Ten years ago, Charles F. “Chic” Dambach wrote Exhaust the Limits. Inspired by the leaders, causes, and music of his youth, Chic Dambach set out to change the world. He learned to throw a cast net while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Colombia (cover photo), and he has been casting a net for peace, justice, and human rights ever since. This is the fascinating life story of a ‘60s antiwar and free speech activist who went on to become a leader in the peace-building world. Amid many personal struggles, he helped end two of the most deadly wars of our times, and Members of Congress nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Fast forward, Chic has wrote Exhaust the Limits, Volume Two. Chic tells his story to inspire other. Now facing Parkinson’s Disease, he talks about how his life has changed. How Chic sees the world with him and his family as well as what he hopes for in the future.
Q: What was your inspiration for becoming an author?
A: I thought that it was a good time to publish a book cause of my age. A lot of people in my life came to me with great stories. Their stories that there were telling me gave me inspiration to write and publish my own book. I believe that amazing things had happened in my life and many would tell me to share my story with others. While growing up, I grew up ‘complex’. I thought I was a failure and that I was not good enough to do anything. I had suicidal thoughts and my thoughts were always negative. My brother was very talented and went to different major universities in his life. He went to medical school and has a great career. My dad went from poverty to becoming a leader in natural resources. I thought nothing for myself, but then I gain motivation and inspiration to write a book. I knew that I was good enough and that I had a purpose. I wrote my first book and I knew things were going to be okay.
Q: What made you want to get up and write your book; in other hands where did the drive of your book come from?
A: Other people and my child gave me the drive of writing my book. I had no intention to publish my book. I wrote the book mainly for my family and friends so they can look and read it. Once writing the book, I found a passion and reasons to reflect on life over the decades I have been alive. I write for fun and I enjoy it a lot. I work full time and then on Saturdays I would use the time to sit and write all day.
Q: In your opinion, what comes first, the plot or characters?
A: Since my book is a memoir, the plot is a reality over the years and characters are people that are part of my life. The memoir is about my life, mostly about the people I had connections with and became friends with. Great people with great stories. I have the chance to call them friends to this day. I write stories that people that nobody heard of. Currently, I have a friend that had hot dog cart in D.C and I call her my best friend- who is from Africa to make a living. I had the chance to meet and interact with my mind, heart and soul. Wrote to book for the people I meet. The theme: can make this world more peaceful; to make this world a better place.
Q: What inspired you to create the plot of your book?
A: The different stories of people during Peace Building gave me inspiration and made me happy that it is succeed. People are willing to do work and to take risks, life on the line to make the world a peaceful and better place. Engaged with my younger son – third kidney transplant with society and syndical. Recognize some bad things in the world, message of the book to keep moving.
Q: Why did you choose the title for your book? Is there any significant meaning to the title?
A: The title of my memoir came from a philosophy from when I was raise. When I was in college playing football in OK. State, I got injured and read book about humanities of life and existent. Albert C, an author, stated a quote ‘exhaust the limits of the possible’ – meaning how we do not know if we have meaning in the future or not, but we have rock and life, meaning and value. We need to give life everything we got as it brings joy and meaning in our life. I want to make my life and those around me better. I want to do better for myself and for the people around me.
Q: Your book is a memoir about your life and about the Peace Corps, can you explain what happened around that time then vs. your life now? Has writing your second edition been more difficult than writing the first?
A: Peace Corps. was a great part of my life. The only thing I cared before joining the Peace Corps. was my hometown, friends and state. After joining, I saw the larger issues of humanities. I saw a different culture when I joined, and discovered how great the world is. While joining the Peace Corps. opened up my life, and I began more meaningful to each other as well as languages, cultures and food in the world. I realized that life is rich and rewarding our life can be. The Peace Corps. opened my heart and mind to people and culture. I started to understand and have respect for others from their different aspects and places in the world.
Q: What is the most difficult aspect of being an author?
A: The most difficult aspect of being an author is getting things right which is a real challenge for me. I tend to do reflections of things that is constant with what is happening. I like to confirm and make sure I have the same thing from my first book with the right information. For example, if I am using one of my friends in my book and using one of their stories, I want to make sure we both have the same view. If their view is different, I would want to change it to make it better. According to my wife, my memoir is a form of creative writing. I tried to make it accurate as possible. Truthfully, I would enhance some of the stories to make it interesting and dramatic but without changing it completely.
Q: What impact do you think your book would have on others when it is released (current book)?
A: I have received a lot of feedback from others who have read my memoir was helpful. I thought that the feedback was encouraging and inspiring. It gave me hope and reason that we can do something in this world. Inspiration was President Kennedy – small way but I made a difference and I was happy. I hoped to help those who cared and who wants to make a different. I thought to myself ‘If he can do It, I can do it too’. I wanted people to think ‘If Chic can do it, I can do it too’. I want to help those make a difference in the world and to make the world a better place while enjoying life at the same time.
Q: What emotions did you have during your book process? For example, when publishing your first book, how did you feel during the whole process happened in terms of contacting your marketer, publisher, getting your book out to the world and the aftermath of it? Do you think you would have the same emotions with this book being published?
A: For me, it was just knowing what to do and just doing it again. Me re-reading everything and having trouble here and there to add new elements to the recent elements. I wanted to add more and to make sure it makes sense to what I already have. Each chapter has new aspect to it. I turned the afterward into a new chapter since the book is a 10 year difference as well as dropping some things from the first book. I finished writing my first edition when Obama was in office. While writing my second edition, Trump was in office but I did not want to add his name in it to make it controversial or anything like that.
Throughout the process, it gave me pure joy and despair at the same time. My youngest son was born with kidney failure. My wife and I became donors for him and it was hard reflecting on that and writing it for my novel as it brought pain for my family and I. I had to re-live the experience while writing it, yet it also brought joy because other parts of the book are wonderful. I had the opportunity in my life to meet and be friends with amazing people and see their achievements while I am still alive such as my friend who got two gold medals in his life.
Having a publisher wanting to publish my book was an amazing feeling and I was not expecting it at all. I was going to self-publish my book until I met Gregg William who shared it with Kevin at Apprentice House. They wanted to help me get my book out there and it was great. I thought that time was a great experience for me and the overall process was wonderful.
Q: Your book contains real life events and topics going on today, how much of an impact does that have on you and what made you want to write about it?
A: I think that my memoir has helped put what is going on today into perspective – politically and for social charges. Life today is conflicting and at the same time, the Vietnam War back then was dividing the country and created conflicts which we got out and put it together with some wounds. I believe that we can do it again currently. Writing my book gave me a new view and hope for life and humanity.
