Tornado Alley Mystery Writers: Recent Episodes
Tornado Alley Mystery Writers
Interviews with regional mystery writers from south central states, such as Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas
Candace Kade is a novelist and screenwriter drawn to stories involving tech, psychology, culture, and the occasional sword fight. She’s the author of The Hybrid Series, a YA sci-fi trilogy. The first book, Enhanced, has been optioned for film, and the next book is coming out soon. A third culture kid, she calls both Chengdu and OKC home. She’s also a certified Krav Maga instructor and an unapologetic fan of writing fight scenes. When she’s not building new worlds on the page or screen, you’ll find her hiking national parks, exploring new countries, or teaching her two sons Mandarin. Listen to her inspiring career history in this interview.
Merle Davenport is President of the Tulsa NightWriters, where writers help writers. He writes in a variety of genres and enjoys speaking at conferences. He and his wife collaborate on historical romance novels, turning their love story into stories for others. His new book, based on twenty-five years of experience teaching inside prisons as well as extensive research, is titled “Echos of the Criminal Mind.” Coming out this fall, this true crime book is written for authors to give them a better idea how to create authentic, 3D villains. After all, if you know how your villain thinks, you’ll know how he talks and acts in your story.
The Rev. Dr. John F. Toles is an Episcopal priest and author. He has served as the rector of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Enid since 2015 and has been an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church for over twenty years. In addition to his pastoral duties, Fr. Toles is an accomplished writer, known for his engaging mystery novels featuring the character, Father Anthony Savel. His works often blend elements of faith, humor, and suspense, drawing from his experiences in ministry. Tune in to hear an excerpt from The Golden Fistula and learn more about the snarky, lovable Father Savel.
Tornado Alley's June 2025 interview is with a renaissance woman, Debbie Burkart. She's a writer of fiction and nonfiction. She's also a quilter, a horsewoman, and a native of the middle of the country. Hear her story.
J. M. Linkhart is a fantasy writer and co-founder of Goblin Booth Productions, a small multi-media studio based in Oklahoma. Her Kirkus-starred, debut novel First-Degree Magic releases May 6, 2025. She is the writer, editor, and primary voice actress of The Harrowing of Minerva Damson, an audio-drama available on all major podcasting platforms. When not writing or recording one of the many podcasts she produces, you may find her reading about her latest historical hyperfixation or rewatching Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the umpteenth time.
Listen to her thoughtful discussion of genre-blending and staying true to her vision.
When not writing, Marty Ludlum is an award-winning college professor of Business Law at the University of Central Oklahoma. His Disco Diva Series features the newly promoted detective Donna Summer Wyznecki (Yes, she's named after the disco diva), who breaks hearts and solves mysteries with a little sass and an eclectic cast of quirky characters, good food, bad dancing, and plenty of hysterical twists. Listen to Marty discuss his Las Vegas setting and how to party and solve crime with Donna Wyznecki.
Dawn Allen is a retired writing professor, past president of Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc., and an award-winning writer. Her stories have appeared in online journals and print anthologies. She is an active member of the Tornado Alley Chapter of Sisters in Crime and the Mystery Writers of America.She holds an MFA in Writing from the University of Nebraska.
Dawn loves Poe and writing mysteries. Tune into her lively interview on writing and get a preview of her new novel.
A published author and award-winning engineer and scientist, Dona Mularkey reads from her latest publication, The Seven Year Glitch,a novel from Wild Rose Press. Dona graduated from UNC-Charlotte as their first female student to earn an engineering degree, later earning a PhD at Vanderbilt University. A world traveler, professor, and scuba diver, Dona has also worked and studied abroad in Japan and Ukraine. To fill the evenings in Kyiv, she began writing short stories, which served as outlines for two novels she wrote after retiring. She is still traveling and blogs about it at nowwhat-mularkey.com. Enjoy her energetic interview.
Content Warning: Alludes to racist language and sexist attitudes of characters
Meet Courtny Bradley, affectionately known as Courtagonist in the cozy mystery realm. An educator with over a decade of experience, Courtny has been unraveling cozy mysteries online since 2017. Married to her best friend, she juggles the delightful chaos of parenting two rambunctious toddlers in the heart of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Courtny’s debut novel, Death on Deck, kicks off her new cozy mystery series, The Cruising Crew. The series will feature a group of women friends cruising through life together. Courtny guides readers through a nautical journey seasoned with warmth, wit, and a touch of Oklahoma flair. Listen to Courtny as she describes her process and her true-to-life inspirations.
USA Today bestselling author, Callie Hutton, has penned more than sixty-eight historical romance books and Victorian Cozy Mysteries with humor and “historic elements and sensory details.” (The Romance Reviews). Ms. Hutton’s cozy mystery book, The Sign of Death was a finalist in the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark award in 2022. With close to a million novels sold and translated into several languages, she continues to entrance readers with her heartfelt stories. Callie reads from her recent novel, Homicide at the Vicarage, taking the listener into the fashion, cuisine, and atmosphere of a Victorian wedding.
Shaun Perkins, the founder/director of the Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry in Locust Grove, has published several books of poetry and a novel. She is a podcast co-host of Wacky Poem Life and has a book about the fiction of Erle Stanley Gardner, “Cocktails, Coquettes & Cigarettes: Perry Mason Concoctions,” coming out soon from Bear Manor Media. Shaun is a Teaching Artist with the Oklahoma Arts Council. She has also been the webmaster for the Territory Tellers, Oklahoma's state storytelling organization, for many years. In this interview, Shaun reads from her mystery in verse, The Book with the Good Intentions. Tune in to hear about poetic mystery.
Mark Edward Jones is an award-winning author known for his mystery, thriller, and paranormal novels. He also won first place for flash fiction in the Southwest Writers Contest. A retired higher education finance professional, Mark began his writing career after retiring in 2017. He is best known for the Detective Henry Ike Pierce series, starting with Peculiar Activities, and his contributions to the "Friday the 13th" paranormal series. Born and raised in Duncan, Oklahoma, he holds degrees in political science and public administration from the University of Oklahoma. In his interview, he reads from “The Man in the Fedora: Three Stories of Evil,” which won the 2024 OWFI first place award for mystery and suspense novels.
H.B. Berlow, Dudeist minister, Tikiphile, husband, and cat dad, is the author of the four-book historical crime fiction series The Ark City Confidential Chronicles and a new series, The Wichita Chronicles, starting with The Day of Calamity: Volume One and followed by The End of the Treachery: Volume Two (to be released December 9, 2024). Listen to Tikiman Berlow’s analysis of the hard-boiled character, historical fiction, cuisine, and the creative spirit.
Dr. Sheldon Russell has fifteen books published, including historical fiction and a five-book mystery series. He and his wife Nancy, a sculptor, currently live on the family ranch in Oklahoma where they work on their respective art projects. Russell is a three-time winner of the Oklahoma Book Award, the Langum Prize for Historical Literature, the Spur Award for Best Western Historical Novel, and the 2023 Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award from The Oklahoma Center for the Book. His latest novel, Listen, is the winner of the 2024 Oklahoma Book Award for Fiction. Listen to Sheldon read from his novel and talk about where he finds inspiration.
Best-selling author, Lou Berney, has won the Edgar, Hammett, Anthony, and Oklahoma Book awards, and he’s a three-time finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize. He also teaches at Oklahoma City University.
Author of November Road, The Long and Faraway Gone, Whiplash River, and Gutshot Straight, Loureads from his latest novel, Dark Ride. He also discusses his take on genre, his writing process, and future projects. Tune in to hear his encouraging words for writers.
Amy Lillard, the award-winning, best-selling author of over sixty books and novellas in a variety of genres, reads from her latest cozy mystery, Murder for the Sages (2024). Amy, well known for her cozy mysteries and her series featuring the Amish community, discusses her field research and how to write respectfully about another culture.
You can find out more about her work on her websites: Amy Writes Romance and Amy Writes Mysteries.
When Peggy Doviak’s mother got taken to the cleaners by an unscrupulous stockbroker, Peggy got mad. She was so angry that she changed careers from corporate training to financial planning.
Now a best-selling personal finance author, syndicated radio host of “Ask Peggy About Your Finances,” and host of the podcast, “Ask Peggy About Your Money,” Peggy Doviak is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM practitioner and financial consumer advocate.
Her first cozy mystery, You Can’t Cheat Death, featuring a crime-solving, horse-riding financial planner, is being released by The Wild Rose Press September, 16, 2024. Listen to the story of her wild ride into fiction.
Oklahoma speculative fiction writer, LMG Swain, reads an abridged version of “Superstition,” a story from his collection, Feary Tales, Vomit I: Twisted Tales of Terror. Come for an eerie tale, and stay for great tips on writing and the structure of fiction.
Swain’s novel, Anatomy of Terror, in his Universal Monsters series was nominated as the Young Adult horror novel of the year by the Horror Writers of America. He has taught literature, mythology, and writing in secondary schools all over the state, worked as a ghost writer, and published experimental and YA fiction. For a handout on fiction writing, email him at mike@lmgswain.com.
Vivian Zabel, who lives in Hydro, Oklahoma, taught English and writing for thirty years, but she has written herself since a child. In this touching and inspirational interview, Vivian reads from her latest book, Burnt Offering, and shares her passion for the safety and welfare of children. She is a tireless helper of other writers and promoter of the value of reading and writing.
Vivian, a member of Tornado Alley Sisters in Crime, has been a member of OWFI since 2002 and the OWFI Grant Director since 2012. She was honored as a Lifetime Member in 2013. She and a friend founded an OWFI affiliate, Pen and Keyboard Writers, in Edmond, Oklahoma. She started Invite to Write, another OWFI affiliate. Many of her books have won honors, including an international gold seal from Children's Literary Classics.
Content warning: mention of child abuse.
Susan Cogan, author of more than a dozen books and hundreds of articles and blog posts, reads from her Great Depression era novel, The Man Who Needed Killing, a finalist in Amazon.com’s Breakthrough Novel Contest. Susan likes to write in all genres, but she keeps circling back to mystery. Listen to her discuss her novel in progress, her inspirations for writing, and her encouraging advice on process.
Rilla Askew, best known for her American Book Award-winning novel about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, Fire in Beulah, reads from that novel and discusses American crime and racial violence. Rilla, the author of four other novels, a book of stories, and a collection of creative nonfiction talks about being a PEN/Faulkner finalist and what that meant to her as an author. For her advice to readers and authors and a discussion of her latest novel, Prize for the Fire, tune in to this heart-felt discussion of history and American life.
Kathleen Park, a veteran, freelance writer and award-winning novelist, talks about her career and her motivation to become a fiction writer. She reads from her novel, Code Talkers (2020), and discusses her time teaching on the Navajo Reservation. She also discusses the mysterious process of finding wounded characters and receiving a vision of their lives. In her new novel, soon to be completed, “Promises to Keep,” she chooses a male point of view, based on growing up among brothers, and she encourages other writers to read and draw on their experience.
Tune in to hear a good storyteller, and learn how to run a long-lasting critique group.
Enid, Oklahoma writer, Peggy Chambers, reads from the latest novel in her Keystone Lake series, Blooming Greed, a suspense thriller, full of multifaceted characters. She also discusses her love of water and how different bodies of water figure as characters in her writing.
Peggy's use of genre is as fluid as her settings. She writes suspense for adults, fantasy for children, and pulp fiction. She is currently working on adapting her novel, Flat Iron Death Grip, into a graphic novel, coming out next year. Tune in to her interview to learn about her writing adventures.
Betsey Kulakowski is a federally trained investigator with a degree in emergency management and thirty-plus years of experience as an occupational safety specialist. She served on disaster response teams at the Murrah Federal Building Bombing, the World Trade Center, and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Betsey wrote her first book at age six. She says being a writer wasn't something she chose. It chose her. She is the author of the award-winning, paranormal thriller, The Veritas Codex, and the series of the same name. There are six novels in the series so far and six more on the way. Betsey's heroine is a mom who has it all, a job, family, and an exciting job. How does she do t? Perhaps the gods are looking out for her.
Tune in to this episode to find out how Betsey, a mom, an investigator, and a writer, does all she does.
Carol Nichols from El Reno, Oklahoma, talks about her mystery/romance series and how her life story influenced her to become a writer. She draws on her legal background and her Oklahoma roots for her settings, characters, and plots. Already a painter, Carol did not begin writing until after her husband died and she decided to join a local writers group. Now, well into the fourth novel of her series, she discusses her inspirations and grounding in what she knows.
Before becoming a novelist, Carol worked as a legal secretary for an El Reno law firm and for both the Canadian County Sheriff's and the District Attorney's offices. As a result, her crime writing is as realistic and detailed as her settings.
Poet, journalist, and past OWFI president, Sharon Edge Martin discusses writing her new YA mystery novel in verse, Accordion Girl.How do you know when your story is a mystery? How does a novel in verse work? These questions and others are answered in her reading and commentary on the novel.
Sharon also runs a monthly poetry reading in Drumright, Oklahoma, attended by poets from all over the region. Learn more about Oklahoma's vibrant poetry community and where to find other readings.
Edmond, Oklahoma author, Cary Herwig, reads from her award-winning YA novel, The Ghost's Daughter, a story about a girl facing the adult world of the past and the present on an army base during the Cold War. This is the first book in her new series, The Army Brat Hauntings.
As an army brat herself, Cary discusses living all over the United States and what led her to writing. She traces her literary journey from horror short stories to science fiction novels and explains how her career as an archivist led her to writing mysteries.
Jude Bayton, a Londoner and world traveler, now living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, reads from her historical mystery novel, The Secret of Pendragon Island, and discusses the importance of her readers' responses to her writing.
Jude also shares her tips for writing while working a full-time job and raising children. She encourages women over 50 to claim their voices and show the world that their lived experience counts as they move on to the next phase of their lives after retirement or after their children are gone.
Traditionally and independently published, Jude gives listeners a preview of her new novel, The Secret of Witch Haven Lane.
Acclaimed AP journalist, Jocelyn Pedersen from Blanchard, Oklahoma, reads from her new novel, An Eye for an Eye, published by Wild Rose Press. This is the first book in her new thriller series, The Izzy O Crime Files. Jocelyn also discusses her career as an award-winning feature writer, writing teacher, and competitive weightlifter. Don't miss her tips for emerging writers. Her enthusiasm for writing and life are contagious.
Listen to Oklahoma thriller/suspense writer, Victoria Patton, read from her Damien Kane series' opener, Innocence Taken.She describes her novels as "dark, edgy mashups of CSI, Motive,and Criminal Minds." To craft the perfect murders, Victoria uses her time in the Coast Guard and her Forensic Chemistry degree. But since she is averse to wearing orange and being in prison, she keeps her murderous sprees between the pages of her books. Inspired by her cat Pumpkin's advice on storytelling, her novels are not cozy mysteries and not for the faint of heart.
In the interview, Victoria discusses how she started writing and making a profit from her popular indie novels. For writing tips and marketing advice, don't miss this episode.
Mary Anna Evans, recently nominated for both an Edgar and an Agatha award for The Bloomsbury Handbook to Agatha Christie,teaches mystery writing at the University of Oklahoma. In addition to a Master of Arts in creative writing, she holds degrees in physics and engineering, a background that is ideal for writing her new historical mystery novel, The Physicists' Daughter,set in WWII-era New Orleans. Listen to Mary Anna's interview to hear her perspective on how justice, the scientific method, and even romantic love are manifested through mystery writing.
Lori Altebaumer from Stephenville, Texas, was a 2021 finalist for the fiction award from Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Fiction Writers for her romantic suspense novel, A Firm Place to Stand. This novel is the first in her new series in which ordinary people from a small community do extraordinary things.
Lori describes herself as a grandmother who loves to write and teach others what she has learned about writing. In this interview, Lori discusses her process for creating a community and its characters. She also shares her insights on the intrinsic importance of the community's setting as a vital part of the story.
Shelley Levisay, an attorney, author, and musician living in Shawnee, Oklahoma, candidly discusses women's issues connected with domestic violence, a major theme in her novel, Sooner Secrets (2022). Having worked on both sides of the criminal justice system as both a prosecutor and a criminal defense lawyer, she writes true crime, crime fiction, and legal thrillers. She established her own law firm in 2014, but when she isn't writing books, legal motions, or briefs, she spends her time playing the piano and singing. Listen to a busy attorney and writer talk about finding balance and doing what she loves.
Oklahoma City writer, Kat Lewis, reads from her novel, Rogue Defender, the first book in her Lethal Nannies romance-thriller series. Her heroine, Serena Black, is the lethal nanny. As Kat explains, "Most nannies are focused on getting their charges to school on time, but Homeland Security has trained Serena to keep her clients alive at all costs."
Kat also shares moments from her home-schooled, classical education and discusses what she sees as a way forward for people of color and her fiction. Listen to Kat's insight into how writers can view their creative muse as a prism.
Author and editor Staci Mauney reads from her book, Death by Dice,the first novel in her Bunco Club Mystery series. Set in a small town in Texas, the story's amateur detective, Bridgette Olsen, stumbles on a murder as she opens the door at work one morning. Staci also discusses her career as a freelance writer, blogger, editor, and devotional writer.
Three of Staci's passions unite in her novel, the spiritual quests of everyday living, the thrill of mystery novels, and the love of a faithful pet. If you are looking for a cozy mystery or a proofreader or developmental editor, you will enjoy listening to Staci's success story as a writer and as an editor for Prestige Prose, her professional online editing and writing company.
Amy Shojai, a certified animal behavior consultant and award-winning author of thirty-five pet books, reads from Lost and Found,the first volume in the September Day and Shadow Thriller series. September, the detective character, and her German Shepherd pup, Shadow, encounter danger and mystery against the North Texas backdrop of the novel. Despite her dramatization of animal point of view, be assured this is an exciting adult thriller.
Amy also writes and consults for the pet industry. Her mission is to create an entertaining venue for pet lovers to help them make informed decisions about their animals. If you love animals and stories that include pets or you are looking for tips on how to include animal characters in the your fiction , you will want to tune in.
Diane McCartney, an award-winning writer and speaker from Cañon City, Colorado, opens a window on the world of her characters in her Elijah Black Trilogy. A contest judge herself, she talks about her journey from riding instructor to thriller/suspense novelist and offers tips on how to attract the attention of publishers. Enjoy her contagious enthusiasm for all genres of writing.
Ellen Withers, a Pushcart Prize nominee for short fiction, talks about how her career as a freelance writer and retired insurance fraud investigator led her to create a novel series.
A professional writer since graduating from college, Ellen describes her journey from technical writing to novelist through local workshops, mentorship, and contest entries. Her mystery/dual-time series, Show Me Mysteries from Scrivenings Press, will debut in May of 2023.
Andrea Foster, a veteran of forty-three years in the book business, reads from her young adult novel, "Helena and the Haunted Hospital," based on an actual haunted hospital in Houston. She discusses her careers in journalism, marketing, and teaching. She also speaks about her passion for helping others to tell their stories and to get them into print. Learn about her class "How to Write, Publish, and Market your Book" and her online writers' group, Creative Quills.
Jennifer Latham of Tulsa, Oklahoma, reads from her young adult novel, Dreamland Burning (2017),based on the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. In this excerpt one of her young dual narrators depicts Tulsa now and one hundred years ago. Jennifer loves talking to secondary school students who have read her book. She subscribes to the theory that if a subject is too difficult for adults, write about it for children. Based on her experience as a published author, she encourages other writers to learn their craft, adapt, and keep going. Enjoy listening to candid revelations from an accomplished writer.
Joe Moore from Edmond, Oklahoma, a veteran and a lover of knowledge and the English language, speaks about writing military action thrillers. In this interview, he discusses his views on how he translates the experience of veterans returning to civilian life into fiction. He also reads the suspenseful opening from Ghost Crew, the first of a new novel series. In a preview of other upcoming work, he considers his fictional take on zombies as an evolutionary, rather than a supernatural, phenomena.
CONTENT WARNING: Violence
Oklahoma native Kris Lackey, author of the Bill Maytubby and Hannah Bond Mystery series, reads from his latest novel. He also discusses how he captures contemporary diction from his young friends, the baristas at the coffee shops where he likes to write. Listen to the interview for an insight into his style and the characters from his first three volumes: Nails Crossing(2017), Greasy Bend(2019), and Butcher Pen Road (2021).
Jennifer Oakley Denslow reads from the first book in her new cozy mystery series, Rapier Wit, in which high school drama teacher Regina Murphy must investigate a backstage murder. Jennifer discusses how her love of teaching intersects with her creative process, contemporary trends in cozies, and Oklahoma as a reflection of broader American issues. She also shares tips on how to launch a novel on Facebook, find the right editor, and design an effective book cover. Don't miss episode six!
Award-winning mystery writer from Durant, Oklahoma, Marion Hill reads from Bookmarked for Murder,the first book in her successful Scrappy Librarian detective series. Her Deadly Past books, mysteries based on how the American Founding Fathers affect the present, comprise her second series. Marion tells amusing stories about her travels to American historical sites, and she discusses her inspiration for her non-stereotypical librarian detective. While Marion found herself present at the genesis of the Sisters in Crime organization, her current interests span many critical issues that concern Oklahomans and Americans today. Listen to her practical advice and engaging stories.
Mary Coley reads from the new novel in her Oklahoma mystery series, Blood on the Mother Road,and shares her writing journey from starting as a reporter and a single parent to becoming an award-winning novelist with two detective series. She also relates an exciting event in her career: her latest novel, set on historic Route 66, will become the theme for a new escape room in Tulsa, which will open in 2022. Tune in for helpful tips on finding writing communities.
In this episode, Wampus Reynolds, Norman, Oklahoma comedian, cheese connoisseur, and mystery writer, talks about writing comedy and fiction. He also reads from his first novel Way I See It, which came out in 2020. In addition to being a free lance writer, Wampus performed nightly as a standup comedian at Opolis on North Crawford in Norman and hosted a live talk show there. He also ran the cheese counter at Forward Foods, now operating online and at a pop-up venue during Covid. His blend of humor, action, mystery, and storytelling connect him with readers worldwide.
Welcome to the second episode of Tornado Alley Mystery Writers!
Sponsored by the new Tornado Alley chapter of Sisters/Siblings in Crime [all genders welcome], a national organization dedicated to the education and promotion of mystery writers.
Retired attorney and award winning author Lisbeth McCarty shares her thoughts on murder, victims, and punishment that fits the crime. Lisbeth discusses her design for Mental States of Murderesses,a true crime work of historical murders by women, one from each state. Although she has a degree in professional writing from the University of Oklahoma, she points out that one does not have to have a special degree to be a writer.
Retired from the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System, Lisbeth , a witty and engaging writer, has won awards for her legal analysis, her stories, and her fiction.
Welcome to the first episode of Tornado Alley Mystery Writers!
Sponsored by the new Tornado Alley chapter of Sisters/Siblings in Crime [all genders welcome], a national organization dedicated to the education and promotion of mystery writers.
Edmond, Oklahoma writer Marcia Preston discusses and reads from her latest novel, The Spiderling. Her new novel about a mother and child's fraught relationship is more a mystery of the heart than a traditional mystery, but the engaging characters and action sequences make it a real page-turner.
Marcia also discusses her childhood love of books and her journey as a writer, which includes winning the Mary Higgins Award and Oklahoma Book Award for Fiction for Song of the Bones, a novel in her Chantalene mystery series.
Glenda talks about her interest in women's lives and how journaling and poetry help them find their authentic voices. She reads from her autoethnography and her poetry.