Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley

This week I’m talking with the author of numerous thrillers, Vanessa Lilly, whose books include “Little Voices,” “For the Best,” and her newest book “Blood Sisters,” a thriller about two missing Indigenous women and the Cherokee archeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs who is searching for them, which was a Good Morning America buzz pick and a USA Today national bestseller. Vanessa is also the co-author of a fun 80s mystery romp called “Young Rich Widows,” as well as its sequel, which is coming out next year, called “Desperately Deadly Widows.”Vanessa is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma living on Narragansett land in Rhode Island.We covered:- Making up stories as a form of escape- How a nagging sense of unhappiness in her 20s and 30s drove her to keep questioning what she should ‘do with her life’- The trip to the airport bookstore that awakened her desire to be an author- The joy–and terror–of having a dream- Using restlessness as a force for creative good- Channeling your childhood and your family history into fiction- The privilege of sharing stories with people who are interested- Why it’s so easy to get into a lack mentality as an author- How Vanessa ended up back at square one–no publisher, no agent–after her second book came out- Finding the story you’re meant to tell so that you’re not “turning yourself into a pretzel to fit inside the system”- The tools that helped her get out of that lack mentality- Embracing chaos as a creative and honoring your particular process- Stepping out the capitalistic narrative that if you’re not working 9-to-5, or really, 9-to-9, you’re a slackerConnect with Vanessa on Instagram @vanessalillie.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 A.J. Jacobs, who is a multiple New York Times bestselling author of books that chronicle his attempts to live differently and share what he's learned from his experiments.A.J.'s latest book is “The Year of Living Constitutionally,” where he attempts to understand our country better by adopting the mindset and technology of our founding fathers. Fun fact: A.J. wrote “The Year of Living Constitutionally” with a goose quill pen and a pot of ink while wearing a tricorn hat.We covered:- His Election Cake Project–what it’s about and how you can take part (I mean, cake!)- The Oxford University professor whose work inspires him- How a song from “The King and I” reminds him of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy–and inspired a recent article- Why he now doesn’t hesitate to tell people about an idea he’s still thinking about or working on–when he used to keep those closely guarded until he had finished creating them- Why he wants to get back to time blocking- The idea he’d love to implement after his kids go off to college- Why his morning cup of coffee only contains 40% coffee (and what makes up the other 60%)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 part two of my interview with writer, podcaster, multiple New York Times bestselling author, and human guinea pig, A.J. Jacobs, we talk about the thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes that go into writing.As a reminder, A.J.'s books include “The Year of Living Biblically,” “Drop Dead Healthy,” “Thanks a Thousand,” and his most recent, “The Year of Living Constitutionally,” which chronicled his attempts to adopt the mindset and technology of our founding fathers, including quill pens, muskets, and tricorn hats. A.J. is also a host of the daily podcast, “The Puzzler,” the creator of the Experimental Living Substack, and a frequent contributor to NPR's weekend edition.Things we talked about include:- The specifics of his book-writing process (I learned some things I can’t wait to try)- The tip he learned from a Quincy Jones quote that helps him reframe his problems- The thing he tells himself that helps quiet his inner critic- Why he rejects the idea that there is such a thing as an objectively great piece of art, whether it’s a book, painting, or what have you- His goal for his work and as a human- What drives him now, 20+ years in, and how that has changed since he first started writing- Why he doesn’t like astrology- The therapeutic modality he credits for helping him re-write unhelpful thoughtsFor 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 the hilarious and sweet writer, podcaster, multiple New York Times-bestselling author, and human guinea pig, A.J. Jacobs. A.J.'s books are a mix of memoir, science, humor, with a smidge of self-help. They include “The Year of Living Constitutionally,” “The Year of Living Biblically,” “Drop Dead Healthy,” and “The Know-It-All,” which chronicled the year and a half A.J. spent reading the Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z.He also hosts “The Puzzler” daily podcast, which just debuted its second season, and he's a frequent contributor to NPR's Weekend Edition.In this first part of our interview, we covered the practical side of his writing career, including:The very sensible reason he sticks to “method writing”His amazing origin story that involved impersonating an Oscar-nominated actor—at the OscarsThe daily practice he uses to generate ideasHis viral Facebook post about biblical mathThe habit he adopted from Benjamin Franklin after writing his book “The Year of Living Constitutionally”Why he is a devotee of ‘eating the frog’The tech gadget he uses to capture his ideas in longhand (and then remember them later because it makes them searchable)The health tips he’s retained since writing a book about trying to become the healthiest person in the worldThe ingenious way he remembers to do push-ups every dayConnect with A.J. at his Experimental Living newsletter on Substack: https://experimentalliving.substack.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 part three of my conversation with multiple New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of "A Very Inconvenient Scandal" and "The Deep End of the Ocean," among many other titles, we talk about how having writer friends is so important, even if you "jealous them", the vision of the future that's fueling her to keep writing, and the recent books that made her swoon.This week’s episodes are replays. I have a ton of interviews on the books for the next few weeks so never fear–fresh content is on its way! In the meantime, enjoy this re-visiting of a conversation with a fiction legend.- The writers--and books--that make Jacquelyn jealous (a word that she uses as a verb, as in, "I'm jealousing her."- Her love for British crime shows, including the ones that are currently keeping her up way too late- The BBC podcast she's addicted to- The beauty of enjoying nature--through a window- The saying on the mug that she brought home from the Erma Bombeck conference that is her current motto- The songs Jacquelyn listens to when she needs a pick-me-up- The meal "that's probably 2,000 calories per bite" that she would ask for if someone said they would make her anything she wantedFor 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 second part of my interview with the brilliant and hilarious Jacquelyn Mitchard, we talk about the squishier side of creativity–the thoughts, ideas, and attitudes that affect your work, even if you're not fully conscious of it, including:- The specific reader Jacquelyn imagines as she writes- Why she's devoted to social media, and why she thinks of it like having a hamster- How some of her books have 'missed the mark' (but she's not going to tell you which ones)- The pep talk that gets her through those moments of feeling like a pretender- The small rewards Jacquelyn uses to congratulate herself for getting another few good sentences down on paper- The John Prine lyric that sums up her views on aging- What she learned from growing up on the West side of Chicago (and the viewpoint of her father's that she outright rejects)This week’s episodes are replays. I’m replaying because Jacquelyn was my first VERY big name guest and honestly I’m reliving the high. Come relive it with me!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 am thrilled to be talking with Jacquelyn Mitchard, the New York Times bestselling author of 23 novels for adults and teenagers. Her newest novel is "A Very Inconvenient Scandal," and her first novel, "The Deep End of the Ocean" was the first selection of the Oprah Winfrey book club and has sold more than 3 million copies and been translated into 34 languages.This week’s episodes are replays. I’m replaying because Jacquelyn was my first VERY big name guest and honestly I’m reliving the high. Come relive it with me!We covered:- How losing her husband in her late thirties put her on a quest to publish a novel "to prove that I could have a second act"- How, when Oprah called, she deleted the messages because she felt it must have been a friend pranking her- How she would most definitely NOT write even if she didn't get paid- How the hardest part of the work is coming up with the idea- How Jacquelyn's dreams help her write her books- How she writes her book one sentence at a time, from start to finish, like building a skyscraper- The realities of being chronically sleep deprived- The difference between copying and stealing- Living on the Cape, yet hating the beach- Why she only ever has one cup of coffeeFor 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 Christopher Brown, author of “A Natural History of Empty Lots”--a blend of nature writing, memoir and literary nonfiction that's also a manifesto for rewilding our cities and ourselves–we talk about what’s getting his creative ears perked up these days, where his throughline is leading him next, and his answers to my final fast five questions.We covered:- The full moon he saw hovering just over a McDonald’s glowing arches that reminded him of nature’s cosmic majesty amid the banality of everyday life- A string of great book recommendations, including the so called ‘anti-memoir’ he read last year that is giving him ideas about how write without following any rules- Figuring out what comes after you’ve made a big creative pivot- The habit he gave up in order to have more time to write- The California stoner rock band he listens to when he’s “trying to get going” and the Bach song he’s learning to play on guitar that helps him get centered- The time of day and year that offers him “maximum tranquility”Visit Christopher at https://christopherbrown.com/ and sign up for his Field Notes newsletter at https://fieldnotes.christopherbrown.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 2 of my talk with Christopher Brown, author of the brand new book, “A Natural History of Empty Lots,” as well as the science fiction novel, “Tropic of Kansas” and the legal thrillers “Rule of Capture” and “Failed State.”- How there were “not a lot of huggers” in his family, and how that relates to his desire to get better at engaging emotionally in his writing, versus just telling a good story- Using a regular newsletter to write your way into a longer work- The challenge of weaving together different genres in one body of work–in his case, memoir, nature writing, and literary nonfiction- The challenge in outlining what your book will be about in a book proposal and actually writing a book that matches that outline- How the voice you’ve used in short form pieces doesn’t wholly translate to long-form (i.e., the medium is the message)- When things you read 40 years ago pop up to influence your current work (i.e., another plug for reading widely)- A common reality in modern publishing–your editor leaves in the middle of your book getting published, and how to navigate that- Figuring out how to turn a narrative of colonization–something we’ve all been so exposed to its part of our collective subconscious fabric–into a narrative of decolonization- The questions Christopher asks himself when he’s worried he’s not getting something exactly rightVisit Christopher at https://christopherbrown.com/ and sign up for his Field Notes newsletter at https://fieldnotes.christopherbrown.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 am talking with Christopher Brown, author of the brand new book, “A Natural History of Empty Lots: Field Notes from Urban Edgelands, Back Alleys, and Other Wild Places,” a blend of nature writing, literary nonfiction, and memoir that is also a manifesto for rewilding our urban spaces as well as ourselves.Christopher’s other books include the legal thrillers, “Rule of Capture” and “Failed State,” and his debut science fiction novel “Tropic of Kansas.” Christopher also writes the popular urban nature newsletter Field Notes.Also a lawyer and a naturalist, Christopher has worked on two Supreme Court confirmations, rehabilitated a brownfield, built an eco bunker, protected government whistleblowers, taken two companies public, restored a small prairie, raised two amazing kids and trained a few good dogs. And that's just the shortlist.We covered:- Resisting “society’s pressure to specialize”- Balancing multiple careers- How a gig at his college newspaper spawned a path that has led to some pretty varied–and cool–places, such as having lunch with a retired German prime minister, playing pool with Frank Conroy, and working at two Supreme Court confirmation hearings- Managing your own expectations for how successful you think you ought to be, and by what age- Rule number one for staying inspired as a writer- The ingenious way he taught himself to “carve out the time from a busy life of work and family to write novels that didn't suck”- How to create the conditions where you accumulate the raw material of the work- The origins of his “Field Notes” SubstackVisit Christopher at https://christopherbrown.com/ and sign up for his Field Notes newsletter at https://fieldnotes.christopherbrown.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