Podcast Summary: Barely Famous with Noelle Ihli ("Such Quiet Girls")

Host: Kail Lowry
Guest: Noelle Ihli, Thriller Author
Date: September 19, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of "Barely Famous," host Kail Lowry sits down with bestselling thriller author Noelle Ihli. They explore Noelle's journey from her Mormon upbringing in Idaho and Utah, through her complicated break from the faith, to finding unexpected success as a full-time author. The conversation dives deep into Noelle’s writing process, inspiration from true crime, experiences with self-publishing, and the true stories behind her books such as “Such Quiet Girls,” “None Left to Tell,” and “Ask for Andrea.” Themes of identity, resilience, and the challenges of traditional publishing are woven throughout, making for a raw, inspiring, and occasionally darkly humorous episode.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Noelle’s Background and Path to Writing

• Growing Up in Idaho & Mormon Heritage ([02:41])
  • Noelle’s family has deep Mormon roots from Utah, with “lots of pioneer Mormons in my history” ([02:49]).
  • “Stories like [the Mountain Meadows Massacre] were always, like, just out of earshot...I didn't learn about that story until I was an adult.” ([02:49])
  • Trail riding and her love for horses are a big part of her life: “They're big, stinky, and dangerous, but they're so lovely.” ([03:40])
  • Her tagline: “Murder and horses—but separately, right?” ([04:02])
• Early Fascination with True Crime ([04:22])
  • As a child she loved scary stories and true crime: “I was always the one trying to convince the babysitter that it was fine with my parents if I watched the scary movie.” ([04:27])
  • “I will sit awake in my bed at night and think about all of these stories that give me nightmares. But I keep coming back for more.” ([04:43])
• Academic Journey & Faith Expectations ([05:26], [05:33])
  • Studied Spanish translation and editing at BYU: “I thought I was gonna be a stay-at-home mom forever. I mean, I grew up Mormon. That was the dream. That was the goal.” ([05:33])
  • Editing skills helped with her own writing, learning “what makes a sentence work.” ([07:16])

Breaking Away from Mormonism

• Leaving the Faith and Family Tensions ([07:59–09:08], [17:03])
  • Lived through marriage, motherhood, divorce, and then separation from Mormonism.
  • Being a single mom post-divorce, working at a candle company, eventually realizing: “I can do this for other people. I wonder if I could do it for myself.” ([08:21])
  • The process of leaving Mormonism was not easy: “No. [My family is] all very devout and it's really important to them. So that was a pretty difficult time.” ([17:03])
  • Writing about Mormon history (like the Mountain Meadows Massacre) was both a source of tension and healing.

Publishing & Industry Insights

• First Book Experiences ([09:22])
  • “I got all the rejection letters, and for a while, I just let that book sit...because I assumed rejections meant it wasn't good enough.” ([09:37])
  • Eventually found success and circled back to publishers who once rejected her.
• Traditional vs. Self-Publishing ([10:38–12:42])
  • Initially looked down on self-publishing but found the landscape has changed: “Now you can find [books] on Booktok...If it's a good book, the readers will keep coming back.” ([12:42])
  • Social media levels the playing field—being discovered now is about connecting with readers, not just having a publisher’s marketing dollars.
• Ghostwriting and Pen Names ([15:18–16:52])
  • Ghostwrote for a Mormon publishing company but eventually wanted to publish under her own name: “I didn't want to feel like an imposter. I wanted to...put it out there under my own name and see if I could do it that way.” ([16:20])

Writing Process & Creative Choices

• Writing Routine ([27:54])
  • “I get an idea that won’t leave my head, I write 20 pages of notes…then I just write.” ([27:59])
  • Describes herself as a “pantser”—someone who writes by the seat of her pants rather than outlining everything.
• Beta Readers & Sensitivity Readers ([54:37–56:56])
  • Uses a core group of thriller author friends for deep, honest feedback: “If you hated something, say it straight up.” ([54:37])
  • Employs sensitivity readers, especially when writing outside her own cultural experience: “That voice has been left out of the story intentionally for so many decades. So that was not an option, and I would not do that, but...I just don’t have that cultural background and sensitivity.” ([56:04])

Book-Specific Deep Dives

“None Left to Tell” and the Mountain Meadows Massacre

• Historical Context & Personal Stakes ([32:50–39:03])
  • Noelle outlines the harrowing 1857 event—Mormon settlers massacring a wagon train in Utah, most victims being women and children.
  • “It’s a really harrowing story about, I think, fundamentalism and fanaticism and what we can do, can be pushed to do in the name of, you know, beliefs, faiths.” ([36:39])
  • Writing from her ancestor’s perspective was an exercise in empathy and faith examination.
  • Discovering the true story and family’s connection was a turning point contributing to her leaving Mormonism.
  • Research and writing offered both closure and a “heaviness” that lifted once the book was out.

“Ask for Andrea” and True Crime Sensitivity

• Victims, Not Villains ([29:00–30:21], [53:14])
  • “Ask for Andrea” was inspired by the “Ask for Angela”/“angel shot" campaigns—secret signals to bartenders for help.
  • The book resonates deeply with readers, especially those who have lost loved ones: “It seems to resonate especially with people who have lost a loved one…how that book meant something to them.” ([29:00])
  • True crime writing needs to focus on compassion for victims: “It was just another good reminder…what are we doing here? Like, who are we focusing on?” ([53:14])
  • Noelle avoids glorifying killers: “I think it’s a question we need to keep asking ourselves.” ([54:12])

“Such Quiet Girls” and Lesser-Known True Crime

• Inspired by Chowchilla Kidnapping ([45:07])
  • Based on the 1976 kidnapping of a school bus full of children, who were buried in a shipping container and escaped.
  • “There’s usually some aspect of it…that someone, one of the survivors or victims, was done a huge disservice…So I wanted to put their story forward.” ([46:39])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Traditional Publishing

• “The traditional publishing industry is very focused on building brands...authors that have a name out there that people will auto buy their next book. And I didn’t have that yet.” – Noelle Ihli [10:44]

On True Crime Fascination

• “Readers want to read a good book. Like, most of them did not know with that first book I put out that I was self-published. They just either liked the book or they didn’t.” – Noelle Ihli [12:42]

On Family & Losing Faith

• “I worried that [writing about the massacre] would really hurt my family...But ironically, I felt like it gave me a lot of compassion…I write from the perspective of my fourth great grandmother in the book...” – Noelle Ihli [39:21]

On Writing About Violence

• “If you show the monster too much...you’re not scared of the monster anymore. I feel like leaving—even if there is some horrific gore...focusing on that almost flips a switch in our brains...I want to focus on what matters most to me about the survival story, or the bravery.” – Noelle Ihli [58:07]

On Sensitivity and Collaborations

• “That voice [Native women] has been left out...so that was not an option, and I would not do that, but...I just don’t have that cultural background and sensitivity.” – Noelle Ihli [56:04]

On Audiobooks and Accessibility

• “You’re reading with your ears instead of your eyes...we’re engaging with the story and consuming the story and what is reading aside from that?” – Noelle Ihli [63:43]

On Parenting, Identity, and Writing

• Noelle’s children are teens and proud of their mother’s career, though they are starting to branch into reading “more deep symbolism” and classics ([31:29]).
• Character naming is deliberate: “I first weed out the names of people that I know that will be upset...” ([30:26])
• On pet’s role in creativity: “Boring things like, I pet my cat. [Her cat’s name is] Dolly Parton.” ([52:56])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Noelle’s Background: [01:33]–[07:16]
• Leaving Mormonism & Family: [07:59], [17:03]
• Publishing Journey & Self-Publishing: [09:22]–[12:42]
• Ghostwriting & Identity: [15:18]–[16:52]
• Book Inspirations:
  • "Ask for Andrea" & Angel Shot: [29:00]
  • "None Left to Tell" & Mountain Meadows Massacre: [32:50]–[39:03]; [40:52]
  • "Such Quiet Girls" & Chowchilla Kidnapping: [45:07]
• Writing Process & Beta Readers: [27:54], [54:37], [56:04]
• True Crime Ethics: [53:14], [54:12]
• Literary Discussion, Collaboration, & Technology: [26:22], [50:51], [51:18]
• Audiobooks & Accessibility: [61:01], [63:43]

Where to Find Noelle Ihli

“I am on social media most places at NoelleIhliAuthor and you can find my books on Amazon and increasingly in most bookstores.” ([64:17])

This episode is a must-listen for fans of true crime, thrillers, and anyone navigating the aftermath of leaving a strict community or faith. Noelle’s insight into both her personal and writing journeys is frank, relatable, and often moving.