Award-winning novelist Alma Katsu joins Polly to talk about writing across genres, the intersection of real life and fiction, and how her years in intelligence work have shaped her thrillers. Alma shares insights on building tension, creating layered characters, and why writing horror doesn’t always mean blood and gore.

They also discuss what it takes to sustain a long writing career, how to stay curious, and why consistency—not perfection—is what keeps writers improving and publishing.

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