About Leanne
Leanne Toshiko Simpson is a mixed-race Yonsei (fourth-generation Japanese Canadian) writer who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 17. As an undergraduate student, Leanne struggled with her diagnosis and suicidal thoughts to the point where she checked herself into a psychiatric hospital and dropped out of university. She found creative writing to be a lifeline for her during this time, and she eventually returned to finish her English program, largely writing creative essays about mental health.
After completing a graduate degree in communications, Leanne contributed within mental health spaces such as Bell Let’s Talk and SickNotWeak, later working with the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health to run creative writing programs in community centres and psychiatric wards. Named Scarborough’s Emerging Writer of 2016 and a Journey Prize nominee in 2019, she wrote the first draft of Never Been Better through the University of Guelph’s MFA program, guided by the mentorship of Kyo Maclear, Catherine Bush, Carrianne Leung and Mona Awad.
During her MFA, Leanne taught at the University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University and the University of Guelph-Humber, but eventually decided to focus her teaching at Trinity College, where she first started her academic career. In addition to leading undergraduate seminars in disability arts and BIPOC literature, Leanne runs a writing circle for racialized students across the University of Toronto. As a SSHRC Doctoral Scholar in Social Justice Education at OISE, Leanne is also researching the intergenerational impact of the Japanese Canadian internment through community writing circles. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband, Graeme, their son, Niko, and their small fluffy dog, Gracie.
A decade after her hospitalization, Leanne is excited to have published Never Been Better with HarperCollins Canada and Putnam Books with translations in Germany, Brazil, and the Netherlands. It’s definitely the kind of weird and hopeful book she longed to read while she was in the ward. This year, Leanne is serving as Fountain House NYC’s first Writer in Residence, and she is thrilled to help other writers living with mental illness share their stories with the world.
The stories behind the settings…
Although I have never actually attended a destination wedding, before marrying my husband Graeme, both of our families came to Scotland for all the relatives who couldn't make it to Canada.
My obachan Toshiko (which is where I got my writing name) loved making - and judging - Japanese snacks. She passed away just after the completion of the manuscript.
You may recognize this dog from a Providenciales scene in Never Been Better! Although it's named Goose in the novel, this puppy's real name was Liam Hemsworth (a very chaotic but fitting choice).
Before my wedding, my mom and I visited New Denver, where our family was interned during World War II. This historic community hall is part of the Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre.
Graeme and I got engaged in Japan after meeting on Tinder and dating for six whole months... which almost makes Matt and Misa's engagement seem reasonable!
Graeme's parents keep a caravan on the coast of Scotland where they used to vacation when they were growing up - their connection with the UK inspired a lot of Elinor's dialogue in the book!
This is an appropriate photo of my younger sister Kelly and I, but the more accurate version that is too grainy for the internet is her burying me in the sand and laughing manically when we were little.
Defining features of a Scottish-Japanese wedding (in my opinion): tons of sake, a ceilidh, a dog who refuses to walk down the aisle.
Although Matt is a composite character, both Graeme and I played in bands in our university days (also, Graeme definitely has the musical taste of an old man).