The people behind great podcasts
Castos Creator Spotlights feature creators in our community who are doing remarkable work: sharing their stories, their craft, and the passion that drives their shows
A Time to Thrill: Long Conversations, Brilliant Women, and a Decade’s Worth of Community
When Aime Austin launched A Time to Thrill in 2020, she wasn’t chasing downloads or building a brand. She was trying to get something back. A former trial lawyer turned crime fiction author, Aime had spent years cultivating a community of women, and when that community scattered, the podcast became her way of keeping the conversation going.
The result is a show for readers and anyone drawn to long-form conversations with creative women. Each month, Aime releases a new episode: a deep, unhurried interview with an author, visual artist, or other creator. Her guests share their processes, their struggles, and the thinking behind their work. There’s no rush, no quick-take format, no content treadmill. Just two people in genuine conversation.
The show also runs a second track: Politics of Justice, a series in which Aime annotates her own Casey Co crime fiction novels, chapter by chapter. The backstory: she practiced juvenile and criminal law in Cleveland, Ohio from 1996 to 2001, watching judges cycle through the same children, first consigning them to foster care, then adjudicating their offenses. “Anybody paying attention here?” she asked herself. That frustration eventually produced 15 Casey Cort novels, starting with Judged in 2014. Now she’s recording the stories behind those stories.
Meet Aime Austin
| Host Name: | Aime Austin |
| Go-to tool | A good recording platform |
| Consistency philosophy | Go slowly: once a month beats a fast start and a long silence |
| Year goal for the podcast: | Steadily producing and having more great conversations; building community for creatives who feel fractured |
Inside the Episodes
Recent episodes show the range Aime works across. In Episode 65, she speaks with Joanna Joy Seetoo, a jewelry designer who traced her creative path from pastry arts to fine jewelry. In Episode 63, romance author Ines Johnson breaks down the business strategy behind her writing career. And running alongside these conversations, the Politics of Justice series has moved deep into Ransomed (the newest Casey Cort novel), with episodes exploring justice, race, family, and systemic failure, chapter by chapter.
The Politics of Justice series is particularly worth noting. As Aime puts it: “I always have the gift of gab. My books are really long. I obviously have a lot to say.” The annotations aren’t summaries. They’re Aime talking through what she was thinking when she wrote each scene, pulling the legal and human context out into the open.
Looking Ahead
Aime isn’t chasing a milestone. “A year from now, I’d like to be steadily producing and having more great conversations. It’s created a sense of community in a world where many creatives are fractured.”
That community has grown slowly, through organic newsletter building, a reliable monthly schedule, and a format that trusts listeners to stay for a full conversation. The pace is intentional.
Listen to A Time to Thrill
Ready to hear brilliant creative women in conversation? Here’s where you can listen:
- Website: aimeaustin.com/podcast
- Listen: Spotify and Apple Podcasts
- Heard on Limelight: Aime’s conversation with Castos founder Craig Hewitt on monthly podcasting, knowing your audience, and why preparation matters
Thank you, Aime, for being part of the Castos community and trust us with your podcast. We can’t wait to see where A Time to Thrill goes next!
