Yolanda Sfetsos's Blog, page 17

January 29, 2024

HER HEART BEATS FOR ANCIENT BEASTS by Calvin Demmer

Ancient beings, merciless monsters, unearthly creatures, and other beasts roam these pages.

A short story collection.


When the author of this short story collection reached out, I was excited about reading his latest selection of short stories because I've enjoyed the other ones Calvin has released.
Here are my thoughts on each story...
HIGHWAY HUNGER: I really enjoyed this one. There's some great imagery and Dudley Ellington is a flawed but likeable main character.
NEVER SLEEP AGAIN: Reginald Barton...
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Published on January 29, 2024 03:44

January 25, 2024

This Novel is Done!

Hey, how are you today?

Well, this week I got stuck into the final read-thru of my current revision. That means I sat down with my Paperwhite and read the story from start to finish.

This is when any weird sentences or repeated words stand out. Also, awkward phrasing and any excess. During this part of the revision process, I focus on all the nitty-gritty details. I added some words, then cut a bunch more. I also made all the changes on the Word doc after finishing each chapter.

Technically, I reac...

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Published on January 25, 2024 07:59

January 19, 2024

More Revision & Some Editing!

Hey! How are you today? It's been a SUPER busy week, and it's left me feeling mentally exhausted. To be honest, the shitty weather didn't help. 😫

I'm SO glad the weekend is finally here!

Anyway, my goal for this week was to get through the third draft of the unhinged/wild novel I'm currently revising. So, I got stuck into it on Monday afternoon and ended up reaching the end by Wednesday night. Yay! It always feels good to reach this point because it means the story is almost done. There's only one...

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Published on January 19, 2024 23:03

January 12, 2024

Revision Time!

Hey! How are you today? I hope you all had a lovely new year! 😊

Although January always moves very slowly and my brain hasn't fully grasped that the lazy festive season is done, I decided to get stuck into my first writing project of 2024: the second draft of the novel I wrote back in November.

This is to kick-start my writing goals for this year, and to make sure that I continue to stick to my plan of staying on top of my finished first drafts. I did very well last year and revised the stories I ...

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Published on January 12, 2024 01:02

January 5, 2024

First 2024 Reads: Two Short Stories by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The Lover The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wanted to start the year with something quick and sharp, and this story definitely did the trick.

Judith longs to be free and escapes to a small shack in the woods whenever she can. Still, she can't escape all the chores and responsibilities that her prettier older sister, Alice, makes her do. Not until she really opens her eyes...

Wow, I loved this deliciously wicked fairy tale!

It's a little Red Riding Hood, a bit Cinderella, with a good...
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Published on January 05, 2024 01:15

January 2, 2024

Some Kind of Goals

HAPPY NEW YEAR! ☺️🎉
The beginning of January always feels like a clean slate. A time to make personal plans and goals. A chance to get stuck into new things or continue doing the familiar, but with a new twist.

So, it's time for me to post my 2024 Goals.

I don't like to make New Year resolutions because I never stick to them. But I do put together a goals list because there are always things I want to accomplish.

This is everything I'd like to achieve/continue to do this year:

Go for long daily walks...
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Published on January 02, 2024 01:15

December 31, 2023

Books Read in 2023

IN AN ABSENT DREAM(Wayward Children #4):Seanan McGuire
JUICE LIKE WOUNDS(Wayward Children #4.5):Sean McGuire
THE TOLL HOUSE:Carly Reagon
THE LITTLE WITCH:M. Rickert
THE COLOUR OF EVIL:Sarah Jane Huntington
BAD DOLLS:Rachel Harrison
ALL THE LIVING AND THE DEAD:Hayley Campbell
EMILY WILDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FARIES: (DNF)Heather Fawcett
WASPS IN THE ICE CREAM:Tim McGregor
SAGA #61:Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples
SUFFER THE DARKNESS:Yolanda Sfetsos
LOVE, PAMELA:Pamela Anderson
THE GOONIES:James Kahn
THIS IS WHE...
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Published on December 31, 2023 03:01

December 30, 2023

Cover Reveal & Pre-order!

That's right!

The cover for my upcoming gothic horror novella was revealed today by DarkLit Press.

Check it out:


Isn't it beautiful?It was made by SaberCore Art Studio, who is an amazing artist.Also, this cover fits the story perfectly. I absolutely LOVE it.
So, what's the story about?
Here's the synopsis:
When Thera inherits a house on the cliff from her estranged aunt, her husband suggests they spend a week on the coast to sort through her family's belongings. But Hector has ulterior motives and hop...
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Published on December 30, 2023 01:50

December 26, 2023

2023 Goals

Well, we've almost reached the end of 2023, so I suppose it's time to chat about my goals.

This year turned out to be packed full of stuff. My husband became a bus driver, which flipped our routine. I managed to get my writing back on track after spending so much of the last few years revising, which is fantastic. And sadly, we lost our beloved 16-year-old Loki, which broke our hearts. It's been nine months, but we still miss him every single day.
Loki was more than a cat. He was family. He was th...
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Published on December 26, 2023 22:00

December 23, 2023

A little festive treat!

Well, it's Christmas Eve and I thought it would be nice to post a free short story on my website.

Curse to the World is a freaky 2k shortie about an elf tasked with a shitty job. 

I hope you enjoy Bow's Christmas tale.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas & I hope you all have a good one! 🎄🖤🦌


READ THE FREEBIE HERE...

 

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Published on December 23, 2023 15:00