Hi, I’m Liz Alterman, journalist, author and your host of The Book House podcast. This season, we'll be chatting all about the writing life with authors from across the Garden State.

In this episode, author Lisa Kusel shares a behind-the-scenes look at penning her spicy suspense novel, The Widow on Dwyer Court which was released July 16. A Jersey girl at heart, Lisa grew up in Edison and currently lives in Burlington, Vermont where she writes at a desk overlooking Lake Champlain. Before crafting this twisty psychological thriller, Lisa published a memoir, Rash, about her family's bold move to Bali. Prior to that, she wrote a novel, Hat Trick, and a collection of interconnected short stories, Other Fish In the Sea.

Lisa talks about her uncommon writing path spanning multiple genres and how her newest novel, which bestselling author Samantha Bailey calls, "incredibly clever, unique, and compelling," had several iterations before arriving in its current form. The story, which is told from two points of view, includes an erotic novel within the novel.

The Widow on Dwyer Court tells the story of thirty-six-year-old stay-at-home soccer mom Kate Burke, who, to the casual observer, appears happily married to Matt Parsons. But behind closed doors, their marriage looks very different. So, While they still love each other madly, Kate is no longer interested in having sex with her husband. To satisfy their needs, they make an arrangement: Matt can have one-night stands with other women on work trips, but when he returns home, he has to tell Kate about them—every juicy detail. Why? Beecause Matt’s adulterous affairs inspire and fuel Kate's secret career as a beloved erotic romance novelist.

When Annie Meyers, an eccentric young widow, moves to town with her daughter, things become even more complicated. At first Kate is smitten with this wild, witty woman, who gives her a much-needed break from the other picture-perfect suburban moms, although she’s not sure how much of her hidden life she’s willing to share with her new friend. But it turns out Annie has secrets too—big ones that could destroy all their lives.

Stop by The Book House Long Branch on Saturday, Aug. 10 from 5 to 7 pm to meet Lisa in person and pick up a signed copy of her latest. Visit her website LisaKusel.com for updates or follow her on Instagram @Lisa_Kusel.