Tag Archives: Q&A

Audiobook Q&A: Jo Anna Perrin

Adam Boretz -- August 13th, 2012

Our Audiobook Q&A returns with Jo Anna Perrin — audio narrator, actor, writer, photographer, and co-creator of Abbreviated Audio. We caught up with Jo Anna earlier this summer and chatted about everything from flying under the radar and APAC to #JIAM 2012 and dream projects.

You and Johnny Heller run Abbreviated Audio. Can you tell our readers a little about the site and how it came about?

The idea for a blog had been germinating between us for quite a bit of time. We both write professionally, and the urge for a space that was ours, where we could do just that, write, at our leisure and with complete control over content and time, largely appealed to us. We would have complete autonomy, therefore no deadlines and no one to object to content. Slowly, the idea of a website that encompassed audiobook-ish information as well, such as reviews, interviews, commentary, and of course, humor, became factored in, and that idea intrigued us. On a cold December day, I opened my email to find a hosting site had made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and voila, for better or worse, Abbreviated Audio was born.

In your June Is Audiobook Month video with Robert Fass, you say that you’re going to expand Abbreviated Audio—can you give us a preview of that expansion?

Our goal, which we hope we can fulfill, is to largely widen the look and purview of the original site. We hope to take it beyond its humble beginnings. To that end, we are in talks with a site designer regarding adding more inter-active media, and bells and whistles, such as classes and podcasts to the site.

We’d like to make Abbreviated Audio more encompassing in terms of the audiobook world and create a location where other narrators and/or reviewers feel comfortable contributing. We already are gifted to have Jennifer Conner of Literate Housewife fame, who occasionally guest contributes on our site, and we’d like to extend the invitation to other narrators, reviewers, and bloggers as well.

Also, and this is certainly riskier on our part, we are hoping to dip our toes into audiobook production…A prospect that both terrifies and excites us!

Speaking of June Is Audiobook Month, how was it for you? What were some of your #JIAM2012 highlights?

I always enjoy Audiobook Month! The first weeks are especially hectic since they include obvious highlights such as APAC and the Audies, BEA and the Bloggers track. It is in effect, a social extravaganza, where I get to visit with many people in the short span of about seven to 10 days, that because of disparate locations, I only see during that time.

Getting to visit and photograph the Listeners Lounge this year was a particular delight, as was checking in with Robert Fass’s daily video journal in honor of the month, not to mention being in one myself.

I was especially pleased to see that this year, more than any other previous one, there was remarkable media coverage of many of the events of Audiobook Month, along with commentary on the art form itself, and public recognition of many amazing narrators. The serious nod to audiobooks in the press has been a long-time coming, but unquestionably better late than never.

How did you get your start in audio narration? And what tips would you offer aspiring narrators? Continue reading →

Audiobook Q&A: 50 Shades of Becca Battoe

Adam Boretz -- July 31st, 2012

Johnny Heller: The Audio Audiobooks Interview

Adam Boretz -- July 26th, 2012

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Here at Listen Up, we’re very excited to launch our new Audio Audio Interview Series — Q&As with narrators, audio publishers, and authors, all recorded live, and all presented to you, The Listener, in audio format.

And today, we start things off with a bang: my one-on-one chat the inimitable Johnny Heller, one of the industry’s best narrators, winner of multiple Audie Awards, Listen Up Awards, Golden Earphone Awards, and one of Audiofile’s Top 50 voices of the 20th Century.

Last week, Johnny and I got together at the Recorded Books studio and chatted about everything from his latest project and celebrity impressions to preparing for a recording session and remaining true to the author’s vision. Along the way, Johnny offers tips to aspiring narrators and answers some probing questions sent in from fans via Twitter. And, needless to say, things get a little saucy.

Listen Up would like to give special thanks to Recorded Books, Rob Granniss of Brick Shop Audiobooks, and engineer and editor extraordinaire Marc Avila for all their help and support.

So, without further ado, we give you Johnny Heller: The Audio Audio Interview:

Audiobook Q&A: Xe Sands

Adam Boretz -- June 29th, 2012

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Today our Audiobook Q&A series returns — AND HOW! — to help celebrate the conclusion of Audiobook Week and June is Audiobook Month with an in-depth talk with one of our favorite narrators, Xe Sands. During our interview — which Listen Up is posting in conjunction with Sands’s Going Public — Xe thanks the narrators who have helped her during her career, offers tips for aspiring audiobook narrators, and tells us what’s she’s working on next.

1. In one of his June Is Audiobook Month videos, Robert Fass describes you as “breaking out this year” with a string of very successful and well-received audio productions. Do you see this as a breakout year? Why or why not.

I was honored that Robert included me in his excellent JIAM video series and his wonderful introduction gave me something to think about. It’s tempting to consider your first year or two working steadily or in which you begin receiving industry recognition as your “breakout” year, but I would counter with this: breaking out implies pushing past the boundaries of whatever box you’re in — expanding and growing. Positive reception and professional recognition is a part of that, but I’d offer that there also needs to be that “something else.” This year marks a sea change in my approach to narration. With the help of a very insightful mentor, I’ve spent the better part of 2012 diving into my delivery to identify what is/isn’t working for listeners, and what should or shouldn’t change. It’s been a remarkable and sometimes painful process of falling out of love with how I sound and into love with what I do. If this process has led to a more fulfilling experience for listeners, it has been well worth it. And by that measure, I would consider this a breakout year.

2. How did you get your start in audio narration? And what tips would you offer aspiring narrators? Continue reading →

Audiobook Q&A: Dan Zevin

Adam Boretz -- April 24th, 2012

Audiobook Q&A: Jane Green

Adam Boretz -- March 13th, 2012

Audiobook Q&A: Johnny Heller

Adam Boretz -- December 6th, 2011

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This week, our Audiobook Q&A Series returns and we chat with Johnny Heller about his recent work narrating The Postmortal, his latest projects, his significant experience ripping bodices, and the importance of always knowing where the restroom is located.

1. You recently narrated Drew Magary’s The Postmortal for Tantor. How was that experience? What was the biggest challenge?

Narrating always has challenges — the major one being that we narrators know that we will not be able to please every fan of a given book! Our job is to be a conduit for the author’s truth — I know that sounds all “actory” but it’s the best way I can explain what we do.

I don’t always get to narrate books I love or would willingly read on my own, but The Postmortal was awesome. I loved the book and I told Magary that I thought he was brilliant. It’s just a tremendous read that I hope is going to be a tremendous listen. My biggest challenge with this title was living up to my own expectations — of making my narration as excellent as the printed word. I think I did, but then again I’m biased!

2. This is the first book by Magary that you’ve narrated. Does that newness make the job of narrating an audiobook more difficult? Do you think that when you narrate multiple books by the same author, you develop a relationship with their work and are able to slip back into the author’s writing?

Absolutely. When you narrate a series of titles by the same author you get in touch with his rhythms and — hopefully — get to create recurring characters. I get to do that with the Richard Castle books (Naked Heat, Heat Wave, and Heat Rises), with Michael Wiley’s Joe Kozmarsky series for Blackstone, Michael Buckley’s NERDS series, Troy Soos’ Mickey Rawlings mysteries, and Dan Gutman’s baseball card time travel stories all for Recorded Books. Hopefully the author likes the way you handle his or her characters and it begins somehow more collaborative.

3. The Postmortal is a thriller about a pre-apocalyptic world in which people cannot die of old age — which must make for an exciting audiobook. Does reading a thriller make the process of recording the audiobook easier because you know readers will be engaged at certain points? Do you ever find yourself getting swept away by the story when you’re narrating a thriller?

I don’t know if I’m any more engaged in a thriller than in a biography or a young adult title. Hopefully, if I’ve done my job, the listener will have no idea that I like one book any more than another.

Truth be told — of course I like thrillers and funny books more than I like other titles I narrate. I think the audiobook moves along better and easier if the story is good and the author is good and I love the book. I’ve done lots of medical, motivational, and business titles, but it’s much easier to read a thriller — cuz they’re thrilling! Continue reading →

Audiobook Q&A: Ron McLarty

Adam Boretz -- August 23rd, 2011

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This week, we’re thrilled to sit down and chat with Ron McLarty about his recent work on the audio version of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, his longstanding partnership with David Baldacci, the perils of narrating after lunch, and what it was like to narrate his own novels.

1. You recently worked — with Dennis Boutsikaris and Daniel Oreskes — on Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, playing the part of Mr. Wednesday. You’ve obviously done both solo narration and multi-cast audiobooks — like American Gods. Do you prefer one to the other?

I haven’t done many big cast audiobooks, but I do prefer solo narration, where you’re sort of creating from scratch as opposed to trying to fit in…In fact, I didn’t see Dennis or Dan at all doing Mr. Wednesday.

2. Neil Gaiman has narrated some of his own books and even won awards for his narration. Was he involved in the creation of this audiobook at all? Did he offer input?

Neil’s involvement was after the fact. He listened to my first go-thru, didn’t like it, and had me re-do it. (He was right.)

3. In addition to narrating audiobooks, you’ve also done a lot of work on television and in films. How does acting for the camera and narrating an audiobook differ in terms of performance? Do you prefer one to the other?

There’s a kind of anonymity in narration that seems comforting. You’re not showing off, just trying to vary the characters in personality and style. The microphone is a friend. The camera is different. The whole set-up is different. You’re performing for your director, crew, and co-workers. It’s a pretty wild environment. I supposed I liked it all better when I was younger, but now I must admit I prefer just reading the book to the audio engineer. Continue reading →

Audiobook Q&A: Cassandra Campbell

Adam Boretz -- August 3rd, 2011

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This week, we’re very pleased to sit down with the great Cassandra Campbell to talk about her recent work on the audio version of Eva Gabrielsson’s memoir, the difference between narrating an audiobook and directing an audiobook, the challenges of Swedish pronunciation, and a whole lot more.

1. You recently narrated Eva Gabrielsson’s “There Are Things I Want You To Know” About Stieg Larsson and Me. How was that experience? And what was the biggest challenge?

The book isn’t all that long, but is chock full of Swedish names and place names. This posed quite a pronunciation challenge as Swedish is a very complex language. I had only read the first novel of the [Millennium] Trilogy — one of the very few downsides of being a narrator is not having more time to read! — so to prepare I watched the Swedish movies of all three books, listened to some of Simon Vance’s recordings of the novels, and watched YouTube videos of Stieg Larsson and Eva Gabrielsson. The greatest challenge with this material was to really honor Gabrielsson’s personal narrative while trying to give the ring of truth to the place and people in her life. The words had to have a flow, I needed to sound like I was familiar with all the places she talks about. She’s an architect, so the visual world that she inhabits, and that Larsson used in the books, had to be especially clear. I ended up looking at pictures of the different towns, streets and even buildings she referred to in order to give credibility to them — and because she left me really curious about what they looked like.

2. There has been a lot of buzz about that book and Larsson’s novels are beloved by so many people. Did you feel any additional pressure when you began the project because of all the media attention?

Yes, I did feel pressure. And I actually really like that pressure. I often think it’s good not to feel safe when starting a book. I like a tough challenge, I like to be pushed out of my comfort zone and of course I was thrilled to get to work on this project. In part because the buzz about the books is exciting and it was challenging to try to come up to it, and in part, too, because there is this incredible poetic irony in the way her story unfolds and the injustice she’s suffered. It’s a strange mirror of what Stieg Larsson’s novels are about. I mean Lisbeth Salander is victimized by a male dominated society and its laws and is such a powerful heroine and the fact that Gabrielsson has also been a victim of Swedish law is this bizarre parallel. It’s just incredible when you think about it.

3. The book is also a very personal story about Larsson and Gabrielsson. How did that affect your preparation and performance? Continue reading →

Audiobook Q&A: Bronson Pinchot

Adam Boretz -- July 26th, 2011

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Four our third Audiobook Q&A, we’re delighted to sit down with actor, narrator, and Audie Award-Winner Bronson Pinchot to chat about all things audio, typecasting, Mark Twain, the need for calzones, apple fritters and South Park, and the differences between narrating a book and acting for film or television.

1. I think most people know you from your work on television and in films. How did you make the transition to audio narration?

I did a play, Distracted, with narrator Ray Porter. We became friends in an eerily short amount of time and he told me I’d like [audio narration]. So he hooked me up with Grover Gardner at Blackstone, and Grover and Andrew Barnes took me under their respective wings and invested in me, which was kind and generous of them, because I was clunky and needy at the beginning. Now I’m just needy.

2. How do the two compare — acting for television or film and narrating an audiobook? Do you find one more challenging?

At times, I feel they are very close, and, at other times, worlds apart. Depends on the material. I find audiobook narration very challenging. Because of the ubiquity of Perfect Strangers — on which I played a character defined by his exuberance and demonstrativeness– I am (unfairly, I think) often thought of as generically over the top. Read any review of anything in which I have done well, and you will always find the qualifying phrase “You won’t believe Balki pulled it off, but…” I like to do as little as possible to accomplish the author’s intention. And this is not always easy or clear cut with audiobooks. As all narrators know, if you go 1% over what the average listener requires, you really hear the backlash.

3. Is audio narration more work than acting in film or on television? And do you prefer one to the other? Continue reading →