Shows
Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Sheree L. Greer: what’s coming up]: Making decisions based on what feels goodIn this third and final installment of my conversation with author and Pushcart-nominated essayist and writing teacher (and new mom!) Sheree L. Greer, she said “we’re veering into therapy territory now, Kate,” when I asked her if there was anything she was in the process of shifting, which I took as a very good sign that we were getting into some very juicy thoughts!
- Being the first person in your family to be pursuing a passion as a career- The genres she’s exploring next- The writers who inspire her and why
2025-07-2519 minFinding the Throughline with Kate HanleyMy biggest takeaways from the last 6 months of interviews + news! And a tiny request.As we come up on the end of the year AND this podcast's one-year anniversary, I wanted to share the things from the last six months of interviews that are still sticking with me--a little tour of the a-ha moments and insights that have made a lasting impression. It's a little walk down memory lane, a little like re-reading your journal well after the fact.I also have some news to share and a teeny tiny but very meaningful request to make.PLUS, if you have a writer you'd like me to interview--maybe it's you...
2024-12-3019 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Katy Bowman: What’s coming up]: Can clearing clutter create space for creative work? + moving into covering new topicsIn this third and final part of my interview with Katy Bowman, a biomechanist and leader of the “movement” movement, we get a peek at her next project, the life changes she’s envisioning, and what she learns from birds.- A sneak peek at her next project, which involves a lot of psychology- The author who inspired Katy to think about living life differently- Her desire to write a more beautiful book- The connection between clutter and creativity, and why she’s staring to work on...
2024-09-1320 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Katy Bowman, inner stuff]: The similarities between non-constructive feedback and farts + the impact of age on her creative driveThis week’s guest, biomechanist Katie Bowman, is the author of 11 books on movement, including the bestselling “Move Your DNA” and her most recent book, “My Perfect Movement Plan.” Katy is also the founder of Uphill Press, an independent publishing company that has sold more than 300 ,000 copies of its books and had them published in 16 languages.Today we're talking about all the inner stuff that goes into Katy's writing, the thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, likes, dislikes, resistance, et cetera, including:- Why she’d rather start a new project than promote a pr...
2024-09-1125 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Chelsey Goodan, part 3: Owning your weird self as a way to find your people and your path]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 wa...
2024-09-0617 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Chelsey Goodan, part 2: Balancing ambition with knowing you’re already enough + a super helpful skill-assessment tool]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.(If this sounds familiar, it’s because this week’s episodes are replays–I figured, since it’s back to school season re-airing an interview with an author who extols the power of teenage girls made a lot of sense!)Other things we cover:- The mi...
2024-09-0418 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Chelsey Goodan, part 1: What teens really need from adults + keeping track of inspired ideas + the most delightful way to meditate]This week I’m talking with Chelsey Goodan, keynote speaker, screenwriter, and author of Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls. 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.This week’s episodes are replays–I’m airing them again now because my kids are back to school this week and a) I need a little bit more time in my schedule to shift into this different schedule a...
2024-09-0221 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Kimothy Joy: what’s coming up]: Drawing inspiration from the stories of women who were “not afraid to fail out loud” + dreaming up a new chapterBy the end of this final installment of my interview with Kimothy Joy, author of “Extraordinary Wing Women: True Stories of Life-Altering, World-Changing Sisterhood,” “Focus Pocus: A 90-Day Guided Journal,” and “That's What She Said: Wise Words from Influential Women,” my cheeks were hurting from smiling. So many exciting ideas in here!We talked about:- Why Kimothy is absorbing everything she can about AI right now, and the very cool ideas about how we might be able to use it and why women and moms need to be involved in its development...
2024-08-3023 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Kimothy Joy, inner stuff]: Getting over people pleasing and how to honor your own internal rhythms of productivity and creativityIn this second part of my interview with Kimothy Joy, author of “Extraordinary Wing Women: True Stories of Life-Altering, World-Changing Sisterhood,” “Focus Pocus: A 90-Day Guided Journal,” and “That's What She Said: Wise Words from Influential Women,” I asked about the mindset side of writing and how Kimothy’s thoughts and beliefs impact her work and her life.(By the way, if you are ever needing a hit of inspiration, either from others or from within, I can't recommend these books highly enough. They're not only helpful and inspiring and informative, but they're also beautiful beca...
2024-08-2826 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Kimothy Joy, practical matters]: How being creative is like brushing your teeth + untying your sense of self-worth from how much you produceThis week I am talking with Kimothy Joy, the author of “Extraordinary Wing Women: True Stories of Life-Altering, World-Changing Sisterhood,” “Focus Pocus: A 90-Day Guided Journal,” and “That's What She Said: Wise Words from Influential Women.” A Denver-based artist and author who combines watercolor and hand lettering to create artwork that uplifts and inspires women worldwide, Kimothy has collaborated with the Women's March on Washington, the US Women's National Soccer Team, Gucci and Melinda Gates, just to name a few.We covered:- How following her curiosity into painting watercolors...
2024-08-2623 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Lisa See, what’s coming up]: Dealing with the upset of putting your characters through tough times + an awesome mini class on teaIn this final installment of my talk with Lisa See–bestselling author of so! many! beloved books, including “Lady Tan's Circle of Women” and “The Island of Sea Women’’--we find out what Lisa is currently working on bringing into existence and what she knows at this moment about where her personal through line is leading her next. Plus my final fast five questions.- How being at the Aspen Music Festival is helping her deal with the upset of writing her characters through a massively disastrous event- The superstars who inspire Lisa...
2024-08-2320 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Lisa See, inner stuff]: “When I get edits back from my editor, it’s just like, ‘Please kill me now’”In the second part of my conversation with hugely successful and popular (and oh my God, did this really happen??) Lisa See, author of Lady Tan's Circle of Women, The Island of Sea Women, and more, we talked about the interior side of writing–things like dealing with your inner critic and dealing with the parts you would really rather not do, thank you very much, including:- The fascinating tidbit of information her research taught her about Los Angeles- How the Chinese public discourse about protection against smallpox epidemics 500 years ag...
2024-08-2124 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Lisa See, practical matters]: The fun little family research project that turned into a “New York Times” notable book + telling stories that have been hiddenI'm talking with Lisa See, the New York Times bestselling author of so many beloved books, including Lady Tan's Circle of Women, The Island of Sea Women, Snow Flower and the Secret Ban, Shanghai Girls, and Dreams of Joy. Lisa's books often center the experience of women across time and cultures, particularly stories that have been lost, forgotten, or deliberately covered up.Lisa talked with me while she was on vacation and I'm so thankful that she carved out some time for us.We covered:- How...
2024-08-1924 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Minda Honey, what's next]: Embracing the strengths of being a Black writer + braided essays + MANY awesome book and music recs(Note, this episode is a replay that originally aired in February.)In this final installment of my talk with author and essayist Minda Honey, we cover:* The insights–on double consciousness, omniscience, and overlapping timelines–she got at a recent conference* How Andre 3000’s new flute album is cracking open possibilities in her mind* The concept of a braided essay, and how it’s like making a charcuterie board* The book Minda could not put down (and that made her cry)
2024-08-1625 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Minda Honey, inner stuff]: Avoiding “self-exploitation” + countering the voices, external and internal, that criticize your workIn part 2 of my interview with essayist and author of the memoir "The Heartbreak Years," Minda Honey, we really break down the inner parts of writing, including how to stay focused on the impact your work is having when all some people want to do is complain.(Note, this episode is a replay that originally aired in February.)Other things we cover:* How an earlier school of personal essays bordered into too personal, or what Minda referred to as “self-exploitation”, and how to make sure...
2024-08-1420 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Minda Honey, practical matters]: Answering the call to write + the right beverages are everythingMinda Honey is the author of "The Heartbreak Years," a hilarious and intimate memoir of a Black woman finding who she is and who she wants to be, one bad date at a time.Minda's essays on politics and relationships have appeared in all kinds of amazing places, including Harper's Bazaar, the Los Angeles Review of Books, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Teen Vogue, and Longreads. She is also the editor of Black Joy at Reckon, an online outlet where she also helms a newsletter that has nearly 60,000 subscribers....
2024-08-1221 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Lucas Mann, what’s coming up]: Which reality TV show he gladly gives up sleep to watch + book recommendations galoreIn this final installment of my conversation with author and bookstore co-owner Lucas Mann, we talk about the books, writers, TV shows, music, and even dinners that are getting his wheels turning, including:The book he recently read with his book club that got him excited about writing in new ways and that he couldn’t stop talking aboutWhy a long walk or bike ride can solve most problemsThe two writers whose work and ways of being inspire himThe reality TV show he would forego sl...
2024-08-0918 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Lucas Mann, inner stuff]: Getting around an inner critic devoted to making sure you sound smart + releasing the desire to blow people away with your geniusIn this second part of my conversation with Lucas Mann, author of Attachments, Essays on Fatherhood and Other Performances and co-owner (with his wife, Ottavia) of the fabulous Riff Raff Bookstore and Bar in Providence, Rhode Island, we really got into the evolution of his thinking about what it means–and what it takes–to be a ‘successful’ writer, and what the even means.Specifically, we talked about:The hardest part of writing for Lucas–namely, discipline–and why writing an article feels so much harder than writing a bookH...
2024-08-0722 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Lucas Mann, practical matters]: Weaving in a new strand to the braid of your writing career + getting over the idea that writing is a solitary professionThis week I’m talking with Lucas Mann, author of multiple non-fiction books, including his latest, Attachments: Essays on Fatherhood and Other Performances, Captive Audience: On Love and Reality Television, Lord Fear: a Memoir, and Class A: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere. In addition to writing books, Lucas has written essays that have appeared in a long list of top tier publications, including The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Slate, The Rumpus, and Buzzfeed.Lucas teaches creative writing at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and he and his wife, Ottavia, own Riff Raff Bookstore an...
2024-08-0526 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Justice Ameer: What’s coming up]: What zombies have to do with the trans feminine experience + why an iced chai latte might be the perfect beverageIn this third installment of my interview with poet and slam champion Justice Ameer, we talked about:The book that has opened a new vein of creativity for JusticeWorking to create more time for restoration, fellowship and connection to natureWriting about the trans feminine experience by using a zombie motifThe anime series xe has been watching for 10 years, the beverage that fuels xyr’s writing, the lunch dish xe would eat everydayVisit Justice at justiceameerpoetry.comFor fu...
2024-08-0225 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Justice Ameer, inner stuff]: How being a mega-fan of whatever nerdy thing you love makes you a better writer + when your inner critic tells you you’re boringIn this second part of my interview with poet and slam champion, Justice Ameer, We talk about the mindset side of writing, including:The factoid about moths that inspired a recent poemBuilding up the revision muscleHow not to get bored with your primary theme or subject matterDealing with the admin side of writing as someone with ADHDWhen your inner critic tells you “this is boring “Dealing with the internal question “are you even a writer?“Why experimenting with ideas th...
2024-07-3122 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Justice Ameer, practical matters]: how to find your writing community + developing consistency as an artist—especially woth ADHDThis week I am talking with Justice Ameer, whom. Boston public radio station WBUR called “one of the most recognized trans poets of color on the local and national poetry scene.”Justice is a Feminine Empowerment Movement Slam Champion, and two -time Providence Grand Slam Champion,l. Justice describes xyr work as a practice in becoming unapologetic and unafraid, and has been published in Glass Poetry Press, Poetry Magazine, and the Breakbeat Poets, Volume 2, Black Girl Magic Anthology.We covered:How poetry is like therapy.How xe writes to i...
2024-07-2927 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Octavia Randolph: What’s coming up]: Why Taylor Swift is a model for her + a glimpse of a big shift that’s brewingIn this final installment of my interview with Octavia Randolph, author of the hugely popular Circle of Ceridwen saga, a meticulously researched series of 11 books set in 9th century England and scandinavia, we get a sneak peek in her 12th book in the saga,and what she knows at this moment about where her personal throughline is leading her next.She shared:- The absolutely incredible sounding retreat she hosted for readers last year in Gotland, where she now lives and where many of her novels are set
2024-07-2619 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Octavia Randolph, inner stuff]: Dealing with professional envy + an absolute master class on building a community of readersThis is the second part of my interview with Octavia Randolph, author of the hugely popular Circle of Ceridwen saga, a meticulously researched series of 11 books set in 9th century England and scandinavia. Octavia joined me from her home on Gotland, an island in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden that played a prominent role in Viking history and in several of her books.Today we covered the thoughts, ideas, and attitudes that affect your work, even if you’re not fully conscious of it.- How id...
2024-07-2421 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Octavia Randolph, practical matters]: An amazing writing process that starts outside at 6 am + Independent publishing vs. self-publishingThis week I’m talking with Octavia Randoplh, a prolific and wildly successful author of historical novels and essays. She’s best known for her Circle of Ceridwen saga, a meticulously researched series of 11–soon to be 12–books set in 9th century England and scandinavia.Octavia now makes her home on Gotland, a small island off the coast of Sweden in the Baltic Sea where some of her novels are set and which was an important way station for the Vikings as the traveled East and West from Scandinavia.She is a...
2024-07-2223 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Hayley Krischer: What’s coming up]: What she’s recently learned about understanding her character’s psyches + the incredible allure of hot tubsIn this final part of my interview with Hayley Krischer, journalist and author of the just-released “Where Are You, Echo Blue?”--the juiciest beach read of the year about a missing Hollywood starlet on the cusp of Y2K and the obsessed journalist determined to find here--we peek at what’s coming around the bend for her and I get her answers to my fast five questions.** This week's episodes are a replay. **We talked about:- The incredible allure of hot tubs- How re-wat...
2024-07-1919 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Hayley Krischer, inner stuff]: True confessions about how “horrible” writing can feel + why–and how–she wrote her next novel in longhandIn this episode I'm talking with Hayley Krischer--author of the upcoming “Where Are You, Echo Blue?”, which dropped yesterday, July 16th, and is poised to be the beach read of the summer--about the squishier side of creativity, including:** This week's episodes are a replay. **- The steps Hayley takes–and the tools she uses–to immerse herself in the world of her novels and inside her characters’ psyches- What she does when she’s feeling stuck- How good it feels when you connect with someone...
2024-07-1727 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Hayley Krischer, Practical Matters]: The power of just keeping going + how to capture those great ideas that come when you’re not at your deskThis week I am talking with journalist and novelist Hayley Krischer whose brand new novel drops this week, "Where Are You, Echo Blue?," which is about a journalist's obsessive search for Hollywood's hottest starlet who goes missing on the eve of Y2K.Hayley has profiled celebrities like Tatum O'Neill, Celine Dion, and Gabrielle Union for places like The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, and Elle.Hayley's first two novels were for young adults: “Something Happened to Allie Greenleaf” and “The Falling Girls” and they wer...
2024-07-1525 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Mark Cecil: What’s coming up]: The iconic filmmaker who's a master myth maker + being honest about how much time you have for all the various parts of lifeWelcome back to the Finding the Throughline interview with Mark Cecil, author of BUNYAN AND HENRY, OR, THE BEAUTIFUL DESTINY, a re-telling of the folk tales of Paul Bunyan and John Henry that Publisher’s Weekly called “a fun romp with substance.” Mark is also the host of the Thoughtful Bro podcast where he interviews authors in what he calls “Like Inside the Actor’s Studio, but for storytellers.”In this episode, we find out what Mark is currently working on bringing into existence and what he knows at this moment about where his personal thr...
2024-07-1219 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Mark Cecil, inner stuff]: Why getting feedback on your work is like open-heart surgery + opting for the twisty path vs. the straight path to ‘success’In this second part of my interview with Mark Cecil, author of BUNYAN AND HENRY, OR, THE BEAUTIFUL DESTINY we cover the squishier side of writing–the thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs that influence the work, including:Why he considers getting feedback to be like open heart surgery–absolutely vital, yet painful–and ultimately, a time-saverAnd, ironically, how devastated he gets by a bad reviewHow his inner critic loves to tell him, “If you were any good, you’d be successful by now,” and how he deals with thatHow mak...
2024-07-1025 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Mark Cecil, practical matters]: On writing multiple books before writing the one that got published + the genius trick that kept him goingThis week I’m talking with author and journalist Mark Cecil. Mark’s debut novel BUNYAN AND HENRY, OR, THE BEAUTIFUL DESTINY, a retelling of the folk tales of Paul Bunyan and John Henry, has just come out. (The book was named one of the most anticipated books of 2024 from Goodreads, while Publishers Weekly called it “boisterous and a fun romp with plenty of substance.”) Mark’s articles have been published in LitHub and Writer’s Digest and he’s taught classes on writing and publishing for Grub Street and the Writer’s Loft.Despite these accolades, Mark had a long...
2024-07-0824 minFinding the Throughline with Kate HanleyFinding the Throughline ep. 25: It's our six month-iversary! A quick review of the surprises, the insights, and ways my thinking about writing has changed as a resultSince this week is both the podcast’s half-birthday and the Fourth of July week--which means you’re more likely to be at a BBQ or the beach and not listening to podcasts--I thought I’d switch things up this week and do one episode where I do a little review of what I've learned and what has stuck with me after the 24 conversations with writers I’ve had thus far.Thank you for listening! And be sure to check out our sponsor at airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off a new air...
2024-07-0133 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Julie Gerstenblatt: what’s coming up]: How to approach writing about something you have little firsthand experience of + the magic of a Disney soundtrackIn this final installment of interview with “Daughters of Nantucket” author Julie Gerstenblatt, we get a peek at her next novel and the very clever, and fun-sounding, way she’s dealing with the nerves that are cropping up as she writes about something she has very little firsthand experience with.We talked about:
All the places she’s researching maritime history as she works on her next book, which involves a sailing trip to China
Her favorite books on writing and creativity
Creating structure for herself now that her kids are out of the hous...
2024-06-2822 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Julie Gerstenblatt, inner stuff]: In this second part of my interview with Julie Gerstenblat, author of “The Daughters of Nantucket,” I talk with Julie about the mindset side of writingIn this second part of my interview with Julie Gerstenblat, author of “The Daughters of Nantucket,” I talk with Julie about the mindset side of writing.We talked about:How she’s convinced herself that her daily word count goal is much easier than it actually is (this is a cool Jedi mind trick) and the pep talks she gives herselfThe part of writing her next book that is really freaking her out–and how she’s dealing with itHow her writing group is structured (I totally wa...
2024-06-2621 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Julie Gerstenblatt, practical matters]: On writing novels that will never be published + stepping out into a new genreThis week I am talking with Julie Gerstenblatt, whose debut novel, “Daughters of Nantucket,” came out last year and was included in several most anticipated lists for 2023. Prior to writing novels, Julie was a middle school English teacher and earned her PhD so that she could teach at the college level, but she ended up leaving teaching because she wanted to be a novelist. (Her story of how she admitted this desire to herself–and her advisors–during her PhD dissertation is incredible!)We covered:The many contemporary novel manuscripts she wrote but could not sell...
2024-06-2423 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Lisa Tener: what’s coming up]: The simple shift that “makes life juicier” + a recipe for Lisa’s all-time favorite teaIn this final installment of my conversation with award-winning book coach (who has helped dozens and dozens and dozens of experts get five- and six-figure book deals) and author of the brand-new book “Breathe. Write. Breathe.” Lisa Tener, we get a look at what’s coming up for her, and she answers my fast five final questions.Wa talked about:The trippy experience of re-reading something you first encountered years ago and having a completely new and different take on itHow discovering Sark’s books felt like a gift from the universeUsi...
2024-06-2121 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Lisa Tener, inner stuff]: Practical ways to get out of the fear of not making enough money + embracing surrenderIn this second part of my interview with Lisa Tener–award-winning book coach and author of the brand-new “Breath. Write. Breathe.”--we get into the squishier parts of writing.Warning, this part of our conversation is super juicy! Not in a sexy way, but in a “wow I’m really thinking differently about stuff that’s been plaguing me forever” kind of way.You’ll learn:Her least favorite part about promoting her work, and how she works with that resistanceFinding the right balance between taking on work for clients to pay the bills...
2024-06-1921 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Lisa Tener, practical matters]: The tools that help Lisa get her writing done + an easy and fun physical exercise that gets you in the flowThis week I am talking with award-winning book coach and award-winning author–of the books The Joy of Writing Journal and the brand-new Breathe.Write. Breathe.--Lisa Tener.Lisa served on the faculty of the Harvard Medical School’s continuing education course on writing and publishing books for over a dozen years. And she has helped hundreds of experts and thought leaders write and publish their books and secure five and six figure book deals.I was so happy and honored to write the foreword for Lisa's new book, which draws a lot on Lisa's in-d...
2024-06-1722 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Donna Russo, what’s coming up]: How to keep writing fresh (11 books in) + a love song to lobsterIn this third and final installment of my interview with Donna Russo, author of “Vincent's Women, the Untold Story of the Loves of Vincent Van Gogh,” as well as 10 other award-winning and internationally bestselling historical novels, we get a peek at what’s coming up next for her and she answers my fast five questions about what she’s stayed up too late reading and watching.How she’s feeling now that she’s on the verge of becoming a grandmotherA sneak peek at her next book, which is already in the works–as well as how sh...
2024-06-1420 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Donna Russo, inner stuff]: How to get yourself psyched to start a new project + stay steady through the pre-release nervesIn this second part of my conversation with Donna Russo, author of “Vincent's Women: the Untold Story of the Loves of Vincent van Gogh, as well as 10 other award winning and internationally best selling historical novels, we explore the thoughts, ideas, and attitudes that influence her work.We talked about:Why the time period just before your book comes out is the most nerve-wracking, “like walking out naked and the world gets to comment”The thrill of being in the same room as a group of your readersHow she takes her mi...
2024-06-1221 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Donna Russo, practical matters]: Writing through trauma + taking yourself seriously as a writer in a culture that doesn’t value artistsUp this week is Donna Russo, an internationally best-selling author of 11 multiple award winning historical novels, including “Gilded Dreams” and “Gilded Summers”, a trio of books about Leonardo da Vinci, including “Portrait of a Conspiracy,” “The Competition,” and “The Flames of Florence.” Her newest book, “Vincent’s Women” is just out, and tells the story of everyone's favorite tortured artist through the lens of the women in his life.(I have to point out Vincent's women managed to get 4. 3 stars on Goodreads, which is not easy to do. Goodreads readers are very sparing with their five star ratings.)Donna is a...
2024-06-1025 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Marlon Weems, what's next]: Manifesting an appearance on "Good Morning America" + the two wildly different songs that get Marlon movingIn part three of my interview with Marlon Weems, author of the prize-winning essay "How Starting an Investment Business Almost Landed Me in Federal Prison" and founder of The Journeyman Substack, where he covers American culture and anti-Black racism, we get a peek at where his throughline is leading him next.I had to leave out the meandering and enlightening and fun conversation we had about the upcoming presidential election, but now we're thinking about starting a separate podcast on that! Who knows if anything will come of it, but all I can say for sure is...
2024-06-0719 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Marlon Weems, inner stuff]: Turns out growing up Black in the South in the 60s is excellent training for writing about topics that tend to invite trollsIn this second part of my interview with Marlon Weems, founder of The Journeyman newsletter on Substack, where he covers American culture, anti-Black racism, and growing up Black in the Deep South, we talk about the mindset side of writing, including:- The best place to look for your closing paragraph- How having to make cold calls for a living is excellent training for dealing with (read: ignoring) trolls- The story of how he almost went to federal prison after getting entangled with some primo money launderers- The...
2024-06-0518 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Marlon Weems, practical matters]: Writing in odd places, at odd times, using only your phoneThis week I am talking with Marlon Weems, a former Wall Street trader who started his career in finance in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he founded the first Black-owned asset management firm and the first Black-owned venture capital firm in the state.Since leaving the industry in 2012, Marlon has transitioned to writing. His essay, "How Starting an Investment Firm Almost Landed Me in Federal Prison, was named one of the best stories of 2023 on Medium.Marlon now writes about American culture, anti Black racism, and growing up Black in the Deep South in The Journeyman...
2024-06-0523 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Kate Schapira, what's next]: Finding ways to share your work with more people that feel good, helpful, and nourishing (not like selling or marketing)In this final section of my conversation with "Lessons from the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth," Kate Schapira, we cover:- Finding ways to bring her work to groups that are already gathering for another reason (hint: need to a professional development speaker or workshop leader to talk on working with climate anxiety?)- Using the concept of cross-pollenization as a guiding principle- The writers whose work has changed Kate's life- The books, beverage, and songs that Kate can't get enough ofFor full show notes, with links...
2024-05-1713 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Kate Schapira, inner stuff]: Getting comfortable with the vulnerability of "telling the truth and showing your butt" in your writingIn this second part of my conversation with Kate Schapira, author of "Lessons from the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth," we cover the squishier parts of writing, including:- The process of deciding just how vulnerable to be in your writing- The emotional difference between writing poetry and writing prescriptive non-fiction- How her inner critic is a salty SOB- How a writing group holds you accountable to write despite what your inner critic is telling you- A peek inside the mechanics and beauties of Kate's writing...
2024-05-1519 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Kate Schapira, practical matters]: How one act of inspiration (mixed with desperation) turned in to a book + dealing with climate anxietyThis week I'm talking with Kate Schapira, author of "Lessons from the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth," which takes readers through the practical skills and emotional shifts needed to navigate our way to a more livable future.Kate is also the author of six books of poetry, and her prose has appeared in The Rumpus, The Toast, and other places. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island, where she teaches nonfiction writing at Brown University. And fun fact about Kate, she has never met a tide pool that she didn't like.In this episode we covered:
2024-05-1322 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Joanne McNeil: What’s coming up]: “I just want to make writing part of my life throughout my life”In this final part of my interview with Joanne McNeill, author of Wrong Way (a novel set in the near future at a company that manages driverless cars) and Lurking (a non-fiction look at the history of the internet from a user’s perspective), we peek at what’s coming around the bend for her and I get her answers to my fast five questions.We talked about:The novel The Lodgers by Holly Pester, about the housing crisis, and how it hurts a little bit every time she has to put it down because it’s...
2024-04-1917 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Hayley Krischer: What’s coming up]: What she’s recently learned about understanding her character’s psyches + the incredible allure of hot tubsIn this final part of my interview with Hayley Krischer, journalist and author of the soon-to-be-released “Where Are You, Echo Blue?” we peek at what’s coming around the bend for her and I get her answers to my fast five questions.We talked about:The incredible allure of hot tubsHow re-watching “The Actor’s Studio with James Lipton” was a key part of her research process for “Where Are You, Echo Blue?”What she learned from studying actors about getting in to the psychology of her charactersThe Instagram in...
2024-04-1217 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Hayley Krischer, inner stuff]: True confessions about how “horrible” writing can feel + why–and how–she wrote her next novel in longhandIn this episode I'm talking with Hayley Krischer, author of the upcoming “Where Are You, Echo Blue?”, which is poised to be the beach read of the summer, about the squishier side of creativity– including:The steps Hayley takes–and the tools she uses–to immerse herself in the world of her novels and inside her characters’ psychesWhat she does when she’s feeling stuckHow good it feels when you connect with someone who loved your work in the real worldThe YA author Hayley fan-girled all over when she realized h...
2024-04-1025 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Jennifer Fink: What’s coming up]: The lure of leaving it all behind and becoming a flight attendant + the Post-It note sayings that light the pathIn part three of my conversation with author of Building Boys, Jennifer Fink, we talk about the mind trip that is beginning to envision retirement.I have to point out that this is the third interview in a row where my guest mentions that they have a phrase written on a Post-It note hanging above their computer monitor. In addition to sharing what she’s written on her Post-It notes (plural–there are two), Jennifer shares some of her go to shows, snacks, and songs.The lure of leaving it all behind and becoming a flig...
2024-04-0519 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Jennifer Fink, inner stuff]: Dealing with internalized trolls + aqua aerobics!In this episode I'm talking with Jennifer 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:Finding the inspiration to write about controversial subjects in today’s age of nasty comments and trollingJennifer’s trick for keeping herself accountable and not avoiding writing about the hard stuffThe power of talking to other writersThe things her inner critic says, and how it gets louder when she’s doing the work that’s closest to her heart
2024-04-0321 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Jennifer Fink, Practical Matters]: Writing what you know + the book she found at the library that launched her writing careerToday I am talking with Jennifer Fink, an award winning freelance writer who covers parenting, education, and health for magazines and websites. started her career as a registered nurse, but shortly after her oldest son, and as you'll find out, she has four boys, pivoted to writing full time. Her most recent book is called Building Boys, Raising Great Guys in a World that Misunderstands Males. She is also the co host of the podcast “On Boys,” which covers, you guessed it, real talk about parenting, teaching, and reaching tomorrow's men. Although Jennifer's writing career is clearly going great, she...
2024-04-0123 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Antonia Angress: What’s coming up]: “I aspire to get to a place where I can be a hermit and let my work stand on its own”In this final part of my interview with Antonia Angress, author of "Sirens & Muses," we peek at what’s coming around the bend for her and I get her answers to my fast five questions.We talked about:- The novels about motherhood Antonia is reading to prepare for when her baby is born- The pressure on young women authors to be likable, available, and approachable- The two writers Antonia looks to for inspiration on being successful while “resisting the machinations of publicity that can devour you”- Gett...
2024-03-2916 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Antonia Angress, inner stuff]: Throwing away the work that isn’t working + adapting to the public speaking side of being a writerIn this episode I'm talking with Antonia 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 part of the writing process that Antonia relishes- The specific point in the book-writing process where Antonia focuses on making her sentences pretty- How she only kept “a few paragraphs” from the first draft of her second novel (!!)- Adapting to the public speaking portion of being a writer- The thing her graduate school...
2024-03-2719 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Antonia Angress, Practical Matters]: The self-doubt that never goes away, and how to keep writing despite itThis week I am talking to writer Antonia Angress. Antonia is the author of "Sirens & Muses," which starts off as a campus novel set at a New England art school, but then blooms into an exploration of the intersection of home and belonging versus individualism and seeking to stand out, set in the New York City art scene during the Occupy Wall Street era."Sirens & Muses" was named one of the best books of the year by Glamour Magazine and won the Minnesota Book Award, and Antonia was recently named one of the NEA's 2024 Creative Writing Fellows...
2024-03-2521 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Daisy Alpert Florin, what’s coming up]: “I really do feel that having done the work of raising kids that now really anything is possible for me.”In this final part of my interview with Daisy Alpert Florin, author of My Last Innocent Year, we peek at what’s coming around the bend for her and I get her answers to my fast five questions.We talked about:The mega pop star who makes Daisy “want to get back to the page”Daisy’s role models who show her how to “just keep getting up and keep going”The benefits of being a mom to teenagersThe song by said mega pop star that gets Daisy riled up (in...
2024-03-2214 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Daisy Alpert Florin, inner stuff]: “Cloaking yourself” in fiction + getting over the idea that you don’t have the right pedigreeIn today’s portion of my interview with Daisy Alpert Florin, author of My Last Innocent Year, we talk about the mindset side of creating. (Honestly, these are always my favorite episodes!)We covered:How you can “cloak” your story by writing fiction–incorporating the feelings of things you’ve experienced if not the exact experiences themselvesWorrying that people are sick of hearing you talkGetting over the voice that says “you don’t have the proper training to write a novel”What’s on the inspirational Post-It note that Daisy ke...
2024-03-2021 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Daisy Alpert Florin, practical matters]: “Writing in to the abyss,” setting “super low goals” + finding your rhythmDaisy 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 exci...
2024-03-1818 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Nada Samih-Rotondo, part 3]: The joy of going down a research wormhole, a preview of her second memoir ) + matcha latte mustachesA 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 talesThe joy of going down a research wormholeNada’s current wormholes–turtle migration, and early African-American history in Rhode IslandGetting over the very human desire for external validationNada’s beautiful vision of a free PalestineThe YA novels Nada can’t put downOat milk matcha lattes (and why...
2024-03-1520 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Nada Samih-Rotondo, part 2]: Reader feedback as creative rocketfuel, being the only Arab-American kid around + astrology talk!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 partThe type of reader feedback that fills her heart and lights her up and fuels her to createFeeling out of step with the world–and being OK with thatBeing the only Arab kid around in the 90sNada’s plea...
2024-03-1318 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Nada Samih-Rotondo, part 1]: Writing by feeling vs. knowing, pandemic productivity + the importance of getting out of the houseNada 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...
2024-03-1119 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Chelsey Goodan, part 3: Owning your weird self as a way to find your people and your path]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 inspiredWhat teens AND adults can do to find their people and make meaningful friendshipsThe payoff that comes from paying attention to what in your life needs to changeUsing a milestone birthday–even one that’s a ways off–as fuel
2024-03-0815 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Chelsey Goodan, part 2: Balancing ambition with knowing you’re already enough + a super helpful skill-assessment tool]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 makeHow Chelsey deals with her biggest fear about her work–being misunderstoodDealing with a perfectionistic inner criticChelsey’s “intense” relationship to timeThe one cultural belief Chesley would like to vaporizeThe truth that Che...
2024-03-0616 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Chelsey Goodan], part 1: What teens really need from adults + keeping track of inspired ideas + the most delightful way to meditateThis 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 yearsChelsey’s recipe...
2024-03-0419 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Minda Honey, Part 3]: Embracing the strengths of being a Black writer + braided essays + MANY awesome book and music recsIn this final installment of my talk with author and essayist Minda Honey, we cover:The insights–on double consciousness, omniscience, and overlapping timelines–she got at a recent conferenceHow Andre 3000’s new flute album is cracking open possibilities in her mindThe concept of a braided essay, and how it’s like making a charcuterie boardThe book Minda could not put down (and that made her cry)For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Big than...
2024-02-2324 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Minda Honey, Part 2]: Avoiding “self-exploitation” + countering the voices, external and internal, that criticize your workIn part 2 of my interview with essayist and author of the memoir The Heartbreak Years, Minda Honey, we really break down the inner parts of writing, including how to stay focused on the impact your work is having when all some people want to do is complain.Other things we cover:How an earlier school of personal essays bordered into too personal, or what Minda referred to as “self-exploitation”, and how to make sure you’re not doing that in your own personal writingHow even when you tell people what your book is abo...
2024-02-2118 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Minda Honey, Part 1]: Answering the call to write + the right beverages are everythingMinda Honey is the author of The Heartbreak Years, a hilarious and intimate memoir of a Black woman finding who she is and who she wants to be, one bad date at a time.Minda's essays on politics and relationships have appeared in all kinds of amazing places, including Harper's Bazaar, the Los Angeles Review of Books, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Teen Vogue, and Longreads. She is also the editor of Black Joy at Reckon, an online outlet where she also helms a newsletter that has nearly 60,000 subscribers.Honestly there were SO MANY quotes...
2024-02-1919 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Jodie Noel Vinson, Part 3]: Saying your big dreams out loud + so many awesome reading recommendationsIn this final installment of my interview with Jodie Noel Vinson, she spills the deets on her favorite writers and books and how- Inspiring figures from history who were chronically ill, including Florence Nightengale and Charles Darwin–lightbulb moment!- I gush about the memoir Easy Beauty, by Chloe Cooper Jones–one of my top reads of 2022 (now available in paperback!)- The essayists Jodie can’t get enough of- Jodie also admits the musical megastar who rose to fame in the 80s that she didn’t really experience until 20...
2024-02-1618 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Jodie Noel Vinson, Part 2]: Claiming the title "writer" + acknowledging your privilegeIn part 2 of my interview with essayist Jodie Noel Vinson, we talk about the squishier side of doing creative work, including:- How no one wants to claim the term “writer”, and what Jodie has to say about that.- How turning 30 was a bigger deal for Jodie than turning 40 (which she recently did)- Why Jodie reads Proust over and and over, and it’s not snobby- A heartfelt rant on how we talk and think about health as a society- Gleaning insights from difficult experiences, and ke...
2024-02-1417 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Jodie Noel Vinson, Part 1]: Saving time to stare at the sky + turning challenges into musesJodie Noel Vinson is an essayist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Harvard Review, Literary Hub, and Ploughshares. Her essays have received honorable mention in the annual Best American Essay anthologies, and she's won multiple awards and residencies, including the Susan Adefat Prize for Creative Nonfiction from Arts and Letters and the Maureen Egan Writers Exchange Award from Poets and Writers. Jodi lives in Providence, where she's also the program director at Lit Arts RI, a co-working space and so much more for the Rhode Island creative community. Fun fact: Jodie taught the Podcasting 101 class that...
2024-02-1217 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Thinking Straight]: 3 Ways to Get Clarity on What’s Troubling YouThis one’s for all you verbal processors–people who have to talk about something in order to figure out what you really think about it (raising my own hand here). There’s just something about how you say stuff to another person that can come straight off the truth, like a wind that comes down a mountain. You’re not overthinking, you’re just talking and boom, there it is. Today I’m sharing three ways to get your verbal processing fix–one free, two that you pay for. For those times you need help thinking clearly, you’ve...
2023-12-0116 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Life Clarity]: 3 Ways to Get Perspective on Your ProblemsThere’s just something about how you say stuff to another person that can come straight off the truth, like a wind that comes down a mountain. You’re not overthinking, you’re just talking and boom, there it is. Sometimes honestly I don’t really know what I think about something until I talk to someone about it. I’m a big believer in verbal processing. Today I’m sharing 3 ways to get your verbal processing fix–one free, two that you pay for. For those times you need help thinking clearly, you’ve always got these t...
2023-06-2815 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Things to Stop Doing]: 3 Tricks to Stop Blowing off Your Self-CareToday’s thing to stop doing, is blowing off your self-care, whatever that may be–going to bed at a decent time, getting some movement during the day, or calling your friend and having a mutual venting session.I can just hear you thinking, Kate, you say this week is about doing less but it sounds like today you’re telling me to do more. But really this is about stopping resisting your inspirations around taking better care of yourself. Which frees up a whole bunch of energy–energy you can put into doing those things th...
2023-02-2412 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Rest]: How Can I Be OK with Not Being Productive?This week I’m talking about rest. Not sleep, per se, but giving yourself what you need so that you can feel restored.And today I’m answering a question from a listener named Libby, who writes:“I’m having a hard time relaxing lately. It’s not necessarily that I’m stressed, it’s just that I find that I’m rarely doing nothing. I’m trying to be efficient with my time because there’s always so much to do, but it almost feels like a compulsion–to try to cross one more thing off my list. How...
2023-01-3013 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Thinking Straight]: 3 Options for Talking Through Your ChallengesThere’s just something about how you say stuff to another person that can come straight off the truth, like a wind that comes down a mountain. You’re not overthinking, you’re just talking and boom, there it is. Sometimes honestly I don’t really know what I think about something until I talk to someone about it. I’m a big believer in verbal processing. Today I’m sharing 3 ways to get your verbal processing fix–one free, two that you pay for. For those times you need help thinking clearly, you’ve always got these t...
2022-11-0414 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Time]: How Can I Stop Frittering Away a Whole Day?We’ve all been there–we had the whole day open to do as we pleased, and we had all these things we wanted to get done, but by the time 5 oclock rolls around, we haven’t done squat. Today’s episode is about how to avoid frittering away the day. And today’s episode is inspired by a listener question. Hooray!If you have a question or quandary you’d like me to address on a future episode, email me at kate@katehanley.com. Bonus points for recording a voice memo and attaching it t...
2022-09-2313 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Breakfast]: Grab-and-Go Breakfast #4: Eggs on WheelsOne criteria I had for this week’s grab-and-go breakfasts is that they do not involve dirtying a pan during the morning hustle. Which rules out eggs, right? Wrong. This is a cooking method for ‘fried’ eggs popularized by Mark Bittman that is going to crack breakfast wide open (I could not resist the pun). Charity, whom I interviewed two episodes, has another mind-bending no-pan-dirtying way to cook eggs in the morning, so if you’re an egg lover, go listen to that episode, too. What’s your favorite easy/tasty/healthy breakfast? Tell me at kate@kate...
2022-09-0212 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Breakfast]: Grab-and-Go Breakfast #3: Portable ParfaitsYou probably are already aware of parfaits as a breakfast option. But did you know that you can pack them to go??? I’ve got a story, plus how to make them delicious without being a total sugar bomb, as, let’s face it, most parfaits are. What’s your favorite easy/tasty/healthy breakfast? Tell me at kate@katehanley.com and I’ll share it on a future episode!This episode sponsored by:Zapier.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-09-0112 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Breakfast]: No-Drama Family BreakfastsMornings are hectic. People are grumpy. And there’s breakfast to be had. Today I’m interviewing Charity Mathews of Foodlets.com and author of numerous cookbooks for kids about her best tips for making breakfast drama-free. (She shares a recipe that involves the microwave that blew my mind.)Charity’s websiteFoodlets on InstagramFoodlets on FacebookFoodlets on PinterestThe Foodlets YouTube channelCharity’s booksWhat’s your favorite easy/tasty/healthy breakfast? Tell me at kate@katehanley.com and I’ll share it on...
2022-08-3120 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Breakfast]: Grab-and-Go Breakfast #2: Dead Simple Chia PuddingI admit I discovered chia pudding when I was on the ketogenic diet a few years ago and needed something to fill the dessert void. But chia pudding also makes an awesome breakfast, tastes kind of like rice pudding (and if you’re not into that texture, I’ve got a fix for you), provides heaps of fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids, and keeps you pleasantly full for a few hours.PLUS, did I mention you really just have to stir some stuff together in the same jar that you store it in and eat it out...
2022-08-3011 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Breakfast]: Grab-and-Go Breakfast #1: Overnight OatsMy kids are starting school today. My new highschooler needs to be ready for the bus at 7am (WHY?). And my mind has been whirling on what we can do about making breakfast easier while still providing plenty of fuel for all the thinking and learning and social navigation. I’ve come up with four customizable grab-and-go nutritious and tasty breakfasts throughout this week. Today’s breakfast is overnight oats. I’ve got a foolproof formula, a host of possible toppings, and a couple of tricks to share. What’s your favorite easy/tasty/healthy breakfast...
2022-08-2914 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Mid-year Check-in]: Re-Connect with a Pre-Pandemic FriendIs there someone in particular, or maybe even a group of people you’ve lost touch with in the last couple years? If yes, it makes sense–a global pandemic can really put a damper on your social activities!This week I’m talking about taking stock of where you’re at in general at this point in the pandemic and in the year. And a cool way to do that is to reach out to someone that you’ve lost touch with since the world shut down in early 2020. When the two of you catch...
2022-08-1910 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Mid-year Check-in]: Normalize Longer Response TimesAs we ponder what we want to do differently in the months to come, I’ve got a suggestion that will help us all take our stress levels down. Can we all just be cool with our electronic communications taking a little longer? This is my prayer (and it should help us dial back that screen use that spiraled out of control out of lockdown and, let’s be honest, hasn’t really come back down.)Is there a way to create a little more space around our digital communications that I forgot? Let me kno...
2022-08-1612 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[pod swap]: Bob Ross to the Rescue, from Julie Merica,We all need inspiration in this life and one place I get mine is from my podcast crush–Make Your Damn Bed, a short daily podcast from Chicago-based comedian Julie Merica. Today I’m sharing one of my all-time favorite Make Your Damn Bed episodes, about the healing powers of watching Bob Ross (the groovy 70s artist who had a painting show on PBS for decades). Get ready to feel soothed, inspired, and ready to find a way to work with any jacked up stuff that lands smack dab in the middle of your day.If yo...
2022-08-1210 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[pod swap]: Mise en Place Your Life, from Julie Merica,I’ve got a podcast crush–a show that I love that I think you will too. It’s Make Your Damn Bed, from Chicago-based comedian Julie Merica, who is just a peach of a human–plus, funny!--and who also offers short daily episodes to help you look for the good and bring your best. Today and tomorrow I’m running one of Julie’s episodes in my feed. Today’s is all about creating that wonderful feeling of having your shit together by using a technique from the cooking world–”mise en place,” which is a...
2022-08-1112 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Community]: Finding a Sense of Belonging,Having a sense of community and a feeling of belonging to where you live is so important–both to a life well lived and your overall wellbeing. Yet, at this stage in the pandemic, so many people are at least considering how and even where they want to live after the pandemic. Today I’m talking with Melody Warnick, a journalist who has written two great books on the importance of place–This Is Where You Belong and her brand new book If You Could Live Anywhere. Melody can help you figure out where you’re going to feel a...
2022-08-1022 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Community]: Is Your Light Trespassing on Others?There’s something you might be doing every night without even thinking about it that could be negatively impacting your neighbors, your community, and the environment. It’s flicking a switch and turning an outside light on. Which doesn’t seem like that big a deal, right? But it can have a lot of repercussions that you’ll learn about today. A link to the New York Times article on light trespassing Send me your better person Qs and I’ll answer them on a future episode! kate@beabetterpersonpodcast.comThis episode sponsored by:Za...
2022-08-0915 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Community]: How to Boost Oxytocin, the Hormone of ConnectionFeeling connected to other people feels nice, but can it actually improve your health? Yes it can, and there’s one particular hormone that makes that statement true, and that’s oxytocin, aka the love hormone, which I’m sharing some cool factoids about today, as well as how you can raise it and get the health benefits it brings while ALSO feeling a stronger connection to others. Study showing oxytocin’s links to aging Study that showed that watching an emotional video increased generosity to strangersSend me your better person Qs and I’ll a...
2022-08-0813 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Grab Bag]: What NOT to Do During a Road Rage Incident (Please!)Let’s just say that when you’re just out and about, running errands and minding your business, an angry driver honks at you, yells at you, and flips you off. And, your kid is in the car with you. What do you do? Well, I’ll share what NOT to do in today’s episode, based on a true story! Yep, I’m coming clean on my road rage issues today and sharing a cautionary tale. Send me your better person Qs! Email: kate@beabetterpersonpodcast.comTh...
2022-08-0515 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Grab Bag]: A Mentorship in Messy MotherhoodThis summer I’ve been re-watching the show “Better Things,” with Pamela Adlon, on Hulu, and I I love it for its lessons in reality, and unreality, and how messy motherhood and modern life and also, how despite it all, there are so many moments of truth and beauty. It’s like one of my favorite Dolly Parton sayings, “It’s all wrong but it’s all right.” Pamela Adlon on Fresh AirSend me your better person Qs! Email: kate@beabetterpersonpodcast.comThis episode sponsored...
2022-08-0416 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Grab Bag]: Awesome Summer Reads, MemoirsSummer + reading = two of my most favorite words. Today I’m sharing the 2 memoirs I read in various summery locations that I just capital-L Loved:Easy Beauty, Chloe Cooper JonesPunch Me Up to the Gods, Brian Broome“Fearing For His Life” – Chloe Cooper Jones’ Pulitzer-nominated articleLet’s connect on GoodreadsSend me your better person Qs! Email: kate@beabetterpersonpodcast.comThis episode sponsored by:Zapier.com Learn m...
2022-08-0312 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Grab Bag]: Awesome Summer Reads, NovelsNeed ideas for what to read this summer, whether you’re hitting the beach or just chilling in bed? I’ve got 4 suggestions for you–all ones I read while I was on vacation and loved. Today I’m talking about the two novels I read, one’s romance, one’s YA, both are awesome. You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty, Akweake EmeziThe Falling Girls, Hayley KrischerLet’s connect on GoodreadsSend me your better person Qs! Email: kate@beab...
2022-08-0212 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Grab Bag]: Finding Your Lost Money–A Crazy Story,What if there was money out there somewhere that belonged to you but you didn’t know it was there? Wouldn’t it be cool if there were a search engine where you could type in your name and see if there were any old paychecks that never made their way to you, or a 401K account from your first job that you forgot about, or a refund from a company. Welp, there is! And I have got a nutty story for you about it. Planet Money Escheat showSend me your better person Qs! Email...
2022-08-0116 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Earn More]: Is Your Clutter Valuable? How to Sell the Stuff You Don’t Use, Need, and/or LikeWe all have stuff we don’t use, wear, or even like. We have so much stuff it can’t even fit in our house: 38 percent of all Americans have a self-storage unit. Today we’re talking about how to turn that stuff into cash.Today I’m going to share how you can sell your jewelry, clothes, kids’ stuff, furniture, sporting goods, books, and everything else. Let’s find you some money today!Cashforgoldusa.comPoshmark (use code KATE_HANLEY for a $10 credit)ThredUpKaiyoAptdecoPlay it...
2022-07-0516 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Letting Go]: 2 Key Ingredients for Letting Go of Old Ideas"You've got to let it go." It's something we're told, and say to others, all the time. But it. Ain't. Easy!This week we're talking about how to really let go of all kinds of stuff. Including, today, stale old ideas. Because if being a better person is important to you, better implies change. It means progress. And progress does not come from putting your fingers in your ears and saying 'la la la, I already know everything!'Today’s episode was inspired by a listener named Chris, who DM’d me on Twitter to s...
2022-05-3010 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Re-Imagining Work]: Making Space for Mental Health at the OfficeSomething so very many of us has experienced during this pandemic is challenges to mental health. And in general, we've gotten a lot more open about sharing our mental health struggles with others. How does this impact our work lives? How can we make space for mental health while still taking care of business? Let's talk about it.I also answer a question from listener Nina. If you have questions you'd like me to address in a future episode, email me at kate at katehanley dot com. Learn more about your ad choices...
2022-02-1510 minFinding the Throughline with Kate Hanley[Let's Talk About Drinking, Again]: What's the Deal with Women and Alcohol?In this re-airing of an interview I did with Sarah Kate of Some Good Clean Fun, we explore why alcohol is so heavily marketed to women, why drinking less is a rebellious choice in our society, and why alcohol is a feminist issue. Don't worry, we don't get strident. :) It's just that, you think AA and you think schlubby dudes in a basement. Just like with medical care, women have their own unique experience of alcohol and it's time we talked about it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-01-2525 min
Finding the Throughline with Kate HanleyHow to Figure Out What the Heck to Have for DinnerLet’s be honest, figuring out what to eat can also be overwhelming. So today, I’m interviewing Kate Schulz, co-host of the Dinner Sisters podcast, for her tips on how to figure out what the heck to have for dinner. Kate is a home cook through and through with no professional chef experience or training, so she can definitely relate to that feeling of having no idea of what to make for dinner and of being turned off by complicated recipes. I’m excited to get insights on how to make cooking less stressf Learn...
2021-09-0820 min
Finding the Throughline with Kate HanleyWhy Drinking Less Is a Rebellious Choice for WomenToday I'm talking with Sarah Kate, founder of the website Some Good Clean Fun and advocate for breaking free from mommy wine culture, about how simply deciding to drink less can be difficult, why it's something worth serious consideration, and what's possible on the other side. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2021-07-0724 min