Okie Bookcast

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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
Chicken Dance - w/ Dan Santat

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

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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
The Decision - Christian Rost
Undistracted: Capture Your Purpose. Rediscover Your Joy - Bob Goff

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

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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
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Music by JuliusH

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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 | Facebook
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Music by JuliusH

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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
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Music by JuliusH

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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
Muriel Wright
Errol Gibson
Toni Hillerman
Rilla Askew
Bob Burke
Sheldon Russell
Michael Wallace
All that is Wicked - Kate Winkler Dawson
Sherlock Holmes
Barker & Llewelyn Novels - Will Thomas

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

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
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Music by JuliusH

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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
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Music by JuliusH

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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
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Music by JuliusH

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