Writing
Beth Kerner tells stories of adventure and resilience, of connection and the quiet transformations that shape life. Just as rope weaves through her visual art, threads of history, family, and the natural world intertwine in her narratives. She brings places and people to life through a lens shaped by the unstructured freedom of the 1970s. Beth writes to explore how people endure, adapt, and find meaning, believing that storytelling, like art, bridges our inner lives with the world around us.
BOSTON Magazine
August, 2026 // Personal Essay
“ADRIFT”
Illustration by Jeannie Phan
Photograph by Jay Holsing
LONGMEADOW LONGSHOTS
A Coming-of-Age Adventure Novel
Expected Publication: 2027
Longmeadow Longshots is a coming-of-age adventure novel set in 1970, following sixteen-year-old Jess McKinney as she navigates the polished, preppy world of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, while longing for the freedom of summers in Wellfleet on Cape Cod.
As her father, Coach Mac, leads Longmeadow High School's first varsity lacrosse team on its historic journey to the Massachusetts State Championship, Jess counts the days until school lets out and the Cape becomes home once again.
Following the lacrosse season, Jess and her family return to Wellfleet, where, just a few miles off the Cape, the U.S. Navy is still bombing the abandoned S.S. James Longstreet with live munitions—a looming presence known to every Cape Codder simply as the Target Ship.
But one reckless boating adventure leaves Jess and her younger sister alone on the dark waters of Cape Cod Bay, where a single unforgettable night changes everything.
Rich with the sights, sounds, and contrasts of 1970s Massachusetts, from manicured suburban streets to the windswept shores of Cape Cod, Longmeadow Longshots is a coming-of-age adventure about family, courage, and the moments that shape who we become.
BOSTON Magazine
August, 2026
Featured Writer Interview
“What got you interested in writing this story?”
Beth: This story had been sitting with me for years. In the summer of 1978, when I was a teenager, a carefree boating trip off Cape Cod turned into an overnight ordeal that left my friends and I stranded in the dark near the Navy’s target ship in Cape Cod Bay. It was more than an adventure story. It was about friendship, risk, youthful confidence, the people who worried about us, and those who came to our rescue.
As I began writing my novel, inspired by my teenage years, I realized I also wanted to preserve a time when freedom and responsibility often went hand in hand. We explored, took risks, made mistakes, and learned from them. That world has changed, and writing this story gave me a chance to invite readers back into it, even if only for one night!
“What was the reporting process like?”
Beth: The reporting process was a mix of memory, research, and verification. I started with my own recollections, but memories from so long ago can be muddled, so I wanted to confirm as much as possible. I researched Coast Guard rescue procedures and the Navy’s target ship operations in Cape Cod Bay, reviewed historical weather and boating conditions, and spoke with people who were involved or remembered the events.
One of the most surprising parts was seeing how people’s memories both overlapped and differed. Piecing together those perspectives gave me a fuller picture of what happened that night, and the research helped solidify those memories.
“How familiar were you with the subject before you took on this assignment?”
Beth: Very familiar! I was one of the teenagers aboard the disabled boat, so I remembered the cold, the hunger and uncertainty, and ultimately the relief when the Coast Guard found us. But I didn’t want to rely on my memory alone, and wanted to make sure I got it right. Researching the details and talking with other people who remembered that night helped fill in the gaps.
“What do you think readers will find most surprising about the story?”
Beth: I think readers will be surprised to learn that a large Navy vessel was used for live-fire bombing exercises on public waters in Cape Cod Bay! They’ll also be surprised by how quickly an ordinary summer adventure became something none of us could control. We weren’t looking for trouble, we were just a group of teenagers out on the water when a series of small things went wrong, and suddenly we were drifting through the night on the open water.
