Beth Camp Historical Fiction

Wednesday, December 05, 2018

IWSG: December end-of-year musings . . .

Each month, the Insecure Writer's Support Group asks us to share where we are right now, our celebrations and our doubts.

Tomorrow is my birthday, a good time for looking forward and looking back. Tomorrow I will be 75. Who ever thought I would live this long? I always believed tall people lived short lives.

I'm grateful for each day, recognizing I have a little less stamina, but knowing I'm still stubborn enough to work toward my goals (I blame Viking blood). And I'm always grateful that some 45 years ago, I met the man who brightens each day, and who is the reason I have a daughter close to my heart, an amazing son-in-law, and two granddaughters nearby.

Since retiring a decade ago, I've become an indie author, written 3 historical fiction novels, and am knee-deep in a new genre, contemporary romantic suspense with a historical back story (15th Century). Maybe The Seventh Tapestry will take us back to France and Scotland. But, how many more stories can I write? Should I write that family history/memoir that will tell stories I don't want to share?

Celebrations? No chocolate cake, please! Last month, I did take the plunge and forked out $$$ for a BookBub ad for Standing Stones, sweating until sales covered the cost. Did I say I'm a frugal indie writer? Gained possibly 25K new readers, and thankfully added +30 new reviews. Got wonderful comments on Rivers of Stone from Writer's Digest's  25th Annual Self-Published Book Awards. Rejoined The Internet Writer's Support Group and am slowly critting other's wips and subbing that first draft of  The Seventh Tapestry.

So if you critique other drafts, know that your efforts to consider quality of writing, storyline arcs, conflict, authentic and empathetic characters, underlying theme, setting, reader involvement, etc., etc., are ALL appreciated. Truly. So, today, I celebrate the act of writing, the community that writing creates between writers, and between writers and readers. And I wish you many more stories to tell.

IWSG's December question asks: "What are five objects we'd find in your writing space?"  Even in this new apartment, with boxes not entirely unpacked, I can celebrate:
1. A peaceful view out the window, currently of sun-splashed pine trees tipped with frost at about 25 F.
2. A pot of African violets blooming next to the printer, despite the cold.
3. Always my computer/work station, ready to go.
4. Books mostly tidy in bookshelves, ready to be read and reread, organized by topic and interest, books I can't quite part with despite my efforts to downsize or reliance on Kindle for bigger print.
5. Quilting projects ready to pick up when inspiration stalls, for the sewing itself, by hand or machine, leads me to reflection.

Snowman with hat and granddaughters

Thank you to co-hosts for this December 5 posting of the IWSG:  J.H. Moncrieff, Tonja Drecker , Patsy Collins, and Chrys Fey  Go to Insecure Writer's Support Group for more inspiration! If you have any advice for me, please leave a comment!

7 comments:

  1. What a cute picture of your granddaughters—and I love that snowman's hat!

    Glad to hear you had some success with your BookBud ad. I've never tried anything like that.

    Happy birthday!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy birthday, Beth! I hope you have an amazing day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy birthday, Beth. I sure hope tall people have long lives, since my husband and I (and my whole family) are tall as well. It looks like you have had a wonderful and satisfying life so far. Keep writing!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Birthday!
    The quilting project is a good idea. Heaven knows writing stalls enough to make it worthwhile. Glad to hear the Bookbub paid back at one point. I'm always curious to hear how those things go (most of us are on tight budget.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, that's a huge return from BookBub! Were you chosen for one of their featured author spots, or did you place a regular ad? If you were a featured author, those spots are coveted as hell! I've been turned down many times. Well done.

    From one Viking to another, Merry Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  6. You've done a lot! Good for you!

    I'm also frugal. I haven't paid for a Bookbub ad yet, because being traditionally published, it'll take me much longer to get any money back from it.

    Happy belated Birthday!!!

    ReplyDelete