Virginia Hume on becoming an author mid-career: identity, place and the stories we inherit

SHOW NOTES EPISODE 364GUEST: Virginia HumeTITLE: Virginia Hume on Becoming an Author Mid-Career: Identity, Place, and the Stories We InheritEpisode Summary:USA Today bestselling author Virginia Hume joins Laura Cox Kaplan on the She Said/She Said Podcast to talk about mid-career reinvention, the nine-year side hustle that transformed her into a novelist, and the powerful difference between what we're trying to do and what we're trying to be. Her debut novel Haven Point, and her brand-new book Liberty Island (St. Martin's Press, May 5, 2026) are sweeping multigenerational stories about identity, place, family, and the women who shape us across generations.Why You'll Love This Episode:If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to start something new and whether the chapter you're writing in your head will ever make it onto the page, this conversation will stay with you. Virginia is proof that every season of your life is building toward what comes next. Her path from political PR to corporate communications to college essay consultant to bestselling novelist is a real-time illustration of Experience Equity™, the idea that everything you've already lived, learned, and survived is exactly what makes your next chapter possible.This episode is for you if you're navigating a mid-career pivot, sitting with a creative dream you haven't told anyone about, or simply need a reminder that the work itself (not the title and not the outcome) is where the magic truly lives.What You'll Take Away:Why Virginia kept Haven Point a near-secret for nine years, and the science of "social reward" that explains why talking about your dream can quietly drain itThe mindset shift that lets you write, build, or create without ego so that you can focus on what you're trying to do instead of who you're trying to beHow to recognize when one chapter of your career is quietly preparing you for the nextWhat Virginia means by "give without counting the time", and why this single phrase may change how you approach any meaningful projectHow writing about misunderstood mothers, inherited silences, and the love of community gave Virginia a deeper understanding of her own storyAbout Virginia Hume:Virginia Hume is the USA Today bestselling author of Haven Point (St. Martin's Press, 2021) and Liberty Island (St. Martin's Press, May 5, 2026). A Vanderbilt graduate, she spent more than two decades in political and corporate communications before turning mid-career to fiction. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area. Books & Links:Haven Point by Virginia HumeLiberty Island by Virginia Hume, releases May 5, 2026Connect With Laura & She Said/She Said:Website: LauraCoxKaplan.com Instagram: @lauracoxkaplanLinkedIn: @LauraCoxKaplanEmail: [email protected] Discounts: Shop exclusive She Said/She Said offers at https://MyDeals.Page/1w7d with promo code SHESAID at checkout.Loved this episode? Please leave a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you listen — it helps more women find conversations like this one.She Said/She Said Podcast is a weekly production of She Said/She Said Media