The Writer and the Critic

This month on The Writer and the Critic, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond spend some time discussing the results of the recently announced Aurealis Awards. Ian valiantly attempts to pry a little out-of-school talk from Kirstyn, who convened the Horror judging panel, but Kirstyn just as valiantly resists the spilling of any beans. Well, mostly. You know how persistent Mondy can be.

And from the Department of Filthy Lucre, Kirstyn and Ian are pleased to announce the opening of a brand spanking new Writer and Critic Zazzle Store from which their loyal listeners can purchase all kinds of yummy merch! Okay, there's just one design available right now, but it's very classy. Inspired by last episode's conversation about stick figures, which was in turn inspired by listener feedback from Mark Webb, Kirstyn has designed a female stick figure logo which is now splashed across shirts, badges, stickers, mugs and a whole heap of other swag. Why is the stick figure female? The more important question is, why is it male? Go on, you know you want one.

Around the 26:20 mark, discussion turns to the first of the two books for the podcast, Bad Power by Deborah Biancotti, which Ian recommended. Ishtar, an anthology from Gilgamesh Press which includes a novella by Deb, is tangentially mentioned and garners a bonus mini-review from Kirstyn. At 45:00 they switch over to Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan (also known as The Brides of Rollrock Island outside of Australia), which was Kirstyn's pick. Ian mentions this review of the book by Abigail Nussbaum and, for listeners wanting to know more about the writing of the novel, Kirstyn suggests watching this interview with Margo. Sea Hearts was expanded from a highly acclaimed novella of the same name, which can be found in the X6 anthology from Coeur de Lion Publishing.

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please check back in at 1:25:10 for final remarks and some exciting -- and exhausting! -- announcements about future episodes. Kirstyn and Ian would also like to thank the wonderful Charles Tan for creating a Pinterest board of all the books they have review on the podcast so far. There's really quite a lot of them!

Next month, The Writer and the Critic hits the road once more to record its second live podcast in front of an audience at the Continuum 8: the National Science Fiction convention in Melbourne. Their very, very special guests will be Alison Goodman and Kelly Link, who have recommended The Crystal Singer by Anne McCaffrey and The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater respectively. (Ian and Kirstyn have wisely decided not to choose books of their own because, well, four people talking about four books in less than two hours would be a frantic kind of madness.) Read ahead and join in the fun!

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On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond spend a little time talking about gender and reading in response to feedback received from one of their lovely listeners. Be warned, there may be some unqualified generalisations scattered about and there is definitely some drawing of disturbing stick figures. Kirstyn apologies for her barely suppressed laughter and also for the fact that listeners cannot see the horrified expressions on Ian's face -- or the disturbing stick figure -- that inspired said laughter. She trusts that listeners can use their imagination.

Around the 19:20 mark, the pair turn their attention to Kirstyn's recommended book for the podcast, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. This review by Abigail Nussbaum is mentioned, as are the usual spoilers. Discussion of When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger begins at 56:25. Again, spoilers. Skip ahead at will.

But don't forget to check back in around 1:34:50 for some (very brief) final remarks.

Next month, Ian has picked Bad Power by Deborah Biancotti, while Kirstyn has chosen Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan. Read ahead and join in the fun!

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This month on The Writer and the Critic, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond invite award-winning UK author Robert Shearman to chat about his recent adventures at the Adelaide Writers' Week and the New Zealand International Arts Festival, as well as his ongoing and insanely impressive -- or impressively insane? -- One Hundred Stories project. Hilarity ensues. Highly personal details about Ian's sleeping habits are disclosed. Rob explains why he writes like an uber-caffeinated monkey. Kirstyn edits none of it out. Mwaohahaha.

Around the 27:15 mark, the conversation meanders over to Rob's recommended book, Hope: A Tragedy by Shalom Auslander. Despite the fact that it's quite a new book, the trio are relentlessly free and easy with the spoilers, so skip ahead if you'd rather not hear how the book ends. Or begins. Or what happens in the middle.

They then move on to discussing the two official podcast books: Houses Without Doors by Peter Straub (beginning at 1:00:30), picked by Kirstyn, and Queenpin by Megan Abbott (1:31:30) which was Ian's recommendation. Yes, it's another looooong episode. You're welcome!

Tune back in around the 01:53:45 point for final remarks (and possibly some out-of-tune singing).

Next month, Ian has recommended When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger while Kirstyn has picked The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

*

Vale Paul Haines

Paul Haines, a well-known and much-loved member of the Australian spec fic community, passed away on Monday 5th March, 2012. Paul was a generous, funny and all-around amazing human being, as well as being an astonishingly good writer – truly, one of our best. He will be sorely missed by those who knew him and by those who only met him through his words. Paul’s work is dark, disturbing, confronting and, more often than not, piss funny to boot. If you’ve not yet had the pleasure, please track down his collections:

• The Last Days of Kali Yuga (Brimstone Press, 2011)
• Slice of Life (The Mayne Press, 2010)
• Doorways for the Dispossessed (Prime, 2006)

Thank you, Paul. Travel safe.

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Ahem.

There has been a small change of plan for Episode 17 of The Writer and the Critic. Ian and Kirstyn's special guest, Robert Shearman, has decided to wantonly abandon Perfume by Patrick Süskind as his book of choice for next month, and instead shack up with the newly released Hope: A Tragedy by Shalom Auslander.

Look, there's a cute little baby deer on the cover. Baby deer are called fawns. In animated films, the mothers of baby deer are often tragically killed, resulting in lifelong psychological scarring and abandonment issues for unsuspecting young audiences and baby deer alike.

The Writer and the Critic: Randomly Educational.

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On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond proffer a correction from Cheryl Morgan in regards to Hugo Awards eligibility before entangling themselves in more culturally appropriative knots sparked off by some very interesting feedback from Karen Lord. They also announce a list of giveaway novels in order to bribe listeners into recommending original, self-published eBooks for their newly named eBook Extravaganza ... so follow them on Twitter and start recommending!

During discussion of The Silver Wind by Nina Allan (beginning at 35:30), Ian mentions this review by Martin Lewis while Kirstyn quotes from this piece by Sofia  Samatar.  The conversation then turns to The Courier's New Bicycle by Kim Westwood at 59:45 wherein this review by Cheryl Morgan is mentioned.

Tune back in around the 01:43:00 point for final remarks.

Next month, Ian and Kirstyn invite UK author Robert Shearman onto the podcast. (You may remember a discussion of Rob's most excellent story collection, Everyone's Just So So Special, on Episode 12. If you don't remember, go back and listen to it right now!)  Rob has recommended Perfume by Patrick Süskind for everyone to read, while Ian Mond has picked Queenpin by Megan Abbott and Kirstyn has chosen Houses Without Doors by Peter Straub. Read ahead and join in the fun!

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