Cats, Roses...and Books!

IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH ezine

©2014 Karen Rose Smith

IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH ezine
Karen Rose Smith's romance website
Karen Rose Smith's mystery website

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Part 2 Interview with #Narrator Alexandra Haag by Karen Rose Smith

From Alexandra Haag--

Alexandra's Website

Do you feel as if you become the characters as you narrate?
I do. As an actor I draw on my own experiences and emotions to realize the characters. While many characters are quite different from myself, we all experience joy, fear, anger, love, uncertainty, etc., and that's where I try to find common ground.

Do you read the book before you start or narrate scene by scene?
Oh, yes, I read the entire book before I narrate, and I outline which characters speak in each chapter. It's vital to know how the book progresses and where the characters end up. Sometimes characters seem to be one sort of person at the beginning, but when you learn their backstory through the book, they may end up being entirely different. To know the details of the story is vital to believably portraying the characters.

What is the toughest part of narrating?
Listening to myself for so long! And making sure the continuity is right--the tone and quality of the voice is consistent throughout in both the narrative portions and in the character voices.

How do you protect your voice?
Lots of water and resting when the voice starts sounding strained.

What's involved in the process from setting up a home studio, to editing, to putting the book for sale? How long does it take?
Well, most narrators who record from home start off in a closet surrounded by blankets. It's quite an expense to put a proper studio together where the sound is completely dampened and the outside noise isn't too disturbing (but nothing can really block the sound of engines on land or in the air). Then there's the need for a quality microphone, lighting, boom, copy stand, A/D interface, headphones, computer, monitors, recording and editing software. I took the plunge to create a purpose-built studio and editing bay rather early in my career. At that time, I sat as I narrated (as do most narrators), but now I stand. In that way I'm reminded on multiple levels to take breaks often. I also wear headphones (some narrators don't) because I feel I can better hear various extraneous noises that can intrude on the narration. Regarding the time to create the audiobook, it actually takes about 7-8 times the finished length of the audiobook to prepare, narrate, edit, produce and master the book.

What do you look for in an author's history to sway you toward narrating their book?
When an author has a website and blog, and has developed a fan base as evidenced in reviews and online interaction with the author, I am most happy to be part of their projects. If the author is enthusiastic about the narration, she or he will promote it on their site. Then, the fans who love the books will likely be excited about hearing the book come to life through audio. This, of course, is a two-edged sword. Fans may be disappointed if the voice in their ear doesn't match the "voice in their head" that they heard when reading the book. But I've found that, generally speaking, if the author likes the narration, the fans will as well.

What do you like to do most when you're not narrating?
I enjoy travelling with my husband, playing golf, snow skiing in season, walking in the neighborhood or on the beach, watching films, visiting with my now-grown children, doing community and church volunteer work with friends and, of course, reading!

What are you planning next?
Thankfully, mu dance card is pretty full for a few months. After HEARTFIRE, I'm working on a couple of thrillers, several romances, and a couple of historical fiction mysteries. It's just so much fun to immerse myself in these stories, much as I do when I read a book. But as an actor/narrator, I get to live the stories, and by doing so I find myself, more times than not, falling in love with the characters and stories. And, for that, I'm very grateful to my authors who entrust their stories to me.

HEARTFIRE on Audible

IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH ezine

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

An #Interview with #Narrator Alexandra Haag, Part 1, by Karen Rose Smith

When I went searching for a narrator for HEARTFIRE, a sweet but sensual romance about family, it was my 16th audiobook to put into production. This time, instead of listening to hundreds of samples, I listened to an audiobook a friend had developed and asked her about her narrator. She recommended Alexandra Haag highly on all levels of production from the technical to the professional working relationship. I asked Alexandra to audition and her voice was perfect for all my characters. She does a wonderful job of distinguishing voices as well as with all the technical aspects of production. I'm so pleased to introduce her to my readers and other authors so you can learn a bit about her and the process. Our interview is detailed so I'm doing a Part 1 and Part 2 blog of it. I will post the second installment next week.

From Alexandra Haag--

Alexandra's Website

Tell us a little about your background: Where are you from?
I was born in Central California, spent my school years in the Midwest, and my college and adult years in Southern California. I like to say I'm a California girl with good Midwestern values.

What was your schooling?
I have a BA from UCLA in English/American Studies and an MA from San Diego State University in Education/Educational Technology.

How do you train to become a narrator?
An acting background is very important, but narration is even more specific, so it's essential to find a coach who can guide you through the skills peculiar to this very intimate medium.

What's been your experience with narrating so far?
I found that audiobook narration has a very steep learning curve and I'm amazed by how many have taken on the challenge. I produce my own work as well, so there is a lot of technical knowledge that goes into the actual recording, editing and mastering of the finished audio. It's a challenge, but deeply rewarding when an author is pleased with the results, and listeners and fans respond positively to the audio presentation.

What genre do you like to narrate the best?
I've enjoyed all of the genres that I've voiced, which include non-fiction, memoirs, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, and romances. My little secret, though, is how much I enjoy the romances. I've been lucky enough to narrate romances with themes that generally reflect my own values and I appreciate how the authors can marry traditional values with some pretty hot intimate scenes!

Did you read a lot as a kid? As an adult?
Throughout my life I've been a voracious reader and have great respect for writers. I know the challenge of the writing process and, when I narrate, I do my best to honor the author's words and intent.

Why did you decide to begin narrating audiobooks?
For several years I read the local paper on our local PBS radio station as a service to the sight impaired, and I also facilitated a neighborhood book club. One month we read a book that I thought should be available on audio and I contacted the author/publisher. While they ultimately never made an audio of that book, I did record it for a friend of mine with macular degeneration. From there, I decided that I'd commit myself to exploring and honing this craft. I feel that it's the highest privilege to be invited by listeners to spend extended times with them, speaking in their ears and telling them a story, and I've studied and worked at this craft in order to offer a performance worthy of their trust.

How do you know what voice to use for each character?
When preparing the book, I try to gather as much information from the text as I can about the physical and emotional makeup of each character. I try to make the voice reflect all of that information so that when you hear the voice, you can picture him or her in your mind.

How do you keep the voices straight?
It can be a real challenge to remember how each character sounds. In my mind I have a kind of visual map as to where the voice is coming from (high/low, thin/fat, breathy/gravelly, etc.). Sometimes I realize that I don't like my initial choice of voice for a character and then must go back and re-record.

Read Part 2 of my interview with Alexandra next week.

HEARTFIRE on Audible

RIBBONS AND RAINBOWS Audiobook on iTunes

Thursday, April 17, 2014

An Interview With #Narrator Natalie Gray--How She Does It by Karen Rose Smith

My narrator for RIBBONS AND RAINBOWS, Natalie Gray, gives readers, authors and narrators a comprehensive view of her profession. I hope you enjoy reading about it as much as I enjoyed learning about it.

Here is Natalie Gray.

Tell us a little about your background: Where are you from?
I'm from Wisconsin. Born in Green Bay and raised in a small farming community of 863 people located about 15 miles from Green Bay. It was an excellent environment to grow up in because we learned about the land and where food came from. How I live now was deeply influenced by growing up so close to the land.

What was your schooling?
I must have loved school, because I got two masters Degrees, both in Theatre. :) One was in theory and Criticism and one was for Acting and Directing.

How do you train to become a narrator?
The obvious way is through school or workshops or classes. I think it's important to have a basic understanding of acting techniques. It's imperative that you listen to other audiobook narrators (something I need to do more of myself.) The other way I think it's important to train is to simply read, read, read. If you don't love reading, then why bother narrating? There's such joy in immersing oneself in the worlds created by all these amazing authors. Reading, reading, reading gives such exposure to the many different styles of books out there.

What's been your experience with narrating so far?
I simply love it. It's my dream job. I've been very fortunate that work comes my way regularly. I love being able to bring different authors texts to life. It's been a wonderful experience.

What genre do you like to narrate the best?
I"m not sure, yet. I really like romance novels, but I also adore a good fiction story and non--fiction also captivates my attention. And truly, I love doing children's books!

Did you read a lot as a kid? As an adult?
Yes, to both. I'm an avid reader.

Why did you decide to begin narrating audiobooks?
It was what some people call a "godshot." I was trying to figure out what to do with my life. I'd been an actor for 20 years, and then taken a break to find a hubby and really make some money (I had loans to pay off from all the schooling.) I knew I didn't want to work for anyone else and I knew I didn't want to go back to acting. Then one day, I was looking at presenter work on the Internet, and saw an ad that invited people to become a voice-over actor. As soon as I saw the ad, I knew that's where I was headed. And then when someone mentioned audiobooks, I was hooked.

How do you know what voice to use for each character?
When I read a book, whether I'm going to narrate it or not, I always imagine how the characters look and sound. When I narrate a book, I try to replicate the sound and the feel of how I hear each characters' voice. There's more than just the sound of the voice, there's also how fast or slow the character speaks, whether they speak clearly or garble their words, where they place there voice (like is it more nasal or is it more back in the throat,) do they have an accent. All these things go into trying to voice a character.

How do you keep them straight?
Since I see and hear each character very clearly, it's not hard to "keep them straight." Although, if it's been awhile since I've voiced a certain character, I do sometimes go back and listen to a part of the book I've already recorded that has that character's lines in it. This way I can remind myself of exactly how I tried to capture the voice and feel of that character.

Do you feel as if you become the characters as you narrate?
To some extent, yes, I think I do, otherwise it would be hard to get their point of view across. No matter what kind of character I voice, I need to see the world of the story from that character's point of view.

Do you read the book before you start or narrate scene by scene?
I read the book at least once before I start. It saves having to re-record earlier chapters because of things you might find out about characters that occur later on in the book.

What is the toughest part of narrating?
The length of time it actually takes to record a book. If a book is 10 hours long, it means that a narrator probably has about 15-20 hours of actual speaking time. This is because it's impossible to record everything perfectly, so there's a lot of re-takes and re-recording that happens.

How do you protect your voice?
It is very important to make sure I've warmed up my voice before recording. I also don't give major characters voices that are too far off my own natural speaking voice, because that's very taxing. For example, I can do a very deep-voiced or gravelly voiced man, but I'd only use something like that for a character that spoke less often.

What's involved in the process from setting up a home studio, to editing, to putting the book for sale? How long does it take?
That's quite a question. Setting up a home studio is something you do once, and then that's it. It's an expensive proposition, so it's important to research it before hand, by reading industry books (the one I used to get started was "Voice Actors Guide to Recording at Home...and on the Road" by Harlan Hogan and Jeffrey P. Fisher.) There are also online teleclasses and seminars on the subject, and just talking to other voice-over actors can be really helpful. It took me about two weeks of really studying things and figuring out how I could make my space work to get it all together. I wanted as professional a sound as I could get, so I spent a fair amount of money on my equipment, but definitely not as much as I COULD have spent. It can get crazy, and there's no need to do that when you're first starting out. For myself, the cost to get up and running was about $1500. I know voice-over actors who have done it for a lot less.

Once you have set up a home studio, then you're ready to start looking for work. There are many places nowadays to find work. If you're a narrator, then ACX.com is one of the best places to be registered. That's where I get most of my audiobook work. It's important to have a professionally done audiobook demo. If your sound quality is bad, I don't care how good you are as a narrator, it will be hard for you to sell yourself.
(Note from Karen--I listened to many, many, many auditions. Sometimes I really liked the voice for my hero or heroine. But if the sound quality had any problems--like the machine going on and off, thumping noises in the background, echoes, I went on to another audition. Those problems can be time consuming for both the narrator and author and sometimes they simply can't be fixed. Natalie's sound quality was top-notch.)

On ACX you have a profile, which authors can find you through, and I often get offers to narrate books just from my profile. But, you can also search for authors looking for narrators, and that process involved submitting an audition. Once you submit your audition, it can take anywhere from 1 day to a couple of weeks to hear if you got the job or not.

Once you get a narrating job, how quickly a book is recorded, edited mastered and delivered is up to the schedule agreed upon by the narrator and the author. On ACX, the average length of time is 30-60 days to get the book recorded, mastered and approved, and then it can be another 2-3 weeks before it gets listed for sale. So, the process can be about 2-4 months (and often it can be longer.)

What do you look for in an author's history to sway you toward narrating their book?
I look for an author who has some success already with prior books, but mostly, I choose whether or not to narrate a book based on whether or not I like the story. I only want to narrate audiobooks that I'd like to read. Since I like to read a lot of different types of material, that gives me a wide range to choose from, fortunately.

What do you like to do most when you're not narrating?
I'm super interested in the eat-local, sustainable and organic food movement. I'm involved marginally int he politics of it, but mostly I'm involved in it through living it, which means I grow some of my own food. I make my own kombucha (tea), I make my own sauerkraut, do a lot of freezing and preserving of fresh foods. There's nothing on earth like the taste of a tomato right off the vine.

I also spend time with my hubby and my cat. It's a pretty simple life, and very satisfying.

Natalie Gray's email addy: natalie@voicebynatalie.com

Natalie's Website

RIBBONS AND RAINBOWS Audiobook on Amazon

RIBBONS AND RAINBOW Audiobook on Audible

RIBBONS AND RAINBOWS Kindle Edition

IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH ezine

View a Book Trailer for WISH ON THE MOON

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Karen Rose Smith's #Interview with #Audiobook #Narrator, Jeff Bower

Before I introduce Jeff Bower to you, I just want to say how much I enjoyed the process of working with him. When I listen to narrator samples before I ask for an audition, I'm interested in a tone of voice that fits the story. As I was deciding whether I wanted to audition male or female narrators for WISH ON THE MOON--Finding Mr. Right Series, I read the book again, intent on point of view. I realized this book started in my hero's point of view and was very much his story. The first time I heard Jeff's sample--it was NOT romance--I knew he had the right voice for the book. Not only the right voice, but as an actor/narrator, he could perform the book. That meant readers would be able to distinguish each character.

Jeff's professional approach to narrating--the telling of the story as well as the technical end--made this process easy. This is one of my longer novels, so I listened and he edited as we went. The quality of his audio production is impeccable.

So now let's learn a bit about actor/narrator Jeff Bower.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

I grew up in the small city of Auburn, New York and was very active in the theatre community.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND

I graduated with a BA in Mathematics from Binghamton University and a MFA in acting from Florida Atlantic University. I have been a professional actor for over ten years, having appeared in more than 40 theatre productions, numerous films and commercials, and Internet sketches. I've also been lucky enough to have one of my plays published by Samuel French. But my greatest accomplishment is my loving marriage to my wife, Ivelyn, for ten years this coming May.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS LIKED TO READ?

I read all the time as a kid. I went through many flashlight batteries as a kid, reading long after my bedtime. I was a huge C.S. Lewis and Tolkien fan. As an adult I have not been as much of a reader. My wife is a former librarian and I have read many books on her recommendation but rarely choose a book for myself. Now that I narrate audiobooks, I get to discover new novels and genres.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BEGIN NARRATING AUDIOBOOKS?

In college I did a sketch comedy radio show and had a blast. Since then, I've always wanted to branch out into voice over acting. After setting up my home studio, I discovered the possibilities and opportunities in narrating audiobooks. I have been lucky enough to be contracted to perform 10 books in the last 6 months.

HOW LONG IS THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING AN AUDIOBOOK?

The length of the audiobook really determines the amount of time it takes to record and edit it. It takes me a little longer to finish a book because my cat, Kayser, likes to sneak into my recording studio and meow while I'm recording.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF NARRATING?

I have a deep, natural speaking voice, so female voices can be very difficult for me. Instead of raising my pitch, I focus on "lightening" my voice or putting more air around the sound.

WHAT OTHER GENRES ARE YOU NARRATING?

This was my first romance novel. When the opportunity presented itself, I was hesitant, but my wife encouraged me to audition and do the book. It was a great experience and I look forward to doing more in the future.

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH BOOKS YOU'D LIKE TO NARRATE?

I like to choose projects that are exciting and interesting to me. Also, I am an easy-going, fun-loving, positive individual, and I like to work with like-minded people. The tone and disposition the authors use in their correspondence with me during the audition process makes a big difference.

I want to say again how much I enjoyed the process of bringing WISH ON THE MOON to life with Jeff. If you need a narrator, I hope you listen to his sample and choose him for a project. You can learn more about Jeff and keep up with his career at www.castjeffbower.com

Hear a sample of WISH ON THE MOON or buy at:

WISH ON THE MOON Audiobook on Audible

WISH ON THE MOON Audiobook on Amazon

WISH ON THE MOON Audiobook on iTunes

Karen Rose Smith's romance website
Karen Rose Smith's mystery website

©2014 Karen Rose Smith

Saturday, March 15, 2014

NATHAN'S VOW #Narrator, Heidi Baker by Karen Rose Smith

NATHAN'S VOW is the first book in my Search For Love series. I needed a narrator who would fit the voice of my heroine. Fortunately I found Heidi Baker. I did the following interview with her so my readers could learn more about her and the audiobook development process. I hope you enjoy it.

Why did you decide to begin narrating audiobooks?

Combining my love of voice-over acting and reading just seemed like a logical formula for me to begin narrating books. I had always dreamt of narrating books and am beyond happy to be doing it now.

What's the toughest part of narrating?

Figuring out how best to use my time wisely is the hardest part for me when it comes to narrating. As a narrator, I need to keep my voice from becoming fatigued. In order to do this, I have to set aside so many hours in the morning and afternoon to narrate. Because I don't want my voice to wear out, I try to break up my day to include some editing as well. (Okay, and I make time to pet my studio cat, Noel!) I know my limits, too. I realize I won't be able to "be" a character whose voice is low and booming. I have to understand what vocal ages/styles suit my voice the best.

Why narrate a romance? What other genres are you narrating?

Who DOESN'T like a good love story of boy meets girl? There IS something within all of us that can relate, in some aspects, to romance stories. I love the fact that I get to bring these stories to life.

I have narrated other romance stories, mysteries and a handful of young adult novels. I find that my voice best fits these genres.

What do you look for in an author's history to sway you toward narrating their book?

When choosing an author to work with, I make sure to see if their project is something I'd like my name associated with. I don't pay too much attention to sales of the author's previous titles. If the sample I'm reading elicits some reaction in me, more than likely I will read for the author. The story has to tug at me in some way. NATHAN'S VOW did this easily.

Tell us a little about your background (where you're from, schools, training) and experience thus far.

I was born and raised among cornfields, silos and the friendliest people around in Iowa. I studied Radio Broadcasting and worked as a morning show host and news reporter for about four years. I also taught Broadcasting courses at Iowa Central Community College where I graduated a year before. I started my voice-over business, Heidi Baker Voice, in the spring of 2011 from my home studio right outside of Baltimore.

Did you read a lot as a kid? As an adult?

I loved reading as a kid. I still remember falling in love with what is now my favorite book--A SEPARATE PEACE. I love to read mostly non-fiction and enjoy topics on religion, science, and evolutionary psychology. I recently discovered I was missing out on not reading more romance novels.

What do you like to do most when you're not narrating?

In no particular order: I love to travel (currently planning a European vacation with my husband and some friends), attend Baltimore Ravens football games, visit my family and friends back in Iowa, volunteer and donate my time to causes that are near and dear to me.

Hear a sample of NATHAN'S VOW or buy at:

NATHAN'S VOW Audiobook on iTunes

NATHAN'S VOW audiobook on Audible

NATHAN'S VOW audiobook on Amazon

Nathan's Vow now available as an audiobook.

©2014 Karen Rose Smith

IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH ezine
Karen Rose Smith's romance website
Karen Rose Smith's mystery website

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

6 #Tips on choosing a #Narrator by Karen Rose Smith

How do you choose a narrator?

I delved into the project of developing some of my novels into audiobooks, never realizing what type of challenge this could be. I listened to hundreds of narrator samples on ACX.com, attempting to decide which voice will best convey my hero or heroine, emotion and multiple characters. This can be a difficult decision to make from a ten minute audition sample. With fifteen audiobooks for sale, another one with an agreement, I've developed a set of guidelines that help me. Maybe they will help you.

1. Choose an audition sample with multiple characters and emotion as well as narrative.

I usually upload an audition script that includes three characters so I can tell if I can distinguish voices with the narrator. I also upload a scene containing dialogue, narrative, and emotion. This is a true test of a narrator in a short script. It makes a difference to me if the narrator only readers the minimum required or all the pages I uploaded. That is a sign that shows me if the narrator is willing to go the extra mile. That could be vital in working together, whether for deadlines or editing concerns.

2. All recording equipment is not created equal.

You will have varying levels of expertise in not only the telling of the story but in the equipment narrators use to tell it. First thing to do is buy a set of studio headphones. (I found mine at Sears.) You will have customers who listen on everything from computer speakers at their desktop to earbuds and expensive headsets. You need to know exactly what they will be hearing.

3. When you listen to an audition, you will need to listen on several levels.

First, listen for tone and cadence of voice. Could this person be your hero? Could this narrator be your heroine?

Second, listen to the story itself to see if you're distracted by the voice or propelled into the plot by it. Is there some type of speech that takes your attention from the story? Does the narrator have an accent? Does that add to or detract from the telling? (Example. My narrator for ALWAYS HER COWBOY is Australian. His accent is somewhat evident. However, his voice and his talent for reading the exact emotion into scenes made the accent irrelevant. He was my hero.)

Third, listen for pronunciation. My rule of thumb for this issue is if a word stops me from concentrating on the story, it will stop someone else. This can easily be handled in editing if the narrator has expertise with editing. And your narrator should.

Fourth, listen for emotion and natural dialogue.

4. Listen several times.

You can probably do all of the above on the first listen-through. But you're not finished there. Adjust your earphones again and listen for any strange noises...any background noises. Some narrators leave natural breaths in. Others take them out. Figure out if leaving them in is distracting to you.

What I've discovered wearing earphones are the noises you won't hear if you are trying to analyze a voice from your desktop computer. Automatically the hum of your computer will cover noise someone using earbuds or earphones might hear. One of the noises I've picked up with earphones is the hum of the recorder when it starts and when it goes off. If I can hear it, a listener with earbuds in a quiet setting will hear it. You want a nothingness vacuum in back of the voice that acts as a cushion for it. You don't want to hear pages turning, static, or any type of hum or echo.

Listening can be an art, but you want it to be an effortless endeavor for the buyer of your audiobook. The best way to insure their positive experience is to choose the best storyteller for your novel. But you also need to choose a narrator with a level of expertise as the producer. (Some use outside studios to edit but many edit and upload the chapters themselves.)

And... After the audition, once you approve the first fifteen minutes, you are tied in to that narrator whether you like the finished product or not. This is a seven year commitment. Remember that if you're tempted to make a fast decision rather than a more thoughtful one.

5. Male or female narrator?

I'll be writing more about this in future blogs when I spotlight my narrators so my readers can learn more about them. For now, I'll tell you that out of fifteen projects, all romance novels, I have chosen seven male narrators. I look at my opening scene, check the book for point of view shifts, then decide whose story is being told the most--my hero's or my heroine's. If it's a toss up, I ask both to audition then make an agreement with whomever tells the story the best. I've found I enjoy listening to a male narrator reading with a higher voice for my heroine more than listening to a female narrator reading a male voice I often can't distinguish from the heroine's.

So if you're considering developing your books into audiobooks, find a set of headphones and start listening carefully. We want our readers to get lost in our story. Choosing a narrator who captures the essence of our work is the best way to make that happen.

6. Royalty share or finished hour production fee.

I've used both. Again, this depends on whether or not I can find a narrator who fits the book. I start out listening to royalty share narrators. But I've paid production fees on six of my projects. There again, listen for the voice. A higher production fee doesn't always mean a better finished product.

I've enjoyed the process of developing my romances into audiobooks. Be aware it is a time consuming process. One of the huge problems with marketing audiobooks is the lack of promotional opportunities other than social media. I developed these books for the long tail of promotion. I believe this market is set to take off because of smart phones, Ipads, etc. However, just as with ebooks, this market is becoming glutted too. Just something to consider when starting this process.

It's been a wonderful experience hearing my books come alive. As I write more indie projects, I will continue to develop them into audiobooks.

©2014 Karen Rose Smith

Karen's Audiobooks on Audible

IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH ezine
Karen Rose Smith's romance website
Karen Rose Smith's mystery website

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Narrating #Romance, An interview with Johnny Peppers

I have developed fifteen romances into audiobooks and worked with many different narrators. Johnny Peppers was my first audiobook narrator and he's still one of my favorites.

My first interview with Johnny was about his background and the technical side of narrating. I enjoyed working with him and his style of narrating so much on TOYS AND BABY WISHES that he recorded a second romance for me WHEN MOM MEETS DAD as well as a third APRIL'S PROMISE. THe first two are romantic comedies and the third is more of an emotional family drama. They are all a slice of real life so I decided to explore with Johnny more details about a narrator's everyday life--from recording love scenes to favorite books.

So about those love scenes.... Here we go with my interview with Johnny Peppers.

The topic of love scenes surfaced when I asked Johnny--What is the funniest thing that happened to you while you were recording?

The funniest thing that has happened to me is when I recorded my first "love scene" for my first romantic novel, TOYS AND BABY WISHES. My wife was listening at the door, and I had to stop recording because of the noise she was making on the other side. It's not what you think--she was laughing at me. I suppose she has never heard those words come out of my mouth in that order, and she was a little embarrassed and blushing outside the door.

If you could have lunch with one famous person, who would that be?

If I could have lunch with one famous person, it would be Henry Clay. He ran for President four times and lost. He is the Buffalo Bill of Presidential Elections. He was a statesman and a smart man, but just didn't have the political clout to win.

What is your favorite all time book?

I don't really have a favorite book, but I love reading Johnathan Kellerman, Dean Koontz, J.D. Robb and similar authors who write thrillers.

How about a favorite theater production?

My favorite theater production has to be Father of the Bride. I played Stanley Banks (the father) in the play.
It was my first leading role on the stage, and I could perform that play 100 times without getting bored. My favorite play I have directed is Mrs. John Marsh--The World Knew Her as Margaret Mitchell. This was a one-woman play that ran in Atlanta, Georgia during the summer of 2012, discussing the life of the author of GONE WITH THE WIND. My wife, Kandace, played the role of Mitchell, and I was the technical director on the project to start. A month before we left for the run, the playwright fired the director and asked me to step in and finish it up. I did, and my wife and I had a marvelous time working on this project together. And, Kandace received high praise from the local community of theater goers and critics for the work. By the way, she is a former Miss Mississippi and has a new jazz album out now on ITunes and Amazon and Spotify as Kandi Peppers (ON MY MIND). We are a performing family!!!

Do you read through a manuscript before you narrate it?

I do read through the chapter before recording. I don't read the whole book, though, because I don't want to give anything away thorough my vocalizations. I want to know what happens chapter by chapter like the readers do.

How do you create different voices?

As an actor and generally silly human being, I have been creating voices since I was a kid. I simply change pitch, placement of the voice, accent or whatever else to make it different. I usually channel a family member or character voice that I love. My favorite voice is "Toby", a character I created that is sweet, innocent, has a slight lisp, talks in the back of his throat, and love life. I have yet to find a place for Toby in my narrations, but I hope to soon!!!

How do you keep the characters straight?

I use Markers on the audio tracks the first time a character appears. That way, I can go back and listen if I need to. Also, if there are a lot of characters, I create a separate character file and keep lines form each character on one line (using markers to keep them separated).

If you had to name TV shows that hold your interest, what would they be?

My favorite TV show of all time? Has to be Quantum Leap. Of course, favorites change. I love Friends, Seinfeld, King of Queens, Big Bang Theory, Dexter, 24, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and Survivor!

Do you have a snack that you prefer above all others?

My favorite snack is Banana Chips. I am a muncher, and those are healthier than potato chips and oh, so good.

Do you have any pets?

I have two dogs that I love! Ella is a 6 year old white Toy Poodle and Gilly is a 2 year old red Teacup Poodle. Ella and Gilly weigh 8 pounds total. (Ella 6 lbs. and Gilly 2 lbs.)

I just want to repeat again what a joy Johnny is to work with--a talented narrator, professional and a great technician. His contact info is jpeppers02@gmail.com

Copyright by Karen Rose Smith 2014

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Sunday, December 22, 2013

All About #Narration, Part 2 of Karen Rose Smith's #Interview with Kristina Coggins

When I interviewed Kristina Coggins, my narrator for FOREVER AFTER, we covered a lot of ground. In my previous interview with her, we discussed her background. Now we get into the nitty gritty of character development and how she achieves it, along with tidbits concerning running a home studio. I want to thank Kristina for the wonderful work she did on this book, bringing Seth--a cynical lawyer--and Darcy--a garage mechanic--to life.

Here is part 2 of her interview:

How do you know what voice to use for each character?

I look at all the clues in the text and sometimes create a list of what is said about each character, until I start to get a feel for who the person is. I determine whether it is an incidental character, a supporting character or a main character. I use the most authentic voice of myself for the main characters whether male or female, and then might change vocal placement, energy, pitch, pace or attitude for the others.

How do you keep them straight?

I make a separate file for each character and listen to it for consistency.

Do you feel as if you become the characters as you narrate?

Yes, definitely. I think there is a little of all of us in every character. Even irate fat old men. That's the fun of it.

Do you read the book before you start to narrate scene by scene?

I always read the book and then re-read the chapters I want to accomplish before I narrate that day.

What is the toughest part of narrating?

It's really lonely being in a booth all day with nothing but your audience in your head and imaginary characters to keep you company. I always am excited to see my real live people at the end of the day. The constant deadlines are also hard to manage if you are trying to give your all to a book and treat your body and voice with care.

How do you protect your voice?

In spite of the deadlines, I try not to work too many hours so that my voice blows out. I try to keep hydrated and well-exercised in my body. There is a huge connection.

What's involved in the process from setting up a home studio, to editing, to putting the book for sale?

Hire an engineer, buy a booth, buy and understand all the equipment, learn the computer software. It took me about six months to pull it all together and learn how to use it. And I'm constantly learning and upgrading.

Editing takes longer than anything. It takes three to five more hours per finished hour to get it right and requires much patience and actually requires an entire other skill set. Editing is a creative act all of its own with rhythm, pacing and silence well-placed.

What do you look for in an author's history to sway you toward narrating their book?

If they have a story or style that is compelling to me. I also want to be sure they have a viable following.

What do you like to do most when you're not narrating?

Landscape painting, travel and being with my family and friends.

What are you planning next?

I'm producing a young adult book by the author Louis Sachar called THE BOY WHO LOST HIS FACE, and the file adaptation of the new Disney story FROZEN.

Click here to read part one of Kristina's interview.

ABOUT THE MUSIC: My son is 19 and a fine musician. For every book I've ever done, he has always done the music for before and after. He asks about the style of the book, sometimes does a little research, listens to some of the narration of the book and comes up with the music. It always adds to setting the tone of every project. It has been such a joy to collaborate with him in this way.

A big thank you to Kristina and Sam for a wonderful production.

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©2013 Karen Rose Smith