Nature Survives - #FFFC #haiku #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! It's a beautiful day here in South Florida. Unfortunately, I cannot take advantage of it at the beach because it is overrun with smelly seaweed. I've started planning my next novel. I am going to try to write a little bit every day this summer. The story is clear in my head. Now, it's time to get it on paper (screen...lol!).

Today, I'm participating in Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #376. She shares the image below and asks us to let it inspire us. My eyes were drawn to the lichen (or what I think is lichen) growing on the stop sign. For some weird reason, that reminded me of the COVID year when we were all stuck inside. So, I wrote the haiku below.

(image courtesy of Jonathan Cooper on Unsplash)

when the world stands still

nature makes a resurgence

life rejuvenates

Would you like to write a poem for this image? Join us here.

Sunflowers - #TankaTuesday #haiku #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! School's out for summer! My alarms are turned off, and I am ready to enjoy the next two months. I have a road trip planned for a little later this month, and I will begin writing my next novel next week. Other than that, I will be resting, relaxing, spending time with friends, and writing poetry. At least, those are the plans. :-)

Today, I am participating in this week's #TankaTuesday poetry challenge where Colleen invites us to use at least two yellow things in our poem without using the word yellow. I chose to write a haiku. I've bolded and italicized my words.

(image courtesy of @niki_emmert on Pixabay)

sun rises in east

sunflowers rotate with light

darkness has no strength

Would you like to write a poem for this prompt? Join us here.

Odd Companions - #W3 #TankaTuesday #FFFC #poem #cinquain #haiku #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! It's been another busy but fun week. Last night, I went with a friend to listen to Tristan McIntosh, a 2015 American Idol finalist, in her show called the Linda Ronstadt experience. She's also the sister of one of the Cosmic Chili Peppers. We had met her last weekend in Nashville, so it was great watching her in her element. Afterward, we went to a 70/80s bar and danced the night away with her. Great night! 

Today, I am combining three prompts. The first comes from Wea've Written Weekly (W3) Prompt #213. Reena invites us to combine one Western poetic form with one Japanese poetic form. I've chosen to combine a cinquain with a haiku. A cinquain has a syllabic pattern of 2-4-6-8-2, and a haiku has a syllabic pattern of 5-7-5.

The other poetry challenge comes from #TankaTuesday, where Melissa invites us to write a haiku. She asks us to be a little edgy or offbeat and have fun with the haiku.

The last prompt came from Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #374. Melissa provided us with the photo below and asked us to let it inspire us.

(image courtesy of @PhilipVeater)

Odd Companions

free ride

easy living

odd travel companions

a locust and bearded dragon

best friends

camouflaged partner

hoping to not be eaten

by his hungry ride

Would you like to write about any of these prompts? Click the links below:

Wea've Written Weekly (W3) Prompt #213

#TankaTuesday

Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #374

May 2026 Book Reviews #bookreview #books #amreading #readingcommunity #magic #vampires #romance @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I am ready for summer vacation! Just one more week, and I get to turn off my alarm. This has been a great month of reading. Here are the reviews for the books I enjoyed this month.

Running in the Dark

by John Podlaski

Genre: Biography & Memoir Short Reads

Pages: 88

Book Blurb:

Written with great attention to detail, putting the reader solidly in John’s shoes.

Cleverly Written, Dynamic Story Telling

John survived Vietnam, but first, he survived Detroit.

This collection of short-stories depicts growing up in 1960s Detroit, capturing the author's childhood adventures—alone or with friends—often marked by both fear and excitement. Vivid descriptions bring his experiences to life, revealing the innocence of boys who chase adventure despite the consequences. Readers may recall their own childhood moments, especially those spent running from danger in the dark.

My Review:

This was a great collection of anecdotes of the author's childhood. Each story focused on a moment of pure fear in the author's early and teen years. While the author truly experienced frightful moments, I couldn't help but laugh at the crazy situations he found himself in. Each story was relatable in some way, and many reminded me of my own childhood adventures. It's a short book filled with short stories, but it's definitely worth the read. :-)

The Mapmaker's Apprentice (Glass and Steele Book Two)

by C.J. Archer

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Pages: 313

Book Blurb:

When an apprentice from the Mapmakers' Guild goes missing, Matt and India are employed to find him. Going undercover as a married couple, they discover that not everyone at the guild is what they seem, and the lad's unearthly maps caused jealousy, suspicion and fear.

With one of the apprentice's magic maps in their possession, India and Matt must use their wits and India's fledgling, untried magic to find him. But the more they investigate, the more sinister plots they uncover, including a link between the Mapmakers' and Watchmakers' Guilds, and an ancient magical treasure buried beneath the streets of London.

As the net of suspicion widens and enemies draw closer, it's not just the apprentice's life that's in danger, but Matt's too. Someone will go to great lengths to prevent him discovering the name of the man who can fix the watch keeping him alive. Great lengths indeed.

My Review:

I'm really enjoying this series. It's nothing like what I usually read, but the characters are so endearing that I can't help but enjoy it. Matt and India are doing everything to pretend that they don't have feelings for each other, but it's so obvious. Still, society's rules keep each of them quiet about their feelings. I can't wait for them to finally admit how they feel.

This story focused on Matt and India trying to find a missing magical mapmaker. Every lead they found led them into more danger all while Matt's aunt kept trying to set him up with a future wife. The plot moved smoothly and kept me entertained. I am already looking forward to the next story. :-)

Wounded (An Anita Black Vampire Hunter Novella)

by Laurell K. Hamilton

Genre: Kindle Singles: Science-Fiction and Fantasy

Pages: 59

Book Blurb:

Be proud of Life’s battle scars, it means you were stronger than whatever hurt you, and you didn't die—and Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter and U.S. Marshal will be the first to show you hers in this sweet and sexy story of celebration and connection from #1 New York Times bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton.
 
Anita attends the wedding of her close friend but finds that even on the happiest of days there are wounds that need healing. She and the wereleopards Micah and Nathaniel are asked to talk to the bride’s thirteen-year-old brother, Tomas, who is struggling to recover from a recent gunshot wound. Depressed and demoralized, Tomas isn’t doing his physical therapy and could spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair...
 
How can Anita, Micah, and Nathaniel convince Tomas that he can heal when he's given up? They tell him about their own scars and how they took back their own lives after they were wounded. And Anita will realize how lucky they are to have not only survived their pasts, but to now be able to make their own formal commitment to each other— and the vampire in her life...
 
Includes an excerpt of the new Anita Blake hardcover, Crimson Death.

My Review: 

I love Anita Blake's world, so it was a no brainer to read this short story. This story takes place between two of her novels, so you really shouldn't read it unless you've read Dead Ice. This story focuses on a wedding that Anita and her main loves attend. While there, they help someone deal with an injury he received when he got shot. It was nice to see Anita reconnect with the men in her life without her life being in danger. This was a sweet story, and I'm happy I read it. :-)

Reasonable Doubt - Volume One

by Whitney G.

Genre: Romantic Erotica

Pages: 88

Book Blurb:

My c*ck has an appetite.

A huge and very particular appetite: Blonde, curvy, and preferably not a fucking liar... (Although, that's a story for another day.)

As a high profile lawyer, I don't have time to waste on relationships, so I fulfill my needs by anonymously chatting and sleeping with women I meet online.

My rules are simple: One dinner. One night. No repeats.

This is only casual sex. Nothing more. Nothing less.

At least it was , until "Alyssa"...

She was supposed to be a 27 year old lawyer, a book hoarder, and completely unattractive. She was supposed to be someone I shared law advice with late at night, someone I could trust with details of my weekly escapades.

But then she came into my firm for an interview—a college-intern interview, and everything fucking changed...

My Review:

For a short story, this packed a delicious punch! It's part one of three, and I've already downloaded the other two. It was that good! Andrew preferred his relations to be that of a one-nighter...no strings attached. When his online friend crashes into his real world, he doesn't know how to handle it. She destroys his perfect plan, and he has every intention of making her pay for it. Lol! I loved the banter between the two of them as well as the sexual tension. I definitely recommend it. :-)

Reasonable Doubt - Volume Two

by Whitney G.

Genre: Romantic Erotica

Pages: 77

Book Blurb:

She lied to me...

She betrayed the one rule that I'm most adamant about: Honesty.

I really wish she was someone else—someone who didn't have the ability to make me feel, someone I could easily discard like the hundreds of women before her.

She isn't.

I'm drawn to her like I've never been drawn to a woman before—completely captivated by the very sight of her.

But unfortunately, with my past slowly re-surfacing for all of the world to see, I'll have to find a way to let her go.

She can never be mine.

My Review:

This book was just as good as volume one. I love this author's style of writing. The voice she gives to each character is captivating, and I love the chemistry between them. No matter how much Andrew wants to stay away from Aubrey, he can't.  Their desire for each other must be quenched, but Andrew's past keeps rearing its ugly head, making it impossible for him to be happy. I loved this story. The ending was an awesome twist, and I'm diving right into volume three! :-)

Reasonable Doubt - Volume Three

by Whitney G

Genre: Romantic Erotica

Pages: 193

Book Blurb:

I hate him.

I hate that I fell in love with him, I hate that he didn’t love me back, and I hate the fact that I just made a life-altering decision just so I could get the hell away from him.

He’d always said that he was unchangeable, heartless, and cold.

I really should’ve believed him…

My Review:

I absolutely loved this story! And I love this author's writing style. Aubrey finally found the courage to pursue her dreams and preserve her dignity. Andrew had to come to terms with his past or let it forever destroy his present and future. The storyline couldn't have flowed more perfectly. And the ending...just wonderful! I would definitely recommend this story to others! :-)

The Apothecary's Poison (Glass and Steele Book Three)

by C.J. Archer

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Pages: 310

Book Blurb:

When a newspaper report of a medical miracle catches Matt's eye, he and India go in search of Dr. Hale in the hope he is more magical doctor than miracle worker and can lead them to Chronos. But Hale turns out to be an apothecary magician keen to educate the public about magic.

Their disappointment at not finding Chronos is soon forgotten when Hale is murdered, and Matt becomes a suspect. With Matt's nemesis Sheriff Payne influencing the investigating detective, India and Matt know they must find the real killer, or risk his freedom, and ultimately his life. Time is running out as they hunt for a killer capable of turning medicine into poison with a magic spell, as well as continue the search for Chronos. A search that must end in success before Matt's malfunctioning watch stops altogether.

My Review:

This was another great addition to the series. Matt and India are now trying to solve the murder of a magical apothecary to prove Matt is innocent. As they get closer to solving the problem, Matt and India's lives are put in danger. When India is badly injured, Matt drops all his defenses and finally kisses her! I've been waiting for that since book one! Lol! Unfortunately, as much as India wants him, she realizes that her status in society would never be accepted and pushes him away. Ugh!

This book was wonderful! I love all the characters. I enjoy the slow progression of the story because it allows the characters to continue to grow. The author does a wonderful job dropping just the right hints to keep the reader guessing as to who is the bad guy. I'm looking forward to the next book. :-)

Laci & Del: 12 Months, 12 Choices

by Staci Troilo

Genre: Short Story

Pages: 90

Book Blurb:

It’s been a year, and Laci Marks still hasn’t gotten over her break up with Del Keegan. She attends a New Year’s Eve party hoping to snap out of her ever-present funk, but the frivolity only upsets her more. Unable to navigate the crowd and retreat to the sanctuary of home, she slips out onto the balcony to avoid watching all the couples kiss when the ball drops.

But her private moment is ruined by someone joining her outside—Del.

Laci wants nothing more than to escape, but Del has other things in mind. Soft words and softer lips convince her to stay. And to try again. Thus begins a tumultuous twelve months of love and laughter, fear and failure. They still have the passion, but they also still have all the same problems.

Twelve months from their reconciliation and nothing is resolved. If anything, Laci feels worse than ever. How many chances can she give their relationship before just giving up? And how many chances is Del willing to take on her?

My Review: 

I loved this short story. Laci and Del reunite after being broken up for a year over miscommunication and a misunderstanding. As they rebuild their relationship, the past situation hits them head on again, leaving Laci to experience the heartbreak all over. But Del has no intention of allowing the same mistakes to happen twice.

This was a great story. Each chapter focused on a moment in each month of the calendar year. I enjoyed each snippet into their lives and easily connected with both characters. The author did a wonderful job making me invest in their relationship and making me root for a happy ending. I definitely recommend this story! :-)

The Siren's Song (Vradian Academy, Book 1)

by Heather Kindt

Genre: Coming of Age Fantasy

Pages: 306

Book Blurb:

The shadowy folds of Mo capture both souls and secrets.

Catron’s father intended to scare her with his words. After all, her mother traveled far from home, losing herself to both the shadows and her wayward spirit. But instead of heeding his warning, Catron longs for more than her life as a glass blower’s apprentice. When Dawkin, a member of the King of Mo’s illustrious guard, offers her a place at the Vradian Academy, she willingly accepts.

Fivlon would rather gouge both of his eyes out with an iron stick than attend the Vradian Academy. Messing around with his friends is a lot more fun than attending school with a bunch of stuck-up future leaders. Following in his father’s footsteps as the head of Ferox isn’t a priority. Until one of his friends disappears.

Now at school, Catron and Fivlon face a much larger task than their ethics homework. As students and staff disappear from the academy, they must figure out who is behind it before they become the next victims.

The Vradian Academyis the prequel series for Kindt's Eternal Artifacts series.

My Review:

I've read other stories from this author and loved them, and this one did not disappoint. Catron is focused on following in her father's footsteps as a glass blower until a member of the Red Shadow lures her to the Vradian Academy with the opportunity of joining its prestigious league. Not able to give up the chance to rise above her status, Catron heads to the academy hoping to prove her worth. When a siren starts killing people and her heart pulls her away from her goal, Catron finds herself in trouble in multiple ways.

This was a great story. Each character's unique personality kept the story interesting and moving smoothly throughout the plot. I loved how the different powers played off one another and how they needed to work together to solve the mystery and to save one another. Each character is hiding a secret (or two) of his/her own, and when they all come to the surface, all hell will break loose. Lol! And Catron is proving to be more than she even know she is! The book ends with the characters venturing off to save a friend. I'm looking forward to reading book two. :-)

Life's Highway to Love: A Short Story

by Karen Black

Genre: Short Story

Pages: 32

Book Blurb:

Dylan doesn’t want a permanent relationship and Jamie has sworn off romance. With an unspoken agreement that their friendship is platonic, the two become inseparable. But a kiss changes everything. Their ecstasy is short-lived, however, when Jamie tells Dylan the truth about her past. Confusion, anger, and misunderstanding rock their world and send them in different directions. Will time apart bring them back together or cement their separation? Is it possible to ignore the past? Can anyone choose who they love? Is love enough?

My Review:

This was a sweet short story about a couple whose relationship is testing when Jamie reveals her secret. Without giving too much away, it touches upon a very sensitive topic that many struggle with. The author handled the situational very well, and I enjoyed the story. :-)

Cocky Client

by Whitney G.

Genre: Contemporary Romance Fiction

Pages: 117

Book Blurb:

Today is officially the worst day of my life…

I woke up five hours late after a reckless one-night stand with the sexiest, cockiest, and most arrogant man I’ve ever met. (And this asshole actually left a note: “I think you were lying to me about being “experienced” last night. You orgasmed three times, and that was before we made it to your bedroom. I also find it hard to believe you “usually wear silk or lingerie.” Your drawers are all full of cotton granny panties--The best man you’ve ever fucked… )

My top two PR clients left me for my number one competitor, my roommate accidentally bleached my best suit, and my favorite coffee shop was shut down for “health concerns.”

Still, none of those things dimmed my excitement for what was supposed to be the best four o’clock signing session of my career. I was on the verge of signing the highest paying client in my company’s history, taking on a so-called “impossible” job that no publicist had been able to handle.

But at four o’clock, there was no athlete, television personality, or celebrity who showed up. Instead, that sexy, arrogant one-night stand stepped into my office with his familiar panty-wetting smirk and introduced himself as my new, cocky client...

My Review:

This was another great story from this author. Her ability to create sexual tension and witty banter is fantastic. I enjoyed every minute of it and only wish it had lasted longer. I would definitely recommend this story! :-)

Did you read any great books this month? I'd love to hear from you. :-)

Category Five - #TankaTuesday #W3 #homophones #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I have just come back from an amazing long weekend in Nashville, Tennessee, where I watched my friend's son (@CoryCubano) play in the Cosmic baseball league. It's entertainment baseball, and it was beyond entertaining. Most people have heard about the Savannah Bananas, but this league is so much more entertaining. They play half the game with the lights on and the other half with only black lights so everything is glow-in-the-dark - uniforms, bats, bases, gloves...everything! The whole game is like a party, concert, and baseball game all rolled into one. If you ever get the opportunity to attend a game, I highly recommend it. Here is the link to one of the games I attended. At almost the two-hour mark, you can see it switch to glow-in-the-dark.

Because of my incredible weekend, I did not have much time to write. So, today, I decided to put two prompts together. The first is from #TankaTuesday where Colleen invites us to write a poem choosing two words that are homophones. I chose to go with sea and see.

The second prompt comes from Wea've Written Weekly (W3) Prompt #212. Ange invites us to write a poem using only one-syllable words about a dramatic moment. We are allowed to use one multi-syllabic word but only as the last word. I chose to write about a hurricane.

(image courtesy of @jackdrafahl on Pixabay)

Category Five

a strong, dark storm starts

black as far as the eye sees

waves crash up and down

the seas will gulp it all down

in the midst of hurricanes

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below.

#TankaTuesday

Wea've Written Weekly (W3) Prompt #212

Resilience - #TankaTuesday #haiku #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I cannot believe how busy this week has been for me, and the next several weeks will be just as busy, so I don't know how much I'll be posting this month. Since I was the host of this week's #TankaTuesday, I had to make time to participate. Lol! This week, I encouraged everyone to write about resilience. My poem is short because it's Monday and the challenge ends today, but at least, I was able to write something.

(image courtesy of @Seaq68 on Pixabay)

forest fires run wild

time will replenish foliage

nature's survivors

Would you like to write a poem for this prompt? Join us here.

Mom - #W3 #DectinaRefrain #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. My sister and I drove up to Hutchinson Island on Friday night to spend yesterday with our mom before driving back down to spend today with our respective children. My son and I went for a walk this morning and then he joined me for lunch and some errands. I'm have a little me time right now before we have dinner and watch our show together. So, I figured I'd write a poem.

This poetry challenge comes from Wea've Written Weekly (W3) Prompt #210, where Dawn invites us to write a Dectina Refrain about a mother. Here are the rules of this form:

Here is what I created:

(image courtesy of @fancycrave1 on Pixabay)

a

mom is

a treasure

to love fiercely

a beloved gift

provider and best friend

a hug and kiss when needed

someone who will always be there

a blessing gifted from the heavens

a mom is a treasure to love fiercely

Would you like to write a poem for this prompt? Join us here.

Caelagios - #W3 #Etheree #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I'm enjoying a lazy, rainy day today. With the weather not being appropriate for the beach, I'm spending some time writing poetry. Last week, I was honored to be chosen to provide this week's prompt at Wea've Written Weekly. With all the chaos happening in the world, I decided it was time to turn to fiction for an escape. I've decided to go with a utopian world since there is already plenty of dystopia happening here on earth. Lol!

For my Chronicles of the Diasodz series, I had to create a new world. I called it Caelagios, pulling from Greek and Latin words that, when combined, meant heavenly sanctuary. I've decided to write an Etheree for this world.

(image courtesy of @CharlVera on Pixabay)

Caelagios

golden willow leaves sway calmly in breeze

iridescent butterflies flap wings

leaving bright rainbows in their wake

pink wisteria grows high

above the peaceful lake

harmony resides

magic fills world

full of peace

kindness

love

Would you like to write a poem for this prompt? Join us here.

Not Like the Others - #TankaTuesday #dVerse #HaibunMondays #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Happy May! Today I'm combining two prompts. The first is from #TankaTuesday. Melissa invited us to choose one of Romare Bearden's art pieces and let us inspire our poem. I've chosen Calm Sea (1987). My poem came out a bit depressing, but it's what came to my mind. It's purely a fictional piece.

The other prompt is dVerse's Haibun Monday 4-27-26: Silence. Frank invites us to write a haibun that alludes to silence in our poem. I chose to go with the silence that comes from insecurity and isolation.

[Romare Bearden, Calm Sea (1987)]

Not Like the Others

They stand around her in their bikinis and beautiful bodies, laughing and flirting with perfectly sculpted men while she sits on her beach chair under her umbrella, wishing she had sat somewhere else. She hides behind her floppy hat and dark shades. One of the hotties glance her way before quickly diverting his eyes. A tear forms behind her shades. She was once like them - before age and loss stole her vibrancy. She closes her eyes and blocks it all out - the laughter, the conversations, and the judgment. She tunes it all out until she feels that familiar feeling of being alone, even on a crowded beach.

broken shells on shore

unnoticed and unwanted

crumble into dust

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below:

#TankaTuesday

dVerse's Haibun Monday 4-27-26: Silence

March and April Japanese Micro Seasons Challenge - #haiku #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Earlier in the year, Colleen at #TankaTuesday introduced us to this year's Japanese micro seasons. As I've challenged myself to write a haiku a day, I've embraced these micro seasons. Below, I've shared my haikus for the weeks of March and April along with a few of my other haikus. I've bolded and italicized the kigo words for each week. Enjoy!

March 1-5

green grass sprouts, trees bud

hibernation comes to end

color comes alive

~~~

March 6-10

earth's hibernating

insects surface from their rest

spring has awakened

~~~

March 11-15

pretty pops of pink

first peach blossoms bloom to life

perfect promenade

~~~

March 16-20

silken threads curl 'round

cocoons hold caterpillars

become butterflies

~~~

March 21-25

sunny skies bring heat

trees, flowers start to flourish

sparrows start to nest

~~~

March 26-30

first cherry blossoms

pastel pinks and whites bring joy

long, romantic walks

~~~

March 31-April 4

distant thunder rolls

cumulous clouds cover sky

birds search for shelter

~~~

April 5-9

spring's return brings hope

a flock of swallows return

create breeding grounds

~~~

April 10-14

warmer temps welcomed

a flock of wild geese fly north

to find breeding grounds

~~~

April 15-19

rain mixed with sunshine

silver linings through the gloom

first rainbows shine bright

~~~

April 20-24

still swamp marsh waters

first reeds sprout through the thick mud

nature's resilience

~~~

April 25-29

sun rises in east

the last frost begins to melt

rice seedlings grow fast

~~~

April 20-May 4

peonies bloom in spring

splotches of color against

green, manicured lawns

~~~

Here are some other poems I wrote within these two months:

floating lily pads

mist hovers over calm lake

frog captures its lunch

~~~

a fallen palm frond

shriveled into crisp, brown curls

beautiful decay

~~~

seedling bursts open

desire to survive takes hold

moistened dirt gives way

~~~

wind caresses trees

leaves fall quietly to ground

only I notice

~~~

quiet, spring evening

two lovers sharing one swing

crickets serenade

~~~

lighthouse on the shore

bright stars on a cloudless night

candle in the dark

~~~

pollen in full bloom

bumblebees ingest heaven

Zyrtec sales increase

~~~

clouds release their tears

tree branches lift arms to catch

clouds smile at comfort

~~~

feathered wings spread wide

black crow flies in clear blue sky

wind provides freedom

~~~

little love kisses

the wind caresses still lake

waves of happiness

I hope you enjoyed my haikus. If you'd like to join me in writing about the Japanese micro seasons, click here.