North of Normal with Amanda McKeen Marks One Year of Real Conversations in the North Country

A weekly radio show built on listening, where unscripted conversations reveal the people behind the names across Northern New Hampshire

LITTLETON, NH, UNITED STATES, May 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Over the past year, a weekly radio show in Littleton has built a following by doing something simple.

It listens.

North of Normal with Amanda McKeen marks its one-year anniversary this June on North Country Community Radio, 99.9 FM in Littleton. The show airs live every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and is available afterward as a podcast.

The show features long-form, one-on-one conversations that run sometimes beyond an hour, giving guests time to tell the parts of their story that are rarely heard.

From the beginning, the format has remained unchanged. Conversations are unscripted. Guests are invited, not booked. The focus is not on promotion, but on understanding.

“It’s not about what someone does for work,” McKeen said. “It’s about who they are, how they got here, and what’s shaped them along the way.”

That approach didn’t come out of nowhere.

In a December episode where McKeen turned the microphone on herself—answering questions in an unscripted interview—she spoke about the experiences that shaped how she shows up today.

She described growing up in rural Maine before moving, as a teenager, to Central and South America, where unfamiliar environments and constant uncertainty began to reshape how she saw the world.

“There was this underlying message that kept getting reinforced,” she said. “You’re unsafe.”

That sense stayed with her for years, influencing how she connected with people and how she moved through the world.

It wasn’t until she arrived in New Hampshire—after a series of personal challenges—that something shifted.

“I realized I was no longer unsafe,” she said. “I was protected… and I was free.”

That shift, she said, changed how she related to others.

“When you feel unsafe, you don’t want to talk to people,” McKeen said. “You just want to hide.”

The show, in many ways, grew out of that understanding.

Over the past year, North of Normal has created a safe space where conversations unfold without pressure or expectation—something McKeen said can be difficult to find, especially in public settings.

Over the past year, those conversations have ranged across the North Country, from journalist Mike Dickerman and Theatre UP’s Lynne Grigelevich to NH Fish & Game’s Lt. Mark Ober, local business owners like Barbara Emmons and Ron Lahout, and students from the Lisbon Regional High School Broadcasting Class.

Some guests are widely known. Others are not.

In one episode, journalist Mike Dickerman shared a story from his early days working security at the Mount Washington Hotel, recalling an encounter with bats that has since become a favorite among listeners.

In another, business owner Barbara Emmons spoke about her experience adopting her son, a conversation that led to an outpouring of support from listeners in the days that followed.

More recently, a conversation with outdoorsman Neal Brodien touched on decades of experience in the White Mountains, including early search and rescue efforts and the decisions that can determine whether someone makes it out of the woods.

“It wasn’t one mistake,” he said of a rescue on Mount Washington. “It was a number of cascading mistakes that he made, starting in his living room.”

Listeners have taken notice.

“I have been binge listening through the episodes. I am hooked,” one listener wrote.

The same listener described Amanda’s style as someone who “doesn’t get in the way of her guests’ story,” adding that she “riffs off them like a good jazz player.”

They went on to describe the experience of listening to multiple episodes in sequence.

“I’m left with a feeling of connection,” they wrote. “The show becomes far more than just about the North Country… you come away with a wide array of humanity.”

Others have said the same, more simply.

“It was awesome to hear Neal’s voice and stories. I love your show,” another listener shared. “Keep doing what you’re doing.”

Guests are not asked to promote their work. In many cases, those topics do not come up at all. Conversations move through personal history, challenges, and perspective.

“I’m not trying to pull anything out of people,” McKeen said. “If someone feels comfortable enough to share their story, that’s theirs to offer. My job is just to meet them there and listen.”

Many listeners discover the show through word of mouth. Others come across it through online search or shared episodes, often finding someone they recognize and staying for the conversation.

McKeen sees that as part of a larger shift.

She is also the founder of Clear View Advantage, a Littleton-based business that helps organizations make sure what people see online reflects the work they’re doing in real life.

“The stories have always been here,” she said. “What’s changing is where people are finding them.”

As North of Normal enters its second year, there are no plans to change the format.

Guests will continue to be invited through personal connections and recommendations, often beginning with a simple introduction or a conversation over coffee.

The focus will remain the same.

Give people space to share.

And see what unfolds.

Past episodes are available at www.clearviewadvantage.com/podcast. The show continues to air live Tuesdays at 10 a.m. on North Country Community Radio.

About North of Normal

North of Normal with Amanda McKeen is a weekly radio show broadcast on North Country Community Radio, 99.9 FM in Littleton, NH. The show features long-form, unscripted conversations with local business owners, community members, and leaders across the North Country.

Amanda McKeen
Clear View Advantage LLC
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