July 2025: Chris Whitaker’s All The Colors of the Dark

Aug 1, 2025

In this episode, bestselling author Chris Whitaker shares his captivating journey from trauma to storytelling. He opens up about how writing became his therapy and a lifeline during tough times. The conversation dives into his latest work, 'All the Colors of the Dark,' focusing on complex characters and the blend of emotional depth with thrilling narratives. Chris also reflects on the power of literature to heal and the unexpected twists in life that shape our stories, proving that joy and pain often coexist in the tales we tell.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Epic Story Beyond Genre Labels

All The Colors of the Dark grew from a small pitch into an epic spanning decades.
The novel defies genre labels, mixing mystery, coming-of-age, family, love, and unexpected elements like pirates and beekeepers.

ADVICE

Build Characters Through Dialogue

Get to know your characters deeply through extended dialogue before writing the story.
This method helps understand motivations and reactions authentically, enhancing storytelling.

INSIGHT

Story as a Connected Network

Every detail in a story should lead somewhere and connect to the climax.
Even difficult scenes must convey hope and evolution, reflecting characters’ growth amid trauma.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Chris Whitaker didn’t come to writing the usual way. His path began with a series of harrowing experiences in young adulthood that left him searching for tools to process trauma and find peace. As a boy, he’d found comfort in libraries, and it was there he discovered a book on writing-as-therapy that encouraged him to fictionalize his pain and set stories in places of joy. Writing became a lifeline—and the foundation for the emotionally rich characters that define his work.

Chris’ personal story deeply informs his bestselling novels, including We Begin at the End and our July JHBC selection, All the Colors of the Dark, resonating with readers worldwide through their authenticity and heart.

Join us as we explore his remarkable journey—from pain to page—and the healing power of storytelling.

Thought-provoking Quotes:

“I didn't set out to write such a sprawling, massive book. I had a simple, top line pitch and then I began writing it and it evolved into like this just epic book.” – Chris Whitaker
“I thought the book's probably not going to fit neatly into a genre because life never does, you know? There might be a crime in it, but it's the least interesting thing in the book. It's going to probably be a coming of age story, definitely a story of friendship, definitely a look at family and first love and, and pirates and beekeepers as well. Obviously.” – Chris Whitaker
“I wanted everything to lead somewhere. Everything that you think is a throwaway in the story, every line that seems like it doesn't quite fit, it leads somewhere. The entire story is a network that is leading you towards the answer.” – Chris Whitaker

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Jen’s post about reading All The Colors of the Dark while on a ski trip – http://bit.ly/4kVA5qt
We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker - https://amzn.to/4lrONFL
Amy Einhorn, Editor - https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/people/article/93078-amy-einhorn-named-fiction-publisher-at-crown.html
The Last Child: A Novel by John Hart - https://amzn.to/4nyXcsT
Nita Prose, author - https://www.nitaprose.com/
Tall Oaks by Chris Whitaker - https://amzn.to/40dYSOc
A Prayer for Owen Meany: A Novel by John Irving - https://amzn.to/4kb8UH9
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: A Novel by Gabrielled Zevin

Guest’s Links:

Website - https://sites.prh.com/chriswhitaker

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chriswhitakerauthor/

Twitter - https://x.com/whittyauthor

Connect with Jen!Jen’s Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/

Jen’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmakerJen’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/

Jen’s Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmakerJen’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker

The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy.

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices