Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley-logo

Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley

Podcasts

Finding the Throughline: Conversations about the Creative Process invites you into the minds of writers and other creatives as they open up about their process, their doubts, and what kinds of changes they’re thinking about making. The questions are mildly invasive, honestly, and the answers are unvarnished…and so refreshing! Whether your creative work is writing, painting, making music, parenting, or simply living, Finding the Throughline can help you get—and stay—inspired. Invigorated, even. For detailed show notes on each interview, visit katehanley.substack.com. And if you’d like to hear these interviews in one ad-free episode (as opposed to broken up into three shorter episodes with a few ads sprinkled in to keep the lights on), become a paid subscriber once you’re there. .

Location:

United States

Genres:

Podcasts

Description:

Finding the Throughline: Conversations about the Creative Process invites you into the minds of writers and other creatives as they open up about their process, their doubts, and what kinds of changes they’re thinking about making. The questions are mildly invasive, honestly, and the answers are unvarnished…and so refreshing! Whether your creative work is writing, painting, making music, parenting, or simply living, Finding the Throughline can help you get—and stay—inspired. Invigorated, even. For detailed show notes on each interview, visit katehanley.substack.com. And if you’d like to hear these interviews in one ad-free episode (as opposed to broken up into three shorter episodes with a few ads sprinkled in to keep the lights on), become a paid subscriber once you’re there. .

Twitter:

@katehan

Language:

English

Contact:

6143090556


Episodes
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[Octavia Randolph: What’s coming up]: Why Taylor Swift is a model for her + a glimpse of a big shift that’s brewing Ep 1112

7/26/2024
In this final installment of my interview with Octavia Randolph, author of the hugely popular Circle of Ceridwen saga, a meticulously researched series of 11 books set in 9th century England and scandinavia, we get a sneak peek in her 12th book in the saga,and what she knows at this moment about where her personal throughline is leading her next. She shared: - The absolutely incredible sounding retreat she hosted for readers last year in Gotland, where she now lives and where many of her novels are set - The ninth century style feast–wherever everyone was in period costume–that was the cherry on top of that retreat - Why she looks to Taylor Swift as a creative role model - The big shift she can sense is coming, although she can’t say more, but she did mentioned “a possibility of a television series” – and what she’s doing to stay grounded as it continues to unfold - The Henry James novel she re-reads each summer - How three cups of coffee is the perfect number of cups of coffee - The lunch she has had nearly every day for nearly 40 years Visit Octavia at octavia.net, or on the Circle of Ceridwen Saga private Facebook group. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:19:54

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[Octavia Randolph, inner stuff]: Dealing with professional envy + an absolute master class on building a community of readers Ep 1111

7/24/2024
This is the second part of my interview with Octavia Randolph, author of the hugely popular Circle of Ceridwen saga, a meticulously researched series of 11 books set in 9th century England and scandinavia. Octavia joined me from her home on Gotland, an island in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden that played a prominent role in Viking history and in several of her books. Today we covered the thoughts, ideas, and attitudes that affect your work, even if you’re not fully conscious of it. - How identifying with your characters is great, until you need to write scenes where they face hardship - Octavia gives a gosh-darn masterclass on building a community of readers NOT TO BE MISSED - The testy letter she received from a reader and how she responded - The critical importance of defining success for yourself, and not by looking at what other people have achieved - How writing her books has made her a better person - How she uses runes to stay connected to her characters and consider possibilities in her own life Visit Octavia at octavia.net, or on the Circle of Ceridwen Saga private Facebook group. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:21:57

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[Octavia Randolph, practical matters]: An amazing writing process that starts outside at 6 am + Independent publishing vs. self-publishing Ep 1110

7/22/2024
This week I’m talking with Octavia Randoplh, a prolific and wildly successful author of historical novels and essays. She’s best known for her Circle of Ceridwen saga, a meticulously researched series of 11–soon to be 12–books set in 9th century England and scandinavia. Octavia now makes her home on Gotland, a small island off the coast of Sweden in the Baltic Sea where some of her novels are set and which was an important way station for the Vikings as the traveled East and West from Scandinavia. She is also a devoted needleworker and mosaic artist, and an unabashed cat person. We covered: - Why ‘Viking’ isn’t really the right word to describe the people from Scandinavia who explored far and wide a millennia and a half ago - How a fascination with physical artifacts from England’s early history put her on the path to be a historical fiction author - How she found her way to massive publishing success despite having great agents and getting only rejections from traditional publishing houses - The difference between self-publishing and independent publishing–and a peek inside the cast of folks who make it possible for Octavia to edit and publish her books - How a daily morning walk forms the basis of how she gets her writing done–that, and talking to herself as she writes Visit Octavia at octavia.net, or on the Circle of Ceridwen Saga private Facebook group. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:23:28

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[Hayley Krischer: What’s coming up]: What she’s recently learned about understanding her character’s psyches + the incredible allure of hot tubs Ep 1109

7/19/2024
In this final part of my interview with Hayley Krischer, journalist and author of the just-released “Where Are You, Echo Blue?”--the juiciest beach read of the year about a missing Hollywood starlet on the cusp of Y2K and the obsessed journalist determined to find here--we peek at what’s coming around the bend for her and I get her answers to my fast five questions. ** This week's episodes are a replay. ** We talked about: - The incredible allure of hot tubs - How re-watching “The Actor’s Studio with James Lipton” was a key part of her research process for “Where Are You, Echo Blue?” - What she learned from studying actors about getting in to the psychology of her characters - The Instagram influencer who’s helping Hayley understand her perimenopausal body and learning how to take care of herself - Thinking ahead to when her youngest child is out of the house - A preview of both her YA novel that’s coming out in 2025 (think Charles Manson meets Goop meets teenage girls) and the adult novel she’s writing next - The 620-page novel Hayley read in four days because she couldn’t put it down - The exact morning beverage that fuels Hayley, and the (dark) song that gets her fired up when she needs a kick in the pants Follow Hayley on Instagram and Threads @haylerkrischer Follow Hayley on TikTok @hayleykrischerauthor Hayley’s website: hayleykrischer.net For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Big thanks to our sponsor, AirDoctorPro. Use promo code KATE at airdoctorpro.com to save up to $300 off an air purifier and receive a free 3-year warranty (an $87 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:19:21

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[Hayley Krischer, inner stuff]: True confessions about how “horrible” writing can feel + why–and how–she wrote her next novel in longhand Ep 1108

7/17/2024
In this episode I'm talking with Hayley Krischer--author of the upcoming “Where Are You, Echo Blue?”, which dropped yesterday, July 16th, and is poised to be the beach read of the summer--about the squishier side of creativity, including: ** This week's episodes are a replay. ** - The steps Hayley takes–and the tools she uses–to immerse herself in the world of her novels and inside her characters’ psyches - What she does when she’s feeling stuck - How good it feels when you connect with someone who loved your work in the real world - The YA author Hayley fan-girled all over when she realized he was also an audience member at a reading she was attending - How writing and editing can feel “horrible,” “like torture”--and the parts that make Hayley feel like jumping for joy - How her inner critic loves to tell her she should be able to write a novel while also taking five-mile hikes every day - How the months between when you’re done working on a manuscript and the book is published is a tough time, mentally–and how to navigate it - The self-care practices helping Hayley through (the journaling practice, the supplements, the breathing exercise that helps her sleep) - Busting the myth that writers make a lot of money and how hard it is to make a bestseller list For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Big thanks to our sponsor, AirDoctorPro. Use promo code KATE at airdoctorpro.com to save up to $300 off an air purifier and receive a free 3-year warranty (an $87 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:27:15

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[Hayley Krischer, Practical Matters]: The power of just keeping going + how to capture those great ideas that come when you’re not at your desk Ep 1107

7/15/2024
This week I am talking with journalist and novelist Hayley Krischer whose brand new novel drops this week, "Where Are You, Echo Blue?," which is about a journalist's obsessive search for Hollywood's hottest starlet who goes missing on the eve of Y2K. Hayley has profiled celebrities like Tatum O'Neill, Celine Dion, and Gabrielle Union for places like The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, and Elle. Hayley's first two novels were for young adults: “Something Happened to Allie Greenleaf” and “The Falling Girls” and they were awesome, about friendship among not necessarily likeable characters. I for one am very pumped about "Where Are You, Echo Blue?", I think it will be the perfect beach read, like Us Magazine meets Daisy Jones and the Six meets mystery novel. ** This week's episodes are a replay. ** We covered: - Which former child actor/celebrities Hayley obsessively researched for her upcoming book, “Where Are You, Echo Blue?” - How she found herself working at the Boston Globe in college and found all the journalists “these grimy, sexy, fascinating people” - The brilliant wisdom she tells her kids about power of just keeping going. - The circular editorial career that led her to being an author - The “pure insanity” that keeps her coming back to the page - The writing program Hayley signed up for that took the story she’d been working on for 20 years and could never sell and helped her revise it into a form that sold to a major publisher in four days (her first YA novel, “Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf” - The exact mechanical pencil she used to write her upcoming YA novel that’s coming out in 2025 - The author who inspired Hayley to write a novel in longhand - Why you should never trust yourself to remember that great idea and the myriad ways Hayley captures those ideas, wherever they may happen For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Big thanks to our sponsor, AirDoctorPro. Use promo code KATE at airdoctorpro.com to save up to $300 off an air purifier and receive a free 3-year warranty (an $87 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:25:06

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[Mark Cecil: What’s coming up]: The iconic filmmaker who's a master myth maker + being honest about how much time you have for all the various parts of life Ep 1106

7/12/2024
Welcome back to the Finding the Throughline interview with Mark Cecil, author of BUNYAN AND HENRY, OR, THE BEAUTIFUL DESTINY, a re-telling of the folk tales of Paul Bunyan and John Henry that Publisher’s Weekly called “a fun romp with substance.” Mark is also the host of the Thoughtful Bro podcast where he interviews authors in what he calls “Like Inside the Actor’s Studio, but for storytellers.” In this episode, we find out what Mark is currently working on bringing into existence and what he knows at this moment about where his personal throughline is leading him next. Plus I always end with ask my guests my fast, final five questions about what they’re currently reading and the songs that get them fired up. We talked about: - Why he’s crazy for Charlie Chaplin movies - How to tell if an author loves people or not - Looking to George Lucas as a model of modern mythmaking - Being honest about how much time you have for all the various parts of life–like exercise and friendship–and dealing with that reality - The 12-year-old who made one of Mark’s lifelong dreams come true - The challenge of writing a book that appeals to a wide range of people - The “very dark, very twisted” Netflix series he just binged, the song that always makes him smile (it’s now on the “Proven Pick-me-ups from Finding the Throughline playlist on Spotify–look for it!), why September is the best month, and the brunch dish that Mark uses as a bellwether for whether or not a restaurant is good. Visit Mark at markcecilauthor.com. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:19:51

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[Mark Cecil, inner stuff]: Why getting feedback on your work is like open-heart surgery + opting for the twisty path vs. the straight path to ‘success’ Ep 1105

7/10/2024
In this second part of my interview with Mark Cecil, author of BUNYAN AND HENRY, OR, THE BEAUTIFUL DESTINY we cover the squishier side of writing–the thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs that influence the work, including: Why he considers getting feedback to be like open heart surgery–absolutely vital, yet painful–and ultimately, a time-saver And, ironically, how devastated he gets by a bad review How his inner critic loves to tell him, “If you were any good, you’d be successful by now,” and how he deals with that How making his debut at 46 motivates him Taking the twisty path instead of the straight path (if that even exists)to what he calls “the beautiful destiny” In other news, Mark is also the host of “The Thoughtful Bro” podcast where he interviews authors about their latest book. If you’re digging “Finding the Throughline,” you are also going to dig “The Thoughtful Bro,” so go check it out! Visit Mark at markcecilauthor.com. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:25:00

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[Mark Cecil, practical matters]: On writing multiple books before writing the one that got published + the genius trick that kept him going Ep 1104

7/8/2024
This week I’m talking with author and journalist Mark Cecil. Mark’s debut novel BUNYAN AND HENRY, OR, THE BEAUTIFUL DESTINY, a retelling of the folk tales of Paul Bunyan and John Henry, has just come out. (The book was named one of the most anticipated books of 2024 from Goodreads, while Publishers Weekly called it “boisterous and a fun romp with plenty of substance.”) Mark’s articles have been published in LitHub and Writer’s Digest and he’s taught classes on writing and publishing for Grub Street and the Writer’s Loft. Despite these accolades, Mark had a long, tough road to publishing and he’s learned some really valuable lessons along the way, which he generously shares in a very inspiring way. We covered: How Mark is inspired by trying to contribute to a mythology that is uniquely American, and what that means The six other manuscripts Mark wrote that didn’t end up getting published, and how he dealt with that long road How he knew he had stumbled on the right idea at last The genius thing he told himself that helped him keep going despite multiple rejections How a very frustrating question from an editor launched him on an odyssey of learning the art of storytelling that ultimately led him to the idea of his debut novel Why he seeks to write every damn day, despite how he’s feeling about himself and his work How he’ll write anywhere, despite the external–and internal!, conditions he finds himself in How sports, whether he’s playing, coaching, or watching, helps keep him mentally healthy Visit Mark at markcecilauthor.com. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:24:34

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Finding the Throughline ep. 25: It's our six month-iversary! A quick review of the surprises, the insights, and ways my thinking about writing has changed as a result Ep 1101

7/1/2024
Since this week is both the podcast’s half-birthday and the Fourth of July week--which means you’re more likely to be at a BBQ or the beach and not listening to podcasts--I thought I’d switch things up this week and do one episode where I do a little review of what I've learned and what has stuck with me after the 24 conversations with writers I’ve had thus far. Thank you for listening! And be sure to check out our sponsor at airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off a new air purifier and get a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:33:23

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[Julie Gerstenblatt: what’s coming up]: How to approach writing about something you have little firsthand experience of + the magic of a Disney soundtrack, Ep 1100

6/28/2024
In this final installment of interview with “Daughters of Nantucket” author Julie Gerstenblatt, we get a peek at her next novel and the very clever, and fun-sounding, way she’s dealing with the nerves that are cropping up as she writes about something she has very little firsthand experience with. We talked about: All the places she’s researching maritime history as she works on her next book, which involves a sailing trip to China Her favorite books on writing and creativity Creating structure for herself now that her kids are out of the house Trying to figure out how to spend more time in her happy place, AKA Nantucket The show and the books that are keeping her up too late because they’re just so good Why she’s still listening to Disney soundtracks even though her kids are grown and flown For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:22:28

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[Julie Gerstenblatt, inner stuff]: A ninja mind trick for making a daily writing goal seem easy + why you should show *and* tell, Ep 1099

6/26/2024
In this second part of my interview with Julie Gerstenblat, author of “The Daughters of Nantucket,” I talk with Julie about the mindset side of writing. We talked about: How she’s convinced herself that her daily word count goal is much easier than it actually is (this is a cool Jedi mind trick) and the pep talks she gives herself The part of writing her next book that is really freaking her out–and how she’s dealing with it How her writing group is structured (I totally want to steal this) The absolute mind trip of becoming an empty nester Why she thinks the writing advice to “show don’t tell” is overrated and misinterpreted How her Myers-Briggs personality plays out in her home life and work life For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:21:27

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[Julie Gerstenblatt, practical matters]: On writing novels that will never be published + stepping out into a new genre Ep 1098

6/24/2024
This week I am talking with Julie Gerstenblatt, whose debut novel, “Daughters of Nantucket,” came out last year and was included in several most anticipated lists for 2023. Prior to writing novels, Julie was a middle school English teacher and earned her PhD so that she could teach at the college level, but she ended up leaving teaching because she wanted to be a novelist. (Her story of how she admitted this desire to herself–and her advisors–during her PhD dissertation is incredible!) We covered: The many contemporary novel manuscripts she wrote but could not sell How combining something new (historical fiction) with something she knew well and loved (Nantucket) led to selling her book to a publisher How she kept writing “Daughters of Nantucket” even after her agent broke up with her Making time to write amidst teaching middle school, writing a PhD dissertation, and having three young kids The specifics of her morning routine and how she gets warmed up to write How she gets herself to leave the house For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:23:50

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[Lisa Tener: what’s coming up]: The simple shift that “makes life juicier” + a recipe for Lisa’s all-time favorite tea Ep 1097

6/21/2024
In this final installment of my conversation with award-winning book coach (who has helped dozens and dozens and dozens of experts get five- and six-figure book deals) and author of the brand-new book “Breathe. Write. Breathe.” Lisa Tener, we get a look at what’s coming up for her, and she answers my fast five final questions. Wa talked about: The trippy experience of re-reading something you first encountered years ago and having a completely new and different take on it How discovering Sark’s books felt like a gift from the universe Using Human Design as a tool to help you figure out what to do next Manifesting teaching a retreat at place like Kripalu, Omega, or Esalen The shift she’s working that “makes life juicier” Why she’s feeling drawn to write more poetry Lisa’s recipe for her all-time favorite tea Her favorite dish at her favorite restaurant that sounds so good it inspired us to make a dinner date to go get it Visit Lisa at listener.com. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:21:23

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[Lisa Tener, inner stuff]: Practical ways to get out of the fear of not making enough money + embracing surrender Ep 1096

6/19/2024
In this second part of my interview with Lisa Tener–award-winning book coach and author of the brand-new “Breath. Write. Breathe.”--we get into the squishier parts of writing. Warning, this part of our conversation is super juicy! Not in a sexy way, but in a “wow I’m really thinking differently about stuff that’s been plaguing me forever” kind of way. You’ll learn: Her least favorite part about promoting her work, and how she works with that resistance Finding the right balance between taking on work for clients to pay the bills and saving time and energy for your own work Practical ways to get out of the fear of not making or having enough money Tipping your internal scale to be more weighted toward surrender, and less weight toward trying to control everything Her ninja trick for dealing with difficult people How she’s used Family Systems Constellation Work to work through blockages both in life and in her mind Visit Lisa at listener.com. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:21:52

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[Lisa Tener, practical matters]: The tools that help Lisa get her writing done + an easy and fun physical exercise that gets you in the flow Ep 1095

6/17/2024
This week I am talking with award-winning book coach and award-winning author–of the books The Joy of Writing Journal and the brand-new Breathe.Write. Breathe.--Lisa Tener. Lisa served on the faculty of the Harvard Medical School’s continuing education course on writing and publishing books for over a dozen years. And she has helped hundreds of experts and thought leaders write and publish their books and secure five and six figure book deals. I was so happy and honored to write the foreword for Lisa's new book, which draws a lot on Lisa's in-depth studies and practice of qigong. And if you've been with me since the “How to Be a Better Person” days, you may remember Lisa when she came on as a guest and walked me through her “meet your muse” exercise, which helps you get in touch with your intuition and receive messages from your subconscious that can help you move forward in your creative work or get insight into anything you may be facing, where you could use a little guidance. And lest you think Lisa is all about the woo, she also, I just found out while researching her for this episode, has her bachelor's and master's degree from MIT. We covered: How getting sick put her on the path to becoming a writer How writing down her dreams helps fuel her writing Working with the difficulty of earning a living from your writing A peek inside the small village of people it takes to publish a book The easy but powerful qigong move Lisa teaches to get you loosened up and ready to write A look at the tools, places, and times of day that help Lisa get her writing done. Visit Lisa at listener.com. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:22:27

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[Donna Russo, what’s coming up]: How to keep writing fresh (11 books in) + a love song to lobster Ep 1094

6/14/2024
In this third and final installment of my interview with Donna Russo, author of “Vincent's Women, the Untold Story of the Loves of Vincent Van Gogh,” as well as 10 other award-winning and internationally bestselling historical novels, we get a peek at what’s coming up next for her and she answers my fast five questions about what she’s stayed up too late reading and watching. How she’s feeling now that she’s on the verge of becoming a grandmother A sneak peek at her next book, which is already in the works–as well as how she’s challenging herself in new ways with this project The great authors she learned the importance of descriptive settings from The screen play she wrote that got tabled by COVID and the writer’s strike, despite winning awards The music that gets her going when she needs a boost Visit Donna at donnarusso.com. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save up to 30% off an amazing indoor air filter, and get a free 3-year warranty (and $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:20:34

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[Donna Russo, inner stuff]: How to get yourself psyched to start a new project + stay steady through the pre-release nerves Ep 1093

6/12/2024
In this second part of my conversation with Donna Russo, author of “Vincent's Women: the Untold Story of the Loves of Vincent van Gogh, as well as 10 other award winning and internationally best selling historical novels, we explore the thoughts, ideas, and attitudes that influence her work. We talked about: Why the time period just before your book comes out is the most nerve-wracking, “like walking out naked and the world gets to comment” The thrill of being in the same room as a group of your readers How she takes her mind off the anxiety that comes pre-book release Her biggest fears as a writer Why being 66 is an asset to her writing Her best advice for young writers How historical fiction reminds us that there are always multiple points of view to every story Visit Donna at donnarusso.com. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save up to 30% off an amazing indoor air filter, and get a free 3-year warranty (and $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:21:46

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[Donna Russo, practical matters]: Writing through trauma + taking yourself seriously as a writer in a culture that doesn’t value artists Ep 1092

6/10/2024
Up this week is Donna Russo, an internationally best-selling author of 11 multiple award winning historical novels, including “Gilded Dreams” and “Gilded Summers”, a trio of books about Leonardo da Vinci, including “Portrait of a Conspiracy,” “The Competition,” and “The Flames of Florence.” Her newest book, “Vincent’s Women” is just out, and tells the story of everyone's favorite tortured artist through the lens of the women in his life. (I have to point out Vincent's women managed to get 4. 3 stars on Goodreads, which is not easy to do. Goodreads readers are very sparing with their five star ratings.) Donna is also an award winning screenwriter, a ghostwriter, and an editor. And she's an actor who appeared in Martin Scorsese's “The Departed,” as well as Showtime's “Brotherhood.” And, she's a painter” I’m so thankful she joined us, because she clearly has a lot of things that take up her time! We covered: How reading “Gone with the Wind” and “The Thorn Birds” as a kid sparked a devotion to historical fiction How a ‘grand pity party’ after yet another bad date led to the idea for “Vincent’s Women” How meeting Diana Gabaldon (author of The Outlander series and historical fiction OG!) at a conference spurred Donna on Her first gig as a writer–that happened in sixth grade How she sold her first book quickly and easily–and pretty much everything since then has been a struggle The truth about why she does so many different things The brass tacks of how she writes her book, from which chapter she writes first to how she lays out her computer monitor so that her research is always right at hand How she wrote her friends into one of her books The food and drink the fuels her writing Visit Donna at donnarusso.com. For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com. Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save up to 30% off an amazing indoor air filter, and get a free 3-year warranty (and $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:25:36

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[Marlon Weems, what's next]: Manifesting an appearance on "Good Morning America" + the two wildly different songs that get Marlon moving Ep 1091

6/7/2024
In part three of my interview with Marlon Weems, author of the prize-winning essay "How Starting an Investment Business Almost Landed Me in Federal Prison" and founder of The Journeyman Substack, where he covers American culture and anti-Black racism, we get a peek at where his throughline is leading him next. I had to leave out the meandering and enlightening and fun conversation we had about the upcoming presidential election, but now we're thinking about starting a separate podcast on that! Who knows if anything will come of it, but all I can say for sure is, I loved chatting with Marlon and know you will love hearing him, too. We covered: - Marlon's unexpected detour into becoming a voice actor in his 60s - Being your own role model - Manifesting an appearance on "Good Morning America" - The AMC TV series Marlon's currently bingeing, based on books by one of his favorite authors (that he listens to as audiobooks because they are read by his favorite voice actor) - The two songs from wildly different genres that get Marlon going when he needs a pick-me-up Visit Marlon at thejourneyman.substack.com. Thanks to this week's sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save up to 30% off an amazing indoor air filter and get a free 3-year warranty ($84 value). For full show notes, visit katehanley.substack.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:19:26