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Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Your Next Great Read! This month, J and Hannah are joined by author and friend o' the pod, J.L. Hyde! Jamie's new book, The Widow Nora, is out later this month.  In the conversation we cover a ton of great books across a variety of genres: thrillers, romance, scifi, romantasy, and some witchy backlist picks. You're going to find something to love in this episode! Connect with Jamie: website | Instagram | TikTok Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter Huge thanks to Self Publish Me for sponsoring this episode!  Discussed on the Show Jamie Pretty Dead Things - Kelsey Cox The Black Orchid - Loreth Anne White Everyone Is Lying to You - Jo Piazza Haunting Charlie - Wendy Wang Hannah Mad Mabel - Sally Hepworth The Unknown - Riley Sager Misfortune and Mr. Right - Savannah Scott Hex - Thomas Olde Heuvelt J Unraveling - Tyler Lenz The Three Lives of Cate Kay - Kate Fagan The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances - Glenn Dixon Wyrd Sisters - Terry Pratchett Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

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 20 authors from all over the country. Everything from children's books to mysteries to thrillers to LitRPG. You're sure to find a book or two to love. Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter Featured Authors and Books: DM Zultowski - Deer in the Fields of Venice GJ Springer - The Match Program Julie Caldwell - Secret of the Acolytes Jeff Provine - Haunted Oklahoma JJ Johnson - Surviving the Midnight Hurl at Camp Whurl Amy M. Le - From Broken to Brave: Memoir of a Heart Warrior Rebecca Cole - Delilah's Song and Delilah's Secret C. Louis S.  - Pizza Planet: Secret of the Fire Jellies Josh C. Jones - DESTINY: Rich or Poor, Life or Death, Choose Your Destiny Ryan Andrew Brandt - Sanctuary Mark Edward Jones - Wrong Day to Quit Carter Bell - When Salt Blooms Rob Harmon - The Shepherdess of Kharos Dianne McDonald Clark - Murder by Moonlight Tyler Lenz - Non-Player Character Terry Godfrey - The Little Gun Todd Ockert - The Reckoning of Chaos and Magic Eileen Hobbs - The Girl from Korn Paul Gomez - PTSD Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 87!  My guest this month is audiobook narrator and voice actor, Sean Pratt.  Sean has been an audiobook narrator for 30 years, recording over 1,200 books in almost every genre across his career. He has received 12 AudioFile Magazine “Earphones” awards, 5 SOVAS nominations,  and 5 “Audie” nominations from the Audio Publishers Association. In addition to his work in audiobooks, Sean coaches performers on audiobook narration technique, and teaches classes on and writes articles about the business. In our conversation we talk about the process of narration, the role of performance in narrating both fiction and nonfiction, the impact of AI on the audiobook industry, and Sean gives some fantastic advice for anyone interested in getting started in narration.  Connect with Sean: website | IG | FB Video: So You Want to be an Audiobook Narrator? ACX website Mentioned on the Show (audio links are to Sean's narrated version): Cabbages and Kings - O Henry (audio) Infinite Jest - David Foster Wallace (audio) The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner (audio) The Maltese Falcon - Dashiell Hammett (audio) Even Cowgirls Get the Blues - Tom Robbins The Body Keeps the Score - author (audio) The Anxious Generation - Jonathan Haidt (audio) The Happiness Hypothesis - Jonathan Haidt (audio) Hidden Valley Road - Robert Kolker (audio) The Vanishing Family - Robert Colker (audio) Hardy Boys - Franklin W. Dixon Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to our fourth birthday celebration of Your Next Great Read! Hannah is back and jumped right in like she'd never left. We also have entries from a couple of friends of the show about books they've discovered along the way. And don't miss the announcements of some big shows coming up in the next couple of months.  Thanks for joining the celebration! Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter Huge thanks to Self Publish Me for sponsoring this episode!  Books Discussed on the Show: Hannah Nine Lives - Catherine Steadman Dead but Dreaming of Electric Sheep - Paul Tremblay The Anniversary - Alex Finlay Four Past MIdnight - Stephen King Books H Discovered: Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone - Benjamin Stevenson Whalefall - Daniel Kraus Black Sheep - Rachel Harrison J Everything Sad is Untrue - Daniel Nayeri Atmosphere - Tylor Jenkins Reid The Last to Drown - Noelle W. Ihli Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut Books J Discovered: Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams - Matthew Walker You'll Never Know - Caleb Stephens 11/22/63 - Stephen King Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 86! This month, I'm joined by Rebecca Lemke. Rebecca is a multi-genre, no spice author based in Oklahoma. She enjoys a wide variety of hobbies (too many, really, she says)  including reading, baking, traveling, crochet, cosplay, music, and more. She collects pins (usually of National Parks) and pretty paperbacks that she may or may not get around to reading.  In our conversation, we talk about Rebecca’s writing journey, including her transition from writing YA dystopian to sweet romances and back again. We also talk about the development of her Lainey Ross altar ego, the challenge of marketing in two different worlds, and the role of cosplay in her author persona. Connect with Rebecca: substack | IG | Linktree Connect with Lainey: substack | IG | Linktree Help us celebrate 4 years of Your Next Great Read Check out the Read LOKal Newsletter Mentioned on the show: Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins Maze Runner - James Dashner I Am the Messenger - Marcus Zuzak So Not Happening - Jenny B. Jones Colleen Coble The Vanishing at Castle Moreau - Jamie Jo Wright Famous for  Living - Melisa Ferguson Denise Hunter The Wrath & the Dawn - Renee Ahdieh Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Your Next Great Read! This month, special guest host Luke Swanson and J are joined by Beccah Bland from the I Reckon I'll Read It podcast. J's secret list is revealed, Luke pays tribute to Hannah, and Beccah offers a confession. Oh, and we talk about a lot of books.  Connect with Luke: website | IG | Bobcast IG | Bobcast Connect with Beccah: IG | I Reckon I'll Read It IG | IRIRI Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter Huge thanks to Self Publish Me for sponsoring this episode!  Books Discussed on the Show Beccah Starter Villain - John Scalzi The Road to Tender Hearts - Annie Hartnett The Correspondent - Virginia Evans Beach Read - Emily Henry Luke Big Little Truths - Liane Moriarty Billy Summers - Stephen King Green City Wars - Adrian Tchaikovsky The Devil’s Detective - Simon Kurt Unsworth J Funny You Should Ask - Elissa Sussmann Alien Clay - Adrian Tchaikovsky Nouscraft World 2: Royale - Leonard Buford Firestarter - Stephen King Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Volume 17 - our 4th anniversary volume! This time we have poems from 13 Oklahoma poets cued up and ready for you to enjoy. Be sure to connect with the poets across their social media (linked below) to let them know how much you appreciate their work. You can check out previous volumes at okiebookcast.com/behindtherain Looking for more work by Oklahoma authors? Check out readlokal.substack.com Featured organization: Poetry Society of Oklahoma Here's the Lineup: Giant Pushpin, Oklahoma - Cassie Grimm IG: @cassandrie_Bedtime Story - Rob Sturma IG: @ratpack_slimWeb: robsturmawrites.weebly.comMiddle American Girls - Kasey Jones IG: @kaseyrjonesWeb: kaseyjoneswriter.comClosed Mouths - MAC Woods IG: @mac_since1985Open the Door - Kelley Morris IG: @kmariemorrisWeb: kelleymorris.comTar Creek Aubade - Seth Copeland IG: @sethtcopeWeb: neutralspaces.co/seth_t_copeland/Worthy and Woman - Sydney Aerin IG: @sydneysometimesWeb: sydneysometimes.weebly.comThe Tether - Nichole Yates IG: @nicholeyatesWheatfield with Cowdog - Brand Rackley IG: @brandrackley Okie Thinks of Wendell Berry's "The Peace of Wild Things" - Scott LaMascus IG: @scott_lamascusReels of 8 mm Kodachrome Film - David Jennings FB: @DJennPhotosWebsite: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.comJared - Linda Neal Reising Instagram: @nealreisingTomorrow - Ken Hada Facebook: @ken.hada.3Website: kenhada.orgConnect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 85! We're going big this month with a Round Table of fantasy authors, talking about their work, the genre, and the challenges of creating new worlds. And talking about a ton of books! Our panel includes: Rebecca Loomis - Author of the YA trilogy Touch of Kindness, Taste of Bravery, and Voice of Change WK Gorbet - Epic fantasy author of the First Matter Saga, beginning with his debut novel, Echoes of Destruction Nadia Tate - Authors of the contemporary fantasy Saint Elias University series, beginning with their debut novel, The Summoning of Mages Connect with Rebecca: site | IG | YouTube Connect with WK: site | IG Connect With Nadia Tate: site | IG |TT Mentioned on the Show The Invisible Hour - Alice Hoffman Sword In the Storm - David Gemmell Between Two Fires - Christopher Buehlman Terror at the Gates - Scarlett St. Clair The Poppy War - R.F. Kuang The Eye of the World - Robert Jordan The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher Home Before Dark - Riley Sager The Hunger Games - Susan Collins The Two Princesses of Bamarre - Gail Carson Levine The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie The Hollows series - Kim Harrison Kate Daniels series - Ilona Andrews Red Rising - Pierce Brown  The Last Time I Lied -  Riley Sager  Ruth Ware Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - V.E. Schwab A Darker Shade of Magic - V.E. Schwab Full Metal Alchemist - Hiromu Arakawa Vinland Saga - Makoto Yukimura Pluto - Naoki Urasawa,  Takashi Nagasaki  Fantastic Four - Jonathan Hickman Thor: God of Thunder - Jason Aaron Rebirth Batman - Scott Snyder, Tom King, David Finch, Mikal Janin The Folk of the Air series - Holly Black The Fever series - Karen Marie Moning Avatar the Last Airbender Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Your Next Great Read! This month, special guest host Melissa Coast and J are joined by the founder of OKC Silent Book Club, Meredith Dennis. Tons of recommendations across a variety of genres, including several Oklahoma-connected books.  Connect with Melissa: Instagram Connect with Meredith: Instagram  Connect with OKC Silent Book Club: Instagram | Facebook Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter Huge thanks to Self Publish Me for sponsoring this episode!  Books Discussed on the Show Meredith Nuclear War: A Scenario - Annie Jacobson Such a Fun Age - Kiley Reid Shoot the Moon - Billie Letts The Sea of Tranquility - Katja Millay Melissa The Emperor of Gladness - Ocean Vuong Full Speed to a Crash Landing - Beth Revis The Correspondent - Virginia Evans Why We Sleep - Matthew Walker J On a Quiet Street - Saraphina Nova Glass The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl - Timothy Egan The Dog Stars - Peter Heller The Road - Cormac McCarthy Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 84! My guest this month is Sara Causey. Sara is an award-winning author, artist, and illustrator whose work often explores power, conscience, creativity, and the uneasy tension between public image and private truth. She is best known for her tireless efforts to preserve the life and legacy of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, including the award-winning biography Decoding the Unicorn: A New Look at Dag Hammarskjöld and the forthcoming Simply Dag: The Private Man in a Public—and Dangerous—Office. In addition to her Hammarskjold books, Sara writes and illustrates books for children, including a new series designed to help kids (and adults) learn a second language.  Connect with Sara: website | website | Facebook | Instagram Dag and the Apple - Bilingual Children's Book Find out about more great Oklahoma books through the Read LOKal Newsletter Mentioned on the Show: JFK vs Allen Dulles: Battleground Indonesia - Dr. Greg Poulgrain The Artist’s Way - Julia Cameron The Last Temptation of Christ - Nikos Kazantzakis Childhood’s End - Arthur C. Clarke High-Rise - J.G. Ballard Interview with a Vampire - Anne Rice Faust - Goethe Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Your Next Great Read! This month, Hannah and J are joined by member of Hannah's infamous Book Club, Devin Green. In addition to tons of book recs, Hannah drops a huge announcement about her future with the show (don't worry, it's good!). Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter Huge thanks to Self Publish Me for sponsoring this episode!  Books Discussed on the Show Devin The Dream Hotel - Laila Lalami Broken Country - Clare Leslie Hall True Biz - Sara Novic Such a Fun Age - Kylie Reid Hannah Birth Vibes - Jen Hamilton A House of Vipers - Emma Jackson Strange House - Uketsu Life’s too Short - Abby Jimenez J The Island of Dr. Moreau - H.G. Wells The Midnight Train - Matt Haig Four Doorways In or Near New Orleans - V.M. Harrigan Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 83! My guest is author and podcaster, William Bernhardt. We got together on release day for his new book The Superman Wars: A Battle for Truth, Justice, and an American Icon. William is the author of more than sixty books, including the nationally bestselling Ben Kincaid legal thriller series. He has received numerous awards for his books and has also written plays, a musical, children’s stories, and New York Times crossword puzzles. In 2013, he became a Jeopardy! champion. He lives in Oklahoma with his wife and children. In our conversation we talk about the book, the wrestling match between art and commerce, the challenge of writing narrative nonfiction, and I test Bill’s lifelong love for Superman with a quick Superman quiz. It’s a fun conversation for people at every level of comics appreciation.  Connect with William: website | Facebook Connect with WriterCon: website | Podcast | Facebook Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter Mentioned on the show: Justice for All - William Bernhardt Erik Larson Sebastian Younger Beowulf The Epic of Gilgamesh The Iliad - Homer Odyssey - Homer Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Your Next Great Read! This month, Hannah and J are joined by Grayson Long, author of the brand new contemporary romance, Chasing the Butterflies, and two other books in her Glendale series.  Plenty of fantasy, thriller, horror, and romance recs (plus lots of indie books!) to help you build your TBR! Connect with Grayson: Instagram | Twitch | TikTok Connect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter Huge thanks to Self Publish Me for sponsoring this episode!  Books Discussed on the Show: Grayson Rites of the Starling - Devney Perry Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir The Prison Healer - Lynette Noni Remarkably Bright Creatures - Shelby Van Pelt Hannah The House in the Cerulean Sea - TJ Klune Nowhere Burning - Catriona Ward Turn Off the Light - Jacquie Walters The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins J Echoes of Destruction - W.K. Gorbet The Bluff - J.L. Hyde Manuscript of an Invasion - Ruy Forte The Preservationist - David Maine Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Volume 16! This time we have poems from 11 Oklahoma poets cued up and ready for you to enjoy. Be sure to connect with the poets across their social media (linked below) to let them know how much you appreciate their work. You can check out previous volumes at okiebookcast.com/behindtherain Looking for more work by Oklahoma authors? Check out readlokal.substack.com Here's the Lineup: Untitled - Rachel Waters IG: @rchlwtrsClear Lake - Seth Copeland IG: @sethtcopeSite: https://neutralspaces.co/seth_t_copeland/Say, Can You See - Brand Rackley IG: @brandrackley Dorothy - Jes McCutchen IG: @jesmwritesMantle Clock - David Jennings FB: @DJennPhotosWebsite: davidjenningsartinphotographyandpoetry.comWhat's More - Andrew Morris Gilman IG: @andrewmorrisgilmanListened - Kristen Grace IG: @_kristen_graceRitual - Jake Spann FB: @jake.spann.9Wellspring - Kelley Morris Website: kelleymorris.comSplashpad - Josh Wann IG: @homegrownpoets918A Perpetual Spring - Nichole Yates IG: @nicholeyatesConnect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"! Welcome to Chapter 82. This month we're celebrating the centennial anniversary of Route 66 with authors, historians, and preservationists Jim Ross and Shellee Graham. Jim and Shellee’s new book, Route 66—The First 100 Years, chronicles the birth, life, demise, and renaissance of the legendary highway over its first century. Released in May 2025, it was named to the National Trust’s “Summer Reading List” and later listed as one of the year’s 10 best travel books by Smithsonian magazine.  In our conversation, we talk about their books, but also about their passion for traveling Route 66 and for preserving its physical and cultural history. We also talk about the centennial celebration of route 66 and how you can be a part of it.  Connect with Jim: website Connect with Shellee: website Oklahoma Route 66 Association Sign up for the Read LOKal Newsletter Mentioned on the show: Route 66 Map Series - Jim Ross and Jerry McClanahan Tales from the Coral Court - Shellee Graham The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck Louis L’Amour Dresden Files - Jim Butcher East of Eden- John Steinbeck Cannery Row - John Steinbeck Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck Route 66 Museum in Clinton Painted Desert Trading Post Rt 66 Centennial website Connect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Shop the Bookcast on Bookshop.org Music by JuliusH