[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Fallis_Terry.jpg” caption=”Author and McMaster alumnus Terry Fallis signs copies of his book, The Best Laid Plans, at Titles Bookstore. Photo by Mark Lefebvre. “]Terry Fallis, McMaster alumnus (B. Eng. '83), public affairs professional and author has been listed as a finalist for the annual Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour for his 2007 novel The Best Laid Plans.

Awarded annually by the Leacock Association, the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal recognizes the most humorous book published in Canada, by a Canadian, in the previous year. It carries a cash prize of $10,000, sponsored by TD Bank Financial Group.

The novel centres on a cranky and reluctant political candidate who consents to run in a federal election based on the fact that he is “certain-to-lose.”

Daniel, a jaded and burned-out former speech writer is eager to leave politics for the relative calm of academia. His final political assignment is to find a candidate — any candidate — to run in a futile race against a wildly popular cabinet minister in the Ottawa area.

Daniel finds a candidate in crusty Angus McLintock, who reluctantly accepts the task with the proviso that he won't campaign, give interviews, canvass door-to-door, attend all-candidate meetings, use lawn signs, have contact with campaign workers or even be in the country during the election campaign. As the reader can well imagine, things do not turn out as anticipated — always a great source of humour.

Fallis, who wrote the novel inspired by his own experiences working in government at both the provincial and federal levels as well as building a hovercraft from scratch (two elements that come together quite eloquently in the course of his novel), launched a podcast of his novel in January 2007.

The Best Laid Plans podcast is a free Chapter by Chapter reading of the novel by Fallis himself and which occasionally includes a personal introduction by the author.

“I really had no idea whether anyone would listen,” Fallis said. “The idea was to drive interest in, and sales of the printed version of the novel through first whetting their appetites with the podcast.” And the podcast did attract fans; upwards of 1,500 of them, in fact, and not just from Canada, but from around the world.

Reviews continue to pour in, praising the novel as thought-provoking, humourous and touching. And bookstores and libraries across Canada are continuing to add the book to their collections in response to the growing demand.

“It seems there was an appetite for the story of Angus, Daniel and a federal election,” Fallis says.

Shortly after the book was printed in late 2007, Fallis held the official launch for the book on campus at Titles Bookstore, where the book is still available in both the McMaster Authors as well as Canadian Literature sections.

“I am stunned and immeasurably grateful for this completely unexpected recognition,” Fallis said in reaction to discovering he was a finalist for the Leacock Award. “I hope to be able to construct coherent sentences and touch back down to earth in a few days. But until then, I just can't believe it.”

Recognizing humourous literature since 1947, the Leacock Memorial Medal represents a key element of Canada's literary tradition. Entries are judged by a national, anonymous panel comprising five national judges and a panel of 11 local readers. Their combined vote determines which literary work will be deemed worthy of recognition as part of the Leacock tradition.

The winner of the 2008 award will be announced during a luncheon at Orillia's Stephen Leacock Museum on April 30.

Fallis's website, where you can learn more about his novel and download the audio version of his novel for free, is www.terryfallis.com.