The Not-So-Secret Writing Life: Second Careers & Secret Societies with Karen Winn (E193)
In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Karen Winn. Karen is the author of two novels: The Society (Dutton, 2026), and Our Little World (Dutton, 2022). She earned her MFA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. For her undergraduate studies she attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she may or may not have belonged to a secret society.
Writing is her first love and second career; she worked as a nurse for many years. Karen lives in the charming Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston with her husband, two children, and their 100-pound Bernedoodle.
Karen and I chatted about all this things - including switching careers and how her nursing skill set translated into her novel writing. Her book flight includes books about secret society and outsider protagnoists who get access.
Episode Highlights:
Transitioning from nursing to fiction writing—and navigating a second career.
How medical training shapes character development and emotional realism.
Writing as a “secret identity” before stepping fully into the role of author.
The influence of place and setting, especially Boston’s Beacon Hill, on creativity.
Exploring secret societies in fiction.
Outsider protagonists who suddenly gain access to hidden worlds.
Connect with Karen:
Show Notes
Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.
Books and authors mentioned in the episode:
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
The Found Object Society by Michelle Maryk
Book Flight
The Cloisters by Katy Hays
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The 2026 Bookish Flights Reading Challenge is here—a simple, nostalgic way to be intentional with your reading. One book per month, with options for individuals and families. Download it at https://www.bookishflights.com/read/2026readingchallenge
