The Book House Podcast

The Book House Podcast #10: Amanda Casile

In this episode of The Book House podcast, Liz Alterman chats with Amanda Casile [https://www.amandacasile.com/] whose debut novel, Broken Trail [https://camcatbooks.com/Books/B/Broken-Trail], comes out December 9, 2025. Amanda writes speculative horror in both long and short form. Her words have appeared in publications like Quill and Crow, Bag of Bones Press, Hungry Shadow, and Eerie River Press. Amanda lives in the New Jersey suburbs with her husband and two daughters. When she isn’t writing you can often find her wandering the woods looking for ghosts, which is exactly what inspired Broken Trail. In the novel, a young mother finds herself and her children trapped in a forest full of malevolent spirits and must find the strength to outsmart whatever prowls the woods if she wants to return her family to safety. Offering a look at her process, Amanda shared what drew her to the horror genre, where and when she makes time for her craft, and how writing short stories keeps her motivated and inspired between longer projects. For more, listen to the episode or check out Amanda’s website [https://www.amandacasile.com/] or follow her on social media [https://www.instagram.com/bookishduck_author].

The Book House Podcast #9: Michelle Cameron

In this episode, Liz Alterman chats with author and writing instructor Michelle Cameron, whose novel, Napoleon’s Mirage, [https://michelle-cameron.com/napoleons-mirage/] hit bookshelves Nov. 12, 2024. This work of historical fiction is the long-awaited sequel to the award-winning novel Beyond the Ghetto Gates. Michelle is also the author of Babylon, The Fruit of Her Hands and In the Shadow of the Globe. Listen in as Michelle outlines the pros and cons of writing a sequel. She also offers a look at the research that goes into her projects before she puts pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). As an instructor at The Writers Circle [https://writerscircleworkshops.com/], Michelle knows the value of community. Check out her course recommendations for 2025. For more, visit Michelle’s website [https://michelle-cameron.com/].

The Book House Podcast Episode #8: James Rhee

In our latest episode, James Rhee, author of Red Helicopter: Lead Change with Kindness (Plus a Little Math) [https://bookshop.org/p/books/red-helicopter-a-parable-for-our-times-lead-change-with-kindness-and-a-little-math-james-rhee/20209772], released in April, shares the story behind his national bestseller. As a kindergartener, James received a toy red helicopter as a token of appreciation for the kindness he’d shown a classmate. Decades later, that same spirit of generosity and concern for others guided him toward developing a human-centered framework for business and personal achievement that helped him overcome seemingly insurmountable odds as the unlikely chairman, CEO, and some might say “savior” of the Secaucus, New Jersey-based Ashley Stewart, a plus-size women's clothing chain primarily employing and serving Black women. Inspired by the values instilled in him by his Korean immigrant parents, James understood that a radically different—yet familiar—approach was required to lead this twice-bankrupt company from the jaws of liquidation to transcendent success. James also talked about the role of music not only in his life but also in the three-act structure of the narrative. A playlist [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5E01mku678VsvQH3wXzDIh], which spans the gamut of musical greats from The Beatles and Barbara Streisand to Beyoncé and Bruce Springsteen, captures the emotions James associated with each chapter of the book. Don't miss the original piece, Arirang Amazing Grace, inspired by James and arranged by Chad Cannon, which conveys the spirit of this "parable for our times" through music. For more information about James, visit Red [https://www.redhelicopter.com/]Helicopter.com [http://Helicopter.com].

The Book House Podcast Episode 7: Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne

Our latest episode of The Book House Podcast features Lee Kelly [https://www.leekellyauthor.com/] and Jennifer Thorne [https://www.jenniferthorne.com/], co-authors of The Antiquity Affair and The Starlets, which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and comes out November 12. From coming up with an idea to dividing the workload, Kelly and Thorne shared a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to work together to bring a novel to life. Their first collaboration, The Antiquity Affair, proved an exciting female-heroine take on Indiana Jones while their latest, The Starlets, is a page-turner that features the grit and glamour of Old Hollywood. The prolific pair has two more novels in the works. How do they juggle these in addition to their solo projects? Tune in to find out.

The Book House Podcast Episode 6: Eva Lesko Natiello

In today’s episode, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Eva Lesko Natiello [https://evaleskonatiello.com/] discusses the writing class that changed her life. Before becoming a novelist, Eva enjoyed a successful career as Vice President of Global Communications for Estee Lauder Inc. When she pivoted to raise her children, she sought a creative outlet. After reading a chilling news article, she was inspired to try her hand at writing. Eager to learn more about the craft of storytelling, Eva enrolled in a writing course at The New School where she encountered a professor whose unexpected advice inspired her to keep going. After years of hard work, the early drafts her professor found "riveting" turned into her debut, The Memory Box, a psychological thriller about a woman who Googles herself and discovers the shocking details of a past she doesn’t remember. After querying dozens of literary agents without receiving an offer of representation, Eva harnessed her communication and marketing expertise to self-publish and, ultimately, sell 200,000 copies of her novel. She followed it up with Following You, a thriller about a stalked celebrity who goes missing. In addition to penning bestselling novels, Eva also teaches book marketing classes—both in-person and online. She offers one-on-one consultations designed to help authors decide which publishing path best suits their work. To learn more about Eva, visit her website [https://evaleskonatiello.com/], follow her on social media [https://www.instagram.com/evanatiello/], and don’t miss her essay, How a Professor’s One Piece of Advice Influenced My Entire Writing Career [https://medium.com/writing-cooperative/how-a-professors-one-piece-of-advice-influenced-my-entire-writing-career-21035be7de22].