The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

September Bonus Episode — September 29, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode centers around an in-depth interview with bestselling crime author and investigative journalist Hank Phillippi Ryan to discuss her latest novel, All This Could Be Yours. The conversation, led by Bianca Marais, explores the reality and vulnerabilities of book tours, the blurred line between fiction and reality for writers, sustaining narrative tension, and the high-stakes personal and professional challenges facing authors. The episode also includes an extensive Books with Hooks segment with Emily Sommer from East City Bookshop, answering listener queries about finding comp titles for their manuscripts.

Interview with Hank Phillippi Ryan: Crafting a Chilling, Meta Book Tour Thriller

Introduction & Setting the Context

• [03:23] Bianca introduces guest:

  • “Today's guest is a USA Today bestselling author who has won five Agatha Awards, five Anthony Awards… a board member of International Thriller Writers... It's my pleasure to welcome back Hank Phillippi Ryan.”

• Hank on literary citizenship:

  • Recognized for her generosity in supporting the writing community.
  • “We're all in this together, right? And you do exactly the same thing. Not only do I absolutely love my colleagues in the literary community, but I'm fascinated by them.” [03:50, Hank]

The Inspiration Behind All This Could Be Yours

• Meta Inspiration: Book Tour Vulnerability

  • Hank describes how the realities of being on book tour—public schedules, signing books, and the close contact with strangers—can be both rewarding and risky for authors.
  • “I started thinking about... schedules. Every single place we are as authors is on our website. We want you to come. But...that means everybody knows where we are...and where we aren’t. And that started becoming really chilling to me.” [07:30, Hank]
  • The initial story spark came from a mix-up at an event and the idea of how authors' actions could be “weaponized” into a thriller context.

• Notable Quote:

  • “A good idea is like putting a Mento into a Coke... together it's a completely different proposition.” [05:39, Hank]

The Book-Within-a-Book Structure

• All This Could Be Yours employs a "meta" narrative—its protagonist, Tessa Calloway, writes a book by the same name as the novel Hank has written.

  • “So the book in a book is sort of a vehicle for the story and sort of a way to make the whole thing super meta. Because I'll be on book tour talking about a book called All This Could Be Yours, which is about an author on book tour talking about a book called All This Could Be Yours.” [11:22, Hank]

• Rather than plotting Tessa’s fictional book in advance, Hank let it evolve, focusing on how it paralleled her character’s empowerment and struggles.

Creating Narrative Tension and the "Ticking Clock"

• Structure & Stakes:

  • Hank built the story around the relentless schedule of a book tour, using the logistics and constant demands as an organic source of pressure.
  • “...Book Tour has a structure of its own—a relentless ticking clock... Tessa in her job...must be at a certain place at a certain time. And if she misses her schedule, her entire schedule falls apart.” [12:33, Hank]

• High Stakes:

  • Tessa is the family’s sole breadwinner; failure on tour threatens her career and her family's well-being.
  • “If she doesn't sell books, if she doesn't succeed, her family situation... completely falls apart.” [14:22, Hank]

Agency vs. Lack of Control on Tour

• Discussion of how authors, despite apparent agency, are heavily guided by schedules and handlers.
  • “There is the agency, but there's also... you're just going along the schedule and you can’t deviate.” [14:44, Bianca]
  • Hank likens the experience to performing on Broadway—each event is a show, and the stakes are high for every audience. [15:37, Hank]

Parasocial Relationships & Author Safety

• The risks of public exposure and fans’ blurred boundaries are a major theme.
  • “...sometimes fans decide that because they love your book, they love you...and they must be your friend, and you owe them something. And if you disappoint them, they’re going to turn on you. And so this is another balance that Tessa has to deal with.” [15:37–18:14, Hank]

Escalating Threats, Meta-Tension, and Characterization

• On writing escalating tension, Hank discusses the “throw rocks at your character” approach:

  • “Donald Moss talks about... what would be the worst thing that could happen to your character... then how could you make that worse?” [19:33, Hank]

• Opening Scene & Relatability:

  • The book opens with a scene where Tessa quits her corporate job after being ignored and invisible—a relatable moment designed to quickly get readers on her side.
  • “So Tessa is tired of being invisible and walks off the job live on Instagram... She's empowered. And look what happens to her, though, when she becomes too visible.” [21:25, Hank]

Groundhog Day on Book Tour—Techniques to Keep It Fresh

• Hank explains how she avoided repetitiveness by using escalation and variety:
  • “She always thinks, well, if I go to the next place, I'll be safe and everything will be fine. And then she begins to realize that the threat is following her... the threat is real.” [24:22, Hank]
  • The character’s “disequilibrium” (forgetting what city she’s in, constant exhaustion) is used to heighten suspense.

Publishing Industry Insights, Bookstore Love, and Realistic Obstacles

• Portraying Bookstores and the Publishing World:

  • Hank infuses the novel with a behind-the-scenes view on the stakes for bookstores and how much authors rely on them.
  • “It turned out to be, interestingly, a sort of love letter to bookstores and librarians and to readers and to writers... when I had to focus so clearly on what matters to a bookstore, what matters to a library and what they really do...” [28:43, Hank]

• Communication Challenges in a Modern World:

  • The book relies on plausible communication breakdowns — time zone differences, obligations, no cell phone use on airplanes — rather than contrived phone failures.
  • “The rhythm of your life is different... The difference in using a cell phone on an airplane, the idea that office hours are over... So obviously in writing a thriller, communications can't be easy.” [31:21, Hank]

• Characterization via Conflict:

  • Hank highlights the value of showing how a character responds to obstacles.
  • “When there's an obstacle, the character has to make a decision... do they do the selfless thing, or the venal... awful thing?” [33:10, Hank]

Tone, Dialogue, and Interiority—A Masterclass

• Bianca praises the book as a “masterclass” in writing character interiority and contrast between what characters say and what they feel.
  • “What we have here is a huge people pleaser... saying all the right things, but what she's feeling and thinking completely contradicts all of that.” [34:05, Bianca]

Notable Quotes

• “You got the kaboom, Hank. You put the mento in and it kaboomed.” [08:14, Bianca]
• “Don't read this book until you get home because it's too creepy to read on the road.” [08:51, Hank]
• “If you want those bookstores to stay in business, you need to go to these bookstore events and buy books.” [29:53, Hank]
• “If you have a stalker... part of the quote, quote, fun for a bad guy is to let the victim know that they are on to them and watch them twist slowly, slowly in the wind and see if they can escape.” [19:33, Hank]

Important Time Stamps

• [03:23]: Introduction of Hank Phillippi Ryan and her credentials
• [05:39]: Inspiration for All This Could Be Yours
• [09:42]: Discussion on writing the “book within a book”
• [12:33]: Utilizing book tour structure for narrative tension
• [18:14]: The realities and dangers of author-reader relationships
• [21:25]: Opening scene and relatability of Tessa
• [24:22]: Technique for escalation and variety despite repetitive settings
• [28:43]: Love letter to bookstores/publishing industry
• [31:21]: Realistic communication challenges in a contemporary thriller
• [34:05]: Mastering subtext—what a character says vs. what they feel

Books with Hooks: Comp Title Suggestions & Query Critiques

Guest Host: Emily Sommer (East City Bookshop)

Listener questions on comp titles were addressed in themed clusters, offering highly specific recommendations for genres including psychological thrillers, contemporary and historical fiction, speculative romance, and fantasy.

Highlights and Memorable Moments

• Emily delivers rapid-fire personalized comp suggestions, often referencing both tone and plot, and explaining why certain “big” comps (like Daisy Jones & the Six or Crying in H Mart) may or may not fit.
• She emphasizes matching “spirit” as much as topic: “even if the actual plot isn't the same, especially since you're already touching on the church and faith angle...” [45:32, Emily]
• In-depth consideration given to British comp titles, interview/oral history structure, portal fantasies about sisters, and more.
• Frequent, warm encouragement and validation for the listeners’ premise and pitch: “You're in good company with those because the books don't get better than that.” [55:35, Emily]

Conclusion

This episode is essential listening for:

• Writers interested in how authors can use real-life vulnerabilities as plot fuel.
• Anyone seeking a “meta” thriller about the writing life.
• Authors and querying writers looking for tailored advice on comp titles for their works-in-progress.
• Fans of behind-the-scenes publishing talk, the psychology of touring authors, and strategies for writing propulsive, high-stakes fiction.

Final Takeaway:

“Keep at it. Remember, it just takes one.” [68:32, Bianca]

This summary captures the thematic heartbeat, vibrant tone, and actionable insights from the episode, while spotlighting memorable exchanges and pragmatic writing advice.