2009 Leacock Award Announced

I travelled to Orillia this past Thursday to complete my year as the 2008 Leacock Medal winner in the very same room where it all started twelve months ago.  It was wonderful to be back in Swanmore Hall for the Leacock Luncheon.  I helped out during the presentations to the finalists and got caught up with the many friends I’ve made in the Leacock Association over the past year.  My congratulations to all of the short-listed authors and in particular to Mark Leiren-Young, the 2009 Leacock Award winner for his funny memoir of his early years as a reporter in the B.C. interior. Mark couldn’t attend the luncheon but he sent a brilliant surrogate in the form of former Leacock medalist, Ian Ferguson.  Ian was hilarious in accepting the award on Mark’s behalf and reminded us all that winning the Leacock is a life-changing event for any writer.  (Not that I needed any reminding of that.  It’s been on my mind daily for the last year.)  So, I’ve officially surrendered my sash as a Leacock Winner and pass it along to Mark Leiren-Young.  May he wear it well.

Here I am congratulating Jack MacLeod, author of  the short-listed novel, Uproar.