TRANSFORMING A BOOK INTO AN AUDIOBOOK
Finding the right narrator for each audiobook is an important choice for authors who are developing their books into audio independently of a publisher. The wonderful aspect of it is choosing your own narrator. This is a commitment that will last at least seven years and must be a good fit to bring success to both and satisfaction to readers.
This is part 2 of my interview with Johnny Peppers, the narrator of my first audiobook, TOYS AND BABY WISHES, now on sale at Audible, Amazon and iTunes. Johnny made my first experience with the process easy. Here is the link for Part 1 (Johnny Peppers Interview, Part 1) .
What is the toughest part of narrating?
The toughest part of narrating is being happy with what you've done, and not nit-picking every small detail. Things I would hear, my wife or other folks that would listen for me wouldn't hear. I would read the section first in my head, just to get an idea of how the dialogue would progress and what was happening in the story. Then, I would record it without stopping (including drinks, smacks of the mouth, swallowing noises and the like) and then go back and edit later. I tried to edit as I went along, but found that I lost the moment of the story and it wasn't as engaging.
Why narrate a romance? What other genres are you narrating?
The romance choice was an easy one for me. I am a romantic at heart, although I have never been an avid reader of romance novels. I found that telling a story about two people loving each other was a great story to tell, and loving the story goes a long way into enjoying the process and becoming engaged with the characters. This allows me to hopefully express the story in that way to the listener. When I start dreaming about the characters in a book I am reading or narrating, I know it's a good one. I am currently working on a Suspense/Thriller, and will hopefully return to another romance when this one is completed.
What do you look for in an author's history to sway you toward narrating their book?
Honestly, I look to see that there is more than one book out in the world for sale. It doesn't matter how popular the book is, or how much it sold last month, but is the author a bona fide writer? Do they write multiple books? Are they all in a similar genre? This shows consistency of passion and knowing who they are, thus they are more likely to be serious about the product and invested in the outcome of the audiobook as I am.
What do you like to do most when you're not narrating?
When I'm not narrating, my wife and I go to the gym every day, we play trivia at a local restaurant on Tuesday nights with friends and enjoy our time at our church. On occasion I will consult for some small businesses in town or play a round of golf with my buddies. But mostly, I run my business, teach my classses, spend time with my family and talk into the microphone. The business keeps us financially viable, the teaching keeps my passion for learning, the time with my wife makes me the happiest, and the microphone fills the narcissistic desire to listen to myself speak. Could there be a better life?
What are you planning next?
I hope to have at least one narration project going at a time. I have one book "in the can," waiting for upload to Audible, Amazon and iTunes. I am about half-way through the Suspense/Thriller, and hope to finish it and have another book started within the month. After that, I will continue to audition and hopefully find projects that fit my voice and acting ability, but are stories that I enjoy bringing to life for the listener.
View a Book Trailer for TOYS AND BABY WISHES
Hear a sample of TOYS AND BABY WISHES or buy at:
TOYS AND BABY WISHES Audiobook on Audible
TOYS AND BABY WISHES Audiobook on Amazon
TOYS AND BABY WISHES Audiobook on iTunes
©2013 Karen Rose Smith
IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH ezine
Karen Rose Smith's romance website
Karen Rose Smith's mystery website
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