Insomniacs Unite w/ Allison Winn Scotch - The Nightly

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Nightly – "Insomniacs Unite w/ Allison Winn Scotch" (April 11, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this cozy late-night episode of The Nightly from Hatch Podcasts, hosts Sophia and Kristen welcome Allison Winn Scotch, acclaimed author of “The Insomniacs.” With the aim to provide listeners with a comforting bedtime ritual, the trio dives into the themes of insomnia, found family, the allure of cults, and their favorite reads. The conversation is warm, funny, and candid, inviting fellow sleepless listeners into a virtual pillow fort for pop culture chat and community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bedtime Routines and Sleep Struggles (01:14 – 02:20)

Allison’s Rigorous Bedtime Ritual:
- Winds down with 30+ minutes of reading after going off screens.
- Utilizes a mouthguard, earplugs, a sleep shade, and multiple pillows for comfort.
- Stresses the importance of crisp cotton sheets and room temperature.
- “Just the act of engaging my brain in a different way… really helps me turn my brain off.” — Allison (01:39)
- Admission that she rarely makes it through the night without waking.

2. About “The Insomniacs” – Book Overview (02:20 – 03:33)

Plot Summary:
- Four insomniacs who meet online form a support group, seeking connection and understanding.
- A mystery emerges when one member goes missing.
- “It’s rooted in insomnia, but I think it’s a story about found family.” — Allison (03:16)
- Emphasis on the human need for connection, especially during sleepless hours.

3. Inspiration and Real-Life Parallels (03:53 – 05:18)

Genesis of the Book:
- Born out of Allison’s own sleepless nights at 3am, pondering the idea of a real-time support group for insomniacs.
- The mystery element was a later addition, encouraged by her editor and agent.
- “Wouldn’t it be amazing if there were a support group for all of us in the middle of the night...?” — Allison (03:57)
Online Connections:
- Allison shares real experiences forming genuine friendships online, particularly within the writing community, that later become in-person relationships.

4. Insomnia Coping Mechanisms (05:30 – 06:33)

Allison’s Tricks for the Sleepless Hours:
- Hormone management has helped, but she also plays mental games to distract herself, like thinking of actors with alliterative names or Taylor Swift songs for every letter of the alphabet.
- “I fell asleep at Laura Linney on my L’s.” — Allison (06:14)

5. The Fascination with Cults (06:33 – 10:26)

Cult Elements in “The Insomniacs”:
- Hosts highlight a “cult-like entity” in the book without spoilers.
- Allison describes her anxiety about writing on this theme and her fascination with stories of individuals escaping cults.
- “The work that they do to disentangle themselves was so impressive and really so arduous…” — Allison (08:05)
Why Are We Drawn to Cult Stories?:
- Sophia observes, “Everyone’s looking for something right now.” (08:22)
- The group reflects on how structure, belonging, and certainty attract people to tight-knit groups—even potentially dangerous ones.
- Allison connects the themes of cults and found family, discussing the universal search for belonging.

6. The Challenge of Writing Outside Comfort Zones (10:26 – 11:47)

New Territory for Allison:
- Previous books focused on relatable, “real life” issues; writing about cults felt riskier and required diligence for authenticity.
- “I don’t want to write anything that reads false... I always want to try to represent my characters authentically.” — Allison (11:06)
Hosts praise her execution, referencing favorite characters like Zeke Rodriguez.

7. Books on the Bedside Table (12:02 – 16:13)

Allison’s Recent Reads:
- Yesteryear: A social media influencer transported 100 years into the past.
- The Lake Effect by Cynthia Devries Sweeney: Two couples swap partners—a drama with humor and family themes.
- Listens to audiobooks and podcasts while walking her dogs.
Sophia’s Picks:
- Clutch: Following a group of women friends into their 40s.
- The Art Thief: Nonfiction about an infamous art thief, Stefan Breitweiser.
Kristen’s Picks:
- Happiness Falls by Angie Kim: A family grappling with a missing father; rich in complex perspectives.
- Matriarch by Tina Knowles (memoir): Early impressions praise its compelling storytelling.

8. Allison’s Upcoming Projects (16:36 – 17:22)

The Insomniacs releases April 14.
Upcoming Audible podcast adaptation of her novel “Between Me and You” with Pete Corelli, starring Jurnee Smollett and produced by Kerry Washington (April 16).

9. Heartfelt Goodnights (17:23 – End)

Allison’s parting wish:
- “Goodnight to all my fellow insomniacs, particularly my moms who are up in the middle of the night worrying about a million things… Most things sort themselves out and your worry is coming from a place of love. But the best thing you can do is take care of yourself. So try to list some alliterative actors in your brain and fall asleep.” (17:33)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

“I have all of the accoutrements of a woman at midlife that many of us have.” — Allison (01:51)
“It’s really just a story of four people who build a community amongst themselves… It’s rooted in insomnia, but I think it’s a story about found family.” — Allison (03:11)
“You don’t see a lot of things when you’re in the middle of them.” — Allison, on cults (07:28)
“There’s something comforting in terms of the cult of being like, we’re being told what to do. You have these rules that you know you’re meant to live by, and therefore, you’ll get XYZ.” — Sophia (09:29)
“Most things sort themselves out and your worry is coming from a place of love. But the best thing you can do is take care of yourself.” — Allison (17:33)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment Description | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------------------|------------------| | Allison’s bedtime ritual | 01:27 – 02:20 | | Book summary: “The Insomniacs” | 02:40 – 03:33 | | Real-life insomnia inspiration | 03:53 – 05:18 | | Insomnia “mind games” | 05:30 – 06:33 | | Cults and community discussion | 06:33 – 10:26 | | Writing outside comfort zone | 10:26 – 11:47 | | Bedside table book recs | 12:02 – 16:13 | | Allison’s new Audible show | 16:36 – 17:22 | | Goodnights and final thoughts | 17:23 – End |

Tone & Atmosphere

Throughout the conversation, the tone is intimate, supportive, funny, and reassuring—a late-night chat among friends, blending honesty about sleeplessness with deep dives into pop culture and literature. Perfect company for fellow insomniacs seeking a soothing end to their day.

Transcript

A (0:00)

Hello. You're about to drift into an episode of the Nightly, a podcast designed to help you unwind and relax. For the full phone free immersive light experience, visit Hatch Co. Enjoy.

B (0:30)

Hey there. I'm Sophia.

C (0:31)

And hi, I'm Kristen. Welcome to the Nightly from Hatch, a slumber party for pop culture lovers. And we have our own little slumber party tonight, Sophia, because we are joined by the author, Allison Wynn Scotch. Her latest novel, perhaps very fittingly, is called the Insomniacs. And, Sophia, you and I have devoured this book. And, Alison, we're so thrilled to have you here to talk with us about the book as well as some other things. Welcome, all.

D (1:04)

Oh, my gosh. Thank you guys for having me. This is right up my alley given the book and my own sleeping situation. So I'm really happy to be here. Thank you.

C (1:14)

Yeah.

B (1:14)

Oh, my gosh. Well, we're so happy to have you. One of our first questions that we always ask our guests is we just like to know about, like, your bedtime routine and if you have any, like, special things that you want to recommend or sing the praises of.

D (1:27)

I mean, the list is so long that how much time do you have? But I do. I have a pretty rigid bedtime routine. I read every single night after I'm off my screens, sort of at least 30 minutes contingent on how tired I am. And that really helps me turn my brain off. Just the act of engaging my brain in a different way. And then I have all of the accoutrements of a woman at midlife that many of us have. I have my mouth guard, I have my earplugs, I have my sleep shade. I have many, many pillow. So I have to be exactly right. The temperature has to be exactly right. I sleep on crisp cotton sheets or else I'm too hot. And then hopefully I make it through the night, which I usually don't. But you never know.

C (2:20)

Love that you do so much reading before bed each night. Later on, we're going to talk with you about what exactly is on your bedside table. But first, we want to dive into your book, the Insomniacs. So I already mentioned Sophia and I have devoured this book. But for those who are not familiar with it, can you tell listeners what it's about?

D (2:40)

Sure. It's about four insomniacs who meet mostly online and decide to meet up in real life initially to sort of figure out how to assuage everyone's anxiety so that maybe we can sleep better. And it turns into a mystery when one of them goes missing. And I think a lot of us these days are really searching for connection, whether it's within our families or outside of our families. And it's really just a story of four people who build a community amongst themselves and go to extreme measures to help keep each other safe and show their love and loyalty to each other. So that's. I shouldn't say extreme measures, but that's where the fiction comes in. So it's really just. It's rooted in insomnia, but I think it's a story about found family.