Podcast
Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley
Hosted by Kate Hanley · EN
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.
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54episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
[John Glynn, practical matters]: Making time to write while working a full-time job Ep 1266
May 400:22:55Tap to summarizeThis week my guest is John Glynn, author of the brand new novel (out May 12) “The Lost Book of Lancelot,” a queer retelling of the legend of Camelot that’s a great fit for fans of Heated Rivalry and for anyone interested in the legends surrounding the quest for the Holy Grail. Plus, dragons!John’s nonfiction debut “Out East: Memoir of a Montauk Summer” was named a best book by Time, Entertainment Weekly, and Cosmopolitan. His writing has appeared in People, Oprah Daily and The Daily Beast.In addition to being an author and freelance writer, John is the editorial director of Hanover Square Press, an imprint of HarperCollins. As an editor, his authors have won the Booker Prize, the Pulitzer, the National Book Award, Grammys, and an Olympic gold medal.We covered:- Formative memories of being read to by his mom when he was little- His early start in publishing as an intern and editorial assistant, and the glamour of going to work everyday in Rockefeller Center for a kid from Western Massachusetts (even though he was photocopying and answering phones)- The two novels he wrote that didn’t get published- How working as an editor on other people’s books and writing his own books inform each other- How he makes time to write while working a fulltime job- The 13th century French folk tale that sparked the idea for “The Lost Book of Lancelot”- How he started writing the book “just for fun” and “just for me”- The one spot that provides the best chances of him getting some good writing doneConnect with John on Instagram at @glynner85.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
Transcribe →[Christopher Castellani, what’s coming up]: Finding inspiration in the midst of upsetting world events Ep 1265
Apr 2400:18:35Tap to summarizeIn this final installment of my interview with author and writing teacher Christopher Castellani, talked about how to stay connected to your creativity during turbulent times and then we got into some fun talk about the authors, books, morning beverages, and songs he’s currently loving.- What he learned about Tennessee Williams while researching a novel that continues to inspire him- Making his first forays into writing for television- How he’s getting less snooty with age and more excited to try new, more commercial creative endeavors/genres- The classic he recently read for the first time that knocked his socks off- The breakfast ritual he is absolutely devoted to- The Celine Dion song he loves that was originally written for Meatloaf!- Why he loves Monday morningsConnect with Christopher (and check if he’s doing an event near you!) at christophercastellani.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
Transcribe →[Christopher Castellani, inner stuff]: Tricking yourself into doing the work Ep 1264
Apr 2200:21:53Tap to summarizeIn part two of my interview with author and writing teacher Christopher Castellani, we talked about all the quirky psychology that goes into creating, including:- Why his books tend to get longer and longer the more he revises- The painful process of falling out of love with a book you’re writing- Sometimes it’s the timing of a project and not the quality of the idea that makes or breaks it- Bouncing around between various works in progress- The longest list of things his inner critic says of anyone I’ve ever talked to- Scheduling when he’ll feel sorry for himself as a way to quiet those negative thoughts- Finding the weird bits of your psychology to motivate yourself (Christopher’s is getting excited about working on two projects at the same time because then he gets to feel like he’s cheating whenever he stops working on one and starts working on the other)- A really thoughtful reason why “show don’t tell” is overdone- Why he had four separate legal pads for his last project, and how he used them to tap into his characters’ subconsciouses (and ultimately, his own)- How he tricks himself into workingConnect with Christopher (and check if he’s doing an event near you!) at christophercastellani.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
Transcribe →[Christopher Castellani, practical matters]: Using your creative practice to make sense of the world Ep 1263
Apr 2000:22:41Tap to summarizeThis week I’m delighted to be talking with five-time novelist Christopher Castellani. Christopher’s newest book is “Last Seen,” which combines suspense, true crime, and magical realism to take the reader on a journey through the psyches and preoccupations of young men coming of age in twenty-first-century America.Christopher’s first novel, “A Kiss from Maddalena,” chronicled the Italian-American immigrant experience and won the Massachusetts Book Award; its follow-up, “The Saint of Lost Things,” was a BookSense Notable Book; and the final novel in the trilogy, “All This Talk of Love,” was a New York Times Editors’ Choice.His novel “Leading Men,” about the playwright Tennessee Williams and his longtime partner Frank Merlo, was a Los Angeles Times bestseller and is being developed into a movie for Searchlight Pictures.We covered:- What happened in fifth grade that made him decide to be a writer- Why he decided not to pursue the more stable path of becoming a writing professor- How being an author is a little like being a one man band- How he uses his books to make money–and it’s not by selling more copies- The habit he started during the pandemic that he still does, and that has totally changed his relationship to reading- The nerdy 80s magazine he’s still a subscriber toConnect with Christopher (and check if he’s doing an event near you!) at christophercastellani.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
Transcribe →[Jenna Blum: what’s coming up]: Putting a long-term plan into action + the importance of choosing the right mug Ep 1262
Apr 1000:17:40Tap to summarizeWelcome to part three of my interview with Jenna Blum, author of the new psychological thriller “Murder Your Darlings,” which will keep you up and crack you up while also offering an inside peek at the writing life. Jenna's other books include the New York Times and internationally bestselling “Those Who Save Us,” “The Storm Chasers,” and “The Lost Family.” She's also written the memoir “Woodrow on the Beach” and produced the audio course, The Author at Work.Today, we're going to get a peek at where Jenna is headed next, as well as what she's been reading, watching, drinking, and fantasizing about eating, including:- A peek into her publishing process and how she’s figuring out which book she’ll write next- Props to her parents for actually encouraging her to write for a living- The things she does for fun–and the vision she has to bring them all together, which should make you very excited if you write, eat pie, enjoy water sports, and/or love dogs- Some great shows about writing that are streaming now- The collection of coffee mugs that are key accessories for her writing process- The coffee maker she’s such a good customer of they sent her a free machine when hers broke- The musical era she’s stuck in- Why she never gets up early- Her greasy death row meal that breaks all her food guidelinesVisit Jenna at JennaBlum.com, Substack (Writer Girl in the World), Facebook (Jenna Blum author), or Instagram (Jenna_Blum).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
Transcribe →[Jenna Blum, inner stuff]: Getting over the fear that you’re wasting time Ep 1261
Apr 800:21:49Tap to summarizeIn part two of my interview with Jenna Blum, the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of five books, including “Those Who Save Us” and “The Lost Family,” and “Murder Your Darlings” which is a psychological thriller and a peek inside the writing life.In today's interview, we're diving into what I call inner stuff, the squishier side of writing, dealing with resistance, doubts, the passage of time, unhelpful beliefs, all that fun stuff. We're going to dive into it.We covered:- Working to get back to the joy and self-importance of writing she felt as a kid- The part of writing she despises (that most writers claim to love)- The part she’d do with glee even if a lawnmower ran over her foot- How she talks herself out of feeling like she’s wasted time if she doesn’t end up liking what she wrote- Trusting your inner encouragements even if your critical mind doesn’t quite believe them- Why hitting her mid-fifties has prompted her to change genres (from historical fiction to psychological thrillers)- How she’s had to face the fact that writing is hard on the body–and what she’s doing to take care of herself- The question she asks herself when she’s figuring out which invitations she’ll say yes to and which she’ll decline- How she’s racked up a four-year daily meditating streak- All the things she’s doing to take care of herself as a woman in midlife with a sedentary careerVisit Jenna at JennaBlum.com, Substack (Writer Girl in the World), Facebook (Jenna Blum author), or Instagram (Jenna_Blum).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
Transcribe →[Jenna Blum, practical matters: The magic of letting yourself be a little bored Ep 1260
Apr 600:24:46Tap to summarizeThis week my guest is internationally bestselling author Jenna Blum. Jenna's books include “Those Who Save Us,” “The Storm Chasers,” and “The Lost Family.” Her newest book is a psychological thriller called “Murder Your Darlings,” which involves authors, book tours, deadlines, love, and stalkers.Jenna is the co-founder of A Mighty Blaze, an online author interview company, which if you're listening to this podcast, I know you will love the interviews that they put out. And she has taught at Grub Street Writers in Boston for years. Many of the authors I've interviewed on this show have taken classes with Jenna and/or worked with her at A Mighty Blaze. She's a true supporter of writers, readers, and booksellers alike. As evidence of this fact, for her first novel, “Those Who Save Us,” Jenna visited over 800 book clubs in the Boston area alone.We covered:- How she caught the writing bug from her dad, who wrote the news for Walter Cronkite- Applying to grad school five times before she was accepted- Why she’s still committed to writing and teaching now that she’s a few decades in- What gives her hope about the future of writing and reading books- Accepting your own creative process–especially when it doesn’t look like what you think it should- The value of talking about your ideas with people you trust, without sharing so much that you lose the drive to get it on the page- How her creative process is like a volcano- How writing is like making sausage- The parts of the writing process that happen only in her head- Why her first drafts look like instructions for assembling IKEA furniture- What she does right before she goes to sleep that helps her dive back into the writing the next dayVisit Jenna at JennaBlum.com, Substack (Writer Girl in the World), Facebook (Jenna Blum author), or Instagram (Jenna_Blum).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
Transcribe →[Kate Broad: what’s coming up]: Gaining a tighter grip on confidence Ep 1259
Mar 2700:24:15Tap to summarizeIn this final installment of my interview with Kate Broad, whose debut novel “Greenwich” was named a best new book by People Magazine, we get a peek at where Kate is headed next, as well as what she's been reading, watching, drinking and fantasizing about eating lately.We cover:- The good and the bad parts of always reading (or watching) like a writer- Why she’s mapped out the structure of other writers’ books (and which ones)- The prominent authors whose paths’ have influenced her own choices- The confusion of being so proud to have written a book and also so terrified of seeing your name on the cover of an actual book that’s out in the world- The British mystery show that kept her up way too late and the recent books she couldn’t put down- Why she doesn’t make playlists for her books- The meal she craves that she will likely never be able to have againConnect with Kate at katebroad.substack.com and sign up for her Ask an Author newsletter.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
Transcribe →[Kate Broad, inner stuff]: Organizing your life around your own happiness Ep 1258
Mar 2500:22:06Tap to summarizeWelcome back to part two of my interview with Kate Broad, whose debut novel, “Greenwich,” was named a People Magazine best new book, an Amazon editor's pick, and a Publisher’s Weekly buzz book for summer 2025, and would be an excellent choice for your book club to read next.In today's interview, we're diving into the inner side of writing–dealing with resistance, doubts, the passage of time, and unhelpful beliefs. You know, the stuff we all face but don't usually talk about.We talked about:- How shifting from writing alone in her office to being out in the world talking about her book with readers was a huge learning curve, and what helped her ride it- Using therapy as a place to unpack professional jealousy, fears, and self-doubt- The video her publisher asked her to make that almost broke her- The phrase she tells herself when her “brain gremlins” start chiming in- The years-long process it took to sell her first novel- On making the choice to write what you want to read–not what you think the reader wants- How the philosopher whose work she read in her 20s is still influencing her workConnect with Kate at katebroad.substack.com and sign up for her Ask an Author newsletter.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
Transcribe →[Kate Broad, practical matters]: Liberating yourself from the idea that you “have to” write Ep 1257
Mar 2300:23:34Tap to summarizeMy guest this week is Kate Broad, author of “Greenwich,” a coming of age story set against a backdrop of wealth and privilege that explores how mistakes can have life-altering consequences and asks who is the first to be blamed and who gets to be believed and forgiven.“Greenwich” was named a People Magazine best new book, an Amazon editor's pick and a Publishers Weekly Buzz Book for summer 2025. It would be a great choice for your book club, both because it's gripping and suspenseful and it explores a lot of gray areas around complicity and responsibility that will make for a juicy conversation.Kate is a Bronx Council of the Arts award winner for fiction and her writing has appeared in The Rumpus, No Tokens, The Brooklyn Review and elsewhere.We covered:- How she tried, but ultimately decided to stop putting energy into building a career that was writing-adjacent- How telling herself she doesn’t have to pursue writing helps motivate her to keep going- Cobbling together a liveable income from various writing pursuits- Using her advances to buy more time away from freelancing- The life choices she’s made to create more space for writing- Woo! Really insightful talk about money’s impact on creative integrity- Understanding yourself well enough to create the conditions that support your creative work- Taking care of your body and your mind as a creative- The steps she takes at the end of the day to make it easier for her to start writing the next dayConnect with Kate at katebroad.substack.com and sign up for her Ask an Author newsletter.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
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