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Hank Phillippi Ryan

Oct 24, 2025
2 min read

Episode 327

That little girl in the hayloft always wanted to be a writer.  I’m the poster child for following your dreams in midlife because I didn’t write my first book until I was 55.  -Hank Phillippi Ryan


Imagine a 43-year career as an investigative reporter with 37 EMMYs and 14 Edward R. Murrow awards.  Now imagine a brilliant midlife move, where all that experience manifests itself into writing mystery novels that are nail-biting thrillers.  Welcome to the incredible story of Hank Phillippi Ryan. This queen of invention sat down in my living room with a cup of tea and the willingness to share a story filled with life lessons in bravery, curiosity, imagination, and just plain smarts.  The author of 16 books, her latest is called All This Could Be Yours.  The story follows Tessa Calloway,  a debut author on a book tour, with a stalker who threatens everything she holds dear. Raised in rural Indiana, Hank (real name: Harriet Ann) admits she was a nerdy kid who wanted nothing more than to read her Nancy Drew books up in the hayloft.  A Shakespeare major at Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio, her career has taken her from politics to writing for Rolling Stone Magazine to radio and television, where her news director at WHDH in Boston tapped her as the station’s investigative reporter.  “I’m not the funny one, says Hank.  I hate to be lied to, and I love discovering the truth. Every one of those 37 EMMY awards represents a secret somebody didn’t want me to tell.”   In this interview, she shares wisdom from her mother, and plenty of her own, including:  “Worry is glue under your feet” and “success to me is one good idea a day.”  For 27 minutes on the joy of reinvention, just hit that download button.  #reinvention #mystery #author #television #investigativereporter



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8 Comments


I found Hank Phillippi Ryan’s career change from investigative reporting to mystery writing really inspiring. Starting her first book later in life shows that it is never too late to follow a creative goal. I also liked how her experience searching for truth connects with her stories. Her journey is a good reminder that new beginnings can happen at any stage. Eligible Countries for Russia Visa depend on your nationality, travel purpose, and length of stay. Check Russia’s official e-visa eligibility list and consular guidance for current rules. I can’t verify the attached image’s contents.

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It’s so refreshing to read about Hank Phillippi Ryan starting her first book at 55 after 43 years as an investigative reporter—37 EMMYs and 14 Murrows is wild—and I love that All This Could Be Yours follows a debut author on tour. The hayloft line and the cup of tea made this feel like a real conversation, not just an interview. By the way, I keep a free short haircut style gallery I like to share: https://shorthaircuts.net/

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I enjoyed the story about Hank Phillippi Ryan, especially how her early love of reading eventually led to a completely new chapter in her career. Her experience reminded me of times when I have researched different paths in education, including Medical schools in st kitts and nevis, while thinking about how much planning a major change can require. What stood out most was her willingness to keep learning and reinvent herself, showing that meaningful new beginnings can happen at any stage.

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Hank Phillippi Ryan’s journey highlights the power of reinvention, persistence, and following creative ambitions at any stage of life. Her experiences in journalism and fiction writing, along with insights about Turkey Visa Online Application, provide inspiring lessons about courage, curiosity, determination, and transforming personal passions into meaningful achievements.

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