Sucker

by Bernard Leed

Aspiring screenwriter Jace is fed up with Hollywood, with the gays, with his vain-ass friends. A week of wild misfortune is about to really test his limits in these "unprecedented times." A work of autofiction teetering on the edge of satire.


REVIEWS

“In Leed’s novel, an aspiring creative navigates the grim despair of trying to make it in Hollywood… Leed’s quiet, sad reflection on life, art, and the attention economy provides a well-drawn and recognizable modern take on a familiar story, with a protagonist who genuinely loves the arts but struggles to reconcile that love with the disaffected culture that surrounds it… A clear-eyed, cold, but nonetheless sympathetic fictional interrogation of what a person will sacrifice for success.” — Kirkus Reviews

140 pages, Paperback

Published April 29, 2025

About the author

Bernard Leed is a writer in Los Angeles, California. He holds a B.A. in Narrative Studies from the University of Southern California and an M.F.A. in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute. You can find him on Instagram at @bjleed.

Reviews

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing matched the cadence of the industry. Poignant, witty and hilarious. Couldn’t put it down.

[Saeed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than most big publisher gay novels that have been hitting the shelves recently. Can’t wait to read more

[Christina Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this! As people within the entertainment business often repeat, these are "unprecedented times" and that's exactly where the protagonist Jace in this novela finds himself. Not a great place to be when you're teetering on the brink of insanity. Or more accurately, considering performing insanity since that's what you need to get attention these days. And attention is what Jace needs to finally catch his big break. Sucker is a satire of not only the entertainment industry, specifically within the queer community and its cast of characters, but of Los Angeles itself, a place which can be all facade and no substance, a place where every relationship can be transactional and everything can be consumed and opined on.

[Evan Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A treat to read. So poignant and reflective of these “unprecedented times.” I imagine many readers will too find parts of themselves in Jace. So happy this was recommended to me, and I recommend to others!

[Andrea Jaramillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful, funny read! It seems like the occasional millennial crash out is a universal experience, regardless of how successful you are perceived or what industry you work in, which is equal parts relatable and hilarious 🥲