Latest news with #StephenLeacock
CBC
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Natalie Sue wins for $25K Leacock Medal for Canadian humour writing
Social Sharing Calgary writer Natalie Sue has won the 2025 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour for her novel I Hope This Finds You Well. The $25,000 prize is one of the oldest of its kind, established in 1947 to support the growth of Canadian humour writing. I Hope This Finds You Well follows Jolene, an anxious admin for Supershops, Inc., as she navigates a workplace of unsatisfactory colleagues. Jolene copes with the frustrations of her office job through passive aggressive messages in emails that are never meant to be seen. Calgary author Natalie Sue revels in the humour of errant work emails and office rivalries in debut novel When she is caught and reprimanded, an IT mishap results in her having access to the confidential messages of her superiors. Can Jolene use this to the advantage of her career? Sue is a Calgary-based writer of Iranian and British descent. I Hope This Finds You Well is her debut novel and was also nominated for the 2025 Amazon First Novel Award. The shortlisted authors, Greg Kearney, for An Evening With Birdy O'Day, and Patricia J. Parsons, for We Came From Away, each receive $5,000. The winners were selected from a Canada-wide panel of judges. The prize is named in honour of Ontario writer Stephen Leacock, a humorist and popular author in the first half of the 20th century. His books include Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town, published in 1912, and Literary Lapses, published in 1910. The prize has been funded by the Dunkley Charitable Foundation since the fall of 2020. The organization is based in Orillia, Ont., the town that inspired the fictional community of Mariposa in Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town. Leacock had a summer estate there. Last year's winner was Patrick deWitt for The Librarianist.
CTV News
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Calgary author Natalie Sue wins Leacock Medal for Humour for novel ‘I Hope This Finds You Well'
Natalie Sue, as shown in this handout photo, is the winner of the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour for "I Hope This Finds You Well." THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - HarperCollins/Leacock Memorial Medal (Mandatory Credit) Natalie Sue's debut novel 'I Hope This Finds You Well' has won this year's Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. 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. --David Friend This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2025.
Global News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Alberta writer Natalie Sue sees her debut novel become finalist for Leacock humour writing prize
Calgary writer Natalie Sue's debut novel about the absurdities of office life is one of three finalists for the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. The $25,000 award, named for essayist and humorist Stephen Leacock, honours the best Canadian book of literary humour published in the past year. Sue's I Hope This Finds You Well, which centres on a burnt-out office worker whose unsent email drafts accidentally go public, is on the short list. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Also making the cut is Toronto author and playwright Greg Kearney's An Evening With Birdy O'Day, about an aging hairstylist revisiting his friendship with a washed-up pop idol. Rounding out the list is Toronto writer Patricia J. Parsons' We Came From Away: That Summer on the Rock, which follows a feuding family's Newfoundland road trip. Story continues below advertisement The winner will be announced June 21 at a gala dinner in Orillia, Ont.
Toronto Star
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Natalie Sue's ‘I Hope This Finds You Well' among Leacock humour writing prize finalists
Calgary writer Natalie Sue's debut novel about the absurdities of office life is one of three finalists for the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. The $25,000 award, named for essayist and humorist Stephen Leacock, honours the best Canadian book of literary humour published in the past year. Sue's 'I Hope This Finds You Well,' which centres on a burnt-out office worker whose unsent email drafts accidentally go public, is on the short list. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Also making the cut is Toronto author and playwright Greg Kearney's 'An Evening With Birdy O'Day,' about an aging hairstylist revisiting his friendship with a washed-up pop idol. Rounding out the list is Toronto writer Patricia J. Parsons' 'We Came From Away: That Summer on the Rock,' which follows a feuding family's Newfoundland road trip. The winner will be announced June 21 at a gala dinner in Orillia, Ont. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Natalie Sue's ‘I Hope This Finds You Well' among Leacock humour writing prize finalists
Calgary writer Natalie Sue's debut novel about the absurdities of office life is one of three finalists for the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. The $25,000 award, named for essayist and humorist Stephen Leacock, honours the best Canadian book of literary humour published in the past year. Sue's 'I Hope This Finds You Well,' which centres on a burnt-out office worker whose unsent email drafts accidentally go public, is on the short list. Also making the cut is Toronto author and playwright Greg Kearney's 'An Evening With Birdy O'Day,' about an aging hairstylist revisiting his friendship with a washed-up pop idol. Rounding out the list is Toronto writer Patricia J. Parsons' 'We Came From Away: That Summer on the Rock,' which follows a feuding family's Newfoundland road trip. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The winner will be announced June 21 at a gala dinner in Orillia, Ont. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2025.
