Beth Camp's Blog, page 17

Call for Reviewers!

Yesterday, as I was working on final revisions on the very last chapter of Scattered Stones, I stopped, realizing that the story was finished! What a moment. Now the book is off to beta readers. I'm hoping in another month to have it ready to publish. Hooray! If you would like to be a member of my Advance Review Team, you can receive a free copy of Scattered Stones in exchange for your honest

Hot Rocks on Hawaii

We drove from Hilo, all the way down to the National Volcano Park, stopping to admire the lava fields along the way; in places, they stretched from the skyline, all the way to the ocean. I was intrigued by the signs of life, for even the darkest lava fields were spotted with new growth. I'm guessing delicate ferns aren't so delicate if they could survive here! I could trace great swirls on the

Visiting Pu’uhonua (A Place of Refuge)

Not quite recovered from jet lag, we ventured out to Pu’uhonua, the Royal Grounds, a kind of living history in the summer but quiet just now.  Here, we wandered past rich murals and attended a lecture that explained a little of Hawaii’s history and culture.Sometime between 1100 and 1400, the Hawaiian people came to these islands in boats from Polynesia and Tahiti. Between 1400-1600, the chiefs

On the road at the Big Island

 We survived the long plane ride (only some 7.5 hours, flight time to Kailua/Kona on the big island of Hawaii), the long lines for Covid protocols (skipped because I did homework before we left to get pre-cleared), and the time change (3 hours earlier). My body is not sure even now, one day after landing, whether we're 3 hours earlier or 3 hours later! But we do have two full weeks here before

IWSG: How do we write when change comes?

Welcome to the first Wednesday in March 2022. No question about it. This last week has led to many dismaying hours in front of the television. Yet, today, honors Insecure Writer's Support Group. Nearly 140 writers, including me, post our thoughts on our blogs to celebrate writing in some way -- maybe sharing doubts or concerns, maybe celebrating our writing achievements, or offering encouragement

Scattered Stones: A Hint of What's to Come . . .

You won't be surprised that I'm working on final revisions for Scattered Stones. This week, I'm inviting you to meet Rose.As Standing Stones ended, Dylan left Moira behind on Foulksay Island in March of 1842 to seek work in Inverness. Moira thought she might be pregnant, but she wasn't sure, so she said nothing. Despite his best efforts, Dylan couldn't find work on the mainland of Scotland,

Poems: Process and Challenge?

Is writing a poem so very different from writing a story or a novel?When I'm working on a story, I feel immersed in my characters' lives, their problems, hopes, and dreams. Outlines, scaffolding, drafting, and rounds of revision occur as the story slowly develops.When I write a poem, the whole process seems so different. I sink into a feeling, an image, perhaps a photograph -- or a poetry prompt

About Maps and a Bar . . .

Just checking in on Wednesday to give you an update of writing on the road. Truly, I can only say thank goodness for the internet!I didn't think I'd need a map to find my way around Edinburgh for Scattered Stones. After all, we had stayed in Old Town for about a month several years back. But as the story unfolds to final draft, that bar where Murphy holds court needed a specific location. The old

IWSG: Did it begin with a poem?

The first Wednesday of every month brings the Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG)'s writing challenge. Here is our opportunity -- as writers -- to share our thoughts, struggles, and dreams, perhaps to encourage ourselves as much as we wish to encourage others!ISWG's question this month is a doozy and took me way back: Is there someone who supported or influenced you that perhaps isn't around

Author Interview Part 2: Shannon Alexander

Today is Launch Day for Shannon Alexander's new book, The Business of Short Stories: Writing, Submitting, Publishing, Marketing. Thank you, Shannon Alexander, for talking with us about how you came to write short stories, and for your advice on how to write a short story!Whatinspires you to write a short story? How do you tend to begin writing a shortstory? With characters? A setting? A problem