The prestigious Will Rogers Medallion Award has named John's book The Oklahomans: The Story of Oklahoma and Its People, Vol. 1, Ancient-Statehood a 2017 finalist in the Western non-fiction category. The Will Rogers Medallion is one of the most coveted awards in America for Western literature.

The Oklahomans chronicles with page-turning verve and lavish imagery the thunderous saga of the Oklahoma country from its first ancient migrants through twentieth-century statehood. UCO Professor Emeritus of Political Science James Caster calls the book "As fine a treatment of the subject and period as we are likely to witness in our lifetime." The Oklahoman newspaper calls it “A detailed and heroically ambitious history of our state."

Because only three books qualified as finalists for Western non-fiction (other categories feature as many as six and seven, including renowned Longmire author Craig Johnson for Western fiction), The Oklahomans is guaranteed at least a bronze medallion. The final round competition is tough, though, including books from the University of Oklahoma Press and Texas Tech University Press, both among the elite of Western non-fiction publishing houses.

This year's awards banquet takes place the evening of Saturday, October 28th at the Cattlemen's Steakhouse in the famed Fort Worth Stockyards district. More information may be obtained at cewcbpo82@gmail.com or 469-212-5747.