5 Questions for Interesting People

Today's episode is a deep dive into the psychology of writing fiction. All the ambition. All the insecurity. Ravel Averof is the son of a famous author and has fixed his identity on being a successful writer himself. But he's stuck in an unsatisfying job and never finds the time to, you know, actually write. One day, he's approached about participating in a new, top-secret time-travel program. Rav...

In this episode, I talk with the delightful (and candid!) Avner Landes about his brilliant new historical fiction novel, The Delegation . The book follows the true story of two Soviet artists, Itzik Feffer and Solomon Mikhoels on a worldwide publicity tour during WWII. Feffer and Mikhoels, two prominent Jewish artists, are sent by Stalin to drum up support for the Soviet cause against Hitler. Alon...

For more book reviews, interviews, and other musings, subscribe for free here For the full review and more, visit the UnTaking Substack There's nothing quite like finding a book that takes a formless anxiety in your gut and give gives it a shape. Something to point at as you exclaim to anyone who'll listen, "this is exactly what I've been feeling." These experiences, rare as rubies, sometimes happ...

For more author interviews, as well as essays and more, enter your email here for a free subscription In this episode Danny Anderson talks with novelist Stuart Ross about his recent book The Hotel Egypt , published by Spuyten Duyvil . Ty, our protagonist, burns his love affair with Jenny to ashes when he checks into the Trump Hotel (The Hotel Egypt) as a provocative act of defiance. Then he meets...

If author interviews are your jam, subscribe to Danny Anderson’s UnTaking Substack and never miss a new release In this episode, Danny Anderson is joined by Desiree Horton, a writer who proudly bears the title of “Horror Writer.” Danny and Desiree discuss her recent book, Midnight Mother , an excellent Southern Gothic-inspired story that takes place in and above an abandoned mine in the Pacific No...

I had the great pleasure of speaking with Kimberly McElhatten, a writer, editor, and writing coach. Kimberly left a career in education to start her own business helping writers develop their craft and market their work. In our conversation, we talked about how our education systems fail both students and teachers, how writers can benefit from taking a more communal approach to their craft, and ho...

In this episode, Danny Anderson talks to forest ranger and writer Andrew Akers. Andrew is a prolific writer, who has published some fascinating science fiction and fantasy stories. In addition, Akers has a forthcoming novel, Tapestry (coming in April of 2026). Danny met Andrew at the recent WCONA conference (the Writer’s Conference of Northern Appalachia), which was a great experience for both wri...

Today, Danny Anderson interviews Andrew Pessin, author of the new novel Bright College Years , published by Open Books Press. The novel is a fun and emotionally rich story about a group of Yale undergraduates who live together and learn the lessons that will shape their lives. Along the way, Andrew answers the Five Questions, and leads Danny through a rich conversation about campus culture (then a...

In this episode, Danny’s conversation is with TJ Fuller, a writer and teacher from Portland, Oregon. Danny came across TJ’s work in a rather unorthodox way (listen to hear that story). In addition to answering the Five Questions at the end of the episode, TJ Fuller discusses his process, publication strategies, and his experiences in an MFA program. Here are some links to help you know TJ’s work b...

This time, Danny Anderson is joined by , music critic, aficionado, and the man behind the popular music Substack On Repeat. In his responses to the five questions, Kevin discusses the importance of sharing one’s enthusiasm for music while trying to avoid the toxic impulses of competition and posturing. Also, Portland is discussed. Kevin recalls it as a creative, collaborative crucible. All in all,...

5 Questions For Interesting People is an occasional interview project of the UnTaking substack. Both are free and I’d love for you to join us. It’s been a while since I’ve posted one of these interviews. I feel badly about this. And I realize that talking to these interesting people makes me feel better about the world, so I’d like to do more of it. This time, I’ve proud to present to you the conv...

Joining the show today is Jeremy Hunt. Jeremy is a social media professional and musician. As Jeremy answers the Five Questions, we cover a range of topics, including: * Growing up as a Christian with secular interests * Having compassion for those at the margins * The pain of absence * Living with ambiguity * Loving art with flaws I hope you find Jeremy’s ideas as moving and inspirational as I di...

Why is it so important that people start taking art seriously? What does it mean to take art seriously? In this episode, William Collen joins us to talk about art and living in “The Ruins.” William’s Substack, Ruins , provides a lot of insight about the art all around us and how it shapes who we are and become. You can subscribe to UnTaking right here to be notified about future episodes and other...

On this episode, Aspiring Good Neighbor, Tim Rhodes discusses how his work as a writer and filmmaker springs from a compassion for the people that society tends to leave out. In answering the 5 questions, Tim talks about the kinds of people he’s drawn to and why he chooses to do his work. Some of the stories he tells will utterly inspire you. You can find a sample of Tim’s work at Whistling Blue ,...

In the very first episode of 5 Questions for Interesting People , I’m joined by Adrian Neibauer, a public school teacher from Colorado. In answering the five questions I have for him, Adrian talks about place, family, and teaching as a way of making his “drop in the bucket” a meaningful one. You can check out (and I highly recommend you do) Adrian’s absolutely gorgeous website at: https://adrian-n...