Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley

In this final installment of my interview with Elisa Faison, author of “Skin Contact,” a novel about the thrills and the unintended consequences of opening up your marriage, we’re getting a peek at where Elisa’s throughline is leading her next, plus hearing about what she’s currently reading, watching, listening to, and fantasizing about eating. We covered:- A sneak peek at the novel she just fini...

This is part two of my interview with Elisa Faison, debut author of the brand new novel “Skin Contact,” a razor-sharp exploration of intimacy, non-monogamous desire, motherhood, and grief. We covered:- Honoring your own neurodiversity in your writing process- The plight of being an author who hates self-promotion on social media- How she lets those doubts out so she can keep going- Transitioning f...

My guest this week is Elisa Faison, debut author of Skin Contact, a bingeable, sexy, and poignant novel about a young couple who decide to open up their marriage. Elisa also won the 2024 Peden Prize for her story “Motherlove.”We covered:- Her storied past as an “OC” and Harry Potter fanfic writer- Touring through various writing adjacent jobs- The book she wrote that may never see the light of day...

Welcome back to the Finding the Throughline interview with Vanessa Lillie, whose bestselling books include "The Bone Thief," "Blood Sisters," "Little Voices”, and “For the Best.” Vanessa is also the co-author of the Young Rich Widows series and an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation. This episode is a replay. We covered:- Why she’s so excited about Indigenous storytelling right now- Many recom...

In part two of my conversation with bestselling crime fiction author Vanessa Lillie, whose books include "The Bone Thief," "Blood Sisters," "Little Voices”, and “For the Best,” we're breaking down all the mental hurdles that can get in the way of your writing, and how to overcome them, including:- Fighting erasure by weaving her family’s story into her books- The thrill of writing about your cultu...

This week I’m talking with Vanessa Lillie, the bestselling author of numerous thrillers, including "The Bone Thief" (her most recent) and its prequel, "Blood Sisters," as well as “Little Voices,” and “For the Best." Vanessa is also the co-author of the Young Rich Widows series of fun 80s mystery romps. Vanessa is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma living on Narragansett land in...

Welcome back to the final part of my interview with Philip Eil, an award-winning freelance journalist based in his hometown, Providence, Rhode Island and the author of “Prescription for Pain” and a work in progress about the history of the Wyatt Detention Facility, a maximum-security prison in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Today we’re going to get a glimpse at where Phil’s throughline is leading hi...

Welcome to part two of my interview with Philip Eil, freelance investigative journalist and author of the book “Prescription for Pain: How a Once Promising Doctor Became the ‘Pill Mill Killer’” and a work in progress about the Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, RI, otherwise known as the hometown of Viola Davis. Today we’re talking about the inner stuff involved in writing—the doubts, the...

This week my guest is Phil Eil, an author and freelance journalist based in his hometown–and mind–Providence, RI.Phil’s first book, “Prescription for Pain: How a Once Promising Doctor Became the ‘Pill Mill Killer’”, came out in 2024 and was hailed a riveting true-crime page-turner by the Columbus Dispatch. He’s currently working on a new book about the history of the Wyatt Detention Facility in Ce...

Welcome back to part three of my interview with Lori Gold, author of the brand new novel “Kiss, Marry, Kill,” about three women who play a spin on the classic sleepover game and wake up the next day in an alternate universe, and “Romantic Friction,” an NPR Book of the Day that satirizes publishing and AI and explores female ambition and friendship. Lori is also the author of Love, Theodosia, Sourc...

Welcome back to part two of my interview with Lori Gold, whose brand new novel is “Kiss, Marry, Kill,” a book about three friends who are sent into alternate universes after playing the classic sleepover game during a company trip. Today, we’re getting into the psychology and mindset side of writing–the thoughts, ideas, and beliefs that play such a big part of this very interior profession. We cov...

This week my guest is Lori Gold, author of the just-released “Kiss, Marry, Kill” about three women who play a spin on the classic sleepover game and wake up the next day in an alternate universe, and last year’s winning breakthrough, “Romantic Friction” – a comedic look at a rivalry between two writers seasoned with a dash of AI that was an NPR Book of the Day. Her other books, published under the...

Welcome back to the final installment of my interview with John Glynn, author of the brand new novel “The Lost Book of Lancelot,” a queer retelling of the legend of Camelot–think Heated Rivalry set in King Arthur’s court. John is also the author of “Out East: Memoir of a Montauk Summer” that oprah.com called "A moving account of the particular sort of loneliness that descends when you know you're...

Welcome to part two of my interview with John Glynn, a novelist, memoirist, and the editorial director of Hanover Square Press, an imprint of HarperCollins. His brand new novel (out May 12!) is “The Lost Book of Lancelot,” a queer retelling of the legend of Camelot that Publisher’s Weekly called “a fresh, fun take on a classic” that’s “entertaining, vivid, and immersive.”Today we’re talking about...

This week my guest is John Glynn, author of the brand new novel (out May 12) “The Lost Book of Lancelot,” a queer retelling of the legend of Camelot that’s a great fit for fans of Heated Rivalry and for anyone interested in the legends surrounding the quest for the Holy Grail. Plus, dragons! John’s nonfiction debut “Out East: Memoir of a Montauk Summer” was named a best book by Time, Entertainment...

In this final installment of my interview with author and writing teacher Christopher Castellani, talked about how to stay connected to your creativity during turbulent times and then we got into some fun talk about the authors, books, morning beverages, and songs he’s currently loving.- What he learned about Tennessee Williams while researching a novel that continues to inspire him- Making his fi...

In part two of my interview with author and writing teacher Christopher Castellani, we talked about all the quirky psychology that goes into creating, including:- Why his books tend to get longer and longer the more he revises- The painful process of falling out of love with a book you’re writing- Sometimes it’s the timing of a project and not the quality of the idea that makes or breaks it- Bounc...

This week I’m delighted to be talking with five-time novelist Christopher Castellani. Christopher’s newest book is “Last Seen,” which combines suspense, true crime, and magical realism to take the reader on a journey through the psyches and preoccupations of young men coming of age in twenty-first-century America. Christopher’s first novel, “A Kiss from Maddalena,” chronicled the Italian-American...

Welcome to part three of my interview with Jenna Blum, author of the new psychological thriller “Murder Your Darlings,” which will keep you up and crack you up while also offering an inside peek at the writing life. Jenna's other books include the New York Times and internationally bestselling “Those Who Save Us,” “The Storm Chasers,” and “The Lost Family.” She's also written the memoir “Woodrow o...

In part two of my interview with Jenna Blum, the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of five books, including “Those Who Save Us” and “The Lost Family,” and “Murder Your Darlings” which is a psychological thriller and a peek inside the writing life. In today's interview, we're diving into what I call inner stuff, the squishier side of writing, dealing with resistance, doubts, the...

This week my guest is internationally bestselling author Jenna Blum. Jenna's books include “Those Who Save Us,” “The Storm Chasers,” and “The Lost Family.” Her newest book is a psychological thriller called “Murder Your Darlings,” which involves authors, book tours, deadlines, love, and stalkers. Jenna is the co-founder of A Mighty Blaze, an online author interview company, which if you're listeni...

In this final installment of my interview with Kate Broad, whose debut novel “Greenwich” was named a best new book by People Magazine, we get a peek at where Kate is headed next, as well as what she's been reading, watching, drinking and fantasizing about eating lately. We cover:- The good and the bad parts of always reading (or watching) like a writer- Why she’s mapped out the structure of other...

Welcome back to part two of my interview with Kate Broad, whose debut novel, “Greenwich,” was named a People Magazine best new book, an Amazon editor's pick, and a Publisher’s Weekly buzz book for summer 2025, and would be an excellent choice for your book club to read next. In today's interview, we're diving into the inner side of writing–dealing with resistance, doubts, the passage of time, and...

My guest this week is Kate Broad, author of “Greenwich,” a coming of age story set against a backdrop of wealth and privilege that explores how mistakes can have life-altering consequences and asks who is the first to be blamed and who gets to be believed and forgiven.“Greenwich” was named a People Magazine best new book, an Amazon editor's pick and a Publishers Weekly Buzz Book for summer 2025. I...

Welcome to the final installment of my interview with Cynthia Weiner, author of “A Gorgeous Excitement,” a coming of age novel set in 1980s New York City that was named a best book of 2025 by The New Yorker, Kirkus Reviews, and Oprah Daily and is freshly out in paperback. Cynthia is also the assistant director of the writer's studio in New York City and her short fiction has been published in “Ope...