Author's Defense

THE FOLLOWING IS MY (Randolph Randy Camp) DEFENSE TO A FEW READERS' REACTION TO MY LATEST NOVEL '29 DIMES': December 2, 2013

“My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.” Ernest Hemingway wrote those words years ago, and as a writer, I can’t think of a better way to defend myself than with Hemingway’s words. I’ll try to explain.
I understand that some folks around the country have called my latest book ’29 Dimes’ inciteful because I have a hot-mouth character named ‘Pepe’ speaking his mind about Florida’s schizophrenic ‘stand your ground’ law in certain parts of the novel. From my understanding, what’s getting some folks especially riled up is when Pepe performs his provocative, ‘in your face’ spoken-word anthem ‘Hear My Echo’ towards the end of the story. The specific line from that anthem that has got some people bent out of shape goes like this, “…I don’t like standing in Florida – facing a courthouse gun…” Depending on where you stand on the different sides of the ‘stand your ground’ debate, you may possibly see those lyrics as “inciteful”, but I specifically wrote those words for the voice and the mentality of a specific fictional character. It would be an injustice to myself as a writer, and certainly a literary injustice to the fire-tongued character I’d created if I had him voice his opinion and thoughts on other safe and soft topics currently headlining America’s newspapers and not a hot topic such as Florida’s ‘stand your ground’ law. I wouldn’t be true to myself as a writer, nor to my story if I did that.
The ‘stand your ground’ law in Florida and several other states is very schizophrenic because lawmakers and law enforcement officials are picking and choosing when and when not to use and invoke the law, seemingly using it when it’s convenient for them at that particular time and place. For example, take the case of the Florida woman Marissa Alexander who initially was sentenced to 20 years for firing a warning shot at her intruding husband, and when she tried to use Florida’s ‘stand your ground’ law as her defense the judge simply threw it out, saying that she could’ve ran out of the house. But, on the other hand, look at what happened in the other high-profile Florida trial where a vigilante got away with murder, thanks to the convenience of the wishy-washy ‘stand your ground’ defense. The reason I wrote and used the words “…courthouse gun…” in the ‘Hear My Echo’ lyrics was to express mostly my character’s belief, and to be quite honest, some of my own as well, that Florida’s ‘stand your ground’ law is seemingly sanctioned by the state, giving everyday Jane and Joe permission to kill without consequences. When the ‘not guilty’ verdict went viral in the George Zimmerman trial it instantly triggered my memory bank to a time in America when old cranky men draped in white sheets with cone-shape heads would hang a man of a darker shade up in a tree for all of the local town people to see, knowing that there would be no repercussions whatsoever, and everyone nonchalantly walks away as if this was accepted as normal everyday life.
I never intended my novel to be “inciteful”, but I do want it to open discussions in classrooms, at the kitchen table, and around the water cooler. I truly believe that if America is ever going to have better race relations among our very diverse and ever-growing population then we simply must start with a peaceful conversation first.
Randolph Randy Camp
If you would like further details on ’29 Dimes’ or Author Randolph Randy Camp go to https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp

'HEAR MY ECHO!'
Yeah I’m mad an’ I’m way too young
I don’t like standing in Florida — facing a courthouse gun
Peep into my world and you twirl n’ swirl
Can’t handle what yo’ eyes might see
Ain’t no f#*%# way you wanna be me
Walkin’ in my shoes
Be ready to pay some dues
Yeah hear my echo!
I wanna scream!
Why is this f#*+#* world so got damn mean?
I don’t like this sh*# happening all around me
Motherf*#*+#* killin’ people an’ gettin’ off scott free!
They’re making me angry and angry and angrier!
Go ahead ‘cause I’m just gonna get louder and louder!
They try to tell me what to say and teach me what they know
I’m tired of their sh#* and tired of their pony show
Com’on now Silver Lake!…Hear my echo!

'Hear My Echo!' was written by Randolph Randy Camp specifically for the character 'Pepe' in the novel '29 Dimes: A Love Story'

One of my goals as an author is to hopefully inspire others, especially young people. Whenever I give a Book Talk at a high school I always try to end the session with a few helpful writing tips, and one of my main pointers I make is telling the students to practice DESCRIBING mundane things and objects as they go through their daily routine. For example, as you walk pass the street poles and lamp posts in your neighborhood think about the different words or phrases in which you could use to describe one of them, especially the wooden ones. It’s somewhat easy to write a description of a car (red, dents, ect.), but I like to get the students to practice on more mundane things because you can surprise yourself sometimes by coming up with an unusual or unique word or phrase that’s rarely heard or seen in print. The use of these interesting-but-different adjectives will make your story stand out and give you your unique voice as a writer. To give you a hint in describing the mundane street pole, just take a closer look and see if there are any rusty nails or staples still protruding along the side or if there are any weathered pieces left from an old yard sale sign. And remember, to become an author you must write, write, and write! – R. Camp

HARRY'S FIELD is an animated, children's fantasy TV series. The series centers around a magical flying school bus named Eagle Wing, which transports kids from urban areas to an enchanted, colorful place called Harry's Field, where they learn about nature and our environment from a variety of jovial, talking animals and plants. TIME OUT TIME IN is another very lively and engaging animated, children's fantasy TV series created by Randolph Randy Camp. In a very entertaining and colorful manner (without being preachy), the series encourages young kids to use their imagination while simultaneously teaching them about life's virtues, such as the importance of being polite and kind to others. All works registered with the Writers Guild of America, East. Learn more at http://www.goodreads.com/randolphcamp

NEW K.A.N.S.A.S.

Dissatisfied with the way the adults are running the nation, a well-organized, underground society of intelligent kids demand the right to vote and to be given their own statehood or else. (The kids believe that voting should be based upon a person’s IQ, not their age.
Synopsis: ‘NEW K.A.N.S.A.S.’ (Kids’ Alliance National Society And Sanctuary): Discouraged with his lack of ability to control his own destiny fueled by his parents’ divorce and already fed up with the way the adults are running the country, a twelve year old boy forms a society to give children the Right to Vote and attempts to establish their own State in which to do it. All hell breaks when the U.S. Government starts to hunt down the leader and his underground network. In the meantime, the secretive children’s society is growing to an unbelievable size and there’s no stopping them now! TAGLINE: “Don’t underestimate the power of kids”
Although I’d originally wrote ‘NEW K.A.N.S.A.S.’ as a live action feature, it could also work as an ANIMATED feature-length movie as well. (The ‘Kansas’ in NEW K.A.N.S.A.S. stands for Kids’ Alliance National Society And Sanctuary)
U.S. Copyright: PAu002651984 (Original Screenplay Draft/ Author: Randolph Camp)
Learn more at AUTHORS DEN http://www.authorsden.com/randolphrcamp and WRITERS NET http://www.writers.net/writers/81919

‘NEW K.A.N.S.A.S.’ (Kids’ Alliance National Society And Sanctuary

'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 by Randolph Randy Camp 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
https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp