Shamrock Motel

Andrew Kaufman splits his time between downtown Toronto and the shores of Lake Huron. His work, including the cult-favorite novel All My Friends Are Superheroes, has won the Relit Award, been nominated for the Leacock Medal for Humour, and been listed among the best books of the year by The Globe and Mail. He works part-time at the Epiphany Detective Agency and in the office of the Shamrock Motel.

One of CBC Books' Canadian short story collections to read for Short Story MonthIncluded in the Quill & Quire 2025 Spring Preview"I was so taken by this novel, its inventiveness, its big heart, its sense of play. It reminded me a little bit of work by some of my favourite people like Marie-Helene Bertino … It was a wonderful surprise." – Drew Broussard, The LitHub Podcast"In a sea of sexual hang ups and loss, Enjoy Your Stay is a raft, inviting us to experience pleasure and joy without shame, for as long as we’re here." – Ingrid Phaneuf, Textual Healing“[H]ilarious and bawdy…Kaufman has earned a spot on my short list of authors whose back catalogue I’ll definitely check out…A book like this…deserves immediate attention.” – Ian Mond, Locus Magazine“This is worth a look.” – Publishers Weekly“Jonathan Swift, Lewis Carroll, Franz Kafka, and Jorge Luis Borges also inhabit the absurd and transformative rooms of the Shamrock Motel.” – Michael Greenstein, The Seaboard Review of Books"Kaufman’s clear-eyed humour and penchant for the bizarre shine through." – Literary Review of Canada"A delightful concoction of whimsy and insight, the appealing short story collection Enjoy Your Stay at the Shamrock Motel mixes cathartic experiences with fantastical occurrences, rooting its weirdness in recognizable emotions and desires." – Ho Lin, Foreword ReviewsPraise for the author:“Expansive and imaginative.” – Kirkus Reviews “Irreverent and bursting prose…Fans of Mark Leyner will enjoy Kaufman’s messy string of outrageous scenarios.” – Publishers Weekly“All My Friends Are Superheroes is a breeze to read, as quick of wit and light on its feet as Spider-Man.” – Quill & Quire“This book is like a kiss in the afternoon sun. Somebody should write Mr. Kaufman a letter and thank him for his tender heart and the way he puts things down so gently. I expect this story will replace boxes of chocolates and flowers in courting rituals to come.” – Sheila Heti “Kaufman’s greatest strength has always been his playfulness, and The Ticking Heart flexes that strength.” – Tara Cheesman, BARRELHOUSE“Tender and brutal, optimistic and despairing, this modern fable by the author of the cult hit All My Friends Are Superheroes takes a fresh look at what it means to fall into, and out of, love.” – Hamilton Review of Books “The Ticking Heart manages to use metaphor to encourage readers to consider the tangled mysteries of their own hearts – puffs of purple smoke not necessarily included.” – Quill & Quire