How Do I Find My Calling?
This month’s guest is asked that question a lot. Seems strange, but for Wall Street mover and shaker
turned novelist, Kristine Delano it’s just SOP–standard operating procedure.
Kristine Delano spent over twenty years navigating a career on Wall Street before trading her panoramic city view for her standing writer’s desk. A lifelong fiction lover, she now crafts thriller novels set in the high-stakes finance world, exploring the emotional tension of work-life balance.
Her debut novel, The Lies We Trade is a psychological thriller set in the fast-paced world of Wall Street.
THE STORY: Meredith Hansel is at the pinnacle of her career as a celebrated portfolio manager at a renowned Wall Street firm, lauded for her innovative investment strategies. Yet, just as she steps into the national spotlight, her carefully balanced world threatens to unravel. At home, her marriage teeters on the edge of collapse, and her once-dutiful teenage daughter begins acting out under mysterious, mounting pressures that Meredith desperately tries to understand. The serenity of her personal life shatters further when their home is defaced with unsettling graffiti—a chilling sign that her troubles are more than just professional.
The true stakes become clear when Meredith receives a thumb drive and a cryptic note from a former employee: the drive contains incriminatory data that implicates not only Meredith but also powerful government officials in a massive financial conspiracy. If exposed, the secret could not only destroy Meredith’s reputation but also upend her entire family’s future—and even their lives. As she races to decipher the evidence, Meredith is forced into a high-stakes game that could make her either a scapegoat or a whistleblower.
Wow! Do you see what I mean with Kristine’s debut novel being a page-turner. Since retiring from Wall Street, she has been even more busy.
In pursuit of compelling stories, Kristine hosts the popular podcast We Talk Careers, where she
Kristine signing with Tyndale with not one, but TWO books! Can’t wait for book two!
interviews the voices of Wall Street on leadership, growth, and purpose. She is also a board member, speaker, and strategic advisor for businesses, schools, and parachurch organizations. Her faith fuels her passion for helping women navigate their calling.
Let’s get to know more about Kristine. Do you have any strange writing habits/quirks?
I wake very early when I’m actively writing my draft. I set my alarm for 4:45am and am eagerly at my desk (or on my couch wrapped in a blanket depending on what my characters are going through) at 5am. Excitement bubbles inside me. I write more-or-less nonstop until 8am. I don’t check email or social media. I keep my phone in the other room, only welcoming interruptions from writing buddies. Otherwise, I’m fully engaged.
This only works if I’ve done my all the prep work. If the words aren’t flowing, I know I haven’t done enough. I’m ready to write, if I’ve completed all the character and setting sketches, written my synopsis, crafted a hook, and then mapped out my scenes. As you might imagine, plotting is my favorite part but that does not mean the story doesn’t twist and turn dramatically from where it starts.
What all the pre-writing work means is that I’ve got something exciting to write every day and I get to rough draft in about six weeks. Then the real work of making it into a book begins.
What is one of your favorite quotes from Lies We Trade and why do you love it?
Time is the valued currency of a wise life. Meredith is trying and failing to write a note to her boss. This quote is a line she uses to remind him of the first time they met and why she left her lucrative career and took a gamble at his firm. As she’s writing to him, she wrestles with who to trust and the true meaning of this quote settles in her. We can all chase success, seek attention, and pour our lives into the busyness of this world but time is fleeting.
What does it mean to use the time we are gifted like a currency we wisely spend? When The Lies We Trade begins, Meredith is having both the best and worst day of her career. How she spends her time, who she gives what moment, will determine whether she protects both her job and her family.
What is the best writing tip you have ever received? How was it helpful?
Donald Maas gave me an exercise to list all my characters and then reduce by two. At first it was hard, as I believed each character was essential. But when I did it, I noticed the great advantage: the traits, sub-plots, and complications could remain by weaving them into other characters, enriching the remaining cast. Brilliant. Was it the best writing tip I’ve even gotten? I don’t know, but it has changed not just how many characters I write but how I weave a complex story. Each person earns their right to stay in novel, and they must come armed with intriguing backstory, inner conflict and ultimate stakes.
What do you hope readers know about you and your books? 
The New York Stock Exchange! How about that honor! Ring that bell!
Wall Street is not a usual setting for a thriller or even a novel. I’ve gotten quite a few skeptical responses: “Oh, why would you want to write about that evil place” or “I don’t know anything about finance, I probably wouldn’t understand your book.” I’m excited to bring Wall Street to fiction readers in a way that feels human and accessible. You don’t need to understand finance to understand ambition, fear, loyalty, or the cost of protecting what matters most. The Lies We Trade isn’t about markets or money. It’s about people under pressure. Wall Street simply amplifies the stakes, revealing who we become when success, family, and integrity collide.
My hope is that readers walk away surprised, not just by the twists, but by how familiar the world feels. Beneath the glass and steel are very human struggles, and once you begin reading, Wall Street becomes less intimidating and far more compelling—a place where secrets and courage inevitably collide.
January’s A2A Giveaway!
Yes! Thanks to Kristine and Tyndale Publishing, this month’s giveaway winner will receive a softcover copy of her latest release, The Lies We Trade.
How? Well, by entering! Not just once, but up to SIX times– (see the YouTube interview)!* Leave a comment below and share this blog and if you haven’t already, please subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of this blog and receive a free gift from me — and an extra entry.
NOTE: WANT TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING THIS INCREDIBLE GIVEAWAY?*
Check out my YouTubeA2A interview with Kristine. Because, in the video interview Kristine answers different fun questions–and we have some funny and inspiring discussions!
By Liking and Commenting on the video episode, you will have one more entry.* Sharing the video, another entry.* Subscribe, and you have TWO entries for a chance to win.*
The Deadline is January 15th
Watch our interview–
That means, my friends, if you comment and subscribe -– or are already a subscriber -– to my blog, then watch the video and LIKE, SHARE, and COMMENT on the VIDEO, then Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, your name will be entered SIX TIMES–SEVEN!*
Next month: Janice Cantore is next month’s featured guest. A former San Diego cop, it’s no wonder she is a bestselling and award-winning crime suspense and thriller novelist!
Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed getting to know Kristine–I certainly did! Until February, God bless and KEEP READING!
*So sorry, entries from the contiguous US only.
