Okie Bookcast

J Hall

1 Creator

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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Top 10 Okie Bookcast Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Okie Bookcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Okie Bookcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Okie Bookcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

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

Okie Bookcast

03/01/22 • 33 min

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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 is always looking for the next great horror novel. You can connect with Whitty Books on social media @shopwhittybooks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

In our conversation, we talk about the origins of the store, the role of bookshops in the community, and how they embrace their identity as Tulsa’s “weird” bookstore.

Our review for this episode comes from Jude Bayton. Jude is originally from Kingston-Upon-Thames, near London in the UK and has also lived in Scotland, Wales, Africa, Yemen and Germany – but now makes her home in Oklahoma. Jude is the author of three Historical Mysteries set in Victorian England: The Secret of Mowbray Manor, The Secret of Hollyfield House, and The Secret of Pendragon Island. You can connect with Jude at Judebayton.com and @judebayton on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram.

Jude reviews The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz.

Mentioned on the show:

Mary Make N Do
Arsenal Pulp Press
Unnamed Press
Rivers Solomon
Queen of Teeth - Haley Piper
Stephen Graham Jones
Literati Press Comics and Novels
Coach House Books
Silver in the Wood - Emily Tesh
Drowned Country - Emily Tesh
Dr. Edith Vane and the Hares of Crawley Hall - Suzette Mayr
Fever Dream - Samanta Schweblin
The Cipher - Kathe Koja
Meerkat Press
The Tommyknockers - Stephen King
Every Heart a Doorway - Seanan McGuire

Music by JuliusH

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Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org
Music by JuliusH

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Okie Bookcast Chapter Eleven - Heather Zeoli, Metropolitan Library System

Okie Bookcast

02/15/22 • 32 min

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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. Heather also previews the Friends of the Library Book Sale, coming up February 26 and 27 at the OKC Fairgrounds. She provides some tips for enjoying the Sale and some insider information for those who are planning to attend this year.
Oklahoma author James D. Jackson is our reviewer for this episode. James is reviewing The One by John Marrs.
James is an Oklahoma native and University of Central Oklahoma alum who has worked as a sports journalist for The Oklahoman newspaper for the last 2 years. James has released two books in his Adam Avraham series. The Curse of Simon Jones, his debut sports mystery, which blends the exciting world of journalism with the thrilling twists and turns of a classic murder mystery, and it’s sequel, Internal Clocks, a chilling science fiction mystery that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. In his free time, James enjoys reading, exercise and traveling. You can connect with James on Twitter and Instagram @jamesdjackson15, and on Facebook @JamesDJackson.

Remember - you can purchase all of the books mentioned on the Bookcast through our partnership with Bookshop.org. 10% of your purchase goes to support independent bookstores and we are pledging an additional 10% to support literacy initiatives in Oklahoma.
Mentioned on the episode:
Oklahoma Archive Special Collection
1000 Books by Kindergarten
Metro Library Winter Reading Challenge
Nancy Drew
Save Me From Myself - Brian "Head"' Welch
Over the Top - Jonathan Van Ness
Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
The Carrie Diaries - Candace Bushnell
Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding
Music by JuliusH

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org
Music by JuliusH

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

Okie Bookcast

12/07/21 • 29 min

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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 thriller about climate change and was recognized as an Honor Winner in the Young Adult Fiction category of the Green Earth Book Awards in 2021. Abhi has been reviewing books and movies for a couple of years and contributed a fantastic review of his favorite book - See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng.

Mentioned on the episode:

Prelude Coffee Roasters, OKC
8th Street Market, OKC
The Stand - Stephen King
Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens
This is How You Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Jacket Weather - Mike DeCapite
J.R.R. Tolkien
Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch
A Darker Shade of Magic - V.E. Schwab
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan
Literati Press Comics and Novels, OKC
Bookshop.org
Libro.fm
Three Days Till EOC - Abhi Sukhdial
See You in the Cosmos - Jack Cheng

Music by JuliusH

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Jerry Bennett - Comic Artist, Fan, and Teacher

Okie Bookcast

06/07/22 • 51 min

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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

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org
Music by JuliusH

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

Okie Bookcast

03/15/22 • 41 min

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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 Administration Team for 2021-2022. She is a librarian at the Southwest Oklahoma City Library which is part of the Pioneer Library System. Kirsten has previously served on the Intermediate Sequoyah Reading Team and was chair of the Children and Teen Services Roundtable.
Molly Dettmann has served on the Intermediate and High School Sequoyah Reading Committees and served as the 2020-2021 Sequoyah Administration Committee Chair. She works as a school librarian at Norman North High School and was named her school's 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year.
In our conversation we talk about the history of the Sequoyah Awards, the selection process for masterlists and winners, and get a peek behind the scenes.
In keeping with the Sequoyah Awards theme, our review is from Mandi MacDonald, who is the librarian and AP English teacher at North Rock Creek High School in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Mandi is also the current chair for the Intermediate Sequoyah masterlist.
She reviews the 2023 Sequoyah Intermediate Masterlist book Alone by Megan E. Freeman.
Mentioned on the show:
The Night Ride - J. Anderson Coats
Love In English - Maria E. Andreu
Legendborn - Tracy Deonn
The Inheritance Games - Jennifer Barnes
The Charm Offensive - Alice Cochrun
Dark Rise - C.S. Pacat
All Systems Red - Martha Wells
Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons - John Paul Brammer
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir - Michelle Zauner
Goosebumps Series - R.L. Stine
Fear Street - R. L. Stine
Lady Sherlock Series - Sherry Thomas
The Color Purple - Alice Walker
Full Circle Books

Music by JuliusH

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Summer Reading Opportunities - Oklahoma Librarians

Okie Bookcast

06/21/22 • 41 min

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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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Music by JuliusH

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Conquering Chaos and Finding Peace with Author and Entrepreneur, Jeremie Kubicek

Okie Bookcast

11/01/22 • 39 min

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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

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org
Music by JuliusH

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

Okie Bookcast

02/01/22 • 38 min

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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 the award-winning author of four middle grade novels, including HELLO, FUTURE ME and THE SECRET LIFE OF SAM (HarperCollins), a 2021 Oklahoma Book Award winner and one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2020. Her novel BONE HOLLOW (Scholastic) was chosen as a 2019 Best Book for Kids by the New York Public Library, and SKELETON TREE was nominated for the 2019 Carnegie Medal in the UK. In addition to these novels, her short fiction has appeared in the anthology DON'T TURN OUT THE LIGHTS.
Beyond her own writing, Kim is dedicated to helping other authors - particularly young authors - improve their work. She has a couple of YouTube channels with content for emerging authors, does school visits, and teaches writing to kids through the Outschool platform. Kim is also one of the organizers of Spooky Middle Grade - a collection of authors who write spooky middle grade fiction - and offers editing services for writers needing a bit of assistance.
In our conversation, we talk about Kim's work, her process, her work with writers of all ages, and how a 5th-grade yearbook signing helped launch her career. You can connect with Kim and her work at kimventrella.com or on social media @kimventrella.
Our reviewer is Casie Bazay. Casie is a former middle school teacher who now works as a freelance writer, editor, and author. Her debut YA novel, Not Our Summer, released from Running Press Kids/Hachette in May of 2021. In her spare time, Casie enjoys exploring the great outdoors, spending time at the barn with her horses and goats, reading, and watching movies. She lives on a hay farm in Oklahoma with her husband and two children but loves traveling to new and exciting destinations whenever she can.
You can connect with Casie and her work at casiebazay.com or on social media @casiebazay on Twitter or @casiebazayyaauthor on Facebook.
Casie reviews Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis.
Mentioned on the Show:
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark - Alvin Schwartz
Goosebumps - R.L. Stine
Spooky Middle Grade
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Out to Get You - Josh Allen

Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org
Music by JuliusH

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Your Next Great Read - Book Recommendation and Talk with J, Hannah, and special guest Susan Hall

Okie Bookcast

11/29/22 • 50 min

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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
Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org
Music by JuliusH

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

Okie Bookcast

07/05/22 • 38 min

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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