Sley House Presents

Award-winning author S.L. Huang visits the show to talk about their new book The Language of Liars, now available from Tordotcom. With host Trevor, Huang breaks down the book's big ideas about language and colonialism, how language is linked to identity for them and the book, its relationship to culture and barriers, and how we deal with these intersections in our own lives.You can find S.L. Huang at slhuang.com, and you can get The Language of Liars on April 28, 2026, from your local library or your favorite book retailer.

Bestselling author Mike Chen is on the show to talk about his latest book The Photonic Effect, now available from Saga Press. He talks about the book's popular media influences in Mass Effect and Star Trek, about writing about hope and deliberation, and about the book's broader message about how we make decisions and what it means to live by them.You can find more about Mike Chen at www.mikechenbooks.com and you can get The Photonic Effect now from Saga Press at your local library or your favorite book retailer.Thanks to the Saga Says Crew program for this episode's reading.

New York Times Bestselling author Ellery Adams visits to talk about her debut horror novel, Invasive Species, now available from Hanover Square Press. She talks about her love for mythology, her interests in horror and transitioning from mystery into horror, and the importance of story in her life, her craft, and our worldviews. You can find more about Ellery Adams at www.elleryadamsbooks.com, and you can get your copy of Invasive Species from your local library or your favorite book retailer today!

Best-selling author and literary superstar Kelly Yang visits to talk about her latest novel The Take, available April 21, 2026, from Berkley. She talks about ageism in industry, about false dichotomies of power and influence, about making room for new voices while respecting industry experience, and a whole lot more pertaining to the book and how it reflects a philosophy of the moment.You can find more about Kelly at www.kellyyang.com and you can find The Take and her other books at your local library or your favorite book retailer today.

Multiple award-winning author Gwendolyn Kiste comes back to the show to talk about her new collection The Haunted Houses She Calls Her Own, now available from Raw Dog Press. She talks about revisiting her craft, about revisiting historic figures to recontextualize their place in modern issues, and also breaks down issues pertaining to activism and empathy in fiction and reality. You can find more about Gwendolyn Kiste at www.gwendolynkiste.com, and you can get The Haunted Houses She Calls Her Own direct through the Raw Dog Screaming Press website at rawdogscreaming.com.

Author Abby Vail is here to talk about her new book Writhe, available now from Sobelo Books. She talks about writing unforgivable characters, acting with compassion, and writing in the dark in order to better understand ourselves.You can find more about Abby Vail at abbyvailauthor.com, and you can get Writhe direct from Sobelo Books at sobelobooks.com.

Author Carter Keane comes on to talk about their debut novella Morsel, available April 14, 2026, from Tor Nightfire. With host Trevor, they talk about capitalism, hunger, and catharsis, and a lot more both directly related and tangential to the book's big questions.You can find more about Carter Keane at carterkeane.com, and you can find the book available at your local library or your favorite book retailer on April 14!

Author Kristi DeMeester visits the show to talk about her latest novel, Dark Sisters, published in winter 2025. She talks about writing problematic characters, how she structured some of her characters' conflicts around questions of authenticity and power, and a whole lot more.You can find more about Kristi DeMeester at www.kristidemeester.com, and you can get Dark Sisters now at your favorite book retailer or your local library.