Archive for the ‘Mark Leiren-Young’ Category

My article runs in Writers’ Union of Canada mag

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

Early in the fall, I was asked to write a piece for the fall/winter edition of WRITE, the official magazine of the Writers’ Union of Canada (WUC). The magazine is now out there, with Paul Quarrington on the cover, and focuses on Canadian humour. I was only too happy to oblige. I joined the WUC in the fall, figuring a contributor to the magazine better be a member. I wish I could actually reproduce the article here, but the magazine is only available to WUC members, and I wouldn’t want to be drummed out of the organization within a few months of joining! After all, membership has its privileges! Other contributors to this humour edition include my friend and fellow Leacock Medal winner, Mark Leiren-Young, the hilarious Drew Hayden Taylor (whose new novel I’ve recently blurbed), and the very funny Erika Ritter, among others. The magazine is great, and well worth reading, even with my piece! (Psst! The article I contributed is quite like the essay that ran on the Globe and Mail books site last spring.)

Mark Leiren-Young picks up his Leacock

Sunday, June 14th, 2009

mark-l-y-leacock

Last night I was back in Orillia, Ontario, for the annual Leacock Dinner at which the 2009 Leacock Medal was presented and I guess you could say I officially surrendered my sash as the 2008 winner.  Mark Leiren-Young was as wide-eyed as I was a year ago as he signed his winning book, Never Shoot A Stampede Queen, and humbly received the good wishes of the few hundred guests at the gala dinner.

Mark is an accomplished artist.  He’s a filmmaker, screenwriter, comic, and writer.  His acceptance speech at the dinner last night was wonderful.  Funny, thoughtful, self-deprecating, and warm.  I hope he sells a ton of books.

We’re going to meet when he’s next in Toronto and I’ve promised to show him the secret Leacock handshake.  Mark, enjoy every moment of this ride…