
Hosted by Kate Hanley · EN

Welcome to part two of my interview with Allegra Goodman, author of the brand new "This Is Not About Us" (which the NY Times called "deliciously readable"), “Isola” (a Reese's Book Club pick), and “Katterskill Falls” (nominated for the National Book Award).We covered:- Why starting a new project is the hardest part–and how she gets herself through it- How she trusts her inner critic to offer constructive criticism- How she got past being pigeon-holed as a writer of a certain genre and built a career on writing many different types of stories- Making the shift from being intimidated by studying the great works of literature to being inspired by them- Why now is the best time of her career- How living to be older than her mother was when she died influences Allegra’s work and her lifeConnect with Allegra on Instagram @allegragoodmanwriter.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I’m replaying my interview with Allegra Goodman in honor of the release of her newest book, "This Is Not About Us," which the New York Times called "deliciously readable." She's also the author of "Isola,” which was a Reese's book club selection, and her first, “Katterskill Falls,” which was a National Book Award finalist, as well as multiple other books.We covered:- Getting "discovered" as a freshman in college by an encouraging editor- How it’s a love of writing, and not a drive to be published, that will sustain you over the long-term- Learning to build patience and endurance by writing novels- Her case for setting very low daily writing goals- Why she doesn’t ascribe to the “shitty first draft” school of thought- Her daily and weekly writing routines- How having grown children makes those routines possible- The specific times when she’ll listen to a podcast—and when she’ll choose to keep her ears podcast-free- The nightly ritual that helps her get started on work the next day- How non-digital activities feed her creative process- The benefits and mechanics of writing two books at the same timeConnect with Allegra on Instagram @allegragoodmanwriter.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the final installment of my interview with Steve Ahlquist, an independent journalist who covers social justice, economic justice, and environmental justice in the state of Rhode Island. Steve is the founder of the independent news site Uprise RI, and currently is sharing his reporting at his Substack, Steve Ahlquist News.In today’s episode we’re talking about where Steve’s throughline may be leading him next and we’ll also talk about some lighter, yet still vitally important topics, like what he’s been watching, reading, listening to, and fantasizing about eating lately.We talked about:- Why it’s a no brainer for him to support people whose rights are being threatened- The earlier journalists who inspire his work- How his business changes according to who is president- The challenge of eating healthy when you’re out reporting all day- His “Superhero” playlistReach out to Steve at atomicsteve@gmail.com, and check out Steve Ahlquist News at https://steveahlquist.substack.com/.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part two of my interview with Steve Ahlquist, an advocacy journalist in Rhode Island and publisher of Steve Ahlquist News, we get into the ideas and thought processes that inform his reporting, including:- An honest look at the physical risks of covering politics (including, but not limited to death threats)- How he deals with the pressure he feels to get his stories right- Narrowing the gap between having the thought and taking the action- The influence of having a dad who was a fire fighter- Why he’s a humanistReach out to Steve at atomicsteve@gmail.com, and check out Steve Ahlquist News at https://steveahlquist.substack.com/.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is Steve Ahlquist, an independent reporter who practices what’s known as advocacy journalism. Steve has been covering politics and protest in the state of Rhode Island for well over a decade, first at the now-defunct blog RI Future, then at the news website he founded, UpriseRI, and now on his own Substack, Steve Ahlquist News.I first crossed paths with Steve at the RI State House in 2019, when I was testifying in support of the Reproductive Health Care Act and Steve was reporting on the hearing. I spent a lot of time at the State House that year, and I saw Steve at every meeting, rally, and march, filming and reporting. This kind of reporting Steve does isn’t the kind that sponsors flock to–and it’s the kind that takes a lot of effort, schlepping, and time. In this episode we cover what drives Steve to show up to the extent that he does and how he makes it all work. We covered: - What makes advocacy journalism different than traditional journalism- Why he’s more inclined to interview the protestors outside the State House than the governor- The advantages and challenges of working independently- Why an 80-hour workweek doesn’t bother him- How he makes money- What his typical day looks likeReach out to Steve at atomicsteve@gmail.com, and check out Steve Ahlquist News at https://steveahlquist.substack.com/.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this final installment of my interview with Elisa Faison, author of “Skin Contact,” a novel about the thrills and the unintended consequences of opening up your marriage, we’re getting a peek at where Elisa’s throughline is leading her next, plus hearing about what she’s currently reading, watching, listening to, and fantasizing about eating.We covered:- A sneak peek at the novel she just finished the first draft of- The author whose body of works inspires her- Why she views all feedback as helpful- The audiobook she couldn’t stop talking to her husband about- Why she takes her coffee in a regular mug, not a to-go cup, even when she’s wrangling two kids into the car- Her brief stint as a wedding cake bakerConnect with Elisa at @elfaison on Instagram or at elisafaison.com.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is part two of my interview with Elisa Faison, debut author of the brand new novel “Skin Contact,” a razor-sharp exploration of intimacy, non-monogamous desire, motherhood, and grief.We covered:- Honoring your own neurodiversity in your writing process- The plight of being an author who hates self-promotion on social media- How she lets those doubts out so she can keep going- Transitioning from the exploratory phase of her twenties to the more settled nature of her thirties- Opening her marriage- Getting more open-minded with age- Her system for keeping track of the various ideas and inspirations she gets throughout the dayConnect with Elisa at @elfaison on Instagram or at elisafaison.com.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is Elisa Faison, debut author of Skin Contact, a bingeable, sexy, and poignant novel about a young couple who decide to open up their marriage. Elisa also won the 2024 Peden Prize for her story “Motherlove.”We covered:- Her storied past as an “OC” and Harry Potter fanfic writer- Touring through various writing adjacent jobs- The book she wrote that may never see the light of day- The writing conference that was her first glimpse of what it’s like to be “a writer”- Her rough introduction to the politics of publishing- How she makes money- How her day-to-day experiences make their way into her writing- When your morning routine is not your own (Elisa is the mom of 2-1/2 year old twins)- Why she reads a poem before she starts writing–and which poets she typically readsConnect with Elisa at @elfaison on Instagram or at elisafaison.com.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to the Finding the Throughline interview with Vanessa Lillie, whose bestselling books include "The Bone Thief," "Blood Sisters," "Little Voices”, and “For the Best.” Vanessa is also the co-author of the Young Rich Widows series and an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation.This episode is a replay.We covered:- Why she’s so excited about Indigenous storytelling right now- Many recommendations for books, shows, and movies by Indigenous creators- A preview of her sequel to “Blood Sisters”- Her forays into screenwriting- How you get more rejection once you’re in the door- Keeping an open mind and being very open to failing- The Netflix feminist thriller she stayed up too late watching- A recipe for bomster scallops that I will be tryingConnect with Vanessa on Instagram @vanessalillie, where she hosts a long-running series of interviews with crime fiction authors.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part two of my conversation with bestselling crime fiction author Vanessa Lillie, whose books include "The Bone Thief," "Blood Sisters," "Little Voices”, and “For the Best,” we're breaking down all the mental hurdles that can get in the way of your writing, and how to overcome them, including:- Fighting erasure by weaving her family’s story into her books- The thrill of writing about your culture, and worrying about getting it wrong- How Vanessa steadies herself when that anxiety crops up- Embracing the challenge of writing a page turner- Dealing with the fear that your current work isn’t as good as your previous work- Seeing ideas as a butterfly that come and sit on your shoulder (from Elizabeth Gilbert’s book “Big Magic”)- Why it’s so vital to get clear on why you are the right person to tell this story- Why being in her 40s feels like such a relief- Some frank talk about early motherhood–-and why it was a theme in her first novel- Letting go of the idea that your success is within your controlThis episode is a replay.Connect with Vanessa on Instagram @vanessalillie, where she hosts a long-running series of interviews with crime fiction authors.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices