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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
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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
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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 | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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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

• Facebook: @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
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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
Pretty Boy Floyd - Larry McMurtry
Michael Wallace
Bob Burke
Washington: The Indispensable Man - James Thomas Flexner
Oklahoma Gold! on Waddy Young
Deer Run Trail - David R. Lewis

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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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
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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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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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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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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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