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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
The War I Finally Won -  Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Kate Morton
Kristin Hannah
Tumbleweed Baby - Anna Myers

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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
David Joy
Courtney Milan
Nora Roberts
Slow Horses - Mick Herron
Mortals - Norman Rush
Spy Who Came in from the Cold - John Le Carre

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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
Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens
Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
Free to Choose - Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman
Animal Farm - George Orwell
1984 - George Orwell

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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
Will Rogers Library, Claremore - Facebook | Instagram
Enid Public Library
Tana French
Doomsday Book - Connie Willis
To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie

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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. 

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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

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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

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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 can purchase the books mentioned on this or any episode through my partnership with bookshop.org. 10% of your purchase goes to support your preferred indie bookstore and another 10% goes to support literacy organizations in Oklahoma. 

Fat Bottom 50’s Get Fierce Website
Fat Bottom 50’s Get Fierce Facebook Page

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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

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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.

Mentioned on the Show:

Orca Soundings Collection
Jason Reynolds
Judy Blume
Avi
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Wonder - R. J. Palacio
Tony Hawk
Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum
The Good Sister - Sally Hepworth

Music by JuliusH

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