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Page One Podcast

Holly Lynn Payne

Master storytellers discuss the stories and struggles that go into writing the first page of their books. Why? Because the first page is often the most re-written page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—HOOK YOU. Learn how the most talented writers work their magic with host, novelist and writing coach, Holly Lynn Payne.

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20 episodes
monthly
Avg 47 min
English

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#65
September 24 · 48 min
EP 65: OPEN THE FLOOD GATES_NINA SCHUYLER
In EP. 65, host Holly Lynn Payne welcomes award-winning Bay Area author Nina Schuyler back to The Page One podcast to discuss Schuyler’s fifth novel, Open the Floodgates, inspired by real-world laws granting personhood to rivers. Schuyler discusses her choice to make the river a point-of-view character and to visually shape the text so it sways across the page to mimic water’s movement and the river’s disorientation with “clock time” and court. They explore the legal and psychological shift from
#64
August 14 · 58 min
EP 64: FREYJA_Margret Ann Thors
In EP. 64, I interview Icelandic author Margaret Ann Thors about her gripping debut thriller, FREYJA, set in Reykjavik and steeped in Icelandic folklore. Thors explains how the novel evolved through multiple iterations—from an early draft centered on a male protagonist shaped by her near-death experience (a 2010 stroke caused by a hole in her heart from birth) to a version unlocked by motherhood and a willingness to blend literary prose with suspense. We dig deep into using skepticism within the
#63
July 17 · 47 min
EP 63: The Forest Becomes Her_Julie Carrick Dalton
In EPISODE 63, I interview author Julie Carrick Dalton about her latest book, The Forest Becomes Her. I love this episode as it captures an uncommon conversation in traditional publishing about working collaboratively with both agent and editor. I rarely hear authors discuss how much they love the input of their publishing team, and that winning combination for Julie Carrick Dalton resulted in a wise decision to use three points of view in her latest novel.. Julie shares openly about revising ne
#62
June 28 · 59 min
EP. 62 Go As A River_Shelley Read
In Episode 62, we rebroadcast what was Episode 23, an interview with Shelley Read about her breathtaking and captivating debut novel, GO AS A RIVER, published by Spiegel and Grau which was a international bestseller and has sold in 43 countries, and once compared to Delia Owen’s best selling debut novel, Where The Crawdad’s Sing. GO AS A RIVER was chosen as a March Indie Next Pick, an Apple Books Most Anticipated Book of 2023, a Barnes & Noble Most Anticipated Books of March, Buzz Books Editors
#61
May 29 · 55 min
EP 61: MOTHERS OF MAGIC_PERDITA FINN
In Ep. 61, host Holly Lynn Payne welcomes returning Page One guest Perdita Finn to discuss her new book, Mothers of Magic: Summoning the Wisdom of Our Ancestors. Finn explains she wanted the opening to make readers feel safe by redefining “mother” beyond modern, commercialized, patriarchal limits, emphasizing mothering as communal and inclusive of all genders, rooted in ancient meanings and pantheons of maternal figures. She connects mothers/daughters reconciliation to historical trauma, includi
#60
April 28 · 49 min
EP 60: A KILLING IN CANNABIS
In EP 60 of The Page One Podcast, Holly Lynn Payne talks with investigative journalist Scott Eden about his latest book, A Killing in Cannabis, the riveting story of Silicon Valley entrepreneur Tushar Atre’s murder and the entwined legal and illicit cannabis economies in Santa Cruz, California. Eden reveals his inspired opening—to lead readers through the science of getting high through the point of view of cannabinoid receptors, a decision inspired after reading David Grann’s Killers of the Flo
#59
March 20 · 50 min
EP 59: Shamergence_Rob Somers
In EP 59 of the Page One Podcast, Host Holly Lynn Payne welcomes debut author and Peruvian-trained Shaman, Rob Somers, to discuss his book SHAMERGENCE, framed by his stage-four cancer diagnosis, miraculous survival, and a call to service centered on rebalancing divine feminine and masculine energies for personal and planetary healing. Somers explains these energies as elemental forces—masculine as logos, logic and doing; feminine as eros, love, wisdom and the collective compass—and warns of cult
#58
February 27 · 47 min
EP 58: Happiness Collector_Crystal_King
Ep. 58 of the Page One Podcast. Crystal King on The Happiness Collector: Flow, Daily Practice, and Authors Helping Authors. Host Holly Payne welcomes novelist Crystal King back to the Page One podcast to discuss craft, momentum, and community while exploring King’s latest fantasy novel, The Happiness Collector. They talk about staying in creative “flow,” why long pauses can be damaging, and how a steady, repeatable writing practice—often a dedicated hour a day—keeps ideas and productivity moving
#57
January 30 · 45 min
EP. 57: Canticle_Janet_Rich_Edwards
In episode 57 of the Page One Podcast, Janet Rich Edwards, a Harvard professor of epidemiology, discusses her debut novel, CANTICLE, a work of historical fiction that explores the 13th-century world of the Beguines and one young woman’s journey of faith. Janet shares her unique transition from being a scientist to a novelist, driven by a profound curiosity inspired by the stories of medieval mystics. She delves into the importance of revision, the invaluable insights from her editors and how a
#56
Dec 3, 2025 · 43 min
EP. 56: ALWAYS NOVEMBER
How do you tell a story about the unimaginable loss of a child in a mass shooting—with hope? You cultivate a heart and an outlook like Arik Housley. In Ep. 56, we dive into a poignant and timely conversation with entrepreneur and public speaker Arik Housley about his debut memoir, Always November: Lessons in Loss, Love, and Resilience. Arik speaks with unflinching honesty about his journey facing the page for the first time to capture his journey of losing his 18-year-old daughter, Alaina, in a
#55
Oct 31, 2025 · 47 min
EP. 55: TAKE BACK THE MAGIC
Happy Halloween, everyone! In Ep. 55, we unlock the mysteries of the spirit world with bestselling author, Perdita Finn, a spiritual teacher, and co-founder of the Way of the Rose, based on the book she co-authored with her husband Clarke Strand and discussed on Ep. 49. Perdita is back for another riveting conversation to discuss her latest book, Take Back The Magic: Conversations with The Unseen World, which delves into the often unseen spiritual connections with ancestors. Finn shares person
#54
Aug 8, 2025 · 29 min
Ep. 54: POP1_Plainsong
In Ep: 54 of the Page One Podcast co-hosts and award-winning authors Holly Lynn Payne and Nina Schuyler analyze the first page of the national bestseller, Plainsong, by Kent Haruf, which was a National Book Award Finalist. This episode is part of a special monthly series called Pop One Pick-of-The-Month, where Holly and Nina dive deep into Haruf’s mastery of rhythm, grammar, and poignant imagery to set the stage for the novel's narrative. The episode offers listeners insights into Haruf's stylis
#53
Jun 30, 2025 · 53 min
Ep. 53 Break the Frame: Kevin Smokler
In episode 53 of The Page One Podcast, host Holly Lynn Payne sits down with longtime friend, fellow author, and creative force Kevin Smokler to explore the heart and soul behind his latest book, Break the Frame: Conversations with Women Filmmakers, an historic archive of intimate, unfiltered, and often revolutionary conversations with the most successful American women behind the camera—24 filmmakers whose names you may or may not know yet, but whose work has shaped our culture. So why is a man
#52
Jun 6, 2025 · 39 min
Ep. 52 Chouette: Claire Oshetsky
In Ep: 52 of the Page One Podcast, host Holly Lynn Payne teams up with award-winning author Nina Schuyler to analyze the first page of Chouette by Claire Oshetsky for the monthly 'Pop One Pick of the Month' segment. Holly and Nina break down the opening page of the novel, focusing on the sentence structure, rhythm, and thematic elements of the text. The discussion delves into the techniques Oshetsky uses to hook the reader, such as magical realism, suspension of disbelief, sentence variety, and
#51
May 17, 2025 · 54 min
Ep. 51 Shadow Summit: Jon Chandonnet
In episode 51 of The Page One Podcast we get to hear a moving conversation about healing and transformation with beloved life coach Jon Chandonnet, author of Shadow Summit: A Journey from M.S. to The Other Side of Impossible and founder of VibrantU Academy. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 27, Jon initially ignored his condition, pushing himself to extremes. After his health declined, he embarked on an odyssey to understand life's essential elements, leading him to create a wellbe
#50
May 3, 2025 · 35 min
Ep. 50 POP1 Pick: The Roundhouse
In this special episode 50 of the Page One Podcast—a POP1 (Power of Page One) pick of the month, host Holly Payne and guest Nina Schuyler analyze the first page of Louise Erdrich's novel, The Roundhouse, winner of the National Book Award. The discussion explores the intricate details in the opening passage, such as the symbolic imagery, the interplay of strength and vulnerability, and the subtle yet powerful language used by Erdrich. Payne and Schuyler delve into the foreshadowing elements and t
#49
Apr 20, 2025 · 55 min
Ep. 49: The Way of The Rose_Clark Strand & Perdita Finn
In Episode 49, we interview Clark Strand and Perdita Finn, the husband and wife co-founders of the non-denominational international fellowship The Way of the Rose, inspired by their book The Way of the Rose: The Radical Path of the Divine Feminine Hidden in the Rosary. I was blown away when I read this book, which explores their journey from divergent spiritual backgrounds towards discovering the rosary's transformative power—catalyzed by their daughter’s undiagnosed health issue. After exhausti
#48
Mar 22, 2025 · 44 min
Ep. 48: BEARTOOTH_CALLAN WINK
In Ep. 48, Callan Wink shares his candid experience “cutting out the boring parts” and expanding his short story into the acclaimed, Beartooth, a tightly written heist thriller, compared to Hemmingway and Cormac McCarthy. Wink discusses how his life is divided into two seasons: writing season and fly fishing. As a fly-fishing guide and surfer, Wink shares his unique perspective on the tricks he’s developed to write. Getting into his chair to write is the hardest task of his day and he prefers ph
#47
Mar 15, 2025 · 37 min
Ep. 47: POP1__ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE
In this special episode 47 of The Page One Podcast, host Holly Payne, accompanied by acclaimed author Nina Schuyler, delves into the meticulous craft behind the first page of Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, All the Light We Cannot See. They explore how Doerr's writing hooks readers through precise language, rhythmic prose, and active verbs. Schuyler highlights the skillful use of suspense, detailed imagery, and musicality in the prose, illustrating why this is one of the best demon
#46
Jan 30, 2025 · 51 min
Ep. 46: Lissa Soep - OTHER PEOPLE'S WORDS
In Episode 46 of the Page One Podcast, we interview author Lissa Soep about what it took to write OTHER PEOPLE’S WORDS and discuss language, loss, and the voices that shape us long after people are gone. If you’ve ever kept an old voicemail just to hear someone’s voice again, or a series of text messages from someone no longer in your life, this episode is for you! Lissa’s book explores a profound idea: when we lose people, their words don’t disappear. They echo, evolve, and continue shaping our

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