Welcome to Chapter 48 of the Okie Bookcast!

My guest is  Susy Smith, author of Ascendant, the new book in her award-winning Asylum series, a set of dystopian novels set in Oklahoma that explore the intricacies of survival, freedom, and the dark side of human nature. In our conversation we talk about her novels and about starting her writing career a bit later in life. We also talk about setting books in Oklahoma, her poetry, and her important work with the Kanza tribe in the area of language learning and retention.

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

Our review for this episode comes from poet Sydney Aerin. Sydney is a licensed therapist who is passionate about mental health education, disability awareness, and equality for all. You can find Sydney's performance and publication information on her Instagram (@sydneysometimes), including a couple of performances coming later in September at the Sunny Dayz Mural Festival  and Norman Arts in the Wind. You can also hear Sydney perform her poetry in Volume 5 and the upcoming Volume 6 of Behind the Rain, our audio anthology of Oklahoma poetry at okiebookcast.com/behind the rain. 

Sydney is reviewing Love Letters for Women, a poetry collection by another Oklahoma City poet (and Behind the Rain contributor) Kristen Grace.

Connect with Sydney: Instagram

Mentioned on the Show:

Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
The Walking Dead - Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore
Robert Frost
Edgar Allen Poe
The Inheritance Games series - Jennifer Lynn Barnes
The Brothers Hawthorne - Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls
A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door - Madeline L'Engle
Emily of New Moon series - Lucy Maud Montgomery

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