Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
Hillsboro native Blair Campbell has worn many hats in the past few years. She’s been a restauranteur, chef, radio show host and grief counselor. Now, she can add children’s author to that list.
The mother of two, who has always put a high value on reading to her children, has entered the children’s book world with her new book “Jamlachia – The Campbells go Camping!”
“I really wanted to offer something that was a positive, uplifting story that was from somebody who is multi-generational from this area and specifically Appalachia,” she said. “I really like to read aloud to my kids. I think reading is incredibly important, so I wanted to create a book that was fun to read with kids.”
The book is a celebration of two cultures coming together to form a family, much like Campbell’s family. It follows the Appalachian Mama Campbell, her Jamaican husband, Papa Campbell, and their two children on a camping trip that leads to a great adventure.
“Mama has a dream and there’s a big Reggae party at the campground,” Campbell said. “It’s kind of whimsical. The forest creatures come and have a dance party with them. Then Mama wakes up in the morning and she sees all the eggs that they brought were smashed. She just giggles about it and makes a new plan for breakfast.”
Campbell said she wanted the story to show how two cultures that are very different can come together and create a new culture, as well as show that sometimes things don’t always go as planned, but you can always find a new plan to makes things all better.
“It’s also to inspire kids about being able to travel and living your best life,” she said. “Sometimes I think that message isn’t given to kids in rural areas that you can do whatever you want to as long as you make a plan and have some goals. Let kids in the area know – you want to write a book? Go for it. Nobody is stopping you. You don’t need anybody’s permission.”
The book is the first in what Campbell hopes to be a series of stories, sharing the many adventures of the Campbell family, who may or may not have magical powers.
“That’s what is fun with writing – you can kind of make things that aren’t necessarily applicable in the real world,” she said. “That’s the thing about getting immersed in a book, you can get lost in this fantasy story. I’m excited to play with that as I develop the characters and write more books.”
Campbell is also excited to share the book with children in the county and with the help of Sally Adkins, who is an advocate for reading, 35 copies of this book will be distributed among the schools.
“Sally said, ‘I want to get one in every classroom in the county,’” Campbell said of Adkins. “I just decided to put seven in each of the five schools. I was really touched by how open all the principals were. The donation was really appreciated by all of them.”
The schools were so appreciative in fact, that several of them asked Campbell to visit the schools and read the book aloud to the children.
“I’m going to go read,” she said. “I’m really excited about that.”
The book is available at Love Child in Lewisburg and online at Campbell’s website, funeralswag.com –just click on the link at the top for “Jamlachia.”