Servicetown, Lot Lizards and Other Writing Tips

If you’re an aspiring writer, one of my greatest advice to you is to always keep your eyes and ears open.


Ever since I could remember I wanted to be a successful writer. But, of course, I was naïve to the world during my younger years. During my teen years, I found jobs at highway restaurants along Interstate 95 and Highway 17 near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Servicetown was a huge truck stop in our area years ago. The underworld life surrounding a truck stop was a real wake up call for me. Working at restaurants near a truck stop was very educational to me, especially as a budding young writer. I was so naïve back then. Don’t you know that when I’d initially heard the term ‘lot lizard’, when I first started working at the highway restaurant, I actually thought that it was a real lizard crawling across the truck stop parking lot.


The shady, secretive world of truck stops allowed me to see the world differently. As a teenager, when I’d originally conceived the concept of my first novel ‘Wet Matches’, I shed light on this somewhat little-known world of a truck stop by using it as a backdrop within the story. Today, in 2017, unfortunately, this dark world of truck stops and lot lizards is among many factors which play a role in the harsh, unforgiving world of human trafficking.


So, to all emerging writers, keep your ears and eyes open to everything going on around you. Your next story could come from something totally unexpected. – Randolph Randy Camp


(Photo: WBFO Radio Reporter Eileen Buckley interviewing Writer Randy Camp)
Learn more at https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp

Hazel Hill Morning

After I bought my first car, a ’72 Pinto, I loved the freedom of going to Fredericksburg whenever I could. Don’t get me wrong, growing up in rural Spotsylvania County in the 70’s had its benefits, but going into town was a big deal back then, especially for this young Virginia country boy. Two of my aunts, Edith Mae and Ruth Edna, had moved into the Hazel Hill Apartments in Fredericksburg, and it was such a treat for me to visit them when I wasn’t in school or was off work, usually on Saturday mornings.
Back then, as a somewhat nerdy schoolboy with big dreams, I was fascinated with getting away for awhile, going to Hazel Hill and then later going to the city park where I would sit alone by the Rappahannock River and write down some of my deepest thoughts. Today, in the middle of April 2017, I still find myself blushing whenever I see my book ‘Wet Matches’, knowing that it had its origin as a simple song lyric way back in 1978 and was conceived on that one particular Hazel Hill morning. – Randolph Randy Camp
More at https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp

Get Up!

The true meaning of Easter always makes me think of everyday people who, at times, gets this fantastic urge to resurrect or re-invent themselves. In certain ways, we’ve all been there at one time or another.
It’s an inspiring and wonderful thing to see someone get back up on their feet after falling down. I can’t tell you how many times I felt like a failure during my 56 years on this earth.
For all of you who’ve been knocked down once or twice, I hope that you rise again and surround yourselves with positive people as you continue your journey towards a happier and better life for yourself and your loved ones. Have a Happy Easter, Everybody! – Randolph Randy Camp
More at https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp

The Journey

While still in the early stages of development and pre-production, I’m learning from Executive Producer Rachel Rand that ‘The Journey’ will be the official title of the film adaption of ‘Wet Matches: A Novel’. Stay tuned for more updates as this story evolves and slowly comes to life on the silver screen. And I thank you all for supporting me and my work through the years. – Randolph Randy Camp

(Photo: Indie Film Producer Rachel Rand with Screenwriter Randy Camp, 2017)

More at https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp

Mile 19: A Runner's Dream

Don’t give up on people. There’s good in everybody, although in some it’s hidden. Often, a person just need someone to believe in them first, before they start believing in themselves.

My legs were close to giving out. It felt as though I was hitting the infamous runners’ wall. My breathing was heavy and my mouth was extremely dry. I was running the Los Angeles Marathon for the second year in a row. I’ve always loved running, and I ran the LA Marathon as a fundraiser for my favorite charity. I was slowly approaching mile 19 where a line of kids, wearing ‘I Have A Dream’ Foundation T-shirts, stood on the side with cups and small bottles of water in their extended hands.

While living in Los Angeles several years ago, I volunteered with The ‘I Have A Dream’ Foundation and worked closely with the “dreamers”, which are kids mostly from low-income, gang-infested neighborhoods who are promised college tuition or vocational school funds after they’d graduated high school. Soaked in sweat, I was turning the corner at mile 19 and noticed one of the ‘dreamers’ stepping out from the group of energetic, cheering kids with the cups and mini-bottles of water. She stepped into my path and quickly got my attention while wildly waving a bottle of water. She made sure that I was only getting water from her. This was a special moment for both of us. This particular girl would regularly roll her eyes and typically shrug off helpful advice and guidance from me for the past several months as she struggled to maintain a positive outlook within a household and neighborhood filled with school dropouts and gang members.

I’m writing this piece today because the girl at mile 19 who’d handed me the much-needed water is now all grown up and doing quite well for herself. She keeps in touch with me, and recently had sent me an email, whereby she referenced the LA Marathon and our special moment at mile 19, and then she went on further, thanking me for not giving up on her and always believing in her.

I hope that all of you have someone believing in you, or perhaps, you believing in someone else. – Randolph Randy Camp

More at https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp