Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley

Welcome to the second part of my interview with award-winning journalist Beth Macy, author of the brand new book “Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America” about how politics has divided her hometown of Urbana, Ohio and even her own family. It’s a hard, heart-stirring read for anyone who wonders, “How did we get here? And how can we come back together.”Beth is also the author of “Dopesick” about the about the opioid crisis–which was also turned into an Emmy-award winning Hulu series–and “Factory Man” about how the effects of globalization have taken a toll on small rural communities.In this episode, we get into some of the thornier questions about writing, especially writing about polarizing topics–including family.We cover:- Why she makes it a point to include humor even in the darkest stories she tells (like babies being born addicted to opiates)- Keeping her mom’s spirit alive by writing about her in “Paper Girl”- How interviewing her ex-boyfriend for “Paper Girl” flew right past awkward and into threatening–and how she dealt with it- What she does to get through those “what do I do now??” moments- How her husband helped her find the opening scene to “Dopesick”- Her recently acquired skill of consulting “future Beth” when anxiety starts creeping in- Her best interviewing question that she got from Denzel Washingon- The one rule of newspaper reporting she thinks is total B.S.--and how she got around it without breaking it, directly, when she was on staff at the Roanoke TimesConnect with Beth on Bluesky and/or Instagram @bethmacy.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 this week is Beth Macy, the award-winning author of three New York Times bestselling books that examine rural communities left behind by corporate greed and political indifference.Beth's first book, “Factory Man”, explored the aftermath of globalization on rural communities and won a J. Anthony Lucas Prize. “Dopesick,” her investigation of the opioid crisis, won an LA Times Book Prize and was described as “a masterwork of narrative nonfiction” by the New York Times. (It was also made into a Peabody- and Emmy-award winning Hulu series starring Michael Keaton.)Her newest book, “Paper Girl,” has just been released and is a combination of memoir and reported analysis of the rural-urban divide told through the lenses of backward mobility, political polarization, and the decimation of local news. Beth lives in Roanoke, Virginia.We covered:- How politics divided her family, and the skills she used to write a book about it- How a Pell grant helped Beth out of poverty, into college, and ultimately into a career in journalism- Publishing her first book at age fifty- Why writing books is easier than writing for a newspaper- Her telltale signs for when she’s stumbled on a good story- Getting through the big-city gatekeepers to tell stories of small towns- Why the collapse of local news and public education are playing such a huge role in making us so polarized- How policy changes shape our everyday reality- Using personal deadlines as an “anxiety-management tool”- How clustering tasks–such as reporting, interviewing, writing, and editing helps give structure to a long-term deadlineConnect with Beth on Bluesky and/or Instagram @bethmacy.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, Aqua Tru. Visit aquatru.com and use code KATE to save 20% off a great countertop reverse osmosis water filter that I have been using and loving for years now. Comes with a 1-year warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the final part of my interview with maritime history author Eric Jay Dolin, we get a tantalizing look at his next book, which he's working on now, about a shipwreck in the Pacific that involves a clash of East and West.We also covered:- Why his kids hate going to museums with him- Using a desire to travel as motivation for selling more books- The PBS show Eric considers comfort viewing- Why Friday is the perfect day- The bachelor meal he makes whenever his wife is out of townVisit Eric at ⁠ericjaydolin.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, Aqua Tru. Visit aquatru.com and use code KATE to save 20% off a great countertop reverse osmosis water filter that I have been using and loving for years now. Comes with a 1-year warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second part of my conversation with Eric Jay Dolin, (author of "Left for Dead," a true story about a captain of a sealing ship who was marooned on the Falkland Islands for 18 months in the early 1800s), we talk about the squishier side of writing, including dealing with your inner critic, getting through the parts of sharing your work that you'd really rather avoid, and managing your own expectations for how many copies your book will sell while also doing what you can to sell as many as possible.We talked about:- Getting geared up for giving talks as an introvert who grew up painfully shy (and the speaking tip that helps)- The appeal of writing a book that will still be relevant in 30, 40, or more years- How being in his 60s has affected his writing schedule, and his stress levels- How being a writer can put you out of step with your friends once they start to hit retirement age, and you are still plugging along- Taking aim at the belief that if you work hard, everything will work out- The mystery and serendipity that impact how well your book sells- The difference between wanting your book to sell well and expecting it toVisit Eric at ⁠ericjaydolin.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, Aqua Tru. Visit aquatru.com and use code KATE to save 20% off a great countertop reverse osmosis water filter that I have been using and loving for years now. Comes with a 1-year warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Calling all lovers of true tales about the sea! This week I'm talking with Eric J. Dolin, bestselling author of numerous books that explore some aspect of American history, generally as it relates to the sea. His latest book is "Left for Dead: Shipwreck, Treachery, and Survival at the Edge of the World." Eric has a really interesting through line that started with him studying to be a marine biologist, then morphed into studying environmental policy, and includes a big list of cool, interesting jobs, including curatorial assistant in the mollusk department at Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology.We covered:- Eric's winding path to writing, which started with wanting to be Jacques Costeau as a kid, wended through getting three degrees in marine biology, and ended with him working in government jobs (managing a fishery, for example) while saving up to make the leap to writing full-time- How winning awards can keep you going, even when you're not selling as many books as you'd like- HOT TIP: Eric's new book, "Left for Dead," would make a great gift for anyone in your life who lives a good maritime yarn (like, say, my Dad)- How "people are overly impressed with writers", and that recognition can also keep you going- The skills he developed as a student that help him write books- How researching his current book generally leads to the idea for his next book- The secret cove in Marblehead, Mass. where Eric gets his reading done during the summer- How reading books from the 1800s and early 1900s (as part of his research) changes his languageFor 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, Aqua Tru. Visit aquatru.com and use code KATE to save 20% off a great countertop reverse osmosis water filter that I have been using and loving for years now. Comes with a 1-year warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to the final installment of my interview with Alma Katsu, award winning author of nine novels, including the historical horror novels,"The Hunger," "The Deep," and "The Fervor," and two spy novels that draw on her long career in intelligence, "Red Widow" and "Red London." Alma's newest book is the contemporary horror novel "Fiend," which tells the story of an ultra rich family who summoned dark forces to protect and grow their wealth.We covered:- How she harvests book ideas from the headlines- The writer’s newsletter she recommends every writer subscribe to- Why she celebrates every little success as if it’s her last- Why she’s switching publishers for her next spy novel- The career goal that would scare her as much as it would delight her- An inside look at the story of hers that’s been optioned by AMC–fingers crossed it actually gets made it sounds AMAZING- The streaming show that surprised her, it was so good- The meal she craves that she can no longer get since she moved out of DCConnect with Alma on Substack: https://substack.com/@almakatsuFor 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 Alma Katsu, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including the historical horror novels, "The Hunger," "The Deep," and "The Fervor," and the spy novels, "Red Widow" and "Red London." Alma's newest book is "Fiend," which examines our fascination with the ultra rich in a setting that mixes dark fantasy with horror.In this episode, we get into the nitty gritty of the ideas, thought processes, and beliefs that fuel her work, including:- How she makes the world of her novels richly detailed and her characters multi-faceted- How writing for the POTUS helped her deal with the novel editing process- The part of the publishing process that always makes her “depressed for a day”- The fascinating reason why she’s squeamish about being on social media- Thoughts on how being in her mid-60s impacts her career- How’s she’s encountered–and handled–sexism- Why Hollywood is interested in so many of her novels–and the differences between the movie business and the book businessConnect with Alma on Substack: https://substack.com/@almakatsuFor 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 this week is Alma Katsu, the award-winning, critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of nine novels. Alma has written two spy novels, "Red Widow" and "Red London," inspired by her 35-year career working in intelligence. She also writes novels that combine historical fiction with supernatural and horror elements."The Hunger" was a re-imagining of the story of the Donner Party and named one of NPR's 100 favorite horror stories. Her first book, "The Taker," was named one of the top 10 debut novels of 2011 by Booklist. And her latest novel, brand new, hot off the presses, is "Fiend," which examines our fascination with the ultra wealthy through a lens that combines dark fantasy and horror. Think Succession meets Angel Heart, if you're old enough to remember that movie.Alma's books have been translated into over a dozen languages and several are in various stages of film and television development. She's also a contributor to the Washington Post book world where she reviews thrillers.We covered:- How she came to work in US intelligence for 35 years, despite having early ambitions of being a writer- Why she writes so many different genres (spy thrillers, horror, speculative fiction)- An inside peek at just an absolutely fascinating government career- The illness that got her writing again- The challenges of building a readership- Why she thinks writing a novel that’s inspired by the news is more persuasive than writing an article- How her background in intelligence helps her come up with ideas for her novels- Unlearning old habits of driving herself too hard- Recommitting to exercise so she has stamina for book toursConnect with Alma on Substack: https://substack.com/@almakatsuFor 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, Aqua Tru. Visit aquatru.com and use code KATE to save 20% off a great countertop reverse osmosis water filter that I have been using and loving for years now. Comes with a 1-year warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this final installment of my interview with Dolan Perkins Valdez, the New York Times bestselling author of “Wench,” “Bomb,” “Take My Hand,” and most recently, Happyland, we get a peek at where her personal throughline is leading her next and hear her answers to my fast final five questions about what she’s currently reading, listening to, and dreaming of eating.We covered:The visual artists who are currently inspiring her, some living, some deadHer favorite historical fiction authorsThe AMAZING sounding historical fiction writers conference that cemented her path as a historical fiction authorHow she’s re-thinking how she spends her time now that her older daughter is going off to collegeThe romance novel she stayed up too late reading and the Netflix series about high school girls she watched with her daughterThe music she listens to when her energy flagsConnect with Dolen on Instagram @dolenperkinsvaldezFor 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

Dolan Perkins Valdez, multiple award-winning author of “Wench,” “Bomb,” and “Take My Hand.” Her newest book, “Happyland,” is inspired by the true story of a secret community of formerly enslaved people in Appalachia.In this episode, we get into the nitty gritty of the ideas, thought processes, and beliefs that fuel her work, including:The part of writing a novel that can make her feel like “the book is taking years off my life”The surprising number of drafts it takes to get to a publishable manuscriptHow to elicit feedback that is actually helpful from early readersIdentifying your “good readers”The research habit that can bite her in the buttThe part of the writing process where her writerly demons tend to pop up the mostBuilding your day around when your brain is at its bestWhy she writes every book as if it’s her lastWhy she views all writing as politicalWriting what’s in your heart, not what you think will sellThe question she asks herself when she’s writing things that scare herConnect with Dolen on Instagram @dolenperkinsvaldezFor 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