Insomniacs Unite w/ Allison Winn Scotch

Summary

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

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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 |

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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]

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]

Hey there. I'm Sophia.

[C]

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]

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]

Yeah.

[B]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I was, like, completely enthralled and hooked by it, and it was so good. And I also. I mean, of course it's apt for the show, but as someone who has dealt with insomnia, I was like, this is amazing. And what a dream it would be to meet all these people who are also insomniacs and, like, have a little group with them.

[D]

That's where the idea came from. I was up at 3 o' clock in the morning. As a lot of, I think midlife women are, we have this gap where we find ourselves staring at the ceiling. And I just thought. And I knew I had a book that I had to pitch, and I just thought, wouldn't it be amazing if there were, like a support group for all of us in the middle of the night where we could log on and have friends to keep us company or to be like, this is what's worrying me, and have somebody talk you down from that? And so that's where it started. And actually, the mystery of the book did not come in until multiple drafts later. It was more just a story of that found family. And my editor and agent really pushed me to make it propulsive, which is not what I normally do, but I'm really glad they did it.

[C]

Alison, have you ever actually met people online and then met up with them in real life? Because this book made me want to do that. I was like, I need to do this.

[D]

I have met people well, particularly within the writing community, like back when people were on Twitter or whatever, there was a real community there. And so I met. I have friends, like author friends specifically, who I'd only met online. And now we are real life friends. I feel like a lot of us have that. You see some, you know, somebody through Instagram and then you see them in real life and you feel like you know them. So. But definitely a lot of authors, for sure.

[B]

Yeah, that makes sense. That makes sense.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

As you said, maybe this was sparked a little bit by your own experience with insomnia. And we're curious to know if you have how you dealt with that. But maybe you dealt with it by writing the novel. It sounds like.

[D]

So I mean some of it is again, like at midlife I had to get my hormones in order and that helps me sleep better. But I have a lot of tricks that I play with myself in the middle of the night, as I'm sure some of your listeners do. Like last night I was up at 4:30 and I have a game where like I have to think of actors whose name, first and last name start with the same letter and like go all the way. I mean I can never get to like Z, but like Alan Alda, Barbara Bush, she's not an actor. But so I'll go through something like that or I'll go through. I have to think of a Taylor Swift song that starts with every letter of the Alphabet. Just sort of brain numbing activities. And last night I remember I fell asleep at Laura Linney on my elves. So I will do things like that. And you know, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but just sort of some tricks to disconnect my brain from whatever woke it up.

[C]

Taking a complete left turn here. Yeah, I don't want to spoil anything for the readers, but I am going to mention that there is a possible cult like entity in this book and I'm not going to say anything beyond that.

[B]

There may or may not be.

[D]

There may or may not be.

[C]

But allegedly that completely grabbed me.

[D]

Oh thank you.

[C]

It totally grabbed me. And I think that it's going to grab a lot of other people who are reading this book because there was such a thirst for cult like content out there. Why do you think so many of us are fascinated with cults? Alison, that is such a good question.

[D]

I had really bad talk about keeping me up at night imposter syndrome, about writing sort of something along those lines. And I just started doing a deep dive. I listened to a lot of podcasts and obviously there are endless documentaries and I think, I don't know, maybe we're caught up in it because it feels like you watch it and you think how could they not know? And when people are on the other side of it, they really see it with such clarity. But when you're in the middle of it, there's just a complete disconnect. And so if when you're looking at it from the outside, I don't know, it's just there's something about. I'd be curious what you guys think. About that. Like, you just. You don't see a lot of things when you're in the middle of them. And so I just think it's interesting from an outsider's perspective to. I really found that the cult stuff that I watched and listened to, that I found most interesting was the people who were able to get out of it. Like, I just thought the work that they do to disentangle themselves was so impressive and really so arduous that that was the aspect that I found really interesting. Not necessarily how you got there, but how you got out of it. I'd be curious what. I mean, why do you think we're all so fascinated with them?

[B]

I mean, I feel like everyone's looking for something right now. Like, do you know what I mean? I'm like, we're all.

[D]

It's like, it's easy to sell people on an idea. And I think. So you read these things and you think, well, I would never buy into that. But a lot of people buy into other things that maybe don't feel as cultish, but they maybe are. So I thought that was really interesting to examine.

[C]

Yeah. And also a part of me almost felt like the cult like element in the book in some ways mirrored the found family that these people had together. Like people just trying to create a community, create a space. And when is the space safe and when is the space not safe? I thought was really interesting to think about as I read the book.

[D]

That's such an astute observation. And I think, again, we see that in real life too. People want to find something. They want to feel a sense of belonging. And even if they have maybe taken the wrong swing at that belonging, that's really what we're seeking as a human experience, and that's what these characters are seeking.

[B]

Yeah. I think there's something comforting in terms of the cult of being like, we're being told what to do. Like, that you don't have to. You can kind of. You have these, like, rules that you're. That you know you're meant to live by and like, that, therefore, you'll get XYZ or whatever. I think there's a lot of comfort in, like, that idea of, like, in

[C]

the structure and the sense of knowing when the world feels like we can't really know anything, to have some assurance. Right.

[D]

That's so true. And then when you listen to people who have deconstructed, it is so unmooring for them. Because to that point, Sophia, everything was structured and. And when they start pulling at that thread, like Everything literally unravels. And so they have to start from zero as if they are a child trying to reframe the world. And I think it is really brave and very courageous. I'm fascinated by, like, tiktoks of people who have gone through some sort of deconstruction. It's very difficult.

[B]

So, yeah, as you said earlier, like, you weren't initially gonna write, have a mystery element or whatever to the book. And it's different of, like, what you normally write. But I'm curious what you. How it's different from your past projects.

[D]

So most of my novels are grounded in something in real life. And I don't mean that the cult isn't real life at all. Of course it is. But, like, it's. It's about couples or it's about. My book. Before the rewind was about a female senator and, like, having to make up for some mistakes that she had made. So those are all things that I, at least if I haven't lived them, emotionally identify with. I do not. Did not identify with cultism or deconstruction.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

So it was just. It was just scary to me because I don't want to write anything that reads false. That's just a huge. I always want to try to represent these characters or my characters authentically. So to write something so far outside of my comfort zone, I mean, it was scary. And I don't write my own life. I don't. It's not like I have to write what I know, but it just felt like, oh, I don't want to get this wrong. Like, you don't want to misrepresent something or have somebody be like, that is so stupid. And so with this plot, I was just very nervous.

[C]

I gotta say. You really succeeded.

[D]

Oh, thank you.

[C]

It comes across great.

[B]

I think you hit the. Hit the ball out of the park.

[D]

Thank you. To quote Zeke Rodriguez, literally, I know.

[B]

I'm like, no pun intended. Y. I did too.

[C]

He's a great character in your book. Really lovable.

[B]

Really, really good. Yeah.

[C]

Well, your book is fantastic, Alison. We think our listeners are going to love it. Again, it's called the Insomniacs, but we're not going to let you go quite yet. I want to circle back to what these books are on your bedside table. We want to hear about what you've been reading before bed or what's on your to be read list right now.

[D]

Oh, my gosh. So many things I should have. I read on a Kindle. I should have brought it down here.

[B]

That happens to me all the time. Yeah, I always forget the name because you're not looking at the COVID That's exactly right.

[D]

So I just started a book last night. It's called Yesteryear, and actually it ties into this conversation. It is about a social media influencer, like a mom who has, like, six kids and everything looks perfect, but she has all this help behind the scenes, et cetera. And I think I am not there yet, but I believe she actually wakes up in, like, 100 years earlier, where she actually has to do all these tasks like take care of the six kids and churn the butter and whatever else is involved. So I'm really enjoying that. You know what one of my favorite reads of the year was, which came out this month? It's called the Lake Effect by Cynthia Devries Sweeney. I really liked that book a lot.

[C]

What's that about?

[D]

It is about two couples who split up and swap partners.

[B]

Oh, my God. That is. That's up my alley.

[D]

I feel like that sounds more salacious. It's like a drama, but there's humor in it. It's also about family. I really. I really liked it. I also listen to books, but that's not at night, so I love to

[C]

listen to books, because then I can multitask also. Yeah, I can fold laundry or I can take a walk or I can cook.

[D]

That's what I do.

[C]

I can do all of that while listening?

[D]

Yes. I listen while I have two dogs, so I walk them every day. And I'm always listening to a book or a podcast, actually.

[B]

Did either of you guys read Clutch? Is this. Is this ring?

[D]

No, but it's on my list.

[C]

It rings a bell. Can you remind me of what it's about? Sophia.

[B]

It's just about a group of, like, women who were friends in college, and then it's following them after school, or not even after school, but it's following them as they are like, now. It's. It picks up when they're, like, in their 40s and you see where their lives are and all this stuff. And I really enjoyed it. I. I really. I really liked it. It was, like, a sweet portrayal of friendship and of, like, the different paths that your life takes and all this stuff. I like that I read. I feel like I've talked about this so much on here that I need to shut up about it. But I read the Art Thief. This. Like, have either of you guys read this? It's a no. So good. It's not. That was a nonfiction. It's about this guy named Stefan Breitweiser, who is like the most prolific art thief, I think, like, honestly, ever.

[D]

Oh, I'm gonna listen to that. I like.

[B]

Oh, it would be a very good book to listen to. And it's just crazy. I think he's still under house arrest, like right now for his art thievery. Cause he, like, can't stop because he's so addicted to stealing. To stealing art. It's like his passion. I really recommend it. Yeah, I really recommend it.

[C]

Okay, so I just got done reading Happiness Falls by Angie Kim. It's about a family in Virginia. Two twins who are 20ish. And then a younger brother who's 14, and a mom and a dad who disappears. And the family trying to figure out what happened to the dad, where did he go? And it's fascinating because everybody's perspectives are so different and everyone's personalities and what people are trying to hide and how they're trying to protect each other might actually be impeding the search for the missing father. So it's a lot of fun to read and just fascinating profiles and different personalities. So I really enjoyed that. And I also just today started reading Matriarch. That's the book by Beyonce Knowles mom, Tina Knowles. And I'm only about 50 pages in and I'm so sucked in. She wrote a novel, her memoir.

[B]

Oh, my God. That is fascinating.

[C]

Yes. And she's a real fascinating person.

[D]

Yeah. Well, to have birthed the phenomenon, like, there has to be something. I mean. And I know she's been part of the whole thing.

[B]

Yeah, This has been lovely. I think we have to start winding down, but before we do that, we want to ask if there's anything else you want to plug.

[D]

Sure. So the book comes out April 14th in stores everywhere. And then on April 16th, I actually have a podcast on Audible based on one of my books that I wrote with an amazing screenwriter named Pete Corelli. He did like the proposal on Crazy Rich Asians. It's an adaptation of my book between me and you'd. And it's an eight episode series starring Jurnee Smollett and produced by Kerry Washington. So.

[C]

Fantastic.

[D]

I'm really excited about that. Yeah, it was totally new and fun project that we have worked on for years and I'm really excited. Came out really well.

[B]

Awesome. Yeah, I'll have to listen that too.

[D]

Wow.

[C]

Nice.

[B]

And then the other thing that we always ask our guests to do is just to give a good night to. It can be to anyone or anything that you have in mind. If you have like a quick goodnight that you want to give.

[D]

I would say goodnight to all my fellow insomniacs, particularly my moms who are up in the middle of the night worrying about a million things that we want to be in control of that we are not in control of. 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.

[C]

Well, Alison, thank you so much again. We've so enjoyed talking with you tonight.

[D]

Thank you for having me me.

[C]

Sweet dreams to you.

[D]

You too.

[C]

Thank you. And Sophia, good night to you as well.

[B]

Good night to you and good night to Allison and all the listeners.

[D]

Good night. Sam.

[A]

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