Okie Bookcast
The Okie Bookcast is dedicated to helping curious readers like you find your next great read by connecting you to Oklahoma authors and stories. The show features monthly interviews with contributors to the reading life of Oklahoma - it might be an author, publisher, librarian, reader, bookseller, or other figure. In addition to interviews, the show has a monthly book conversation full of reviews and recommendations. New episodes drop on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Connect with Okie Bookcast on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok - @okiebookcast.
Tue, April 15, 2025
Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 12
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Volume 12! This time we have poems from 15 Oklahoma poets cued up and ready for you to enjoy. Be sure to connect with the poets across their social media (linked below) to let them know how much you appreciate their work. You can check out previous volumes at okiebookcast.com/behindtherain Here's the Lineup: Spring Morning - Ruth Key Instagram @ruthkeypoetry Sing to Me Ocean - Ken Hada Facebook: @ken.hada.3 Website: kenhada.org Goodbye to Talequah - Uriah Maravilla Greer Instagram: @uriahwrites Barbed Wire Manual - Kristen Grace Instagram: @_kristen_grace My Oklahoma Boy - Nichole Yates Instagram: @nicholeyates The Slow Torment of Sunset - David Jennings Facebook: @DJennPhotos Website: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.com Backyard Magic - Sydney Aerin Instagram: @sydneysometimes Mr. Nonchalant Introduces Himself to the Party - Durell Carter Instagram: @durell.carter Caregiver - Aubrey Green Instagram: @bluecloverediting Howl at Night - Jake Spann Facebook: @jake.spann.9 Hope Like a Wildflower - Holly Jahangiri Bluesky: @jahangiri Website: https://jahangiri.us/2020 In the Garden on Lowell Street - Lydia Renfro Instagram: @lyd.fro Website: https://lydiarenfro.com/ Cruel Calculations - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley Walking - Alice Vile Instagram: @alice.a.vile Textilation - Andrew Morris Gilman Instagram: @andrewmorrisgilman Observations on Fear - Ruth Key <l
S4 E13 · Tue, April 01, 2025
In Love with Love Stories - Author Allison Ashley
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 70! My guest is romance author Allison Ashley. Allison is an oncology pharmacist who has released five romance novels, including her brand new book, If Tomorrow Never Comes . In our conversation, we talk about the new book and about tropes she loves. We also talk about her interest in incorporating science and medical themes in her work and the challenge of keeping romance stories fresh. Connect with Allison: website | Instagram Get J's New Book, College Unpacked Mentioned on the Show Romance Round Table - Bookcast Chapter 68 Would You Rather - Allison Ashley The Roommate Pact - Allison Ashley Sherry Thomas Adriana Herrera Lisa Kleypas Bridgerton - Julia Quinn Throroughbred Series - Joanna Campbell Black Stallion Series - Walter Farley Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S4 E12 · Tue, March 25, 2025
Find Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations with J, Hannah, and Bookstagrammer Kenny Kemper
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Your Next Great Read! Our guest this month is Bookstagrammer (and Dad baker!) Kenny Kemper. We cover over a century's worth of books - from classic scifi to thrillers to horror to romance. You're going to find a book to love in this conversation! Connect with Kenny: Instagram Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Discussed on the Show: Kenny Whiplash River - Lou Berney Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros The Four Winds - Kristin Hannah Blood Evidence - Robin James Hannah The Silent Patient - Alex Michaelides Mistakes We Never Made - Hannah Brown This Thing Between Us - Gus Moreno Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurie J First-Degree Magic - J.M. Linkhart The Invisible Man - H.G. Wells Buffalo Hunter Hunter - Stephen Graham Jones The Children of Men - P.D. James Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S4 E11 · Tue, March 04, 2025
Sharing a Passion for Local - Kelleigh and Tyler from Knight's Nook Bookstore
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 69! My guests are Kelleigh Knight-Whitten and Tyler Whitten, owners of KNight’s Nook bookstore in Yukon, Oklahoma. We recorded at the store, so the audio may be a bit different than you’re used to. Kelleigh and Tyler launched Knight’s Nook in October of 2024 and are doing some really great things in their community. You are going to love getting to know Kelleigh and Tyler as we talk about how the store came about, their commitment to indie authors and to their community, and the incredible care they take as they curate their shelves. Connect with Knight's Nook: website | Instagram | Facebook My new book, College Unpacked: A Practical Guide to Choosing, Preparing For, and Excelling in College, is out! Find out more and get your copy at jhallwriter.com Mentioned on the Show: Rose Neal Natalie Griffin Berserk - Kentaro Miura & Jason Deangelis Naruto - Masashi Kishimoto Dragonball - Akira Toriyama & Toyotarou JuJitsu Kaisen - Gege Akutami Demonslayer - Koyoharu Gotouge The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas Cemetery of Forgotten Books Series - Carlos Ruiz Zafon Diviners Series - Libba Bray These Shallow Graves - Jennifer Donnelly Stalking Jack the Ripper series - Kerri Maniscalco Cassandra Clare - City of Bones | Mortal Instruments Columbine - Dave Cullen Stiff - Mary Roach Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene Mary Higgins Clark The Great Gatsby - F. Sc
S4 E10 · Tue, February 18, 2025
Find Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendation with J, Hannah, and Bookstagrammer Melissa Coast
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Your Next Great Read! Bookstagrammer Melissa Coast is back with us to talk book reviews and recommendations. We cover a wide variety on the show - everything from "fluffy" romances to horror to fantasy to books that defy classification. There's a book for you on this show! Connect with Melissa: Instagram | Linktree Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Discussed on the Show: Melissa The Light Brigade - Kameron Hurley James - Percival Everett Beartown - Frederik Backman Even Though I Knew the End - C.L. Polk Hannah Better than the Movies - Lynn Painter Onyx Storm - Rebecca Yarros Jane Darrowfield and the Madwoman Next Door - Barbara Ross Beloved - Toni Morrison J Exposure - Ramona Emerson Jade City - Fonda Lee All the Water in the World - Eiren Caffall Parable of the Sower - Octavia E. Butler Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S4 E9 · Tue, February 04, 2025
Romance Round Table 2.0 - Authors on Writing, Reading, and Celebrating Love
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 68 of the Bookcast! It's February and that can only mean one thing - it's Romance Round Table time! I'm joined by 3 fantastic romance authors to talk about their work, expectations of the romance genre, writing spice, and representation. This thoughtful conversation is full of information about the genre, insights into writing romance, and laughs. So, Many. Laughs. You've going to love getting to know Nichole Yates, Heather DuBree, and Holly Skinner. Connect with Nichole: website | Instagram | Facebook Connect with Heather: website | TikTok | Instagram Connect with Holly (H.B.): Linktree | TikTok | Instagram Join the Launch Team for J's new book - College Unpacked! Mentioned on the Show: Whispers of the Deep - Emma Hamm Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas Done and Dusted - Lyla Sage Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien Tender is the Flesh - Agustina Bazterrica Tornado Ally - Lainey Ross Shark Heart - Emily Habeck Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery Little Women - Louisa May Alcott A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas It Ends with Us - Colleen Hoover Onyx Storm - Rebecca Yarros The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - V.E. Schwab Sara Cate <a href='https://bookshop.org/beta-search?key
S4 E8 · Tue, January 21, 2025
Find Your Next Great Read - J and Hannah Look Ahead to 2025 Books
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Happy 2025! We're looking forward on this edition of Your Next Great Read by sharing some books we're excited to check out in the coming year. We also talk about some things we've been reading and Hannah gets mad at me about a book she can't believe I've never read. Get ready to fill your TBR ! Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Books Discussed: Hannah The One - John Marrs Before the Coffee Gets Cold - Toshikazu Kawaguchi Three to look forward to Onyx Storm - Rebecca Yarros Sunrise on the Reaping - Suzanne Collins The Unseen - Ania Ahlborn Backlist The Winter People - Jennifer McMahon J Gutshot Straight - Lou Berney Children of the Neon Bamboo - B. Glynn Kimmey Three to look forward to King of Ashes - S.A. Cosby The Buffalo Hunter Hunter - Stephen Graham Jones Jade City - Fonda Lee Backlist 11/22/63 - Stephen King Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
Wed, January 15, 2025
Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 11
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's Volume 11 of Behind the Rain! I've got poems from 14 Oklahoma poets cued up and ready for you to enjoy. Be sure to connect with the poets across their social media (linked below) to let them know how much you appreciate their work. You can check out previous volumes at okiebookcast.com/behindtherain Here's the lineup: Supernatural - Andrew Morris Gilman Instagram: @andrewmorrisgilman Twelfth-Hour Lightning Strike Piano Tunes Itself to Midnight - Michelle Lark Instagram: @fairylarks The Land We Belong To - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley The Songbird - Shy Norton Instagram: @shylascribblesart Haboob - Scott LaMascus Instagram: @scott_lamascus An Aroma - Jake Spann Facebook: @jake.spann.9 The Waving Wheat Can Sure Smell Bittersweet - Sydney Aerin Instagram: @sydneysometimes To Someone I Can't Fall With Again - Seth Copeland Instagram: @sethtcope Website: https://neutralspaces.co/seth_t_copeland/ The Halls of Snow and Sleep - Kristen Grace Instagram: @_kristen_grace You Were But a Batch of Bones and Fur - David Jennings Facebook: @DJennPhotos Website: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.com Nocturne - Aubrey Green Instagram: @bluecloverediting What I've Learned from Watching Yes Men Win - Durell Carter Instagram: @durell.carter Gather - Alice Vile Instagram: @alice.a.vile So Little Time - Linda Neal Reising Instagram: @nealreising Connect with J: website | TikTok | <a href='https://twitter.com/OkieBook
S4 E7 · Tue, January 07, 2025
Writing Stories for People to Love - Author Luke Swanson
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 67! My guest is indie author Luke Swanson. Luke has been a part of a couple of different shows, but this was my first chance to interview him and we had a blast! Luke is an author with five published novels under his belt, each in a vastly different genre. He says that Much like Oklahoma's weather, what he's reading and what he's writing could change within the hour. If you want someone who can recite "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" from start to finish but also gets really nerdy about Civil War history, he's your guy. Connect with Luke: website | Instagram | TikTok After the interview - I give some updates about where the show is heading in 2025, so be sure to stick around for that. Mentioned on the Show: Alex Rider series - Anthony Horowitz The Book Thief - Markus Zusak Hardy Boys - Franklin W. Dixon Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene The Pawn - Steven James Havah - Tosca Lee Mystic River - Dennis LeHane Animal Farm - George Orwell The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns Goodwin My Thoughts Be Bloody - Nora Titone Little Women - Louisa May Alcott Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S4 E6 · Tue, December 17, 2024
Find Your Next Great Read - J and Hannah Talk Favorite Books of 2024
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! We're wrapping up 2024 with a conversation about our favorite reads of the year! Hannah and J talk about what they're reading and then get into their 3 favorite reads of 2024. Check out our list and then let us know your favorite books of the year. Fave Five From Fans episodes: J | Hannah Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Books Discussed: Hannah The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern The Family Game - Catherine Steadman Fave 3 Episode 13 - Craig Dilouie Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus Horror Movie - Paul Tremblay Backlist Hell House - Richard Matheson J Dark Age - Pierce Brown Service Model - Adrian Tchaikovsky Fave 3 Starter Villain - John Scalzi Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone - Benjamin Stevenson Chain Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei Brenyah Backlist The Running Man - Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman) Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S4 E5 · Tue, December 03, 2024
Bringing Magic to Middle Grade Readers - Author Russell J. Fellows
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 66! I got to sit down with Russ Fellows to talk about his new book - Children of the Ancient Heroes: Dreams and Nightmares - the first in a new middle grade fantasy series. We also talk about writing for middle grade readers and his podcast project, Enchanted Stories, that focuses on sharing great stories with kids. List of Oklahoma Independent Bookstores: okiebookcast.com/bookstores List of Oklahoma Children's Authors: okiebookcast.com/kidlit Connect with Russ: website | Linktree Enchanted Stories Podcast on YouTube Mentioned on the Show: Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien Jules Verne Neil Gaiman The Princess and the Goblin - George MacDonald The Patron Thief of Bread - Lindsey Eagar Nevermore series - Jessica Townsend The Thirteenth Child - Erin A. Craig Story Thieves - James Riley Stephen King Dean Koontz Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S4 E4 · Tue, November 19, 2024
Find Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations w/ YA author Emma Jackson
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! This month, we're joined by Emma Jackson to talk about what we're reading and why you might love it! We've got thrillers, romance, books on creativity, scifi, lots of YA, horror, and even a western. You're going to find a book or two to love in this fun conversation. Connect with Emma: Instagram | Threads | Twitter | TikTok Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Discussed on the Show: Emma Inheritance of Scars - Crystal Seitz Royal Blood - Aimee Carter Jade City - Fonda Lee An Ember in the Ashes - Sabaa Tahir Hannah The Paradise Problem - Christina Lauren What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - Haruki Murakami Here One Moment - Liane Moriarty The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins J The Butcher’s Masquerade - Matt Dinnimann The Cannibal Owl - Aaron Gwyn I Was a Teenage Slasher - Stephen Graham Jones Way Station - Clifford D. Simak Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S4 E3 · Tue, November 05, 2024
When Horror Comes to OKC with author James Cooper
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 65! My guest today is James Cooper. James is the Oklahoma City Councilman for Ward 2 and an Artist in Residence for the English department at OCU, where he teaches courses on writing and horror. His work has been published in the Oklahoma Gazette and the Huffington Post and he was named a Champion of Pride by Advocate Magazine and received the Rising Star Award from the OSU College of Arts and Sciences. We're talking about James' debut novel - Moonlit Massacre - a horror novel about a mass murder following in the vein of the infamous Sirloin Stockade murders in Oklahoma City in the 70s. Over the course of the conversation we also talk about Care Bears, Nightmare on Elm Street, Lil Wayne, jazz, a little OKC politics, and a particular influence that you'll have to hear to believe. As you can imagine, the conversation turns to violence a bit, so be advised as you decide to listen. Connect with James: website | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Mentioned on the Show: Lou Berney Stephen Graham Jones Men, Women, and Chainsaws - Carol Clover A Single Man - Christopher Isherwood No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy OKC: Second Time Around - Steve Lackmeyer Funny Money - Mark Singer Reconstructing the Dreamland - Alfred L. Brophy Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison Moffie - Andre Carl Van Der Merwe Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S4 E2 · Tue, October 22, 2024
Strange Roads, Mermaids, and Gorilla Suits - Book Recs w/ J, Hannah, and author Stacey Kade
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! We are so excited to welcome back author Stacey Kade (S.A. Barnes) for this edition of Your Next Great Read! We talk about plenty of Spooky Season reads, but also some science fiction, romance, and thrillers. Get ready to fill your TBR list with more great books! Connect with Stacey: website | Instagram | Threads Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Discussed on the show: Stacey So Thirsty - Rachel Harrison White Line Fever - KC Jones Four Weekends and a Funeral - Ellie Palmer The Return Man - V.M. Zito Hannah Thriller: Stories to Keep You Up All Night - James Patterson (ed.) Mary - Nat Cassidy Like It Never Was - Faith Gardner It - Stephen King J The Mountain in the Sea - Ray Nayler Red Rising - Pierce Brown Worst Case Scenario - TJ Newman Into the Drowning Deep - Mira Grant Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
Tue, October 15, 2024
Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 10
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's Volume 10 of Behind the Rain! I've got 14 poems from 13 Oklahoma poets cued up and ready for you to enjoy. Be sure to connect with the poets across their social media (linked below) to let them know how much you appreciate their work. Here's the lineup: At Home In the Hills (for Paul Askew) - Paul Austin Website: paustin.net Future of Sound - Sydney Aerin Instagram: @sydneysometimes Noise and Haste - Andrew Morris Gilman Instagram: @andrewmorrisgilman Early - Ruth Key Instagram @ruthkeypoetry American Night - James Thomas Fletcher Facebook: James.Thomas.Fletcher Website: jamesthomasfletcher In a Children's Museum - Paul Juhasz Facebook: Paul Juhasz Author Silent Jubilee - Alicia Daggs Instagram: @solatidont Cimarron - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley To the Spur-Throated Grasshopper, My Dog is a Villain and An Occasion When Summer Rain was too Severe for Outside Play - Lydia Renfro Instagram: @lyd.fro Website: https://lydiarenfro.com/ Whalefall- Hallie McGrath Instagram: @jackrabbit_soul North for You - Seth Copeland Instagram: @sethtcope Website: https://neutralspaces.co/seth_t_copeland/ Work - Rilla Askew Instagram: @rilla_askew Website: rillaaskew.com Barren Ground - David Jennings Facebook: @DJennPhotos Website: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.com Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | <a href='https
S4 E1 · Tue, October 08, 2024
Celebrating 40 Years of Bookselling with Nan and Dani from Best of Books
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 64 of the Okie Bookcast! It’s a huge week for us as we celebrate our third anniversary! All I can say is thank you - I appreciate you more than you know, now onward to year four! Speaking of anniversaries, my guests for this episode are from Best of Books, an independent bookstore in Edmond that is celebrating its 40th anniversary this week! I’m joined by Nan Hight and Dani Terrell to talk about the store, their huge anniversary celebration on October 10, and the incredible relationship the store has developed with authors through the years. Nan is a former educator who, along with her husband Joe and daughter Elena, has owned Best of Books since 2014. Dani is also a former educator who joined Best of Books two years ago and works on events and social media for the store. Enjoy our conversation as we celebrate 40 years of this fantastic Oklahoma bookstore! Connect with Best of Books: website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Twitter Mentioned on the Show: Unnecessary Sorrow - Joe Hight Camino Ghosts - John Grisham Scarlett St. Clair Jennifer Lynn Barnes Ruta Sepetys Steve Sheinkin Ordinary Grace - William Kent Kruger Touch of Darkness series - Scarlett St. Clair The Dead Guy Next Door - Lucy Score The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett Kwame Alexander Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond - Henry Winkler Stick Dog - Tom Watson Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Books
S3 E23 · Tue, September 17, 2024
Time Travel, Cats, and Wedding People - Book Recs w/ J, Hannah, and Tyler Lenz
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Your Next Great Read for September 2024! J and Hannah are joined by author, Tyler Lenz, to talk books. We cover a ton of ground - everything from rocky aliens to bridezillas to saber-toothed tigers. And a lot of love for Matt Haig. Something for every reader! Get ready to fill your TBR list with more great books. Connect with Tyler: Facebook Get Tyler's Books: The Seam | Beyond the Seam Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Discussed on the Show: Tyler Scythe - Neal Shustermann Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinnimann Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir 11/22/63 - Stephen King Hannah Hell House - Richard Matheson Incidents Around the House - Josh Malerman The Wedding People - Allison Espach The Midnight Library - Matt Haig J The Life Impossible - Matt Haig The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley The Seam - Tyler Lenz The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O - Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E22 · Tue, September 03, 2024
Short Fiction and Springsteen w/ Author Rilla Askew
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 63! My guest should be a familiar voice to long-time listeners - Rilla Askew joined me for Chapter 30 to talk about her novel, Prize for the Fire. She's back to talk about her new collection of short stories: The Hungry and the Haunted, available from Belle Point Press on September 17. Rilla is the author of multiple novels, story collections, and creative non-fiction. She's the recipient of the Oklahoma Book Award and the American Book Award, among other honors. In our conversation we talk about her short fiction and her novels, her use of place in her fiction, and we spend some time celebrating the incredible literary culture of Oklahoma. Connect with Rilla: website | Instagram Conversation with Casie Dodd from Belle Point Press (C. 55) Conversation with Rob Roensch (C. 53) Mentioned on the Show: Prize for the Fire - Rilla Askew Belle Point Press (order The Hungry and the Haunted) In the Morning, the City is the Prairie - Rob Roensch Ben Myers Best American Short Stories (2023) I Can Hear Everything from Here - Mark Walling Bruce Springsteen William Faulkner James Baldwin Wolf Hall Trilogy - Hillary Mantel okiebookcast.com/bookstores - The list of Oklahoma independent bookstores Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E21 · Tue, August 20, 2024
Your Next Great Read LIVE - Hallmark Romance, Rogue Agents, and the End of the World
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! We celebrated the second anniversary of Your Next Great Read by recording this show in front of a live audience at Second Story Books in OKC! In addition to the second anniversary of this show, this is also the 100th episode of the Okie Bookcast! We talk about a ton of books with our guest, Magen Runyan, and also get quick reviews from a couple of special guests and recommendations from the crowd for our backlist category. Connect with Magen Runyan: Instagram | YouTube | TikTok Connect with Luke Swanson: website | Instagram | TikTok Connect with Garrett Queener: Instagram | TikTok Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Second Story Books in OKC: website | Instagram Mentioned on the Show: Magen Unlikeable Female Characters: The Women Pop Culture Wants You To Hate - Anna Bogutskaya The Orchard - Jeffrey Stepakof I am Number Four - Pittacus Lore Luke The Reappearance of Rachel Price - Holly Jackson Garrett The Mist - Stephen King Hannah We Used to Live Here - Marcus Kliewer The Handler - Garrett Queener Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo J The Hungry and the Haunted - Rilla Askew The Last Murder at the End of the World - Stuart Turton Farenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury Visit okiebookcast.com for links to all of the crowd backlist rec
S3 E20 · Tue, August 06, 2024
Bringing Up a New Generation of Sooners w/ Children's Author Toby Rowland
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 62 of the Okie Bookcast! My guest is children's author, Toby Rowland. Toby has been the Voice of the Sooners for the last 13 years. He is also the host of the “T-Row in the Morning Show” on KREF in Norman and is an on-air Sports Contributor for KWTV (OKC) and KOTV (Tulsa). Toby released his first children's book, featuring University of Oklahoma mascots Boomer and Sooner, in 2020 and has just released a second book - "Put the Ponies in the Barn: Boomer and Sooner Take Their Wagon to the SEC". In our conversation we talk about his books and his writing, working with his illustrator - Rob Peters, and the challenges presented by working with protected intellectual properties like college mascots. Whether you’re a sports fan or not, you’re going to enjoy hearing from Toby. Connect with Toby: Twitter | Instagram Mentioned on the Show: Go Cubs Go - Marv Levy and Rob Peters A Good Walk Spoiled: Days and Nights on the PGA Tour - John Feinstein Open: Inside the Ropes at Bethpage Black - John Feinstein Play by Play - Verne Lundquist Quiet Strength - Tony Dungy The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E19 · Tue, July 23, 2024
Dragons, Serial Killers, and Martin Short - Book Recs with J, Hannah, and YA author Candace Kade
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to the July edition of Your Next Great Read! J and Hannah are joined by YA author, Candace Kade, to talk books. We cover a ton of ground - everything from murder mysteries to teen angst to Japanese dragons. Something for every reader! Get ready to fill your TBR list with more great books. Connect with Candace: website | Instagram Get Candace's Books: Enhanced | Hybrid Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Candace Calculated - Nova McBee Suspended in the Stars - E.A. Hendryx Saints and Monsters - Ellen McGinty The Water Child - Ellen McGinty Uglies - Scott Westerfeld Hannah Liar’s Beach - Katie Cotugno Sundown - Hudson Haskins Brother - Ania Ahlborn Seed - Ania Ahlborn A Flicker in the Dark - Stacy Willingham The Fault in Our Stars - John Green J Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone - Benjamin Stevenson I Must Say: My Humble Life as a Comedy Legend - Martin Short Machine Learning - Hugh Howey Ender’s Game - Orson Scott Card Connect with J: <
Bonus · Mon, July 15, 2024
Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 9
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Volume 9 of Behind the Rain - our second anniversary edition! We've been celebrating Oklahoma poetry for two years now and have, in total, presented 105 poems from 46 fantastic poets. For this volume we have 14 poems from 12 poets. Here's the lineup: Spring High Noons - Abigail Pappas Instagram: @actually_belle On the Banks of the Canadian - Lydia Renfro Instagram: @lyd.fro Website: https://lydiarenfro.com/ Mother Raccoon - David Jennings Facebook: @DJennPhotos Website: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.com Double Rainbow, Just East of Wanette - Ken Hada Facebook: @ken.hada.3 Website: kenhada.org Bugs - Cassie Grimm Instagram: @cassandrie_ The Almanac Knows Nothing - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley Rattlin' Bones - Alicia Daggs Instagram: @solatidont The Reason We Gather for the Solar Eclipse - Linda Neal Reising Instagram: @nealreising Website: lindanealreising.weebly.com If You Missed the House Concert - Rob Sturma Instagram: @ratpack_slim Website: www.freezeraypoetry.com Like a Leaf and Sleep Comforts - Ruth Key Instagram @ruthkeypoetry Radical Acceptance - Durell Carter Instagram: @durell.carter Last Look at Indiahoma before Old 62 Takes You Somewhere Else - Seth Copeland Instagram: @sethtcope Website: https://neutralspaces.co/seth_t_copeland/ The End of Summers - Abigail Pappas Instagram: @actually_belle Connect with J: website | TikTok | <a href=
S3 E18 · Tue, July 09, 2024
Finding Bookish Community Online - Bookstagrammer Round Table
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's Chapter 61 of the Bookcast! This month, I sat down with three amazing Bookstagrammers - Grace Filer, Clay Mattox, and Jessica Berg - to talk about the Bookstagram community and each of their unique approaches to being a part of the ecosystem. We talk about a ton of books, but also about talking about books and building community around a shared passion for reading. Grace Filer is the Cofounder of If Books Could Thrill, a thriller book club in the metro OKC area and she’s been on Bookstagram for 2.5 years. Grace's Bookstagram: @gracevelynreads Clay Mattox is a reader who rediscovered a love of books in adulthood. He’s one of the four Book Bros OK on Bookstagram who host book clubs at Bluebird Books in Edmond and Second Story Books in OKC. Clay's Bookstagram: @madoc_grams_literature and @book_bros_ok Jessica Berg is a Librarian who works in cancer research & runs multiple monthly book clubs. Jessica's Bookstagram: @biblioberg Books and Resources Mentioned on the Show: Monstrulio - Gerardo Sámano Córdova House on the Cerulian Sea - TJ Klune The Women - Kristin Hannah The Ex Talk - Rachel Lynn Solomon Emily Henry It - Stephen King We Are All the Same in the Dark - Julia Heaberlin Dreamland Burning - Jennifer Latham The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros Wanderers - Chuck Wendig The Stand - Stephen King Cell - Stephen King Under the Dome - Stephen King Books in the Freezer Podcast Instagram: Michael Laborne To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee Wayfarers Series - Becky Chambers <a href='https://boo
S3 E17 · Tue, June 18, 2024
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations with J and Hannah
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome back to Your Next Great Read! Hannah and J are back with tons of recommendations and reviews for curious readers like you. Remember - you can purchase any of the titles we discuss via the links below or on our Bookshop.org online store . Every book you buy helps out the Bookcast AND a local bookstore of your choosing. Win. Win. Win. Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Hannah Horror Movie - Paul Tremblay Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus Landline - Rainbow Rowell The Last House on Needless Street - Catriona Ward? Tress of the Emerald Sea - Brandon Sanderson The Mist - Stephen King J You Like It Darker - Stephen King Swan Song - Robert McCammon Bird By Bird - Anne Lamott Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinnimann The Peace War and Marooned in Realtime - Vernor Vinge Why Call Them Back From Heaven? - Clifford Simak Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E16 · Tue, June 04, 2024
Oklahoma Small Towns and Ghost Towns - Author, Jeff Schmidt
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 60! And welcome back! I'm so excited to be back from hiatus and bringing you bookish conversations with great authors like Jeff Schmidt. Jeff is the author of the brand new book Here Today: Oklahoma’s Ghost Towns, Vanishing Towns, and Towns Persisting against the Odds. Jeff is an Associate Professor of Marketing in the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma where he has taught since 2005. Jeff specializes in innovation and he also serves as Associate Division Director of Marketing and Supply Chain Management. Jeff has been exploring ghost towns for more than 25 years and spent 4 years and traveled 8,000 miles working on the Here Today book. In our conversation we get to hear a ton of stories about these towns across Oklahoma as well as the thought and care and passion Jeff brought to this project. It is a fascinating look at our wild state that I know you’re going to love. Connect with Jeff: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn Check out the brand new FREE course: Marketing through Podcast Appearances Mentioned on the Show: Ghost Towns of Kansas - Daniel C. Fitzgerald Ghost Towns of Oklahoma - John Morris From Strength to Strength - Arthur Brooks Build the Life You Want - Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey The Time Keeper - Mitch Albom The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom Hardy Boys - Franklin W. Dixon All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook <a href='https://books
Mon, April 15, 2024
Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 8
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's Volume 8 of Behind the Rain! I've got 11 poems from 10 Oklahoma poets cued up and ready for you to enjoy. Be sure to connect with the poets across their social media (linked below) to let them know how much you appreciate their work. Here's the lineup for this edition of the anthology: April and Winter - Aubrey Green Facebook: @BlueCloverEditing Website: www.bluecloverediting.com Local News From Where We Met - Seth Copeland BlueSky: @brushwithseth.bsky.social Website: https://neutralspaces.co/seth_t_copeland/ Unhatched and Broken - David Jennings Facebook: @DJennPhotos Website: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.com And I See It Clearly - Abagail Pappas Instagram: @actually_belle Gut Shot - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley Approaching Seventy - Ron Wallace Website: www.ronwallacepoetry.com Murrah - Paul Juhasz Facebook: Paul Juhasz Author Next Time - Holly Jahangiri Facebook: @author.hollyjahangiri Website: https://jahangiri.us/2020 Trying - Clay Mattox Instagram: @madoc_grams_literature Untitled #5 - Jes McCutchen Instagram: @jesmwrites Website: jesmccutchenwrites.com If you'd like to submit a poem for consideration for Volume Nine of Behind the Rain (releasing July 15, 2024), visit okiebookcast.com/behindtherain for details. Submission deadline is June 15! Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by <a href='https://pixabay.com/music/search
Tue, February 27, 2024
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with J, Hannah, and special guest Andie Schulz
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Hannah and I are joined by Andie Schulz to talk about what we've been reading and why you might love it. We cover everything from mind-bending horror to sweeping space operas to warm fuzzy rom-coms. There may also be some conversation about elements that would go into a YNGR Drinking Game. Enjoy the conversation and let us know your thoughts on the books we discuss. Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Discussed on the Show: Andie Apples Never Fall - Liane Moriarity The Girl in Cabin 13 - A.J. Rivers The Long Game - Elena Armas All the Missing Girls - Megan Miranda Hannah A Psalm for the Wild-Built - Becky Chambers Ask For Andrea - Noelle Ihli Episode Thirteen - Craig Dilouie Monster - Walter Dean Myers J This New Dark - Chase Dearinger After World - Debbie Urbanski Eyes of the Void - Adrian Tchaikovsky House of Leaves - Mark Z. Danielewski Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E15 · Tue, February 20, 2024
Turning Experience into Story - Author and Poet Paul Juhasz
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 59! My guest is author and poet, Paul Juhasz. A graduate of the Red Earth M.F.A., Paul’s work has appeared in several literary journals, most recently Concho River Review, Poetry Quarterly, Oklahoma Review and Main Street Rag. He has served as curator and coordinator of the Woody Guthrie Poets since 2020. He has four books, including his most recent - As If Place Matters - a collection of short fiction. In our conversation we talk about all of Paul’s work across genres and forms and his approach to connecting his lived experiences to his writing. We also get into how he unravels problems in his writing. This is a great conversation for readers and writers alike with some important things to say about how our history informs what we create. Quick content note: We talk about coping with childhood trauma and self-harm so please be aware of that content going into the conversation. Connect with Paul: Instagram | Facebook Paul's Books: Fulfillment: Diary of a Warehouse Picker Ronin The Inner Life of Comics As If Place Matters Mentioned on the show: Running with Scissors - Augusten Burroughs Joseph Conrad Lou Berney Jeannetta Calhoun Mish Letters to Wendy’s - Joe Wenderoth Fine Dog Press TC Boyle Cormac McCarthy Dave Eggers Hamlet - William Shakespeare No Country for Old Men - Corman McCarthy Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E14 · Tue, February 13, 2024
The Running Man - Pages to Pictures w/ Jamie Ray
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! I'm joined by the host of Fave Five From Fans, Jamie Ray, to talk about the film adaptation of the Richard Bachman / Stephen King classic - The Running Man. We talk about the book and the film and all of the many (so many) ways in which the two are different. It's a celebration of spandex and catchphrases - all of the 80s Arnold magic you can stand. If you love the book and / or the film, you'll love this conversation. If you haven't read or seen it, you're going to want to by the time we're through. Check it out and let us know what we got right (or wrong). Connect with Jamie: website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Purchase The Running Man Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E13 · Tue, February 06, 2024
Romance Writing Round Table
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 58! We've got a Round Table talking about all things romance writing. It's a fun and thoughtful conversation with something for everyone - even those of you (like me) who don't typically read romance. Magen Runyan - Podcaster (3 Book Girls) and Bookstagrammer Connect with Magen: Instagram | 3 Book Girls Clay Mattox - Bookstagrammer Connect with Clay: Instagram | Book Bros OK Collette Carmon - Author and VP of ORWG Connect with Collette: website | Facebook | Instagram Sabrina A. Fish - Author and President of ORWG Connect with Sabrina: website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok Mentioned on the Show: Icebreaker - Hannah Grace Book Lovers - Emily Henry Vampires of El Norte - Isabel Canas A Game of Gods - Scarlett St. Clair Under the Dome - Stephen King The Greatest Love Story Ever Told - Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally Cold Blood - Marnie Vinge Vampire Queen's Search - Sabrina A. Fish How the Penguins Saved Veronica - Hazel Prior Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia Red, White, and Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson Nalini Singh
Bonus · Tue, January 23, 2024
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendation and Talk with J, Hannah, and special guest Grace Filer
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Looking for great books? We've got you covered! Our guest is Bookstagrammer Grace Filer who runs the "If Books Could Thrill" book club in OKC. Connect with Grace: Instagram | If Books Could Thrill IG Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Recommendations in this episode: Grace I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death - Maggie O’Farrell The Swimmers - Julie Otsuka Monstrilio - Gerardo Sámano Córdova The Midnight Club - Christopher Pike Hannah A Court of Wings and Ruin - Sarah J. Maas Nestlings - Nat Cassidy The September House - Carissa Orlando Holes - Louis Sachar J Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham Starter Villain - John Scalzi Chain Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Ringworld - Larry Niven Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E12 · Tue, January 16, 2024
Staying True to Your Characters . . . and Bigfoot w/ Author Missy Hancock
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 57! My guest today is Missy Hancock. Missy describes herself as a wife of one, mom of six, and grammy of one. She’s lived in Oklahoma since she was ten and is happily settled in Guthrie, America. She says her motto in life is to live by love, not by fear. In the fall of 2023 Missy released three books in her Ele Charmichael series, under her pen name - M. Sparks Clark. We have a fun conversation about her work, self-publishing, staying true to your characters, and, of course, Bigfoot. Connect with Missy: website | Instagram | TikTok Mentioned on the Show Ele Carmichael series - Missy Hancock Holly Samson Hall The Floating Bookshop The Scent Keeper - Erica Bauermeister Liane Moriarty Kelly Harms Amy E. Riechert Kathrine Center Louise Miller Beth O’Leary Other Birds | The Sugar Queen - Sarah Addison Allen Heather Webber A Man Called Ove - Fredrick Backman Phaedra Patrick Madeleine L’ Engle Time Quartet Codex Alera series - Jim Butcher Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
Mon, January 15, 2024
Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 7
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's Volume 7 of Behind the Rain! I've got 11 poems from 9 Oklahoma poets cued up and ready for you to enjoy. Be sure to connect with the poets across their social media (linked below) to let them know how much you appreciate their work. Here's the lineup for this edition of the anthology: Pretty Wordy - Rachel Waters Instagram: @rachelwaters.co Website: https://rachelwaters.co/poet/ Let It Burn - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley Tornado Alley - Holly Jahangiri Facebook: @author.hollyjahangiri Website: https://jahangiri.us/2020 Yoked - MAC Woods Instagram: @mac_since1985 To Nowhere and Blue Balloon - Ruth Key Cherry Creek - Andrew Gilman Instagram: @andrewmorrisgilman Return to the Sea - Abagail Pappas Instagram: @actually_belle My Power - Sydney Aerin Instagram: @sydneysometimes What He'd Done - David Jennings Facebook: @DJennPhotos Website: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.com New Year's Musings - Rachel Waters Instagram: @rachelwaters.co Website: https://rachelwaters.co/poet/ If you'd like to submit a poem for consideration for Volume Eight of Behind the Rain (releasing April 15, 2024), visit okiebookcast.com/behindtherain for details. Submission deadline is March 15! Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E11 · Tue, January 09, 2024
Where the Red Fern Grows - Pages to Pictures w/ Betsey Kulakowski
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! I'm joined by author and podcaster, Betsey Kulakowski, to talk about the 1974 film adaptation of an Oklahoma classic - Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. We talk about the book and the film and ways in which the movie got it "right" and a place or two where it might have missed the mark. Spoiler alert, I've got some strong thoughts on that front. If you love the book and / or the film, you'll love this conversation. If you haven't read or seen it, you're going to want to by the time we're through. Check it out and let us know what we got right (or wrong). Connect with Betsey: website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Unfreakingbelieveable Podcast: Instagram Purchase Where the Red Fern Grows Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E10 · Tue, January 02, 2024
Storytelling and Comics w/ Buck Berlin from New World Comics
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 56! Today I get to introduce you to the owner of one of the great comic shops in Oklahoma - Buck Berlin from New World Comics in OKC. New World has been a fixture in Oklahoma City for decades and Buck has been its owner and chaos coordinator for the last couple of those. In our conversation we cover: The origins of the store and what it has to offer The comic creation scene in Oklahoma The role Buck and a group of superhero cosplayers perform in the community Advice for those just getting interested in comics What to expect when you walk into a comic shop for the first time The value of comics for reluctant readers the significance of comics as a medium for storytelling Connect with Buck at New World Comics: Facebook New World Comic Con: website Titles and Creators Mentioned on the Show: Watchmen - Alan Moore Maus - Art Spiegelman Charles Martin / Literati Press Glamorella’s Daughter - Charles Martin and Jerry Bennett Heathen - Natasha Alterici The Black-Jack Demon - Nick Hermes We Promised Utopia Scud the Disposable Assassin - Harmon, Carter, Schrab, Grey Arsenic Lullaby Daniel Warren Johnson Kyle Starks Stan Lee Characters Mentioned on the Show: Superman Batman The Crow Blade XMen Spiderman Captain America Mr. Fantastic / Fantastic Four Guardians of the Galaxy Red Tornado Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook <a href='https://bookshop.org
Bonus · Tue, December 26, 2023
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with J and Hannah
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's the December 2023 edition of Your Next Great Read! This is a special one as Hannah and I are actually recording in the same room for the first time. We don't have a guest for this episode, but we do talk about our favorite three books of 2023 in addition to our usual conversation. Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Recommendations: Hannah A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros One Day in December - Josie Silver Love and Other Words - Christina Lauren Hannah's 2023 Top 3: Black Sheep - Rachel Harrison Local Woman Missing - Mary Kubica Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros J Worth Dying For - Lee Child Horrorstor - Grady Hendrix The Lost Cause - Cory Doctorow Dogs of War - Adrian Tchaikovsky J's 2023 Top 3: Piranesi - Susanna Clarke Shutter - Ramona Emerson The Long and Faraway Gone - Lou Berney Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E9 · Tue, December 19, 2023
The Life of a Small Publisher w/ Casie Dodd from Belle Point Press
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! My guest for Chapter 55 is Casie Dodd. Casie is originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma but now lives in Fort Smith, Arkansas with her husband and two children. Her work has appeared in This Land, Oxford American, Image, Arkansas Review, and other journals. Casie is the founder and publisher of Belle Point Press, a fantastic independent press that has published several books from Oklahoma authors and poets, including Ben Myers, Damon McKinney, and Rob Roensch. In our conversation, we talk about the origins of Belle Point Press and its mission and heartbeat. We also talk about the advantages and challenges of small presses and about Casie’s work, as well as that of many others. It’s a great look behind the curtain of publishing from the perspective of a small press. Connect with Casie: writing website | Belle Point Press website | Substack | Instagram Mentioned on the show: Mid-South Anthology : Ben Myers Tyler Justin Smothers Kristen Grace Beer Breath Kisses - Damon McKinney In the Morning, The City Is the Prairie - Rob Roensch Deep Vellum Books Headless John the Baptist Hitchhiking: Poems - C.T. Salazar Night Angler - Geffrey Davis Hub City Press Cleave - tiana nobile Texas Review Press Bull City Press The End of the Affair - Graham Greene Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E8 · Tue, December 12, 2023
Adapting A Christmas Carol - Pages to Pictures w/ Luke Swanson
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! I'm joined by author Luke Swanson to talk about our favorite adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1843 classic, A Christmas Carol . Not to give it away, but Kermit may be involved. We talk about the book and the film and look at faithfulness and changes - including all of the music. If you're a fan of the story or the film, you're going to love the conversation. If you've never seen the movie, you'll be looking for it as soon as you finish listening. Check it out and let us know what we got right (or wrong). Connect with Luke: website | Instagram | TikTok Grab Luke's new book - Curtains on a Christmas Carol Purchase A Christmas Carol Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E7 · Tue, December 05, 2023
Storytelling Beyond Genre w/ Shark Heart author, Emily Habeck
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 54! My guest is debut novelist, Emily Habeck, author of Shark Heart: A Love Story. Emily has a BFA in Theater from Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts as well as master’s degrees from Vanderbilt Divinity School and Vanderbilt’s Peabody College. Since it's release in August, Shark Heart has been named a USA Today Bestseller, a Book of the Month selection, a New York Times book review editor’s choice, and was the #1 Indie Next pick for August 2023. She is from Ardmore, Oklahoma and currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Connect with Emily: website | Instagram | Twitter Purchase Shark Heart: A Love Story from Bookshop.org Books mentioned on the show: You Could Make This Place Beautiful - Maggie Smith Smile - Sarah Ruhl Bluets - Maggie Nelson Fellowship Point - Alice Elliot Dark Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
Bonus · Tue, November 28, 2023
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with J, Hannah, and Lydia Filiou
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Your Next Great Read! We're taking an international spin this month with our special guest, Lydia Filiou, who oversees the Translated Fiction Book Club in Oklahoma City. Translated Fiction meets once a month at a local bookshop in town to discuss a work translated into English. You can find out more about the club, including upcoming books for discussion on their Instagram: @translatedokc . Lydia Filiou Battle Royale - Koushun Takami Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit - Jeanette Winterson The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins Notes of a Crocodile - Qiu Miaojin Hannah The Only One Left - Riley Sager Everyone Here is Lying - Shari Lapena Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir - Matthew Perry The Vegetarian - Han Kang J The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder - David Grann The Balloon Hunter - Hugh Howey and Elinor Taylor Red Sneaker Writers series - William Bernhardt The Remembrance of Earth’s Past Trilogy - Liu Cixin Other books mentioned Elena Knows - Claudia Piniero Death and the Penguin - Andrey Kurkov Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead - Olga Tokarczuk Silo series - Hugh Howey Sand series - Hugh Howey A Stranger in the House - Shari Lapena The Couple Next Door - Shari Lapena Hurricane Season - Fernanda Melchor Seasons of
S3 E6 · Tue, November 21, 2023
Sharing OKC with the World - Author Rob Roensch
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 53 of the Okie Bookcast! My guest is Rob Roensch, Rob is an award-winning author of short fiction and author of three books, including his latest, In the Morning, the City is the Prairie . In addition to his writing, Rob teaches at Oklahoma City University. In our conversation, we talk about Rob’s new book, setting books in Oklahoma City, and using description and dialog to generate and maintain momentum through a book. We also talk about the author Rob would most like to take to Sonic. Connect with Rob: website | Twitter Our reviewer, Sydney Aerin, should be a familiar voice. Sydney contributed a review back in Chapter 48 and her poetry has been featured in Volumes 5 and 6 of Behind the Rain, our audio anthology of Oklahoma Poetry. Sydney is a licensed therapist who is passionate about mental health education, disability awareness, and equality for all. You can find Sydney's performance and publication information on her Instagram @sydneysometimes . Sydney is reviewing a book by another Oklahoma poet - Mr. Monday Morning's Broken Songs and Testimonies by Durell Carter. Mentioned on the Show: Belle Point Press The Long and Faraway Gone - Lou Berney Boom Town - Sam Anderson The Moviegoer - Walker Percy Edisto - Padgett Powell Annie John - Jamaica Kinkaid The Chocolate War - Robert Cormier Walden - Henry David Thoreau Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E5 · Tue, November 14, 2023
Adapting Murder on the Orient Express (1974) - Pages to Pictures w/ guest, Jamie Ray
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! We're talking about the 1974 adaptation of Agatha Christi's Murder on the Orient Express . I'm joined by Jamie Ray, host of Fave Five From Fans, to talk about the book and the film adaptation. What did they get right? What got changed? Which actors nailed the characters and which might have missed (our interpretation of) the mark? If you've never read or seen Murder on the Orient Express, we'll give you plenty to whet your appetite and talk about whether you should read the book or watch the film first. If you're a fan, listen along and let us know where we got it right (or wrong). We also try to avoid spoilers and we do not give away the ending. Connect with Jamie: website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Purchase Murder on the Orient Express Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E4 · Tue, November 07, 2023
Raising Awareness through Fiction - Vanessa Lillie
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 52! My guest is Vanessa LIllie. Vanessa is the best-selling author of the thrillers Little Voices and For the Best . She also co-authored the instant bestselling Audible Original Young Rich Widows . Her latest novel, titled Blood Sisters , released October 31st, and is the first in a new series with missing and murdered indigenous women at the heart of the stories. Vanessa is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma living on Narragansett land in Rhode Island. In addition to her writing, she also hosts an Instagram Live show where she talks with crime fiction authors. In our conversation, we talk about Vanessa’s new novel and why it was important to her to set it in Northeast Oklahoma. We also talk about writing for audio versus writing for the page and why she finds it important to support the work of other authors. Connect with Vanessa: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter Mentioned on the show: Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology And Then She Fell - Alicia Elliot Bad Cree - Jessica Johns Sisters of the Lost Nation - Nick Medina Man Made Monsters - Andrea L. Rogers Tommy Orange Stephen Graham Jones Firekeeper’s Daughter - Angeline Boulley Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by <a href='https://pixabay.com/music/s
Bonus · Tue, October 31, 2023
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendation and Talk with J, Hannah, and author S.A. Barnes (Stacey Kade)
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's a deluxe edition of Your Next Great Read! Our guest is S.A.Barnes (Stacey Kade), author of Dead Silence - one of J and Hannah's favorite reads of the last couple of years. In addition to our dozen recommendations, we talk about including the COVID-19 pandemic in fiction and the progression of fan fiction authors in publishing. We also talk about another dozen or so books in the process of our recommendations. Best of luck to your TBR pile! Connect with SA (Stacey): website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Recommendations: Stacey The Death of Us - Lori Rader-Day Whalefall - Daniel Kraus Black Sheep - Rachel Harrison Tangled Planet - Kate Blair Famous Last Words - Katie Alender Hannah The Minds of Billy Milligan - Daniel Keyes Holly - Steven King The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan J Fractal Noise - Christopher Paolini Dark Ride - Lou Berney The Android’s Dream - John Scalzi The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis All of the extra books Dead Silence - S.A. Barnes Ghost Station - S.A. Barnes The Black Hour - Lori RaderDay To Sleep in a Sea of Stars - Christopher Paolini Paradise-1 - David Well
S3 E3 · Tue, October 24, 2023
Killers of the Flower Moon - Adapting Book to Film
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Something a little different for this episode. I'm joined by Garret Castleberry and Scott McMurry from the Special Topics in Media podcast to talk about the film version of Killers of the Flower Moon and how it works as an adaptation of David Grann's book. We talk a lot about different elements and how they compare between the two versions and ultimately answer the question of whether someone should read the book or watch the film first. This is Part One of our conversation. Part Two focuses on an analysis of the film itself and will be posted to the Special Topics in Media feed soon. Special Topics in Media: Facebook | Listen to the show For further reading: Killers of the Flower Moon - David Grann Rich Indians: Native People and the Problem of Wealth in American History - Alexandra Harmon Oklahoma's Poor Rich Indians - Bonnin, Fabens, and Sniffen (1924) Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S3 E2 · Tue, October 17, 2023
Crime Fiction with Dark Ride Author, Lou Berney
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 51! My guest for this episode is crime novelist, Lou Berney. Lou is the author of several novels, including November Road and The Long and Faraway Gone , which is on the Okie Bookcast list of 50 Essential Oklahoma Reads. His latest novel - Dark Ride - was released earlier this fall. Lou has lived most of his life in Oklahoma City where, in addition to his writing, he teaches in the MFA program at Oklahoma City University. Lou’s work has won Edgar, Hammett, Steel Dagger, Barry, Macavity, Lefty, and Anthony awards, and he has been a finalist twice for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. In our conversation Lou and I talk about his books, why he prefers to write ordinary people as his heroes, and setting books in Oklahoma City. We also talk about a shared memory that he describes as the secret handshake of Oklahoma City residents from a particular time period. Connect with Lou: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Our review comes from Vanessa Lillie - Vanessa is the bestselling author of the thrillers Little Voices , For the Best and coauthor of the Young Rich Widows series. Her forthcoming novel, Blood Sisters , launches a new suspense series and releases on October 31. Vanessa will be touring around Oklahoma in early November in support of her book release. You can find details about her appearances on her instagram - @vanessalillie Vannessa reviews Man Made Monsters by another great Oklahoma author - Andrea L. Rogers. Connect with Vanessa: Website | Instagram | Facebook Mentioned on the show: Elmore Leonard Happy Hollisters books - Jerry West Happiness Falls - Angie Kim Walking Through Needles - Heather Levy Mysteries and Manners - Flannery O' Conner Man Made Monsters - Andrea L. Rogers Connect with J: <a href='https://www.okiebookcast.com
Bonus · Thu, October 12, 2023
Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 6
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's Volume 6 of Behind the Rain! I've got 13 poems from 11 Oklahoma poets cued up and ready for you to enjoy. Be sure to connect with the poets across their social media (linked below) to let them know how much you appreciate their work. Here's the lineup for this edition of the anthology: Citizen Eagle - Seth Copeland BlueSky: @brushwithseth.bsky.social Website: https://neutralspaces.co/seth_t_copeland/ Dragonfly - Stevie Guymon-Clemens Instagram: @royal_scumbag_ I Grew Some More Today - Sydney Aerin Instagram: @sydneysometimes The Weather and Pruning - Britta Newton-Tarron Instagram: @brittanewtontarron Choreography - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley Crisis of Faith - Rebecca Lemke Instagram: @newcrunchymom Website: rebeccalemke.com Grandmother Trueshot - Jackie Kraft Facebook: @jackie.kraft.58 Don't Love Me for Who I Was in the 90s - Durell Carter Instagram: @durellrc Twitter: @DurellCarter90 Stepping Out of Your Own Shadow - Xander Thomas Facebook: @xanderbooks Website: xanderthomasbooks.com My Fall - David Jennings Facebook: @DJennPhotos Website: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.com The Sky For Me and Magical - Ruth Key If you'd like to submit a poem for consideration for Volume Seven of Behind the Rain (releasing January 15, 2024), visit okiebookcast.com/behindtherain for details. Submission deadline is December 15! Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Booksho
S3 E1 · Tue, October 03, 2023
Historical Fiction and Family w/ Author Mary Kay Zuravleff
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 50 AND our second birthday! The Bookcast launched 2 years ago this week and it's been a great ride so far. Stay tuned after the interview to hear a bit about where we're heading as we move into year 3. My guest is Mary Kay Zuravleff. Mary Kay is a graduate of the original Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City and, although she now resides in Washington, D.C., she comes back often to visit her parents and sister. Her latest novel, American Ending , is her fourth book. Released in June, American Ending has won critical acclaim, including being selected to Oprah’s 2023 Spring Reading List. Her first book, The Frequency of Souls , was a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award and the winner of the James Jones Award and the Rosenthal Award from the American Academy. She spent years editing and writing for the Smithsonian, which inspired her second novel, The Bowl is Already Broken , And her third novel, Man Alive! , was a Washington Post Notable Book. In our conversation, we talk about American Ending and it’s connections to both history and Mary Kay’s family. We also talk about her approach to research and writing and have a great conversation about genre. You’re going to love getting to know the fantastic Mary Kay Zuravleff. Connect with Mary Kay: Website | Instagram | Facebook Mentioned on the Show: Ghost Wall - Sarah Moss Now Is Not the Time to Panic - Kevin Wilson The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon How to Be Both - Ali Smith Orlando - Virginia Wolff Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
Bonus · Tue, September 26, 2023
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendation and Talk with J, Hannah, and Special Guest Melissa Coast
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to the September edition of Your Next Great Read from the Okie Bookcast! Our guest, Bookstagrammer Mellisa Coast, is back for a second round of recommendations and reviews. Connect with Melissa: Instagram | Linktree Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Melissa The Spaceship Next Door - Gene Doucette Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver The Bodyguard - Katherine Center The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss Hannah The Night Parade - Ronald Malfi Love and Other Words - Christina Lauren Ghost Summer: Stories - Tananarive Due The Shining - Stephen King J Final Girls - Riley Sager American Ending - Mary Kay Zuravleff The Long and Faraway Gone - Lou Berney Life of Pi - Yann Martel Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E23 · Tue, September 19, 2023
Launching a New Bookstore w/ Britni and Kathryn from Second Story Books and Cafe in OKC
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 49! My guests are Britni Brecheen and Kathryn Lynn - two friends who are launching a new bookstore and cafe in OKC. Britni has worked in bookstores and libraries for 12+ years and is currently a homeschool mom of two. Kathryn's first job was in a bookstore at the age of 15. They have had many jobs in many places, but reading and writing has been constant, and for them, it all comes back to books. In our conversation we talk about their vision for the new bookstore and its place in their geographic community, but also the wider bookish community of Oklahoma City. We also get into what led them to want to open the store, the ups and downs of getting the store off the ground, and a brief interlude about time spent in an international jail. You’re going to love hearing about the level of detail with which they are chasing their dream and their passion for books and readers. Connect with Second Story Books: Instagram | Facebook | Website | Bookshop.org Our review for this episode comes from blogger, aspiring author, and new mom, Samantha Bailey. She is a former educator who is taking some time out of the classroom to focus on raising her daughter and working on finishing her works in progress, including a children’s book that will release in 2024. Samantha is reviewing Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy. Connect with Samantha: Instagram | Website Mentioned on the Show: Frog and Toad - Arnold Lobel Homegoing - Yaa Gyasi Shark Heart - Emily Habeck Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution - R.F. Kuang To Shape a Dragon's Breath - Moniquill Blackgoose The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson Garlic and the Vampire - Bree Paulsen Garlic and the Witch - Bree Paulsen Under the Whispering Door - T.J. Klune Migrations - Charlotte McConaghy Connect with J: website | <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@okiebookca
S2 E22 · Wed, September 06, 2023
Writing Dystopian Fiction with Author Susy Smith
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 48 of the Okie Bookcast! My guest is Susy Smith, author of Ascendant, the new book in her award-winning Asylum series, a set of dystopian novels set in Oklahoma that explore the intricacies of survival, freedom, and the dark side of human nature. In our conversation we talk about her novels and about starting her writing career a bit later in life. We also talk about setting books in Oklahoma, her poetry, and her important work with the Kanza tribe in the area of language learning and retention. Connect with Susy: website | Facebook | TikTok | Instagram | Twitter Our review for this episode comes from poet Sydney Aerin. Sydney is a licensed therapist who is passionate about mental health education, disability awareness, and equality for all. You can find Sydney's performance and publication information on her Instagram (@sydneysometimes), including a couple of performances coming later in September at the Sunny Dayz Mural Festival and Norman Arts in the Wind. You can also hear Sydney perform her poetry in Volume 5 and the upcoming Volume 6 of Behind the Rain, our audio anthology of Oklahoma poetry at okiebookcast.com/behind the rain . Sydney is reviewing Love Letters for Women , a poetry collection by another Oklahoma City poet (and Behind the Rain contributor) Kristen Grace . Connect with Sydney: Instagram Mentioned on the Show: Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins The Walking Dead - Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore Robert Frost Edgar Allen Poe The Inheritance Games series - Jennifer Lynn Barnes The Brothers Hawthorne - Jennifer Lynn Barnes Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door - Madeline L'Engle Emily of New Moon series - Lucy Maud Montgomery Connect with J: <a href='https://www.o
Bonus · Tue, August 29, 2023
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with Hannah Herron and J Hall
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's the birthday episode of Your Next Great Read! Hannah and I talk about books we've discovered through the show and have our usual conversations about what we're reading and why you might love it. We also have a speed round segment of favorite books our listeners read in high school. Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Hannah Boom Town: The Fantastical Saga of Oklahoma City, Its Chaotic Founding... Its Purloined Basketball Team, and the Dream of Becoming a World-class Metropolis - Sam Anderson Uncle Paul - Celia Fremlen In My Dreams I Hold a Knife - Ashley Winstead You Shouldn’t Have Come Here - Jeneva Rose The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald J The Long Walk - Stephen King All the Sinners Bleed - S.A. Cosby Remarkably Bright Creatures - Shelby Van Pelt The Ferryman - Justin Cronin Les Miserables - Victor Hugo Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E21 · Tue, August 15, 2023
Friends Talking Books w/ Martha, Vonnie, and Magen from 3 Book Girls
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 47! Today I'm joined by 3 of the hosts of the 3 Book Girls podcast - Martha, Magen, and Vonnie. We have a blast talking about their podcast, a ton of books from every genre, and how the 3BG are essentially The Avengers. Since they review books, I asked Magen to provide the review for this episode and she talks about Love and Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean. Connect with 3 Book Girls: website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok Mentioned on the Show: Vonnie Ken Follett The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett The Burning: The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 - Tim Madigan The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien Odd Thomas - Dean Koontz Magen Ali Hazelwood Book Lovers - Emily Henry So This Is Christmas - Tracy Andreen If This Gets Out - Sofie Gonzalez and Cale Deitrich Unmasked - Paul Holes First King of Shannara - Terry Brooks Shadowhunters - Cassandra Clare Martha Stephen King Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinniman Undercurrents - Mary Anna Evans Small Gods - Terry Pratchett Children of Time - Adrian Tchaikovsky Empire of Silence - Christopher Ruocchio Maeve Fly - C. J. Leede The Princess of Mars - Edgar Rice Burroughs Others Frog Music - Emma Donoghue The Evening and the Morning - Ken Follet The Power - Naomi Alderman Love and Other Great Expectations - Becky Dean Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | <a href='https://www.facebo
S2 E20 · Tue, August 01, 2023
Writing for Middle Grade Readers with author Eileen Hobbs
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 46! My guest is Eileen Hobbs, author of the five books in the The Heath Cousins Series . Eileen grew up in Thailand as the child of missionaries and those experiences have found their way into her work, especially her most recent standalone book, Under the Golden Rain Tree . Eileen worked and taught at the University of Oklahoma for over 20 years, but is now focused on her writing career. In our conversation we talk about Eileen’s work and the inspirations behind her books. We also talk about the importance of character progression in book series, some advice for emerging middle-grade authors, and the fun of getting to interact with students and teachers around her books. Connect with Eileen: Website | Instagram | Facebook Jensen Bloom is our reviewer. Jensen is a medical writer and editor who lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the rest of her time, she enjoys science fiction, humor, movies, and writing children's literature. She loves to travel and would go to outer space if they would let her. Jensen reviews Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Connect with Jensen: Twitter | Instagram Mentioned on the Show: The Silent Patient - Alex Michaelides Rizzo and Isles series - Tess Gerritsen Not a Happy Family - Shari Lapena Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden The Ginger Tree - Oswald Wynd The Enchanted April - Elizabeth Von Arnim Little Women - Louisa May Alcott Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
Bonus · Tue, July 25, 2023
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with J and special guests Kami Weems and Chad Lehrmann
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! We've got a special episode of YNGR! Hannah is traveling so I've got a special guest co-host joining me, my friend and sister-in-law, Kami Weems. Kami and I are joined by author and podcaster, Chad Lehrmann. Chad has written a variety of horror and paranormal novels as well as nonfiction work about education and history. Connect with Chad: Instagram | TikTok | Author Page Chad Chasing the Devil: My Twenty-Year Quest to Capture the Green River Killer by Sheriff David Reichert In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson The Eradic By S. Goody Shattering the Perfect Teacher Myth by Aaron Hogan Kami Anxious People by Fredrik Backman The Pilot’s Daughter by Audrey J. Cole The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton J Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 by T.J. Newman The Bomber Mafia by Malcom Gladwell Kindred by Octavia Butler The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E19 · Tue, July 18, 2023
Life as Married Authors with Will and Julia Bryan Thomas
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 45! For this conversation, I had the joy of sitting down with married authors Will and Julia Thomas. Will is a two time Oklahoma Book Award winner and the author of fourteen Victorian Era mysteries, the Barker and Llewelyn novels. His books have received Shamus and Barry nominations and numerous starred reviews. The latest book in the series - Heart of the Nile - released earlier this year. Connect with Will: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Julia Bryan Thomas is the author of two contemporary British mysteries (under the name Julia Thomas) and two historical novels. Her WWII-era novel, For Those Who Are Lost, was an Oklahoma Book Award finalist and has been selected by the Library of Congress to represent Oklahoma at the 2023 National Book Festival. Julia’s latest book - The Radcliffe Ladies Reading Club - also released earlier this year. Connect with Julia: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Mentioned on the show: Anna Karinina - Leo Tolstoy Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte A Room of One's Own - Virginia Woolf Gift from the Sea - Anne Morrow Lindbergh The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald The Splendid and the Vile - Erik Larson Some Danger Involved - Will Thomas For Those Who Are Lost - Julia Bryan Thomas A Gentleman in Moscow - Amor Towles The Secrets We Kept - Lara Prescott Close to Shore: The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916 - Michael Capuzzo Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania - Erik Larson Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Connect with J: website | <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@okie
Bonus · Thu, July 13, 2023
Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 5
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to the first anniversary volume of Behind the Rain! We've been at this for a year and have had the joy of presenting 56 poems from 31 Oklahoma poets. Here's the lineup for this edition of the anthology: Dream Walking - Rebecca Lemke Instagram: @newcrunchymom Website: rebeccalemke.com Bull Headed - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley Spider - Jackie Kraft F acebook : @jackie.kraft.58 Where--In That Dark Deep--Are You? - David Jennings Facebook: @DJennPhotos Website: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.com Event Horizon - Henbit Instagram: @henbits.daffodils Delivery - Carson Baumann Instagram: @carsonsarahh Website: kindacraftyokc.com Red From Roses - Thomas Juarez Twitter: @thomasj66714281 Sweat Dreems - Sydney Aerin Instagram: @sydneysometimes Oklahoma City Is: - Lucas Dunn Website: There Is Nothing You Can Possess The National Geographic Article Claims the Spiders Have Dreams - Gary Reddin Instagram: @reddinwrites Shoveling Out - Seth Copeland Twitter: @SethTCopeland Website: https://neutralspaces.co/seth_t_copeland/ If you'd like to submit a poem for consideration for Volume Six of Behind the Rain (releasing October 13, 2023), visit okiebookcast.com/behindtherain for details. Submission deadline is September 15! Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the
S2 E18 · Tue, July 11, 2023
Celebrating Oklahoma History with John J. Dwyer, author of The Oklahomans saga
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's Chapter 44! My guest is John J. Dwyer, author of The Oklahomans and several other history and historical fiction titles. John grew up in Duncan and taught History and Ethics at Southern Nazarene University from 2006-2021. He also had a successful career in journalism and broadcasting before making the switch to writing books. John’s books have won both state and nationals awards, including the Will Rogers Medallion award for Western literature. When he’s not writing, John is president of the Red River Institute of History and is part of the Oklahoma Gold! radio program and podcast that features colorful and inspiring tales from Oklahoma History. Connect with John: website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Oklahoma Gold ! Steven Wedel provides our review for this episode. Steven has published 37 books under his own name and two pseudonyms. Steve is an English teacher by day, who previously worked as a journalist, public relations director, corporate writer, and a lot of other things that didn't have to do with writing. His latest book - First Born - released earlier this summer. Steven is keeping with our theme of cowboys and history with his review of Deer Run Trail by David R. Lewis. Connect with Steven: website | Instagram | Twitter Mentioned on the show: The Oklahomans ( Book 1 and Book 2 ) - John J. Dwyer James Michener Dr. Bob Blackburn Jerry Bennett The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre: A Photographic History Volume 1 - Dr. Karlos K. Hill Oklahoma Gold! podcast Winds of War - Herman Wouk War and Remembrance - Herman Wouk Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry Horseman, Pass By - Larry McMurty <a href='https://boo
Bonus · Tue, June 27, 2023
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with J, Hannah, and special guest Rebecca Inch-Partridge
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! This month, Hannah and I are joined by author and editor Rebecca Inch-Partridge. Rebecca is an author, an editor, and an avid science fiction fan who grew up imagining a more inclusive world for women writers. Today, she is shaping that reality with the publication of her first YA science fantasy novel, Escaping the Dashia , from Black Rose Writing. Connect with Rebecca: website | Facebook | Instagram Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Rebecca War Mage, Book 2 of the Spellmonger series by Terry Mancour The Case for Mars - Robert Zubrin Trainee - Margaret McGaffey Fisk Terrier: The Legend of Beka Cooper #1 - Tamora Pierce Hannah The Boy From the Woods - Harlen Coben Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros The Husband’s Secret - Liane Moriarty Half Resurrection Blues - Daniel Jose Older J 61 Hours - Lee Child All the Pretty Horses - Cormac McCarthy Check out Aaron Gwyn's obituary of McCarthy A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World - C.A. Fletcher Mort - Terry Pratchett Discworld novels by themes or characters Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook <a href='https://book
S2 E17 · Tue, June 20, 2023
Writing Picture Books with Children's Author, Tammi Sauer
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! I had so much fun talking with children's author, Tammi Sauer! Tammi is a former teacher and library media specialist, who now works as a full-time children's book author. Her books have received accolades including starred Kirkus reviews, the NPR Best Book of the Year, Bank Street College Best Book of the Year, and the Oklahoma Book Award. Her books have been translated into several languages and some of them have even been adapted into musicals. In addition to her writing, Tammi speaks at schools and writing workshops all over the country, talking about her books and encouraging kids to be both readers and writers. In our conversation, you’ll hear a lot of the advice she shares with young authors and also about her books, her writing process, and the inside scoop on working with illustrators. Connect with Tammi: website | Twitter | Instagram Since we’re talking about picture books on this episode, I’m throwing things back to the November edition of Your Next Great Read for our review. Our guest for that show - retired elementary teacher and my Mom, Susan Hall - talks about Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees. Mentioned on the Show: The Mitten - Jan Brett You Go First - Ariel Bernstein (Author) and Marc Rosenthal (Illustrator) Chez Bob - Bob Shea Paper Towns - John Green Giraffes Can't Dance - Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees Books by Tammi Sauer Cowboy Camp - w/ Mike Reed Mary Had a Little Plan - w/ Vanessa Brantley-Newton Mary Had a Little Glam - w/ Vanessa Brantley-Newton All Kinds of Special - w/ Fernando Martin The Underpants - w/ Joren Cull Not Now, Cow - w/ Troy Cummings One Sheep, Two Sheep - w/ Troy Cummings Nugget and Fang - w/ Michael Slack Knock, Knock - w/ Guy Francis <a href='https://bookshop.org/a/56687/9781454946571'
S2 E16 · Tue, June 06, 2023
Navigating the Journey of Indie Authorship - Amy Prokopis and Tyler Lenz
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's Chapter 42! For our conversation today, we're taking a look at indie authorship with a couple of fantastic young independent authors - Tyler Lenz and Amy Prokopis. Tyler Lenz was born in Enid, OK, and attended college at Oklahoma State University. He lives in Moore, OK with his wife, Roxanne, and two children where he currently works as the communications manager for a trucking company. Tyler has always enjoyed writing but only recently started taking it seriously after releasing his first book, "The Seam: Book One of Texas Accelerated." Connect with Tyler: TikTok | Facebook | Instagram Amy Prokopis is a friend of the podcast. She provided a review way back in episode 17 and was also featured in our Where Are They Now episode from January. Amy writes young adult fiction - everything from science fiction to fantasy to contemporary romance. Amy’s latest book is the second in her Guardians of the Sixth Gate trilogy. It’s called Shade of the Shadowlands and released just a few days ago! Connect with Amy: website | Instagram | TikTok Our review is from debut author Christina Rost. Christina’s contemporary romance novel, called The Decision, just released from Scrivenings Press. Connect with Christina: website | Facebook Christina is reviewing a book called UnDistracted: Capture Your Purpose Rediscover Your Joy by one of my favorite authors and speakers - Bob Goff. Mentioned on the Show: The Seam - Tyler Lenz The Arena - Amy Prokopis Guardians of the Sixth Gate - Amy Prokopis Shade of the Shadowlands - Amy Prokopis Adrian's Undead Diary - Chris Philbrook Bobiverse Series - Dennis E. Taylor The Serpent and the Wings of Night - Carissa Broadbent Harry Potter Series - J.K. Rowling Hatchet - Gary Paulson <a href='https://www.amazon.
Bonus · Tue, May 30, 2023
Your Next Great Read - J and Hannah look ahead to summer reads
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! We're back! No guest for this month's YNGR, so Hannah and I are taking a look at some books we're excited to read this summer. Hannah The Roanoke Girls - Amy Engel Confessions - Kanae Minato, Stephen Snyder Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chobsky Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros The Husband’s Secret - Liane Moriarty You Shouldn’t Have Come Here - Jeneva Rose J A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World - C.A. Fletcher Dogs of War - Adrian Tchakovsky Tell Me an Ending - Jo Harkin Wayward - Chuck Wendig The Ferryman - Justin Cronin Children of Memory - Adrian Tchaikovsky Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E15 · Tue, May 02, 2023
Creating Wild Family Reading w/ Middle-Grade Author J.J. Johnson
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 41! My guest is J.J. Johnson, a husband, father, podcaster, and Award Winning Middle-Grade author. He grew up in Pryor Oklahoma, attended Oklahoma Baptist University where he majored in Theology. He now lives in Edmond with his wife and two boys who are commonly known online as - Hobbit 1 and Hobbit 2. J.J. and I talk about his award-winning Iggy and Oz series and his passion for writing books that connect with middle-grade boys. We also talk about being an independent author and how J.J. integrates his faith into his work for both kids and adults. Connect with J.J.: website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Mentioned on the Show: Bobbsey Twins - Laura Lee Hope Hardy Boys - Franklin W. Dixon Trapped in Death Cave - Bill Wallace Danger on Panther Peak - Bill Wallace Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan Realm Makers Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney Goosebumps - R. L. Stein I Survived series - Lauren Tarshis Kim Ventrella Charlotte's Web - E.B. White Ray Bradbury Dark Tower Series - Stephen King Dead Zone - Stephen King The Long Walk - Stephen King Old Man's War - John Scalzi Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury Heir to the Empire - Timothy Zahn Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | <a href='https://www.fac
Bonus · Tue, April 25, 2023
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with J, Hannah, and special guest, Aubrey Stanley from the Bookish BFFs
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! J and Hannah are joined by Aubrey Stanley, a Bookstagrammer who is part of The Bookish BFFs. Connect with Aubrey: BookishBFFs Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Bookcast conversation with Hannah about The Ashford House. Aubrey The Man Who Died Twice - Richard Osman The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman Never Lie - Freda McFadden Don’t You Cry - Mary Kubica Hannah When All the Girls Have Gone - Jayne Ann Krentz Frankenstein - Mary Shelley The Echo Wife - Sarah Gailey Murder On the Orient Express - Agatha Christie J The Ashford House - Hannah Joy Herron Sand - Hugh Howey The Nickel Boys - Colson Whitehead Watchmen - Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E14 · Tue, April 18, 2023
Oklahoma Center for the Book and Oklahoma Book Awards with Connie Armstrong
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! We're talking about the Oklahoma Center for the Book and the Oklahoma Book Awards with OCB Executive Director, Connie Armstrong. Connie has led the Center since 2009. She holds degrees in history and political sciences from the University of Oklahoma and the University of Central Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Center for the Book is a state affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, and is organized to focus attention on the vital role of books and reading in our lives. The Center promotes the past, current, and future works of Oklahoma authors; promotes the literary heritage of the state; and encourages reading for pleasure by Oklahomans of all ages. In our conversation we talk about the work of the Center and the upcoming Awards, being held on April 22. Connect with the Center for the Book: website | Twitter | Facebook I’m taking a few episodes to highlight some other bookish podcasts by inviting hosts to provide reviews. Our review for this episode comes from Pamela Wilson, host of the Picky Bookworm, a podcast aimed at introducing lesser-known authors to the world through weekly chats. Pamela also owns The Picky Bookworm, a website dedicated to promotion of indie books, and editing and proofreading services. Her dream is to have a community where authors and bloggers alike can feel supported and encouraged. Pamela reviews Falling Through The Weaving by Leia Talon. Connect with Pamela: website | Twitter | Instagram Mentioned on the show: The Boy Who Carried Bricks - Alton Carter Hannah E. Harrison S.E. Hinton Ralph Ellison Alexander Lawrence Posey Woody Guthrie Angie Debo John Berryman Lynn Riggs Dr. H. Wayne Morgan <a href='https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/ent
Bonus · Fri, April 14, 2023
Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 4
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Volume Four of Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry. I'm excited to share with you the work of these 11 Oklahoma poets. Open Mic Night - Kara Lisa Soft As Cotton - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley The Honesty of Grief - Alannah Benae Instagram: @alannah_benae Some Days - Sally Hoch Instagram: @sallyhochwriter Cabin - David Jennings Website: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.com Chrono - MAC Woods Instagram: @mac_since1985 Forever - Shy Norton Instagram: @shylascribblesart Heart of the House - Breanne Lynnett Instagram: @breannelynnett Cartridge - Thomas Juarez Website: thomasjuarez.com Twitter: @thomasj66714281 Wildflowers at Dusk - Ken Hada Twitter: @KhadakhadaKen Website: kenhada.org Stillwater and Muffled Underwater Thoughts - Ruth Key Website: thesouljar.blogspot.com If you'd like to submit a poem for consideration for Volume Five of Behind the Rain (releasing July 14, 2023), visit okiebookcast.com/behindtherain for details. Connect with the Bookcast @okiebookcast on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook for more Oklahoma voices. Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E13 · Tue, April 04, 2023
Writing Across Genres with Horror and Thriller Author, Hannah Herron
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! I'm really excited to interview my Your Next Great Read cohost and favorite oldest daughter, Hannah Herron for this chapter of the Bookcast! Hannah has a new book coming out this month - The Ashford House - so this felt like the perfect time for a conversation about her work. Hannah is an author, screenwriter, and educator from Norman, Oklahoma. She’s written two books - Sleep Tight and Awake, the latter of which was an Oklahoma best seller, and her latest book The Ashford House releases on April 18. In addition to her novels, Hannah has written a screenplay called Sawtooth that was honored at the 2022 Broadcast Education Association in the feature film screenwriting category. In our conversation we talk about her interest in writing horror and thrillers, as well as her work across other genres. We talk about the new book and Hannah also shares things she’s learned about her own writing from teaching others. Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Our review for this episode comes from my fellow bookish podcaster, Raye, host of Being Bookish, a great podcast featuring reviews and conversations with authors. She describes herself as an Avid reader and book collector who reads anything but thrillers. Raye reviews Circe by Madeline Miller. Connect with Raye: website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok Mentioned on the Show: Awake - Hannah Joy Hall Stephen King Paul Tremblay Riley Sager Ruth Ware Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson Being Bookish podcast Circe - Madeline Miller Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by <a href='https://p
Bonus · Tue, March 28, 2023
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with J, Hannah, and special guest Melissa Coast
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Hannah and J are joined by OKC Bookstagrammer, Melissa Coast (AKA stickynote_bookrecs on Instagram). The conversation ranges from haunted houses to classic sci-fi to some surprise romance entries. As always, something for everyone. We also have a special announcement from Hannah about her new book - The Ashford House - coming April 18! Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Books discussed on the show: Melissa I, Robot - Isaac Asimov The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett What Follows Is True: Crescent Hotel - Sean Fitzgibbon Gregor the Overlander - Suzanne Collins Hannah Crazy Rich Asians - Kevin Kwan Home Before Dark - Riley Sager Anatomy: A Love Story - Dana Schwartz And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie J I Am All Crying Inside: and Other Stories - Clifford D. Simak How to Sell a Haunted House - Grady Hendrix Hyperion - Dan Simmons Patriot Games - Tom Clancy Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E12 · Tue, March 21, 2023
Selling Books in a Small Community - Karen Payne, Paper Pages Bookstore
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Chapter 38 finds me in Crescent, OK at Paper Pages Bookstore talking with owner Karen Payne. Paper Pages is a fantastic store featuring a wide variety of books, as well as gifts and locally-sourced pastries and coffee. In our conversation we talk about the role of the store in the community, Karen's commitment to supporting local vendors and authors, and the joys and challenges of owning a store in a smaller community. Connect with Paper Pages: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok Check out pictures of the store. For our review this episode, I'm revisiting one of my favorite reads of 2022 - Oscar Hokeah's Calling for a Blanket Dance - winner of the 2023 Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel. You'll hear Oscar talking about his novel from our conversation in Chapter 25 and then a few comments from me from the September edition of Your Next Great Read. Listen to the full interview with Oscar. Listen to the September YNGR. Mentioned on the show: Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery Outlander - Diana Gabaldon The Baptist Bootlegger - Nicholas Lyon Verity - Colleen Hoover Finlay Donavan Series - Elle Cosimano The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah Calling for a Blanket Dance - Oscar Hokeah Paper Pages Vendors: Quincy Bake Shop Rural Route Coffee Roasters Kelsey's Pens Serendipity Pottery Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E11 · Tue, March 07, 2023
Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc. - Nick Lyon and Bre Lockhart
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Chapter 37 of the Bookcast focuses on the Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc. - a non‑profit federation of writers' groups from across Oklahoma and beyond dedicated to promoting higher standards for the written word. I sat down with Nick Lyon (President) and Bre Lockhart (Conference Coordinator) about OWFI and it's mission and the upcoming conference. Connect with OWFI: website | Facebook Nicholas Lyon is the author of the historical novel The Baptist Bootlegger and current president of the Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. For his day job, he teaches English to high school students who would rather be on TikTok. He is also a woodturner and musician. He lives with his wife and two kids in Guthrie, OK. Connect with Nick: website | Twitter | Facebook Bre Lockhart is a fantasy and sci-fi author with pen names in the genres of mystery and poetry. She’s also a fiction editor, an admin for Tulsa Writers Syndicate, a writer for Indie Author Magazine, and the conference coordinator for OWFI. Connect with Bre: website | Facebook | Twitter Our review for this episode comes from Bookcast guest and friend of the show, Betsey Kulakowski. Betsey is the best-selling author of The Veritas Codex paranormal thriller series. Her 5th book in the Series, The Lost Templar was released in December of 2022, and she's preparing for the spring launch of the 6th book -- The Pirate's Curse. Betsey reviews Stranger in the Woods by Anni Taylor. Connect with Betsey: website | Instagram My book is available for preorder on Kindle! Order now and get yours when it drops on March 14! God Help Me! I'm a Young Dad Mentioned on the show: Paper Pages Books Dear Writer, You Need to Quit - Becca Syme First Blood - David Morrell How to Sell a Haunted House - Grady Hendrix Josh Malerman My Heart is a Chainsaw
Tue, February 28, 2023
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with J, Hannah, and Special Guest, Mel Odom
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Our guest for this month's YNGR is Mel Odom. Mel is the author of over 200 novels and is a professor in the Professional Writing department at the University of Oklahoma. He's also a Bookcast alum, appearing on Chapter 4 of the show way back in 2021. Listen to chapter 4 of the Bookcast . Be sure to stay through the end of the conversation for a big announcement! Connect with Mel: website | Facebook Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Books Discussed on the Show: Mel The Girl From Everywhere - Heidi Heilig Sleep No More - Jane Ann Krentz The Never Game - Jeffery Deaver The Gray Man - Mark Greaney Hannah Dead Silence - S.A. Barnes Book Lovers - Emily Henry Local Woman Missing - Mary Kubica Shutter Island - Dennis LaHane J The Book of Accidents - Chuck Wendig The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood Shutter - Ramona Emerson The Children of Men - P. D. James Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E10 · Tue, February 21, 2023
Writing History and Biography with Oklahoma Historian and Author, Bob Burke
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! My guest for Chapter 36 is author, historian, and attorney Bob Burke. Bob has written over 150 books about Oklahoma and Oklahomans, ranging from topics like The Oklahoma City Bombing to the Oklahoma State Fair to Oklahoma legends like Wiley Post and Ralph Ellison. Bob is a 3-time winner of the Oklahoma Book Award, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book, and has been inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame, and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Bob and I talk about his interest in Oklahoma, his passion for writing biographies, his extensive writing process and working with co-authors. I also got to hear a ton of stories from Bob about everything from baseball to Donald Duck. Connect with Bob: website | Facebook Our review is from Sheeva Azma, Sheeva is a freelance science writer, digital and strategic communicator, and science policy wonk who merges her interests in science, writing, and policy to solve hard problems through effective messaging with her science communications company, Fancy Comma, LLC. She is a scientist turned science writer who has written two books designed to encourage scientists to try their hand at science writing. Sheeva reviews Who Can Hold the Sea by by James D. Hornfischer. Connect with Sheeva: website | Twitter Mentioned on the show: Typically I try to include all of the books mentioned, but Bob talked about so many different books and projects that it seemed best to point you to his catalog. Books by Bob Burke David McCullough Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E9 · Tue, February 07, 2023
Creating Worlds with Fantasy Author Kathryn Fogleman-White
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Love fantasy stories and dragons? Then I've got the conversation for you! My guest, Kathryn Fogleman-White, describes herself as Keeper of Dragons, and lover of coffee. As a Master Storyteller, Kathryn believes in providing quality books that give readers a chance to pause and take a brain break from the rest of the world. She the author of the Tales of the Wovlen series of novels and co-author of Books 4 and 5 of the Heroes of Ravenford series. As a writing coach, Kathryn believes that authors - published and aspiring - should never feel alone in their writing. We cover a lot of ground in our conversation, talking about her unique approach to writing, working on her first novel at 10 years old, and of course, dragons. Connect with Kathryn: website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Our review today comes from Nicholas Lyon. Nicholas is the author of the recently published novel The Baptist Bootlegger about a Baptist preacher bootlegging hooch in 1950's Oklahoma. He is also the current president for the Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. and a high school English teacher. He lives in Oklahoma with his wife and two boys. Nicholas reviews The Discretionist by Lance Hawvermale. Connect with Nicholas: Twitter | Facebook Mentioned on the Show: Eragon - Christopher Paolini Dragonheart The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien Tales of the Wovlen - Kathryn Fogleman Nigel Andreola - Starry Night Media Heroes of Ravenford - F. P. Spirit Dr. Caroline Leaf Dr. John Townsend Dr. Henry Cloud Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien The Baptist Bootlegger - Nicholas Lyon The Discretionist - Lance Hawvermale Connect with J: website | TikTok | Tw
Tue, January 24, 2023
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with J, Hannah, and special guest Jamie Hyde
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to the January edition of Your Next Great Read! Hannah and I are joined by Oklahoma author Jamie (J. L.) Hyde to talk about the books we're loving and why you might love them too! Plenty of thrillers and true-crime this month, with other great books thrown in as well. Connect with Jamie: Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok Purchase Jamie's books: jlhyde.com/books Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Books discussed on the show: Jamie The Turn of the Key - Ruth Ware Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus All Good People Here - Ashley Flowers Murder In Greenwich: Who Killed Martha Moxley? - Mark Fuhrman Hannah The Pale Blue Eye - Louis Bayard Fairy Tale - Stephen King Murder at Archly Manor - Sarah Rosett The Stranger Beside Me - Ann Rule J Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story - Bono All Systems Red - Martha Wells Gone Tomorrow - Lee Child In Cold Blood - Truman Capote Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E8 · Tue, January 17, 2023
University of Oklahoma Press Editorial Director, Andrew Berzanskis
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 34! I had the joy of talking with Andrew Berzanskis, Editorial Director for the University of Oklahoma Press. Andrew has worked in publishing for two decades, during which his work involved acquiring books for the University of Washington Press, West Virginia University Press, and the University of Georgia Press. He got his start in university press publishing through an editorial fellowship at the University of Texas Press. In our conversation, you’ll learn about the mission of OU Press and some of the similarities and differences between university presses and the larger commercial publishers. We also talk about the kinds of books featured by OU Press and Andrew walks through the publication process from acquisition to production, including some incredible advice for authors interested in working with these presses. Connect with Andrew and OU Press: Website | Andrew on Twitter | OU Press on Twitter Doing something a little different with the review this month. The book is Rilla Askew's Prize for the Fire, reviewed by Rilla (giving a synopsis of the book from Chapter 30 of the show) and me providing a short review (from the November episode of Your Next Great Read ). Mentioned on the show: Prize for the Fire - Rilla Askew The Good Country: A History of the American Midwest, 1800-1900 - Jon Lauck A Promise Kept: The Muscogee (Creek) Nation and McGirt v. Oklahoma - Robert J. Miller and Robbie Ethridge Brandon Hobson Joy Harjo Sanora Babb Way I See It - Wampus Reynolds Pekolah Stories - Amanda Bales Garth Brooks: The Road Out of Santa Fe - Matt O'Meilia Woody Guthrie Literati Press Comics and Novels Magic City Books Full Circle Books Music by JuliusH Connect with J: <a href='https://www.okiebookcast.com
Bonus · Fri, January 13, 2023
Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 3
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Volume Three of Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry. I'm excited to share with you the work of these 11 Oklahoma poets. Darkness Comes to Me - Ken Hada Twitter: @KhadakhadaKen Website: kenhada.org Old Car - David Jennings Website: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.com Estelle and Rain in the Forecast - Ruth Key Website: thesouljar.blogspot.com A Circle Seen from all Sides - Caleb Jordan Twitter: @gkmonthly Selections from A Wichita Mountains Ontology - Seth Copeland Twitter: @SethTCopeland Website: https://neutralspaces.co/seth_t_copeland/ Preservation - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley to do list - Nicholas Allen Twitter: @nallenwrites Website: nallenwrites.com No, Thank You - Shayla Raquel Instagram: @shaylaleeraquel Website: shaylaraquel.com The Ghosts Still Live Here - Durell Carter Instagram: @Durellrc Cicadas and Sycamores - Thomas Juarez Twitter: @thomasj66714281 Remembering Oklahoma - Linda Neal Reising Twitter: @nealreising If you'd like to submit a poem for consideration for Volume Four of Behind the Rain (releasing April 15, 2023), visit okiebookcast.com/behindtherain for details. Connect with the Bookcast @okiebookcast on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook for more Oklahoma voices. Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook <a href='https://bookshop.org/sho
S2 E7 · Tue, January 03, 2023
Where Are They Now? Catching Up With Past Guests
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! As we turn the calendar over to 2023, some of my former guests and reviewers have checked in for this special "Where Are They Now?" episode of the Bookcast. I've included each guest's name and the episodes where you can hear more from them, as well as a link to their websites. Enjoy this opportunity to catch up with these friends! Charles J. Martin - Chapter 1 literatipressok.com Betsey Kulakowski - Chapter 27 authorbetseykulakowski.com Debra Chandler - Chapter 3 dechandlerwrites.com Mark Edward Jones - Chapter 2 mejbooksllc.com Hannah Herron - Chapter 1 hannahjoyherron.com Amy M. Le - Chapter 2 quillhawkpublishing.com Jerry Bennett - Chapter 19 thejerrybennett.com Amy Prokopis - Chapter 17 amyprokopis.com Ginny Myers Sain - Chapter 7 ginnymyerssain.com Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
Tue, December 27, 2022
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with J Hall and Hannah Herron
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's the year-end edition of Your Next Great Read. No guest this month so Hannah and I took a few minutes to talk about our favorite and least favorite reads from this year as well as our regular conversation about what we're reading and why you might enjoy it too. Remember - you can purchase all the books mentioned on the show through the links below or by visiting the Next Great Read store on Bookshop.org . Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Hannah Best of the Year: Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir Leave No Trace - Mindy Mejia The Power - Naomi Alderman Verity - Coleen Hoover Into the Water - Paula Hawkins J Best of the Year: Dead Silence - S.A. Barnes Blowback - James Patterson and Brendan DuBois The Invention of Sound - Chuck Palahniuk We Could Be Heroes - Mike Chen Time and Again - Clifford D. Simak Other books mentioned The Martian - Andy Weir Resurrection Day - Brendan DuBois Everything You Want Me to Be - Mindy Mejia Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins City - Clifford D. Simak Way Station - Clifford D. Simak Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by Juliu
S2 E6 · Tue, December 20, 2022
Collaboration and the Creative Process - Kylar Merrell, Foreign Press Comics
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's Chapter 32 of the Okie Bookcast! Today I talk with Kylar Merrell, comic writer and artist and the driving force behind Foreign Press Comics - an Oklahoma-based publisher. Kylar has created several titles, including Terminal, Valkyrian , and his contributions to the newly released Fletcher Cross anthology. He's also the host of the Comics Unscripted podcast. He describes himself as a fifth grade science teacher by day and a comic creator and publisher by night. We have a great time talking about the world of independent comics, but also about the creative process and the cool ways in which Kylar is using Foreign Press Comics to bring artists together. Connect with Kylar: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Podcast Our reviewer for this episode is John-Eric Osborn. Eric is a comic artist and creator whose work includes one of my favorite comics - We Promised Utopia - and one of my Next Great Read cohost Hannah’s favorites - Hiro Doggie: Space Corgi . Eric is reviewing Desolation Jones by Warren Ellis and J.H. Williams. Connect with Eric: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website Mentioned on the show: DC New 52 Francis Manapul Adora and the Distance - Mark Bernadin, Ariela Kristantina (Illustrator) and Bryan Valenza (Illustrator) Pandemics in Panels - Foreign Press Comics Fletcher Cross - Foreign Press Comics SoonerCon New World ComicCon New World Comics New Star Comics <a href='h
S2 E5 · Tue, December 06, 2022
Representing Culture with Award-Winning Children's Author, Mariana Llanos
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's Chapter 31 of the Okie Bookcast! My guest is award-winning children's author, Mariana Llanos. Mariana is a Peruvian-born writer of children’s books who has lived in Oklahoma since 2002 and started her publishing career in 2013 with her book Tristan Wolf. She is the author of 12 published books, the latest of which, Run Little Chaski, an Inka Trail Adventure, won the 2022 Oklahoma Book Award in the children’s books category. She also recently released an audio story titled Qoritika and the Three Alpacas, produced by Sony Music Entertainment. Connect with Mariana: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website Our review comes from June Coleman. June is a retired Language Arts teacher from Yukon. Always wanting to write a book, reading about Fred Rogers caught her attention when he wrote, “Let some word that is heard be yours.” June says we are never too old to change our trajectory; but we must be willing to step WAY OUT of our comfort zones. So, she did just that in releasing her debut Christian children’s book “Introducing Joyfull Lee” for ages 5-9. Her purpose was to promote reading and show children what forgiveness and grace looks like in a world somewhat lacking in both. June says that chocolate won’t solve many problems, but it’s a fine place to start. June reviews 96 Miles by J. L. Esplin. Connect with June: Instagram | Facebook Mentioned on the Show: Run Little Chaski - Mariana Llanos Run Little Chaski song in English and Spanish Qoritika and the Three Alpacas - Mariana Llanos LatinX Pitch SCBWI The Last Cuentista - Donna Barba Higuera Singing with Elephants - Margarita Engel Introducing Joyfull Lee - June Coleman 96 Miles - J. L. Esplin Music by JuliusH Connect with J: <a href='https://www.okiebookcast.com/'
Tue, November 29, 2022
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendation and Talk with J, Hannah, and special guest Susan Hall
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's a family affair on Your Next Great Read! Co-hosts J Hall and Hannah Joy Herron are joined by special guest, Susan Hall (J's Mom and Hannah's Grammie). We're talking about what we're reading, why we love it, and why you might love it, too. We've got something for everyone in this conversation - children's books, comics, thrillers, historical fiction, and more. Remember - you can purchase all the books mentioned on the show through the links below or by visiting the Next Great Read store on Bookshop.org . Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram Susan Her Hidden Genius - Marie Benedict The Boys from Biloxi - John Grisham Horse - Geraldine Brooks Giraffes Can’t Dance - Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees Hannah The Missing - C L Taylor What Alice Forgot - Laine Moriarty Dark Places - Gillian Flynn Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone - J. K. Rowling J Heat 2 - Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner Prize for the Fire - Rilla Askew Glamorella’s Daughter - Bennett and Martin Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective - Donald J. Sobol Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E4 · Tue, November 15, 2022
Historical Fiction with Award-Winning Oklahoma Author, Rilla Askew
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! My guest for Chapter 30 of the Bookcast is Rilla Askew. Rilla is the author of five novels, a book of stories, and a collection of creative nonfiction, MOST AMERICAN: NOTES FROM A WOUNDED PLACE, which was long-listed for the PEN/America Award for the Art of the Essay. She’s a PEN/Faulkner finalist, recipient of the Western Heritage Award, Oklahoma Book Award, and a 2009 Arts and Letters Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Her novel about the Tulsa Race Massacre, FIRE IN BEULAH, received the American Book Award in 2002. Her essays and short fiction have appeared in AGNI, Tin House, World Literature Today, Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards, and elsewhere. In addition to writing, Rilla currently teaches creative writing in the English Department at the University of Oklahoma. Her latest novel, PRIZE FOR THE FIRE, published by OU Press, is about the Early Modern English martyr Anne Askew. In our conversation we talk about Prize for the Fire and about the challenges of writing a historical fiction biography. We also discuss the themes of strong women in difficult circumstances and religion across all of Rilla’s work. Finally, Rilla provides some incredible advice for emerging authors that I think you’ll find really encouraging. E. Joe Brown provides our review for this chapter. Joe’s latest novel "A Cowboy's Destiny" released in August and has made several best seller lists in Oklahoma. In support of the book, he launched three book signing tours across Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico this fall. Joe has been a guest on several radio programs in Oklahoma and New Mexico, most recently appearing on the LA Talk Radio program Rendezvous with The Writer. Joe is reviewing Chandler is Dead by Robert D. Kidera. Mentioned on the Show: Nimrod International Journal Fire in Beulah - Rilla Askew Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel Strange Business - Rilla Askew The Mercy Seat - Rilla Askew The Hummingbird's Daughter - Luis Alberto Urrea Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc - Katherine J. Chen A Cowboy's Destiny - E. Joe Brown Chandler is Dead - Robert D. Kidera Music by JuliusH Connect with J: websit
S2 E3 · Tue, November 01, 2022
Conquering Chaos and Finding Peace with Author and Entrepreneur, Jeremie Kubicek
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Chapter 29 of the Bookcast welcomes back Oklahoma author and entrepreneur, Jeremie Kubicek to talk about his latest book, The Peace Index, which released this fall. Jeremie is the Co-Founder of GiANT, a company that certifies coaches and consultants that serve companies and their employees. Jeremie has started over 20 companies while living in Oklahoma City, Moscow, Atlanta and London. He is also a sought-after communicator and content creator. In our conversation we talk about Jeremie’s new book and why personal peace is such an important topic for the times in which we find ourselves. We also talk about conquering chaos and provide some tools to help you think about what peace looks like in your life. Take the Peace Index Assessment: https://www.thepeaceindexbook.com/ Connect with Jeremie: website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Our review today is from Oklahoma author JM Holmes. JM was Born and raised in Canada, has lived in the US since 1995and says he finds Oklahoma's slower pace and laid-back atmosphere the perfect environment for keeping his creative juices flowing and helps him find inspiration for writing such diverse fare as crime noir novels set in Texas and sci-fi adventures that span the galaxy. JM reviews The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon Connect with JM: website | Facebook Mentioned on the Show: Wylie Publishing Making Your Leadership Come Alive - Jeremie Kubicek 5 Voices: How to Communicate Effectively with Everyone You Lead - Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram 5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There Is Never Enough Time - Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram The 100X Leader - Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram The Peace Index - Jeremie Kubicek Absolute Surrender - Andrew Murray The Supreme Commander: The War Years of Dwight D. Eisenhower - Stephen E. Ambrose <a href='https://bookshop.o
Bonus · Tue, October 25, 2022
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with J, Hannah, and special guest Devin Green
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Find your next favorite book with co-hosts J Hall and Hannah Joy Herron and special guest, Devin Green. We're talking about what we're reading, why we love it, and why you might love it, too. We've got something for everyone in this conversation - sharks to pop stars to space opera to happiness to the end of the world. Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram This month's books: Devin There Are No Ordinary People - Jeff Lucas Jaws - Peter Benchley I'm Glad My Mom Died - Jennette McCurdy Back to Amy - Charles Moriarty Hannah Pet Sematary - Stephen King Fool Me Once - Harlen Coben See What I Have Done - Sarah Schmidt The Happiness Advantage - Shawn Achor J Wanderers - Chuck Wendig Shards of Earth - Adrian Tchaikovsky A Prayer for the Crown-Shy - Becky Chambers Boom Town - Sam Anderson Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S2 E2 · Tue, October 18, 2022
Legal Thrillers and Series Writing with Best-Selling author, William Bernhardt
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! My guest for Chapter 28 is William Bernhardt, best-selling author of over 50 books who has sold millions of copies in his three legal thrillers series featuring Ben Kincaid, Daniel Pike, and Kenzi Rivera, respectively. He’s also written several standalone novels, including his most recent book - Plot / Counterplot - which is available now. Beyond fiction writing, Bill has authored two books of poetry (with a third on the way) and a series of books on writing fiction. He has received distinguished author awards from the U of Pennsylvania and Oklahoma State University, is a two-time winner of the Oklahoma Book Award, and in 2019 received a lifetime achievement award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book. In addition to his work as an author, Bill founded the Red Sneaker Writers Center to support and develop authors as they work toward their literary goals. The Center offers small group retreats, an annual cruise, WriterCon - an annual conference in Oklahoma City, and the WriterCon podcast where Bill interviews authors about specific topics useful to writers. As if all of this weren’t enough, Bill also works as a publisher through his Babylon Books imprint. Connect with Bill: website | Facebook | Twitter | WriterCon Our review for this episode comes from Steven Wedel. Steve is an Oklahoma author and teacher who lives in Midwest City. He’s published over 35 books, in a variety of genres, but is best known for his Werewolf Saga series and his young adult paranormal novels written with Carrie Jones. Steve reviews Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone by Phaedra Patrick. Connect with Steven: website Mentioned on the Show: Grendel - John Gardner A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Suzanne Collins Ben Kincaid Series - William Bernhardt Daniel Pike Series - William Bernhardt Splitsville - William Bernhardt Mysterious Press Stuart Woods Dean Koontz Lemony Snicket Rod Serling John Grisham Babylon Books CJ
S2 E1 · Tue, October 04, 2022
Paranormal Stories, Imposter Syndrome, and Bigfoot - Author Betsey Kulakowski
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! It's the Bookcast Birthday! This episode marks a year since the podcast launched on October 5, 2021. A huge "Thank you!" to everyone who has been with it from the beginning and to those who are just finding us. If you enjoy the podcast, consider taking a second to share it with a friend or twenty. My guest is Betsey Kulakowski. Betsey is a federally trained investigator and full-time safety professional with a degree in Emergency Management who has served on disaster response teams at the Murrah Federal Building Bombing, the World Trade Center, and Hurricanes Katrina/Rita, as well as other disasters in Oklahoma. Betsey is the author of the Best-Selling paranormal thriller, The Veritas Codex, and the series of the same name. She has experience as an amateur paranormal investigator and is an avid history buff and family genealogist Connect with Betsey: website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Our review is from Kristy Werner. Kristy is a new Oklahoma author whose debut novel Resurrection won first place in the Fiction Writing Contest at WriterCon. Resurrection releases on October 24 and is currently available for preorder. Kristy reviews Maggie by Sharon Srock. Connect with Kristy: website | Facebook | Instagram Mentioned on the Show: Devolution: A First-Hand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre - Max Brooks The Sasquatch Seekers Field Manual - David Gordon Autumn Tales Collection Sole Survivor - Dean Koontz Darkfall - Dean Koontz Peculiar Activities - Mark Edward Jones The Veritas Codex - Betsey Kulakowski The Jaguar Queen - Betsey Kulakowski The Alien Accord - Betsey Kulakowski The Monk's Grimoire - Betsey Kulakowski Resurrection - Kristy Werner <a href='https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Crafted-Love-Ladies-Garfield-ebook/dp/B09WND9P6B/ref=sr_1_2?crid=149
Bonus · Tue, September 27, 2022
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations with J, Hannah, and our guest Scott McMurry
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Find your next favorite book with co-hosts J Hall and Hannah Joy Herron and special guest, Scott McMurry. We're talking about what we're reading, why we love it, and why you might love it, too. This episode we range from month-old titles to a book from 1895. There's something for every reader. Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram This month's books: Scott Leadership - Henry Kissinger Brothers of Earth - by C.J. Cherryh Wyrms - Orson Scott Card Ambergris: City of Saints and Madmen; Shriek: An Afterword; Finch - Jeff Vandermeer The Yellow Sign and Other Stories - Robert W. Chambers Hannah Slow Fire Burning - Paula Hawkins For the Wolf - Hannah Whitten The Woman in Cabin 10 - Ruth Ware The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson J The Island - Adrian McKinty Calling for a Blanket Dance - Oscar Hokeah Hidden Pictures - Jason Rekulak The Strain - Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan Music by JuliusH Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S1 E26 · Tue, September 20, 2022
Leadership, Social Media, and Culture - Kevin DeShazo, Keep Chopping Wood
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! The 50 Essential Oklahoma Reads list is live! Head to okiebookcast.com/50reads to get your copy today. Let the reading (and debating?) begin! My guest for Chapter 26 is Kevin DeShazo. Kevin is a speaker, consultant, author, and podcaster whose single focus is on helping people get better. His primary work is in the leadership space, particularly with student athletes and college athletic departments. He's authored three books: iAthlete: Impacting Student-Athletes of a Digital Generation , Leadership Interrupted , and his latest - Keep Chopping Wood . In our conversation we talk about about his written work with some focus on his non-traditional approach to both writing and publishing. We also talk about the ideas of helping people get better and his work with student athletes and athletic leadership in the areas of social media and team culture. You can connect with Kevin and his work across multiple media forms at deshazo.me . Our review is by OKC author Kat Lewis, reviewing The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer. Kat recently launched her writing career with her electrifying debut thriller novel, Rogue Defender . She is a passionate advocate for those escaping the horrors of human trafficking and uses her writing an avenue to spread awareness. She has served as the President and Vice President for the Oklahoma Christian Fiction Writers (OCFW) and is an active volunteer with WriterCon. Mentioned on the episode: Jeremie Kubicek - GiANT Worldwide David A Man Of Passion And Destiny - Chuck Swindoll Humility - Andrew Murray The Power of a Humble Life - Richard Simmons Hardy Boys <a href='http
Bonus · Thu, September 15, 2022
Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 2
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Volume Two of Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry. I'm excited to share with you the work of these 11 Oklahoma poets. Hollis and Poteau - Seth Copeland Twitter: @SethTCopeland Website: https://neutralspaces.co/seth_t_copeland/ A Whitman Kind of Worship - Kara Bullen Heart Memory - Breanne Lynnett Instagram: @breannelynnett Super Man - MAC Woods Instagram: @mac_since1985 No Questions Allowed - Abhi Sukhdial Book: Three Days till EOC The Change that Exists in Numbers - Durell Carter Instagram: @Durellrc Redbuds - Kristen Grace Instagram: @_kristen_grace Website: www.kristengracewrites.weebly.com Facades - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley My Father's Son - Thomas Juarez Twitter: @thomasj66714281 Run Without the Cane - Amy M. Le Twitter: @amy_m_le Website: amy-m-le.com Another Poem in October - Ken Hada Twitter: @KhadakhadaKen Website: kenhada.org If you'd like to submit a poem for consideration for Volume Three of Behind the Rain (releasing January 15, 2023), visit okiebookcast.com/behindtherain for details. Connect with the Bookcast @okiebookcast on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook for more Oklahoma voices. Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
Tue, September 13, 2022
WriterCon 2022 - Authors Introduce You to their Books
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! I got to hang out at WriterCon in OKC for a couple of days where I spent time talking with authors about their work. This episode is a compilation of those conversations with each author giving a 60-second talk about one of their books. In this episode, you'll hear from 22 authors from all over the country. Everything from children's books to mysteries to thrillers about Bigfoot. You're sure to find a book or two to love. You can connect with all of these authors and their work in the notes below or at okiebookcast.com/writercon22. Featured authors and books: Kat Lewis - Rogue Defender Kristy Werner - Resurrection Jenny Simard LaBranche - Kingdoms of Shadow and Flame Adele Holmes - Winter's Reckoning Mark Jones - Shadowed Souls Kathleen Park - The Code Talkers Walda Collins - A Warrior’s Sword: 10 Strategies to Build Hope and Stand Strong in the Midst are of a Battle Marlys Gallagher - When Elephants Roar Cary Herwig - The Ghost's Daughter Super Author Granny - You Can Be A Super Author Too! Cheri Decker - Heaven Hill Barbara Mehnert - Max Sterling Privately Investigating Shel Harrington - Over 50, Even More Defined Bryan Farney - Four Ways Dead Cherie Waggie - No More Heroes Cynthia Jenkins - BUD Melonie B. Hylan - Ashes, Ashes... Christy Johnson - Love Junkies: 7 Steps for Breaking the Toxic Relationship Cycle Shelley White - Penny Gothic Betsey Kulakowski - The Veritas Codex Kimberly Atkins - Empowering Women to Walk in God's Glory Sheila Gunlock - Groovy Granny and the Character Bees Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S1 E25 · Tue, September 06, 2022
Tribal Culture and Identity - Oscar Hokeah, Calling for a Blanket Dance
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! My guest is Oscar Hokeah. Oscar is a regionalist Native American writer of literary fiction, interested in capturing intertribal, transnational, and multicultural aspects within two tribally specific communities: Tahlequah and Lawton, Oklahoma. He is a citizen of Cherokee Nation and the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma from his mother (Hokeah and Stopp families), and he has Mexican heritage from his father (Chavez family) who emigrated from Aldama, Chihuahua, Mexico. Oscar has written for Poets & Writers, Literary Hub, World Literature Today, American Short Fiction, and elsewhere. His debut novel, Calling for a Blanket Dance , released earlier this year to critical acclaim. You can connect with Oscar at oscarhokeah.com or on twitter and instagram . In our conversation, we talk about the novel, the need for and challenges of telling multicultural stories, and the importance of honesty in storytelling. We also talk a lot about Oklahoma - from OKC to Goteboh. Our review comes from Jes McCutchen, a Science-Fiction & Fantasy YA author whose works are full of ensemble self-proclaimed disaster queer casts and usually feature the occasional tiny crime and/or alien. Her debut novel Chronicles of My Alien Invasion Life came out in July 2022 and her next book, "A Mean Piece of Water" about Oklahoma lake mermaids fighting a giant demon octopus to save the dam is coming out this fall. You can connect with Jes at jesmwrites on instagram . Jes reviews The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope Mentioned on the Episode: House Made of Dawn - N. Scott Momaday The Way to Rainy Mountain - N. Scott Momaday Alice Munro Child's Play - Alice Munro 100 Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez Music by JuliusH Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Sh
Wed, August 31, 2022
Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with Hannah Herron
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Since the Bookcast is dedicated to helping curious readers like you find your next great read, we're trying something new to introduce readers to even more books. Your Next Great Read is a conversation between co-hosts J Hall and Hannah Herron about the books they are reading and ones they love. Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram This Month's Books: Hannah Intensity - Dean Koontz Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir A Head Full of Ghosts - Paul Tremblay The Long Walk - Stephen King J Dead Astronauts - Jeff Vandermeer Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin Ready Player One - Ernst Kline The Road - Cormac McCarthy Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S1 E24 · Tue, August 16, 2022
How to Read More Books - Dr. Kenna Griffin
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Have you ever thought to yourself, "I wish I could get more books read"? Then this is the conversation for you! I talk with professor, content manager, and uberreader Kenna Griffin about her tips and strategies for reading 150 books a year. We also talk about how her reading informs the writing she does as a blogger, editor, and academic. If you’re a writer of any kind and any level of experience, I have a quick two-question survey that I’d love for you to take a couple of minutes and fill out - okiebookcast.com/survey . It would be a huge help to me as I work on some exciting things for the days ahead. I’m so excited to introduce you to my friend Dr. Kenna Griffin. Kenna is the content director for Content Journey, an Oklahoma-based content marketing company. She also is an adjunct journalism and public relations professor. Before her work in content marketing, she was a full-time professor and college media adviser, following a career as a professional journalist. Kenna has been a writer, editor, and educator for more than two decades and is a self-proclaimed word nerd, reading 100 to 150 books a year. You can connect with Kenna via Twitter ( @profkrg ), on Facebook ( Real Nerds Read page ), the Real Nerds Read blog, or on her website - profkrg.com . Luke Swanson does our review this episode. Luke is a fledgling Oklahoma author with four novels under his belt. His newest book, an action satire titled Spectators of War, dropped in July. You can find out more about Luke and his work at lukeswansonauthor.com . Luke is reviewing one of my favorite books - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Check out Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry Mentioned on the show: The Body Keeps the Score - Dr. Bessel van der Kolk Goodreads On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft - Steven King Best of Books Everybody Writes - Ann Handley Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World - Michael Hyatt The Stranger Beside Me - Ann Rule False Witness - Karin Slaughter <a
S1 E23 · Tue, August 02, 2022
Oklahoma Children's Author, Anna Myers
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 23! My guest is Oklahoma children's literature legend, Anna Myers. Anna has published 20 books for children, including award-winning titles like Red Dirt Jessie , Graveyard Girl , Assassin , and Tulsa Burning . She is a four-time Oklahoma Book Award recipient, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book in 2012, and was inducted into the Oklahoma Writers’ Hall of Fame in 2013. You can find out more about Anna and her work at her website - annamyersauthor.com . In our conversation, we talk about Anna’s writing career, her process, some tips for young writers, and her firm belief in the power of story. We have a special reviewer for this episode. Anna's daughter, Oklahoma author Ginny Myers Sain, is reviewing one of Anna's books. Ginny is the author of the award-winning YA novel Dark and Shallow Lies and her new book, Secrets So Deep , releases in September. You can connect with Ginny and her work through her website ginnymyerssain.com and you can hear my conversation with Ginny about Dark and Shallow Lies way back in Chapter 7 of the Bookcast. Ginny is reviewing Assassin by Anna Myers. Check out Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry Mentioned on the show: Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maud Montgomery The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood - Howard Pyle Green Lantern The Yearling - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee The Book Thief - Markus Zusac Our Town - Thorton Wilder The War that Saved My Life - Kimberly Brubaker Bradley<a href='https://bookshop.org/cont
S1 E22 · Tue, July 19, 2022
Oklahoma Short Fiction - Amanda Bales and Chris Murphy
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! I'm excited to talk with Amanda Bales and Chris Murphy - authors who tell Oklahoma stories using short fiction. Amanda Bales is the author of Pekolah Stories , a collection about life in SE Oklahoma. Born and raised in Oklahoma, Amanda has since lived in many places, including Fairbanks, Alaska, where she completed her MFA at the University of Alaska. She now lives and writes in Champaign, Illinois and teaches at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. You can find out more about Amanda and her work through her website - amandabales.com - or on Twitter or Instagram . Chris Murphy is an Assistant Professor at Northeastern State University in Talequah where he teaches creative writing. He received his MFA from the University of Arkansas and his work has been featured in a number of literary journals. Chris recently released a flash fiction collection about life in NE Oklahoma called Burning All the Time . You can connect with Chris at his website - chrisjmurphy.com - or on Instagram and Facebook . This episode's review comes from Dee Dee Chumley. In 2008, Dee Dee retired from teaching high school English and “re-fired” to pursue her passion for writing. She has won numerous awards for her short stories, essays, and poems, including Best Juvenile Book from the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. for her YA novel Beyond the Farthest Star and she was a finalist in the Southern Writers short story competition. In her latest writing effort, Dee Dee collaborated with grandson Brooks to write Ron Finds His Courage, a children’s chapter book inspired by Brooks’s pet bearded dragon. You can connect with Dee Dee and find her work on her website - deedeechumley.com . Dee Dee reviews Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce Mentioned on the show: The Adventures of Tintin - Georges Remi Winesberg, Ohio - Sherwood Anderson Cowboy Jamboree Press Mongrel Empire Press Jeanetta Calhoun Mish Scissortail Creative Writing Festival <a hr
S1 E21 · Tue, July 05, 2022
At War with Corruption - Bill Price and Dr. Michael Hightower
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 21 of the Okie Bookcast! My guests for this episode are Bill Price and Dr. Michael Hightower. Bill and Michael recently released Bill’s biography, called At War with Corruption , chronicling Bill’s life and involvement in prosecuting high-profile cases in Oklahoma. The book recently won the 2022 Nonfiction Book of the Year from the Oklahoma Book Awards. Bill Price was the Assistant U.S. Attorney Western District Oklahoma from 1975-1982 and U.S. Attorney Western District of Oklahoma from 1982-1989. He was the Republican nominee for Governor 1990, and is now in Private practice Phillips Murrah. In addition to his law career, Bill has been instrumental in causes related to kids and education, something we get to talk about in our conversation. Dr. Michael Hightower was born and raised in Oklahoma City and lived in Tulsa in the 80s and 90s. He was a co-founder and president of Council Oak Books, a trade publishing house. in Tulsa. Since completing his PhD in sociology at the University of Virginia, Michael has written several histories and biographies based in Oklahoma. You can find more of Michael's work at his website - michaeljhightower.com . Jeff Clark is our reviewer. Jeff is an author, speaker, and veterans advocate born and raised in Oklahoma. Jeff recently released his first book, " Hear These Truths: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Leadership Algorithm ". You can connect with Jeff on social media @officialJSClark and on his website - jeffclarkofficial.com . You can also hear Jeff on his podcast - Course of Action with Jeff Clark . Jeff is reviewing Brooklyn to Baghdad: An NYPD Intelligence Cop Fights Terror in Iraq by Christopher Strom with Jerome Preisler and Michael Benson Check out Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry Mentioned on the Show Bobby Baker Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" Speech Thomas Sowell Matt Ridley Ron Chernow Evan Osnos <a href='https://bo
S1 E20 · Tue, June 21, 2022
Summer Reading Opportunities - Oklahoma Librarians
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Connect with the Bookcast: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | WebSite Check out Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry Welcome to Chapter 20! This one is all about Summer Library Reading Programs. I have a great lineup of librarians and other library-connected folks, giving us a bird's-eye view of summer reading and a picture of what it looks like in a couple of local contexts. We get to cover quite a bit of ground across the state - OKC east to Shawnee then north to Claremore and out west to Enid - and get tons of ideas about how to connect with reading and learning opportunities through local libraries for kids of all ages. We also talk about the importance of helping students avoid the summer reading slide by connecting them with reading opportunities that they enjoy. I first talk with Bill Young and Adrienne Butler from the Oklahoma Department of Libraries. Bill has worked in the Oklahoma Department of Libraries' Public Information Office for 35 years, and has served as the PIO Director for 28 years. Adrienne is the Youth & Regional Services Consultant at the Oklahoma Department of Libraries. She's been with the State of Oklahoma over 25 years. For our local libraries segment - I talk with Ashley Welke from the Pioneer Library System and Nikki Lunk and Leslie Rogers from the Will Rogers Library in Claremore. Ashley is the Director of Community Engagement and Learning for the Pioneer Library System where she oversees programming, outreach, and readers' services. Nikki is a first year children’s librarian with the Will Rogers Library and Leslie is the Assistant Director and Adult Programming and Outreach Coordinator. She has been with the library for 9 years. Our review comes from Theri Ray, who is the acting library director at the Enid Public Library. Theri is a Former middle school teacher who earned a Master of Library and Information Services from the University of Oklahoma in 2021. She describes herself with one word - bibliophile. Theri reviews Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. Mentioned on the show: Oklahoma Department of Libraries Pioneer Library System PLS Connect App <a href='https://www.claremorecity.com/168/Libr
Bonus · Wed, June 15, 2022
Behind the Rain Poetry Anthology, Volume One
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Volume One of Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry. I'm excited to share with you the work of these 10 Oklahoma poets. Cotton Candy Skies - Hallie McGrath Instagram: @jackrabbit_spiritual Coyote Communion - Brand Rackley Instagram: @brandrackley Worse than My Bite - Rob Sturma Twitter: @ratpackslim Website: freezeraypoetry.com The City Dump - Benjamin Myers Twitter: @BenMyersPoet Website: benjaminmyerspoetry.com Spare Change - MAC Woods Instagram: @mac_since1985 In Oklahoma, You Don't Need to be Strangers to Talk about the Weather - Nathan Steinman Twitter: @barsvontrier A Heart Warrior's Creed - Amy M. Le Twitter: @amy_m_le Website: amy-m-le.com Visitation Hours - Rebecca Lemke Instagram: @newcrunchymom Website: rebeccalemke.com All the Things I Should've Told You - Shayla Raquel Instagram: @shaylaleeraquel Website: shaylaraquel.com (No) Mercy From Ghosts - Gary Reddin Twitter: @andrewreddin Website: GaryReddin.com If you'd like to submit a poem for consideration for Volume Two of Behind the Rain (releasing September 15, 2022), visit okiebookcast.com/behindtherain for details. Connect with the Bookcast @okiebookcast on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook for more Oklahoma voices. Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook <a href='https://bookshop.org/shop
S1 E19 · Tue, June 07, 2022
Jerry Bennett - Comic Artist, Fan, and Teacher
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 19 of the Okie Bookcast! Jerry Bennett is a full time illustrator and art director and is one of the great comic creators in Oklahoma. He has done work for local film company Reckless Abandonment Pictures, Invisible Layers, Oklahoma Today magazine, Okie Comics, Stan Lee, Marvel, DC and Lucasfilm. He also creates the Chicken Fried News illustrations in the Oklahoma Gazette and serves as the illustrator Coordinator for the Oklahoma/Arkansas region of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators. He is currently working with Charles J Martin (who you met way back in chapter one) on an incredible comic called Glamorella’s Daughter which has just finished its first four-issue run and has a volume one trade releasing later this month. You can see Jerry's work at his website - thejerrybennett.com or connect with him on Twitter or Instagram . Rachel Elliott is an author-illustrator of comics for young readers. Her debut middle grade graphic novel, THE REAL RILEY MAYES , is an LGBTQ+ story set in Oklahoma and has received multiple starred reviews. Rachel grew up in Pryor, Oklahoma, and took drawing lessons at a neighbor's farm. She now teaches first-year composition, multimedia writing, and writing comics at the University of Kentucky. Rachel is reviewing Come Over, Come Over by Lynda Barry Mentioned on the show: Star Wars - Marvel Comics Transformers - Marvel Comics John Byrne - Fantastic 4 and X-Men Art Adams - Longshot Stewart Immonen Darwyn Cooke Salt Magic - Hope Larson and Rebecca Mock This Was Our Pact - Ryan Andrews March - Rep. John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell The Murder of Emmett Till - Dr. Karlos K. Hill and David Dodson Literati Press Comics and Novels Glamorella's Daughter - Jerry Bennett and Charles J. Martin Image Comics Laron Chapman - You People Stray Dogs - Tony Fleecs Immortal Hulk - Al Ewing and Joe Bennett Sea of Stars - Jason Aaron and Dennis Hopeless Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing - Judy Blume Come Over, Come Over - Lynda Barry The Greatest of Marlys - Lynda Barry Music by JuliusH Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instag
S1 E18 · Tue, May 17, 2022
Dr. Karlos K. Hill - Telling the Stories of Victims and Survivors with Love
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 18 of the Okie Bookcast! Couple of quick reminders: - Our first Bookcast Newsletter will drop June 1. If you haven't subscribed yet on the website, take a minute to sign up at okiebookcast.com . - I've had an incredible response to the Behind the Rain audio anthology and a fantastic lineup of poets and poems is coming your way on June 15. CONTENT NOTE: My guest, Dr. Karlos Hill, studies and writes about difficult topics related to racial violence so there are some terms and events referenced in our conversation that might be difficult for younger listeners to understand and might be triggering to other listeners. My guest is Dr. Karlos K. Hill. Karlos is Chair and Associate Professor of the Clara Luper Department of African and African-American Studies at the University of Oklahoma. He is an author and community-engaged scholar, who brings historical perspective to difficult racial events that impact the Black experience and our culture today. Karlos is the author of three books and is the founder of the Tulsa Race Massacre Oklahoma Teachers Summer Institute and serves on the Board of the Clara Luper Legacy Committee. He is a sought-after speaker and interview guest for outlets like CNN, USA Today, and Time Magazine and also a regular contributor to The Nation. You can connect with Karlos and find his work at karloskhill.com . Jamie Hale provides our review for this episode. Jamie is an Information Services librarian for with the Pioneer Library System where she's been involved in adult and teen programming for 14 years. She enjoys jigsaw puzzles, trivia, musical theater, and anything Disney related. In addition to her work with Pioneer Libraries, Jamie spent three years involved with the Sequoyah Book Award on the High School Reading Team division and says she enjoys young adult literature as well as mystery and suspense novels. Jamie is reviewing The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. Mentioned on the Show: The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre: A Photographic History - Dr. Karlos K. Hill Tulsa Race Massacre Oklahoma Teachers Summer Institute Greenwood Cultural Center John Hope Franklin Center Watchmen (television series) The Nation The Murder of Emmett Till: A Graphic History - Dr. Karlos K. Hill and Dave Dodson Dave Dodson Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe Behold the Walls - Clara Luper Music by JuliusH Connect with J: website | <a
S1 E17 · Tue, May 03, 2022
Shel Harrington - Marriage, New Words, and Embracing the Next Stage of Your Life
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 17 of the Bookcast! Some quick reminders: Submissions for the Behind the Rain audio poetry anthology are due May 15. Visit okiebookcast.com/behindtherain for more information and to submit your poetry. Volume 1 of the anthology will drop June 15. I’d love to have you on the Okie Bookcast mailing list ! You’ll be the first to get my brand new newsletter when it launches in June and other updates about special Bookcast events. Finally, be sure to connect with me on social media - @okiebookcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. My guest for this episode is Shel Harrington. Shel is a humorist who writes for a (chronologically!) mature audience at FatBottomFiftiesGetFierce.com and has over 490,000 followers on her smile-inducing Fat-Bottom-Fifties Get Fierce Facebook page . In her other life, Shel is a seasoned Family Law attorney who writes and speaks about how to put her out of business by doing marriage better. Shel is the author of Over 50, Defined – Words Just For Us That Aren’t in the Dictionary . . . Yet! and her upcoming book, Over 50, Defined – More Quinbloits! is due out later this year. You can also connect with Shel through Twitter . In our conversation, Shel and I talk about her book and some sample quinbloits, how her faith influences both her approach to family law and her writing, and we even get into some marriage and parenting advice - it’s a full-service conversation. Amy Prokopis is our reviewer for this episode. Amy is an Oklahoma author writing for young adults. She graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in English and German and has since gone on to get her masters in School Counseling. Her latest book, " The Arena " is a science fiction book fit for lovers of "The Hunger Games" and bookworms who enjoyed the political thrill of "Dune." You can get updates about her writing from her Instagram ( @amyprokopis ) and read the first chapter of "The Arena" for free on her website - amyprokopis.com . You can also connect with Amy on TikTok and YouTube . Amy is reviewing Everyone in this Room Will Someday be Dead by Emily Austin Mentioned on the show: Remember - you c
S1 E15 · Tue, April 19, 2022
Okie Bookcast Chapter Fifteen - School Libraries with Jill Slay and Eric Dabney, Part 1
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 15 of the Okie Bookcast! We're celebrating National School Libraries Month by talking with a couple of amazing Oklahoma librarians! Jill Slay is the librarian at Putnam City West High School in Oklahoma City. Jill has been an educator for 23-ish years and was a high school English teacher before moving into the Library about 10 years ago. She is currently working on her doctorate in Education in Curriculum Studies and Supervision. You can connect with Jill on Twitter ( @msjillslay11 ) and Instagram ( @jillslay11 ) and also check out her library on Twitter ( @PCWlibrary ) or Instagram ( @pcwestlibrary ). Eric Dabney is the librarian at Orvis Risner Elementary in Edmond, OK. As a longtime researcher and editor for prolific author Bob Burke, Eric spent more than two decades rediscovering his home state over kitchen-table interviews and the family photo albums of many of its favorite sons and daughters including Gary England, Abe Lemons, Jane Jayroe, and George Nigh. He is the co-author of several books and taught in the education department at UCO for more than a decade. Eric began his career in public school education as a first-grade teacher at Orvis Risner Elementary in Edmond in 2014 and later moved down the street to Central Middle School, where he taught 7th-grade English and Literacy. He returned to Orvis Risner as the school's librarian in 2019. Married to Shelley for 30 years, the couple lives on a farm northeast of Edmond, where they raised three daughters and are now very happy grandparents. You can check out one of the videos Eric made reading to his students here . We had so much to talk about in this conversation that I've split it into two episodes. In this part one, we talk about their libraries, the role of librarians in the greater school community, and helping kids fall in love with reading. Part Two of our conversation is also available in Chapter 16. Our review for this chapter is from Shereen Rasor - Shereen has been a teacher in Mustang Public Schools for 28 years and a school librarian for 10 years. She is married to her high-school sweetheart and is the mother of two sons, both in the military, and the grandmother of the two cutest kids ever! Her favorite past times are reading, horseback riding, and motorcycle riding… especially if she gets to do these things on the beach. Shereen reviews The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth. <p
S1 E16 · Tue, April 19, 2022
Okie Bookcast Chapter Sixteen - School Libraries with Jill Slay and Eric Dabney, Part 2
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 16 of the Okie Bookcast! We're celebrating National School Libraries Month by talking with a couple of amazing Oklahoma librarians! This is Part 2 of our conversation, so I strongly encourage you to check out Part 1 (in Chapter 15) and then come back and enjoy the rest. My guests are Jill Slay, librarian at Putnam City West High School in Oklahoma City, and Eric Dabney, librarian at Orvis Risner Elementary in Edmond. You can connect with Jill on Twitter ( @msjillslay11 ) and Instagram ( @jillslay11 ) and also check out her library on Twitter ( @PCWlibrary ) or Instagram ( @pcwestlibrary ). You can check out one of the videos Eric made reading to his students here . In this part of our conversation, we talk about their approaches to curating their collections, hear their responses to the 3 Questions, and find out how they are celebrating National Library Month with their students (spoiler alert: pickle ball). Hailey Carrell provides our review for this chapter. Hailey has worked in libraries for 12 years and recently started a blog to share their love of books. You can check out Hailey's reviews at https://haileyannereads.weebly.com/ . When not reading, Hailey says they enjoy hanging out with their dog or listening to kpop. Hailey reviews Home Before Dark by Riley Sager. Mentioned on the Show: I Am Enough - Grace Byars Bad Guys series - Aaron Blabey The Mystery of Mrs. Christie - Marie Benedict Agatha Christie Unhoneymooners - Christina Lauren The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family - Ron Howard and Clint Howard The Lincoln Highway - Amor Towles Herve Tullet - Press Here and I Have an Idea Laura Vaccaro Seegar - Bully, Blue, Green, and Red Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls Summer of the Monkeys - Wilson Rawls Go Set a Watchman - Harper Lee To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak Music by JuliusH Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music b
S1 E14 · Tue, April 05, 2022
Okie Bookcast Chapter Fourteen - Onikah Asamoa-Caesar, Fulton Street Books and Coffee in Tulsa
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 14 of the Okie Bookcast! April Read Oklahoma Challenge category - Read a Sequoyah Award winner from any year My guest is Onikah Asamoa-Ceasar, book lover and founder of Fulton Street Books and Coffee in Tulsa, OK. Fulton Street is a bookshop on a mission to increase intergenerational literacy and build better community by focusing on conversations and keeping people at the center of everything they do. The store carries a wide selection of fiction and nonfiction and they also offer a drink menu that has something for everyone. Fulton Street is a passion project for Onikah who describes herself as “Mom to Hadassah, enneagram 8, lover of history, daughter of the middle passage”. In our conversation we talk about the store and books, but we also talk about literacy, community, representation, book deserts, and all of the many ways Fulton Street is living out its mission in Tulsa. You can connect with Fulton Street at their website - fultonstreet918.com or on social media @fultonstreet918. Our review is by Tulsa emerging author Jace Hyman. Jace says She knows far too many things about video games, movies, and anime and wants desperately to tell stories like the ones that inspire her. Her favorite genres are sci-fi, cyberpunk, and horror, with an emphasis on stories that include trans representation. In fact those are the types of characters she wants to bring to the fore with her own writing. When not writing, she can be found over-analyzing her favorite (or least favorite) stories and petting her cat Eliza. Jace is reviewing Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landry. Mentioned on the show: Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 1921 Commemorative Box Black Wall Street Times Alex Tamahn Little and Lit subscription boxes Black History Collection - Tyler Lockett Syllabus Book Club The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story - Nikole Hannah-Jones How the Word Is Passed - Clint Smith Octavia Butler Audre Lorde Cooking with Chef Tiff - Tiffany Tisdale-Braxton The Victory of Greenwood - Carlos Moreno A Kids Book about the Tulsa Race Massacre - Carlos Moreno Little Man - Brian A. Smallwood Diamonds from the Tisdale - Steph Simon Pedagogy of the Oppressed - Paulo Freire The Warmth of Other Suns - Isabel Wilkerson Skullduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy Music by JuliusH Connect with J: website | TikTok | <a href='https
S1 E13 · Tue, March 15, 2022
Okie Bookcast Chapter Thirteen - Sequoyah Book Awards with Kirsten Walker and Molly Dettmann
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! In this chapter of the Okie Bookcast, our focus is on the Sequoyah Book Awards and the Donna Norvell Award . The Sequoyah Awards are sponsored by the Oklahoma Library Association and are one of the oldest child-selected book awards in the country. The awards are presented at the end of March every year, so this is the perfect time to learn more about them and I've got the perfect guests to shed some light. Kirsten Walker is the Chair for the Sequoyah Administration Team for 2021-2022. She is a librarian at the Southwest Oklahoma City Library which is part of the Pioneer Library System. Kirsten has previously served on the Intermediate Sequoyah Reading Team and was chair of the Children and Teen Services Roundtable. Molly Dettmann has served on the Intermediate and High School Sequoyah Reading Committees and served as the 2020-2021 Sequoyah Administration Committee Chair. She works as a school librarian at Norman North High School and was named her school's 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year. In our conversation we talk about the history of the Sequoyah Awards, the selection process for masterlists and winners, and get a peek behind the scenes. In keeping with the Sequoyah Awards theme, our review is from Mandi MacDonald, who is the librarian and AP English teacher at North Rock Creek High School in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Mandi is also the current chair for the Intermediate Sequoyah masterlist. She reviews the 2023 Sequoyah Intermediate Masterlist book Alone by Megan E. Freeman. Mentioned on the show: The Night Ride - J. Anderson Coats Love In English - Maria E. Andreu Legendborn - Tracy Deonn The Inheritance Games - Jennifer Barnes The Charm Offensive - Alice Cochrun Dark Rise - C.S. Pacat All Systems Red - Martha Wells Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons - John Paul Brammer Crying in H Mart: A Memoir - Michelle Zauner Goosebumps Series - R.L. Stine Fear Street - R. L. Stine Lady Sherlock Series - Sherry Thomas The Color Purple - Alice Walker Full Circle Books Music by JuliusH Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook <a href='https://b
S1 E12 · Tue, March 01, 2022
Okie Bookcast Chapter Twelve - Victoria Moore, owner of Whitty Books in Tulsa
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 12 and happy sixth month anniversary to the Bookcast! I got to take the show on the road to Tulsa to talk with Victoria Moore, owner and curator of Whitty Books - a bookshop she opened in 2018 in the Kendall Whittier district in Tulsa. Since they opened, Whitty Books has been a community hub for book clubs, live music, black-out poetry, and other events. As curator, Victoria has a particular interest in small press titles and weird fiction, and is always looking for the next great horror novel. You can connect with Whitty Books on social media @shopwhittybooks on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook . In our conversation, we talk about the origins of the store, the role of bookshops in the community, and how they embrace their identity as Tulsa’s “weird” bookstore. Our review for this episode comes from Jude Bayton. Jude is originally from Kingston-Upon-Thames, near London in the UK and has also lived in Scotland, Wales, Africa, Yemen and Germany – but now makes her home in Oklahoma. Jude is the author of three Historical Mysteries set in Victorian England: The Secret of Mowbray Manor , The Secret of Hollyfield House , and The Secret of Pendragon Island . You can connect with Jude at Judebayton.com and @judebayton on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram. Jude reviews The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz. Mentioned on the show: Mary Make N Do Arsenal Pulp Press Unnamed Press Rivers Solomon Queen of Teeth - Haley Piper Stephen Graham Jones Literati Press Comics and Novels Coach House Books Silver in the Wood - Emily Tesh Drowned Country - Emily Tesh Dr. Edith Vane and the Hares of Crawley Hall - Suzette Mayr Fever Dream - Samanta Schweblin The Cipher - Kathe Koja Meerkat Press The Tommyknockers - Stephen King Every Heart a Doorway - Seanan McGuire Music by JuliusH Connect with J
S1 E11 · Tue, February 15, 2022
Okie Bookcast Chapter Eleven - Heather Zeoli, Metropolitan Library System
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter Eleven of the Okie Bookcast! My guest is Heather Zeoli from Metropolitan Library System in Oklahoma County. Heather is the director of development and volunteer services for Metro Libraries. She has worked in fundraising for 20 years and has been with the library system for the past 6. In our conversation, we talk about the history and scope of the Metro System and a number of programs designed to engage and develop different groups of readers. Heather also previews the Friends of the Library Book Sale , coming up February 26 and 27 at the OKC Fairgrounds . She provides some tips for enjoying the Sale and some insider information for those who are planning to attend this year. Oklahoma author James D. Jackson is our reviewer for this episode. James is reviewing The One by John Marrs . James is an Oklahoma native and University of Central Oklahoma alum who has worked as a sports journalist for The Oklahoman newspaper for the last 2 years. James has released two books in his Adam Avraham series. The Curse of Simon Jones , his debut sports mystery, which blends the exciting world of journalism with the thrilling twists and turns of a classic murder mystery, and it’s sequel, Internal Clocks , a chilling science fiction mystery that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. In his free time, James enjoys reading, exercise and traveling. You can connect with James on Twitter and Instagram @jamesdjackson15, and on Facebook @JamesDJackson. Remember - you can purchase all of the books mentioned on the Bookcast through our partnership with Bookshop.org . 10% of your purchase goes to support independent bookstores and we are pledging an additional 10% to support literacy initiatives in Oklahoma. Mentioned on the episode: Oklahoma Archive Special Collection 1000 Books by Kindergarten Metro Library Winter Reading Challenge Nancy Drew Save Me From Myself - Brian "Head"' Welch Over the Top - Jonathan Van Ness Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood The Carrie Diaries - Candace Bushnell Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding Music by JuliusH
S1 E10 · Tue, February 01, 2022
Okie Bookcast Chapter Ten - Kim Ventrella, Spooky Middle Grade author
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 10(!) of the Okie Bookcast! I'm excited that we've made it to this milestone and thankful for all of you who have joined the ride. Quick reminder - the category for the Read Oklahoma Challenge this month is "A Book Set in Oklahoma". You can find a list of suggested titles on the web site - okiebookcast.com/readoklahoma - don't forget you can also sign up to let me know you're joining me in the Challenge. My guest today is Kim Ventrella . Kim is the award-winning author of four middle grade novels, including HELLO, FUTURE ME and THE SECRET LIFE OF SAM (HarperCollins), a 2021 Oklahoma Book Award winner and one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2020. Her novel BONE HOLLOW (Scholastic) was chosen as a 2019 Best Book for Kids by the New York Public Library, and SKELETON TREE was nominated for the 2019 Carnegie Medal in the UK. In addition to these novels, her short fiction has appeared in the anthology DON'T TURN OUT THE LIGHTS . Beyond her own writing, Kim is dedicated to helping other authors - particularly young authors - improve their work. She has a couple of YouTube channels with content for emerging authors, does school visits, and teaches writing to kids through the Outschool platform. Kim is also one of the organizers of Spooky Middle Grade - a collection of authors who write spooky middle grade fiction - and offers editing services for writers needing a bit of assistance. In our conversation, we talk about Kim's work, her process, her work with writers of all ages, and how a 5th-grade yearbook signing helped launch her career. You can connect with Kim and her work at kimventrella.com or on social media @kimventrella. Our reviewer is Casie Bazay . Casie is a former middle school teacher who now works as a freelance writer, editor, and author. Her debut YA novel, Not Our Summer , released from Running Press Kids/Hachette in May of 2021. In her spare time, Casie enjoys exploring the great outdoors, spending time at the barn with her horses and goats, reading, and watching movies. She lives on a hay farm in Oklahoma with her husband and two children but loves traveling to new and exciting destinations whenever she can. You can connect w
S1 E9 · Tue, January 18, 2022
Okie Bookcast Chapter Nine - Jeremie Kubicek, Writing about Leadership
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Thanks for checking out Chapter Nine of the Okie Bookcast! My guest is Jeremie Kubicek, founder of GiANT Worldwide , serial entrepreneur, and author. Jeremie is a powerful communicator and content builder whose work is used by some of the largest companies and organizations around the globe. He is the author of multiple books, including: 100X Leader , 5 Gears , 5 Voices , and the National Bestseller - Making Your Leadership Come Alive . In addition to his content creation, Jeremie is the Executive Chairman of GiANT, a company that licenses coaches and consultants that serve companies and their employees. Jeremie has started over 20 companies while living in Oklahoma City, Moscow, Atlanta and London. You can connect with Jeremie at jeremiekubicek.com or giant.tv/jk or on social media at @jeremiekubicek . In our conversation we talk about Jeremie's passion for helping others "level up", his writing process, talking to statues, and his vision for the future of content creation. I'm confident you're going to leave this conversation energized and encouraged. Our review for this episode is by Dr. Jesus Sampedro. Jesus trains people around the world on the integration of leadership, management, and spirituality-related topics. He has also taught leadership and business at Regent University (USA), IESA Business School, UC (Venezuela), and is currently Program Director for the Master of Arts in Leadership & Assistant Professor at Mid America Christian University (Oklahoma). He has authored and co-authored various books, including: On becoming a leader (2021) and A Leadership Framework for Transformation (2008). Jesus is the founder of Global Leadership Consulting, a leadership training, coaching, and consulting firm and is a Certified and Licensed Leadership Coach-Trainer at Lifeforming Leadership Coaching (USA) for Latin America. He is currently the Latin American Regional Director for Generosity Path. Jesus holds a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership (DSL) and an MBA from Regent University (Virginia, USA). Jesus is originally from Venezuela, is married to Gaby, a worship leader and award-winning Christian singer. They have two girls and live in Edmond, OK. You can connect with Jesus on Facebook , LinkedIn , <a href='https://twitte
S1 E8 · Tue, January 04, 2022
Okie Bookcast Chapter Eight - Dr. Beth Brown, Children's Author of Adventures with Divot and Swish
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Happy 2022 from The Okie Bookcast! There is so much great stuff coming in the days ahead! If you haven't heard the New Year's Resolutions interlude, I strongly encourage you to take a few minutes to check out the big goals for 2022 and how you can be a part of them. One of those goals is launching the Read Oklahoma Challenge. I'm encouraging everyone to read one Oklahoma-connected book a month through 2022. There are new categories each month and I'll provide some recommendations along the way. For January, we're reading any work by Oklahoma great, S.E. Hinton. You can find a list of her books here . For more on the Challenge and to sign up to let us know you're in, visit the Read Oklahoma Challenge web page. Dr. Beth Brown is my guest for this chapter. Beth is a life-long educator who says she is on a mission to inspire families and kids to have fun, become more active and learn life skills through sports in her children’s book series “ Adventures with Divot & Swish .” She was a college athlete at the University of Oklahoma and holds a Ph.D. in sports psychology from the University of Kansas. Since finishing her degree, she’s gone on to impact thousands through her roles as a golf coach, an educational program developer at First Tee and LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, and the founder of the coaching and consulting agency, Team Aureus. Beth's latest book - Adventures with Divot and Swish in the Ozark Mountains: The Superpower of Confidence - is releasing in January and can be found at her website or at several of the OK Indie Bookstores (see below). In addition to her books, Beth has created resources for educators to use the books in the classroom, and those are also a vailable from her website . Beyond her site, you can connect with Beth on Instagram and Facebook (@adventureswithdivotandswish). Beth and I talk about her books, the importance of helping kids develop superpowers like confidence and courage, her work with children in a variety of spaces, and how her experiences in sports have shaped the stories she tells. You're going to love hearing from Beth. For our review this episode, M. Jane Hawkins reviews three books from award-winning Oklahoma children's author Tammi Sauer - Nugget and Fang , <a href='https://www.tammisauer.com/mor
Bonus · Tue, December 28, 2021
Okie Bookcast Interlude - New Year's Resolutions
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! In this short interlude episode, J talks about five goals (resolutions) for the Bookcast for 2022. 1. 24 quality shows - Check out upcoming guests and past conversations at okiebookcast.com/episodes . 2. Growing the scope of the show - 77 counties and 50 states. Track progress at okiebookcast.com/reach . 3. Growing the community - connect with @okiebookcast across social media. 4. Launching the Read Oklahoma Challenge - 12 Oklahoma-connected books across 2022. Check out the challenge at okiebookcast.com/readoklahoma . 5. Launching the Bookcast Newsletter - more information coming soon. Thanks for starting with the Bookcast in 2021. Excited to see where we go in 2022! Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S1 E7 · Tue, December 21, 2021
Okie Bookcast Chapter Seven - Ginny Myers Sain: Dark and Shallow Lies
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter Seven of the Okie Bookcast! I get to talk with the delightful author Ginny Myers Sain . Ginny's debut YA novel, Dark and Shallow Lies , has exploded this fall, becoming an Indiebound bestseller and showing up on multiple top books of the year lists. Her book is a mystery-thriller that explores the question, "How do you keep a secret in a town full of psychics?". You can find out more about Ginny and her work on Twitter ( @stageandpage ) and Instagram ( @ginnymyerssain ) or at her website - ginnymyerssain.com . You can find Dark and Shallow Lies everywhere books are sold. My conversation with Ginny includes her book and its unique setting, the connection between her work in theatre and her writing, and why she chooses to write for young adult audiences. She also drops some information about her new book coming in 2022! This chapter's review comes from Oklahoma author J.L. Hyde . J.L. is an Okie transplant from a small town in northern Michigan and says she's not leaving any time soon. She became an author after losing her job in hospitality management due to COVID-19 and has published two books - Underground and Delta County . You can connect with J.L. on Facebook ( AuthorJLHyde ), Instagram ( @bookandbeerreview ) and her website - jlhyde.com . J.L. reviews The River at Night by Erica Ferencik. Mentioned on the Podcast: Anna Myers Benjamin Myers Tennessee Williams Night of the Iguana A Streetcar Named Desire The Glass Menagerie Cat on a Hot Tin Roof That Weekend - Kara Thomas The Forest of Stolen Girls - June Hur The Corpse Queen - Heather M. Herman Park & Fine Literary and Media Underground - J. L. Hyde Delta County - J. L. Hyde The River at Night - Erica Ferencik Remember, you can purchase any of the books mentioned on the podcast by visiting our Bookshop.org shop . 10% of your purchase goes to support indie bookshops and another 10% will be donated to literacy initiatives in Oklahoma. Music by JuliusH Connect with J: website
S1 E6 · Tue, December 07, 2021
Okie Bookcast Chapter Six - Nick Bremmer, Word of Mouth Bookshop and Goods
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! My guest is Nick Bremmer. Nick is the owner of Word of Mouth Bookshop X Goods located in Prelude Coffee Roasters at the 8th Street Market in Oklahoma City. We talk about Word of Mouth's beginnings as a pop-up shop, his approach to curating a collection of "books that love to be talked about", and the connection between books and breweries. Our review is from Stillwater eighth-grade author, Abhi Sukhdial. His first novella, Three Days Till EOC , is a sci-fi thriller about climate change and was recognized as an Honor Winner in the Young Adult Fiction category of the Green Earth Book Awards in 2021. Abhi has been reviewing books and movies for a couple of years and contributed a fantastic review of his favorite book - See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng. Mentioned on the episode: Prelude Coffee Roasters, OKC 8th Street Market, OKC The Stand - Stephen King Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens This is How You Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone Jacket Weather - Mike DeCapite J.R.R. Tolkien Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch A Darker Shade of Magic - V.E. Schwab Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan Literati Press Comics and Novels, OKC Bookshop.org Libro.fm Three Days Till EOC - Abhi Sukhdial See You in the Cosmos - Jack Cheng Music by JuliusH Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S1 E5 · Tue, November 16, 2021
Okie Bookcast Chapter Five - Roger D. Colby, Science Fiction and Writing Tips for NANOWRIMO
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! At the halfway mark of National Novel Writing Month, we have great conversation with author and writing teacher Roger D. Colby. Roger teaches writing and literature at Norman High School and is the author of six science-fiction novels and a ton of short stories and poetry. He also hosts a couple of podcasts that we talk about on the show. You can connect with Roger and find all of his work at rogerdcolby.com . Our conversation ranges from Roger's work and process to tips for writers to the worst movie he's ever seen . It's a fun, informative, and encouraging interview that I'm sure you'll enjoy. Our review for this episode comes from Laurie Ward, reviewing Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom. Laurie's newly released first novel - The Book of Life: Part One - just released and she is hard at work on Part Two, which will release in early 2022. In addition to her work as a writer, Laurie can be found hiking trails, kayaking, quilting with her mom on Zoom, painting, drawing, cheering on her daughter at the soccer field, or cozied up on the couch watching the latest documentary with her husband. Laurie is a transplanted Okie, now living in North Carolina, but still faithful to her Sooners. In addition to our conversation and review, this episode includes an update about our NANOWRIMO social media contests . Mentioned on the podcast: Typerspace: Tales from Planet Pantser - Podcast by Roger D. Colby 3 Cylinder Stardrive - Podcast by Roger D. Colby and Richard Kutz Peter Straub Stephen King Story Clock Method - Seth Worley Magic 2.0 Series - Scott Meyer The Book of Strange New Things - Michel Faber Ready Player One - Ernest Cline Armada - Ernest Cline Cannibal Amazon Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death Scrivener Norwood - Charles Portis True Grit - Charles Portis Foundation - Isaac Asimov Star Wars and Philosophy: More Powerful than You Can Possibly Imagine - Kevin S. Decker The Matrix and Philosophy: Welcome to the Desert of the Real - William Irwin You can find expanded show notes and links to all of the books, authors, and organizations listed above at okiebookcast.com . You can also subscribe to receive updates when new material goes live on the site and connect with us throug
S1 E4 · Tue, November 02, 2021
Okie Bookcast Chapter Four - Mel Odom, Writing Genres and Tips for New Authors
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! We're kicking off National Novel Writing Month with a fun and encouraging conversation with author and professor, Mel Odom . Mel has published over 220 novels in genres ranging from science fiction to westerns to romance to tie-ins with popular movie and television franchises. In addition to his writing, Mel has taught in the Professional Writing department at the University of Oklahoma for several years. Mel says of his work that he writes "with the hope of telling an interesting tale that will incite a reader to think for himself or herself, to examine his or her own place in the world, and offer a little nudge in the direction of dreams, faith, and personal growth in spite of whatever odds a person has to face. I also believe we were all put here for a purpose. Hopefully, several purposes." You can connect with Mel and find his entire catalog at melodombooks.com . Our conversation covers Mel's story and career, the challenges of writing across genres, the advantages of self-publishing, and a ton of great tips for both new and experienced writers who are tackling NANOWRIMO. Our review comes from Tulsa author Bre Lockhart, reviewing Fragile Things - a short story collection by Neil Gaiman. Bre is a fantasy and science-fiction writer from Tulsa, who also publishes mystery and poetry under different pen names. In addition to her writing, Bre is an editor for Three Point Author Services and serves as an administrator for the Tulsa Writers' Syndicate . You can find out more about Bre and her work, including links to her social media, at brelockhart.com . Mentioned on the podcast: Mark Twain Swiss Family Robinson Andre Norton Robert A. Heinlein Mack Bolan: The Executioner Series Raymond Chandler Dashiell Hammett Robert B Parker Blackpool Mystery Series - Harlequin Novels by Mel Odom writing as Jordan Gray Debra Webb Nora Roberts Buffy the Vampire Slayer NCIS Forgotten Realms Sabrina the Teenage Witch La Brea International Association of Media Tie-In Writers Titan Books Chris Fox Craig Martel Robert Crais Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Grosset and Dunlap Three Point Author Services Tulsa Writers' Syndicate Indie Author Magazine Tulsa Library Fragile Things - Neil Gaiman Harlan Ellison Ray Bradbury Tori Amos American Gods - Neil Gaiman <br
Bonus · Fri, October 29, 2021
Okie Bookcast Interlude - National Novel Writing Month Contests
In this quick interlude, J gives the details for our three social media contests in celebration of National Novel Writing Month. Twitter - My First Line Instagram - My Writing Space TikTok - My Writing Distraction Winners of each category will receive a $20 gift card to Bookshop.org. Check out the interlude for more details and let's see what you come up with. Happy writing!
S1 E3 · Tue, October 26, 2021
Oklahoma Ghost Stories and Urban Legends with Jeff Provine
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! We're celebrating Halloween at the Okie Bookcast! Our guest for Chapter Three is Jeff Provine - author, professor, and ghost tour guide. Jeff grew up on a Land Run farm outside of Enid and now is a Professor of English at Oklahoma City Community College. Jeff's fiction work ranges from The Academy - a long-running web comic to Celestial Voyages - a series of steam-punk novels. He is also the author of a series of books in the Haunted Oklahoma series (some with Tanya McCoy) that focus on ghost stories and urban legends from around the state. His latest book, Secret Oklahoma City , focuses on unusual stories about OKC. In addition to his writing about Oklahoma, Jeff leads ghost tours of the haunted sites around OKC and Norman featured in his books. You can access Jeff's work at jeffprovine.com . Our conversation centers on Haunted Oklahoma and ghost stories from our state, but we also cover Oklahoma history, pigeons, comics, and an incredible choice for his meal with a fictional character. Our review is by D.E. Chandler, reviewing Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. D.E.'s work ranges from novels ( Bone Sliver and Nova Wave ) to award-winning short fiction and poetry. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Oklahoma City University’s Red Earth MFA program, and lives with her husband Tom in Oklahoma. She is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation’s Prosateurs chapter. You can find out more about D.E. and her work, as well as links to her social media, at her web site - dechandlerwrites.com . Mentioned in the Chapter: Reading Rainbow Haunted Oklahoma Books - Jeff Provine Norman Campus Norman Shawnee Guthrie Oklahoma City Oklahoma The Academy w/ Commentary - Jeff Provine The Academy Classic - Jeff Provine Okie Comics Celestial Voyages series - Jeff Provine Stone of Thor - Peggy Chambers and Mike Kennedy Secret Oklahoma City: A guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure M.R. James - "The Mezzotint" Edgar Allen Poe - The Raven Book of Dwarves Book of Elves The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck - Don Rosa Hex - Thomas Olde Heuvelt Bone Sliver - D.E. Chandler Nova Wave - D.E. Chandler Links to all of these titles and organizations available at okiebookcast.com Music by <a href='https://pixabay.com/music/s
S1 E1 · Tue, October 05, 2021
Okie Bookcast Chapter One - Literati Press Comics and Novels
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to the first episode of the Okie Bookcast! In this chapter, I sit down with Charles Martin, Steve Gooch, Chloe Harrison, and James McGough from Literati Press Comics and Novels. We talk about the history of the publishing house and bookstore, how they make decisions about publishing projects and the curation of their store, their commitment to Oklahoma storytelling and their role in the community, and some past, present, and future projects to check out. You can find out more about Literati Press at literatipressok.com and @literatipress on social media. Our review of a favorite book for this chapter is from Hannah Joy Herron. You can find her novels Awake and Sleep Tight on Amazon and at bookstores in OKC. You can also find out more about Hannah and her work at hannahjoyherron.com . Books and Authors mentioned in this chapter: Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck Killers of the Flower Moon - David Grann Heathen - Natasha Alterici The Black Jack Demon - Nick Hermes We Promised Utopia - Charles J. Martin, Adrian Morales, and Robert Holman; Art by John Eric Osborn, Jonathan Koelsch, and Chloé Elimam Open - E. Scott Jones Rez Detective - Steven Paul Judd and Tvli Jacob; Art by M. K. Perker Glamorella's Daughter - Jerry Bennett and Charles J. Martin S. (Ship of Theseus) - Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams Pale Fire - Vladimir Nabokov Oklahoma Heroes Lew Archer Series - Ross Macdonald Easy Rawlins Series - Walter Mosley Harvey Pekar Misery - Stephen King Links to all of these titles and organizations available at okiebookcast.com Voice Talent (in order of appearance): Bennett Waggoner, Hannah Herron, Matthew Vaughan, Scott McMurry Music by JuliusH Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
S1 E2 · Tue, October 05, 2021
Okie Bookcast Chapter Two - Amy M. Le
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! For this chapter of the Okie Bookcast, we talk with Oklahoma author Amy M. Le, author of the Snow Trilogy ( Snow in Vietnam , Snow in Seattle , and Snow's Kitchen ) and The Copper Phoenix . Amy immigrated with her mother and cousin to the United States from Vietnam in the aftermath of the war and is proud of her strong connections to both her Vietnamese roots and the Vietnamese community in Oklahoma City and beyond. In addition to her writing, Amy is the founder of Quill Hawk Publishing - a company dedicated to assisting indie authors publish their work. She works with a number of community organizations and is active in several writing organizations in Oklahoma and beyond. In our conversation we discuss her experience as a refugee and the importance of her dual identity as Vietnamese-American and how these experiences informed the Snow Trilogy. Additionally, we cover her writing process, Quill Hawk Publishing, cooking, the Seattle Seahawks, and Oompa Loompas - what more could you ask for? You can connect with Amy and find out more about her story and her work at Amy-M-Le.com or on social media at @amy_m_le (Instagram and Twitter) or @authoramymle (Facebook). Our review this week comes from Mark Edward Jones, reviewing Dissolution by C. J. Sansom. Mark's debut novel, Peculiar Activities , launches October 6. He has won awards for mystery writing and has a flash fiction piece entitled Alone in Warsaw published in the UK publication, Painted Words. Mark has also worked as an editor and consultant on multiple projects. You can find out more about Mark and his work at mejbooksllc.com . Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @okiebookcast and visit okiebookcast.com for updates and information. Mentioned in this Chapter: Snow in Vietnam - Amy M. Le Snow in Seattle - Amy M. Le Snow's Kitchen - Amy M. Le The Copper Pheonix - Amy M. Le Quill Hawk Publishing The Mountain Sings House of Sticks Together for Good
Mon, September 13, 2021
Okie Bookcast Prologue
Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! In this trailer for the Okie Bookcast, host J Hall talks about the show and what you can expect from each episode. The Okie Bookcast releases new interviews on the first and third Tuesday of each month and Your Next Great Read, a conversation with J, Hannah Herron, and a special guest, releases on the fourth Tuesday. Subscribe to the Bookcast to get these and other special episodes when they release. Music by JuliusH Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH
loading...