Welcome to Day 5 of #RRBC’S ’20 WC&BE SPONSORS BLOG TOUR! @RRBC_Org @ RRBC_RWISA @Tweets4RWISA @YvetteMCalleiro

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Welcome to day five of RRBC’S 2020 WC&BE SPONSORS BLOG TOUR!  Each year, the wonderful members of the club donate to this event to ensure that we are able to offer our $100 Amazon Gift Card Gift Basket raffle and we want to show them just how much we appreciate their kindness and generosity.

Giveaway

Leave a comment below to ensure that you have a chance at winning a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Welcome

Today, I am delighted to welcome talented author Yvette M. Calleiro to Roberta Writes to tell us about her short story, Breathless, A Short Story.

Writing short stories by Yvette M. Calleiro

For those of you who haven’t read Breathless- A Short Story yet, this is my first short story ever written, and I’m quite happy with how it turned out. I wrote it as a personal challenge for the 2020 #RRBC 90-Day Alpha/Omega Short Story Writing Contest. 

Writing short stories is not easy. You may be shaking your head and thinking it must be easier than writing a 75,000+ word story, but I would disagree. You see, there is this tiny little word that taunts and traumatizes me, and that word is short. Short stories must be short, and as a fantasy writer, I was used to quite the opposite.

Short stories are shackled to such a small word count that a reader can almost begin and end the story in the ads that interrupt YouTube videos. (Okay, I’m exaggerating just a tad, but not by much.) They don’t leave much room for backstories and subplots or multiple characters and their subplots. Word choice must be scrutinized and dissected to make sure that each word is worthy of the count it adds to the overall story. It’s pure torture, I tell ya!

Luckily, I survived the process. Some may even say I thrived, but let’s not get carried away. The truth is I cheated (shhh… don’t tell anybody). This short story isn’t a standalone story. It’s just the beginning of a journey for one of the characters. And once you read it, you will be thanking me for wanting to write a full-length novel for him. 😉

So, without further ado, here is Breathless, A Short Story:

What if the fairy tale kiss that always awakens the damsel in distress takes a sinister turn? What if prince charming’s kiss no longer produces a happily ever after?

Silena’s infatuation with William hits a speed bump when he rejects her. After all, she is just a maid, and he is a young, rich aristocrat in the 1920s. Why would he have any desire to waste his time with the help?

On one particularly lonely day, Silena calls upon her magic to transform into a sexy flapper for the night. Her dream to enjoy one night with William is finally in her grasp, but her magic comes with consequences that neither William nor Silena could ever imagine.

BONUS! This short story is followed by a preview of a book written by the author.

Purchase Breathless, A Short Story by Yvette M. Calleiro

Amazon US

Yvette M. Calleiro Amazon Page

About Yvette M. Calleiro

Yvette M. Calleiro is a heavily addicted reader of both young adult and adult novels. She spends most of her time pseudo-living in paranormal worlds with her fictional friends (and boyfriends). She’s also been known to ride the stationary bike at her gym for hours while reading anything from paranormal to fantasy to suspenseful thrillers.

When she’s living among real people, Yvette M. Calleiro is a middle school reading and language arts teacher. She’s been sharing her love of literature with her students for over twenty years. Besides writing about the various characters that whisper (and sometimes scream) in her head, she enjoys traveling, watching movies, spending quality time with family and friends, and enjoying the beauty of the ocean.

Yvette lives in Miami, Florida, with her beautiful son who enjoys paranormal and adventurous stories as well. She also shares her space with an assortment of crazy saltwater animals in her 300-gallon tank.

Find Yvette M. Calleiro

Twitter: https://twitter.com/YvetteMCalleiro 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/yvettemcalleiro 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yvettemcalleiro/

Thank you for supporting the books and authors along the RRBC ’20 WC&BE SPONSORS BLOG TOUR!  These authors are generous in their support of others so we want to show our support of them in return.  You may follow along each day of the tour by visiting the tour’s home page.  Be sure to leave a comment below to ensure that you have a chance at winning a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

Published

68 thoughts on “Welcome to Day 5 of #RRBC’S ’20 WC&BE SPONSORS BLOG TOUR! @RRBC_Org @ RRBC_RWISA @Tweets4RWISA @YvetteMCalleiro”

  1. Yes, I agree with the author, writing short stories are immensely difficult. So to receive such a delightful review of a short fantasy story is a wonderful compliment—congratulations.

    Liked by 4 people

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    1. Hi Danny, thank you for adding your thoughts and experiences. Some of my short stories have just evolved into much longer pieces because the topic and genre just doesn’t lend itself to a short story. Writing good short stories is definitely a talent of its own and not something everyone can be good at.

      Liked by 3 people

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      1. I read about– ‘Chekhov’s gun’ many years ago and it is still true all the years after he wrote about it. I tried to follow his reasoning with both my novellas although with the last one to go into the Audiobook stage I have left the possibility of a sequel if I want it.

        Liked by 1 person

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  2. I was particuarly interested in Yvette’s comments about writing short stories, as the short story has been my go-to genre. As she notes, fantasy with it world-building and multiple characters isn’t well-suited to the short story form! It’s always been an interesting question, the form that a particular experience should take.

    Liked by 5 people

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    1. Hi Liz, you and Yvette are exactly right, the length of a story is often dictated by its complexity and characterization. A Ghost and His Gold started life as a short story, but it just didn’t work, there was to many characters and to much complexity. My new WIP The Soldier and the Radium Girl was also initially intended to be a short story. Sometimes the stories just grow and grow and you know that they’ve taken on a life of their own,

      Liked by 4 people

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        1. It is interesting that you think that, Liz. I think the opposite. I think modern readers are strapped for time and like to be able to read an entire story in one sitting. I often read short stories when I am very busy at work for this reason. My brain is so busy I can lose the thread of a long and complex novel.

          Liked by 3 people

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          1. It was just the sense I’d gotten seeing that most of what’s written about/discussed on social media are novels. And the conventional wisdom that short story collections don’t sell. I’m glad to hear that there is still a place for short story!

            Liked by 1 person

          4. Hi Liz, my son, Greg, is working so hard it is a bit disconcerting. He is a high achiever, but these kids also need a life. He has had so many projects over this three week ‘holiday’ he might as well have not had one. The funny thing is that the articled clerks that come to my firm don’t have a solid foundation in the concepts of accounting at all. Their writing skills are also sadly lacking. Such a big push but it seems to yield less. Just my observations, of course.

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          1. I think the best advice I’ve heard in that regard is to write what we want to write, and if it’s done well, it will find its audience (with the right marketing and promotion, of course).

            Liked by 1 person

  3. Congratulations to Yvette for writing her first story. After reading, “One Awakened,” the final book in her “Chronicles of the Diasodz,” I was enthralled with her rich with world-building and unforgettable, complex characters. I agree with Yvette that it would be harder to write a short story because you have a shorter format to write a story that resonates with readers. The excerpt for “Breathless” intrigues me and I’ve downloaded it. Thank you, Robbie, for sharing the post as part of the WC&BE SPONSORS BLOG TOUR.

    Liked by 3 people

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    1. Hi Linnea, thank you for visiting and sharing your thoughts. I have read the first book in Yvette’s Diasodz series and enjoyed it very much. I agree that short stories and novels require a different writing approach. Have a lovely day.

      Liked by 3 people

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  4. Robbie, your blog showcases Yvette so nicely. Thank you for hosting.

    Yvette, I hope you enjoy writing these enough to do one or two a year. A delight, and your books are also intriguing.

    Liked by 3 people

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    1. Oh, the pressure! Lol! I’ve got a full-length novel coming out later this year (contemporary fiction). I’m hoping to write a short story next, and then I really need to get focused on book six in my series. I did enjoy writing the short story, though, so I may keep trying it. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

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  6. Yvette, Breathless was a great short story, the ending, one that I would never have guessed. It left me with my jaw dropping to my chest. Get with those characters in your head and find a couple who will talk you through more of these great short reads. Good luck with the rest of your tour.

    Robbie, thank you for hosting Yvette and for sharing your insight with Liz. You are both correct in your thoughts.

    Liked by 2 people

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  7. Hi Yvette, Hi Robbie,
    Yvette, it is so lovely seeing you on Robbie‘s blog. I agree with you totally. Writing a short story or flash fiction is not easy to write. But I love writing them because they challenge you to be very specific in your choice of words.

    Robbie, thank you so much for hosting Yvette on your blog.

    Wishing you both all the best.

    Shalom aleichem

    Liked by 2 people

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  8. Hi, Robbie. It’s nice to see Yvette on your blog!

    I’ve read “Breathless.” It’s a good story, and I truly enjoyed it. I didn’t realize it was your first short story, Yvette. You may have found a new calling!

    Have a lovely weekend, ladies.

    Liked by 2 people

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    2. Aw, thanks, Phil! I was hesitant to read short stories as well. I’m used to reading series with 15+ novels in them, so I a definitely a fan of the never-ending stories. Lol! I read a few shorts that almost deterred me from the genre before I found a few authors who were gifted with luring me in and immersing me in their quick read. Hopefully, you find my story in the latter group. Lol! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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  15. Yvette, I hope you’ve enjoyed a splendid day along the tour and have garnered new readers for your work! So excited for your RRBC 90-Day Alpha / Omega short that’s coming soon! Good luck to you and all the amazing other entrants who will surely put forth some of the greatest shorts we’ve seen yet! Breathless is inching it’s way up my TBR list!

    Robbie, as always, thanks for being an amazing host!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  16. I agree with Yvette about writing a short story with 7500 words or less. I’ve read several well written short stories and realized it’s not an easy task. I’ve just downloaded Breathless, Yvette. Congratulations being spotlighted. Thank you, Robbie. 😊

    Liked by 2 people

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  17. Hi Yvette. I am so sorry I missed your stop. Too much going on including computer issues. I haven’t read Breathless yet but its definitely going to happen as I’m a big fan of your writing. Keep up the writing.

    Robbie, thanks for sharing. You are so supportive.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

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