January(ish) Oklahoma Releases

Welcome to Read LOKal! Since this is the first edition, we’re including some books released at the end of 2025 along with January releases. After the books, you’ll see links to lOKal bookstores across the state where you can connect to great bookish events.

The Daughter of the Innocent Man by Noel Daniels (Memoir - 11/11/25)
Noel's father, famously known as The Innocent Man, out of Ada, OK, spent almost 12 years on death row, exonerated just five days before his execution date. His case was so extraordinary that John Grisham wrote a book about it and Netflix turned it into a documentary.
Order your autographed copy today at www.noeltheauthor.com

Grandpa’s Rt. 66 by Connie Sweeney (Children’s - 11/11/25)
“Grandpa, what’s that brown road sign with Route US 66 on it?” Nate quizzed his grandpa.
What follows is Grandpa’s tales of some of his exciting escapades on the fascinating road. Route 66, also known as “The Mother Road” used to be the travel lifeline in America. Nearly 100 years old, it still lures both national and international travelers to encounter a way of life preserved along this historic highway. These tales share the Route 66 glory days with young readers, and transport adult readers back to those glory days.
Connect with Connie on Instagram

Light in the Dark Forest by Gency Brown (Women’s Fiction - 11/12/25)
Ava Hardy yearns for more than her job as a Tulsa Herald reporter. Her life, though comfortable, doesn’t answer questions about her future. Seeking clarity, she embarks on a sabbatical to a remote cabin in the mountains of eastern Oklahoma. Surrounded by the breathtaking landscape, Ava finds new friendships, a budding romance, and solitude, which all inspire her creative spirit for writing her second novel. Murder disrupts it all and unearths hidden truths from her past. Will it all lead to a greater understanding of her father and her destiny?
Find out more at www.gencybrown.com

Two Birds, One Stone by Janet Yeager (Romantic Suspense - 11/17/25)
Joanne Corvus thinks she has constructed her perfect double life as a mineral manager at Snowshoe, Montana's Winding Creek Bank and an encryption officer for Bolton's Valor Security Forces. But when Michael Laysan, her handsome, English childhood pen pal, arrives at her home, her carefully crafted plans are upended. Soon, drones attempt encryption breaches, people go missing, and Joanne knows more than she should. She must put everything she trusts in jeopardy, including a second chance at love.
Find out more at janetryeager.com

Justice for All: Dick T. Morgan, Frontier Lawyer and Common Man's Congressman by Michael J. Hightower (Biography - 2025)
Justice for All chronicles the career of Dick T. Morgan, an Oklahoma founding father whose public service reflects a passion for fairness. After arriving in the Unassigned Lands with the first wave of non-Indian settlers on April 22, 1889, Morgan developed a reputation as the go-to lawyer for land disputes, built a substantial real estate business, and promoted church-building across Oklahoma Territory. During his tenure in Congress from 1909 until his death in 1920, he helped create institutions that were central to progressivism in the post-frontier period and have shaped modern America.
Find out more at michaeljhightower.com

Snow at Sunset by Amy Prokopis (Paranormal Romance - 12/31/25)

Navigation by Linda Neal Reising (Poetry- 2025)
Linda Neal Reising’s Navigation is both a lyric, melodic experience and an examination of histories, both intimate and vast. Navigation, with its carefully crafted poems of sonic resonance, is a sort of sacred harp singing in book form. It is a book about the history of America—indigenous and working-class, geologic and pop culture—but it is also a book that pulls the reader close through deft and engaging storytelling. The arrangement of these poems carries the reader along—like a beautifully realized song—culminating in moments of incredible human tenderness and hope. --Annie Woodford
Find out more at lindanealreising.weebly.com

Tulsa Baseball History: 2026 Edition by Elven Lindblad (Non-fiction, Sports - 1/1/26)
Tulsa Baseball History: 2026 Edition explores Tulsa’s rich baseball story, from its 1905 beginnings and appearances by Babe Ruth and other legends to the role of the Tulsa Drillers in building the modern Los Angeles Dodgers dynasty. These vivid highs and lows reveal how Tulsa became a minor league baseball powerhouse.
Find out more at elvenlindbladbooks.com

The Sultan’s Stone by Betsey Kulakowski (Paranormal thriller - 1/20/26)
Lauren Grayson expected life after The Veritas Codex to be simple. She and her family have built a life in Denver—until her husband, Rowan, stops a convenience-store robbery and uncovers stolen, otherworldly artifacts. The discovery draws attention from Enlil, an ancient god who loathes Lauren for thwarting his ambitions and knows the surest way to break her is through the man she loves. Their search leads to the haunted Stanley Hotel, where Enlil and his dark forces exploit Lauren’s love for Rowan, seizing half her soul. To save Rowan, Lauren must choose: surrender her soul—or lose everything.
Check out the whole Veritas Codex Series at www.authorbetseykulakowski.com

Shadow Hunters: Camp Scissortail by Raven Lee (Paranormal Suspense - 1/27/26)

Side Quests & Shenanigans by Josh Wann & Jes McCutchen (Poetry & Creative Writing - 1/31/26)
Part poetry collection, part writing prompts, part notebook, Side Quests and Shenanigans is meant to get you out of your comfort zone and embrace the whimsy of your creative process. Created by Josh Wann and Jes McCutchen, this book

is meant to encourage everyone who picks it up to get outside and make some art!
“Etheridge Knight said that poetry was a trinity of poet, poem, & people---this collection turns that attention back toward the most often neglected point of the triangle, rendering the reader the book’s secret third author.” - Quinn Carver Johnson
Find out more at jesmccutchenwrites.com

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