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Welcome to Chapter 85! We're going big this month with a Round Table of fantasy authors, talking about their work, the genre, and the challenges of creating new worlds. And talking about a ton of books!

Our panel includes:

Rebecca Loomis - Author of the YA trilogy Touch of Kindness, Taste of Bravery, and Voice of Change

WK Gorbet - Epic fantasy author of the First Matter Saga, beginning with his debut novel, Echoes of Destruction

Nadia Tate - Authors of the contemporary fantasy Saint Elias University series, beginning with their debut novel, The Summoning of Mages

Connect with Rebecca: site | IG | YouTube

Connect with WK: site | IG

Connect With Nadia Tate: site | IG |TT

Mentioned on the Show

The Invisible Hour - Alice Hoffman

Sword In the Storm - David Gemmell

Between Two Fires - Christopher Buehlman

Terror at the Gates - Scarlett St. Clair

The Poppy War - R.F. Kuang

The Eye of the World - Robert Jordan

The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher

Home Before Dark - Riley Sager

The Hunger Games - Susan Collins

The Two Princesses of Bamarre - Gail Carson Levine

The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie

The Hollows series - Kim Harrison

Kate Daniels series - Ilona Andrews

Red Rising - Pierce Brown 

The Last Time I Lied -  Riley Sager 

Ruth Ware

Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - V.E. Schwab

A Darker Shade of Magic - V.E. Schwab

Full Metal Alchemist - Hiromu Arakawa

Vinland Saga - Makoto Yukimura

Pluto - Naoki Urasawa,  Takashi Nagasaki 

Fantastic Four - Jonathan Hickman

Thor: God of Thunder - Jason Aaron

Rebirth Batman - Scott Snyder, Tom King, David Finch, Mikal Janin

The Folk of the Air series - Holly Black

The Fever series - Karen Marie Moning

Avatar the Last Airbender

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Welcome to Your Next Great Read! This month, special guest host Melissa Coast and J are joined by the founder of OKC Silent Book Club, Meredith Dennis. Tons of recommendations across a variety of genres, including several Oklahoma-connected books. 

Connect with Melissa: Instagram

Connect with Meredith: Instagram 

Connect with OKC Silent Book Club: Instagram | Facebook

Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter

Huge thanks to Self Publish Me for sponsoring this episode! 

Books Discussed on the Show

Meredith

Nuclear War: A Scenario - Annie Jacobson

Such a Fun Age - Kiley Reid

Shoot the Moon - Billie Letts

The Sea of Tranquility - Katja Millay

Melissa

The Emperor of Gladness - Ocean Vuong

Full Speed to a Crash Landing - Beth Revis

The Correspondent - Virginia Evans

Why We Sleep - Matthew Walker

J

On a Quiet Street - Saraphina Nova Glass

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl - Timothy Egan

The Dog Stars - Peter Heller

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Welcome to Chapter 84! My guest this month is Sara Causey. Sara is an award-winning author, artist, and illustrator whose work often explores power, conscience, creativity, and the uneasy tension between public image and private truth.

She is best known for her tireless efforts to preserve the life and legacy of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, including the award-winning biography Decoding the Unicorn: A New Look at Dag Hammarskjöld and the forthcoming Simply Dag: The Private Man in a Public—and Dangerous—Office.

In addition to her Hammarskjold books, Sara writes and illustrates books for children, including a new series designed to help kids (and adults) learn a second language. 

Connect with Sara: website | website | Facebook | Instagram

Dag and the Apple - Bilingual Children's Book

Find out about more great Oklahoma books through the Read LOKal Newsletter

Mentioned on the Show:

JFK vs Allen Dulles: Battleground Indonesia - Dr. Greg Poulgrain

The Artist’s Way - Julia Cameron

The Last Temptation of Christ - Nikos Kazantzakis

Childhood’s End - Arthur C. Clarke

High-Rise - J.G. Ballard

Interview with a Vampire - Anne Rice

Faust - Goethe

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Welcome to Your Next Great Read! This month, Hannah and J are joined by member of Hannah's infamous Book Club, Devin Green. In addition to tons of book recs, Hannah drops a huge announcement about her future with the show (don't worry, it's good!).

Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok

Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter

Huge thanks to Self Publish Me for sponsoring this episode! 

Books Discussed on the Show

Devin

The Dream Hotel - Laila Lalami

Broken Country - Clare Leslie Hall

True Biz - Sara Novic

Such a Fun Age - Kylie Reid

Hannah

Birth Vibes - Jen Hamilton

A House of Vipers - Emma Jackson

Strange House - Uketsu

Life’s too Short - Abby Jimenez

J

The Island of Dr. Moreau - H.G. Wells

The Midnight Train - Matt Haig

Four Doorways In or Near New Orleans - V.M. Harrigan

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Welcome to Chapter 83! My guest is author and podcaster, William Bernhardt. We got together on release day for his new book The Superman Wars: A Battle for Truth, Justice, and an American Icon.

William is the author of more than sixty books, including the nationally bestselling Ben Kincaid legal thriller series. He has received numerous awards for his books and has also written plays, a musical, children’s stories, and New York Times crossword puzzles. In 2013, he became a Jeopardy! champion. He lives in Oklahoma with his wife and children.

In our conversation we talk about the book, the wrestling match between art and commerce, the challenge of writing narrative nonfiction, and I test Bill’s lifelong love for Superman with a quick Superman quiz. It’s a fun conversation for people at every level of comics appreciation. 

Connect with William: website | Facebook

Connect with WriterCon: website | Podcast | Facebook

Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter

Mentioned on the show:

Justice for All - William Bernhardt

Erik Larson

Sebastian Younger

Beowulf

The Epic of Gilgamesh

The Iliad - Homer

Odyssey - Homer

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Welcome to Your Next Great Read! This month, Hannah and J are joined by Grayson Long, author of the brand new contemporary romance, Chasing the Butterflies, and two other books in her Glendale series. 

Plenty of fantasy, thriller, horror, and romance recs (plus lots of indie books!) to help you build your TBR!

Connect with Grayson: Instagram | Twitch | TikTok

Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok

Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter

Huge thanks to Self Publish Me for sponsoring this episode! 

Books Discussed on the Show:

Grayson

Rites of the Starling - Devney Perry

Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir

The Prison Healer - Lynette Noni

Remarkably Bright Creatures - Shelby Van Pelt

Hannah

The House in the Cerulean Sea - TJ Klune

Nowhere Burning - Catriona Ward

Turn Off the Light - Jacquie Walters

The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins

J

Echoes of Destruction - W.K. Gorbet

The Bluff - J.L. Hyde

Manuscript of an Invasion - Ruy Forte

The Preservationist - David Maine

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Welcome to Volume 16! This time we have 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.

You can check out previous volumes at okiebookcast.com/behindtherain

Looking for more work by Oklahoma authors? Check out readlokal.substack.com

Here's the Lineup:

Untitled - Rachel Waters

• IG: @rchlwtrs

Clear Lake - Seth Copeland

• IG: @sethtcope
• Site: https://neutralspaces.co/seth_t_copeland/

Say, Can You See - Brand Rackley

• IG: @brandrackley 

Dorothy - Jes McCutchen

• IG: @jesmwrites

Mantle Clock - David Jennings

• FB: @DJennPhotos
• Website: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.com

What's More - Andrew Morris Gilman

• IG: @andrewmorrisgilman

Listened - Kristen Grace

• IG: @_kristen_grace

Ritual - Jake Spann

• FB: @jake.spann.9

Wellspring - Kelley Morris

• Website: kelleymorris.com

Splashpad - Josh Wann

• IG: @homegrownpoets918

A Perpetual Spring - Nichole Yates

• IG: @nicholeyates

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Welcome to Chapter 82. This month we're celebrating the centennial anniversary of Route 66 with authors, historians, and preservationists Jim Ross and Shellee Graham. Jim and Shellee’s new book, Route 66—The First 100 Years, chronicles the birth, life, demise, and renaissance of the legendary highway over its first century. Released in May 2025, it was named to the National Trust’s “Summer Reading List” and later listed as one of the year’s 10 best travel books by Smithsonian magazine. 

In our conversation, we talk about their books, but also about their passion for traveling Route 66 and for preserving its physical and cultural history. We also talk about the centennial celebration of route 66 and how you can be a part of it. 

Connect with Jim: website

Connect with Shellee: website

Oklahoma Route 66 Association

Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter

Mentioned on the show:

Route 66 Map Series - Jim Ross and Jerry McClanahan

Tales from the Coral Court - Shellee Graham

The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

Louis L’Amour

Dresden Files - Jim Butcher

East of Eden- John Steinbeck

Cannery Row - John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

Route 66 Museum in Clinton

Painted Desert Trading Post

Rt 66 Centennial website

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Text the Bookcast and say "hi"!

Welcome to Your Next Great Read! This month, Hannah and J are joined by JC Lamb, author of Reincarnated: The Malicious Queen.

Plenty of thriller, scifi, and romance recs to help you build your TBR!

Connect with JC: Instagram | Twitch | TikTok

Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok

Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter

Huge thanks to Self Publish Me for sponsoring this episode! 

Discussed on the Show

JC

The Diabolic - S. J. Kincaid

Hell Mode, Vol. 1 - Hamou, Seanna Hundt, Taishi, Mo

Full Clearing Another World Under a Goddess with Zero Believers: Volume 1 - Isle Osaki, MPT, Kaipo Shwab

Solo Leveling, Volume 1 - Chugong

Hannah

All the Colors of the Dark - Chris Whitaker

Come Closer - Sara Gran

Eight Perfect Hours - Lia Lewis

The Princess Bride - William Goldman

J

Theo of Golden - Allen Levi

You Are Fatally Invited - Ande Pliego

Roadside Picnic - Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

The Colour of Magic - Terry Pratchett

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Welcome to Chapter 81! This is a fun one!

My guests are Jes McCutchen and Josh Wann - two Tulsa poets / writers who have created a new book called Side Quests and Shenanigans. The book is part poetry collection, part creative instigation designed to encourage people to create and to do so in community. 

Jes is an author, poet, editor, publisher, and all-around creative from Tulsa, OK who has written several novels and contributed to and / or edited poetry and horror anthologies. 

Connect with Jes: website | IG | FB

Josh Wann is a writer and educator in Tulsa, OK. His plays have been produced by Blackjack Rewrite Company, among others, at Living Arts, The Nightingale Theater, and Studio 308. His essays have been published in The Black Wall Street Times, Calliope Crashes, and others. Lastly, his poetry and comedy have been performed at various venues and events throughout Tulsa. He gravitates towards laughter, nature, picking the guitar, and big plates of breakfast foods.

Connect with Josh: IG

We talk a lot about creativity and the challenge of finding whimsy and joy in the midst of difficult times. And we laugh. A lot.

Mentioned on the Show:

Quraysh Ali Lansana

Meadow Market Books

The Perfect Bastard: Poems - Quinn Carver Johnson

LuvBytes - Hank Byrd

Sistah Samurai - Tatiana Obey

Lone Woman - Victor LaValle

A Master of Djinn - P Djèlí Clark

The Sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemmingway

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

These Are Not My Final Words - Samantha Ryan

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Music by JuliusH