Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley

Latest Episodes:

[Daisy Alpert Florin, practical matters]: “Writing in to the abyss,” setting “super low goals” + finding your rhythm Ep 1056 Mar 18, 2024

Show notes

Daisy Alpert Florin, author of a book I truly adored, My Last Innocent Year, about a young woman in her last year of college, which is recently out in paperbook and–hot tip–would make an excellent book group pick.

My Last Innocent Year was a New York Times Book Reviews Editor's Choice and Good Morning America called it one of those stories that stays with you.

I've had the pleasure of being on a writing retreat with Daisy and getting to know her both in person and on the page.And I am very excited to plumb the depths of her personal through line with you here today.

In this episode on the practical matters that inform her writing, we cover:

How she doesn’t tick the boxes of a ‘typical’ novelist’s path–majored in history, didn’t get an MFA, etc.

How Daisy feels about publishing her first novel at age 50 (hint: The movie Daisy watched for fun that gave her ideas for her current book

How writing a novel is like riding a horse

How she stays in the world of the novel so that her subconscious can be working things out even when she’s sleeping, showering or driving her car

How she captures the ideas she has when she’s sleeping, showering, or driving her car

For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.

Big thanks to our sponsor, AquaTru.com. Use promo code KATE to save 20% off a reverse osmosis water filter and support this podcast!

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[Nada Samih-Rotondo, part 3]: The joy of going down a research wormhole, a preview of her second memoir ) + matcha latte mustaches Ep 1055 Mar 15, 2024

Show notes

A preview of her second memoir, which has a central theme of earthquakes, both the geological variety and the personal kind (it sounds amazing I cannot wait)

The allure of folk tales and fairy tales

The joy of going down a research wormhole

Nada’s current wormholes–turtle migration, and early African-American history in Rhode Island

Getting over the very human desire for external validation

Nada’s beautiful vision of a free Palestine

The YA novels Nada can’t put down

Oat milk matcha lattes (and why Nada hope they give her a green mustache at the coffeeshop)

The perfection of a Sunday morning and navigating the kitchen when you’re the only parent home

Nada’s favorite Palestinian dish (come to full show notes on Substack for a link)

For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.

Big thanks to our sponsor, AquaTru.com. Use promo code KATE to save 20% off a reverse osmosis water filter and support this podcast!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[Nada Samih-Rotondo, part 2]: Reader feedback as creative rocketfuel, being the only Arab-American kid around + astrology talk! Ep 1054 Mar 13, 2024

Show notes

In this episode I'm talking with Netta about what I call inner stuff, the thoughts, ideas, and attitudes that affect your work, even if you're not fully conscious of it, including:

The process of her least favorite part of writing (sharing her work) becoming her most favorite part

The type of reader feedback that fills her heart and lights her up and fuels her to create

Feeling out of step with the world–and being OK with that

Being the only Arab kid around in the 90s

Nada’s plea–that we wake up from the collective illusion of separateness

Finding points of connection, particularly with people you disagree with

Astrology talk! (She’s an Aries sun with a Pisces moon–equal parts ready to charge into a fight and to contemplate quantum physics.)

For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.

Big thanks to our sponsor, AquaTru.com. Use promo code KATE to save 20% off a reverse osmosis water filter and support this podcast!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[Nada Samih-Rotondo, part 1]: Writing by feeling vs. knowing, pandemic productivity + the importance of getting out of the house Ep 1053 Mar 11, 2024

Show notes

Nada Samih-Rotondo is a multi-genre Palestinian-American writer, teacher, and mother, who recently published her first book, a memoir called All Water Has Perfect Memory.

Born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents, Nada immigrated to the U.S. at the age of six to Rhode Island. Her work has been published in the The Master's Review, Squat! Birth Journal, and Gulfstream Literary Magazine. Nada and I are talking on a school holiday because she is a teacher and I am so grateful that she made time for us.

How Nada started writing her novel during the pandemic while teaching from home and homeschooling three kids

Developing patience with the publishing process

Reading as a vital part of feeding your creativity

Writing in coffee shops (especially when you have kids)

For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.

Big thanks to our sponsor, AquaTru.com. Use promo code KATE to save 20% off a reverse osmosis water filter and support this podcast!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[Chelsey Goodan, part 3: Owning your weird self as a way to find your people and your path] Ep 1052 Mar 08, 2024

Show notes

In this final installment of my talk with Chelsey Goodan, author of Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls, we talk a lot about the many, many perks of embracing your particular brand of weirdness, as well as:

The power of friends to keep you inspired

What teens AND adults can do to find their people and make meaningful friendships

The payoff that comes from paying attention to what in your life needs to change

Using a milestone birthday–even one that’s a ways off–as fuel

Chelsey’s current favorite book on creativity

The Netflix show you should watch with your teen

For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.

Big thanks to our sponsor, AquaTru.com. Use promo code KATE to save 20% off a reverse osmosis water filter and support this podcast!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[Chelsey Goodan, part 2: Balancing ambition with knowing you’re already enough + a super helpful skill-assessment tool] Ep 1051 Mar 06, 2024

Show notes

In part 2 of my interview with Chelsey Goodan, author of Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls, we really break down the inner parts of writing, including how to be OK with the fact that people may misunderstand you.

Other things we cover:

The mistake most well-intentioned parents make

How Chelsey deals with her biggest fear about her work–being misunderstood

Dealing with a perfectionistic inner critic

Chelsey’s “intense” relationship to time

The one cultural belief Chesley would like to vaporize

The truth that Chelsey’s had to model for the teen girls in her life

The book and online personality assessment Chelsey swears by (and uses with the teens in her life, too)

For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.

Big thanks to our sponsor, AquaTru.com. Use promo code KATE to save 20% off a reverse osmosis water filter and support this podcast!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[Chelsey Goodan], part 1: What teens really need from adults + keeping track of inspired ideas + the most delightful way to meditate Ep 1050 Mar 04, 2024

Show notes

This week I’m talking with Chelsey Goodan, author, keynote speaker, and screenwriter whose new book Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls is coming out any minute now!

As the mom of a 16-year-old girl, I just didn’t even think twice about inviting Chelsey on to Finding the Throughline. I literally read the title of her book and was like YES.

In this first part of our interview, we unpack:

The seeds of self-doubt, impostor syndrome, and people pleasing that are sown during the teenage years

Chelsey’s recipe for connecting with teenage girls

The difference between being truthful and being blunt

What helps teens (giving them space to feel their feelings) and what doesn’t (trying to fix)

How Chelsey makes meditation doable, even delightful

How to listen for inspiration

How to keep track of those inspirations so they don’t fly away

For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.

Big thanks to our sponsor, AquaTru.com. Use promo code KATE to save 20% off a reverse osmosis water filter and support this podcast!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[Sarah Montana, Part 3]: The art of the ask, finding the right role models, and “horn-y” music Ep 1049 Mar 01, 2024

Show notes

In this final installment of interview with memoirist, speaker, and screenwriter Sarah Montana, we dive into where’s she’s headed–who her role models are, what’s perking up her ears, and how she’s taking what she learned as an advocate on the front lines in the writer’s strike and applying it to her own career.

Why Sarah no longer has role models, per se, and what she looks to for inspiration instead

Having a varied social diet

How Sarah is learning to ask for what she wants

How growing up in a conflict averse household makes negotiating hard

Staying involved in the writer’s union now that the strike has passed

The book series she’s been reading out loud with her husband, which she calls “the most fun I’ve had in a really long time”

The playlist that alway turns Sarah’s energy around (in a good way)

The special energy of transitional times of day, like twilight

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[Sarah Montana, Part 2]: The good and the bad of sharing your traumatic stories + the mindbending messages in Britney Spears’s memoir Ep 1048 Feb 28, 2024

Show notes

Heads up: In this second part of my interview with screenwriter Sarah Montana, we discuss trauma and suicide, so please take care while listening.

Even without those discussions, in this episode Sarah goes deep into some major truths about life and you probably don’t want to be listening while you’re doing chores or around other people so you can let it all in. (I’m still processing it all! In the very very best way.)

Sarah talks about her own traumatic stories (without going into detail) and how there is incredible fulfillment that comes from helping others by sharing your story, AND there’s a shit sandwich that comes along with it

Fictionalizing your traumatic experiences to express the feelings while also creating boundaries (it also lets you say and do the things you wish you’d said and done in real life)

How Brittany Spears’s memoir got Sarah thinking deeply about success and freedom

Thoughts on how having power can trigger you to express it in very-no-good ways, just because you can, or what Sarah calls “the intoxication of power”

How having money does not equal safety

The writer’s strike as an opportunity to be a citizen, not just a worker

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[Sarah Montana, Part 1]: Balancing consistency with adaptability + a genius yet still loosey-goosey alternative to meal planning Ep 1047 Feb 26, 2024

Show notes

This week I'm talking with Sarah Montana, a screenwriter, speaker, writer, and–fun fact!--trained opera singer. Sarah has written multiple movies for the Hallmark Channel, including Rescuing Christmas, Love to the Rescue, and A New Year's Resolution. Her TEDx talk, “The real risk of forgiveness and why it's worth it” is one of my favorite TED talks of all time.

If you’ve listened to Sarah’s TED talk, you’ll know that her mother and brother were killed during a home break-in when she was 22. We don’t discuss it directly, but know that fact will help you know what Sarah means when she refers to ‘trauma.’

In this episode, we mostly stay focused on the practicalities of Sarah’s work–how she came to be doing it, how she stays connected to her work specifically and creativity in general, and how she gets her work done.

Why being in a non-creative period is the perfect time to expose yourself to things that are nothing like your work, like “fairies falling in love and fighting in wars.”

And why, when the ideas ARE coming, it’s a great time to consume things that are in the same realm as your work to help you not be so “creative and in the sky”

How she learned not to force the work

The genius of having a “good day plan” and a “bad day plan”

The things that help Sarah stay in a good place

OK, this alternative to meal planning is FIRE

Her daily approach to sitting down and doing work

How to tell when your brain needs a break

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