Musician and spoken word artist Brendan McLeod was won the 29th annual International 3-Day Novel Contest with a humourous and poignant coming-of-age story, The Convictions of Leonard McKinley (3-Day Books $14.95), about high school and family pressures in a prairie town. According to a press release, "In his effort to make sense of God, his boisterous family and his own mind, Leonard propels himself through a series of increasingly complex ethical trials.";

McLeod was one of 535 writers who participated in the 72-hour writing competition that was held on the 2006 Labour Day weekend. Some 389 entrants managed to complete and submit a short novel for the competition. Runner-up Terry Dove, also from Vancouver, had competed in six previous 3-Day Novel competitions. Organizers noted it was the first time in eight years that the winner and the runner-up were from Vancouver, birthplace and home of the contest. Dove received $500; the winner will rewarded with publication of his novel by 3-Day Books, to be distributed in August by Arsenal Pulp Press, originators of the concept.

McLeod, also a screenwriter, is a former Canadian SLAM poetry champion who has participated in more than 250 poetry readings and festivals. Raised in Saskatchewan and Alberta, he earned his MA in Philosophy at the University of Waterloo and has toured with The Fugitives, a spoken word and music collective. 1-55152-222-5

[BCBW 2007] "Fiction"