The author and comedian Charlie Demers discusses his new novel Primary Obsessions (Douglas & McIntyre, 2020), with Joseph Planta.

Primary Obsessions by Charles Demers (Douglas & McIntyre, 2020). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Primary Obsessions

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Charlie Demers joins me again. He has just published a new novel, Primary Obsessions. It is not his first novel, but it is his first foray into the genre of mystery. Even with this new book just out, he’s working on the second book in a series featuring his protagonist, Dr. Annick Boudreau. She is a psychiatrist of a particular practice, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. I’ll get Charlie, who illuminates this condition in his book to tell us about it, and about his own experience as a CBT patient. In the book, Dr. Boudreau’s patient Sanjay is tortured with violent thoughts and horrified by them. He is annoyed with his roommate, and as one expects the roommate is murdered. Dr. Boudreau feels compelled to investigate the murder on her own, when she is unable to talk to the police owing to doctor-patient confidentiality. I’ll get Charlie to talk to us about this book, these characters, and more. We also discuss his own publishing, and the Vancouver that he depicts in this book. Charles Demers is an author, comedian, actor, playwright, screenwriter, and political activist. His comedy album Fatherland was nominated for a Juno Award. He appears regularly on the CBC Radio program The Debaters, and has written several books include his previous novel Property Values. His book of essays Vancouver Special was a finalist for the Hubert Evans BC Book Prize for Non-Fiction, which he first appeared on this program with in 2010. Since then he’s made several appearances, this being his ninth. His website is at www.charliedemers.com. This new book is published by Douglas & McIntyre. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Charlie Demers; Mr. Demers, good morning.

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