Randy Randall just likes to write about things.

Sitting at a picnic table overlooking his marina in Saco, Randall has one thing to say about his life: “This is play. I’m having a great time.”

Randall, who runs Marston’s Marina on the Saco River with his wife, Jean, recently published his first book, “Sandbox Camp Tales From a Maine Storyteller.” The paperback of short stories is 229 pages long. Many of the stories run around five pages. 

Randall, 61, said all of his stories are based on things that have happened to him, family or friends. 

“Now, how I tell the story, I take a few liberties,” he said. “Everybody’s got stories. I just like to listen to them.”

Randall said the stories he tells are not dissimilar to the stories of any Maine family. 

“You go interview any Maine family that’s banged around in the outdoors, and you sit them down – everyone has the same stories,” he said. “The only difference is I wrote them down.”

Randall often thinks of stories to tell while out riding his bike or kayaking. He simply starts to reminisce, then thinks about how to embellish and entertain his audience. He describes himself as a raconteur and apprentice writer working to improve his style and delivery.

Randall said his book is designed for readers to flip through, reading a few pages at a time. The title comes from Randall’s family camp in Osborne Plantation, which he has owned for 28 years. The family called the camp the Sandbox because it is built on beach sand. For years, the camp has served as a gathering place for family and friends.

Randall began writing stories for those who visited the camp. He kept the stories in a three-ring binder and always had positive feedback from guests. Randall also asks all of his guests to write in a diary he keeps on the camp table.  

Randall said a post in the cabin marking heights is a testament to how many people have stayed there. He and his wife began marking the heights of their sons on the post, and their children’s friends would want to be measured as well.

“If you look at the post now, there’s probably 100 different marks,” Randall said. “Half are for people I’ve never met. It’s precious.”

Randall spent his early years on his family’s farm in Saco and later moved to Old Orchard Beach. He graduated from the University of Maine in Orono with a degree in English. After graduation, Randall joined the Navy and served in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. 

After his tour of duty, Randall worked for IBM, where he specialized in using business computers in Maine paper mills. He married Jean in 1970 and they raised three sons, Matthew, Benjamin and Jeremy.

Once he retired from IBM in 2004, Randall returned to his life-long dream of writing short stories. He began to sell his stories to regional publications, including “The Maine Sportsman,” “No Umbrella,” “Points East Magazine,” “Downeast Magazine” and “Wolf Moon Journal.”

Eventually, Randall’s piles of stories became so large his wife suggested he had the makings of a book.

“It was kind of her idea, actually, to make the effort,” he said. 

Randall began sending emails to publishers and found he was not discouraged by rejection. 

“I finally got one who thought the stories had merit,” Randall said. 

This encouraged Randall to keep writing. He has also been encouraged by his family’s response to the book. 

Randall said his son and friend were staying at the camp recently and used the book to practice reading. The friend was studying to be a grammar school teacher and was nervous about reading aloud, so the pair took turns reading from Randall’s book.

“If I didn’t even sell a book, that story is worth all the effort of publishing and editing,” Randall said. 

Randall’s favorite story from the book is “Old Salts, Geezers: Dockside Superintendents.” It tells of the old men who used to hang around the marina tinkering with boats and telling stories.

“That was another blessing, having those old World War II vets down here with a boat, hanging out, telling stories,” Randall said. “It’s great to know them.”

“I never felt the time we spent listening to those old geezers tell their stories was wasted because when you listened you heard very interesting tales,” Randall wrote in the “Old Salts” story. 

One of the “geezers” was Charlie, who was at the marina frequently enough for customers to assume he was on the payroll. Charlie was a machinist for most of his life and was always willing to offer help or advice to those at the marina. 

Once Charlie died, Randall had a brass plaque made that reads “Charlie’s Bench.” Randall takes pleasure in telling people about Charlie when they ask the meaning of the plaque. 

When not working at the marina or helping care for his 93-year-old mother-in-law, Randall can be found pulling his lobster traps. He is a registered Maine Guide and a retired Scout Master. Randall is also enjoying his new grandson, Morgen.  

Randall has been visiting local bookstores and libraries to tell them about his book and said he has had a nice reception. The book is available at Nonesuch Books in the Saco Valley Shopping Center for $24.95.

“It’s an uphill climb,” he said of getting word out about his book. “We’re figuring this out as we go along and having a good time doing it.”