Former CBC Journalist James Hees Launches Born to be Mild
- clipstonpublishing
- 4 days ago
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Clipston Publishing announces the August 10 release of a darkly humorous “misremembered memoir” from acclaimed former CBC journalist James Hees.
EDMONTON, Alberta – August 10, 2026 – Clipston Publishing is pleased to announce the release of Born to be Mild, a new memoir by former CBC journalist James Hees.
Born to be Mild is what Hees calls a “misremembered memoir,” a darkly humorous look back at a youth spent standing uncomfortably close to danger. Told with sharp wit and self-deprecating humour, Hees revisits the remarkable characters, near misses and unexpected turns that ultimately shaped his life.
Growing up poor in a small town, Hees was a peculiar child whose intense imagination often blurred the line between fantasy and reality, leaving him in temporary fantasy episodes he called the “movies in his mind.” While others chased risk with boldness and bravado, Hees often hesitated. Looking back, he believes that hesitation may have changed the course of his life.
His world, however, was anything but mild.
Hees moved through a cast of unforgettable characters, dangerous jobs, reckless stunts and close calls that could easily have ended differently. Eventually, radio became his refuge, taking him from small-town stations to a career in national broadcasting with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
But professional success did not insulate him from the darker parts of life. Addiction, grief and the difficult stories he covered as a journalist began to close in. Reporting during Edmonton's “dark years,” Hees witnessed lives unravelling at the margins and confronted questions about survival, chance and moral luck that stayed with him long after the stories were over.
“James has spent much of his career telling other people's stories, and in Born to be Mild he turns that storyteller's eye on his own remarkable collection of experiences,” says Teena Clipston, publisher of Clipston Publishing. “His ability to find humour in some very dark places is part of what makes the book so compelling.”
Funny, poignant and deeply human, Born to be Mild is a memoir about the stories we survive, the people who shape us and the unexpected ways humour can carry us through life's darkest moments.
Born to be Mild is published by Clipston Publishing and launches August 10, 2026.
About James Hees
James Hees is a former journalist whose reporting has received national and international acclaim. He built his career in journalism and broadcasting with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and lives in Edmonton, Alberta, with his wife, Nicolle.
Media Contact
Teena Clipston, Publisher, Clipston Publishing www.clipstonpublishing.com
Available on Amazon: Born to be Mild: Hees, James: 9781067472306: Books - Amazon.ca Download Cover.
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