C.C. (Chris) Humphreys

Authors' Booking Service is pleased to announce that children's author
C.C. (Chris) Humphreys is now scheduling visits to Ontario schools.   

His rate is $250 for one session, $500 for two, $700 for three and $900 for four, plus public transportation from Toronto. A $30 flat fee per session towards accommodation applies.

No travel charges within the GTA. For travel outside the GTA, car rental or public transportation costs. Due to his unfamiliarity with the area, a driver/escort might be required, or detailed public transit instructions from downtown TO are appreciated when confirming bookings.

Chris is a member of The Writers' Union of Canada; schools wishing to invite him may be eligible for a travel and fee subsidy to offset the cost of her visit. Contact us for details of this program. 

Chris is a well-known actor and sometime fight choreographer. His recent adult novel: Vlad was a bestseller in Canada. He has appeared three times at the Harbourfront Festival. He also speaks at many writing conferences and teaches creative writing to both adults and teens.

Published Works

The French Executioner McArthur&Co/Orion 2002

Blood Ties McArthur&Co/Orion 2003

Jack Absolute McArthur&Co/Orion 2004

The Blooding of Jack Absolute McArthur&Co/Orion 2005

The Fetch (Book One: The Runestone Saga) Knopf 2006

Absolute Honour McArthur&Co/Orion 2007

Vendetta (Book Two: The Runestone Saga) Knopf 2007

Possession (Book Three: The Runestone Saga) Knopf 2008

Vlad, The Last Confession McArthur&Co/Orion 2009

Upcoming:

The Hunt of the Unicorn (Young Adult) – Knopf March 2011

A Place Called Armageddon (Adult) – Orion/Hachette Fall 2011

Awards and Nominations

Nominated

Absolute Honour – Shortlisted for the Evergreen Prize, Ontario Library Association. 2007

Winner

A Cage Without Bars (Play)

Winner 24 Hour Playwriting Competition, New Play Centre, Vancouver. 1992

The French Executioner

Runner up, Steel Dagger for Thrillers, Crime Writers Association, UK. 2002

Presentation Description

The focus of my presentation is passion. My own, for ‘the word’, written and spoken. And the students’, urging them to seek what thrills them… and then encouraging them to write about it. I use being a writer, an actor, even a fight choreographer, to illustrate how it is quite possible to live your life by pursuing your dreams.

I begin with a question: where do ideas come from? And then show how the tiniest spark can lead to a huge flame, giving examples from my own life as a creator. I talk of how research is not the boring bit but the springboard for the imagination. Truth stranger than fiction? I have tales that prove exactly that.

Writing a book is a fascinating journey and I will mainly use my current novel, ‘The Hunt of the Unicorn’ for examples. This tale, that takes a modern fifteen year old girl from our world into one where all our myths live, helps me to illustrate how our ordinary lives can be teased out into adventure and the development of fascinating characters. No matter how fantastical the story, every part is linked by the act of writing to both personal experience and unfettered imagination. Writers of any age often need to get past critical inner voices. I have techniques to help with that.

Being an actor as well as an author, I especially enjoy the performance aspect of presentation– the opportunity to share ideas with an audience. So I make my events as lively as possible, and include some short dramatic readings. I even bring my Biblical sling shot – though I always try not to injure the librarian!

I am happy presenting to a single class or a whole school. Grades 6-12. From classroom to arena.

I have taught many writing workshops on craft and inspiration. Workshop size: 30 students.

Equipment and other requirements

A blackboard. Paper and pens.