Danger on the Commode - #FFFC #senryu #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I hope those of you who celebrate had a wonderful Christmas. I enjoyed spending time with my family. My parents came into town, and I treasure the moments I get to spend with them.

Today, I'm participating in Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction challenge. My mind went toward a bit a dark humor when I saw the photo. I just couldn't help myself. I hope you enjoy my senryu.

(image courtesy of cottonbro studio)

toxic expulsion

last night's meal did not sit well

everyone steer clear

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

Family Christmas - #TankaTuesday #Christmas #bussokusekika #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! And happy holidays to you all! Tonight is Noche Buena for my family. It means the good night in Spanish, and it is our tradition to celebrate Christmas with the whole family on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is for the immediate family and children. So, tonight, my son and I will join my parents at my sister's house. We celebrate with traditionally Hispanic foods: churrasco (skirt steak), rice, beans, yucca, and plantains. We will play board games and enjoy each other's company throughout the night. However you enjoy your holiday, I wish you a space filled with love and laughter.

Today, I am participating in the #TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge. Robbie invites us to write a poem about how we celebrate the holidays and incorporate the senses into the poem. I chose to write a bussokusekika, which consists of six lines with a syllabication pattern of 5-7-5-7-7-7.

(pictures from last year's Noche Buena)

Family Christmas

uncontrolled laughter

grilled, sizzling churrasco

lit balsam candle

furry Santa hat on head

holiday celebrations

fond memories made with love

Would you like to write a poem about your holiday celebration? Join us here.

The One Redeemed Blog Tour - Stop Five @PTLPerrin #writingcommunity #newrelease #Diasodz #paranormal #fantasy @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today is day five of The One Redeemed's blog tour. I started this blog tour with one of my fabulous critique partners and am so grateful to end this tour with my other amazing critique partner, PTL Perrin. Patty is such a talented author, especially in the fantasy realm. I have read every book she's ever written and have loved them all!

Before you check out her post, I'd like to share one of book one of her newest fantasy series with you. Click on the book cover or title for the link.

Link for the blog tour is at the end.

Sanctum: Dragon Guild Book 1

by PTL Perrin

My 5-Star Review:

I loved this story! I first met Gabri, the main character, as a baby in the Tetrasphere series, where she and her mother helped save Terra, their planet, from exploding. This series begins when Gabri is almost sixteen, making this a completely new story. Some of the characters from the Tetrasphere series are in this story, but the focus of the story is Gabri. She begins having nightmarish visions of a shadow that calls her world destroyer. At first, she's transported through her dreams to the Shadow's world, but he then kidnaps her, locks her in a tower, and mutes her powers to communicate with her family.

Luckily, Gabri is rescued by others who live on the planet called Sanctum. While her family desperately searches for a way to locate her, Gabri is introduced to a completely new world, one in which she bonds with a dragon and an Aracai. Sanctum's time runs twice as fast as Terra's, and before she knows it, Gabri is bonding with more than just her bondmates. Unfortunately, the Shadow is not done with her, and danger finds her again.

This book is fantastic! The author is a queen of imagery and creating characters that are unique and well-developed. And I absolutely LOVE the dragons! I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who enjoys colorful worlds, dragons, magical powers, and great storytelling. :-)

The One Redeemed

Blog Tour Schedule

• 12/10 - D.L. Finn
• 12/11 - Colleen M. Chesebro
• 12/16 - Robbie Cheadle
• 12/18 - Jules Paige
• 12/22 - PTL Perrin

The One Redeemed Blog Tour - Bonus Stop @sgc58 #writingcommunity #newrelease #Diasodz #paranormal #fantasy @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Although this is technically not a part of my blog tour, Sally Cronin has been kind enough to share The One Redeemed on her site today. I do not know anyone who is more supportive or more dedicated to promoting other authors. She's amazing, and I'm so grateful for her.

Sally is both an author and a poet. She's written nonfiction and fiction. She is also an avid blogger who focuses on promoting authors as well as sharing humor, music, nutrition, and so much more! You can visit her blog here. I highly recommend you subscribe.

Before you check out her post at this link, I'd like to share one of her books with you. She also shares chapters of her older books on her blog, so visit it and enjoy her writing. Click on the book cover or title for the link.

Links for the actual blog tour is at the end.

Life is Like a Mosaic: Random Fragments in Harmony

by Sally Cronin

My 5-Star Review:

I absolutely loved this collection of poems. Not only was each poem accompanied by a stunning picture, it was also written to reach into the soul and permeate slowly. Many of the poems are written in syllabic poetry forms such as the butterfly cinquain and the Etheree. The poet is concise with her words while choosing powerful imagery to stir emotions and connection.

Some of my favorite poems were Our Legacy, Advancing Years, Sunflower Seeds, The Air, The Beacon, Hope, On the Wind, Birthdays, Is it time?, The Sunflower poems, The Future?, Life's Progression... Honestly, I could list them all. Some are layered with humor; others touch upon profound concepts that make one pause and ponder. All of them are beautiful works of art. If you enjoy poetry that makes your soul smile, I definitely recommend this book.

The One Redeemed

Blog Tour Schedule

• 12/10 - D.L. Finn
• 12/11 - Colleen M. Chesebro
• 12/16 - Robbie Cheadle
• 12/18 - Jules Paige
• 12/22 - PTL Perrin

The One Redeemed Blog Tour - Stop Four #JulesPaige #writingcommunity #newrelease #Diasodz #paranormal #fantasy @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today is day four of The One Redeemed's blog tour. Jules Paige has honored me with hosting me on her blog today. She is a wonderful poet and a supportive blogger. I met her through our online poetry community and am so happy that I did. 

Before you check out her post, I'd like to share one of the poetry books that contain some of her beautiful poetry. If you haven't read poetry yet, I encourage you to do so! You can visit her blog here to read more of them. Click on the book cover or title for the link.

Link for the blog tour is at the end.

Sunflower Tanka: An Anthology of Tanka, Tanka Prose, & Experimental Tanka

by Colleen M Chesebro, Robbie Cheadle, and multiple contributors (including Jules Paige)

My 5-Star Review:

This anthology of poetry is so beautiful! From the cover to the words within, everything exudes light and hope. The book is comprised of works from poets across the world, bringing together different perspectives from different cultures. It is organized by the poet's name, so you are able to read the poems from one poet at a time. The beginning explains why the two editors, Robbie Cheadle and Colleen Chesebro, chose this theme and the tanka variations for the anthology. They also highlighted one poem from each type of tanka poem, and I was honored to see one of my poems listed there. At the end, there are links for the readers to find more works from the poets, which I found to be a nice touch.

I had SO many favorites. Many poems made my heart feel lighter. I found myself smiling, reflecting, and connecting throughout the entire book. Some of the poets whose words I really connect with are Melissa Davilio, Tamiko Dooley, Chris Hall, Marsha Ingrao, Jules Paige, Brenda Marie, Selma Martin, Michelle Ayon Navajas, D. Wallace Peach, Gwen M. Plano, Jennifer Russo, Reena Saxena, and Nicole Smith. Like I said, I loved all the poetry in this book.

As it's an annual anthology, I look forward to reading the next edition. If you enjoy reading poetry and finding moments to sit in reflection and gratitude, I highly recommend this book!

The One Redeemed

Blog Tour Schedule

• 12/10 - D.L. Finn
• 12/11 - Colleen M. Chesebro
• 12/16 - Robbie Cheadle
• 12/18 - Jules Paige
• 12/22 - PTL Perrin

The One Redeemed Blog Tour - Stop Three @robbiecheadle.bsky.social #writingcommunity #newrelease #Diasodz #paranormal #fantasy @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today is day three of The One Redeemed's blog tour. Robbie Cheadle has graciously agreed to host me on her wonderful blog today. She is a woman of many talents. She is an author and a poet as well as an artist and an extremely talented baker. 

Before you check out her post, I'd like to share one of her many books with you. If you haven't read her stories or poetry yet, I encourage you to do so! Click on the book cover or title for the link.

Link for the blog tour is at the end.

Something Fancy: A Winter Wonderland and Celebration Book One

by Robbie Cheadle

Here is a 5-Star Review by author Pete Springer:

I have followed multi-talented author Robbie Cheadle's blog for several years now, and she never ceases to amaze me. This short but lovely holiday book is a conglomeration of Cheadle's varied talents. While a large part of the book features many recipes and the author's amazing gingerbread houses, pies, and cake decorations, specializing in her fondant characters, there is a sprinkling of so much more. Embedded links to YouTube videos are included throughout her recipes and descriptions providing step-by-step visual aids.

I already knew that Cheadle had an interest in history, so I wasn't surprised when several of her descriptions gave the historical context of the origins of some of the holiday traditions many of us follow. Her recipes are clear and easy to follow, though like any good cook/baker, she enjoys tweaking the recipes through experimentation. Another talent Cheadle possesses is her creative poetry, which she sporadically includes throughout.

I particularly was fascinated by her creative construction in her edible gingerbread houses. She skillfully uses icing bags to hold many of the parts together which she demonstrates in videos with her son, Michael. Cheadle and her son have created several fondant characters that they include in their sweet Sir Chocolate rhyming book series.

The One Redeemed

Blog Tour Schedule

• 12/10 - D.L. Finn
• 12/11 - Colleen M. Chesebro
• 12/16 - Robbie Cheadle
• 12/18 - Jules Paige
• 12/22 - PTL Perrin

Holiday Stress - #WDYS #tanka #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! For those of you who don't know, my newest release is having a book blog tour. It started last week and will continue next week. If you'd like to check out my newest book, click here.

After returning from the beach today, I took some time to write a poem for Sadje's What Do You See? prompt. I'm quite happy that I don't experience the weather in the photo. I'm not built for cold. Lol! If you've seen my #TankaTuesday post for this week, you know that I am not a fan of gift giving, but this photo just took me in that direction. I decided to write a tanka for this photo.

(Image credit; Deep Doshi @ Unsplash)

stressful holidays

halls decked with winter magic

hustle and bustle

rush to buy last minute gifts

joy on children's face...worth it!

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

The One Redeemed Blog Tour - Stop Two @colleenchesebro.bsky.social #writingcommunity #newrelease #Diasodz #paranormal #fantasy @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today is day two of The One Redeemed's blog tour. I am honored that Colleen M. Chesebro, a beautiful author and poet, is sharing her space with me today. Colleen opened a world of syllabic poetry to me. Because of her, I gained an online community of poets.

Before you check out her post, I'd like to share one of her many books with you. If you haven't read her stories or poetry yet, this is a great one to read! Click on the book cover or title for the link.

Link for the blog tour is at the end.

Fairies, Myths, & Magic II: A Winter Celebration

by Colleen M. Chesebro

Here is my review:

I loved the first edition of this book, which focused on the summer solstice, so I was excited about reading this edition that focuses on the winter solstice! It did not disappoint! The author begins by explaining the various yuletide myths through the centuries around the world. Then, she breaks the book into different sections to dive deeper into each of the myths. Each section contains short stories and poetry that reflect upon that myth.

The author shares the research she conducted to make sure her stories were historically founded. It's incredible how many myths were created around Yuletide in cultures around the world. It was also surprising for me to see how many cultures included stories about females within their myths.

I love this author's poetry. She is gifted in capturing the essence of an idea in so few words, especially in her short stories. I loved losing myself in stories about fairies, goddesses, and the fae. While our generation tends to see these as mythical creatures, there was a time when people believed them to be very real.

I also loved that the author included a section at the end about crystals and how to use them (and other Yuletide symbols) to enhance your Yuletide celebrations. If you enjoy poetry and short stories or if you like learning about myths surrounding the holidays, I would definitely recommend this book.

The One Redeemed

Blog Tour Schedule

• 12/10 - D.L. Finn
• 12/11 - Colleen M. Chesebro
• 12/16 - Robbie Cheadle
• 12/18 - Jules Paige
• 12/22 - PTL Perrin

The One Redeemed Blog Tour - Stop One @DLFinnAuthor #writingcommunity #newrelease #Diasodz #paranormal #fantasy @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today is the first day of The One Redeemed's blog tour. I am thrilled that my fellow critique partner, D.L. Finn, has kindly offered to start off our tour. She has been so helpful in bringing this story to life, and I appreciate and value her. Before you check out her post, I'd like to share one of her many books with you. If you haven't read her stories yet, this is a great one to read! Click on the book cover or title for the link.

The link for the blog tour is at the end.

Miracles & Ghosts Past: A Christmas Collection Two

by D.L. Finn

My 5-Star Review:

This was such a wonderful collection of holiday short stories. D.L. Finn never disappoints with her ability to weave heartbreak with holiday miracles. I read her first collection of holiday short stories and loved them, and this collection was just as great. I don't tend to enjoy historical fiction, but this author finds a way to make me love every story no matter which decade they take place in. From ghosts saving their loved ones from tragedy to heartfelt kindness of strangers, these stories tugged at my heart strings. If you enjoy holiday stories with a paranormal twist, you will love each of these! :-)

The One Redeemed

Blog Tour Schedule

• 12/10 - D.L. Finn
• 12/11 - Colleen M. Chesebro
• 12/16 - Robbie Cheadle
• 12/18 - Jules Paige
• 12/22 - PTL Perrin

My Most Precious Gift - #TankaTuesday #tanka #poem #gift #poetrycommunity #poetry @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Today, I am hosting the #TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge. The prompt focuses on the word gift. As you can read over at the #TankaTuesday site, I am not a fan of gift giving or receiving. For most of my adult life, it has caused me anxiety. Instead, I prefer creating an experience where the giver and receiver create memories together. Luckily, my friends and my families love me enough to accept this modification.

The prompt asks for poets to write a poem using either the noun or verb version of gift. I chose to go with the noun version and wrote a tanka.

 

my heart swells with love

from a babe to adulthood

my most precious gift

my caterpillar now flies

sharing his kindness with all

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

The One Redeemed Cover Reveal and Blog Tour #Diasodz #TheOneRedeemed #BlogTour #BookCover #redemption #newrelease @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I am so happy to share with you all that The One Redeemed has a release date: December 16th! It has taken me eight years to finally finish this story, and I'm really happy with it. Let's start with the book cover. Staying true to the series, the cover focuses on Drake's eye and one of his powers - controlling lava. As this is his redemption story, the new moon felt perfect for this book.

Book Blurb:

Drake had been an agent for chaos, a tyrant who focused only on his desires, even when they hurt those he claimed to love the most. Would dying to protect his daughter redeem him? Or would he spend an eternity reliving his biggest regrets?

Electrifying pain coursed through Drake’s veins as he sacrificed his life to save his daughter. When he becomes conscious again, reality sets in. He is dead. While he is overcome with grief, his mortal enemy, Goddess, offers him a path to redemption. In order to find his way back to his children, he must first revisit his past and atone for his choices. The journey will be brutal, and his outcome is not guaranteed.

Failure is not an option for Drake. He will do anything to get back to his children to make amends for his actions, even if it means sacrificing himself all over again.

To celebrate the release of this book, some of my favorite bloggers have agreed to participate in my blog tour. I hope you will join us on this tour! More details to come soon! :-)

Façade- #FFFC #Abhanga #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Another busy week for me. I've been working on my book tour that will begin this week (I think...lol!). I'm still putting the final touches on it. So, this is my first time to sit and look at the awesome writing prompts this week. 

I've chosen to go with Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge. She provided the beautiful picture below as inspiration. While the vines are gorgeous, the dark indoors pulled my attention. I wrote an Abhanga, which is a poem of four lines with a syllabication package of 6-6-6-4.

(image courtesy of Jon Tyson)

Façade

surrounded by beauty

to hide the hurt within

survival is the goal

do it in style

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