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
- The writing conference that was her first glimpse of what it’s like to be “a writer”
- Her rough introduction to the politics of publishing
- How she makes money
- How her day-to-day experiences make their way into her writing
- When your morning routine is not your own (Elisa is the mom of 2-1/2 year old twins)
- Why she reads a poem before she starts writing–and which poets she typically reads
Connect with Elisa at @elfaison on Instagram or at elisafaison.com.
For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.
Thank you for listening!

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