Camika Spencer

camika c. spencer

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Meet camika
camika c. spencer
photo credit: Sam Bowie

A native of Dallas, Texas, Camika Spencer grew up in the Highland Hills and Singing Hills areas of Oakcliff. She attended Lancaster High School and South Oak Cliff High School. However, she moved and completed her junior and senior years from South Hagerstown High School in Hagerstown, Maryland.

After finishing her freshman year at Clark Atlanta University, she relocated back to Dallas and received her Bachelor's of Science in radio and television broadcasting from East Texas State University in 1994.

After graduating and failing to find a worthy position in her field, Camika became discouraged and sought refuge at Black Images Bookstore, where she worked until she could get her thoughts and goals together. While working with Emma Rodgers and the Black Images family, Spencer discovered she had a talent. That talent was writing and creating good attention getting fiction. She immediately begin working on her first novel, Keep It On The Down Low and completed it in 1996. While having agents scout the manuscript, she wrote her second novel, Cubicles and placed it on the shelf for later release.

After four rejections and failed attempts to get the literary mainstream to take notice of her work, Spencer withdrew further attempts and decided to self publish. By then she had completed her third

"Spencer has willed herself to become a nationally recognized best-selling author"

work and first to be released novel titled, When All Hell Breaks Loose, through her self named publishing company, "akimac". With the help of a long time high school friend and close college friend, Camika Spencer has made "akimac" publishing an established entity in the Dallas community. Spencer has willed herself to become a nationally recognized best-selling author that isn't formal in the formal sense of literary story telling. Spencer is currently slating Cubicles for release in the Summer of 1999 and is working on her fourth novel. She is also preparing to enter the Master's program at Southern Methodist University for English and creative writing.

He Had It Coming
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ISBN: 0312323344
Format: Hardcover, 212pp
Pub. Date: September 2004
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Five Women. A Man. And a Plan.

Meet Marcus Brooks. He's gorgeous. He's successful. He's the bestselling author of African American fiction. He's also the most obnoxious male alive....

Meet Raylene, Naomi, Thelma, Gwena, and Latice. They are five women who belong to a reading group, strong women with strong opinions. They don't take any grief from anyone (well, not if they can help it), and their friendships have stood the test of time. One night they meet up with bestselling author Marcus Brooks. At first they are in awe. Then they are puzzled. Next they're enraged. How can a man whose books are loved by millions act like such a dog? Words are exchanged---and more---and they soon get in way over their heads. The book club takes Marcus captive---and the longer they hold him, the more complicated things get. Can these five women rehabilitate the most arrogant author in the world and teach him a few lessons about life, writing, and women? He Had It Coming is a wickedly delicious novel, as shocking as it is hilarious---a delightful send-up of fame and success.

When All Hell Breaks Loose
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Publisher: Random House, Incorporated
Date Published: August 1999
Format: Trade Cloth

Read an AALBC Review

Read a Book Excerpt

Listen to an Interview Camika Spencer
Interviewed on WPON's "Book Beat" Radio Program - 4/12/99

THE BOOK: Article Written by Tammy LaFall of the Dallas Examiner
(Excerpt)
Camika Spencer uses the streets of Dallas to set off her new fiction novel, When All Hell Breaks Loose. This hometown author takes the complicated relationships between men and women to an all time high. The story is set around Greg Alston, an ambitious sales executive whose on top of the world. He has the respect of his father, a talented mother, a devoted sister and a beautiful spirited fiancée. He has it all that is, until all hell breaks loose...

Although amiable, readers may find that there is more to Alston's relationship with his mother, sister and fiancée than meets the eye. At first glance each of these intimate relationships will appear enchanting but again nothing is as it seems.

Many readers may find Spencer's, When All Hell Breaks Loose somewhat gender sided as it deals with sexuality. The male characters in this book take great ease in tapping on the many facets of male base ideas and sexual fantasies. Some readers may agree that the sexually content and innuendoes are a bit cumbersome at times. Although, the author actually leaves the great escapade for the ladies.

When All Hell Breaks Loose is a good novel with a surprising twist. Some readers may find the conclusion regrettable but that will depend upon the reader's view. This is a book about understanding and excepting oneself. Readers will have to decide for themselves who the real winners and losers are among his collection of personable characters.

Related Links

NOMMO - Lyrical Alchemy Web page on the AALBC featuring Emotion Brown (aka Camika Spencer)
http://aalbc.com/nommo.htm

AALBC Discussion Board - Camika is a frequent participant
http://aalbc.com/discussion

akimac

P. O. Box 41062
Dallas, Texas 75241
972-441-3464