End of the Year Reflections/2024 Books Read #2024ReadingChallenge #RRBC #bookstoread #readingcommunity #writingcommunity #poetrycommunity #TankaTuesday #greatreads #awardwinning @YvetteMCalleiro @YvetteMCalleiro.bsky.social

Hello, beautiful readers! As 2024 comes to an end, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this year's writing journey. As most of you know, I live a very busy life. Besides my full-time teaching job, I also work a part-time job, attend regular appointments to manage my mental and physical health, and make time to spend with family and friends. So, it's a wonder that I get much done in my 'free time.' 

I had every intention of publishing The One Redeemed (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 6) this year, and while that did not happen, I did finish writing the book! I take that as a win because it's taken me forever to write that book. The editing and revising is taking a bit longer than I expected, but I will not rush the process simply to publish it on my self-appointed schedule. I'm sure I'll publish it in 2025, so get ready for that series finale! If you enjoy paranormal, young adult stories and haven't read the series, I would recommend you start with my short story, The One Chosen. To find the entire series, click here.

Though I did not publish Drake's book, I did publish two short stories: Karma Doesn't Kill and A Christmas Homecoming: A Short Story. 

Karma Doesn't Kill holds a special place in my heart because it was inspired by a tragedy that happened to someone I care deeply about. It's a cautionary tale that focuses on actions having consequences. 

The idea of A Christmas Homecoming came to me quickly, and I ran with it. I wanted to write a story that highlighted a bit of my culture while also shining a light on adoption. So far, it has been well-received, and that makes my heart happy!

I received a few awards/honors this year for my writing. Karma Doesn't Kill won both the RRBC KCT International Literary Award at the beginning of the year and the RRBC 90-Day Alpha/Omega "Beginning-to-End" Short Story Writing Contest at the end of the year. It also received a five star review from Readers Favorite. My short story, The One Chosen: A Diasodz Short Story, came in second place for the '24 Nonnie Jules "Supreme" Book Award. 

I continue to actively blog. This year, I posted a bit over 60 blog posts. I also continue to revise and edit the works of my critique partners. I get great joy in helping others with their works-in-progress and am eternally grateful for their help with my stories. 

I also continue to be a part of two online groups/families that bring me great joy: Rave Reviews Book Club and #TankaTuesday. I have been a member of #RRBC since 2014, and I love being able to connect with other authors who are as passionate about writing, reading, growing our craft, supporting other authors, and creating a community of celebrating stories. 

I have been a part of #TankaTuesday for the past two years, and I love the community of poets who come together every week to share their poems and support one another. These two groups have fed my love of writing and learning, and I am truly grateful for them.

I am also an avid reader, and I am happy I surpassed my books-to-read goal for this year. Honestly, I don't know how I managed to read so many books, but I always enjoy escaping into the worlds others create.  Here is my 2024 list of books:

I really enjoyed almost all the books I read this year. To see the ones I would recommend, check out my book reviews here. It would be hard to pick my top five because the stories are all so different. If I had to, I'd probably pick: 

Lover Arisen/Lover Unveiled (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series) : I have been reading this series for about fourteen years. I absolutely LOVE long series, and this one is at the top because the author is still writing books. Plus, Passionflix is now creating a TV series on it. They just wrapped up season one, which will be aired in Summer 2025. If you love strong, sexy vampires who are incomplete without their females, then I highly recommend this series.

Harbor Pointe Series: All eight books in this series were fantastic. Each book is written by a different author, but they all follow the same theme. They have a paranormal flair to them, which is right up my alley!

Terra's Anthem: Tetrasphere - Book 4 (Tetrasphere Series): This is the culminating book of the series, and I love how it was wrapped up. Another paranormal series, this story mixes in real places in the world with mythology and mysticism. I absolutely loved it. (Plus, I happen to know we will see these characters again.😉)

That Darkest Place: Riverbend Book 3 (Riverbend Series): I absolutely loved this series! It is not paranormal, but that didn't matter. Each book pulled at my heart strings and made me fall in love with the broken characters. I highly recommend it!

Cherries: A Vietnam War Novel: It's the only stand-alone book on my top five list. It was extremely powerful in its retelling of the author's experiences in the Vietnam War, and I think everyone should read it.

All in all, 2024 was a productive year for me as a writer. My muse and I seem to be communicating again, and I look forward to what 2025 brings. Thank you to each of you who have been a part of this journey with me. I appreciate your support and encouragement more than you know!

May you have a wonderful new year celebration, and may 2025 bring you love, laughter, and new stories to read! :-)