In this final installment of my talk with Allegra Goodman, author of the newly released novel, “Isola,” a historical novel about a young French woman purposefully marooned on an island off the coast of Quebec inspired by true 16th century events, we find out what's currently brewing for Allegra and what she knows at this moment about where her personal through line is leading her next, as well as what kinds of things she's been reading, watching, and listening to lately.We talked about:- The nonfiction book she currently stayed up too late reading- An amazing story about how her mother stood up for herself in the 1970s–and how that example inspires Allegra to this day- A sneak peek at her next book, which is currently in the copy editing phase- Her dreams for her work in the next ten years (super inspiring!)- The historical novel she carried around with her so she could read whenever she had a few quiet minutes- The very specific snack that keeps her going- The Maggie Rogers song that she feels captures the essence of IsolaConnect 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!And thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to part two of my interview with Allegra Goodman, author of the recent Reese's Book Club selection, “Isola” as well as “Sam,” “The Chalk Artist,” “Intuition,” “The Cookbook Collector,” “Paradise Park,” and “Katterskill Falls.”Today, I'm talking with Allegra about what I call inner stuff, the thoughts, ideas, and beliefs that influence your work, even if you're not fully conscious of it.- How she thinks of being a writer like being a performer “in the theater of a reader’s imagination”- 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- The one part of the writing process that really makes her nervous- 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 life- How it’s OK to have multiple different voices as a writerConnect 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!And thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I’m thrilled to be talking with Allegra Goodman, author of numerous novels including her newest, “Isola,” which was a Reese's book club selection, and her first, “Katterskill Falls,” which was a National Book Award finalist. Allegra also wrote two story collections, “The Family Markowitz” and “Total Immersion,” as well as a novel for younger readers, “The Other Side of the Island.” Allegra's fiction has appeared in “The New Yorker” and has been anthologized in “O. Henry Awards” and “Best American Short Stories.” She was raised in Honolulu and now lives with her family in Cambridge, Mass.We covered:- Getting published for the first time as a freshman in college by an encouraging editor who “discovered” her- 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 when going from writing short stories to 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- Why she only works on shorter pieces one day per week- 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!And thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to the final installment of the Finding the Through Line interview with Jane Roper, author of the novel “The Society of Shame,” which is a finalist for the Thurber Prize in American Humor, and a memoir, “Double Time: How I Survived and Mostly Thrived Through the First Three Years of Mothering Twins.” I discovered Jane through her Substack newsletter called Jane's Calamity, where she writes about being a writer, aging, failing at mindfulness and having too much Tupperware among other things.Today, we're going to find out what's currently brewing for Jane and what she knows at this moment about where her personal through line is leading her next, as well as what kinds of things she's been reading, watching, and listening to lately.- Moment of respect for creatives who are doing work in multiple genres- The beauty of a personal writing retreat- Figuring out the recurring themes in your work (which can only happen when you continue to produce work!)- The link between majoring in anthropology and becoming a novelist- Preparing mentally for her twins to leave home and go to college- The (perhaps unlikely) dream: Letting go of the copywriting work- The Netflix series she devoured- An ode to half-caff coffee- The 10,000 calorie meal she’d request if someone wanted to dazzle her tastebudsConnect with Jane at janeroper.com.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening!And thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here’s part two of my interview with Jane Roper, author of the novel “The Society of Shame,” which is a finalist for the Thurber Prize in American Humor, and a memoir, “Double Time: How I Survived and Mostly Thrived Through the First Three Years of Mothering Twins.”Today I'm talking with Jane about what I call inner stuff, the thoughts, ideas, and attitudes that affect your work.- How reading her own work used to be embarrassing, and how she got over it- Feeling like the worst person in the MFA program- When your inner critic tells you your work is shallow- The quotes she’s written on Post-It notes that are hanging above her desk and help talk her through crises of confidence- Feeling like the silliest person in the room- Letting go of the idea that one day you’ll “make it” and then everything will flow- Realizing there’s no award for doing things perfectly and letting go of that drive to be a super-achiever- How letting go of some body issues also freed up her work selfConnect with Jane at janeroper.com.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening!And thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is Jane Roper, author of a novel, “The Society of Shame,” which is a finalist for the Thurber Prize in American Humor, and the memoir “Double Time: How I Survived and Mostly Thrived Through the First Three Years of Mothering Twins.” Jane's essays and humor have appeared in places like Salon, McSweeney's, Poets and Writers, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. And it's been included in the anthology, “Labor Day: True Birth Stories by Today's Best Women Writers.” Jane is also a freelance copywriter and brand strategist. A graduate of the Iowa Writers Workshop, Jane currently lives just north of Boston in a drafty Victorian with her husband, teenage twins, and two cats.We covered:- Figuring out that humor was part of her writing skillset- Finding the right mix of copywriting work and more creative writing- Why hiking and indoor rock-climbing are key parts of her writing practice- Her plug for writing every day (even for 12 minutes)- Resisting the urge to beat yourself up after your writing is rejected- Why she doesn’t check social media or email in the morning- Getting to the point in parenting where family time is more joy, less hustleConnect with Jane at janeroper.com.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening!And thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the final installment of my interview with Paula Whyman, author of the new book, “Bad Naturalist: One Woman's Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop.” Paula's first book is “You May See a Stranger,” an award-winning, linked collection of short stories. Her work has been supported by fellowships from McDowell, Yaddo, and other residencies in Grants, and she was a Tennessee Williams scholar in fiction at the Sewanee Writers Conference.Today we find out what's currently brewing for Paula and what she knows at this moment about where her personal through line is leading her next,We covered:- The upside of winter- Why she’s looking for American kestrels (a small raptor) every morning- A longing for sheep- Getting less frustrated by setbacks- The books she stays up late reading with a flashlight so as not to wake her husbandConnect with Paula at paulawhyman.com.There are new Finding the Throughline episodes roughly every other week–hit “subscribe” so you know when the next ones drop!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 Paula Whyman, author of the new book, “Bad Naturalist: One Woman's Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop,” in which she documents her attempt to restore 200 acres of retired farmland while wearing the wrong footwear, getting conflicting advice, and having essentially no idea what she's gotten herself into, but finding her way through it anyway.Today I'm talking with Paula about what I call inner stuff, trying to bring the thoughts, ideas, and attitudes that affect your work out into the light.We unpacked:- Making the switch from fiction to non-fiction–and how that changes the conversations you have with readers to be less about the work, and more about you- How working as an editor can make writing harder- Allowing yourself to blurt, stare off into space, meander, and walk away- Editing and revising as procrastination- How writing about failure is more interesting than writing about success- Staying active and strong as you get older- A love letter to scientists- Why planting native plants in your yard is so impactful- Her favorite cheesy 70s songsConnect with Paula at paulawhyman.com.There are new Finding the Throughline episodes roughly every other week–hit “subscribe” so you know when the next ones drop!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 my guest is Paula Wyman, author of the new book, “Bad Naturalist: One Woman's Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop.” Paula's book is a blend of memoir, natural history, and conservation science, and it's a chronicle of her attempts to restore 200 acres of farmland long gone to seed in the Blue Ridge Mountains, despite the fact that she never excelled at gardening.Paula's first book is “You May See a Stranger,” an award-winning, linked collection of short stories that won praise from “The New Yorker” and a starred review in “Publishers Weekly.” Paula's stories have appeared in “McSweeney's Quarterly,” “Ploughshares,” and “The Southampton Review,” and her nonfiction has been featured on NPR, in “The Washington Post”, and “The Rumpus,” among other places.We covered:- How having a pet praying mantis as a kid is directly related to her naturalist exploits- In praise of doing deep dives into random subjects- How a manageable dream of restoring a small meadow to its natural state ballooned into rehabbing a 200-acre mountaintop- The novel she was writing that she can’t even remember what it was about now- How hearing a young Howard Stern shaped her career path- The power of doing deep dives- Turning scribbles and bad doodles into a book- A plug for using the writing software ScrivenerConnect with Paula at paulawhyman.com.There are new Finding the Throughline episodes roughly every other week–hit “subscribe” so you know when the next ones drop!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 Cynthia Weiner, author of the brand new book “A Gorgeous Excitement,” a coming of age novel set in 1980s New York City that is inspired by both Cynthia's own upbringing on the Upper East Side during the 80s and the infamous Preppy Killer.Cynthia is also the assistant director of the writer's studio in New York City and her short fiction has been published in “Open City,” “Ploughshares,” and “The Sun,” has earned a Pushcart Prize and been anthologized in Coolest American Stories 2024.We covered:- The 90s soundtrack that’s helping Cynthia get into her next project (which is set in the 90s)- The three writers whose example inspires Cynthia on her own path- Her burning desire to have a house with a yard and, most importantly, a tree- The Max show she’s bingeing, her elaborate daily diet soda ritual, the best day of the week, and the fast food meal she’s cravingConnect with Cynthia on Instagram at @cynthiaweinerThere are new Finding the Throughline episodes roughly every other week–hit “subscribe” so you know when the next ones drop!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