Line of Inquiry: Brendan McLeod

Brendan McLeod has been the Vancouver poetry SLAM champion, the Canadian SLAM champion, and finished second at the 2005 World SLAM championships, held in Holland. Last year, his novel The Convictions of Leonard McKinley beat out over 500 original entries to win the International 3 Day Novel Contest. As both a solo performer and a musician with the spoken word/music troupe The Fugitives, he has performed at hundreds of literary readings in both Europe and North America. He has an MA in Philosophy from the University of Waterloo, and currently resides in Vancouver.


1) As a writer (i.e. someone whose artistic practice is predicated on time spent alone) how do you approach performance? What do you get out of it?

I actually haven't spent very much time alone over the past couple of years. The Convictions of Leonard McKinley is my first book; prior to it I've been touring as both a spoken word artist and as a musician with the band, The Fugitives.

I really dig on performances and try to make them as interactive and engaging as possible. It has really been everything to me for the past few years - there is nothing quite like an amazing show (or a bad one). It puts me in moods of elation (or horror) for days afterwards.

2) What do you want people to know about your book The Convictions of Leonard McKinley?

It's the winner of last year's 3 Day Novel Contest. It is the result of inordinate amounts of caffeine and lack of sleep, but I'd love for people to give it a chance and read it.

It's a story about a boy named Leonard who grows from the age of 6-21 during the course of the novel (he was supposed to get older, but I ran out of time, whoops!).

Unlike most people who disregard their random crazy thoughts, such as "I should push this person into a bus", Leonard takes these thoughts seriously and tries to figure out where they're coming from. He's led into dark territory as he explores these facets of himself, but the book is set against a pretty light backdrop of coming of age in the Prairies, going to high school dances, trying out for the basketball team, etc.

3) What are you looking forward to in Winnipeg?

The crowd! Holy cow - the Fugitives did the Winnipeg Fringe Festival this year and were blown away by the enthusiasm of the Winnipeg audiences. You guys love your arts! In that way, it's easily one of the most inspiring cities I have ever toured through.

Plus, it won't be January, so it won't be cold.

4) What are you reading right now?

Peter Carey. The guy is insanely good! Each book has a completely different voice from the others. I don't know how he does it. I'm so jealous I want to steal his
brain.

I have also been digging on Mary Karr, both her memoirs and her poetry. Also, Lilli Thal, who wrote a YA book called Mimus. Wow, what a killer read!


Brendan McLeod will be appearing at THIN AIR, Winnipeg International Writers Festival:

September 26 - Mainstage, with Maureen Fergus, Susan Juby, Alice Kuipers, Janice Kulyk Keefer.
September 26 - School Stage, with Emily Pohl-Weary.
September 27 - After Words