About
Camden Writers
Who We Are
 Charlie
Chamberlain
In 1970 my brother John, discharged from the Air Force, drove east from
Colorado Springs in his $125, swamp green, ’52 Chevrolet Biscayne
and convinced me to quit my architectural job to travel with him to Mexico
for the winter “to clear his head”. We’d find the perfect
beach; remote, white sand, lined with Coconut Palms and a stream flowing
gently into the sea where we’d live until we felt like returning
to New England. We drove that old car 10,000 miles and never did find
our beach, but we had memorable adventures and became best friends.
Our children love to hear that story because it was a family adventure
that began the close relationship that John and I have today.
I majored in architecture and photography at the Rhode Island School
of Design and have spent the last 30 years translating my clients’
ideas of home into reality. In the process, I learned to listen carefully
in order to understand what home is for each person. I also learned that
we each bring a unique point of view to our lives evolved from our personal
history. As I’ve grown, I’ve become more interested in the
people than in the buildings.
In creating our books my purpose is to realize a physical context that
enhances the story through the use of shape, colors, font and material
choices, using text and documents provided by our clients. Our purpose
is to help people connect with one another even if they are generations
apart.
 Christine
Harland
I was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After graduating from Wellesley
College I lived and worked abroad – in Bahrain, Fiji and the United
Kingdom – for 20 years. Meeting and interviewing people from different
cultures, under circumstances which were often very challenging, I was
impressed with how people adapt to change and the interesting and unique
ways in which they shape their lives. Over that period, I published interviews
in a wide variety of European and American newspapers and magazines.
In telling you about myself it is important to describe the event that
gave oral history particular significance for me. I was in my fifties
and had been married three years when my husband died. David and I had
shared a lot, but there was still a great deal I didn’t know about
his life and putting the pieces together wasn’t easy. Family members
had memories to contribute, but what we all missed was the connective
tissue: How David felt about things, why he did what he did; his personal
perspective. The only trace of his voice was the message on the answering
machine.
It wasn’t a big step to put my heart into working with individuals
and families on their own stories. Writing is my passion and I hope that
my histories reflect the essence of the people with whom I am fortunate
enough to share conversation.
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