In this episode of Imposter Hour, hosts Liz Keenan and Greg Wands sit down with author and former academic Lauren Nossett, whose novels The Professor and The Resemblance explore mental health, power dynamics, and identity within the framework of compelling thrillers.

Lauren discusses her transition from academia to fiction, the prevalence of imposter syndrome among both creatives and academics, and how writing became a space to process and interrogate societal expectations. They talk about the responsibility of writers to reflect real-world issues, the emotional weight characters can carry, and the ways thrillers can hold literary depth while remaining accessible.

The episode also touches on Lauren’s writing process, the joy of embedding literary references in her work, and her excitement for her next novel. Whether you’re a reader, writer, or both, this is a conversation about voice, community, and the art of telling meaningful stories within genre constraints.

In this episode of Imposter Hour, hosts Liz Keenan and Greg Wands welcome self-published thriller author Dan Lawton to discuss his latest novel, The Two of Us, and the emotional realities of long-haul creativity.

Dan shares what it’s like to write through imposter syndrome, how his personal experiences influence his characters, and why writing from multiple perspectives continues to challenge and excite him. As a self-published author of eleven novels, Dan reflects on the freedom, discipline, and perseverance it takes to build a career outside the traditional system.

They also explore the difficulty of finding fresh ideas in a saturated genre, the role of empathy in storytelling, and how emotional state can shape narrative. Dan offers advice to aspiring authors, emphasizes the importance of reader feedback, and talks about the balance between writing for yourself and writing for your audience.

A generous and insightful episode about resilience, authenticity, and staying in love with the work.

In this episode of Imposter Hour, hosts Liz and Greg sit down with Nishita Parekh, a former software programmer turned debut novelist, to talk about her atmospheric locked-room mystery, The Night of the Storm.

Nishita shares her journey from coding to storytelling, opening up about the inspiration behind her novel, the layered family dynamics at its core, and how her Indian heritage informs both character and theme. The conversation explores the cultural complexities of immigration, marriage, and gender disparity in Indian society, as well as the emotional terrain of motherhood and societal expectation.

She also gets candid about navigating imposter syndrome as a new author, the vulnerability of Goodreads, and the often conflicting demands of introversion and promotion. Together, they dive into lessons from tech and fiction alike—pacing, process, and the chaos of creation—and the importance of community, cultural insight, and honoring single mothers in her work.

A rich and resonant conversation for anyone chasing creativity in a noisy world.