Turning Pain into Purpose Featuring Luis Chino Martinez | The Open Palette Podcast | Episode 3

Pain can either define you or transform you.

In this episode of The Open Palette Podcast, host Brian Camacho sits down with author and ghostwriter Luis Chino Martinez for a raw and honest conversation about turning life’s hardest moments into purpose.

Luis shares how writing became more than just a creative outlet. It became a way to process real experiences, find clarity, and build something meaningful from situations that could have easily held him back. Through storytelling, he was able to reclaim his voice and create impact not only for himself but for others navigating similar struggles.

This episode dives into the mindset behind transformation, the power of expression, and what it truly means to turn pain into something that fuels growth.

If you have ever faced adversity or questioned your path, this conversation will shift your perspective.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Life is the canvas we paint. Yeah. Opening the dialogue, removing the barriers and restraint. Uh-huh. It's the open palette, insight, access, then the human story. The palette is open. Open now.

SPEAKER_02 0:21

Welcome to the open palette podcast, where art, culture, and community come together. I'm your host, Brian Camacho, and I'm excited to be here with today's guest. So let's get right to it. Some people write books, but some people write because they have to. And today's guest has turned pain into purpose, building a business, helping others bring their stories that matter to life. Today's guest is Luis Chino Martinez. Louis, welcome to the Open Palette.

SPEAKER_01 0:44

Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here.

SPEAKER_02 0:46

It's a pleasure to have you here today as well. I want to get right to it and uh speak to how you've become a writer, you know, being able to formulate these ideas and these stories and bring them to life. We have a long list of books here that we can talk about. So tell the people a little bit about yourself and the stories that you brought to life.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

I started writing back in in 1998. Um it, you know, it was it was a situation that occurred. Um a personal friend of mine, someone I grew up with, a childhood friend, um, was tragically killed in front of me. And, you know, I it was the first time I had ever witnessed, you know, a situation like that. Um I went home, I mean, for days, I was just, you know, home. Not it just kept replaying and replaying and replaying. And, you know, something just, I don't, I really, you know, going back to that moment, I can't really tell you what it was. I just started writing. You know what I mean? I just from then on, it was just everything that I that I thought about, especially that situation, but that sparked, you know, everything for me as a writer. From then on, I've been writing ever since.

SPEAKER_02 1:49

Oh, that's amazing. Writing being very therapeutic for you at that moment and being able to help you overcome that that tragic situation that you were dealing with. Uh, how did you, you know, find it within yourself to, you know, take it to the next step and actually be able to express yourself through this writing uh and allowing others to, you know, get into your space, get into your mind and get into how you feel?

SPEAKER_01 2:11

Uh honestly was, you know, a little scary to put it out there. Um, you know, sitting at home writing, you know, wrote about 15, 20 pages. And I remember, you know, um a friend of mine, you know, had asked me what I, you know, I haven't seen him, um, being that I was home. And I told him, I said, I've been writing, and you know, he basically just said, you know, let me read, you know, what you have. And, you know, at first I it was it was a little scary, don't get me wrong, because you know, you you're not only writing about the tragedy, but at the same time, now you're putting yourself to be judged as a writer, you know what I mean? And you know, his opinions could have gone, you know, I probably wouldn't have you know become a writer, but it was a positive feedback, and that inspired me to, you know, to keep writing, you know. That's crazy. So that's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 2:57

And this is the book that we are speaking of, correct? Correct. Correct. This is called Crystal Law. Crystal Law, yes.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Uh, Crystal Law was initially psychologically scarred, but Crystal Law is um it's a memoir, um, but it's it's really that that whole tragedy, that situation that occurred that night, um, is a big, big part of the book. Um, but from that, um, years later, as you know, time went on, there were many other tragedies that I witnessed. And uh I just sat down and just basically wrote a chapter for each and every one. You know what I mean? So all the chapters that are in there, there's something tragic that occurred in every chapter, you know, that I witnessed.

SPEAKER_02 3:40

Understood. And uh, and and this has been your therapy, and it's and it's allowed you to open up doors for you to put out other books. As you see here, we have other books that you've published as well. Let's talk to some of the other books that you have, such as Loser. What is the what is the premise of this book and the story behind this?

SPEAKER_01 3:55

So, Loser, you know, the the title Loser came from people, you know, when you're in the streets and you're hanging out, I was a very, very smart kid. You know, I I was raised properly to respect and all that, both parents, and I because I chose to go left instead of following, you know, all the positive that my my parents are trying to teach me, you know, people always say, You're gonna be a loser, you're gonna be a loser. You know what I mean? And that always stuck with me because I knew better, you know what I mean? But what I did was I took the title, and pretty much it was just again, me reflecting on myself, you know what I mean? People calling me a loser, and they were right, they were 100% right. Um, but they didn't understand, you know, after that tragedy, they didn't understand, you know, like I I so many different things that were going through my head after that, and you know, going down the wrong path. Um, but once I started reflecting, you know, on in the book, it made sense as to why somebody would call me a loser, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 4:56

But this is your way of reflecting, this is your way of speaking to to that child and understanding that.

SPEAKER_01 5:02

Of course, yeah. I mean, it's it's you know, um, it's it's therapeutic, you know, like you said earlier. It's something that, you know, you sit down and you just it's almost like you're talking to yourself. You know what I mean? It's almost like you're you're you're standing in front of the mirror and just basically just challenging yourself, you know, every single day. You're challenging yourself. And you know, as as I got better with the writing, um I became more comfortable, you know what I mean, with writing and all that. Um, even though it wasn't my my personal favorite in school and all that, writing was I mean, writing, math, all that was just not for, you know, something that I really, really cared about. You know what I mean? But, you know, again, this this tragic event took me on that path and I've been there since.

SPEAKER_02 5:45

And I know you have another book here as well. I mean, you have tons of books here. This is a there's a collection of books here. We're gonna we're just running through them just to get a get a understanding of these different stories that you've been able to put together. I have uh this one here is called Life. Let's talk to this one as well.

SPEAKER_01 6:00

All right. Um, so life is again, it's another um sort of a memoir, but it's more thoughts. It's it really, it's not, you know, situations. It's just I uh any situation that that I'm having been dealing with, whether it was a relationship, um, you know, money problems, you know, anything that came to mind, any, any um any thought that came to mind that I would just wanted to write about. So if you go, if you look through this book, uh Loser in Life, to be honest with you, it was actually one book. Okay. And um I felt like, you know, I was I was going too long. So just to shorten it up, I actually, you know, separated the two. They really don't have a flow as far as like a like an autobiography. You know, they it's just basically just thoughts that come to mind and it more like advice to the people, you know, that that I just wrote about.

SPEAKER_02 6:51

Uh now with regards to the title to this book, it's not spelled L-I-F-E. You spelled it L-I-E apostrophe F. Can you speak to the idea and the concept behind that?

SPEAKER_01 7:01

So life to me, um, I felt like most of us out there in the streets, you know, there's you know, most people will look at somebody and say they're criminals and all that, you know. But the way I look at it, yes, you know, there are some people out there that are do, you know, doing doing wrong and all that. I just think we're living a lie while you're out there. You know, you you know, you know how you feel deep inside. You know what you want to be. You want to be a good person. Nobody wants to get, you know, you know, killed or go to prison or whatever. But I just think it at that moment, I think what I was going through was I think that we were all living a lie, thinking that, you know, it was a way of life, you know what I mean? But I just I just came up with the title. I mean, it was just something that came to mind and I ran with it.

SPEAKER_02 7:47

Interesting. Well, you go out, go out and check that out. They can find us uh where?

SPEAKER_01 7:51

They've been out since 2017. Um, but you can find them on Amazon. I believe you could also find them on Barnes and Noble. Um, not sure anywhere else, um, but I those are the two main um companies where you can get them at.

SPEAKER_02 8:05

You got it, you got it. Now, I want to speak to the idea that you just spoke of with regards to having these two different books, um, these two different stories lining up with each other. How do you, as a writer, find it within yourself to, you know, understand that this chapter has been completed before moving on into the next chapter, or even being able to say that this book has been completed. You know, in this case, it seems that the storyline was never completed, right? Which is why we have a sequel to it. Right. Let's speak to the balance within that and the understanding.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Yeah, yeah. There's um again, there's two different, you know, a memoir. I mean, you could pretty much just pick any topic that you want to write about because it really doesn't have uh a flow. One chapter may not have anything to do with the other chapters um throughout the book. But um, I mean, one of the good things about a memoir is it never ends. I mean, life continues. You can always, there's always gonna be something that is gonna spark you to write another chapter, right?

SPEAKER_02 9:01

But in the case, excuse me, in the case of a of a fiction or you know, and something to that extent, yeah. How how does uh a writer find it within themselves to be able to say this chapter's complete? You know, for an artist at times when they're painting on a canvas, they they fight with themselves to say that I'm done with this piece. Are you do you find yourself in the same space?

SPEAKER_01 9:22

Well, fiction, you know, you you have to have an imaginary, you know. I I only what I write about is mostly situations that really, really do occur. I do want to get to that point where I am creative and you know, come up with just a story, you know, just uh make up a story and go with it. Um it's something that I might, you know, maybe this will spark a thought, you know what I mean? But um, but most of the situations that I've written about are true. You know, these are biographies, real life situations, memoirs and things in that matter.

SPEAKER_02 9:56

And and you've also ghostwriter, a ghostwriter, right? You've assisted different uh people with their stories and bringing their stories to life. Yes. Let's speak to that. How do how does that, you know, how do you how do you prepare for that?

SPEAKER_01 10:07

Well, this was actually an idea that my wife came up with. Uh, I give her all the credit because even when I doubted myself and said to myself, I you know, I can write my own books because you know it's me. I can sit down and and come up with my own stories. Um but she saw something in me that I didn't see, you know what I mean? And you know, I give her all the credit. One day she just said, you know, um, as a birthday gift, actually, she said, I'm gonna open up your own publishing company, which is LMB Ghostwriting Services. And um we created a page on Instagram, and what is the Instagram so they can find you? So it's LMB Ghostwriting Services on on Instagram. As well. There you go. Um, and yeah, so from then on, it's it's almost you put out there, you keep advertising. You know, people, I mean I get so many inboxes with people that want to write their book. Um, again, you know, it you have to pay. You have to it it there's a price, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 11:09

Um and there's let's speak to the prices and the purposes of the price so that people can get understanding. Because obviously, you know, there's there's publishing companies, there's self-publishing, but ultimately at the end of the day, there's things that have to get covered, right? There's things that have to take you know what what is the let's speak to that for somebody who's interested in actually taking this idea and taking it to the next level. What is your advice in that instance? Yeah. If they're coming to an individual like yourself to assist them in that or just you know publish it on their own, right, right.

SPEAKER_01 11:41

Well, I for me, I've been blessed um with a publisher. Um, I have a friend of mine who's helped me publish my own stories. Um, Peter Lopez, he's on Instagram. Um XP X uh XP Lopez Jr. Um if you you can find him on Instagram, check that out. Message him, he'll be able to give you all the advice you need. Um he's helped me out greatly. Um or you know, there's there's other ways you can self-publish. I mean, it's a lot of work, you know what I mean? You you have to like master, there's so many different things that you have to like, you know, uh figure out, you know, the formatting, the book cover, the book design. There's it's so much work. I never really, really wanted to tap into that because, you know, again, I was blessed with it, but um with a with a publisher. But um, yeah, there's there's different ways. I mean, self-publish, you know, you can, you know, reach out to different publishing companies, you know, and just you know, whatever is is is a good fit for you, you know what I mean? And you know, but there's there's a lot of avenues that you can take. You know, someday you can just Google something, you know, and just it'll pop up, you know. But yeah, I think that, you know, self-publishing, reach out to publishing companies, or you know, like I said, you can reach out to Peter Lopez who's helped me out greatly.

SPEAKER_02 12:53

You know, check them out. I mean, you see it here. We have a long list of books here. Yes. What are uh what are some of the individuals that you've assisted in in book writing with that you'd like to speak with? Speak on?

SPEAKER_01 13:03

Uh I've worked with um the the last book that I actually write now, which is um being formatted right now. We have the book covering everything, everything's gonna probably be done within the next week or so. Um uh if you guys are familiar with Smith and Weston uh tech from Smith and Wesson, um, and a great amazing story. I it was almost like pulling teeth to actually get him to write his story because it's so personal, you know what I mean? Of course. But um I met him through a uh a good friend of mine in Brooklyn, uh back in like 2000, 2001, around that time. And there was something about him that I was intrigued by, you know what I mean? I it he stood by, didn't say a word, you know what I mean? But it to me at that time I was into writing, but I didn't dare to ask him. It wasn't until you were talking about 2000, it wasn't until like 2022, 23, and I was like, let's get your book. And finally he responded. So right now we we have the book, it should be out. I would say maybe another month. What's the title of that? So that one is Legacy of Lyrics.

SPEAKER_02 14:08

Um make sure to check that out. Make sure to pick that up in stores for sure. Tech Smith and Wesson, that's that book that's gonna be hitting stores real soon. Yeah, um, with regards to that, um, obviously these are their stories. You're not writing, you know, anything outside of but what they're able to give you. So, how do you prepare for that though? What what is the what is the process? You know, what are the steps for you to be able to take somebody else's story and put that together? Ultimately, you're stepping in their shoes, right? In a sense, yeah. I mean, to assist them with bringing that story to life.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

Yeah, it's tough because you know, a lot of people have an idea uh in their thoughts about what their book should be about, right? Um, which is great. I mean, you can't take away their story, they're gonna put whatever they want in there. But me, because I've been writing for so long, I kind of have an idea because I'm an outsider looking in, you know what I mean? So I I ask those tough questions, you know what I mean? Sometimes I push it to the limit where, you know, it's almost like crossing the line, a personal, you know. But when it comes to a book, if if you're a reader, right? You're out there reading a book, you want to read about things you don't know about, you know, especially if they're artists and entertainers, you can Google all their information, you know what I mean. But when it comes to them, you want to like I push them. I push them to tell us things that, you know, it's almost like an oh shit moment. Like, I didn't know that. You know what I mean? Families didn't know it, you know, but it's just, you know, just trying to come up with the most creative um story to put out there. Uh again, you know, a book is it's it's it's your life. You know what I mean? It's almost like a one-shot deal. I mean, unless, of course, if you do more than one book, but you wanna you want to put your best work out there. So I think the more information you have, I think that, you know, the more creative you are, the more you know, people would be in tune to buy it, you know.

SPEAKER_02 15:56

That's great. That's great. We're definitely looking forward to seeing that one. Now, uh, I know when we were originally talking off the record, you told me it it took you some time to actually be able to get these books out. You know, there's I'm sure there's writers with a similar story. Um, can we talk to that and uh speak to that? You said you wrote your first book in uh in 98. 98. So when was it first published? 2017?

SPEAKER_01 16:18

Oh, 2017, yes. So I mean it took that long, you know. I I do remember in the beginning reaching out to uh publishing companies, and back then, I mean, it was like I think the first um publishing company that I called, sorry, the you know, ten thousand dollars to get your book published. They had no idea what the book was about. They didn't even know, I mean, they they had no idea about the book. Um, but you know, like$10,000. And at that time, I was like, that's crazy. You know what I mean? Like you have no idea what the book is even about. You don't even, you're already charging me for something that, you know, so it was a little discouraging at first. But, you know, again, I was blessed with meeting Peter Lopez in 2017, and he helped me, and to this day, he still helps me. And a lot of the people that I I write for, you know, most of the uh authors that I write for, you know, will help with their projects. I don't have to necessarily write the whole entire book, but I help them, but I always, you know, bring them to Peter. Peter is amazing, you know, great with helping publishing their books and all that.

SPEAKER_02 17:20

So that's great. Where can they find you? Where can they find your books? Where can they find you on Instagram? Let's get your information out there so that people could tap in with you as well.

SPEAKER_01 17:29

Yeah, so my Instagram is Lewis underscore Chino underscore Martinez. You can find me there. Um, we also have LMB Ghostwriting Services on Instagram also. Um, but yeah, I I try to, you know, limit my, you know, but that's basically where you can find me. You know, um, reach out and um I'm I'm a very, very helpful person. I mean, I know how hard it was to publish my book. So, you know, I'm I'm the type of person that I love to see people happy. You know what I mean? So you reach out to me, I always respond. I'm I've I'm never too good to the point where I don't want to help people, but you know, you reach out, I I'll make sure that I'll you know lead you to the right people.

SPEAKER_02 18:10

This is what it's about here, you know. I mean, being able to assist everybody and being able to have a helping hand. So make sure to tap in with Chino. He's definitely here to be make a change in the community. I mean, keep expanding, man. Check out these books. Got something to read here for sure. Check it out, y'all. Thank you for tuning in. Open palette. Peace.