Don't Call It A Comeback! Hey there Reader, After a three-month hiatus, we're back in action! I want to catch everybody up on a couple of things and then Hannah and I have some recommendations for you at the end. First - The Bookcast is back with new episodes, starting June 4! Chapter 60 features my conversation with Jeff Schmidt who wrote a fantastic book about ghost towns and other small towns across Oklahoma called Here Today. You're going to love hearing Jeff's stories and his passion....
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Important Announcement! Hey there Reader, Happy March! As you know, I typically use the Bookcast Newsletter to give you recommendations for amazing reads, but this month I want to share a quick update about the podcast. Effective today the Bookcast is going on hiatus for a couple of months. Everything is fine. Everyone is well. I just need some time to focus on writing projects and some other fun stuff going on in the life of our family and taking a break from podcasting is the best way to...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Love Is in the Air, Bookcasters! Hey there Reader, It's February and that means we've been staring at heart-shaped candy and cards in the stores for about 5 weeks now. Of course it's time for Valentine's Day, so that means it's also a perfect time to think about love stories. I asked booksellers from all over the state to give me some of their favorite love stories to share with you. These aren't just "romance" novels, but books across multiple genres and levels that feature great love...
6 months ago • 1 min read
Happy New Year, Bookcasters! Hey there Reader, Welcome to 2024! If you're like me, you have no idea what happened to the second half of 2023, but here we are. Odds are, you have set your reading goal for the year, so this month's newsletter is dedicated to helping you fill your TBR pile with new books that will be released in the next 12 months. I've included links to several 2024 New Release lists and then added 5 books I'm excited about at the end. 2024 Release Lists Time Magazine's 25 Most...
7 months ago • 1 min read
It's Holiday Book-Buying Season, Bookcasters! Hey there Reader, It's December and that means it's time for holiday celebrations, but also for buying books for all of the readers in your world, including the smallest ones! This month's Bookscast Newsletter features Oklahoma children's authors who have created amazing books for kids of all ages, from board books to smart and challenging middle grade books. Links are to their web sites where you can find out more and get their work. You can hear...
8 months ago • 1 min read
Looking for More Oklahoma History? Hey there Reader, The release of the film adaptation of Killers of the Flower Moon has turned a lot of eyes to Oklahoma History. If you're interested in reading more about the wild story of our state, here are a ton of books and authors focused on telling the Oklahoma Story from a variety of perspectives. BTW - You can listen to me and the guys from Special Topics in Media discuss Killers of the Flower Moon as a book adaptation on a special episode of the...
9 months ago • 1 min read
It's Spooky Season, Bookcasters! Hey there Reader, Last October I asked former guests to give me their recommendations for Halloween reads and had an incredible response both from the guests and from readers like you who loved the list. So of course we did it again this year, and the response was even bigger! From kids's books to horror novels, classics to comics, here are recommendations from 17 former guests to help you fill up your Spooky Season TBR list - you can purchase all of these...
10 months ago • 2 min read
Check Out Some Oklahoma Poets! Hey there Reader, When the Bookcast first launched almost two(!) years ago, one of the things I wasn't sure how to do was spotlight the work of Oklahoma poets. Thinking about that led to the creation of Behind the Rain - our audio anthology of Oklahoma poetry (Volume 6 coming in October). Since the launch of the anthology, we've heard from dozens of poets of all ages and perspectives. Turns out, many of these talented folks also have books so I'm dedicating the...
11 months ago • 1 min read
It's Hot Out There, Bookcasters! Hey there Reader, New things don't always work right the first time. Apologies for the previous newsletter link problem. This update has corrected links for the July recommendations. Enjoy! It's 100F in Oklahoma right now (37.8C for our European friends) so it seems like a good time to stay inside with a great book. It's also a great time to check out these books that bring the heat! Here are seven novels that will make you thankful for air conditioning. Where...
about 1 year ago • 1 min read