I’m fledgling artist, Charles K Campbell aka Charles

Fledgling definition: an artist with minimal funds. Someone seeking an agent. A storyteller with a proven body of work. Most often I am joyous beyond measure. Because I’m doing what I love to do, that is, spreading joy to adults, and children through literature. These days I primarily write hyper-fantasy stories. I enjoy writing mysteries, narrative drama, psychological thrillers, and sci-fi. While discovering my writer’s voice, I discovered that merging themes satisfies an untapped hyper-fantasy pool. And feeds brain-ocean always thirsting for more water. My work includes a cornucopia of topics. Some rhyme. Some don’t. Others are complex with twisted plots, and themes. Many are simple designed for a child learning syllables. Several have been in print, but are currently unavailable. But all are written.

I asked, “Charles. How did you get this wild?”

In the beginning,1957 I entered the world. Moved from Detroit to rural Lansing at age 4. From then until the mid 80’s life was sweet. Had great parents, a Germain shepherd dog name King and every type of wild pets. and we lived the American dream. We enjoyed good jobs, food, schools, and travel. I excelled in sports, girls, and driving fast cars or motorbikes to getting speeding tickets. Yours truly lived the spoiled life of an only child. There were growing pains, puberty, bumps, and bruises. Overall life tasted better than candy. From the mid 80’s to 2000, my rocket-ship crashed, and slow burned. Gloom and doom. When mom died of cancer, my dad and I died too. Drugs took me out, alcohol got dad. Make no mistake. Both addictions are killers. But I exited the gutter. Fought back like a champ. That’s what this story is about. Learning humility. Pulling up by the bootstraps. Clawing to reenter the game.Trusting. Believing. Praying, and fighting. For fourteen years I wandered with Dante’s fiery inferno. Could’ve written it. Then, in 2000, God healed my spirit. He lifted a veil of darkness, and revealed my purpose in life. Showed me my gift. That year I wrote Elaine Gill, my first novel. In Elaine Gill, I fictionalize mom’s life. Made her an abused blues singer.

Mom in real life had been a kind, sweet, spiritual woman who loved God. She was also a first soprano. Bestowed with the gift of music. She played piano, and had an angelic singing voice. Voted most likely to succeed at Hamtrammic, MI High School. Chosen to sing the National Anthem at the Democratic National Convention, mom rocked the house. Lead vocalist at church. That was mom. Mom sang everything from opera, and gospel to rhythm and blues. Once at the piano bench mom tested my vocal ability. When done, in her infinite wisdom, mom said, “Boy Never sing. You can’t hold a tune in your back pocket.” My feelings were not hurt. That was mom being honest. And absolutely correct. Mom’s battle with cancer had been brutal. I internalized her pain. Blamed God for her suffering. Couldn’t understand that after enduring years of torment, she found peace in death. I nailed myself to a cross of addiction. Living in dead flesh is a horrid way to travel. Mom had passed on but I had died.  throughout the sickness, and painful surgeries, mom’s spirit remained whole. But during my addiction, I walked with the dead. Spiritually broken, I wandered among decaying flesh (mine and others). Mind, body and soul decay. Hell’s trinity. Rankness personified.

Then one weekend as I rotted on a cold cot in a College Park, GA jail for traffic violations, God spoke to me. “Charles. Your suffering is over. I’m going to give you something that will take you among kings and queens. You must do three things. Remain humble, always give back, and never backslide (which I took to mean no more drugs.)” The Lord’s voice faded. Specific parts of the message remained unclear, especially the kings and queens mandate. I thought, am I going to roll with the rich and famous? While in that cell I awakened. Tears streaming. I picked up a nearly empty BIC ink pen from beneath my cot. How it got there is anyone’s guess. Surely it wasn’t there when I dozed. Over the next three days I wrote the first one-hundred pages of Elaine Gill. Words flowed. I wrote on toilet paper, the empty cardboard rolls, and napkins. Long-term prisoners stole paper from the commissary. The scene was reminiscent of an auto production line. We were all dumbfounded. God had given me an epiphany. He’d freed me or at least shown me how to free myself. The new me y’all. Black demons fled my haunted body. An experience similar to the scene in the classic movie Ghost, starring Demi, Patrick, and Whoopie. Yeah. Following the vision, I quit doing hard drugs cold turkey. The comeback from a decade+ of addiction is grueling. I remained embowelled. People don’t trust me. I didn’t trust me. I slipped from low to no self-esteem. Addiction had stolen my all.

Back to the new me. Considering I hadn’t a clue about writing a book, Elaine Gill garnered attention. It gave me hope. Slowly I regained confidence. The book sold a couple of thousand copies. And me, fresh out of hell, I took Elaine Gill and we made our way onto the ceremonious coveted Trumpet Award stage in Atlanta, GA. Elaine Gill and I sat among the living. We broke bread and rubbed elbows with elite business, and entertainment personalities. Thank God for Trumpet Award CEO, Xernona Clayton who tapped my spirit. It’s taken twenty-five years to hone my writing gift. Finding my writer’s voice (style). That quest has been a journey within a journey. There was no roadmap. And if AI had been available, no way could it have taught me what I learned through life experience. Five years into my literary adventure a writing teacher told me, “Charles. You don’t need class. You need to write.” Through lows and highs, I’ve been writing consistently. When Forest Gump ran. I wrote. He didn’t have anything on me. He ran. I wrote. He ran some more. My writing kept pace. I kept taking classes, too. Screen writing, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, business, scholarly, and advanced term papers. Wrote my way through graduate school earning a MA Degree in Film Theory. It’s said, “If a person does something long enough, he/she eventually gets good at it.” My logic became, I’m already good at writing. My goal is to become great.

The road to greatness is paved with pain, suffering, and sacrifice. Often success equals mental madness, extreme loneliness, fatigue. I can’t speak much about greatness, but I know suffering. Here I am. Been writing for twenty-five years. Not yet great but madder than hell. I’m coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs. Mentally unstable and loving it. God gave me a gift, and I’m using it. He gave me a mandate and I’ve been obedient. You all are the kings and queens. Every one of you. Each of these stories and characters come to me in dreams. In each of us dwells dark and light spirits. Many ancestral. I’ve tapped my spiritual world. Sometimes it taps me right back. Be mindful. The spirits are nothing to play with. Take a wild ride on the Unmistakably CKC side. Enjoy the stories on this site, and many positive messages contained within the madness. Light and dark coexist. Always have. Always will. And carry this with you on your walk of shame and fame. “Face fears. Watch them disappear.”

Be kind to others. But generosity starts at home. Love yourself. Keeping sane is a challenge. Us crazies know best. Every wild CKC story contains the essence of the Phoenix/  Hope, Redemption, Positivity, Transformation and Resurrection. Themes, Motifs, and symbols we all long for. Especially the babies. Children. They need guidance. Inner and external peace.

“FACE FEARS WATCH THEM DISAPPEAR”

Enter my mad world. Dust your brain. Take a hyper-fantasy trip with a story by, Charles. I’ll drop you off safely. Not always in one piece. But safely. Don’t be skird. Hyper-fantasy ‘family books for all ages 0-99. Each story is designed to endure time. And be cherished by generations to come. Charles’ books, and films are classic collectable tales for everyone. They endure generations. Some themes are for mature audiences (MA RATED). Since the year 2000, I’ve coached over 20,000 youth in literacy (reading, writing and critical thinking.) Worked with  incarcerated, and mentally mentally challenged, too. Often the two are yoked. Through trial and error, I witnessed firsthand how fantasy literature stimulates creativity, and literacy development. Age, gender, and race are non-specific. The only limits to imagination, and creativity are self-imposed. Click a link. Any link. Don’t be skird. Herein I share a few of my stories. I have dozen more. One by one I will make them available for all.

The first family book is The Bone Tree. (G RATED) (available in eBook, English, Spanish, and wherever books are sold.)

Click the link for a list of Charles-hyper-fantasy books.

“DON’T BE SKIRD!”

I call them family books because they are designed for adults and children to share. Based on your child’s reading level, and maturity you decide how much engagement you wish to have. I encourage adults to discuss these stories with children. Step away from the computer screen. Stimulate the brain. With every Charles story is an original screenplay. All are written for adaptation to the big screen, or small, even radio. For a few I’ve written and had songs recorded. When you see a Charles story it’s family safe. Some carry more mature themes than others. But all are user friendly, and original. Again. You decide age appropriateness. Just expect wild. Cray-cray with morals, values, and principles, and for investors, studio expects, and horror aficionados, this to the bank. When made, Willy Zane will be one of the greatest horror films ever! And it comes with a sequel, Willow Zane (Rated MA for violence/nudity/language and adult themes)

“WILLY ZANE – ONE OF THE GREATEST HORROR FILMS EVER!”

Big ups to illustrators, web masters, advisors, and editors who bring my dreams to life. I work their last grit with changes, and more changes. And thanks to fans who read and compliment my work, and provide monetary gifts. Because of you I push through financial insecurities, and self publishing woes. Thank you for trusting me with your minds, and the babies. Both are gifts from God.

Be gracious, humble, love self, laugh a lot, and age well.  

Unmistakably CKC aka Charles

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