Dolan Perkins Valdez, multiple award-winning author of “Wench,” “Bomb,” and “Take My Hand.” Her newest book, “Happyland,” is inspired by the true story of a secret community of formerly enslaved people in Appalachia.
In this episode, we get into the nitty gritty of the ideas, thought processes, and beliefs that fuel her work, including:
The part of writing a novel that can make her feel like “the book is taking years off my life”
The surprising number of drafts it takes to get to a publishable manuscript
How to elicit feedback that is actually helpful from early readers
Identifying your “good readers”
The research habit that can bite her in the butt
The part of the writing process where her writerly demons tend to pop up the most
Building your day around when your brain is at its best
Why she writes every book as if it’s her last
Why she views all writing as political
Writing what’s in your heart, not what you think will sell
The question she asks herself when she’s writing things that scare her
Connect with Dolen on Instagram @dolenperkinsvaldez
For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.
Thank you for listening!
And thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value).

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