Okie Bookcast

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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

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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
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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

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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
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon

Music by JuliusH

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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
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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 Box
Lee Child
Encyclopedia Brown: Boy Detective - Donald J. Sobol
The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury
Birdie and Jeeves - P. G. Wodehouse
Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone - Phaedra Patrick

Music by JuliusH

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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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
Maggie - Sharon Shrock

Music by JuliusH

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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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
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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
Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak

Music by JuliusH

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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
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