Podcasts about Tiptree

Aaron Paul, Jobi McAnuff & Tommy Smith talk to new Luton boss Jack Wilshere. They also discuss clubs returning to ‘old flame' managers, what about Maldon & Tiptree's war of words with Port Vale after the FA Cup draw, and will Chris Powell make our All-Time Ultimate EFL XI? All that and Pugwash rears his head in 72PLUS 72MINUS. Messages/voicenote us on WhatsApp - 08000 289 369.01:55 What would Jobi/Tommy change about their former clubs? 05:00 Jack Wilshere INTERVIEW 23:30 Clubs returning to ‘old flame' managers 27:00 Maldon & Tiptree's war of words with Port Vale 31:40 Soup-er Lyle Taylor 34:00 Chris Powell for the Ultimate EFL XI? 37:20 Goal music in 72PLUS 72MINUS 41:30 Aaron gives his team time off in Fantasy EFL5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Wed 15 Oct 2000 Chelsea v Paris FC in UWCL, Sat 18 Oct 1500 Man City v Everton in Premier League, Sat 18 Oct 1500 Crystal Palace v Bournemouth on Sports Extra, Sat 18 Oct 1730 Fulham v Arsenal, Sun 19 Oct 1400 Tottenham v Aston Villa, Sun 19 Oct 1630 Liverpool v Man Utd.

Paul Hawksbee was joined by Andy Jacobs for this afternoons podcast. Trading card expert Jake Kirkham was back in the studio, Maldon & Tiptree manager Kevin Horlock discusses the FA Cup, and former Wales striker Sam Vokes discusses Wales' 2-4 loss to Belgium. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S&P futures slightly higher, treasuries were weaker with the curve flattering. Asia equities ended mostly lower. European equities have been recovering from three-week lows. Yield flat to 3.7% at the short end, 10-year flat to 4.2%. Gold finished up, WTI crude was little changed at settlement. Dollar index up, bitcoin futures were down, but came off worst levels. Path of least resistance remained lower, as it has been over the last few days. Rates remains an overhang on sentiment as market dials back some of its near-term easing expectations. Thursday's macro data became the latest driver, particularly with another notable decline in initial claims. In addition, outside of Miran, Fed-speak today again highlighted some preference for a more cautious approach to easing. Companies Mentioned: AAR Corp, Heritage Financial, Olympic Bancorp, Tiptree, DB Insurance

Twenty five years ago China Mieville's second novel, Perdido Street Station, introduced the world to the fantastical city of Bas Lag. It went on to win the Arthur C Clarke and British Fantasy awards, and be nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Tiptree, and Locus awards among others. Perdido Street Station was followed by two further novels set in Bas Lag, The Scar and Iron Council and then Mieville turned his attention to other worlds. Today China joins Gary and Jonathan to chat on the podcast for the first time to look back at Perdido Street Station, how it was written and where it came from, and how he feels about it now. We also chat a little about what he's doing next.   As always, our sincere thanks to China for making the time to talk to us, and we hope you enjoy the discussion. Note: The original cover art for Perdido Street Station (shown above) was by British artist Les Edwards (painting as Edward Miller). You can see more of his work here.

An Essex garden centre group has recently topped the Garden Centre Association's Top 100 League Table. The GCA carries out an annual unannounced inspection of all its members and uses this to compile the league table. The association scores several elements, including customer service, merchandising, sustainability, creativity and innovation, quality, range of products, and much more. Ken Crowther talks to Hannah Powell, Communications and HR Director at Perrywood Garden Centre. #gardeningtips #gardening #shopping #flowers #plants #wheretobuy == We're delighted to have Gro-rite Horticulture sponsoring World Radio Gardening, find out about automatic pot watering systems available for mail order delivery: bit.ly/3wCPyHy Also, don't forget – if you like what we do, why not tip Ken and team with a coffee – Buy us a coffee (bit.ly/48RLP75) – as a thank you for the work done to bring this website to life.

he Reposs Non League Show with Maldon & Tiptree Kevin and Barrie

Topics:2025 US Economic OutlookTransparency in Managing Investor MoneyWhen Hesitation Costs More Than Failure...and so much more.Top Takeaways“First loss, best loss”—why smart investors (and leaders) know when to cut bait. Know when to cut your losses and move on fast. One of Sal's main investing principles: first loss, best loss. He never doubles down on or gets emotionally attached to a losing investment. If the market signals he's wrong, he exits. The same goes for leadership—holding on to bad hires, failing strategies, or misaligned partnerships can cost you more in the long run. The best investors think like elite athletes. Always think multiple steps ahead. Sal compares investing to sports—the best players anticipate, not just respond. Like a second baseman reading the game before the ball is hit, great investors and leaders plan for every possible outcome, including the worst. AI and tech help, but in the end, success comes from decisiveness, adaptability, and trusting your process.Trust is built in tough moments. Be upfront, especially when things go wrong. Managing other people's money is a big responsibility—families and futures are on the line. Sal and Jordan agree that communicating openly and quickly earns trust that lasts far beyond a single deal. Because people may forget what you said, but they'll always remember how you made them feel.About Sal NaroSal Naro is a seasoned leader with 4+ decades of experience. As Chief Investment Officer and Senior Managing Director of Coherence Credit Strategies at Tiptree Advisors, a division of Tiptree Inc., he has led high-performing investment teams and strategies. Most recently, he oversaw a top-performing liquid long/short credit hedge fund that has earned multiple accolades for its success.

Host Jason Blitman talks to Rivers Solomon about their latest book, Model Home, discussing its unique spin on the haunted house genre and the layers of personal and family dynamics within. Guest Gay Reader Margaret Cho shares anecdotes from her eclectic career and childhood experiences growing up in a gay bookstore, all while reflecting on her love for reading. Rivers Solomon writes about life in the margins, where they are much at home. In addition to appearing on the Stonewall Honor List and winning a Firecracker Award, Solomon's debut novel, An Unkindness of Ghosts, was a finalist for Lambda, Hurston/Wright, Otherwise (formerly Tiptree), and Locus Awards. Solomon's second book, The Deep, based on the Hugo-nominated song by the Daveed Diggs–fronted hip-hop group clipping, was the winner of the 2020 Lambda Award and was short-listed for the Nebula, Locus, Hugo, Ignyte, Brooklyn Library Literary, British Fantasy, and World Fantasy Awards. Their work appears in Black Warrior Review, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, Guernica, Best American Short Stories, Tor.com, Best American Horror and Dark Fantasy, and elsewhere. A refugee of the transatlantic slave trade, Solomon was born on Turtle Island but currently resides on an isle in an archipelago off the western coast of the Eurasian continent.Margaret Cho Comedian. Actor. Musician. Advocate. Entrepreneur. Five-time Grammy and Emmy nominee.  Margaret Cho's strong voice has been lighting the path for other women, other members of underrepresented groups, other performers, to follow. Her recent television appearances – guest star on Season 2 of The Flight Attendant (HBO Max), guest star on Season 2 of Hacks (HBO Max) and two Netflix is a Joke comedy specials: Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration and Jane Fonda & Lily Tomlin: Ladies Night Live – have expanded an already wide-ranging career, and her role as the ‘mother hen' in the well-reviewed movie Fire Island solidifies why we all love Margaret in the first place. As a comedian Margaret has been named one of Rolling Stone magazine's 50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time, one of Vogue magazine's Top 9 Female Comedians of all time, while CNN chose her as one of the 50 People Who Changed American Comedy.  Thankfully, Margaret has more stories to tell, and her production company, Animal Family Productions, has multiple scripted shows in development for 2022 and beyond.BOOK CLUB!Use code GAYSREADING at checkout to get first book for only $4 + free shipping! Restrictions apply.http://aardvarkbookclub.comWATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreadingBOOKS!Check out the list of books discussed on each episode on our Bookshop page: https://bookshop.org/shop/gaysreading MERCH!Purchase your Gays Reading podcast merchandise HERE! https://gaysreading.myspreadshop.com/ FOLLOW!@gaysreading | @jasonblitman CONTACT!hello@gaysreading.com

Join Jenny Rowe (and James Tiptree, Jr.) at the Glasgow Worldcon bar as we discuss the serendipitous way the former learned about the latter, the differing reactions to her one-woman show from SF vs. non-SF audiences, how she managed to nail Tiptree's accent (some of which you'll get to hear), why she ultimately decided not to begin or end the show with a gunshot, how she settled on the structure of her script (and why she decided to leave herself out of the story), the way inhabiting Tiptree affected her feelings about the controversy, why she'd have loved to meet Tiptree but not necessarily want to be her friend, the purpose of the play's moment of audience participation, and much more.

Ken visits the jam factory in Tiptree, Essex, to talk with Farm Manager, Andrey Ivanov and see the latest strawberry harvest for 2024. To buy Tiptree jam and products online: https://bit.ly/43WWdIA == We're delighted to have Gro-rite Horticultural Supplies sponsoring World Radio Gardening, find out about automatic pot watering systems available for mail order delivery: bit.ly/3wCPyHy For 2024, World Radio Gardening is planning a series of 4 exclusive newsletters. These will be loaded with extra special content and deals for you as a gardener. Make sure you don't miss out by signing up today via sign-up page: bit.ly/3RWwhYR The first newsletter is out now here: bit.ly/3TfbXT1 – don't miss the next one! Also, don't forget – if you like what we do, why not tip Ken and team with a coffee – Buy us a coffee (bit.ly/48RLP75) – as a thank you for the work done to bring this website to life.

Join biographer Julie Phillips for Jӓgerschnitzel as we discuss why she called The Baby on the Fire Escape "a weird hybrid monster of a book," the one thing she regrets not researching more thoroughly for her Tiptree bio, the reason there's more space for the reader in a biography than a memoir, why some children of artistic mothers can make peace with their relationships and others can't, the three things she felt it important to squeeze into the seven minutes she was given to speak at Ursula K. Le Guin's memorial service, her writing method of starting in the middle of a book and working out toward both ends, the occasional difficulty of withholding judgement on one's biographical subjects, the relationship between biographer Robert Caro and editor Robert Gottlieb, plus much more.

This week, Susie Warren-Smith is back in the studio with AJ Sharp and they're talking about heritage this week. Our experts are Scott Goodfellow from Tiptree and Neil Franklin from Brogdale, home of the National Fruit Collection Heritage Orchards. We learn why heritage is really important for topfruit farmers. And although it's one of her favourite condiment producers, Susie is keen to quiz Scott on why Tiptree is also called Wilkin and Sons.

Ken visits the jam factory in Tiptree, Essex, to talk with Farm Manager, Andrey Ivanov and see the latest strawberry harvest. To buy Tiptree jam and products online: https://bit.ly/43WWdIA

Hazel Ellis-Saxon was brought up in a busy household with four siblings in the village of Tiptree in Essex in the 1960s. She struggled with her school work and was often finishing assignments when the other children were enjoying playtime. One day in a quiet classroom Hazel overheard her form teacher describe her to a colleague as ‘mentally retarded'. These two words had a profound effect — leading her to believe that she must be a huge disappointment to her parents and would never enjoy a full life. Dr Sian Williams hears how this label shaped Hazel's decisions for decades and what it took for her to throw it off.

Ray joined Essex Police in 1976. He had previously worked as a trader at Lloyds of London.As a police officer he worked in a number of locations including Basildon and Grays. As a Detective Sergeant he worked at Chelmsford and was promoted to Inspector at Basildon where he started as a uniform Inspector but soon moved to CID when he became involved in the investigation relating to the murder of Steven Pell.Ray transferred to The Metropolitan police as a Superintendent and was posted to Belgravia. It was in the MPS that he worked with Assistant Commissioner Mike Todd. Ray and Mike had been Pcs together at the start of their careers in Essex. Ray concluded his service after 30years service at HaveringRay has always been involved in charity projects and was a heavily involved with the Rotary Club of GB ad travelled to Sri Lanka where he took part in a project to support the local community. During this trip he had an overwhelming urge to visit a church. When he returned to the UK his interest in the church continued and resulted in a meeting with Rev Martin Fletcher of St Luke's Tiptree. Martin encouraged Ray to visit the church and for Ray this was inspirational.Ray took the bible with both hands and has now become an ordained priest. He resides in Hockwold and dedicates his time to his parish. He is a bee keeper and works part time at 48th OSS at RAF Lakenheath.Listen to Rays story Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

»Blood Music« von Greg Bear (mit Nachtrag zu J. Tiptree Jr.)

»Blood Music« von Greg Bear (mit Nachtrag zu J. Tiptree Jr.)

Barry Yogev, co-owner and executive baker at Liv Breads, shares his experience competing in the Tiptree World Bread Awards. Listen to this episode of Since Sliced Bread to hear more about Mr. Yogev's experience and his tips for the perfect loaf.

Jay Rayner hosts a culinary panel show packed full of tasty titbits. This week he's in Essex with experts Tim Anderson, Sophie Wright, Rob Owen Brown and Zoe Laughlin. In the series finale, the panel tell us how to keep cool under pressure (cooking). They also debate whether you should pre-cook meat in the oven before a barbeque - is it the sensible thing to do or is it missing the point? Essex is the home of Tiptree jam so the panel is joined by Walter Scott, Chairman of Wilkin & Sons. He shares their rich history of jam making, and even brings in a jar of James Bond's favourite flavour, scarlet strawberry. The panel is also joined by Anton Thurgood from Maldon Salt, the saline jewel of Essex county. Anton talks us through the artisanal salt making methods used in Maldon, and the panellists share some delicious salt-bake recipes. Producer - Jemima Rathbone Assistant Producer - Bethany Hocken A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

This week, we're reposting two awesome interviews with authors who were just nominated for the Hugo Award. Our guest today was nominated 3 times for best short story, best novelette, and best novella. Today's guest is fantasy and science fiction author Catherynne Valente. Catherynne Valente is the writer of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (and the four books that followed it), Palimpsest, the Orphan's Tales series and so many books you've probably read or heard about. She's a New York Times bestselling author, winner of the Andre Norton, Tiptree, Sturgeon, Eugie Foster Memorial, Mythopoeic, Rhysling, Lambda, Locus, Hugo awards, and more. Usually, in Geekdom Empowers we follow the paths of the geeks around the world who are not highlighted. And yet, Cat's path is exactly the path we talk about. She talks about how, with the power of social media, before it was called social media, she got from knowing no one to what she is today. Social media helped her every stage of the way, including today where her Patreon gives her financial independence from the publishers. It is the story of a rise to success of an author who came from nothing, knowing no one. It is the story of an author who made her own niche, who kept her style and authenticity, and who has withstood, as we'll see, quite a bit of terrible pushback from science fiction and fantasy fans. I think you'll enjoy this interview. It's fascinating. You can find Catherynne Valente here: Website: catherynnemvalente.com/ Twitter: twitter.com/catvalente Instagram: www.instagram.com/catvalente Geekdom Empowers comes out Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can find us here: Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/ Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers

For this month's episode of the Agronomy Matters podcast, we are focussing on how new technology and innovative growing practices are being utilised within fruit production to develop more sustainable, productive and efficient farming systems. We were also joined by Tanya Kesterton, BASIS's Head of Digital Learning, who explained how we are using technology at BASIS to offer new and improved products and services to our members, candidates and to the wider industry. Our three guest speakers on this episode are: Salih Hodzhov - Production Director at WB Chambers LTD: Salih told us about how a major fruit grower, both in the UK and across the world, uses technology to produce fruit which meets the required standard to end up on the supermarket shelf. Andrey Ivanov - Farm Manager at Wilkin & Sons of Tiptree: Now I am sure at some point you will have all eaten some Tiptree jam, and Andrey explained how this historic company is using innovative techniques to produce fruit for its famous products. Gary Saunders - Fruit Agronomist at Agrii: Gary discussed how he uses technology as an agronomist to provide the best possible advice to his customers so they can produce fruit in a sustainable and profitable way. Make sure you listen to the end of the episode to find out how to claim one BASIS CPD point via the members' are on the BASIS website.

Let me introduce you to Scott Goodfellow, the Joint MD of Wilkin and Sons often referred to as ‘ Tiptree' Jam and condiment makers , based in the Essex village of Tiptree. More recently the business has expanded into gin liqueurs made with their fruits, acquired and opened tearooms in and around Essex and Suffolk …. And created a homewares range of candles, aprons and other products inspired by their jams. Scott talks about growing up in Dundee and how he thought he may follow his sister into the police force but in fact he studied engineering and embarked on a graduate training programme with Unilever, then followed some years working for Mars as a shift manager and then a move into sales with Mars. He has been at Wilkin's now for 14 years, so is still a relative newcomer compared to some of the staff…. Scott says a business can never have enough talent and loves to recruit people who will stretch them as a business and push them to see things differently. I learned that their lime marmalade makes a very good mojito, something that I must put to the test …. All in the interests of research. Wilkin and Sons have held the Royal Warrant since 1911 so Scott says his job is jam maker to the Queen. Their products are sold in over 70 countries around the World. The business has a great culture but is inspiring in how open and inclusive they are to hearing other people's ideas and thoughts and as you will hear that is how some great products have come to be made. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mary Anne interviews Filipino writer Vida Cruz about her experience going to cons, winning the Tiptree (now known as Otherwise) award, and what the sci-fi and fantasy community is like in the Philippines. For show notes, visit: https://speculativeliterature.org/ep-31-show-notes/

Destroyer of Light (Tor Books, 2021) is Jennifer Marie Brissett's long-awaited follow up to her critically acclaimed debut Elysium, winner of a Philip K. Dick Special Citation and a finalist for the Locus and the Tiptree awards. Her new novel takes readers far into the future where humans are settling a new planet. They are the survivors of the world described in Elysium—an Earth where four-dimensional aliens known as the Krestge have destroyed human civilization. The frame of Destroyer of Light is a mystery—a search for a missing boy. But a deeper story follows the relationship of a mother and her young daughter, who is kidnapped and abused by a warlord building an army of child soldiers. The book is also about the relationship between humans and their former antagonists, the Krestge. Some of the aliens' descendants now live peacefully among humans. While some people are willing to forgive the crimes of the past, going so far as to start families with the Krestge, others see their aliens' crimes as unforgivable. “There's a lot of difficulty in answering questions as to what kind of people the Krestge are because to get to know one is not to get to know all. The first alien you meet in the beginning, the stepfather of the missing [human] boy, is really worried about his son and wants to do everything he can to try and find him,” Brissett says. “And yet I think the distrust that humanity has for the Krestge is not unfounded, and it's not without its history and not without its reason. The feeling of not being told the entire truth, of not owning up to past sins, to just sort of pretending that it all just went away because you've decided to not be that anymore, doesn't really happen.” Jennifer Marie Brissett is British-Jamaican American, born in London and raised in Cambridge, Mass. owned an independent bookstore called Indigo Café & Books. She obtained her master's in creative writing from the Stonecoast MFA Program and a bachelor's in Interdisciplinary Engineering from Boston University. Rob Wolf is a writer and host of New Books in Science Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Destroyer of Light (Tor Books, 2021) is Jennifer Marie Brissett's long-awaited follow up to her critically acclaimed debut Elysium, winner of a Philip K. Dick Special Citation and a finalist for the Locus and the Tiptree awards. Her new novel takes readers far into the future where humans are settling a new planet. They are the survivors of the world described in Elysium—an Earth where four-dimensional aliens known as the Krestge have destroyed human civilization. The frame of Destroyer of Light is a mystery—a search for a missing boy. But a deeper story follows the relationship of a mother and her young daughter, who is kidnapped and abused by a warlord building an army of child soldiers. The book is also about the relationship between humans and their former antagonists, the Krestge. Some of the aliens' descendants now live peacefully among humans. While some people are willing to forgive the crimes of the past, going so far as to start families with the Krestge, others see their aliens' crimes as unforgivable. “There's a lot of difficulty in answering questions as to what kind of people the Krestge are because to get to know one is not to get to know all. The first alien you meet in the beginning, the stepfather of the missing [human] boy, is really worried about his son and wants to do everything he can to try and find him,” Brissett says. “And yet I think the distrust that humanity has for the Krestge is not unfounded, and it's not without its history and not without its reason. The feeling of not being told the entire truth, of not owning up to past sins, to just sort of pretending that it all just went away because you've decided to not be that anymore, doesn't really happen.” Jennifer Marie Brissett is British-Jamaican American, born in London and raised in Cambridge, Mass. owned an independent bookstore called Indigo Café & Books. She obtained her master's in creative writing from the Stonecoast MFA Program and a bachelor's in Interdisciplinary Engineering from Boston University. Rob Wolf is a writer and host of New Books in Science Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-fiction

Destroyer of Light (Tor Books, 2021) is Jennifer Marie Brissett's long-awaited follow up to her critically acclaimed debut Elysium, winner of a Philip K. Dick Special Citation and a finalist for the Locus and the Tiptree awards. Her new novel takes readers far into the future where humans are settling a new planet. They are the survivors of the world described in Elysium—an Earth where four-dimensional aliens known as the Krestge have destroyed human civilization. The frame of Destroyer of Light is a mystery—a search for a missing boy. But a deeper story follows the relationship of a mother and her young daughter, who is kidnapped and abused by a warlord building an army of child soldiers. The book is also about the relationship between humans and their former antagonists, the Krestge. Some of the aliens' descendants now live peacefully among humans. While some people are willing to forgive the crimes of the past, going so far as to start families with the Krestge, others see their aliens' crimes as unforgivable. “There's a lot of difficulty in answering questions as to what kind of people the Krestge are because to get to know one is not to get to know all. The first alien you meet in the beginning, the stepfather of the missing [human] boy, is really worried about his son and wants to do everything he can to try and find him,” Brissett says. “And yet I think the distrust that humanity has for the Krestge is not unfounded, and it's not without its history and not without its reason. The feeling of not being told the entire truth, of not owning up to past sins, to just sort of pretending that it all just went away because you've decided to not be that anymore, doesn't really happen.” Jennifer Marie Brissett is British-Jamaican American, born in London and raised in Cambridge, Mass. owned an independent bookstore called Indigo Café & Books. She obtained her master's in creative writing from the Stonecoast MFA Program and a bachelor's in Interdisciplinary Engineering from Boston University. Rob Wolf is a writer and host of New Books in Science Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

After working and playing hard in noughties London, Perrywood Garden Centre's communications & HR director Hannah Powell turned to nature to heal after suffering from a "functional neurological disorder".She tells the Horticulture Week podcast how "using nature to fix a faulty brain" and how "getting out into nature" was instrumental in her recovery and can be harnessed by everyone to improve their well-being.Hannah returned to the Perrywood Tiptree garden centre and nursery in Essex where she grew up, got a degree in horticulture, and now dedicates herself to looking after the employees at Tiptree and the Perrywood Sudbury garden centre in Suffolk.She talks about her new book The Cactus Surgeon which talks about the unique experience of growing up in a garden centre, but also how her experience has led her to value the mental and physical health of staff at the garden centres, offering free physio screenings to help prevent injuries, providing free counselling days, occupational health referrals and mental health awareness training for managers which has helped the company reduce sick days. Staff feel more valued and cared for, a factor that could also help with staff retention in a time of labour shortages. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week Jason chats with Catherynne M. Valente.She is the New York Times bestselling author of over two dozen works of fiction and poetry, including Palimpsest, the Orphan's Tales series, Deathless, Radiance, and the crowdfunded phenomenon The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (and the four books that followed it). She is the winner of the Andre Norton, Tiptree, Sturgeon, Eugie Foster Memorial, Mythopoeic, Rhysling, Lambda, Locus, and Hugo awards, as well as the Prix Imaginales. Valente has also been a finalist for the Nebula and World Fantasy Awards. She lives on an island off the coast of Maine with a small but growing menagerie of beasts, some of which are human.Her most recent book The Past is Red came out in July and is an Amazon Editor's Pick as Best Science Fiction and Fantasy, and coming in just a few weeks, early November still very much the spooky season, is COMFORT ME WITH APPLES, a terrifying fantasy/horror story.Comfort Me With Apples is a terrifying new thriller from bestseller Catherynne M. Valente, for fans of Gone Girl and Spinning SilverSophia was made for him. Her perfect husband. She can feel it in her bones. He is perfect. Their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect. Everything is perfect.It's just that he's away so much. So often. He works so hard. She misses him. And he misses her. He says he does, so it must be true. He is the perfect husband and everything is perfect.But sometimes Sophia wonders about things. Strange things. Dark things. The look on her husband's face when he comes back from a long business trip. The questions he will not answer. The locked basement she is never allowed to enter. And whenever she asks the neighbors, they can't quite meet her gaze....But everything is perfect. Isn't it?

Dominique Mielle is a Wall Street veteran with a comprehensive knowledge of corporate finance, capital markets, and the bankruptcy process.  She was a partner and senior portfolio manager at Canyon Capital, a $25 billion hedge fund, where she worked from 1998 to 2018. In 2017, she was named one of the “50 Leading Women in Hedge Funds” by the Hedge Fund Journal and E&Y. After retiring in 2018 she started writing. Her book, Damsel in Distressed: My life in the golden age of hedge funds, was released on September 7, 2021. She is a Forbes contributor on hedge funds, distressed investing and women in finance. One of the only senior women in the hedge fund business, she played key roles in complicated bankruptcies, serving as a leading creditors' committee member for Puerto Rico, and as a restructuring committee member for U.S. airlines in the wake of the September 11 attacks. She was a director of the board and the audit committee chair for PG&E during its fifteen-month bankruptcy process and emergence, and now serves on several corporate boards: Digicel Group, ReadyCap, Tiptree, Osiris Acquisition and Studio City. 

Today's guest is fantasy and science fiction author Catherynne Valente. Catherynne Valente is the writer of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (and the four books that followed it), Palimpsest, the Orphan's Tales series and so many books you've probably read or heard about. She's a New York Times bestselling author, winner of the Andre Norton, Tiptree, Sturgeon, Eugie Foster Memorial, Mythopoeic, Rhysling, Lambda, Locus, Hugo awards, and more. Usually, in Geekdom Empowers we follow the paths of the geeks around the world who are not highlighted. And yet, Cat's path is exactly the path we talk about. She talks about how, with the power of social media, before it was called social media, she got from knowing no one to what she is today. Social media helped her every stage of the way, including today where her Patreon gives her financial independence from the publishers. It is the story of a rise to success of an author who came from nothing, knowing no one. It is the story of an author who made her own niche, who kept her style and authenticity, and who has withstood, as we'll see, quite a bit of terrible pushback from science fiction and fantasy fans. I think you'll enjoy this interview. It's fascinating. You can find Catherynne Valente here: Website: http://catherynnemvalente.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/catvalente Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catvalente Geekdom Empowers comes out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find us here: Website: www.geekdomeempowers.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/geekdomempowers/ Twitter: twitter.com/GeekdomEmpowers Facebook: www.facebook.com/geekdomempowers TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@geekdomempowers

We're not always aware of the world we're creating for ourselves and for others. We don't always understand our impact. But there is impact nonetheless. Read by Tatiana Grey, Maria brings us a story of the world that crept up on us screaming for our attention. Read by Lucie Pohl, Brit's story is about a hero who is rescued by the city she loves. "The Kleptographer" by Brit E.B. Hvide, Read by Lucie Pohl Brit E. B. Hvide is a writer and a Hugo Award-nominated editor. She studied creative writing and physics at Northwestern University. Originally from Singapore, she now lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their dog. Follow her on Twitter @bhvide Lucie Pohl is a German-born-NYC-raised comedian, actor, writer & creator of Edinburgh Fringe & OFF B'way solo hits 'Hi, Hitler', 'Apohlcalypse Now!' a.o. Lucie has been featured on NPR, in The NY Times and is also the voice of Mercy on Blizzard's Overwatch. Acting credits include Red Dwarf, Homeland and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. "The Scavenger's Nursery" by Maria Dahvana Headley, Read by Tatiana Grey Maria Dahvana Headley is the New York Times-bestselling author of eight books, most recently The Mere Wife. Her new translation of Beowulf comes out from FSG in August, 2020. Her stories have been short-listed for the Nebula, Shirley Jackson, World Fantasy, and Tiptree awards, and regularly appear in Year's Best anthologies. Tatiana Grey is a critically acclaimed actress of stage, screen, and the audio booth. She has been nominated for dozens of fancy awards but hasn't won a single damned thing. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. See more about Tatiana at www.tatianagrey.com

In the fourth Death by Chocolate Mystery by the bestselling author of the Home Repair is Homicide series, Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree and Ellie White are fired up for Eastport, Maine's Annual Cookie Baking Contest. But when a cunning killer and a devastating fire threaten to ravage the quaint island town, Jake and Ellie must dip into another homemade homicide investigation before all they love goes up in smoke...As co-owners of Eastport's beloved waterfront bakery, The Chocolate Moose, Jake and Ellie know their customers expect them to cream the competition. But they're really just in it for fun, hoping to get Jake's daughter-in-law baking again. Those plans collapse when fearsome local curmudgeon Alvin Carter is murdered, and every crumb of evidence points to Tiptree family friend—and all-around sweet guy—Billy Breyer. Billy's sisters beg Jake and Ellie to prove his innocence. After all, lots of folks had gone sour on Alvin—the only thing the retired lawyer liked better than bilking widows was swindling orphans, and several victims of his long-ago schemes still lived in Eastport. But just as the ladies begin sifting through the suspects, a series of grass fires blaze across the island, cutting off access to the mainland. Could someone be trying to hide the truth about Alvin's murder?Now, Jake and Ellie will need all their courage—and an extra dash of that down-east Maine stubbornness—to sniff out the real killer before anyone else gets burned...Sarah Graves is the USA Today bestselling author of the Death by Chocolate Mysteries, the Home Repair is Homicide Mystery Series, and the Lizzie Snow suspense novels. Much like Jake Tiptree, the sleuth who stars in her cozy mysteries, she lives in a 200-year-old house in Eastport, Maine. When she's not cooking or baking something delectable (or writing about it) she tends a huge garden or shovels snow, depending upon the season.

To mark Mental Health Awareness week, Tamsin speaks to Hannah Powell of Perrywood Tiptree Garden Centre in Essex. Hannah openly discusses her mental health - in the past, she has suffered from depression and Functional Movement Disorder. She shares practical ways to use the power of plants and nature to improve her well-being and explains why she is so passionate about helping people through her blog, The Cactus Surgeon.Hannah also talks about the mental health of those in the Horticultural industry and how the pandemic has had an impact. With approximately 200 staff, she is well placed to offer advice and shares guidance that will be invaluable to anyone in the industry, however large or small their business.

The meme that inspired the episode. Need some light reading in a heavy world?  Good thing there's the YBOF book! Read the full script. Reach out and touch Moxie on FB, Twit, the 'Gram or email.  

Dominique Mielle is a former partner and senior portfolio manager at hedge fund Canyon Capital, is currently a full-time corporate board director, and ws named as Ernst & Young's 2017 "Top 50 Women in Hedge Funds." In this episode, Mielle discusses changes in the financial industry, retail investing and the ongoing GameStop phenomenon, and her forthcoming book, Damsel in Distressed. Also, the experienced investor talks about women in the industry, arguing that women shouldn't be ashamed to aspire toward wealth and success and should also enter the investment side for the fun of it.  Dominique Mielle is a Wall Street veteran with a comprehensive knowledge of corporate finance, capital markets, and the bankruptcy process.  She was a partner and senior portfolio manager at Canyon Capital, a $25 billion hedge fund, where she worked from 1998 to 2018. In 2017, she was named one of the “Top 50 Women in Hedge Funds” by the Hedge Fund Journal and E&Y.  After retiring in 2018 she started writing. Her book, Damsel in Distressed: My life in the golden age of hedge funds, will be released in August 2021. It is a humorous account of her career as a female investor in the male-dominated investment world. She is a Forbes contributor on hedge funds, distressed investing and women in finance. Her column is meant for both dilettantes and practitioners, with a loosely-inspired Sex and The City tone. One of the only senior women in the hedge fund business, she played key roles in complicated bankruptcies, serving as a leading creditors' committee member for Puerto Rico, and as a restructuring committee member for U.S. airlines in the wake of the September 11 attacks. She was a director of the board and the audit committee chair for PG&E during its fifteen-month bankruptcy process and emergence, and now serves on several corporate boards: Digicel Group, Anworth, Tiptree and Studio City.  Follow Dominique on Twitter: @DominiqueMielle Damsel in Distressed Pre-Order    

In this episode, Gina Cocking and Jeff Guylay discuss the different types of auction processes we use in a sale transaction, including a negotiated deal, a small process, a targeted auction, and a broad auction. Gina and Jeff talk about each approach's pros and cons and why Colonnade advises clients on selecting one versus the other, recognizing that each situation is unique and calls for a customized approach to the market. This episode concludes with a case study of a negotiated process, a broad auction, and a hybrid between a small and targeted auction. In this episode, Colonnade Advisors addresses the following questions as related to the different types of auction processes: What are the four primary types of auction processes that Colonnade ues when helping clients sell their business? (01:52) Gina: "There are four general categories, ranging from the smallest audience to the largest. A negotiated deal involves one bidder. A small auction process generally involves two to five bidders. A targeted auction involves the most likely universe of buyers, ranging from six to 20. Lastly, a broad auction involves contacting a large universe of potential buyers, over 20 parties. There are pros and cons to each of these types of auctions." What are the advantages of a broad auction? (03:42) Jeff: "Broad auction is all about market discovery. All four types of auctions involve competition and market discovery, but a broad auction involves unturning every stone, looking under every nook and cranny, and finding that needle in a haystack that you wouldn't have thought about otherwise." How do we get to the highest value and best outcome with a negotiated auction? (05:14) Gina: "With a negotiated auction, there is one buyer, so there is the risk of no competition. The buyer could decide to change the price or walk away at any time. One tactic that we use is creating a credible threat. As the seller's advisor, we work in the background on creating materials to go to broader auction, if necessary. That is the credible threat: if the deal has a misstep at any point, the buyer knows that we can immediately go to market and get full market discovery." Jeff: "Some sellers do not want to go through a broad auction, so they are willing to get a slightly lower price for the benefit of only dealing with one buyer. In addition to pricing, deal momentum and getting a deal done are also critical. " What are the benefits of running a small process? (08:01) Gina: "A small process has a lot of the same dynamics as a negotiated auction. One additional advantage with a small process is actual competition, so you can compare bids and push bids up to the highest possible bid of that group. A second advantage is that the seller will have a fallback buyer if the first choice drops out for some reason. Another advantage to a small process is confidentiality. Selling a company is a very revealing exercise because the seller has to tell buyers everything about the company. A negotiated deal and small process limit the risk of who is getting the seller's confidential information." What types of buyers are generally in a small process and targeted auction? (10:46) Gina: "In a small process, it tends to be strategics. When there is a smaller universe of potential buyers, it tends to be the ones who really understand the business and are already interested, which are likely to be strategics. Jeff: "A small process is almost always largely comprised of strategics. There is probably a mix of strategics in a targeted auction, maybe have half a dozen strategics and ten private equity firms. That sort of universe can generate meaningful competition." What are the trade-offs between a small process and a targeted auction? (11:27) Jeff: "The workload for a small process and a targeted auction is probably the same, but the seller does lose a little bit of a grip on confidentiality because they are talking to 20 parties instead of two." What is one of the drawbacks of starting with a small group of buyers? (12:17) Jeff: "One of the drawbacks of starting with a small group of buyers in a negotiated deal, small process, or the targeted auction is that it is sometimes challenging, depending on how far along you are in the process, to switch to a broader auction. Sellers have to carefully select the appropriate process upfront." What are the considerations for doing a broad auction? (14:04) Gina: "The most important reason to do a broad auction is full market price discovery.” What is Colonnade's approach to assessing the buyer universe? (14:30) Gina: "Colonnade focuses on specific industries in business services and financial services and the intersection between those two, so we know the private equity universe and strategic buyers in these industries." Does a broad auction require more work for the seller? (15:30) Jeff: "A broad auction does not mean that our clients have to do more work than in a targeted auction. All the materials that we put together are the same. We still have to go through rigorous due diligence, putting the book together, building the financial model, and making sure that the story ties out." What is Colonnade's typical broad auction process? (16:00) Jeff: "We create a curated list of buyers, which is approved by our seller clients, and we approach this broad group with a no-name teaser. We contact this broad group and find out the conversations they are having internally and determine whether there is a fit. Sometimes the most obvious top five names are not interested, so it is good that we went to a broader universe. Our team goes through the list on a no-name basis, then under a non-disclosure agreement with specifics. We work the funnel down through indications of interest, management meetings, final bids, and down to the winner." Is there confidentiality risk in a broad auction when reaching out to 100 or more potential buyers? (17:25) Gina: "The 100 or more potential buyers do not all get the information. In the funnel, the 100 or more get the teaser and NDA on a no-names basis. Then at the next stage in the funnel, after the execution of an NDA, some subset will get the confidential information memorandum, which has a lot of information, but it still is limited. The next subset gives us an indication of interest letter, and we will invite them into the next stage, in which they then have access to a limited data room and perhaps a management meeting. Only that final buyer in exclusivity has access to what can be considered the company's trade secrets and have access to the contracts, etc." Jeff: "The buyer list is highly curated. " Can you give an example of a negotiated process? (19:02) Jeff: "TD Bank was selling a national commercial finance business to Wells Fargo. TD Bank hired Colonnade after they started talking about price. Colonnade's role was negotiating the deal and giving TD confidence that they were getting a fair price and what valuation should be in a broader process—creating a credible threat. We worked diligently to negotiate the deal with Wells Fargo and put a book together so that we were ready to go to market if needed. We had the 40 logical names ready to be contacted at any minute if the deal with Wells Fargo failed, and Wells Fargo knew it too. To Well Fargo's credit, they came through and offered a fair price and came through on the timing and offered a great platform for the team." Can you give an example of a broad auction? (20:54) Gina: "Last year, Colonnade advised Smart AutoCare on its sale to Fortegra, a Tiptree subsidiary. We started with over 100 potential buyers in a broad auction. We received eleven indications of interest, so it was a very robust auction, and we had great price discovery. At the time, we did not go to Tiptree because Fortegra was a supplier to the company. We had three or four LOIs, and we went forward with the winning bidder, and it was a great price. We ended up pivoting away from that buyer because the business owner felt that the private equity firm did not understand his business, so we went to Tiptree. We were able to negotiate a transaction with Tiptree and successfully close. It was a fantastic result." Can you give an example of a hybrid between a small process and a targeted auction? (22:37) Jeff: "A few years ago, we advised ADG on its sale to APCO. APCO had approached ADG and its private equity owner and made an offer. ADG hired Colonnade to run a small process or a targeted auction to the obvious buyers. There were many potential buyers, but we narrowed it to a list of 15 and worked that list to generate competition and drive up the price and terms. APCO, who had essentially triggered the auction, was ultimately the winner, and they paid market price and terms. It was a great outcome for the team." How do sellers determine which auction process is the best option for selling their businesses? (24:16) Jeff: "Each situation is unique, and it depends on lots of different circumstances. It is all part of the pre-planning process that we work with our clients to think about what's going to get the best outcome based on their objectives." Host Information Gina Cocking Gina Cocking serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Colonnade Advisors. She returned to Colonnade as a Managing Director in 2014. Gina began her career in investment banking at Kidder Peabody, was an analyst at Madison Dearborn Partners, and an associate at J.P. Morgan & Co. She was a Vice President at Colonnade Advisors from 1999 to 2003. She left Colonnade to gain operating experience as the Chief Financial Officer of Cobalt Finance, a specialty finance company. She went on to become the Chief Financial Officer of Healthcare Laundry Systems, a private equity-backed company for which she oversaw the successful sale to a strategic acquirer. Gina served as the Line of Business CFO – Consumer Banking and Lending at Discover Financial Services. Gina serves on the Board of Directors of CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc., a bank holding company based in Brookfield, Wisconsin, that operates banking offices in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Gina received her BA in Economics and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Additionally, Gina holds the Series 24, 28, 79, and 99 securities licenses. Jeff Guylay Jeff Guylay is a Managing Director of Colonnade Advisors. Prior to joining Colonnade in 2000, Jeff was an investment banker at J.P. Morgan in the firm's Mergers & Acquisitions and Fixed Income Capital Markets groups in New York. He also spent several years in J.P. Morgan's Chicago office. Jeff has over 20 years of M&A and investment banking experience and has served as lead execution partner on over 25 M&A and financing transactions at Colonnade. Jeff received an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a Master of Engineering Management from the University's McCormick School of Engineering. Jeff received a BA from Dartmouth College and a BE from Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering. Jeff holds the Series 7, 24, 63, and 79 securities licenses. Jeff serves as a director of the non-profit Nurture, an organization dedicated to enhancing the nutrition and wellness of children and families. About the Middle Market Mergers & Acquisitions Podcast Get the insiders' take on mergers and acquisitions. M&A investment bankers Gina Cocking and Jeff Guylay of Colonnade Advisors discuss the technical aspects of and tactics used in middle market deals. This podcast offers actionable advice and strategies for selling your company and is aimed at owners of middle market companies in the financial services and business services sectors. Middle market companies are generally valued between $20 million and $500 million.

Joining me for this episode's online chat is one of my favourite authors of weird and wonderful fiction, Catherynne M Valente. Catherynne is the New York Times bestselling author of forty works of speculative fiction and poetry, including Space Opera, The Refrigerator Monologues, Palimpsest, the Orphan's Tales series, Deathless, Radiance, and the crowdfunded phenomenon The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Own Making (and the four books that followed it). She is the winner of the Andre Norton, Tiptree, Sturgeon, Prix Imaginales, Eugie Foster Memorial, Mythopoeic, Rhysling, Lambda, Locus, Romantic Times' Critics Choice and Hugo awards. She has been a finalist for the Nebula and World Fantasy Awards. She lives on an island off the coast of Maine with a small but growing menagerie of beasts, some of which are human. We talk about her many fabulous books, how she came to write and then crowdfund the first book in The Fairyland series which went on to win the Nebula Award, planting Easter eggs in Space Opera, writing complicated books, the weather and her latest short story which just so happens to be a Star Wars story The pairings: Little, Big by John Crowley The epic story of Smoky Barnable, an anonymous young man who travels by foot from the City to a place called Edgewood—not found on any map—to marry Daily Alice Drinkwater, as was prophesied. It is the story of four generations of a singular family, living in a house that is many houses on the magical border of an otherworld. It is a story of fantastic love and heartrending loss; of impossible things and unshakable destinies; and of the great Tale that envelops us all. It is a wonder. Catherynne chose a classic cocktail from 1688 - Milk Punch - to pair with this eerie and complex story. Possession by A.S. Byatt An exhilarating novel of wit and romance, at once an intellectual mystery and triumphant love story. It is the tale of a pair of young scholars researching the lives of two Victorian poets. As they uncover their letters, journals, and poems, and track their movements from London to Yorkshire—from spiritualist séances to the fairy-haunted far west of Brittany—what emerges is an extraordinary counterpoint of passions and ideas. Man Booker Prize Winner (1990) Catherynne suggested a 1920s cocktail called The Last Word to pair perfectly with this passionate literary thriller! Smart Ovens For Lonely People by Elizabeth Tan A collection of offbeat, mind-bending short stories that are a joy to dip in and out of. A cat-shaped oven tells a depressed woman she doesn't have to be sorry anymore. A Yourtopia Bespoke Terraria employee becomes paranoid about the mounting coincidences in her life. Four girls gather to celebrate their underwear in ‘Happy Smiling Underwear Girls Party' and so many more. These are funny, sharp, witty and surreal stories that are somewhat disturbing at heart as they give us a glimpse of a potential future world and what might be… I was thinking that i'd love something fresh and sharp to drink whilst reading these stories and the wine that comes to mind is an Argentinian wine called Torrontes - it's nickname is The Liar as it smells sweet but is actually very dry and has an almost salty and lean taste and texture in your mouth. I think it would pair perfectly with this book of inventive and biting stories!

Satya Doyle Byock & Carol Ferris dive into The Red Book's most visceral chapter in which Jung eats the liver of a murdered girl. Carol discusses the role of the liver in Chinese Medicine, Jung's natal chart, astrology of this chapter, & the science fiction in world-making. Satya discusses animal embodiment, humanity's relation to the guilt of existence, the image of and the reclamation of evil. Ann Carrol translates the German word for “mensch.” Chapter: “The Sacrificial Murder” Astrological Charts: Jung Hell, The Sacrificial Murder Learn More: Salome Institute: SalomeInstitute.com Carol: CarolFerrisAstrology.com Satya: Quarterlife.org Recorded July 26, 2020

The farm manager at Tiptree Farms tells Ken Crowther how they are planning to recycle wasted heat from the Wilkin & Sons factory to extend the fruit season.

Ken Crowther has visited Tiptree Farms to find out how this years fruit harvest has been.

Our Very Special Guest this week is Joanna Averley, the new Chief Planner at MHCLG. Court Judgments of the Week Wainhomes v SOSHCLG [2020]EWHC 2294; a decision of Dove J who quashed a decision of the Secretary of State to dismiss an appeal for 100 homes and remitted it for redetermination. The case centred upon a failure of reasons to explain why a policy agreed by three authorities was considered to be up to date despite the authorities agreeing a subsequent redistribution based on an MoU based on an aggregated Standard Methodology figure. Peel Investments v SOSHCLG [2020] EWCA Civ 1836 a decision of the Court of Appeal upholding the decision of Dove J. who in turn upheld an Inspector's decision to dismiss appeals in respect of residential development up to 600 dwellings. The case turned upon how to approach whether policy is out of date which is fundamentally a matter of planning judgment – so here policies in a plan without saved strategic policies could still be up to date. Appeals of the Week Successful appeal by Gladman against decision of Chorley BC for 180 homes Aug 20 Tiptree appeal [18 August 2020] permission refused for 255 homes; Wokingham decision [25 August 2020] permission refused for 216 dwellings Braintree decision permission granted for up to 300 homes [17/8/20]

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. Hugo, Tiptree, and Shirley Jackson Award winner Maureen McHugh joins Gary to talk about online teaching during the lockdown, the benefits of Zoom work sessions with fellow writers, the reissue of her classic novel China Mountain Zhang, researching the 13th century, and completing a draft of her first novel in almost two decades(!) Books mentioned include: China Mountain Zhang by Maureen F. McHugh The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch A Perfect Spy by John Le Carré

Ken's been back to Tiptree farms where it's be a great year for cherries.

Ken has an update on things happening at Tiptree Farms, and how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the sales of the world famous jam.

With restrictions due to Coronavirus, Ken's spoken to staff at Tiptree Farms and reports back on what they are currently doing feeding the nation.

City gain a hard earned point away at the league leaders.

Ken Crowther has been to find out!

World Radio Gardening reporter, Ken is back at Tiptree Farms chatting with the Farm Manager about water storage and usage in the fruit growing processes.

Capítulo #01 de Las Escritoras de Urras Relato: Soñarán en el jardín, de Gabriela Damián. Narrado por Maielis González. "Soñarán en el jardín", que se publicó por primera vez en una antología centrada en la violencia de género, ganó el premio Tiptree en 2019. En este capítulo nos acompaña la editora y traductora Arrate Hidalgo, que formó parte del jurado que eligió el relato de Gabriela como ganador. Puedes leer el texto del relato y los avisos de sensibilidad aquí: https://escritorasdeurras.blogspot.com/2020/01/capitulo-01-sonaran-en-el-jardin-de.html

This last episode of The Writer and the Critic for 2012 sees your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, sink their teeth into non-fiction. But first they give a friendly shout-out to the brand spanking new podcast from Sean Wright, Adventures of a Bookonaut -- to which you should all go and listen right now -- as well as the entertainingly erudite Ambling Along the Acqueduct blog. (Kirstyn's brand spanking new novel, Perfections, might also garner a wee mention.) The duo then become embroiled in a debate about critics and authors and whether one person can or even should wear both hats, as well as whether or not critics need to take the feelings of authors into consideration -- regardless of what kind of spiffy headwear either of them might be donning at the time. The books up for discussion this month are Evaporating Genres, a collection of essays by Gary K. Wolfe (beginning 35:20), and James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon, a biography by Julie Phillips (1:03:50). This thoughtful essay by Jonathan McCalmont is mentioned and, in the spirit of Alice Sheldon, Ian promises to begin writing Letters of Appreciation to authors whose work he has enjoyed. We will follow him up on this next year! There are no real spoilers here but if you have skipped ahead, then please tune back in at 1:39:50 for some closing remarks and (belated) holiday well-wishes. And now for the sad news ... The Writer and the Critic is on hiatus for a couple of months and won't be back until March 2013. The good news is that will give you plenty of time to read Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. Hopefully it will give Kirstyn and Ian plenty of time as well! Thanks to everyone who listened to The Writer and the Critic during 2012. Ian and Kirstyn love you all to bits and look forward to talking at you a whole lot more in 2013!