Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley

This week I’m talking with Amy Shearn, the award-winning author of the critically-acclaimed novels “Dear Edna Sloane,” “Unseen City,” “The Mermaid of Brooklyn,” and “How Far Is the Ocean from Here.” Amy’s newest novel is “Animal Instinct,” which follows a 40-something newly divorced woman re-entering the dating scene and reconnecting with her desires during the social isolation of COVID lockdowns. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called it "delightful and hilarious,” which I can co-sign–despite its pandemic backdrop, which might sound like it could be stressful, this is a book I look forward to reading each night because I know it will take my mind off my worry du jour and give me a lot to think about while also being a ton of fun.Amy has nearly twenty years experience as an editor for digital publications, has published hundreds of essays for places including New York Times’ "Modern Love" column and The Rumpus, and she currently works one-on-one with writers as an editor and writing coach. We covered:- Her really insightful take on how loving reading as a kid can lead to wanting to be a writer (I hadn’t thought of it in this way before)- The mix of calling and coercion that got her to think beyond writing novels to also penning personal essays- Making the shift to freelancing as an editor, teacher, and book coach (and away from working for a publication for her primary income source)- Matching your writing goals to the time you have available (as someone who needs to work full-time, whether as a freelancer or an employee)- How to keep yourself accountable to your writing goals when you don't have a deadline- Using a 50-50 parenting agreement post-divorce as an "every other weekend writing retreat" Connect with Amy on Instagram @amyshearnwriters, Substack @amyshearn, or at amyshearnwriters.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

This is the final installment of my talk with Samuel Marquis, author of numerous books of history and historical fiction, including his newest, "Captain Kidd: A True Story of Treasure and Betrayal," a non-fiction look at one of the most notorious “pirates” ever, who also happens to be Samuel’s 9th great grandfather. We talked about: - A peek at his next book, about New York City in the 17th century- Looking to historical figures as role models–and why his is Abraham Lincoln- Why he wishes he could clone himself a la Michael Keaton in “Multiplicity”- Why he’s done writing about World War II- The historical time period he wants to devote his next five books to- Balancing the drive for historical accuracy with a book that reads–and sells–well- The series he stayed up late to finish (surprise! It’s historical)- His really tantalizing sounding ideal meal Connect with Samuel at samuelmarquisbooks.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 back to part of my interview with Samuel Marquis, author of numerous books of history and historical fiction, including his newest, "Captain Kidd: A True Story of Treasure and Betrayal."Samuel’s previous book "'Blackbeard" won the Kirkus Reviews Book of the Year Award and his articles have been published in "History Central," "Writer’s Digest," "The Lazy Historian," and "The Good Men Project," among other outlets.Today I’m talking with Samuel about what I call inner stuff–thought processes, internal dialogues, confidence–all that fun stuff!We covered:- Why villains are so fun to write (hint: it’s not because they’re evil)- Empathizing with folks who lived centuries ago and did things that we consider to be horrible today (like attending a public hanging on your wedding day, which Captain Kidd and his wife did)- His least favorite part of the writing process- Dealing with the nagging fear that you’re not accurately portraying history- Looking for historical figures who were ahead of their time (because they make great characters)- Why Captain Kidd isn’t the murderous pirate he was made out to be- Deciphering primary historical records–the handwriting, the different spellings (this was a really fun peek into the realities of writing about history)- Anchoring your research in the work of well-respected historians- How the idea that if you work hard things will come easily is a myth- Why he played competitive lacrosse until he was sixtyConnect with Samuel at samuelmarquisbooks.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

This week I’m speaking with Samuel Marquis, author of twelve books that cross genres, including American nonfiction-history, historical fiction, and suspense books. Samuel’s newest book, “Captain Kidd: A True Story of Treasure and Betrayal” comes out in May and is about Samuel’s ninth great grandfather, legendary pirate Captain William Kidd. His other books include “Blackbeard: Birth of America,” a Kirkus Reviews Book of the Year, “Soldiers of Freedom,” and “Lions of the Desert.” All told, his books have over 25,000 Amazon and Goodreads reviews.By day, Samuel is a hydrogeologist and has served as an expert witness in several multimillion-dollar class action litigation cases about groundwater contamination.We covered:- Building what he calls a “hybrid career” out of multiple interests (science, history, and writing)- The similarities between science writing and literary historical writing- Letting your early work stink- Developing your own voice- The importance of resilience, because building a writing career is like “climbing mountain after mountain”- Really fascinating insight on how geology and history are intertwined, and how having a scientific mind helps write history- Infusing historical writing with character development- Making time for everything when you have two jobs and a family (“I’m just always busy”- Finding inspiration in your family treeConnect with Samuel at samuelmarquisbooks.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

In this third and final part of my interview with Katy Bowman, a biomechanist and leader of the “movement” movement, we get a peek at her next project, the life changes she’s envisioning, and what she learns from birds.(This episode is a re-broadcast, in honor of the release of “I Know I Should Exercise, But…”)We covered:- The author who inspired Katy to think about living life differently- Her desire to write a more beautiful book- The connection between clutter and creativity, and why she’s staring to work on getting rid of physical things and clear obligations out of her schedule, too- Why clutter is a hindrance to creative work- Her family’s mission statement- The recent book she picked up in an airport and ended up staying up until 4am to finish- Exactly what goes in her morning beverage and exactly when she drinks it- Why 5:30 am is her favorite time of day- A plug for checking out the "dawn chorus", i.e., listening to birds in the morning and learning a little bit about what those early morning songs are communicatingVisit Katy at nutritiousmovement.com or follow her on Instagram @nutritiousmovementFor full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Big thanks to our sponsor, AquaTru.com. Use promo code KATE to save 20% off a reverse osmosis water filter and support this podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s guest, biomechanist Katu Bowman, is the author of 12 books on movement, including the bestselling “Move Your DNA” and her most recent book, “ I Know I Should Exercise, But...” Katy is also the founder of Uphill Press, an independent publishing company that has sold more than 300 ,000 copies of its books and had them published in 16 languages.Today we're talking about all the inner stuff that goes into Katy's writing, the thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, likes, dislikes, resistance, et cetera, including:- Why she’d rather start a new project than promote a project that is already finished- How remembering that writing books is an opportunity for her to process her knowledge helps her not get too wrapped up in how well a book is received- The similarities between non-constructive feedback and farts- What she tells herself when her inner critic is chiming in- Unhitching your age from how you feel in your body- How getting older has impacted her creative urgency and output- The self-care approach that helps her choose what to eat, understand the way her mind works, and even introduced her to her husban(This episode is a re-broadcast, in honor of the release of “I Know I Should Exercise, But…”)Visit Katy at nutritiousmovement.com or follow her on Instagram @nutritiousmovement.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Big thanks to our sponsor, AquaTru.com. Use promo code KATE to save 20% off a reverse osmosis water filter and support this podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week my guest is biomechanist Katy Bowman, author of twelve–count ‘em, twelve–books that explore how to improve health and boost well-being through movement, including the best-selling “Move Your DNA,” as well as her newest, “I Know I Should Exercise, But….” Her back catalog includes “My Perfect Movement Plan,” “Rethink Your Position,” “Movement Matters,” “Dynamic Aging,” “Grow Wild,” “Simple Steps to Foot Pain Relief,” “Diastasis Recti,” “Don't Just Sit There,” “Whole Body Barefoot,” and “Alignment Matters.” In fact, Katy has published so many books that she founded her own independent press, Uphill Books.She has also been named one of Maria Shriver's Architects of Change for her work to change the way we move and understand our need for movement, and is the founder of the movement education company Nutritious Movement, based in Washington state, where she lives.(This episode is a re-broadcast, in honor of the release of “I Know I Should Exercise, But…”)We covered:- How writing a book is really an exercise in processing everything she’s learned for herself (in addition to being a way to communicate information)- Finding the kind of writing that feels like a downhill flow instead of an uphill slog- Matching your output to your phase of life- How to find the quiet you need to write in a noisy world- Balancing the necessity and allure of technology with a hunger for real-world, in person, nourishing experiences (what she calls “nutrient-dense” experiences)- How she works movement into her writing process- How walking boosts creativity- How she makes the most of her mornings (and why she doesn’t have coffee until she’s done this one thing each morning)Visit Katy at nutritiousmovement.com or follow her on Instagram @nutritiousmovement.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Big thanks to our sponsor, AquaTru.com. Use promo code KATE to save 20% off a reverse osmosis water filter and support this podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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