Chris Humphreys at SIWC

Chris Humphreys, aka CC Humphreys, an actor, author, and playwright pauses for a sip of water while sharing his writerly wisdom with attendees at the Surrey International Writers' Conference. "Your imagination is smarter than you are," says Chris. And the secret of writing is, well -- writing. When you write your way into the story, characters reveal what's really going on, and it's not always what you expected. But that makes the story even better.

I haven't been to SIWC in awhile, and it was stellar as usual. Besides hearing Chris Humphreys, I've attended presentations by Angela Ackerman, Mary Robinette Kowal, Meg Tilly, and Kim Foster (a writer and medical doctor), as well as an informative session with Susanna Kearsley and her U.S. editor (she also has a Canadian one). 

As always, there are plenty of pitch opportunities and lots of blue pencil work going on. Conference anchors Anne Perry, Diana Gabaldon, and Jack Whyte add their own magic. Okay, Michael Slade too, the ringleader of SIWC's traditional Shock Theatre.