Author's Note: Let Your Characters Speak

Author's Note: When I started writing ’29 Dimes’ I almost quit because I had let my own inhibitions get in the way. Some of the characters I created in ’29 Dimes’ had a lot to say and they definitely weren’t too shy to make some noise. But the problem I ran into was that I let myself, as the writer, get in the way of the story. In the end, I got rid of my own inhibitions and let the characters speak freely so that they could tell their own story. - Randolph Randy Camp

Write With Heart

Whether you’re a journalist covering a story for your local paper, an aspiring screenwriter, or a student working on your class assignment, write with your heart. Second guessing and self-doubt are two obstacles in writing we must overcome. When I was writing ‘Coreville Park a Reggae Novel’ it took me three drafts before I was able to drop some of my inhibitions and finally allow my true writer instincts to kick in and let my characters come alive. While going deeper into ourselves we discover more about us as writers and at the same time we make our stories richer. Every story is lit by an initial spark. There's always a backstory to everything. The backstory and inspiration for '29 Dimes a Love Story' came from me running the Los Angeles Marathon several years ago, as I was raising funds for one of my favorite charities 'I Have A Dream Foundation'. While running through the many different neighborhoods and streets of Los Angeles, I absolutely fell in love with the Silver Lake area. After running in the LA marathon two years in a row and getting to know the Echo Park and Silver Lake neighborhoods very well, I knew I had to write a story that captures their spirit and character. The love story in '29 Dimes' takes place in Silver Lake, and writing this novel carries a lot of beautiful and heartfelt memories for me. When I'm talking to students and aspiring writers the topic of backstory and inspiration always comes up. That initial spark which inspired us to start a new project is filled with emotions and feelings. Don’t be afraid to put your feelings into your work. Don’t be afraid to show your heart. Just let it out. Of all the quotes from my novels, this particular quote is the one I get asked about the most during my book talk sessions. The quote is from '29 Dimes: A Love Story'. More info at https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp

Writer's Tip: Writing Voices

Writing in someone else’s voice is certainly not an easy task. When I wrote ’29 Dimes’, I wanted to make the reader feel as though he or she was walking or sitting right beside the main characters, making the readers feel as though they were physically there “in the room” with the characters. When you’re writing your narrative in the first person, or from the character’s point of view, you’re pulling the reader closer to the character without them realizing it. It’s a way of bringing the reader deeper into the story and into the main characters’ consciousness.


When I was writing the thoughts and dialogue for the characters in ’29 Dimes’, I had to totally clear my brain of my own upbringing and thoughts, and then I began to briefly reprogram my brain and body to think, eat, drink, walk, and talk like Valerie, Pepe, Kalib, Teki, Tip, Brittany, and Ronnie, the seven colorful characters in ’29 Dimes’. I absolutely believe that you, as a writer, have to mentally walk in your characters’ shoes to get a sense of who they are and where they came from, which will help to better explain why they are currently in whatever predicament or situation you had written them into. Walking in your character’s shoes leads to great dialogue and character development because you are assuring the reader that “this voice” is not yours.


Writing the ’29 Dimes’ characters in the first person was an exciting and fun experience for me. If you haven’t tried this writing technique before then I certainly encourage and recommend that you do so. Writing voices from the first person perspective is a creative way to draw your readers right into your character’s living room. – Randolph Randy Camp
More at http://www.goodreads.com/randolphcamp

Your Neighbor's Name

I love being invited to classrooms and speaking to students. Our book talk discussions can get pretty deep sometimes, and often jumps off-topic into the students’ personal lives.


Current news events, such as the recent bomb scare, and race relations in America are usual topics discussed during these meet-the-author sessions. I often learn a lot from these bright young minds, and I’m always honored when the students ask me for advise or my opinion about certain things.


Recently, after reading my novel ’29 Dimes’ as a class assignment, which has the undertone of race relations, several students wanted to know my thoughts on how America could improve its race relations. I told the students that I love this particular question because my response is always the same, which is, “Just simply get to know your neighbors, get to know your neighbor’s name.”


Too often, we only describe our neighbors as “the lady who drives the red car”, “the old man with the blue pickup”, “the family up the street with the mixed kid”, etc.


I further explain to the class that getting to know one another strengthens you and strengthens your neighborhood, your community, etc. (We tend to make bad and wrong assumptions about people when we don’t even make an effort to know them.)


By the way, my neighbors are Donna, Mike, Dennis, and Larry. Have a great day Everyone. – Randolph Randy Camp


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

First Person Tip

Writing in someone else’s voice is certainly not an easy task. When I wrote ’29 Dimes’, I wanted to make the reader feel as though he or she was walking or sitting right beside the main characters, making the readers feel as though they were physically there “in the room” with the characters. When you’re writing your narrative in the first person, or from the character’s point of view, you’re pulling the reader closer to the character without them realizing it. It’s a way of bringing the reader deeper into the story and into the main characters’ consciousness.

When I was writing the thoughts and dialogue for the characters in ’29 Dimes’, I had to totally clear my brain of my own upbringing and thoughts, and then I began to briefly reprogram my brain and body to think, eat, drink, walk, and talk like Valerie, Pepe, Kalib, Teki, Tip, Brittany, and Ronnie, the seven colorful characters in ’29 Dimes’. I absolutely believe that you, as a writer, have to mentally walk in your characters’ shoes to get a sense of who they are and where they came from, which will help to better explain why they are currently in whatever predicament or situation you had written them into. Walking in your character’s shoes leads to great dialogue and character development because you are assuring the reader that “this voice” is not yours.

Writing the ’29 Dimes’ characters in the first person was an exciting and fun experience for me. If you haven’t tried this writing technique before then I certainly encourage and recommend that you do so. Writing voices from the first person perspective is a creative way to draw your readers right into your character’s living room. Keep writing! – Randolph Randy Camp

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

True Heart

For the most part I actually do get to see the brighter side of humans, but every now and then, unfortunately, my eyes will witness the darker side of some of those around me. When I was writing the first draft of ’29 Dimes’ a few years ago I was simultaneously going through a rough emotional period in my private life whereby I had to make a major decision of whether to keep a so-called friend in my life or not. (She gave me reasons to question her true heart.) So, as I was writing ‘Vehicles’, an original song for the character ‘Teki’ in ’29 Dimes’, the lyrics just poured out of me. ‘Vehicles’ is a song about people who pretends to love and care about you only to get what they want.
Yep, we must be mindful of those we have and keep in our circle. My life changed for the better once I’d cut the ties with this so-called friend. I hope that your life is filled with goodhearted people who show you daily that they want nothing but betterment and happiness for you. It’s a wonderful feeling when you’re surrounded by people who enjoys it when you rise. And you also get a kick out of seeing them rise up as well.
Here’s the lyrics to ‘Vehicles’…
‘VEHICLES’
You pick me up…take me around
You use me up when you’re feelin’ down
Just like vehicles goin’ around and around
Just like vehicles in my town
You only need me when you’re down
Next time when you’re passin’ by
I’ll remember you…and the smile and the lie
‘Cause you’re just another vehicle goin’ by and by
Yeah, just another vehicle goin’ by and by
You hold me… You kiss me
You give me a ride
Maybe some day…maybe some way
We may collide.
– Randolph Randy Camp (from the novel ’29 Dimes: A Love Story’)
Learn more at https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp

Randolph Randy Camp

A Video Presentation of Contemporary Author Randolph Randy Camp

A Brief Video Bio Presentation: Author Randolph Randy Camp

A brief BIO VIDEO presentation on Writer Randolph Randy Camp, author of the award-winning 'Wet Matches' and three other novels '29 Dimes', 'False Dandelions', and '...Then The Rain'.

29 Dimes: A Love Story - Book Trailer

WHY YOU WAS BORN

WHY YOU WAS BORN...
As I'm about to pack up and head back home, I can't seem to get this 17 year old girl out of my mind who'd approached me at the book signing earlier today. She had dyed her hair with yellow and purple streaks similar to 'Teki', one of my characters in my latest novel, and she walked up to me slowly with an acoustic guitar strapped around her shoulders.
Unlike the others in line, this young lady didn't have one of my books in her hand for me to sign, instead she politely asked, "Mr. Camp, can I sing you a song?" I nodded 'sure' and she started strumming her six-string. She blew me away as she sung "Vehicles", a song I'd written for 'Teki', which was featured in the novel '29 Dimes'.
A small crowd had gathered around her as she filled the air with her beautiful voice and played the guitar. Needless to say, it was a special moment. After she'd finished the song, we had a moment to chat, and that's when she told me that she never knew what she wanted to do with her life until about a year ago when she read '29 Dimes' and started identifying with the character 'Teki'. She went on to tell me that she now is destined to write and hopefully record her own songs.
I told her that she has a God-given talent, and then I reminded her of the old adage, "There are two important dates in your life, the day you was born and the day you discover why you was born." - Randolph Randy Camp

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

‘America: No Purchase Necessary’ is a feel-good story about acceptance. One of the many perks of winning the national ‘America’s Family’ Sweepstakes is the chance to meet and make appearances with the President on his reelection campaign. When an eclectic African-American family becomes the unexpected winner of the prestigious ‘America’s Family’ contest, the President and his shiesty reelection campaign manager tries to get the family disqualified, thinking that this particular family isn’t ‘American-looking’ enough, and to appear with them on the campaign trail will hurt the President’s chance of getting reelected. Without being preachy, ‘America: No Purchase Necessary’ gives a lighthearted glimpse into American politics while simultaneously showing a realistic snapshot of life in contemporary America. Just like any other family in America, the Lanterns have autism, transgender issues, and even a grandmother who’ve come up with her own interesting alternative to plant-based burgers. ‘America: No Purchase Necessary’ is an entertaining political satire that looks at race relations in America, and it shows the sometimes-ugly side of America while simultaneously reflecting the goodness in certain people that highlights America’s beauty as well. If you or your family ever felt left out, pushed out or shut out then Randolph Randy Camp’s ‘America: No Purchase Necessary’ is a story for you.

Writer Randolph Randy Camp At Piano Playing His Original Music From Novels '29 Dimes' and 'Wet Matches'

Author Randy Camp Plays Original Music Featured In His Novels

Writing Voices

Writing in someone else’s voice is certainly not an easy task. When I wrote ’29 Dimes’, I wanted to make the reader feel as though he or she was walking or sitting right beside the main characters, making the readers feel as though they were physically there “in the room” with the characters. When you’re writing your narrative in the first person, or from the character’s point of view, you’re pulling the reader closer to the character without them realizing it. It’s a way of bringing the reader deeper into the story and into the main characters’ consciousness.
When I was writing the thoughts and dialogue for the characters in ’29 Dimes’, I had to totally clear my brain of my own upbringing and thoughts, and then I began to briefly reprogram my brain and body to think, eat, drink, walk, and talk like Valerie, Pepe, Kalib, Teki, Tip, Brittany, and Ronnie, the seven colorful characters in ’29 Dimes’. I absolutely believe that you, as a writer, have to mentally walk in your characters’ shoes to get a sense of who they are and where they came from, which will help to better explain why they are currently in whatever predicament or situation you had written them into. Walking in your character’s shoes leads to great dialogue and character development because you are assuring the reader that “this voice” is not yours.
Writing the ’29 Dimes’ characters in the first person was an exciting and fun experience for me. If you haven’t tried this writing technique before then I certainly encourage and recommend that you do so. Writing voices from the first person perspective is a creative way to draw your readers right into your character’s living room. – Randolph Randy Camp
More at http://www.goodreads.com/randolphcamp

Unexpected Gifts

Before a lively roundtable book talk with New York high school students, I was honored and presented with a nice ‘Thank You’ plaque and an elegant dime-bracelet, which was a replica of the bracelet that’s a crucial part of the plot in my novel ’29 Dimes: A Love Story’, in which the students read as a class assignment and superbly acted out key scenes (from the novel) on stage in the auditorium.
I don’t normally blog about the casual ‘thank you’ gifts that I get from doing book talks but these recent gifts were just too remarkable for me not to share them with you. Yes indeed, needless to say, I was just blown away when I saw the beautiful plaque and the shiny bracelet. – Randolph Randy Camp
More at http://www.goodreads.com/randolphcamp

Page To Stage: 29 Dimes

On Thursday, February 26th, I was invited to East High School (NY) for a ‘Meet-the-Author/ Book Talk’ event and I was blown away by the special surprises in which the students and their teacher Mr. Wagner had planned.
The students did a great job in portraying the characters from two of my novels, ‘Wet Matches’ and ’29 Dimes’, as they acted out several key scenes from the two stories. When I first arrived at the school, I was expecting the typical Book Talk discussion which would normally take place in a large classroom, but an escort greeted me at the school entrance and informed me that we would be going straight to the auditorium first. And when I saw the colorful stage filled with the kids dressed in character and the set decorations, I was totally caught off guard. It was a wonderful surprise.
And not only was I treated to a fantastic stage performance by the students, I was also honored and presented with a nice ‘Thank You’ plaque and an elegant dime-bracelet, which was a replica of the bracelet that’s a crucial part of the plot in the ’29 Dimes’ love story.
There’s no greater compliment to a writer than seeing others take his or her characters and bring them to life. The students at East High School definitely made me feel ten feet tall on Thursday, but the true beauty of the whole event was seeing those energetic students express themselves and show off their natural talents in acting, singing, sound effects and in set design. – Randolph Randy Camp
More at http://www.goodreads.com/randolphcamp

No Higher Compliment

Author Tops Off Black History Month at East

The students from Mr. Wagner's Certified Nursing Assistant class paid homage to Buffalo's author, Randy Camp on Thursday, February 26, 2015. Mr. Camp was treated to two skits by the students that represented scenes from the two novels that the students recently read in class. The students also awarded Mr. Camp their Annual Distinguish Helper Award for his direct influence on their lives.

The first book the students read was "Wet Matches", a novel that metaphorically deals with the emotional impact that segregation of schools had on Mr. Camp growing up in the South. This novel is packed with empathy as race is superimposed on the journey of five lost teens who are coping with self-identity confusion, and their medical diagnoses of HIV. The second novel the students read, Mr. Camp's most recent work;"29 Dimes: A Love Story", is a very engaging story of a group of close teens, and their last summer before high school graduation. The story deeply explores teenage relationship issues with excellent characters development.

The C.N.A students easily related to the multiple issues that were addressed in this swiftly moving love story where the hero is a special needs high school boy who overcomes multiple obstacles to become the star of the story by giving his life for another. The students spent 20 minutes of each class period reading out loud and then were engaged in  daily writing assignments that dealt with the topic that was addressed in the book for that day. Mr. Camp's response to the event was "...there's no higher compliment for a writer than to see his characters come to life."

After the skits, Mr. Camp led the students in a round table discussion about not only the story, but the process, frustration, and challenges involved in publishing his books.

More at http://www.goodreads.com/randolphcamp  

'Vehicles': A Song About Being Used

'VEHICLES'
You pick me up…take me around
You use me up when you’re feelin’ down
Just like vehicles goin’ around and around
Just like vehicles in my town
You only need me when you’re down
Next time when you’re passin’ by
I’ll remember you…and the smile and the lie
‘Cause you’re just another vehicle goin’ by and by
Yeah, just another vehicle goin’ by and by
You hold me… You kiss me
You give me a ride
Maybe some day…maybe some way
We may collide.
"Vehicles" was written specifically for the character ‘Teki’ in his novel ‘29 Dimes: A Love Story’

'Vehicles' is about people who pretend to love and care about you only to get to where they're going. In '29 Dimes', the character Teki is confronting this issue with her brother Vince and somewhat with her classmate Kalib. - R. Camp  

Learn more at http://www.goodreads.com/randolphcamp    

Creating Teki

I love it when people have the courage to just be themselves, regardless of outside pressure from others or society in general. When I created the character of 'Teki' in my novel '29 Dimes', I wanted her to represent everyone who strives to be themselves no matter what.
Teki is a free-spirited, young Chinese girl from a very wealthy family, who is sent to a prestigious music academy for gifted musical prodigies and is later kicked out for playing a cool reggae rhythm during her first classical Beethoven piano recital. A few years later, as a teenager, Teki has dyed her hair and fronts an all-girl progressive reggae band in Silver Lake, California. - Randy Camp

Learn more at http://www.goodreads.com/randolphcamp

PIECES OF ME

Pieces of Me

It’s common knowledge that pieces of every writer goes into the characters in which they create. A part of me is certainly in my character ‘Kalib’ from my novel ’29 Dimes’. Here’s a quote from Kalib in the story, “…I don’t care anymore! I tried so hard! It’s like the more I keep tryin’ to be here the more people keep treating me like I don’t belong here!”
’29 Dimes’ is set in the Los Angeles community of Silver Lake. This provocative coming-of-age novel follows seven eclectic characters during their summer break, with each one having an experience that will shape and change their young lives forever.

Learn more at http://www.goodreads.com/randolphcamp

Symbolism In Stories

SYMBOLISM IN STORIES... During a recent classroom book talk discussion, several students had surprised me when they had told me what the 'false dandelions', '29 dimes', and 'wet matches' meant to them when they'd read each of my novels. I must say, I was truly blown away with some of the students' interpretations of my use of symbols in my stories. As a writer, I love using symbols because sometimes they make the reader think beyond my own thoughts and initial intentions. Learn more at http://www.shelfari.com/randycamp