On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, discuss Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia [2:20] and The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones [26:50].

For those wanting to add to their reading lists, Ian highly recommends the Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses as a means of finding books and authors outside the mass market that you might not otherwise come across.

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:02:15 for brief final remarks. Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

• The Liar’s Dictionary by Eley Williams

• Folk by Zoe Gilbert

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, discuss Weather by Jenny Offill [3:30] and Hold by Kirsten Tranter [30:20].

Ian and Kirstyn both thoroughly recommend a visit to Obligatory Note of Hope, mentioned during the discussion, for readers wanting to engage further in some of the issues raised by Jenny Offill.

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:02:40 for brief final remarks. Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

• The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, discuss Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver [3:55] and The Overstory by Richard Powers [31:45].

This fine essay "Our Root Problem: The Overstory by Richard Powers" by Jason Childs, mentioned during the discussion, is also well worth a read.

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:19:25 for brief final remarks. Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

• Hold by Kirsten Tranter
• Weather by Jenny Offill

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, discuss Skin by Kathe Koja [5:30] and The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break by Steven Sherrill [38:25].

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:14:00 for brief final remarks. Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

• Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Overstory by Richard Powers

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

Surprise! Perhaps against the judgement of their better selves, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond are back with a special Skype-assisted episode of The Writer and the Critic. From their self-isolated COVID-19 bunkers*, they reconvene to chat about some of the things that have made them happy since the last episode aired back in December 2017. Or, indeed, are making them happy right now.

Here's the list of links in order of discussion:

1. The Migration by Helen Marshall (recommended by Kirstyn)

2. Some Good News YouTube channel (recommended by Ian)

3. Mothers Grimm by Danielle Wood (Kirstyn)

4. Victorian Premier Dan Andrews on Twitter and Facebook (Ian)

5. Eye in the Sky (Kirstyn)

6. The Good Place (Kirstyn)

7. Science Vs podcast (Ian)

8. The Allusionist podcast (Kirstyn)

9. The Memory Palace podcast (Kirstyn)

10. Backlisted podcast (Ian)

11. Phoebe Judge reading classic mystery stories on the Criminal podcast (Kirstyn)

12. The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley (Kirstyn)

13. We All Hear Stories in the Dark by Robert Shearman (Ian)

14. "10 Minutes with ..." series on the Coode Street Podcast

Will there be another episode of The Writer and the Critic? Kirstyn and Ian are not sure! It depends on how bored and lonely they get! Or how many people send them feedback that does not include death threats! But they want you to know that they love you and miss you and hope you are all keeping safe and healthy in these strange and difficult times.

* Comfortable suburban loungerooms