Okie Bookcast - podcast cover

Okie Bookcast

The Okie Bookcast is dedicated to helping curious readers like you find your next great read by connecting you to Oklahoma authors and stories. The show features monthly interviews with contributors to the reading life of Oklahoma - it might be an author, publisher, librarian, reader, bookseller, or other figure. In addition to interviews, the show has a monthly book conversation full of reviews and recommendations. New episodes drop on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Connect with Okie Bookcast on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok - @okiebookcast.

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Episodes

Paranormal Stories, Imposter Syndrome, and Bigfoot - Author Betsey Kulakowski

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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 disas...

Oct 04, 202239 minSeason 2Ep. 1

Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations with J, Hannah, and our guest Scott McMurry

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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 Amberg...

Sep 27, 202251 min

Leadership, Social Media, and Culture - Kevin DeShazo, Keep Chopping Wood

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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 ...

Sep 20, 202238 minSeason 1Ep. 26

Behind the Rain: An Audio Anthology of Oklahoma Poetry, Volume 2

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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 Th...

Sep 15, 202225 min

WriterCon 2022 - Authors Introduce You to their Books

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! I got to hang out at WriterCon in OKC for a couple of days where I spent time talking with authors about their work. This episode is a compilation of those conversations with each author giving a 60-second talk about one of their books. In this episode, you'll hear from 22 authors from all over the country. Everything from children's books to mysteries to thrillers about Bigfoot. You're sure to find a book or two to love. You can connect with all of these authors ...

Sep 13, 202221 min

Tribal Culture and Identity - Oscar Hokeah, Calling for a Blanket Dance

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! My guest is Oscar Hokeah. Oscar is a regionalist Native American writer of literary fiction, interested in capturing intertribal, transnational, and multicultural aspects within two tribally specific communities: Tahlequah and Lawton, Oklahoma. He is a citizen of Cherokee Nation and the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma from his mother (Hokeah and Stopp families), and he has Mexican heritage from his father (Chavez family) who emigrated from Aldama, Chihuahua, Mexico. Oscar...

Sep 06, 202241 minSeason 1Ep. 25

Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendations and Talk with Hannah Herron

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Since the Bookcast is dedicated to helping curious readers like you find your next great read, we're trying something new to introduce readers to even more books. Your Next Great Read is a conversation between co-hosts J Hall and Hannah Herron about the books they are reading and ones they love. Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram This Month's Books: Hannah Intensity - Dean Koontz Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir A Head Full of Ghosts - Paul Tremblay T...

Aug 31, 202231 min

How to Read More Books - Dr. Kenna Griffin

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Have you ever thought to yourself, "I wish I could get more books read"? Then this is the conversation for you! I talk with professor, content manager, and uberreader Kenna Griffin about her tips and strategies for reading 150 books a year. We also talk about how her reading informs the writing she does as a blogger, editor, and academic. If you’re a writer of any kind and any level of experience, I have a quick two-question survey that I’d love for you to take a ...

Aug 16, 202240 minSeason 1Ep. 24

Oklahoma Children's Author, Anna Myers

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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 an...

Aug 02, 202235 minSeason 1Ep. 23

Oklahoma Short Fiction - Amanda Bales and Chris Murphy

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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 c...

Jul 19, 202247 minSeason 1Ep. 22

At War with Corruption - Bill Price and Dr. Michael Hightower

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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. ...

Jul 05, 202239 minSeason 1Ep. 21

Summer Reading Opportunities - Oklahoma Librarians

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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 Shaw...

Jun 21, 202241 minSeason 1Ep. 20

Behind the Rain Poetry Anthology, Volume One

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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 Wood...

Jun 15, 202224 min

Jerry Bennett - Comic Artist, Fan, and Teacher

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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...

Jun 07, 202252 minSeason 1Ep. 19

Dr. Karlos K. Hill - Telling the Stories of Victims and Survivors with Love

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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 violenc...

May 17, 202249 minSeason 1Ep. 18

Shel Harrington - Marriage, New Words, and Embracing the Next Stage of Your Life

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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 ...

May 03, 202241 minSeason 1Ep. 17

Okie Bookcast Chapter Sixteen - School Libraries with Jill Slay and Eric Dabney, Part 2

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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...

Apr 19, 202234 minSeason 1Ep. 16

Okie Bookcast Chapter Fifteen - School Libraries with Jill Slay and Eric Dabney, Part 1

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! 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 connec...

Apr 19, 202249 minSeason 1Ep. 15

Okie Bookcast Chapter Fourteen - Onikah Asamoa-Caesar, Fulton Street Books and Coffee in Tulsa

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 14 of the Okie Bookcast! April Read Oklahoma Challenge category - Read a Sequoyah Award winner from any year My guest is Onikah Asamoa-Ceasar, book lover and founder of Fulton Street Books and Coffee in Tulsa, OK. Fulton Street is a bookshop on a mission to increase intergenerational literacy and build better community by focusing on conversations and keeping people at the center of everything they do. The store carries a wide selection of ficti...

Apr 05, 202245 minSeason 1Ep. 14

Okie Bookcast Chapter Thirteen - Sequoyah Book Awards with Kirsten Walker and Molly Dettmann

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! In this chapter of the Okie Bookcast, our focus is on the Sequoyah Book Awards and the Donna Norvell Award . The Sequoyah Awards are sponsored by the Oklahoma Library Association and are one of the oldest child-selected book awards in the country. The awards are presented at the end of March every year, so this is the perfect time to learn more about them and I've got the perfect guests to shed some light. Kirsten Walker is the Chair for the Sequoyah Administratio...

Mar 15, 202241 minSeason 1Ep. 13

Okie Bookcast Chapter Twelve - Victoria Moore, owner of Whitty Books in Tulsa

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 12 and happy sixth month anniversary to the Bookcast! I got to take the show on the road to Tulsa to talk with Victoria Moore, owner and curator of Whitty Books - a bookshop she opened in 2018 in the Kendall Whittier district in Tulsa. Since they opened, Whitty Books has been a community hub for book clubs, live music, black-out poetry, and other events. As curator, Victoria has a particular interest in small press titles and weird fiction, and ...

Mar 01, 202233 minSeason 1Ep. 12

Okie Bookcast Chapter Eleven - Heather Zeoli, Metropolitan Library System

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter Eleven of the Okie Bookcast! My guest is Heather Zeoli from Metropolitan Library System in Oklahoma County. Heather is the director of development and volunteer services for Metro Libraries. She has worked in fundraising for 20 years and has been with the library system for the past 6. In our conversation, we talk about the history and scope of the Metro System and a number of programs designed to engage and develop different groups of readers. ...

Feb 15, 202233 minSeason 1Ep. 11

Okie Bookcast Chapter Ten - Kim Ventrella, Spooky Middle Grade author

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 10(!) of the Okie Bookcast! I'm excited that we've made it to this milestone and thankful for all of you who have joined the ride. Quick reminder - the category for the Read Oklahoma Challenge this month is "A Book Set in Oklahoma". You can find a list of suggested titles on the web site - okiebookcast.com/readoklahoma - don't forget you can also sign up to let me know you're joining me in the Challenge. My guest today is Kim Ventrella . Kim is ...

Feb 01, 202239 minSeason 1Ep. 10

Okie Bookcast Chapter Nine - Jeremie Kubicek, Writing about Leadership

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Thanks for checking out Chapter Nine of the Okie Bookcast! My guest is Jeremie Kubicek, founder of GiANT Worldwide , serial entrepreneur, and author. Jeremie is a powerful communicator and content builder whose work is used by some of the largest companies and organizations around the globe. He is the author of multiple books, including: 100X Leader , 5 Gears , 5 Voices , and the National Bestseller - Making Your Leadership Come Alive . In addition to his content ...

Jan 18, 202241 minSeason 1Ep. 9

Okie Bookcast Chapter Eight - Dr. Beth Brown, Children's Author of Adventures with Divot and Swish

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Happy 2022 from The Okie Bookcast! There is so much great stuff coming in the days ahead! If you haven't heard the New Year's Resolutions interlude, I strongly encourage you to take a few minutes to check out the big goals for 2022 and how you can be a part of them. One of those goals is launching the Read Oklahoma Challenge. I'm encouraging everyone to read one Oklahoma-connected book a month through 2022. There are new categories each month and I'll provide some...

Jan 04, 202237 minSeason 1Ep. 8

Okie Bookcast Interlude - New Year's Resolutions

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! In this short interlude episode, J talks about five goals (resolutions) for the Bookcast for 2022. 1. 24 quality shows - Check out upcoming guests and past conversations at okiebookcast.com/episodes . 2. Growing the scope of the show - 77 counties and 50 states. Track progress at okiebookcast.com/reach . 3. Growing the community - connect with @okiebookcast across social media. 4. Launching the Read Oklahoma Challenge - 12 Oklahoma-connected books across 2022. Che...

Dec 28, 20217 min

Okie Bookcast Chapter Seven - Ginny Myers Sain: Dark and Shallow Lies

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter Seven of the Okie Bookcast! I get to talk with the delightful author Ginny Myers Sain . Ginny's debut YA novel, Dark and Shallow Lies , has exploded this fall, becoming an Indiebound bestseller and showing up on multiple top books of the year lists. Her book is a mystery-thriller that explores the question, "How do you keep a secret in a town full of psychics?". You can find out more about Ginny and her work on Twitter ( @stageandpage ) and Inst...

Dec 21, 202129 minSeason 1Ep. 7

Okie Bookcast Chapter Six - Nick Bremmer, Word of Mouth Bookshop and Goods

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! My guest is Nick Bremmer. Nick is the owner of Word of Mouth Bookshop X Goods located in Prelude Coffee Roasters at the 8th Street Market in Oklahoma City. We talk about Word of Mouth's beginnings as a pop-up shop, his approach to curating a collection of "books that love to be talked about", and the connection between books and breweries. Our review is from Stillwater eighth-grade author, Abhi Sukhdial. His first novella, Three Days Till EOC , is a sci-fi thrille...

Dec 07, 202130 minSeason 1Ep. 6

Okie Bookcast Chapter Five - Roger D. Colby, Science Fiction and Writing Tips for NANOWRIMO

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! At the halfway mark of National Novel Writing Month, we have great conversation with author and writing teacher Roger D. Colby. Roger teaches writing and literature at Norman High School and is the author of six science-fiction novels and a ton of short stories and poetry. He also hosts a couple of podcasts that we talk about on the show. You can connect with Roger and find all of his work at rogerdcolby.com . Our conversation ranges from Roger's work and process ...

Nov 16, 202132 minSeason 1Ep. 5

Okie Bookcast Chapter Four - Mel Odom, Writing Genres and Tips for New Authors

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! We're kicking off National Novel Writing Month with a fun and encouraging conversation with author and professor, Mel Odom . Mel has published over 220 novels in genres ranging from science fiction to westerns to romance to tie-ins with popular movie and television franchises. In addition to his writing, Mel has taught in the Professional Writing department at the University of Oklahoma for several years. Mel says of his work that he writes "with the hope of telli...

Nov 02, 202131 minSeason 1Ep. 4
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