Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

EP 308 - Historical Fiction Inspired by Real People with C. C. Humphreys

Jun 6, 2023

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Mark interviews, actor and writer C. C. Humphreys about his new novel Some Day I'll Find You.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares a word from this episode's sponsor.

You can learn more about how you can get your audiobooks distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.

During the interview Mark and Chris talk about:

Chris's new epic romance saga novel Some Day I'll Find You and how it's partly based on his own parents
Having to imagine his parents in their early 20s in the precarious situations they found themselves in
How this novel related to Chris's previous historical novel from the same era, Chasing the Wind
The common theme of "characters in peril" in Chris's novels
The consistent question of "what would I have done" during this significant era of history as well as in situations taking place around the world even today
How the spark for a novel always begins with story and characters
The various ways that Chris conducts research for different historical periods that he writes about
The book All the Fine Young Eagles: In the Cockpit with Canada's Second World War Fighter Pilots by David L Bashow which contained beautiful details about Canadian fighter pilots
The playlist Chris compiled related to songs that were a part of the research he did into that era
The book launches Chris will be doing when in Toronto (June 7th at Noonan's Pub) and Perth (June 9th at 7 PM at The Book Nook), then at Book Warehouse (Vancouver) on the 14th, as well as the free stage show in Toronto
Tips Chris would provide for authors who are preparing to do a reading of their work
How Chris enjoys doing launches at pubs and the live reading Chris did from the 5th oldest pub in England in the summer of 2022
A potential additional novel idea set in this same universe that Chris has been noodling over
Chris's fascination with the ambiguity of war
Advice that Chris would offer to beginning writers
And more...

After the interview Mark reflects on those historic moments when people had to take a stand, as well as the idea of hosting a book-related event at a pub or other typically non-bookish locale.

Links of Interest:

Chris (C.C.) Humphreys - born in Toronto, raised in London - has played Hamlet in Calgary, a gladiator in Tunisia, waltzed in London’s West End, conned the landlord of the Rovers Return in Coronation Street, patrolled the Sun Hill beat in The Bill, commanded a starfleet in Andromeda, voiced Salem the cat in the original Sabrina, and is a dead immortal in Highlander. He is also a playwright, audiobook narrator, creative writing teacher and award-winning author of historical fiction and fantasy. He has written twenty two novels including The French Executioner, The Jack Absolute Trilogy, Vlad-The Last Confession, A Place Called Armageddon, Shakespeare’s Rebel, Chasing the Wind and his recent modern thriller, One London Day. Plague won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel. He has been translated into thirteen languages. His fantasy work includes The Runestone Saga and the recently published high epic series Immortals’ Blood beginning with Smoke in the Glass. His other fantasy series, The Tapestry Trilogy, has just been re-launched beginning with The Hunt of the Unicorn. This Summer sees the publication of his WW2 thriller, Someday I’ll Find You. He lives on Salt Spring Island, BC. Visit him at: https://www.authorchrishumphreys.com/

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0