Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley

In part two of my interview with Danali Sai Nalamalapu, author of the brand new book “Holler: A Graphic Memoir of Rural Resistance,” we talk about the squishier side of writing–the thoughts and beliefs that can affect your work, even if you're not fully conscious of them. We cover:- How being creative is a means of survival- The joy of sharing your work after the years spent working in isolation to create it- The worst, most boring part of creating a graphic novel (for Denali)- Denali’s trick to countering the voice of the inner critic- The gifts of having a mother who teaches you to question the status quo- “Wiggling out” of external definitions and expectations- Finding ways to do extroverted work (activism, promotion) as an introvert Connect with Denali on Instagram @denalisai or at danali-sai.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 on Finding the Throughline I’m talking with Denali Sai Nalamalapu, a climate organizer, comic artist, and a writer who brought these three strands of their life together in their brand new book, “Holler: A Graphic Memoir of Rural Resistance, which tells the story of six frontline resistors to the Mountain Valley pipeline in Appalachia. Denali is from Southern Maine and Southern India and currently lives in Southwest Virginia. In this episode, we cover: - Landing on the genre that combines multiple threads from your life- Combining climate activism, communication skills, and a love of comics- Making climate activism relevant to regular folks who are busy living their lives- Denali's two favorite hiking trails- Embracing the power of being stubborn- The morning routine that helps Denali prioritize time for creative work Connect with Denali on Instagram @denalisai or at danali-sai.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 final installment of my interview with debut science fiction novelist Christy Climenhage (her brand new thriller is “The Midnight Project”), we covered:The very specific sound of spring that’s giving her life right nowFinding a creative role model very close to homeFiguring out how to write for the joy of it AND make money from itWhy her goal is “write more words”The joy of having her stories take root in other people’s headsThe series of novellas she hid in the bathtub to finish Connect with Christy on Bluesky @cclim.bsky.social or at christyclimenhage.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 part two of my interview with Christy Climenhage, the author of the brand new science fiction thriller The Midnight Project.“The Midnight Project” is Christy’s first novel, and focused on two friends and scientists who are muddling through a frighteningly real world on the verge of collapse. In this episode, we talked about: How writing, although it requires help from others, is something that’s yours and yours alone (unlike, say, a job or a relationship)Finding the delight in being a beginnerDealing with impostor syndromeLearning to take the next step (instead of giving up)Freeing yourself of the desire for external validationThe benefits of being a debut author when you are olderDebunking the idea that merit is kingEnjoying others’ successWhy she doesn’t have a Costco membership Connect with Christy on Bluesky @cclim.bsky.social or at christyclimenhage.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 this week is Christy Climenhage, the author of the brand new science fiction thriller “The Midnight Project,” a tale of equal parts hope and horror set in the near future where humanity and the climate are on the verge of collapse, focused on two scientists and friends who are charged with designing a new kind of human.“The Midnight Project” is Christy’s first novel, and it was amazing to talk with Christy at this moment when she’s first becoming a published novelist. We covered: Combining interests (in Christie’s case, being a news junkie and science fiction fan)What Cli-Fi is and why it’s not necessarily scaryThe question she asked herself that got her to finally write the novel she’d been thinking about for 10 yearsThe schedule she created that kept her on trackThe rewards of a consistent schedule (even if it’s not everyday)Sending 20 queries and getting 20 rejectionsThe joy of finding your writing communityConnect with Christy on Bluesky @cclim.bsky.social or at christyclimenhage.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 three of the Finding the Throughline interview with Amy Shearn, the award-winning author of five critically-acclaimed novels, including her latest book which just came out, “Animal Instinct.” Amy has also published hundreds of essays in publications like Real Simple, “O: The Oprah Magazine”, and the “New York Times” Modern Love column and has nearly twenty years of experience editing for digital publications. Amy also teaches creative writing and works one on one with writers as an editor and/or book coach. In today’s episode, we cover:- How she refills her creative well after publishing and promoting a book- Why she’s on a kick of reading writers’ and artists’ published journals- A sneak peek at the novel project she’s diving into next- The three things on her to-do list for later in the afternoon that perfectly encapsulate her answer to my question “Is there anything you sense that you need to shift?”- A lovely vision of a rustic writing retreat/cat farm- The series that really had a hold on her- The recent album she’s listened to so much she’s forgotten about all other music 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

Amy Shearn, award-winning author of five novels. Her latest book, “Animal Instinct,” is about a 40-something newly divorced woman rediscovering her desires during the height of the COVID pandemic, and doing so both through her interactions with actual live humans and an AI chatbot she designed to compile all her favorite parts of actual live humans and none of the annoying, boring things–it’s such a fun, thoughtful read. Amy also teaches creative writing and works one on one with writers as an editor and/or book coach. In this part of our interview, I ask Amy about the squishier side of writing–the thoughts, ideas, and beliefs that shape your view and your work. We covered:- Reconciling the sensitivity and openness required to be a writer and the need to have a thick skin in order to share the work you so lovingly create- Why a three-star review is actually a sign of success- How teaching writing has helped her view her own inner critic differently- How to feel like you’ve done ‘enough’ to promote your work–even if that’s very hard to quantify- Her definition of a work’s success–that it has taken on a life of its own- The best moment of her writing life that happened just last weekend!- What she’s no longer afraid of now that she’s 45-½- Why there is no formula for creativity 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 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