In this episode of The Book House podcast, Liz Alterman chats with Amanda Casile whose debut novel, 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 or follow her on social media.

In this episode, Liz Alterman chats with author and writing instructor Michelle Cameron, whose novel, Napoleon’s 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, Michelle knows the value of community. Check out her course recommendations for 2025.

For more, visit Michelle’s website.

In our latest episode, James Rhee, author of Red Helicopter: Lead Change with Kindness (Plus a Little Math), 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, 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 Helicopter.com.