Finding Solace in Self-Reflection: A Conversation with Author Larry Joe Campbell
From the sunny sets of Hollywood too the familiar landscapes of Michigan, actor Larry Joe campbell has taken an intriguing turn – venturing into the world of authorship. Campbell, best known for his role in the beloved ABC sitcom “According to Jim,” recently returned to his home state to promote his debut novel, “Remember that One Time?”. This heartfelt tale explores themes of self-discovery, relationship dynamics, and the importance of being present in life.
A Story Rooted in Life and Loss
“When I say it’s about an aging, out-of-work actor people say, ‘oh, it’s a memoir,’ and I go well, his wife leaves him on a trial separation. And so it is fiction. My wife Peggy and I are doing great. 28 years,”
Campbell shared during an interview with WCMU’s Tina Sawyer.”But it’s about… (the main character) he spent half his life in michigan, half in Los Angeles. His wife Sophie does leave, separating from him around the holidays.”
Campbell’s novel follows the protagonist’s journey back to his Michigan roots after his wife departs. He seeks solace with his brother, only to be confronted by unexpected challenges.”His brother makes him work and they bring in wood and he takes a log to the throat, which happened in real life to a relative of mine. And resting is the only solution. I use that device in the book as then as he’s left alone, he goes into town and observes all the eccentric people. He starts to realize, because he’s so full of self-pity, starts to realize his own culpability,” explained Campbell.
Embracing Honesty and Presence
When asked about the key takeaway from his book, Campbell said, “I think it’s being honest with yourself, and I found that this was very therapeutic for me. My wife and I had been married a long time.And Peggy, you know we, you get into roles. And we both — and this is in the book too — we both hate conflict and we’re both sensitive and we get defensive.”
He continued, “And when you do that, sometimes you feel you can’t be honest with one another. And then,if you’re not honest,you spend less time around one another because you’re getting resentful and all that. And you start reading into the othre person’s body language and we where doing that. This book just went, woah, put the brakes on that. What about YOU? Just accept her for who she is instead of an expectation of who you want her to be.”
Campbell emphasized that his novel resonates with anyone in a long-term relationship. “When you’re in deep and you’ve been around one another for a long time, how do you keep it going? So my wife and I we never got to any sort of point where it was, uh oh! It’s just the “what if” (creeping in), and that’s when I thought, are you taking her for granted? Life is too short. The Stoics call it Memento Mori, ‘Remember that you must die.’ so this is temporary and I don’t want to live in a place of resentment. I want to live in a place of presence, and that’s not always joyful. I get that. And it’s not always suffering. And most of the time, it’s probably very mundane, day-to-day and that’s okay, too. Be present and enjoy it without the expectations. Just expectation, by definition, puts you in the future. And that was a big turning point for me, and to have it set in Michigan, that’s everything to me.”
Looking Ahead
While Campbell dedicates his time to his creative projects, life in Los Angeles keeps him busy. “Well, I recur on “Animal Control,” which is a great show on fox. If that gets picked up, I get to go back and do some more seasons of that, but we’ll see after that, you know?” he shared.
With “Remember That One Time?” campbell not only shares his vulnerability through captivating storytelling but also offers a valuable reflection on human relationships and the importance of finding purpose and meaning in everyday life.
The author discusses his novel being inspired by real-life events, including a relative’s experience with a risky incident. Can you elaborate?
Finding Solace in Self-reflection: A conversation with Author Larry Joe Campbell
A Story Rooted in Life and Loss
“When I say it’s about an aging, out-of-work actor people say, ‘oh, it’s a memoir,’ and I go well, his wife leaves him on a trial separation.And so it is fiction. my wife Peggy and I are doing great.28 years,” Campbell shared during an interview with WCMU’s Tina Sawyer. “But it’s about… (the main character) he spent half his life in michigan, half in Los Angeles. His wife Sophie does leave, separating from him around the holidays.”
Campbell’s novel follows the protagonist’s journey back to his Michigan roots after his wife departs. He seeks solace with his brother, onyl to be confronted by unexpected challenges.”His brother makes him work and they bring in wood and he takes a log to his throat, which happened in real life to a relative of mine. And resting is the only solution. I use that device in the book as then as he’s left alone, he goes into town and observes all the eccentric people. He starts to realize, because he’s so full of self-pity, starts to realize his own culpability,” explained Campbell.
Embracing Honesty and Presence
when asked about the key takeaway from his book, Campbell said, “I think it’s being honest with yourself, and I found that this was vrey therapeutic for me. My wife and I had been married a long time.And Peggy, you know we, you get into roles. And we both — and this is in the book too — we both hate conflict and we’re both sensitive and we get defensive.”
He continued,”And when you do that,sometimes you feel you can’t be honest with one another. And then,if you’re not honest,you spend less time around one another because you’re getting resentful and all that. And you start reading into the othre person’s body language and we where doing that.This book just went, woah, put the brakes on that. What about YOU? Just accept her for who she is instead of an expectation of who you want her to be.”
Campbell emphasized that his novel resonates with anyone in a long-term relationship. “When you’re in deep and you’ve been around one another for a long time, how do you keep it going? So my wife and I we never got to any sort of point where it was, uh oh! It’s just the “what if” (creeping in), and that’s when I thought, are you taking her for granted? Life is too short. The Stoics call it Memento Mori, ‘Remember that you must die.’ so this is temporary and I don’t want to live in a place of resentment. I want to live in a place of presence, and that’s not always joyful. I get that. And it’s not always suffering. And most of the time, it’s probably very mundane, day-to-day and that’s okay, too. Be present and enjoy it without the expectations. Just expectation, by definition, puts you in the future. And that was a big turning point for me, and to have it set in Michigan, that’s everything to me.”
Looking Ahead
While Campbell dedicates his time to his creative projects, life in Los Angeles keeps him busy. “Well, I recur on “Animal Control,” which is a great show on fox.If that gets picked up, I get to go back and do some more seasons of that, but we’ll see after that, you know?” he shared.
With “Remember That One Time?” campbell not only shares his vulnerability through captivating storytelling, but also offers a valuable reflection on human relationships and the importance of finding purpose and meaning in everyday life.
