Updated on October 14, 2026
What Literary Titan said about my poetry collection, and the Marine Corps years, heartbreak, and wanderlust that shaped it.
Learn more about Bittersweet here.
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In February 2023, an editor at Literary Titan, an organization of professional editors, writers, and professors, gave Bittersweet: Poems on Love, Loss & Wanderlust a five-star review. They also interviewed me about the book. This review was the first editorial review I have ever received for any of my books, so getting five stars meant a lot to me.
What Literary Titan Said About Bittersweet
“This collection is emotionally resonant and impactful.”
"I found the writing reflective and sensitive, with references to a life lived fiercely, with intensity and passion."
"There are many philosophical themes that are thought-provoking, with visuals of untamed nature, oceans, sky, wind, and trees."
"A passionate collection that I highly recommend to fans of poetry."
Read Literary Titan's full review on their site.
About Bittersweet: Poems on Love, Loss & Wanderlust
A poetry collection for those who seek lessons from love, from loss and heartbreak, and from the wanderlust we feel as we journey through life.
Each page shares stories from the roads less traveled, memories of past lovers, and moments of reflection found in between.
Life can be bittersweet, but the changing seasons help us appreciate the beautiful moments when they come.
My Interview With Literary Titan (Lightly Edited)
Where did the idea for Bittersweet come from?
Bittersweet is a collection of poems and short writings I wrote during the final years of my military enlistment. As I deployed, traveled the world, and built relationships with people, the moments burned most vividly into my memory were the ones I wrote about most. Many of the poems came from the deep emotions I felt during moments of heartbreak, loss, and loneliness as I lived a typical Marine's life stationed away from loved ones. However, I also wrote many poems from moments of absolute joy and wonder, such as when I visited Japan and Singapore or drove coast to coast with my best friend in the United States.
What experience has had the biggest impact on your writing?
I think the experience that has impacted my writing the most was the five years I served in the United States Marine Corps as an intelligence analyst. My character was transformed by my time spent in training and my orders to later serve within infantry, reconnaissance, and special operations units. The hardships I faced during that season of my life gave me a special appreciation for the little things. It helped me love important moments more deeply when they came and cherish mental and physical rest more fully when I could sit down and relax with a pen in my hand. There is always more to things, people, and places than meets the eye. The military helped open my eyes to that. As a writer, I want to do the same with readers and, through words, show them the hidden things that belong to nature, love, loss, life, and our innate desire to explore this world.
What do you hope readers take away from Bittersweet?
One thing I hope readers take away from any of my books is that what makes humans beautiful is our ability to experience so many varying emotions. Often, the sad moments in our lives are the ones we never want to repeat. But those same moments help us appreciate joy and love more deeply. Even though some emotions are harder to navigate, they are also the ones that make our lives worth living. To live a life fully, accepting the downfalls just as much as the joys and successes, is what makes a life worth sharing with others. It’s what makes a life worth writing about. Everyone suffers at some point, but sharing our stories helps others feel like they are not alone when they go through those dark times. We remind them that there is always room for hope. There is always room to dream.
What are you working on next?
My goal is to continue publishing at least one book per year. That said, I have several books I am currently working on, including another poetry collection and an anthology of short horror stories. Both should be completed within the next two years, but I’m particularly hoping to finish the scary story anthology just in time for next year’s spooky season in October. My latest book, Amor gitano, is a poetry collection that is similar in style to Bittersweet and is planned for release in late February 2023. However, that book is one of my Spanish works, so it is intended for my Spanish-speaking audience.
Read the original interview on Literary Titan.
Since Then
Bittersweet went on to win the 2023 Pencraft Award for Literary Excellence.
Amor gitano, the Spanish collection I mentioned in the interview, received an Honorable Mention at the 2024 International Latino Book Awards.
The horror stories I mentioned have grown into my first horror collection, coming out in 2027. Get a free short story from After Dark.
Meet the author
Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, raised in a military family, and a former U.S. Marine. Pablo Camacho is the author of more than eight books in English and Spanish, including the Pencraft Award–winning Bittersweet, and is currently writing his first horror stories. He lives in Florida with his wife and daughter.
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