Natalie Sue wins Leacock Medal for Humour for novel 'I Hope This Finds You Well'
The $25,000 award is given to the best Canadian book of literary humour published in the previous year.
The novel follows the story of an office worker in her early thirties who one day stumbles upon all of her colleagues' private emails and decides to use their gossip to help save her job.
'I Hope This Finds You Well' was published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Sue is a Calgary-based author of Iranian and British descent who spent her early years living in western Canada.
Runners-up, who received $5,000 each, were Greg Kearney for "An Evening With Birdy O'Day," about an aging hairstylist who lost connection with his childhood best friend when he left to pursue a pop music career, and Patricia J. Parsons for "We Came From Away: That Summer on the Rock," which follows one woman's attempt to reconnect her family with Newfoundland.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2025.
David Friend, The Canadian Press
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
He spent decades on his James Baldwin biography. It's out at the perfect moment.
Nicholas Boggs describes himself as an 'accidental biographer,' and his new book, 'Baldwin: A Love Story,' as something he fell into. 'I don't know if I should say this,' said Boggs, 51, 'but when I got the book contract, I had never read a biography from start to finish.'


Geek Girl Authority
8 hours ago
- Geek Girl Authority
Nck Name Talks Starring in TIFF-Bound Comedic Thriller ADULTHOOD
Nck Name is a bona fide artist, through and through. A multi-hyphenate, he's an actor and musician who also works in post-production sound design. He's amassed an array of credits over the years, including roles in Star Trek: Discovery , Netflix's The Madness , Fellow Travelers and Murdoch Mysteries . Next up on the docket is Adulthood , which Nck stars in opposite Kaya Scodelario, Josh Gad and Anthony Carrigan. The comedic neo-noir thriller is slated to make its world premiere at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. Recently, I had the privilege of chatting with Nck about his role in the film as Diego, what audiences can expect, collaborating with director Alex Winter and more. RELATED: Shervin Kermani on Crafting TIFF Short Ramón Who Speaks to Ghosts and Working With Werner Herzog This interview is edited for clarity. Nck Name Pictured: Nck Name — Photo credit: Tim Leyes Melody McCune: We at GGA love a good origin story. How did you get into the arts? Nck Name: I've always gravitated toward the life of the arts. When I was 12 years old, I discovered music as an outlet. I remember having this crossroads moment. I went to a career fair. This was back in Colombia. I remember looking at the various options, all these career paths being offered; I remember standing in that hallway. It's one thing to dream about pursuing the arts — it's a very different thing to actually do it. I remember having this moment of asking myself, 'Am I actually going to do this? Are you sure you're not just going to be a lawyer or a doctor?' I remember having this split-second decision of, 'Let's do it.' I've never looked back. It's been my life ever since. Adulthood MM: Let's talk about Adulthood . Can you tell me what it's about and how you got involved with the project? NN: Adulthood is a dark comedy about two siblings who discover a very dark secret from their parents' past. Then, the movie is essentially watching the two of them making the situation worse and worse and worse by making terrible decisions. RELATED: Outlander: Blood of My Blood Press Day: Maril Davis and Matthew B. Roberts My agent reached out to me and told me about the project. I sent in the tape. I heard back from Alex, and he was happy with it. He asked me to try it in various ways. Then, there I was. I jumped on board. I'm playing the sister's husband, who is completely clueless about what's going on, so it's fun to play from that position where, as an actor, [you know] what's happening, but your character doesn't. MM: What can audiences expect when they watch this film? NN: I would say they can expect to be shocked as well as very entertained. I think it's a really funny film. The performances are so good. Anthony Carrigan is incredible. Josh Gad is incredible. Kaya is so good. MM: It's a stacked cast for sure. Do you share any similarities with your character, Diego? NN: I like to think so. We're not exactly the same. He's a professor. I'm an artist, so that alone [has a] very different temperament. Diego is a guy who, for the most part, tries to do right by people. He tries to the best of his ability to make smart choices, and I would say I relate to that. MM: Describe Adulthood using three words. NN: Funny. Dark. Shocking. Working With Alex Winter MM: What was it like getting to collaborate with Alex Winter on set? NN: It was amazing. I had high expectations, and he exceeded them. He had a very clear vision of what he wanted, and surprisingly, this clarity of vision enabled him to be quite flexible in how he collaborated with people. He was so prepared that it helped him navigate the whole thing with ease. Really smart guy. Alex knows how to get the best out of people. Honestly, I know everybody likes to praise each other when it comes to talking about collaborations, but [it was] genuinely an awesome experience working with him. RELATED: Bonggun Kim and Kansei Yasuda on Touring Together for Two Asians One Cup MM: Do you have a highlight or favorite scene you can tease from this movie? NN: I can think of a couple. There's this one scene, it's a dinner scene. We're all sitting down. Just being there to watch this back and forth between Anthony and Josh and Kaya, and getting to play along with them was incredible. Again, it was also fun to be in this juxtaposition of I know what's actually happening, but my character doesn't. Just playing through that was really fun. On the Horizon Pictured: Nck Name — Photo credit: Tim Leyes MM: What else is on the horizon for you, career-wise? NN: I have a film coming up that we are shooting in Malta next year called Watch Me , directed by Jonathan Sharp. I'm really looking forward to the project. I'm playing an actor who is on the rise with his career, but the story dives into some of his skeletons that people carry with them in general. It's a cool little character study. Also, I'm currently doing sound design for this movie called The Christmas Witch Trial of La Befana . We shot that with Anjelica Huston. That's been super fun. RELATED: The Institute 's Viggo Hanvelt Talks Playing Avery in New Horror Series MM: Have you binge-watched anything lately? NN: I haven't. I'm more into making things than watching them. I did watch Adolescence , which I thought was incredible. A total modern-day masterpiece. MM: Lastly, name your top five favorite films. NN: Oh boy, that's tough. I would say Heat . Kill Bill 1 and 2. Let's put The Dark Knight in there. Stranger than Fiction is a beautiful film. Let's put Dumb and Dumber in there, too. Adulthood premieres at TIFF on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at Roy Thomson Hall. Be sure to follow Nck Name on Instagram (@officialnckname). Lily Santiago Talks About Her UNTAMED Character and Filming on Location Contact: [email protected] What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events. Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet. Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium. Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fringe Review: I'm Actually Right About Everything is a bisexual love story for the modern ages
I'm Actually Right About Everything: A Bisexual Love Story 4 stars out of 5 Stage 7 Chianti Yardbird Suite This year's Fringe festival has a number of one-person shows full of heartfelt confessions and witty retorts, and this one may be the best of them all. Canadian comedy stalwart, Tracy Hamilton, bares her soul in this tender, vulnerable, and genuinely hilarious solo outing as she shares with the audience her complicated relationship with her sexual identity. Through stories about teenage crushes, toxic relationships, and representation in romantic comedy, Tracy brings along with her on this retelling of her life, captivating the audience with her smile and honest reflections. While some of us may only listen to our gut, she fully converses with hers, letting us in on her idiosyncrasies and irrational fears. This bisexual love story is about identity, attraction, personal reflection, and learning to trust your own instincts. After the show, I found myself questioning my own interpretations of my instincts and reflecting on how Tracy managed similar issues. Like so many of these kinds shows, they act as parable, reflecting their lives to give us insight into our own. Tracy weaves in plenty of laughter and wit to make the medicine go down. Check out all of our reviews from the 2025 Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival here. Related Fringe Review: A Kind of Electra is the star-studded the Greek tragedy of Fringe 2025 Fringe Review: Multiple Neurosis one of Fringe 2025's most vulnerable and honest shows You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.