Spotlight On Deborah Camp
Deborah Camp Spotlight Interview
Deborah Camp has been a professional writer her whole adult life. Her first novel was published in 1978 while she was a newspaper reporter. She lives in Tulsa, OK where the wind allegedly comes sweeping down the plain. She shares her home with three dogs – Slim, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Christian Grey. She’s always been a sucker for love and still gets all oooey-gooey when she hears Johnny Mathis or Barbara Streisand sing anything.
Deborah Camp has been a professional writer her whole adult life. Her first novel was published in 1978 while she was a newspaper reporter. She lives in Tulsa, OK where the wind allegedly comes sweeping down the plain. She shares her home with three dogs – Slim, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Christian Grey. She’s always been a sucker for love and still gets all oooey-gooey when she hears Johnny Mathis or Barbara Streisand sing anything.
- How many different genres do you write?
Romance is the main genre. I write both historical and contemporary romances.
- Tell us about the type of characters you love to write about.
My historical heroines tend to be a bit ahead of their time. They are independent and don’t like being bossed around and held down. My contemporary heroines are usually sassy, smart-mouthed gals who don’t put up with guys who act like they’re still in high school. They are honest about their feelings, even if they are often confused by them. They’re not desperate to marry, but they hope to one day.
As for the guys, I have a soft spot for bad boys with hearts of gold. I also love to write about women who can bring such men to their knees.
In contemporary romances, I like the push and pull of courtship and a slow build up. Some of the reviews of my books mention that the stories are slow burners that get hotsy totsy midway through. That’s on purpose. I’m not a fan of “insta-love.” I enjoy it when two people circle each other, sniff each other, get a feel for each other, and then decide, “Yes, I want this person.” To me, that’s more realistic than the whole one-look-is-all-it-took romance.
- Do you have a new book or series?
I’ve written three stand-alone contemporary romances in a series I’ve labeled “Campy Romances.” Each one has its funny moments and emotional moments. There is drama in each one and some comical scenes. The most recent one is “Courting Mr. Cutthroat” and the hero, Cutter, in it is a “bad boy” rich kid. He has returned to his hometown in Georgia to complete a work of art. He’s become a renowned contemporary artist. The heroine is Gemma, an attorney, and she had a huge crush on Cutter in high school. They were best buddies back then. Now that he’s back in town, the feelings they had resurface. No longer just pals, however, they have a strong sexual attraction for each other. However, Cutter wants no permanent part of his hometown and its trappings. In fact, he’s anxious to finish his work and get out of town. Gemma likes her home and being near her family. As their feelings for each other deepen and get more entangled, Cutter seems determined to break free again, even if it means also breaking Gemma’s heart.
- What do you do when you just don’t feel like writing?
Well, there are many days when I don’t feel like writing. More of them lately. Like many of you, I’ve had a couple of weird (and taxing) years. I’ve had a few health problems this year and I lost the love of my life. So, there have been many days when I couldn’t make myself write and, frankly, that was best. When I don’t write, I read and admire other people’s writing. I also have dogs that amuse me. It’s been a time of adjustment and new routines. While I work better in a practiced routine, sometimes life makes you get out of your rut and carve out new routines. That’s what I’ve done this year. I’ve had to find new ways to cope, other ways to make myself happy, and a renewed zest for writing love stories.
- What do you like to read?
I mainly read romances. However, I do like quirky period romance suspense yarns, such as Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell books and Sabrina Flynn’s Ravenwood Mysteries. I’ve been reading nonfiction lately of the political variety.
I can’t imagine not reading, although I have several friends who never finish a book and probably go all year without reading one. Sounds dreadful to me. Books can take you places you want to go and to places you never knew existed. They can help you understand yourself and others. They can teach you new words, new ways of living, new ways of looking at things. They can school you in tolerance, patience, bravery, treachery, spiritualism, and realism.
When I received the horrible news that the man I’ve loved since I was 18 had died in New York City (I was in a Tulsa hospital at the time), I gravitated to poetry. I found it comforting and discovered a new appreciation for poets. They must the be kindest and bravest of all writers for they open their hearts so wide and allow us to experience their deepest thoughts, feelings, and aspirations. Poems brought peace to my wounded heart with their lush phrases, perfect words, and profound symbolism.
It has taken me a while to want to read romances again, but I’m back to enjoying them. For many months, it hurt too deeply to read about people falling in love after my love had died. However, I knew that I’d believe again in the healing power of love. And I do.
Naturally, my writing suffered, too. It was near impossible for me to create full-bodied characters and dramatic scenes. I tried. I would write several pages a day and then delete them all the next day. Somehow, I found my way back while writing Mr. Cutthroat. I think the anger that the hero feels toward his past helped me channel my own anger at my situation and it was a sweet release to let it escape onto the pages.
Right now I’m writing a western set in 1887 in Kansas. It’s a nice change of pace as I haven’t written a historical for a couple of years. The research has been fascinating and fired up my imagination. Is it easy, though? Heck, no! I’ve written the first four chapters of this book three times so far! Chucked many, many pages. Taken different runs at the beginning until I think I’ve finally found the right starting place.
Take it from someone who has been a professional writer for 47 years, writing never gets easy. It’s always difficult. That’s why everyone can’t do it. I’d be filthy rich if I had $10 for every person who has told me that they were going to write a book someday – usually about their own life, which stuns me as I find that most people lead mundane lives that I would not care to read about – or about their deceased dog or cat, which, again, I find odd. I love my dogs, but I’ve never had the urge to write a novel about any of them. Perhaps that’s my fault in raising a bunch of dullard but loveable mutts.
I must agree with author/actress Carrie Fisher, who once wrote that, “I don’t truly enjoy writing. I enjoy having written.” I concur. There’s nothing more satisfying in my life than to complete the first draft of a novel. It signifies that the hard part is behind me and now I can put on my editor’s hat and polish the manuscript. Editing isn’t easy, but it’s a walk in the park compared to writing a first draft. Day after day of creating something from nothing is challenging, frustrating, terrifying, and rarely satisfying. It’s like biting your nails down to the quick. A paper cut on your tongue. A stubbed toe. It hurts, and if it doesn’t, something’s wrong.
Therefore, if you ever hear a writer say that writing isn’t that hard, you may rest assured that he or she is not writer and, furthermore, is a liar.
Reading is much more pleasurable, which is why I’m signing off now to enjoy someone else’s labor of love.
Purchase Courting Mr. Cutthroat on Amazon
Please give us the following contact information:
Personal web page
DeborahCamp@authordebcamp
https://www.facebook.com/officialdeborahcamp
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