I loved getting the chance to talk with Shirley Hailstock, who has spent decades writing and championing Black romance. She was there when Black romance was still fighting for space on bookstore shelves—and later became an early indie author, long before independent publishing became the industry it is today.

And it all started with a dare.

On this month’s A Time to Thrill, Shirley and I talk about writing that first book, navigating a changing publishing industry, and building a long career around something deceptively simple: the belief that strong women deserve love stories, too.

Let’s chat. I have *so* many questions. You can find Shirley Hailstock: Website: http://www.shirleyhailstock.net Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shailstock Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shirleyhailstock/

White Diamonds Under the Sheets (previously published as Clara’s Promise) The Christmas Experiment (coming soon)

Authors & Books in the podcast:

Rosamund du Jardin Exodus Warsaw Ghetto Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver Dean Koontz by Stephen King Salem’s Lot The Shining The Stand

Sandra Brown Felicia Mason Donna Hill First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones Debra Holland Satin Straps by Ann Hansen The Hero’s Journey by Chris Volger Backstreet starring John Gavin

Want video? Check out episodes on YouTube

In this final episode of the Ransomed deep dive on Politics of Justice, we close out Chapters 35–41, where the case against Judge Eamon Brody reaches a jury, and every character has to reckon with what a federal prosecution can and cannot deliver.

The story widens beyond one judge. When evidence surfaces outside the courtroom, we see how long a family can hold a line — a county prosecutor who declined to charge, a hand-picked successor who declined again, a transfer from probate to juvenile that relocated the problem instead of solving it, and a state attorney general who passed on the case twice. We discuss what happens when the people charged with oversight are the same people being protected, and why a special prosecutor is so often the last available remedy rather than the first.

Casey finally makes her choice. Her engagement to Tom was never only about love. It was about legitimacy, class, and a seat at a table she’d been locked out of since childhood. Walking away costs her the dream she’d built her whole adult life around, and she negotiates the terms of her own exit like the lawyer she is. Claire, meanwhile, faces a different reckoning: what she owed the women who tried to warn her, and what she’s willing to risk for her son.

Join me as we finish Ransomed — the verdict, the aftermath, the cost of testifying, and a final scene that opens a door onto the next book. Thank you for reading this one with me.

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.com Substack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthor TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthor Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austin Goodreads: 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 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.com Substack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthor TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthor Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austin Goodreads: 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