A Time to Thrill - Conversations with AIME AUSTIN Crime Fiction Author: Recent Episodes
AIME AUSTIN Crime Fiction Author
Enjoy a conversation with Aime Austin, the author of the Casey Cort & Nicole Long series of legal thrillers. In these conversations, I interview smart women creators. We talk about creating while being mothers, sisters, daughters, married, divorced, dating, and mapping out our own destinies in the meantime.
In this episode of Politics of Justice, we dive into Chapters 32–34 of Ransomed, where the pursuit of justice enters its most public—and most personal—phase.
As Judge Eamon Brody’s federal trial gets underway, we examine the extraordinary challenge of prosecuting abuses of power. These chapters shine a light on what it takes for vulnerable victims to testify against a powerful public official, and why coercion can be one of the most difficult crimes to prove in a courtroom.
At the same time, Casey finds herself navigating an increasingly impossible conflict between her professional responsibilities and her personal relationships. As the trial unfolds, her engagement to Tom Brody and her renewed partnership with Miles force her to confront difficult questions about loyalty, ethics, and whether justice can ever be truly impartial when those closest to us are caught in the middle.
Join me as we unpack the legal strategy, courtroom dynamics, and political realities woven throughout Chapters 32–34, and discuss how these chapters transform Ransomed from an investigation into a searching examination of power, accountability, and the human cost of pursuing the truth.
📚 Ransomed is available on major ebook platforms, including Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. http://ebooks.buzz/ransomed📖 New to the series? Begin with Book 1: Judged http://ebooks.buzz/judged
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in audio at A Time to Thrill – wherever you get your podcasts.
Music by John Bartmann https://youtube.com/johnbartmannmusic CC0
In this episode of Politics of Justice, we dive into Chapters 26–31 of Ransomed, where private suspicions evolve into a federal investigation, forcing every character to confront the cost of loyalty, ambition, and justice.
As Casey begins to connect troubling pieces of the puzzle surrounding Judge Eamon Brody, we explore the difficult position lawyers face when they suspect corruption within the very institutions they’re sworn to serve. When personal relationships intersect with professional ethics, how much evidence is enough before action becomes a moral obligation?
Meanwhile, Miles takes decisive steps in the federal investigation, raising broader questions about the role of the United States Attorney’s Office in policing public corruption. We discuss why federal civil rights prosecutions can become the only avenue for accountability when local systems are too intertwined to investigate themselves.
The personal stakes rise just as quickly. Casey finds herself caught between her growing future with Tom and the uncomfortable reality that the Brody family’s legal and political influence may be shielding something far darker. As public appearances, private loyalties, and questions of justice collide, these chapters bring the novel to a pivotal turning point.
Join me as we unpack the legal strategy, political realities, and ethical dilemmas woven throughout Chapters 26–31, and discuss how the pursuit of justice often demands the greatest sacrifices from those closest to the truth.
📚 Ransomed is available on major ebook platforms, including Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. http://ebooks.buzz/ransomed📖 New to the series? Begin with Book 1: Judged http://ebooks.buzz/judged
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in audio at A Time to Thrill – wherever you get your podcasts.
Music by John Bartmann https://youtube.com/johnbartmannmusic CC0
In this episode of Politics of Justice, we dive into Chapters 23–25 of Ransomed, where the hidden costs of power become impossible to ignore. View this on YouTube!
Claire’s custody case reaches a dangerous turning point as Judge Eamon Brody’s influence extends well beyond the courtroom. What initially appears to be an ordinary family court dispute begins to expose the extraordinary leverage a judge can wield over vulnerable litigants—and the devastating consequences when that authority is abused.
At the same time, Casey finds herself caught between personal happiness and professional responsibility. As troubling pieces begin to fall into place, we examine the ethical dilemma faced by lawyers who suspect wrongdoing by members of the legal establishment: when does self-preservation become complicity?
We also discuss the role of institutional loyalty, why corruption is often protected by reputation rather than evidence, and how these chapters lay the groundwork for one of the novel’s central questions: what does it truly cost to pursue justice when the people standing in its way are the very ones entrusted to uphold it?
Join me as we unpack the legal, political, and moral questions woven throughout these chapters—and explore how power can become its own form of coercion.
⚖️ In this episode:
- Chapter-by-chapter analysis of Chapters 23–25 Character decisions and hidden motivations Legal and political implications Themes, symbolism, and foreshadowing Predictions about where the story is headed
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This video contains spoilers for Chapters 23–25 of Politics of Justice.
📚 Ransomed is available on major ebook platforms, including Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. http://ebooks.buzz/ransomed📖 New to the series? Begin with Book 1: Judged http://ebooks.buzz/judged
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in audio at A Time to Thrill – wherever you get your podcasts.
Music by John Bartmann https://youtube.com/johnbartmannmusic CC0
Today’s episode is a little different. Instead of interviewing a guest, I’m in the hot seat, answering 17 questions about my life, writing, favorite books, travel, advice, guilty pleasures, and more. Consider it a behind-the-scenes introduction to the person behind the stories.
Show Notes:Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UnIfrIy8JS0The Unquiet Grave by Dervla McTiernan: Kindle ebook & AudibleRecent Budapest & Travel Photos @Instagram
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a psychological and legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:A Time to Thrill – wherever you get your podcasts.
Music by John Bartmann https://youtube.com/johnbartmannmusic CC0
In this episode of Politics of Justice, we dive into Chapters 19–22 of Ransomed, where family expectations, personal loyalties, and questions about power begin to intersect in increasingly complicated ways.
Casey finds herself drawn further into the Brody family’s world when she attends a family dinner with Tom. What should be a straightforward social gathering becomes an illuminating look at the relationships, influence, and dynamics surrounding one of Cleveland’s most prominent legal families.
Meanwhile, Claire’s custody battle takes a troubling turn when she meets with Judge Eamon Brody. As we examine this pivotal encounter, we discuss the power imbalance between judges and litigants, the vulnerabilities inherent in family court proceedings, and the ethical questions raised when authority operates behind closed doors.
We also explore the growing connection between Casey and Miles. As the calendar turns to a new year, their relationship reaches an important emotional milestone, raising questions about timing, trust, and what happens when personal feelings develop against the backdrop of professional and ethical complications.
Join me as we unpack the legal, political, and interpersonal themes woven throughout these chapters, and discuss how seemingly private decisions can have profound consequences when power and justice become entangled.
🎙️ Politics of Justice — Ransomed Chapters 19–22📖 Ransomed by Aime Austin⚖️ Topics include: family court dynamics, judicial power, legal ethics, influential families, relationship development, and the intersection of personal and professional lives.📚 Discussion contains spoilers through Chapter 22.
📚 Ransomed is available on major ebook platforms, including Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. http://ebooks.buzz/ransomed📖 New to the series? Begin with Book 1: Judged http://ebooks.buzz/judged
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in audio at A Time to Thrill – wherever you get your podcasts.
Music by John Bartmann https://youtube.com/johnbartmannmusic CC0
The number of times I’ve directly or obliquely talked about USA Today Bestselling author Lynne Marshall in this podcast may equal 1 billion. Okay…that may be a bit of hyperbole, but the number is far from zero.
Lynne had a huge impact on my early career with two pieces of advice, which I took to heart. I’ve always wanted to talk with her on the mic. So, here we go.
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.You can find Lynne Marshall:Website:* www.lynnemarshallauthor.comInstagram:** @lynne_marshall2025Facebook: @lynne.marshall.142359
**Today’s Sponsor: Audible*Check out my titles or the thousands available with Audible.com.Show Notes:This episode is sponsored by *Audible. http://ebooks.buzz/audibleConsented Zed Zha M.D. – https://amzn.to/49x8VmnAsk the Patient, Zed Zha Substack – https://drzedzha.substack.com/The Ambition Penalty Stephanie O’Connell – https://amzn.to/4dnjfzC
Books by Lynne Marshall:Her Baby, His LoveThe Extraordinary Dreams of Cynthia Peabody: Book One: Arthur
Cynthia Peabody meditation walk narrated by Lynne Marshall
Storyworth
Grace & FrankieRemarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van PeltThe Correspondent by Virginia EvansThe Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
Authors Lynne has enjoyed:John le CarréSusan Elizabeth PhillipsKristan Higgins
Little Golden BooksRosemary’s Baby by Ira LevinThe Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. AuelThe Hunter by Tana FrenchThe Dublin Murder Squad (series) by Tana FrenchThe Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon KurtzmanWest with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
Want video? Check out episodes on YouTube (due to technical difficulties, this episode may not be in video)
I may earn a commission for purchases made through links in this post at no cost to you.
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I recap and discuss chapters 13 and 14 of Ransomed.
Ransomed is currently available on all platforms and as an audiobook.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
This episode is sponsored by Audible. Get Casey Cort on Audible.
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I discuss Chapters 15 through 18 of Ransomed, the second book in the Casey Cort legal thriller series.
These chapters explore the dangerous space where emotion, perception, and institutional response begin feeding into one another. What starts as conflict increasingly becomes narrative—and once authority enters the picture, those narratives can quickly harden into fact.
In this video, I reflect on:• The tendency to resist accepting that a relationship is truly over• How emotional denial can distort judgment and escalate conflict• The outsized way police often respond to threats against property versus threats against people• Why Claire’s false claim about a gun changes the stakes of the situation• How fear and perception begin shaping the direction of the case
The Politics of Justice series examines the real-world legal and psychological issues underlying the Casey Cort novels—and what those stories reveal about power, credibility, and the justice system.
Ransomed is Book 2 in the Casey Cort series.
📚 Read the book: https://books2read.com/RansomedAvailable on Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and other ebook retailers.
📖 Start with Book 1: Judged https://books2read.com/caseycort1
Subscribe if you’re interested in legal thrillers, true crime–inspired fiction, and the real cases behind the stories.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video on YouTube.The Politics of Justice
Music by John Bartmann https://youtube.com/johnbartmannmusic CC0
Today, you’ll have the pleasure of a great conversation with author Jennifer Chance (who also writes as Jenn Stark). If you listen to the podcast, you know how this story starts…with an author beach retreat.
It’s the first time I got to know Jennifer. The best part, she did Tarot readings for us all. Because she was spot on, I still think of it often. Oh, and after the interview, she did one for me virtually! I’m excited for what my professional future brings.
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.*
You can find Jennifer Chance:Website: jennstark.com/books/jennifer-chance/Instagram: @jenniferchanceauthorFacebook: @authorjenniferchanceTikTok:@jenniferchanceauthor
**Today’s Sponsor: Audible*Check out my titles or the thousands available with Audible.com. Jennifer Chance audio is also available @Audible.Show Notes:***The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West and Helen S. HamiltonThe Zane Gray SeriesRevenge Prey by John SandfordWheel of Time by Robert Conrad
Author J.R.R. Tolkien Author C.S. LewisAuthor Ru Emerson
Harrison Ford, ActorEmpire Strikes Back (Star Wars Series)Indiana Jones movie series
Jennifer Chance titles we talked about on the podcast:Getting Wilde by Jenn StarkMaids of Honor by Jennifer McGowanThe Accidental Exorcist by Jennifer ChanceSexy as Sin by Jennifer ChanceGuilty as Sin by Jennifer Chance
Simon & Schuster – Barnes & Noble dispute (2013)
Want video? Check out this episode on YouTube
I may earn a commission for purchases made through links in this post at no cost to you.
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I recap and discuss chapters 13 and 14 of Ransomed.
Ransomed is currently available on all platforms and as an audiobook.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
This episode is sponsored by Audible. Get Casey Cort on Audible. The book I talk about in this podcast is: We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry and narrated by Nicole Cash. You can download the audiobook for free with a new Audible subscription.
In this episode of Politics of Justice, we examine Ransomed Chapters 13 and 14, where the investigation into Judge Eamon Brody begins to gather momentum—and raises disturbing questions about power, silence, and credibility.
AUSA Miles launches deeper inquiries into Brody’s past and encounters a woman whose history with the judge appears deeply troubling. Her difficulty communicating due to a brain injury complicates the search for truth, highlighting one of the central tensions in cases involving abuse: what happens when the witness cannot fully speak for herself?
Meanwhile, personal and professional worlds collide as Miles meets Casey, and an evening at a wine bar with Lulu and Tom Brody introduces another layer of uncertainty. Tom’s renewed pursuit of Casey raises questions about motive, loyalty, and whether personal relationships can ever be separated from institutional power.
These chapters explore the early stages of building a case “brick by brick,” where suspicion is not yet proof—but patterns are beginning to emerge.
Join me as we unpack the legal, ethical, and political implications of investigating powerful figures—and what it takes to turn suspicion into accountability.
🎙️ Politics of Justice — Ransomed Chapters 13 & 14⚖️ Topics include: judicial misconduct, vulnerable witnesses, power dynamics, and the murky motives that complicate both justice and relationships.
The Politics of Justice series explores how real legal failures influence fiction—and what those stories reveal about power, trust, and accountability.
Ransomed is Book 2 in the Casey Cort series.
📚 Read the book: https://books2read.com/RansomedAvailable on Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and other ebook retailers.
📖 Start with Book 1: Judged https://books2read.com/caseycort1
Subscribe if you’re interested in legal thrillers, true crime–inspired fiction, and the real cases behind the stories.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video on YouTube.The Politics of Justice
Music by John Bartmann https://youtube.com/johnbartmannmusic CC0
H.M. Ward (Holly) is the 22x New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author with sales of over 23 million books. Years ago, Holly took a break. Now she’s back and better than ever. Her first title, 2011’s Demon Kissed, a romantasy before the term was coined, is being rereleased soon!
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.*
You can find H.M. Ward:Website: www.hmward.comInstagram: @authorhmwardFacebook: @authorhmwardX @hmwardYouTube: @hmwardauthorPinterest: @hmward3TikTok: @hmwardauthor
**Today’s Sponsor: Audible*Check out my titles or the thousands available with Audible.com.Show Notes:*H.M. Ward titles we talked about on the podcast:The Arrangement Series by H.M. WardDamaged by H.M. WardDemon Kissed by H.M. WardScandalous by H.M. Ward
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson RawlsSounder by James BarkleyOld Yeller by Fred GipsonAnne of Green Gables by L.M. MontgomeryPeter Pan by James Matthew BarrieThe (Original) Cinderella by Charles Perrault
Monty Don HorticulturalistAuthor Carly Phillips NaNoWrimo (defunct – read the story here.
0:00 – Intro6:22 – Audible sponsorship8:03 – Everything and the Kitchen Sink16:17 – All about the books1:15:09 – OutroI may earn a commission for purchases made through links in this post at no cost to you.
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I recap and discuss chapters 3 and 4 of Ransomed.
Ransomed is currently available on all platforms and in audiobook.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I discuss Chapters 9 through 12 of Ransomed, the second book in the Casey Cort legal thriller series.
By this point in the story, the tension surrounding the case begins to sharpen. Questions that once seemed procedural start to feel personal, and the risks of challenging authority become more visible. These chapters mark the moment when uncertainty begins to give way to consequence.
Like many of the novels in this series, Ransomed draws partial inspiration from real events, including the federal case United States v. David W. Lanier, which revealed how a Tennessee judge used his position to exploit women who appeared before him.
In this video, I reflect on:• How the case begins to take clearer shape in Chapters 9–12• The pressures that emerge when institutions are forced to confront misconduct• The growing legal and personal stakes facing those involved• Why these chapters represent a turning point in the investigation
The Politics of Justice series explores how real legal failures influence fiction—and what those stories reveal about power, trust, and accountability.
Ransomed is Book 2 in the Casey Cort series.
📚 Read the book: https://books2read.com/RansomedAvailable on Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and other ebook retailers.
📖 Start with Book 1: Judged https://books2read.com/caseycort1
Subscribe if you’re interested in legal thrillers, true crime–inspired fiction, and the real cases behind the stories.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video on YouTube.The Politics of Justice
Music by John Bartmann https://youtube.com/johnbartmannmusic CC0
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I recap and discuss chapters 3 and 4 of Ransomed.
Ransomed is currently available on all platforms and in audiobook.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I discuss Chapters 5 through 8 of Ransomed, the second book in the Casey Cort legal thriller series.
These chapters deepen the conflict and begin to reveal the imbalance of power at the center of the story. What initially appears procedural starts to feel personal, and the consequences of authority—especially unchecked authority—become harder to ignore.
Like many of the novels in this series, Ransomed was shaped in part by real events, including the federal case United States v. David W. Lanier, which exposed how a Tennessee judge used the authority of his position to abuse women who appeared before him.
In this video, I reflect on:• How the early investigation begins to shift in tone• The role of institutional power in shaping silence• The legal and emotional stakes emerging in Chapters 5–8• Why these middle chapters matter for the trajectory of the case
The Politics of Justice series examines how real legal failures influence fiction—and what those stories reveal about trust, accountability, and the limits of the justice system.
Ransomed is Book 2 in the Casey Cort series.
📚 Read the book: https://books2read.com/RansomedAvailable on Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and other ebook retailers.
📖 Start with Book 1: Judged https://books2read.com/caseycort1
Subscribe if you’re interested in legal thrillers, true crime–inspired fiction, and the real cases behind the stories.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video on YouTube.The Politics of Justice
Music by John Bartmann https://youtube.com/johnbartmannmusic CC0
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I recap and discuss chapters 3 and 4 of Ransomed.
Ransomed is currently available on all platforms and in audiobook.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I walk through the opening chapters of Ransomed, the second book in the Casey Cort legal thriller series.
Like many of the stories in this series, Ransomed was influenced by real events. The novel draws inspiration from United States v. David W. Lanier, a federal case involving a Tennessee judge who used the power of his position to abuse women who appeared before him.
Chapters 3 and 4 continue to introduce the world Casey Cort is stepping into—one where the authority of the courtroom can hide misconduct, and where victims often face the impossible choice between silence and retaliation.
In this video, I discuss:• The intersection between storytelling and current events.• Women’s whisper networks about suspect men.• Men who can’t break up a relationship and waste women’s time.
The Politics of Justice series looks at how real legal cases influence fiction—and what those stories reveal about power, accountability, and the justice system.
Ransomed is Book 2 in the Casey Cort series.
📚 Read the book: https://books2read.com/RansomedAvailable on Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and other ebook retailers.
📖 Start with Book 1: Judged https://books2read.com/caseycort1
Josh Johnson https://www.youtube.com/@JoshJohnsonComedyLove is Blind Netflix https://www.instagram.com/loveisblindnetflix/Normal Gossip (podcast) https://www.instagram.com/normalgossip/Couple’s Therapy (Season 1) https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/couples-therapy/
Subscribe if you’re interested in legal thrillers, true crime–inspired fiction, and the real cases behind the stories.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:T
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I recap and discuss the first two chapters Ransomed.
Ransomed is currently available on all platforms and in audiobook.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video on YouTube.The Politics of Justice
Music by John Bartmann https://youtube.com/johnbartmannmusic CC0
Joanna Joy Seetoo is a jewelry designer extraordinaire! I’ve known her for more than thirty years. She’s had more than nine artistic lives: from pastry, to music, to makeup, and hair…to now. Listen as we talk all about the early days of taking a jewelry design class, to world-class travel, Saworski crystals, entering the crazy world of weddings, and pieces for celebrities. Now, Joanna is starting a new project: House of Joy Jewelry.
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.*
You can find Joanna Joy Seetoo:Instagram: @joannajoyseetooLinkedIn: @joannajoyseetooFacebook: @joannas
**Today’s Sponsor: Audible*Check out my titles or the thousands available with Audible.com.Joanna Joy Seetoo @AmazonShow Notes:***Spectrum Award-winning ring. Photo credit: Robert Weldon
Steven Kretchmer Fine JewelrySpectrum Award – American Gem Trade AssociationChatham – Lab Grown EmeraldsLorenzo YihProvidence RestaurantThe KnotSay Yes to the DressGemological Institute of America (GIA)The Nordicware Tree
I may earn a commission for purchases made through links in this post at no cost to you.
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I talk about the inspiration behind Ransomed and how the justice system can’t answer every question or right every wrong. How a judge went to prison…but was his imprisonment a technicality?
Ransomed is currently available on all platforms and in audiobook.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video on YouTube.The Politics of Justice
Kendra Erika is my first musical artist! I appreciate the amazing confidence it takes to choose a life focused on performance.
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.*
You can find Kendra Erika:Website/Blog: kendraerika.comInstagram: @kendraerikaYouTube: @kendraerika
**Today’s Sponsor: Audible*Check out my titles or the thousands available with Audible.com.Show Notes:I’m Nice Till I’m Not. Written by Kendra Erika, Celeste Williams, Luigie LUGO GonzalezProduced by Luigie LUGO GonzalezA Time to Kill by John GrishamA License to Thrill by Kendra ErikaWitchcraft performed by Kendra Erika (Frank Sinatra remake)Phantom of the Opera performed by Kendra ErikaSelf Control performed by Kendra ErikaGolden Eye (visualizer) Kendra Erika*Recording Artists:Britney SpearsChristina AguileraSpice GirlsDestiny’s ChildJesse WareEllie GouldingLady GagaNicole ScherzingerI may earn a commission for purchases made through links in this post at no cost to you.
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I dig into Chapters 30–38 of Judged, where the case stops being about facts and becomes about leverage. As pressure mounts, institutional self-protection begins to override truth, and the cost of dissent becomes clear. We see how credibility is managed, consequences are unevenly distributed, and silence is rewarded more than integrity. This episode explores how systems don’t need overt corruption to cause harm—only compliance, hierarchy, and the quiet expectation that some people absorb the damage so others can remain untouchable..
Judged is currently free on all platforms.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video form on YouTube.The Politics of Justice
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I dig into Chapters 30–38 of Judged, where the case stops being about facts and becomes about leverage. As pressure mounts, institutional self-protection begins to override truth, and the cost of dissent becomes clear. We see how credibility is managed, consequences are unevenly distributed, and silence is rewarded more than integrity. This episode explores how systems don’t need overt corruption to cause harm—only compliance, hierarchy, and the quiet expectation that some people absorb the damage so others can remain untouchable..
Judged is currently free on all platforms.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video form on YouTube.The Politics of Justice
OMG It’s Ines Johnson. When I saw her speak at a Romance Author Mastermind, I was inspired. She spoke on going from four to five figures a month by choosing a lane…and staying in it.This episode is sponsored by Audible. (Click my link for many great offers from Audible.)My recent audiobooks: At Midnight Comes the Cry and Greenwich Park.
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.*
You can find Ines:Website/Blog: ineswrites.comInstagram: @ineswritesFacebook: inesjohnsonauthor
**Show Notes: books, writers, and topics we discuss:****Baby-Sitter’s ClubInes Johnson (paranormal romance, fantasy romance, romantasy, and spicy)Shanae Johnson (sweet and wholesome, military romance)Jem JohnsonThe Pickleball Song – Holderness Family Music (YouTube)Kate Daniels Series by Ilona AndrewsI may earn a commission for purchases made through links in this post.
In chapters 25–29 of Judged, the child welfare system reveals its true mechanics. Foster children are subjected to relentless testing and layered diagnoses, while parents are handed case plans that require full compliance—and full-time availability. The result is a system that demands parents give up their jobs to prove fitness, quietly transforming “reunification” into an unattainable ideal rather than a genuine goal.
Judged is currently free on all platforms.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video form on YouTube.The Politics of Justice
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I revisit Chapters 17–24 of Judged, where the focus shifts away from courtroom drama and into the quieter mechanics of power. These chapters trace Sheila Harrison Grant’s internal calculations as she manages appearances, alliances, and expectations within a tightly knit political ecosystem—one where nothing looks overtly corrupt, but very little is accidental.
We see how Sheila understands the system not as an abstract ideal, but as a set of levers: relationships to maintain, favors to remember, risks to anticipate. Her authority rests as much on perception and restraint as on formal rules, and the narrative lingers in her private justifications rather than her public actions.
In counterpoint, Casey Cort continues to operate on the margins of that same system, increasingly aware of how local politics shapes outcomes long before cases reach any formal decision point. The contrast isn’t between right and wrong, but between visibility and insulation—between those who absorb consequences and those who never have to explain themselves.
In the video, I talk about why these chapters matter, how Sheila’s self-concept as a “clean” actor sustains her power, and how local politics—more than ideology or law—quietly determines whose careers advance and whose stall.
Judged is currently free on all platforms.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video form on YouTube.The Politics of Justice
In this episode of Politics of Justice, I revisit Chapters 11–16 of Judged, where Olivia is abruptly removed from her home and left waiting in a police station, shuffled between multiple social workers with no clear advocate or explanation. The scene captures how quickly children can disappear into systems that are overstretched, fragmented, and indifferent to continuity.
In counterpoint, we meet Sheila Harrison Grant at the height of her power as a federal judge, confident in the authority of the system she represents, while Casey Cort navigates the least prestigious court — a space where the stakes are high but the recognition is low. These parallel storylines highlight how power, class, and institutional status shape whose voices are heard and whose experiences are managed rather than understood.
In the video, I talk about why these chapters matter, what I was trying to show beneath the plot, and how these early dynamics set the moral foundation for the Casey Cort series.
Judged is currently free on all platforms.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video form on YouTube.The Politics of Justice #
In this second episode of The Politics of Justice, I walk through Chapters 4–10 of my legal thriller Judged and uncover the personal history woven into Olivia and Casey’s early stories.
These chapters explore themes that come directly from my own life—growing up Black in predominantly white spaces, navigating complicated family dynamics, and watching how children get pulled into systems that were never designed to protect them. As I revisit these scenes, I talk about why I wrote them, how much of my own experience ended up on the page, and how this shaped the entire Casey Cort series.
Judged is currently free on all platforms.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video form on YouTube.
It’s Caitlyn O’Leary! I think she’ll be my fourth SEAL author! Today, we finally find out what makes SEALs so arresting!This episode is sponsored by Audible. (Click my link for many great offers from Audible.)My recent audiobooks: Julie Chan is Dead, and Beautiful Ugly.
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.*
You can find Caitlyn:Website/Blog: caitlynoleary.comInstagram: @caitlynoleary_authorFacebook: @CaitlynOLearyAuthorFB Group: Caitlyn O’Leary’s Crew
*Show Notes: books, writers, and topics we discuss:*Other SEAL authors I’ve interviewed: Cora Seton, Sharon Hamilton, and Lynn Raye Harris.Becca Syme Interview on A Time to ThrillJoy’s Homecoming by Caitlyn O’LearyFate Harbor Series (menage) by Caitlyn O’LearyBella Andre, Jeneva Rose, and Lauren Blakely (authors with great marketing savvy)Robert Ludlum (Jason Bourne)Tom ClancyJames PattersonGennita LowSuzanne BrockmannSusan StokerMaryann JordanPat Conroy (Great Santini, The Prince of Tides)W.E.B. GriffinNora RobertsJohanna LindseyJennifer GreeneKristin AshleyNalini SinghProtectors of Jasper Creek Series by Caitlyn O’Leary
In this first episode of The Politics of Justice, I revisit the opening chapters of Judged—the story that launched the Casey Cort series and, in many ways, the story that shaped me.
These chapters are rooted in my real life:• growing up as a Black girl trying to fit into an overwhelmingly white school• navigating my mother’s alcoholism• seeing up close how foster care and institutional politics decide who is protected—and who is overlooked
In the video, I walk through my original notes and highlights, talk about what I was trying to say in the fiction, and share the personal experiences I’ve rarely spoken about publicly.
If you’re interested in how personal history becomes story… how politics quietly shapes the lives of kids… or how Casey Cort came to be, this episode is a powerful place to start.
Judged is currently free on all platforms.This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video form on YouTube.
OMG I’m mortified**My November episode is in iris.fm processing limbo. As soon as I can get it out of the cloud and edited, I’ll have it up on the feed. In the meantime, I have 60 other episodes that you should listen to, if you haven’t already.
Some fan favorite episodes include:
Episode 34: A Time to Thrill – Conversation with Aime Austin – featuring Sharon HamiltonEpisode 15: A Time to Thrill – Conversation with Aime Austin – featuring Theodora TaylorEpisode 39: A Time to Thrill – Encore: Conversation with Aime Austin – featuring Synithia WilliamsEpisode 17: A Time to Thrill – Conversation with Aime Austin – featuring Rachel GrantEpisode 9: A Time to Thrill – Conversation with Aime Austin – featuring Elizabeth Decker
and many more….
This episode is sponsored by Audible. (Click my link for many great offers from Audible.)
Watch this on YouTube
Meet Sarah Vance-Tompkins. Though she was born in Michigan, she’s a local to Southern California. I can’t wait for you to hear our chat about weather that’s not weather and the path from fiction to mystery.
[Please support my sponsor, Audible. Check out mine and 1000s of books @Audible]
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.You can find Sarah:Website/Blog: sarahvancetompkins.comInstagram: @sarahvantomX/Twitter:* @sarahvtompkins
*Show Notes: books, writers, and topics we discuss:*Agatha Christie (Miss Marple Series author)Barbara Cartland (romance author)The Taming of Tamsin by Mary WibberlyShanna by Kathleen E WoodiwissA Promising Young Woman by Emerald Fennell (Script/Variety)Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen FieldingOn Christmas Tree Cove by Sarah Vance-TompkinsSave the Cat by Blake SnyderJane Eyre by Charlotte BrontëKisses on a Paper Airplane by Sarah Vance-TompkinsSmut University-Audible and Amazon affiliate links provide monies to the podcast at no cost to you.
Years ago, I tried to create a guide to the Casey Cort series—explaining what I was thinking as I wrote each scene, each chapter, each decision. The project collapsed under its own weight. I wasn’t ready to tell the deeper story yet.
Now I am.
The Politics of Justice goes beyond plot and into power: how justice actually works, who controls it, and why the outcomes so often feel uneven. Drawing from my background as an attorney and the fiction I’ve written over the last decade, this series explores the legal, political, and human forces shaping every case—on the page and in real life.
This is the story behind the story. And it’s long overdue.
About Politics of Justice:Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.
About Aime Austin:I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.
Find Me Online:Website: https://aimeaustin.comSubstack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthorTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthorBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austinGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor
Listen & Subscribe:This series is also available in video form on YouTube.
This month I have a chat with New York born, but Texas-based based USA Today Bestselling Romance author Chris Keniston. Chris is one thing that most of us aren’t: an extrovert. It’s a conversation that’s different than the usual,
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.*
You can find Chris:Website/Blog: chriskeniston.comFacebook: ChrisKenistonAuthorX (Twitter): @CKenistonAuthorInstagram: @ckenistonauthor
*Show Notes: books, writers, and topics we discuss:*Nancy Drew Mysteries – Carolyn KeeneHardy Boys Mysteries – Franklin W. DixonClifton Strengths from Gallup (bonus: Interview with Strengths coach Becca Syme)JAG – TV SeriesThe Homecoming by Chris KenistonThe Champagne Sisterhood by Chris KenistonAloha Texas by Chris KenistonShell Game by Chris Keniston (Golden Girls meets Miami Vice)H.M. Ward – The ArrangementsA Man in a Kilt (Castle Blackstone #1) by Sandy BlairA Rogue in a Kilt (Castle Blackstone #2) by Sandy BlairA Thief in A Kilt (Castle Blackstone #3) by Sandy BlairEmily MarchSusan MalleryVirgin River Series by Robyn Carr
Nora Roberts/J.D. RobbJ.K. Rowling/Robert Galbraith
This year Grace Wynter and I were recipients of the 2025 Barbara Neely Scholarship for Black crime writers. I wanted to meet my counterpart and here she is! Grace Wynter and I talk books, writing, and the future of publishing.
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.*
You can find Grace:Website: www.gracewynter.comBlueSky: @ggwynterwrites.bsky.social
Show Notes: books, writers, and topics we discuss:Judy BlumeJane AustenToni MorrisonJamaica KincaidDean KoontzStephen KingBeverly NeelyKarin SlaughterYasmine AngoeKathleen Early (Will Trent Series narrator)The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Noel Stark is a debut author! Her romance has some basis in reality: it’s all about Hollywood. In this interview, we talk about what romance has meant to her, the puzzle of storytelling, and the future of romance fiction.
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.*
You can find Noël:Website: www.noelstark.comTikTok: @noelstarkauthorInstagram: @noelstarkauthor
Show Notes: movies, books, writers, and topics we discuss:Love, Camera, Action by Noel StarkLavyrle SpencerKathleen E. Woodiwiss
It’s April! No fools here. This month, I have the pleasure of speaking with podcaster and mom, Kara Infante. Her podcast is Bookish Flights. On each episode, she features a guest who talks about three books centered on a theme. We talk about ways that women funnel their creativity.Books! Talking! Conversations! All my favorite things.
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.*
You can find Kara:
Instagram: @bookishflightsFacebook: @bookishflightsWebsite: bookishflights.comShow Notes: movies, books, writers, and topics we discuss:Bookish Flights PodcastEdenbrooke by Julianne DonaldsonThe Nightingale by Kristin HannahThe Diamond Eye by Kate QuinnMoloka’i by Alan BrennertCold Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas
This month which brings the Ides of March, I have the true joy of speaking with women’s fiction author Brenda Janowitz. I met Brenda about a billion years ago when we co-blogged at Girlfriend’s Book Club, an early author blog co-founded by Hank Phillipe Ryan. Brends’s had an interesting journey that I can’t wait to share with you.
Let’s chat. I have so* many questions.*
You can find Brenda:
Website: brendajanowitz.comFacebook: BrendaJanowitzInstagram: @brendajanowitzwriterShow Notes: movies, books, writers, and topics we discuss:Modern Love: He’s Never Going to Put Away That ShirtSomeone Else’s Wife (formerly titled The Good Enough Husband)The Secrets She KeepsTaming the Bad BoyWhat Was Perfect (The Story of Us Trilogy)Books by Brenda:The Lonely Hearts ClubThe Grace Kelly DressOther mentions:Brenda’s CBS NY Book Club Pick – The Audrey Hepburn EstateBurnout by Emily & Amelia NagasakiRage Becomes Her by Soraya ChemalySold a Story (podcast on the corruption of reading education in the U.S.)Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism By Eve L. Ewing
Say hello to thriller author Kimberley Troutte! Kimberley started out like so many of us writing romance but had a hard time staying in a single lane. We talk about genre hopping, starts and stops in a writing career, and what she’s up to now.
Let’s chat. I have so many questions.
You can find Kimberley:
Website: https://kimberleytroutte.com/Facebook: NYTBestsellingRomanceAuthorInstagram: @kimberleytroutteShow Notes: movies, books, writers, and topics we discuss:Anne MarshRay BradburyLaura BradfordAngela JamesSeals of SummerRITA/VivianTHIRDS – post apocalyptic play.Cora SetonLynn Raye HarrisSharon Hamilton
Books by Kimberley:
Soul StealerCatch Me in CastileLock and Load (Rita Nominee)Pilot Down (Vivian Nominee)The Package (Infiltrix Series)
This month I have the pleasure of chatting with Laura Drake. I met Laura many years ago when the Orange County romance writers was a chapter of RWA (now disaffiliated). Years ago, Laura left California and took herself and her motorcycle to Texas. It’s been a minute since I’ve seen her, but I really wanted to talk to her because she writes my favorite genre to write and read: women’s fiction.
Let’s chat. I have so many questions.
You can find Laura:
Website: http://www.lauradrakebooks.com/Facebook Group: Laura Drake’s – Peace, Love & BooksX (Twitter): @LauraDrakeBooksInstagram: @auradrakebooksGoodreads: Laura Drake AuthorBookbub: Laura Drake AuthorNewsletter sign-up: https://lauradrakebooks.com/newsletter/Show Notes: movies, books, writers, and topics we discuss:The Sweet Spot by Laura Drake (2014 RITA Best First Book Winner)The Handmaid’s Tale (2017 Drama, Hulu)Charles Martin, author“When you are not fed love on a silver spoon, you learn to lick it off knives.”― Lauren Eden, Lioness Awakens
I’m excited to talk to New York Times bestselling romance author Lynn Raye Harris! We met in Houston, Texas at a writer’s conference several years ago. She’s a former Harlequin Presents author turned successful indie. We talk about writing, reading, and horses.
Let’s chat. I have so many questions.
You can find Lynn Raye Harris:
Facebook Author Page: AuthorLynnRayeHarrisFacebook Reader Group: HOTReadersAndFansInstagram: @lynnrayeharrisNewsletter: http://bit.ly/LRHNewsAmazon: LynnRayeHarrisBookbub: Lynn Raye Harris Goodreads: Lynn Raye HarrisShow Notes: movies, books, writers, and topics we discuss:Theodora Taylor – feat. Episode 15Beauty & the BeastLinda HowardBeverly BartonLinda Winstead JonesKelley St. JohnHarlequin PresentsHostile Operations Team (H.O.T) SeriesChuck TingleBecca Syme – feat. Episode 24Nancy DrewHardy BoysSweet Valley HighV.C. AndrewsClan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
Lisa and I met in a kitchen in South Pasadena. A few months ago, I signed up for Happy Women Dinners, events that feature women-focused topics. First, I met Lyz Lenz as she discussed her book about divorce. This month it was a talk from Bonnie Wan about getting clear on what we want in our lives. Great talks and as a bonus, I get to meet interesting women like Lisa Cheek. Her debut book, Sit, Cinderella, Sit will release in January 2025.
Let’s chat. I have so many questions.
You can find Lisa:
Substack: lisacheek.substack.comWebsite lisacheek.comInstagram: @lisacheekauthorFacebook @lisacheekauthorLinkedIn @Lisa CheekShow Notes: movies, books, writers, and topics we discuss:20 DatesFaygo Soda (pop)The Liars Club by Mary KarrDavid SedarisA Living Remedy by Nicole ChungLittle Sister (Cinderella Moon) editing by Lisa CheekMelissa FebosMy Body by Emily RatajkowskiMaybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori GottleibWhat Comes Next and How to Like It by Abigail ThomasJenny Lawson
After twenty-plus years in Los Angeles, I get a lot of invites to various shows—a friend of a friend sent over a link to a one-woman show. The caveat? It was… One night only. And…I was jet-lagged having just flown in from Europe. Fortunately, I live about five minute’s drive from the Hudson Theatre and […]
I can’t wait for you to hear my conversation with Dee J Adams. She’s a modern-day renaissance woman. From acting, to voiceover work, to on-set coach, to romance author, there’s little she’s shied away from in the creative arena. Tune in while we discuss her parallel paths to creative success and fulfillment. Her nonfiction book […]
Enjoy a conversation with Aime Austin, the author of the Nicole Long and Casey Cort series of legal thrillers. In these conversations, I interview brilliant women creators. We talk about creating while being mothers, sisters, daughters, married, divorced, dating, and mapping out our destinies in the meantime.
It’s August and in Episode 49, I have a great conversation with crime author Kellye Garrett. Out of the gate, Kellye’s first book won ALL the awards. From cozy, humorous novels, in Missing White Woman, she’s turned to a more serious book that deals with the implications social media can have on a murder investigation. […]
This month it’s USA Today bestselling author Pippa Grant! One day I sat next to Pippa at a brunch in Houston and she talked about relaunching her author brand. Her success has been out of this world. Four of her romantic comedies have debuted at #1 on Amazon. Having the opportunity to see this amazing […]
Filmmakers are often lifted to mythical proportions in our culture. They create movies that mark the moments of our lives, push new phrases into our common lexicon, and for many leave lasting impressions. This month I have the joy of speaking with a triple-threat writer/director/actor Marlene Rhein Let’s chat. I have so many questions. You […]
I love this conversation with USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Forster. We both write legal thrillers but from different perspectives. In this podcast, we talk a lot about reading, writing, and the quest for justice. Let’s chat. I have so many questions. You can find Rebecca: Website: http://rebeccaforster.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaForster4/ Twitter: @Rebecca_Forster Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Forster/e/B001HCZP3W/ […]
Anthea! I’m so excited to share my conversation with Anthea Sharp who also writes as Anthea Lawson. She is the USA Today bestselling author of Historical Romance, Fantasy, and her portmanteau, Romantacy! She’s not only a successful author, she’s also a trailblazer in the publishing space on the crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter. Let’s chat. I have […]
Welcome to The Murders Began hosted by Blake Hardin Tatum. Stay tuned to listen to the episodes recorded as featured in the Aime Austin legal thriller novel of the same title. Fictional host, Tatum, brings a true crime investigation to her readers and listeners in the third book in the Nicole Long Legal Thriller series. […]
Welcome to The Murders Began hosted by Blake Hardin Tatum. Stay tuned to listen to the episodes recorded as featured in the Aime Austin legal thriller novel of the same title. Fictional host, Tatum, brings a true crime investigation to her readers and listeners in the third book in the Nicole Long Legal Thriller series. […]
I love that every month I get to share my conversations with brilliant women creators. This month is no exception. You’re in for a treat with New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson. She’s the only author I know who did not start with romance. Toni jumped into the deep end with romantic suspense. Tune […]
2024 starts off with a bang! This month I have a wonderful chat with USA Today bestselling author Renee Rose. Renee was early to the independent publishing game. She’s a generous soul in the romance community and believes in the power of abundance. Let’s chat. I have so many questions. You can find Renee: Website: […]
Retired educator and author Sara E. Johnson is this month’s guest. A long-time Durham, North Carolina resident, Johnson took a year off to live and travel in New Zealand. It inspired her Alexa Glock series. She published her first book at sixty and with six books slated in the series, her forensic odontologist protagonist is […]
Christine Cunningham Ashworth is a genre author with a unique background. Her father was a very prolific genre author as was her brother Scott before he turned to metaphysical nonfiction. In this episode, we discuss Christine’s latest book, an autobiography of Scott Cunningham, what it was like growing up around authors, and her path from […]
Psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Debra Holland is one of the earliest indie authors I know. She came to independent publishing well before many of us, and she had a hand in changing not only my career but guiding others in Southern California. Like many of my guests, she’s not only a very […]
This encore presentation features romance author Synithia Williams whose newest book, The Secret to a Southern Wedding is out this month! It’s an Amazon August 2023 Book of the Month! Throughout her writing career, Synithia has written twenty-five novels in several subgenres including category romance, single-title romance, and even women’s fiction under the pen name […]
Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Delilah Marvelle is one of my favorite people. She’s super smart and funny. We laughed so much before recording that it was hard to stop. You have to listen to this one to hear how Jane Eyre changed her relationship with books and writing. She’s also the first writer […]
This month I have an interesting conversation with NAACP Image Award Winner, Pamela Samuels Young. She writes thrillers that are heavy on suspense. A retired attorney, like many of my guests, she made the transition from practicing law to writing full-time. Now her career is on a new trajectory with co-authoring in the mix. Let’s […]
OMG this episode is epic! This month I have a super interesting conversation with USA Today bestselling author Blair Babylon. Blair is another author I haven’t seen in some time (damned COVID). Also, admittedly I tried not to talk to her too much about the pandemic as she’s an expert Ph.D. in microbiology and virology. I […]
A prosecutor fighting for sobriety, an abuse victim in denial, and the reporter who wants to expose it all. ⚖️ This is a special bonus episode of A Time to Thrill! I’m so excited that Without Consent is out today! This is the third title in the Niciole Long series and it’s a good one. […]
This month I have a great talk with USA Today bestselling author Pamela DuMond. Pamela has had the most varied career. From ‘discovering’ Erin Brockovich to writing for storytelling game apps, she’d done a lot. You can find Pamela: Website: pameladumond.com FB: facebook.com/PamelaDuMondAuthor IG: instagram.com/pameladumond.storyteller Amazon: amazon.com/PamelaDumond BookBub: bookbub.com/pamela-dumond Show Notes & books we discuss: Erin Brockovich […]
This month I have a great talk with New York Times bestselling author Sharon Hamilton. I met Sharon some years ago at a romance writer’s meeting in Orange County, California. Writing is her second successful career. The first was in real estate. I was surprised that some of what it takes to sell a house […]
This month I have a fun conversation is USA Today bestselling historical romance author Grace Callaway. Despite knowing Grace for years, in this interview I find out when it comes to books we have very little in common! Grace’s books are known for three elements, historical family drama, mystery, and lots of spicy sex scenes. […]
This month I have a wide-ranging conversation is USA Today bestselling thriller author Melissa F. Miller. You can find Melissa: Web: melissafmiller.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/authormelissafmiller Goodreads: goodreads.com/melissafmiller Show Notes: The Alchemist The Lincoln Lawyer Killing Floor The Westing Game Anne of Green Gables The Thorn Birds The Virals Series (Kathy & Brendan Reichs) Theodore Boone (Kid Lawyer) […]
This month my guest is New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author Cora Seton. Cora has written many romances set in the fictional town of Chance Creek which has been a reader favorite for years (with over a million copies sold). In this interview, we talk about Cora’s beginnings and what the future […]
This month my guest is romance author Synithia Williams. Throughout her writing career, Synithia has written twenty-five novels in several subgenres including category romance, single-title romance, and even women’s fiction under the pen name Nita Brooks. You can find Synithia: Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/@SynithiaW Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@SynithiaW Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/synithiarwilliams TikTok: https://www.ticktock.com/@SynithiaW Website: http://www.synithiawilliams.com/ as Nita Brooks: Website: https://nitabrooks.com/ […]
This month my guest is USA Today Bestselling Author and principal at Maggie Marr Legal, Maggie Marr. As a writer, Maggie is the bestselling author of over 25 contemporary romances. As the principal of Maggie Marr Legal, she’s an entertainment attorney and former agent who ushers books to the screen among other work in that […]
This month my guest is co-author Natasha Marsiguerra. Natasha is the co-author of the Tommy Keane crime fiction series. She writes with her brother Travis Meyers. You can find Natasha: Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20179509.Natasha_Myers_Marsiguerra Twitter: https://twitter.com/NMarsiguerra Show Notes: Authors and books mentioned in the podcast: Outcry Witness by Aime Austin Major Crimes by Aime Austin Tommy Keane […]
This month my guest is author and podcast host Julie Strauss. Julie is a contemporary romance author and host of the podcast the Best Book Ever. I love this podcast! I listen weekly usually when I ride my bike along the beach when I’m in Los Angeles. You can find Julie: Website: JulieWroteABook.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliewroteabook/ […]
This month my guest is author Tamara Gill. Tamara is the author of historical and time-travel romance. Yes, those often overlap. Tamara resides in Australia and is beloved by readers. You can find Tamara: Website: TamaraGill.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamaragillromance/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamaragillauthor/ Show Notes: Authors mentioned in the podcast: Karen Marie Moning Diana Gabaldon Ivy Smoak Julia […]
This month my guest is Gumball Love creator and relationship/dating coach, Melissa Leger. Creator of Gumball Love, the Back to You Academy, and Level Up for Love, Melissa is a relationship coach that changed my life, for the better. This is a long episode, but the information is so very important for those of you […]
This month my guest is fiction writer and coach, Becca Syme. Creator of Write Better Faster and The Better Faster Academy, Becca is a writing coach that changed not only my life but that of many of my friends/fellow authors. I hope you enjoy this wide-ranging conversation about strengths, weaknesses, and being the best we […]
This month my guest is the multidimensional author and commercial pilot, Susan Grant. She’s the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Sci-fi romance. She’s also a multiple RITA finalist and RITA award winner. Whenever I see Susan in person, talk turns to travel as it does in this episode. You can find […]
This month my guest is the fabulous top 100 Amazon Author Deanna Roy! If a cat has nine lives, Deanna has had even more. Tune in to listen to her amazing moxie as she reinvents herself time and again. She has great stories to share. Deanna writes as Deanna Roy, JJ Knight, Abby Tyler, and […]
Welcome to A Time to Thrill. In this episode, I have the great pleasure of talking with Patricia Krebs. I met Patricia many years ago at a joint gallery show she shared with Elizabeth Decker (Episode 9) and two other artists. My greatest regret was not buying a series Krebs displayed at that show. By […]
This month my guest is my dear friend and amazing author, Kathleen Bittner Roth. Kathleen lives in Budapest! She’s an ex-pat who’s fallen in love with the same city I have! As I mention in this episode, Kathleen’s had at least four or five different lives. She’s lived in many states and cities, and different […]
This month my guest is the fabulous USA Today Bestselling Author Brenna Aubrey! Aubrey’s Gaming the System series has been a blockbuster bestseller for years. She leapt onto the New Adult stage with all the fanfare. Listen as I catch up with Aubrey as her career and characters have matured. There were some hitches with […]
In this episode, I have a most lovely chat with bestselling author of romance and women’s fiction, Jenny Gardiner. We talk about indie publishing as a kind of a feminist movement. The last ten years have been a watershed moment for women moving from publishing’s pink ghetto to the top of the business’ food chain. […]
This is a special bonus episode of A Time to Thrill! I’m so excited that Abused is out! This is the tenth title in the Casey Cort series and it’s the best Casey Cort book I’ve ever written. Casey is out in uncharted territory. Not only is she facing her first murder case, but she’s […]
Welcome to A Time to Thrill. This month I have a fascinating conversation with USA Today Bestselling Author Rachael Grant. Rachel writes romantic suspense with a side of archeology. As a former archeologist with a husband who is still working in that space, she’s more than got the goods! Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rachelsgrant/ Website https://rachel-grant.net/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RachelGrantAuthor […]
Welcome to A Time to Thrill. This month I have a fascinating conversation with Rachael Herron. In addition to being a romance author, she’s the-host of the podcast, How Do You Write. Rachael’s super fun. It’s a great and lively conversation. Twitter http://twitter.com/rachaelherron Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rachaelherron/ Website https://rachaelherron.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Rachael.Herron.Author Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3024739.Rachael_Herron In this episode, we […]
Finally! Nearly every author I’ve interviewed has praised Theodora Taylor (Smith ’99). Now you get to hear what all the hype is about. For once, believe the hype. Connect with Theodora: Website Amazon Facebook Twitter Instagram Goodreads Show Notes: USA Today Bestselling Author Maggie Marr A Court of Thorns & Roses Sarah MacLean (Smith ’00) […]
In this episode, I have a wonderful chat with USA Today Bestselling author, Lisa Hughey. We talk about life in California, Massachusettes, contemporary romance, and romantic suspense. Lisa thinks romances give readers hope for the future. (about 38:00) Love isn’t about finding someone who is not perfect, but perfect for you. (about 1:17:50) Also, Lisa […]