Creative Writing Professor Mitch Wieland has been recognized by Kirkus Reviews, which included his upcoming novel “The Ghosts of Okuma” on its “Best Indie Books of March” list. This recognition follows an earlier starred review from the magazine, a distinction given to only about 10% of the 10,000 books it receives annually. Of those star-reviewed titles, only a select number are featured each month on the “Best Indie Books” list.
“The Ghosts of Okuma” tells the story of two teenagers in Tokyo who are brought together by their experiences with tragedy and loss. The novel has received positive attention ahead of its release, including praise from Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “All the Light We Cannot See.” Doerr stated: “By turns comic and tragic, Mitch Wieland’s ‘The Ghosts of Okuma’ is a sharply-written and brilliantly-paced novel that manages to become both a satisfying love story and a devastating look at the lives of one family shattered by suicide and another displaced by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. It’s so funny, charming, and infused with tenderness that it’s a pure pleasure to read.”
Wieland was recently appointed as Idaho Writer in Residence for 2026–2027 by the Idaho Commission on the Arts (Arts Idaho), which is considered Idaho’s highest literary honor. In this capacity, he will participate in “In This Time: A Gathering of Poets Laureate from the West,” an event organized by the Nevada Arts Council that brings together poets and authors from across the American West.
Kirkus Reviews’ “Best Indie Books” list is compiled each month from books that have received starred reviews for their quality among thousands submitted.
