Randolph Randy Camp's Blog: Randy C Creations RCstories, page 8

Your Rainbow Vibes

When people choose to only see one color they become blind. Some people only mingle, socialize and support one color, believing that their chosen color is superior to the rest. This way of thinking and view of the world actually imprisons and limits them. Racist attitudes makes people “blind” and it’s a death trap. Our world is so much brighter and alive when we open our mind and display our ‘rainbowness’. Trying to talk to or convert a racist person is certainly a challenge. The best we can do is just being ourselves, being rainbows, expressing and displaying our positive rainbow vibes in whatever way possible, be it through art, sportsmanship, literature, being a great neighbor, ect…

I grew up around some of these “blind” racist people, and it’s sickening to me now, in 2017, to see a leader in the White House, such a juvenile man without a soul, who seemingly carries these same blind traits. Common sense tells us that we shouldn’t follow a spiritless person who has no soul because they will only lead us to nowhere. One of the signs of a great leader is the ability (or at least, showing an effort) to bring people together. When our leaders are void of unifying leadership qualities that’s when us rainbows, us everyday people have to step up and shine a little brighter.

Calling all rainbows. This is our time. We can’t change the world over night, but possibly with one person at a time, one coworker at a time, one neighbor at a time, one classmate at a time, we can start the baby steps towards a change of heart in a few. If our leaders continue to stay ‘blind’, we must pick up the slack and continue to express and display our positive rainbow vibes. – Randolph Randy Camp
Randolph Randy Camp

Glimmer of Hope

One of my childhood joys was riding my bike through the back roads of Spotsylvania County. Sometimes, my cousins, my brothers and I would ride together. I’ll never forget this one particular summer’s day when I was riding alone. I was slowly pedaling pass a white house with green-trimmed windows. I heard a young voice yell out “Randy! Randy!” From around the corner of the house one of my classmates was excitedly waving ‘hello’. I slowed to a stop and we chatted about how our summer break was going and how we both were wondering who our teachers would be once school starts in several weeks. We were both unapologetic book nerds and the kind of “weird” kids who couldn’t wait to go back to school. Our friendly chat was abruptly cut short when the front door hastily flew open and her angry, red-faced father yelled and ordered her to “Get in the house!”

Growing up as a Black kid in America certainly wasn’t easy. Many people of color could tell you countless stories of walking casually along the country road or city sidewalk and someone yells out a derogatory word from a passing vehicle. When I was a kid I would always wish and hope that things would get better between the races. It seems as though I was always looking for that glimmer of hope.

Nowadays, as I strongly advocate “start with one person at a time”, I wholeheartedly believe that things will get better, and my proof and example of my faith and hope stems from one of many personal life experiences. Remember the young White classmate who I was chatting with on that summer’s day and her racist father told her to “get in the house!”…Well, she had moved away from her racist father and now owns a small independent bookstore near the Virginia-Maryland state line. We still keep in touch, and she proudly has my four books on full display near the entrance of her store, especially ‘Wet Matches’, she says, as it carries the message of “don’t judge anybody.”

We’re in the fall of 2017 and America is seemingly regurgitating history, instead of moving wisely forward and learning from it. My message to everyone (especially to those kids out there who are currently wishing and hoping that things will get better) is to keep doing what you’re doing and please don’t fall into the trap of negativity. There are far more positive people in this world than negative ones, and you’re certainly one of the good ones. And that glimmer of hope for a better world will come from you. – Randolph Randy CampWet Matches

Lighting Sparks

It’s Friday, September 29th and I’m filled with gratitude and overjoyed this morning after reading a letter from one of my new blog followers. Melissa is 14 years old. She’s from South Carolina and excitedly informed me that she was motivated to start her own neighborhood newsletter after reading one of my older blog posts.
More than book sales, more than anything, what motivates me most is lighting sparks. This is the blog post that lit a spark in Melissa:

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.”

I’m slowly approaching sixty now and over the years, I’ve learned that lighting sparks in others has a way greater value than chasing dollars. Have a great weekend, Everyone. And to you, Melissa, thank you so much for re-lighting the spark in me. – Randolph Randy Camp29 Dimes: A Love Story

You Are Important Too

All of our goals and dreams start with a vision. It’s our own fear sometimes that stops us from our own potential. If you’ve been dreaming about becoming your own boss, perhaps, opening up your own restaurant but you’ve talked yourself out of actually pursuing it, well, it’s time for you to stop doubting yourself and just go for it! Sit down tonight and begin to write down all of your special dishes you’ve enjoyed making for your family and others over the years. Envision the patrons at the tables reading your colorful menu. If you’ve always wanted to write a novel then stop talking about it and write your opening sentence. And then you have to envision the image or artwork on the front cover. If you want that desk job with that decent salary then envision yourself sitting there at that big oak desk talking on the phone or typing that big important executive memo. We work all day for others, allowing and helping others to pursue their dreams, but what about your goals? How much time are you devoting to your own dreams and goals? Don’t become that bitter, grumpy person later in life because you’d let your dream wither away. You are important. Your dreams and goals are important. Your goals and dreams can be realized, just envision it! – Randolph Randy CampRandolph Randy Camp

Human Error

Every now and then we hear of these situations whereby a person’s skin color has unfortunately caused another person to make a human error. In my personal life this week, I had to face this superficial judgment head on, and I must be honest with you, I’m still deeply troubled by it.

Imagine a White supremacist refusing medical help once he or she finds out that their attending nurse or doctor is African-American. If the patient is conscious, he or she may possibly request to be attended by a White nurse or a White doctor. It’s terribly sad that America is still dealing with these superficial human errors in 2017.

Because of these unfortunate situations, I’ve gain a better understanding of God’s intervention in our human decisions. Now I truly understand why, in certain cases, a patient arrives at the hospital in an unconscious state. Did God intervene to prevent this patient from making another human error? – Randolph Randy Camp
Randolph Randy Camp

Writers' Stuff: A Pinch of Salt

Along with never having your characters sound the same, I think that adding a little spice to your character is one of the best tools in creative writing because it makes your characters more realistic and it certainly adds flavor and depth to your story as well. In my novel ‘WET MATCHES’, the backstory of one of my adult characters named Jack was revealed as the plot unfolded. In the story, the reader connects a childhood incident in which Jack experiences in the 6th grade with his current, sometimes unpredictable behavior when he’s interacting with certain individuals.

Providing your readers with some insight into your characters’ childhood experiences or their backstory is a very valuable tool. Showing how your characters are different or may have grown from chapter one through chapter ten is another valuable tool in creative writing, and it’s clear evidence of your characters’ growth.

In real life, no two humans are the same and this should be the same in your stories. No two characters should sound or behave in the same manner. Revealing a character’s backstory is a great method of adding spice and seasoning to your character, which will only enhance and make your whole story more interesting and tasty to your readers. – Randolph Randy CampWet Matches

Your Life

Do what you love to do. Be in charge of your own life, otherwise someone else will. I used to be a talker, always talking about what I wanted to be or what I wanted to do. A few years ago, I stop talking and put an action plan together to take my love of writing to a higher level. My first novel won the Quarter-Finals Prize at the 14th Annual Writers Network Screenplay and Fiction Competition in Los Angeles, and currently it’s my top selling book of my four published works. There’s a certain inner peace that comes from doing something that you truly love, and I hope that each one of you have this already or will take steps toward finding your inner peace.
And don’t let your day job define you. I understand that you must do whatever in order to pay the rent, but don’t let the designer in you, the artist in you, the executive in you, the inventor in you, or the store owner in you wither away or tire you out due to your devotion to someone else’s dream. Be the person you want to be. Do what you love to do. – Randolph Randy Camp
Wet Matches

Always Putting Something Back

I’ve cleaned toilets, worked in factories, worked for years within the service industry while simultaneously chipping away at my dream of inspiring and reaching people with my stories. My greatest dream is that my kids, my grandkids, and the future generations go further in life than they ever imagined. I sincerely owe, at least partially, my drive and determination to the public school teachers of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, for all of them helped shaped me into the person I am today. I am so blessed to receive letters of questions and thank you’s from readers from around the world, but whenever someone from my hometown sends me an email or message of thanks, regarding one of my stories, it instantly reminds me of the summer of 1979. Of all of the scripts, novels, blog posts, and articles I’ve written over the years the one that I will always be the most proud of is the article I wrote 38 years ago:

(At age 18, I wrote a “LETTER TO THE EDITOR” which was published in the local newspaper FREDERICKSBURG FREE LANCE- STAR on June 5, 1979)

PUT SOMETHING BACK, GRADUATES URGED
To the Editor:
I am a senior at Spotsylvania High School and will be graduating in a couple of weeks. This year many seniors from our area high schools will be going away to colleges and trade schools to become professionals in the business world and other fields. I hope that many of us will return to this area to put our skills and special training to work. We must not forget where we come from or those who helped us to get where we are (or will be). I can’t speak for every senior, but I have taken something very valuable from this area, and I feel that I must put something back to show my appreciation. I am speaking of education. I have learned that a person should give if he or she has received. I hope that the class of ’79 will join me in the future to reimburse our hometown.
RANDOLPH CAMP
Spotsylvania
Randolph Randy Camp

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 Camp29 Dimes: A Love Story

Wrong Cheerleaders

In my own life, I’ve witnessed an old adage to be true: Do something you love and prosperity will follow. Mind you, over the years I’ve realized that once you stop chasing the dollar you will have a better understanding of true prosperity. Reaching someone, touching someone, moving someone, inspiring someone all have such greater impact than simply having a fat wallet and handing out bills.

We must be careful not to envy and idolize those with fat wallets who maybe keeping us in a state of mental slavery. Sadly, there are those around us who, inconspicuously, don’t want to see you rise. Secretly, they seem to get a kick out of seeing you always below them. Regardless of whatever, stay focus on your passion, your goals and dreams. You will be amazed at how inner peace comes into your life, which is true prosperity.

Surround yourself with those who genuinely celebrate your steps towards your goals. Often, we have the wrong cheerleaders around us. – Randolph Randy Camp
Randolph Randy Camp