Through discussions and interviews with writers, artists and health professionals, author friends James McKenzie Watson and Ashley Kalagian Blunt explore the big questions: how do books get written? How do people navigate life with chronic illness? And just what are you reading?
Ashley Kalagian Blunt is the author of Dark Mode, an internationally published psychological thriller. Her earlier books are How to Be Australian, a memoir, and My Name Is Revenge, collected fiction and essays. Her writing appears in the Sydney Morning Herald, Overland, Griffith Review, Sydney Review of Books, and more. Ashley is an enthusiastic teacher of writing and creativity. Originally from Canada, she has lived and worked in South Korea, Peru and Mexico. Find her on Twitter and Instagram or visit her website.
James McKenzie Watson is the author of Denizen, which won the 2021 Penguin Literary Prize and was shortlisted in 2023 Ned Kelly Awards for Best Debut. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, Meanjin, Kill Your Darlings and the Newtown Review of Books. He has appeared at events including the Sydney Writers Festival, Newcastle Writers Festival and BAD Crime Sydney. He works as a nurse. Find him on Twitter and Instagram or visit his website.
Apr 15, 2025
How does having a stalker change your life? We talk with bestselling novelist Pip Drysdale about her latest novel 'The Close-Up,' its real-life inspirations, and how surviving a stalker shifted her worldview.
We also discuss how to navigate public image and the role anxiety has to play in creative pursuits.
Plus, this ep's What Are You Reading? inspires a debate about what's derivative and what's inspired, and if those can be the same thing.
Pip Drysdale is an author, musician and actor. She grew up in Africa, Canada, and Australia, became an adult in New York and London, and lives on a steady diet of coffee, dreams, and literature. Her first four books – The Sunday Girl, The Strangers We Know, The Paris Affair and The Next Girl – have been bestsellers in Australia. Her latest book, The Close-Up is out now in Australia/NZ and North America. She lives in Sydney.
Books & authors discussed in this episode:
- 'My Stalker, My Novel' by Pip Drysdale for Crime Reads;
- I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman;
- We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer;
- Anna Downes;
- House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski
Upcoming events:
- Ashley & Pip in conversation at Five Dock Library speaking about Cold Truth, Five Dock Library, Wednesday 30 April 5.30 for 6pm start. Free, book online.
- Ashley is the guest author of the Bloom & Bound 'Bound to Roam' bookshop crawl happening Saturday 26 April, Sydney
- Ashley is teaching Online: Writing Crime for Faber, 8 weeks starting Tuesday 6 May
- Ashley is launching Jay Martin's debut novel at Better Read Than Dead on Sunday 18 May, 3pm
- Ashley is teaching a multi-day memoir masterclass as part of the Writers at the Woolshed Winter Writing Retreat in the Southern Highlands, 13-18 July
- Join Ashley and podcast fav Hayley Scrivenor for the Mystery and Mayhem Readers Retreat at the 5-star Tamborine Mountain Glades, 3-5 October
Learn more about Ashley's thrillers, Dark Mode and Cold Truth, and get your copies from your local bookshop or your library.
Get in touch!