; to be courageous enough to put our work out for all the world to see. There is victory in creation. We have chosen to break down walls of insecurity, walls of doubt, walls of social response all in order to do and make something that we want.

Each creation, each stroke of the brush, each note played, each word typed is a victory in and of itself. To do, to make, to sing, to play, to dance...they are all victories.

That doesn't mean, however, that once we've created something we're done. No, not at all. Victory is not an end point. Victory is a moment of joy, of emotional satisfaction. Our lives (both creatively and overall) should take us from victory to victory. We should never stop after one victory because the next one could be much, much better!

Keep going! Keep creating! Keep celebrating your victories and become increasingly victorious day by day!

Victory is a tricky subject with creativity. Victory is us creating that piece we have always dreamed of. However, we cannot afford to sit on our laurels, either. Yes, we can be victorious in the creation of one piece. Yes, we can relish in that victory. However, we cannot sit on one victory alone. We need to use that victory to push ourselves forward, to challenge ourselves further.