The Writer and the Critic

Ah, dear listeners. Due to the increasingly difficult demands of their increasingly busy lives, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond regretfully announce that this will be the final episode of The Writer and the Critic. Forever. Probably. Definitely, yes definitely. Alas. On this very last episode, your hosts begin with a quick recap of the infamous lost episode of March 2024, wherein they discussed two...

Sadly, due to a catastrophic technical failure, we have no episode to bring you this month. Please listen to the message to find out more. Next episode, Kirstyn and Ian will be discussing the following the two books: The Glutton by A E Blakemore Days of Innocence and Wonder by Lucy Treloar  There will be an episode. They promise.

Happy new year! On this first episode of The Writer and the Critic for 2024, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, begin by with a very brief discussion of recent reads and whether writing a 'young' or an 'old' voice might be more ... ah ... challenging. The books up for dissection this month are The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson [5:10] and A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand...

On this last and somewhat longer episode of The Writer and the Critic for 2023, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, begin by discussing the television adaptation of Slow Horses as well as the new Mike Flanagan series, The Fall of the House of Usher. No prizes for guessing which one Kirstyn did not like and which one she adored. The books up for discussion this month are After the Forest by...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, begin with a brief celebration of Ian winning the William Atheling Jr. Award for his reviews in Locus that meanders into a discussion about the importance of criticism and the dangers of AI. Huzzah for Ian and criticism! Boo hiss for AI! The books up for discussion this month are The Broken Shore by Peter Temp...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, begin by chatting about cardamon knobs, cygnets and the shenanigans of parkour cats. Seriously. The books up for discussion this month are The Living Sea of Waking Dreams by Richard Flanagan [5:05] and The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera [46:00]. If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please c...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, ruminate briefly upon head colds, snoring and cats. Very briefly. The books up for discussion this month are The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig [3:30] and Conquest by Nina Allan [31:25]. Listeners may want to check out the following, as mentioned: Chuck Wendig's blog: Terrible Minds Nina Allan's website: Th...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, discuss such scintillating topics as football, the coronation, bus replacements and overcrowded trains. But not for long, they promise. The books up for discussion this month are The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca [7:05] and Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower [36:30]. Listene...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, briefly discuss reading slumps and the likelihood that either of them will read the new novel by Bret Easton Ellis. The books up for discussion this month are The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz [5:00] and Sing, Nightingale by Marie Hélène Poitras [45:00]. If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, get straight down to business with minimal waffle. You're welcome. The books up for discussion this month are LOTE by Shola Von Reinhold [3:25] and Animal Life by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir  [44:38]. Next month, the two books on the slab will be: The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz Sing, Nightingale by Marie Hélène...

Welcome to 2023! On this first episode for the year your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, chat briefly about the Locus Recommended Reading List in which Hard Places gets a mention. Huzzah! The books up for discussion this month are Every Version of You by Grace Chan [6:25] and The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings [39:05]. For listeners interested in spec fic dealing with the second generati...

On this final episode of The Writer and the Critic for 2022 your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, spend a few minutes musing over the missing of podcasts, the breaking of awards, and the end of time as we know it. The books up for discussion this month are  January Fifteenth by Rachel Swirsky [9:30] and Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen [39:00]. The interview with Samantha Allen tha...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, spend a few minutes discussing the work of Peter Straub, who sadly passed away this month. Listeners might like to revisit Episode 17 in which Kirstyn and Ian, along with special guest Rob Shearman, discuss Straub's marvelously unsettling collection, Houses Without Doors. The books up for discussion this month...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, spend a few minutes discussing the aftermath of COVID-19 by which Kirstyn was unfortunately struck down last month. She is not happy about it. The books up for discussion this month are  Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi Demeester [4:10] and Checkout 19 by Claire-Louise Bennett [29:25]. Ian also heartily recommend...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, first take some time to shamelessly plug Kirstyn's forthcoming collection of short fiction, Hard Places, out soon through Trepidatio Publishing . The books up for discussion this month are  Dance Move by Wendy Erskine [9:55] and  Ariadne, I Love You by J. Ashley-Smith [36:05]. Listeners may also want to check...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond,  quickly dispense with a (mostly) non-political intro and general discussion of post-apocalyptic narratives. The books up for discussion this month are  Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin [5:25] and  And Then I Woke Up by Malcolm Devlin [44:40]. This excellent review of Manhunt by Lee Mandelo was mentioned in t...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond,  are tired and cranky but still manage to preamble only briefly in the murk of COVID-19 and bad segues before getting to the point of it all. They think. The books up for discussion this month are two novels: Devotion by Hannah Kent [5:20] and The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan [35:20]. The review o...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, dispense with lengthy preambles and get pretty much straight into it. The books being discussed this month are two collections of short fiction: I Would Haunt You if I Could by Seán Padraic Birnie [2:10] and Shit Cassandra Saw by Gwen E. Kirby [28:50]. For those listeners who enjoyed the Seán Padraic Birnie co...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, begin by discussing the state of the world, farts in jars and a possible niche side project involving uncontrollable sobbing. The books being flensed this month are The Wych Elm by Tana French [5:10] and My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley [37:15]. Ian would also like to make sure you know about the new short stor...

On this first episode of The Writer and the Critic for 2022, your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, begin with an exciting announcement: Kirstyn will have some actual books being published this year! She's a writer again! Huzzah! Ahem. The books up for discussion this month are When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut [6:08] and A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa l...

On this final episode of The Writer and the Critic for 2021, your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond discuss birthdays, Halloween and Jewish Stuff before moving on to wax lyrical about this month's books:  Little Eve by Catriona Ward [6:35] and Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford [36:35]. If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:16:45 for final remarks. Next episode - in...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond have a mercifully brief and borderline hysterical conversation on the state of COVID before jumping a discussion of this month's books: The Cost of Living: A Working Autobiography by Deborah Levy [3:45] and Dissolve by Nikki Gemmell [29:50]. If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 58:15...

Hello dear listeners! Before the recording of Episode 84, Kirstyn and Ian had a chat about the strange alternative present that has taken up residence during COVID. It didn't quite fit into the episode itself so they though they'd upload it as an extra surprise this month. Hope you enjoy!  

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond briefly discuss the usual COVID guff before jumping into this month's books: The Employees by Olga Ravn [4:20] and Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen [37:55]. The visual artists referenced during are Lea Guldditte Hestelund and Patricia Piccinini . If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers,...

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond indulge in some thankfully brief maudlin meanderings around the current state of the pandemic before turning to the books up for discussion: All the Fabulous Beasts by Priya Sharma [9:10] and Cat Person and other stories by Kristen Roupenian [34:00]. The article “Cat Person” and Me by Alexis Nowicki is recomme...