How to use this Page

Artists Inspired by Artists. A bit of Jim Dale to brighten your day!

For this week’s contribution to OUPblog, we’ve gone audio — we are the Oral History Review, after all. In our first podcast, our guest Stephen Sloan elaborates on “On the Other Foot: Oral History Students as Narrators,” a piece he wrote for the most recent issue of the Oral History Review (volume 39, issue 2). This post represents another first: an effort to give current and future Oral History Review contributors room to discuss their articles further.

Listen below:

[See post to listen to audio]

Or download the mp3 directly from this link.

As with all of our efforts here, we welcome comments.

Stephen Sloan is the director of the Institute for Oral History at Baylor University where he teaches a graduate seminar in oral history. He also leads dozens of workshops on oral history each year for community groups, students, and faculty. Sloan, along with the entire staff of the Institute for Oral History, offers an online introduction to oral history twice yearly. To learn more about Dr. Sloan or the work of the Institute for Oral History visit baylor.edu/oralhistory. E-mail: Stephen_Sloan[at]baylor[dot]edu. His article “On the Other Foot: Oral History Students as Narrators” in the latest issue of Oral History Review is available to read for free for a limited time.

The Oral History Review, published by the Oral History Association, is the U.S. journal of record for the theory and practice of oral history. Its primary mission is to explore the nature and significance of oral history and advance understanding of the field among scholars, educators, practitioners, and the general public. Follow them on Twitter at @oralhistreview and like them on Facebook to preview the latest from the Review, learn about other oral history projects, connect with oral history centers across the world, and discover topics that you may have thought were even remotely connected to the study of oral history. Keep an eye out for upcoming posts on the OUPblog for addendum to past articles, interviews with scholars in oral history and related fields, and fieldnotes on conferences, workshops, etc.

Subscribe to the OUPblog via email or RSS.
Subscribe to only history articles on the OUPblog via email or RSS.

Image credit: All articles used with permission of Stephen Sloan. All rights reserved.

Voice coach legend Bettye Zoller Seitz  joins Paul Ruben, Johnny Heller, & Pat Fraley in my series on how audiobook narrators learn skills that lead to success. Bettye’s experience as a voice-over artist and narrator, along with her professional audio engineer skills, provide a wealth of wisdom for her workshop students. Here’s more from Bettye…

Who is the audience for your workshops and why do you have the expertise to conduct the sessions?
My events enroll people from all walks of life who have been in love with audiobooks and use them regularly (but have never voiced a book). I also teach professionally trained actors with major credits in theatre, film, and TV, and audio book narrators wanting to brush up or add to current skills. Sometimes, my workshops are for multi-level learners. Sometimes, I present advanced acting weekends. I say, unabashedly, my students WORK. They are narrating in the book field worldwide and I get emails and notes attesting to this. I tend to keep track of students and stay with them.

My skills as a teacher-trainer of narrators in the audiobook field stems from three primary areas. With partners, I owned and was CEO of an audiobook publishing company in the 1990s. This on-the-job education in the book and audiobook publishing industry equips me to not only teach audiobook narration but to consult with audiobook authors. I tell authors wanting an audio product (or a professional wanting to put his or her expertise on audio) to let me guide them because I’ll reveal everything NOT to do before they spend money and time needlessly! I consult by phone and also have several CDs and manuals that are of instructional value in this area. Plus.I am a seasoned actor and acting coach as well as voice coach. I began my acting career at MGM Studios in Hollywood at age 5 as a contract player schooled in the old “star system.” This was in the late forties. I then continued my studies in acting and singing obtaining advanced college degrees in not only performance but in vocal pedagogy and educational areas. I have narrated approx 30 books to date including ensemble casts. For the past two years, I’ve been the moderator and featured host on VoiceoverXtra‘s webinars, great learning sessions  featured interviews with audio insiders such as Robin Whitten, publisher of AudioFile Magaine, Jason Ojalvo, creator of ACX–Audiobook Crative Exchange, and Grover Gardner, a terrific narrator and studio chief at Blackstone Audio.

What skills do you focus on, and why will this training advance a participant’s career in audiobooks?
First, at every seminar, I spend time on explaining the business. There are many ways of being paid and I try to delineate these.
What should a good audiobook CD demo contain and what do I hear from publishers and producers about what they want in demos and in new voices? I focus on helping students transition from what they’ve done in their past, such as theatrical acting or commercial voice overs, to narrator skills. These are quite different from all other voice over and acting skill sets. I teach that the narrator is NOT the star, but only the reader of a text, interpreted for a listener. The narrator must never be perceived as ‘dictating’ to a listener. The listener should be permitted to form his or her own opinions of the book’s content. In other words, like a musical score to a film, we shouldn’t be paramount, but while telling the story, we are ‘background.’ I teach students (who have the skills to do so) how to narrate fiction books with many characters. I urge non-actors to stay with non-fiction titles until they’ve taken some acting instruction and practiced. Non-actors may never be suited to fiction work. Trying to voice characters is not for the novices, the “announcer,” or the public speaker types. I always hear attendees read actual scripts and I record them, coaching them and offering critiques of performance. While doing this, I also touch on recording studio etiquette and microphone techniques. At many seminars, I have guest speakers. These almost always include at least one guest who teaches about the in-home recording studio’s equipment and operation. Students comment that this is most valuable! I teach participants how to take direction from a producer (or whomever is directing). I also stress the value of experience and urge students to read for charitable causes in their town. Most cities have wonderful outlets for aspiring readers.

How does the changing world of audiobook creation – digital technology, home studios, economics – impact the focus of your workshops?
While I am a trained audio engineer also skilled in post production, many who want to narrate books are not. This is a great disadvantage today. There are many ways to learn basic audio recording skills, at least at a level sufficient to record one’s audition on ACX or for a publisher interested in your voice. Recording an entire book, however, takes a high degree of skill. I always include material on Auible’s Audio Creation Exchange business, in my opinion truly a breakthrough in our industry, opening up the field of narration to so many who do it at home and cannot reach the major publishing houses to obtain jobs! I am a SAG AFTRA performer and as a union member, also include information on union narration work and the pay scales we enjoy plus our pensions and insurances and other benefits. I’m very pro union! I am very “vocal” (pardon the pun) on the subject of vocal health. Many performers are ignorant of taking care of their living instrument, the vocal folds and the body. Stamina is required from audiobook narrators! And a vocal illness can knock a performer out of work for a long time. I particularly enjoy teaching as a guest professor at universities.

What upcoming events do you have of interest to voice performers?
September 1 – Dallas Audio Post Recording Studio – A one-day adventure in this new million dollar studio. September 8-9 in Dallas – Beginners in Voice Overs Workshop. September 28-29 San Antonio Texas Voiceover Seminar including audiobook narration. October 27-28 Audiobook Weekend in Dallas – our annual mega event. For more information  visit http://www.voicesvoices.com.

Thanks, Bettye, for sharing your expertise with us!

Thank you for asking me to be your interview subject! And to all aspiring narrators out there…it is “the new frontier” for actors and voice over talents. Get into this exciting field.

Watch these video tips from Pat Fraley, audio guru interviewed here on Audiobooker yesterday!

Pat Fraley, audio narrator guru guide, is today’s guest in an Audiobooker series that reveals just how those voices in your head learn the skills that lead to audiobook excellence. We’ve heard from audio producer/director Paul Ruben and narrator Johnny Heller. Next Wednesday, audio legend Bettye Zoller will add her perspective. Patrick Fraley has been teaching, producing and performing audiobooks for about 20 years, and is a multiple Audie Award nominee and winner. His instruction and demo direction have guided more performers into book deals than anyone in the history of the audiobook industry. Here are the details:

Who is the audience for your workshops?
Okay, before I attempt to answer your question, know that my business adviser, Kristine Oller, told me that I am not allowed to call them “workshops” any longer. I call them, “events.” The difference is that in my events, I teach with other teachers, like Scott Brick, and allow more interaction with the participants. That way, every event is different. They are rather like a fungus: they have a life of their own.
Now to your question: the events are for those who want to advance their audiobook storytelling and dialogue skills. The participants are made up of working narrators or performers in other areas, and those who should be working. I approve all who want in so I know they are comfortable with the rigors of the events.

Why do you have the expertise to conduct the sessions?
That’s the first time I’ve ever had that question asked. I just plain don’t now why I have the expertise. I have hunches on how I got the skills to teach. Mainly, a gift from God, and totally undeserved. Also, when I was a young man I trained to be an actor, and have taught and performed for 40 years. That helped.

What range of previous training do you find in participants?
All over the place. Some have not trained much, and like me, are just plain talented. Others have trained as actors, singers, in improv and the like. The other bunch who are trained are interesting: Doctors, Firemen, Lawyers, Plumbers, Ex-Military. They apply their knowledge and training from one discipline to another. You get really interesting metaphors from people who spent a career on submarines or changing out cistern bowl floats.

What skills do you focus on and why will this knowledge advance a participant’s career in audiobooks?
I don’t teach how to advance a “career.” A career is a whole bunch of the same kinds of jobs in a row. I teach techniques, which get the narrator more skillful at storytelling, and doing subtle changes to their voices and hearts to populate a book with the necessary characters as needful. Also, I guide some of my students into how getting their first job, and then, go about another job. For my students who are already working, I try to get them a wee bit better.

How does the changing world of audiobook creation – digital technology, home studios, economics – impact the focus of your workshops?
Digital technology and specifically the advent of Downloadable Audiobook Editions have opened the floodgates to books being recorded. This means that all kinds of books need all kinds of skilled narrators. Old, young, black, white, fuchsia. It is my job to focus my students on realizing their personal style, and assist them in finding where the welcome mat is out for their set of skills and style.
Digital sound, both in recording and how people listen to the sound, demands subtle performance in many of the book styles and genres (slap me if I say “genre” again. I could have said, “categories,” but it’s French, and makes me sound so…you know).
Economics play a primary role for narrators who may now purchase home recording equipment at a reasonable cost. I guide them into getting the right equipment or usually connect them with the many who are much more knowledgeable than I.

Are there any other fun and interesting facts about narrator training that you’d like to share?
Well, I don’t know how fun this is. More like a mini-rant. Narrating is reading aloud. Most all who seek training have done this all their lives. It’s not rocket surgery. Compared to most all other areas of performance, it’s simple. Those that make it complex are those who want to hold “the keys to the kingdom.” I believe in encouraging performers to get going, get work and get better as they narrate their first audiobook project. The hard part, that no one can teach, is what it’s like spending 20+ hours in a closet recording “90 Days to a Better Prostate.” It ain’t all Hemingway.

Do you have any upcoming sessions? How can an interested person register?
Upcoming sessions? I have more lined up than Justin Bieber appearances. I do have free audiobook narration lessons at my website, patfraley.com. Look for my “Free “ page. Also, at my “Learn” page, there is information on where and what I plan on teaching next. All scheduled around Justin’s appearances, by the way. I have my priorities.

Thanks so much, Pat – plus thank you for your great free resources. And for those of you who want to see and hear examples of the narrators Pat deems solid examples of stellar storytelling, watch and listen to the clips in this 9 minute video – a virtual primer on what to listen for in audio evaluation!

Including MUST-HAVE audiobook Skulduggery Pleasant, one of my all-time favorites! Grab this Odyssey Honor title – you’ll fall in love with Rupert Degas’ amazing narration.

This week’s two free downloads from SYNC:

 Skulduggery Pleasant. By Derek Landy. Read by Rupert Degas. Published by HarperAudio
When a not-so-innocent twelve-year-old girl named Stephanie inherits her eccentric uncle’s estate, she must join forces with Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton mage, to save the world from an ancient evil.

 Dead Men Kill (Stories from the Golden Age). By L. Ron Hubbard. Read by Jennifer Aspen and a Full Cast. Published by Galaxy Press

When several of the city’s most respected citizens are inexplicably killed by what appear to be zombies, all Detective Terry Lane has to go on is a blue-gray glove, a Haitian pharmacy bill for some very unusual drugs, and a death threat from a mysterious stranger.

Next week with be the last week of the completely fantastic SYNC promotion. Hope you’ve downloaded all of the great FREE audios!

Learn professional tips from narrator Johnny Heller. I’m continuing my spotlight on just how voice actors gain their behind-the-mic skills in this second part of an every-Wednesday visit with the best in the business, following Paul Ruben last week. Here’s Johnny…

Who is the audience for your workshops & why do you have the expertise to conduct the sessions?
The audience for my workshops consists mostly of actors who are interested in getting into the audiobook narration industry. That being said, I find there are lots of people without an official “actor” background who are also keen to attend and learn about the business.

My expertise comes from having recorded nearly 400 titles and in almost every genre. I’ve won 2 Audies and been nominated 5 times and I’ve been awarded 18 Earphone Awards from AudioFile magazine, 3 Publishers Weekly Listen Up Awards and been named one of the 50 top narrators of the century. I’ve taught voice-over and audiobook workshops in New York, Chicago and LA for many years….really more than I want to think about!

What range of previous training do you find in participants?
Many participants have a decent bit of training and/or experience in theater, commercial or voice-over work. Some have a resume and some have just taken some classes. A great number have zero background in the industry but are avid listeners. Many are librarians or business people anxious for a 2nd or new career.

Still others, sadly, just think it sounds like fun and seems easy… only half of that is true.

What skills do you focus on and why will this knowledge advance a participant’s career in audiobooks?
First I need to say that I take students where they are. I don’t place expectations on them. Everyone is different and everyone comes to me as they are — trained -untrained; skilled- unskilled… If they want a career in the business and they lack requisite skills, I work with them on finding ways to improve and begin training toward a career. If they are great and ready and need only some tweaking — I tweak. As a matter of fact, I tweak all the time! I used to be a closet tweaker but then we got a place without closets and I had to come out.

I focus all the time on one thing and from it comes everything else and I think Paul Ruben and I are on the same page on this — the author’s truth. The simple fact of the matter is that the actor must – at every moment – do one single job — he/she must be a conduit for the author. Every thing that seems wrong or off in a reading comes from the actor missing the truth the author is stating.

Sounds simple but it’s not. I like to think that I help the actor get in touch with this simple idea. From it, we find choices in style and character and pacing and …well – everything.

How does the changing world of audiobook creation – digital technology, home studios, economics – impact the focus of your workshops?
It doesn’t change much. I still teach an audiobook workshop and it’s still about the performance. However we do discuss the business. Who hires you? How do you find work? Do you need a home studio? How do you learn about building or buying one and what equipment will you neeed? How do you market yourself? How do you use social media? How much money should you expect? How do you get started? Etc….

Are there any other fun and interesting facts about narrator training that you’d like to share?
My workshops are fun for the most part. I tend to say funny things here and there and many students have gotten work after they’ve been with me. I can get off on tangents – which is both bad and good I suppose. I welcome questions throughout the day. We spend most of our time working on mic.

Once important point is that students need to bring some copy with them. Bring a few pages of copy from 3 or so genres that you think you would be good at. Students need to understand (and they quickly do!) that we may spend quite a bit of time on just one page. I’m not interested in hearing the story til the end — I need the student to make choices that would make me want to listen to the whole book. There are lots of stops and starts and that’s how the learning takes place.

One of the most important things I think I can fairly say about my workshops is that I find the right way to get through to each student. Some students need only to hear me start saying something before it registers with them; others need to see me working with another student to understand how it relates to them and still others need to hear it a different way to “get it.”

I don’t promise demos to my students since I don’t believe that every student is necessarily ready to make a competitive demo. And I will tell them the truth. Having said that, if you are ready to make one after my workshop or if you’re not ready but still want to make one – I will help — for an additional fee and I do offer a “demo discount.”

I found that when I told some students in the past that they ought to work more before making a demo or that they simply weren’t ready – they did it anyway. If they’re gonna blow their loot, they may as well hand it to me and at least I can minimize some of the damage!

Do you have any upcoming sessions? How can an interested person register?

I will be teaching a one-day workshop through John Florian’s Voice Over Xtra on Saturday Sept 29 as well. For that, contact John at [email protected]. I’m also available for one-on-one sessions through EDGE STUDO. Contact them at: [email protected]

Thanks, Johnny, for sharing your expertise with us. It’s always good to hang out with a high school pal. Yes, it’s true – Johnny and I both went to the same high school in the Chicago suburbs – except that I am older, and moved on the year before he entered good old Glenbard East. You can catch more of Johnny’s sense of humor on the Abbreviated Audio blog.

Next Wednesday, we’ll hear more about voice acting and audiobooks from one of the most respected members of the Voice and Speech Trainers of America, Pat Fraley. Be sure to stop in!

Booklist‘s 2012 “Voice of Choice” Dion Graham is featured on this recorded show from Boston’s WBGH on the benefits of audiobook listening & the art of narration, along with AudioFile‘s Robin Whitten and  arts critic Alicia Anstead (begins at 18:45 in the show). And don’t forget to wish Dion a Happy Birthday on August 8th

Love the audiobook connection to the London Olympics, in AT&T’s commercial featuring USA’s runner Ryan Hall listening to The Odyssey and Moby Dick in the video I posted two weeks ago? Learn more about the commercial that showcases Hall’s hometown scenery in “North State Scenery Stars in AT&T Commercial With Marathon Runner Ryan Hall,” by Alayna Shulman.

Check out Salon Magazine’s new audiobook column, featuring the recording of Wallace Stegner’s Pulitzer-winning novel Angle of Repose, narrated by Mark Bramhall.

The always-awesome All About Romance blog has another terrific round-up of reader favorites in a variety of audiobook catagories in “Speaking of Audiobooks: 2012 Favorite Romance Audiobooks Poll Results.”

Interested in statistics on audiobook downloads from public libraries? Check out the graphs in Digital Book World’s “Library Patrons Want E-Books Over Every Other Downloadable Media” – there’s plenty of patrons that want digital audiobooks, too.

And be sure to check Audiobooker on Freebie Fridays for limited time free audiobooks!

What’s happening in the audiobook world? Here’s a round-up of interesting links…

I am totally inspired by the Contra Costa County (CA) Public Library’s “Snap & Go” project to bring library services to mobile phones, winner of the 2012 John Cotton Dana Public Relations Award. When I saw this promotion on the library’s website…

Now on WestCAT buses: Snap & Go QR Technology

Powered by WestCAT and the Contra Costa County Library

Listen to over 600 audiobook titles on the bus with the Contra Costa County Library’s Snap & Go mobile library access. Wirelessly download audiobooks directly to your cell phone for FREE. It’s a great way to pass time on the bus.

Easy as 1-2-3

1) Download a free QR code reader to your phone fromsnapngo.ccclib.org (1x only)

2) Scan the code from a library poster on Tri Delta Transit buses or wherever you see it posted.

3) Select an audiobook to download and enjoy the ride!

I immediately thought about how to make this happen in my school library, stole shared the idea and brainstormed with my public library partner George Morrison. We’re dreaming up ways to pilot this idea on school buses this fall, with the tag line “Stuck on a Bus?” How about QR codes for links to audiobooks of required classroom reads? Bookmarks with QR codes to a genre list of top teen audiobooks or list of always-available classics in both eBook and audio format? What a great project to tweak and tailor to your population – find out more in this article.

The National Endowment for the Arts has released the newest batch of ” “The Big Read” classic titles for adults and teens. The 31 titles each include a “Learn More” tab for an introductory Preface, a Reader’s Guide, Teacher’s Guide and an awesome Audio Guide for each title. The approximately 30 minute Audio Guide is perfect to expand a listener’s appreciation of a book, to add to your library website or for teachers to add to a novel unit.  The Big Read will highlight a different audio guide about a Big Read book and author every 2 weeks. You can subscribe the podcast using iTunes, or any other podcatching tool.

“To Prep Or Not to Prep? That Is The Question” is the title of Grammy Award-winning audiobook producer/director Paul Ruben’s newest blog post on the positives & pitfalls of narrators preparing a book for recording. If you’d like an insider’s view of the art & craft of audiobook production, you can’t get much better than the revealing posts in Ruben’s blog.

NPR’s Press-Play Poetry website is the perfect antidote for listeners with heat-induced short attention spans. The newest post of audible poetry is “Summer Song” by William Carlos Williams, along with the poem’s text and background information.

Another audio production insider, Allan Toving of Tantor Audio, has “Tantorious,” an audio blog  where you can download and listen

Here’s a twist on librarians looking for the best ARCs to score at conference. Narrator extraordinaire Scott Brick tracks down the Advance Readers Copy of the next book in a series he voices while at ComicCon. Glad to see you’re doing your homework, Scott

Hear’s what he said on his Facebook post – and remember, you can Friend & Follow your favorite audiobook narrators & industry insiders by using these links!

Fabulous day at Comic-Con! Thanks to some great advice from Justin Cronin’s FB page, I stopped by the Random House Audiobooks booth and raided their stash of Advanced Reader Copies of THE TWELVE, the upcoming sequel to The Passage. Time to start prepping it, we’re due to record next month! Woo-hoo! Can’t wait.

Great audiobooks for guys & gals. Booklist magazine’s dynamic duo –  David Wright, Reader Services’ Librarian, Seattle (WA) Public Library and Kaite Mediatore Stover, Director, Readers’ Services, Kansas City (MO) Public Library – shared their favorite listens in the June Audiobook Showcase issue. Together, they team up to provide their fans with quirky, always interesting selections for literature lovers – this time focusing on reading with your ears.

Check out David’s “He Reads” column for his favorite male audiobook readers and Kaite’s “She Listens” column for her top voices. I discovered some new narrators to add to my listening list – hope you do, too!

Audiobooks by celebrities who love books #JIAM2012. Audible’s A-List series pairs star voices with classic books and tags the titles with “Hear Great Books Preformed by Hollywood’s Finest.” Two new videos highlight Hoffman’s reading of Being There by Jerzy Kosinski and Kidman’s narration of To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. Enjoy the videos below!

Recorded Books’ videos with favorite narrators & Book Reporters’ Focus on June is Audiobook Month. Both have tremendously interesting snipets for all audiobook lovers – from what books made your favorite narrator cry (Johnny Heller’s sobs during The Day No Pigs Would Die), to lengthy reflections by award-winning authors of narrating their own works (such as Rachel Simon on reading Riding the Bus With My Sister). Both are substantial efforts in documenting the very best in audiobook production. Each year’s celebration of June is Audiobook Month just gets better and better – especially when companies like Recorded Books & BookReporter feature such great content – be sure to take a look!

Narrator & author Gilbert‘s reflections on speaking another’s life story – so thoughtful and enlightening. Tavia shared her thoughts with me while I was preparing for the “Voices in My Head” column I write for the print edition of Booklist. But once I had included the equally wonderful thoughts of Mirron Willis and Dion Graham, I had to abbreviate all three narrator’s responses to fit my page limit. That’s why I LOVE that I have the chance to let blog readers read the complete interviews here! And what a perfect day to feature the divine Ms. Gilbert – stop by her Facebook page to wish her a Happy Birthday – and how fitting that she celebrates in #JIAM June is Audiobook Month !

Tavia Gilbert on the art of memoir narration:

As a non-ficiton writer (I’m just about to begin my final semester of the creative non-fiction MFA at Vermont College), memoir and literary non-fiction are very close to my heart. Non-fiction, too, then, holds a special place in my work as a voice actor. When I read for pleasure, it is quite often memoir or another non-fiction narrative. So the voice of the author of the non-fiction work is of great interest and concern.

Whenever I am narrating something beautifully rendered, I believe my job is to fade away—to get completely out of sight of the listener—so that the language on the page is all that is present. Particularly when narrating memoirs, when the narrative voice is strong, the writing deep and honest and authentic, it is so pleasurable to absolutely relax into the voice of the author and give oneself over completely to the words. If an author has the technical skill, precision, and relaxation to create a rich performance, the listening experience can be profoundly moving. But if they do not have voice skills, their story deserves the most compassionate, most thoughtfully cast performance possible.

It intrigues me that I find it quite difficult to narrate my own material. This is, in part, because I am an emerging writer, at the very beginnings of practicing the writing craft, so my work is new to me. But part of it is that to narrate words I myself have written—my thoughts, my memories, my challenges—I must mine an even deeper vein in myself. The words are no longer on the page, they take form. That is an only slightly less vulnerable place to live than to perform one’s own words for a live audience.

I hope I continue to have the opportunity to voice other writers’ stories, stories about people creating lives of meaning and purpose, like Kristin Kimball’s wonderful The Dirty Life, or stories of transcendence and humanity, like Loung Ung’s incredibly brave First They Killed My Father. Those true stories are personally where my heart opens widest, and they teach me how to be a better writer and human being.

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful thoughts, Tavia!!

Narrators, autographs, FREE audios - #JIAM2012 June is Audiobook Month at the American Library Association’s Annual Convention in Anaheim. If you are attending, add these terrific FREE events to your calendar!

SUNDAY June 24, 1:00pm – 4:00pm PopTop Stage,  located at the end of the 2700 aisle on the Exhibit Floor.
Audio Publishers Association hosts “Get Caught Listening!”

Featured will be the various aspects of audiobooks with a mix of authors, voice talent and actors. The APA consists of audio publishing companies and allied suppliers, distributors, and retailers of spoken word products and allied fields related to the production, distribution and sale of audiobooks. Drop by these FREE sessions:

1:00pm   Ramon de Ocampo narrator of the Wimpy Kid series and award-winning Producer Bob Deyan, Recorded Books

1:20pm   Maggie Stiefvater, Steve West & Fiona  Hardingham, author and narrators of 2012 Odyssey Honor, Scorpio Races, Scholastic Audio

1:40pm   Nancy Cartwight, voice of Bart Simpson, and Travis Oates, voice of Winnie-the-Pooh’s Piglet, performing radio theater “Stories from the Golden Age”, Galaxy Press

2:00pm  Daniel Kraus and Kirby Heyborne, author and narrator of 2012 Odyssey Award winner, Rotters, Listening Library/BOT

2:20pm  Trent Reedy and Ariana Delawari, author and narrator, Words in the Dust, Scholastic Audio

2:40pm  Director of Audio Production, Dan Zitt and narrator Kathe Mazur to discuss the art of audiobook-making, Random House Audio/BOT

3:00pm  Kelly Gildea and Lincoln Hoppe, producer and narrator 2012 Odyssey Honor, Okay for Now, Listening Library/BOT

3:20pm   Jennifer Bradshaw and Antony Ferguson, reading from a collection of short stories and The Missing of the Somme, AudioGo

3:40pm   David Cochran Heath will be selections from reading from the Bible, Christian Audio

MONDAY June 25, 4:00pm – 5:30pm, Anaheim Convention Center, Room 213D. Cocktail Reception to Follow.        The Sweet Sounds of the Odyssey Ceremony – FREE to attend!

The Odyssey Award is given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children  and/or young adults, available in English in the United States. Stepping out from behind the recording booth, your favorite narrators perform a piece from their Odyssey Award-winning audiobooks at this engaging presentation. Celebrating the magic of audio and storytelling has never been so much fun.
PLUS, every attendee walks away with a FRE

Link up with narrators, fans & industry insiders for #JIAM2012 June is Audiobook Month!

Audiobook Community on Facebook is an uncensored, unbranded forum for all audiobook listeners to discover audiobooks and connect with other fans, publishers, authors, and narrators. You’ll find posts from just about everyone in the audiobook world. Essential for every audio affecienando!

Audiobook Crowd on Facebook is a collection of audiobook professionals talking shop, a great place for those interested in learning more about the industry.

Miss Susie created an awesome collection of Twitter links to narrators, blogs, and audio publishers – sadly, I missed the post requesting links, so my Audiobooker Twitter link is missing from the list.

Celebrate June is Audiobook Month by making connections with the friendly voices you’ve been hearing in your head

Celebrate June is Audiobook Month #JIAM2012 by getting acquainted with Dion Graham, the recipient of this year’s Booklist Voice of Choice Award. You can read all about Dion’s acting career in Joyce Saricks’ feature article here: http://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=5491067.

Look for more about Dion here on Audiobooker in a coming interview where we chat about the art of narrating memoirs. I was so thrilled to spend time with Dion at the Audies Gala last Tuesday evening – he is a gracious and warm gentleman. Plus, a slam-dunk addition to the “Hot Men & Women of Audio” calendar that I’m trying to organize

Find out about past Voice of Choice recipients Katherine Kellgren, Simon Prebble, Simon Vance, and Barbara Rosenblat - the all the very best audiobook voices!

Congratulations to the winners of the Oscars of the audiobook world! 2012′s top narrators & producers were recognized at the Audio Publishers Association’s Audies Award Gala June 5th at the New York Historical Society in New York City. Comedian, actor, writer and director Michael Showalter emceed the event, where I was thrilled to be in the company of the stars of the industry. The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the Audiobook of the Year recognized for unparalleled listening experiences; creative, innovative and effective marketing; and significant sales impact on the audiobook industry.

Congratulations to the three finalists for Audiobook of the Year:
• American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary Edition, by Neil Gaiman, Narrated by Neil Gaiman, Dennis Boutsikaris, Daniel Oreskes, Ron McLarty, Sarah Jones and a full cast (HarperAudio)
• Go the F**k to Sleep, by Adam Mansbach, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson (Audible)
• Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson, narrated by Dylan Baker with an introduction by the author (Simon & Schuster Audio)

AND THE AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR WINNER IS: Bossypants, written and narrated by Tina Fey (Hachette Audio)

The prestigious Distinguished Achievement in Production Award recognizes a production that represents the best the format has to offer in listening excellence. Congratulations to the three finalists:

• The Mark of Zorro, by Yuri Rasovsky, narrated by Val Kilmer and a full cast (Blackstone Audio, Inc.)
• She Walks in Beauty: A Woman’s Journey Through Poems, selected, introduced and narrated by Caroline Kennedy and a full cast (Hyperion Audio)
• The Witches of Lublin, by Ellen Kushner, Elizabeth Schwartz and Yale Strom, Narrated by Tovah Feldshuh, Neil Gaiman, Simon Jones, Barbara Rosenblat, Elizabeth Boskey, Joanne Borts, Yelena Shmulenson, Joyce Feurring, Tim Jerome, Miriam Margolyes and a full cast (SueMedia Productions)

AND THE DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION AWARD WINNER IS: The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic, by Allan Wolf, narrated by Michael Page, Phil Gigante, Christopher Lane, Laural Merlington and Angela Dawe (Candlewick on Brilliance Audio)

And the winners of the following Audies cataories…

SOLO NARRATION—FEMALE

Rosalyn Landor, narrator of The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley, Audible, Inc.

SOLO NARRATION—MALE

Simon Vance, narrator of The King’s Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy, by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi, Tantor Audio

AUDIO DRAMA

I, Claudius, by Robert Graves, Narrated by Derek Jacobi, Tim McInnerny, Harriet Walter,  AudioGO/BBC Audio

BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

Bossypants, by Tina Fey, Narrated by Tina Fey, Hachette Audio

BUSINESS/EDUCATIONAL

The Barefoot Executive, by Carrie Wilkerson, Narrated by Carrie Wilkerson, Oasis Audio

CHILDREN’S TITLES FOR AGES 8-12

Heart and Soul, by Kadir Nelson, Narrated by Debbie Allen, HarperAudio

CHILDREN’S TITLES FOR AGES UP TO 8

Django: World’s Greatest Jazz Guitarist, by Bonnie Christensen, Narrated by George Guidall, Live Oak Media

CLASSIC

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, by Charles Dickens, Narrated by Simon Vance,�

Get the inside scoop from two pro narrators sharing interviews for #JIAM June is Audiobook Month. Narrator Karen White will be posting her interviews with industry insiders on her Home Cooked Books blog, beginning with this chat with Blackstone Audio’s Tanya Perez. Narrator Robert Fass will be posting a video each day on his YouTube channel. I’m featuring his interview with AudioGo’s Michele Cobb, president of the Audio Publishers Association below. I hope to meet up with Karen, Robert and Michele at today’s Audiobook Publishers Association Annual Conference or at tomorrow’s Audies Award Gala. Keep tuned updates on all things Audies from NYC!

I interviewed Louise Penny, author of the Three Pines mystery series, & narrator Ralph Cosham, the voice of Inspector Armand Gamache for my Booklist audiobook column “Voices in My Head.”  I want to share every word with you here on Audiobooker, as the column has their abridged remarks due to my single-page limit. It has been a total thrill to speak with a marvelous group of mystery authors & narrators for a three-part Mystery Month series. Be sure to check out Partners in Crime Pt 1 featuring Johanna Parker, voice of  Charlaine Harris‘ Sookie Stackhouse supernatural Southern Vampire mysteries and Partners in Crime Pt.2 with both author Lee Child & narrator Dick Hill talking about the Jack Reacher series. Thanks so much to all of these terrific talents who keep us all in suspense!

First, from Louise Penny:

Have you listened to your series’ audiobooks in their entirety?

Penny: No.  I listened to the first thirty seconds of the first book, when it first arrived – and shut it off, quickly.  Not because I didn’t like what Ralph was doing with the book, but simply because I realized I had my own particular ‘voice’ in my head, and I couldn’t risk confusing that.  I still haven’t listened to any of the books.  But I have to say, barely a day goes by without someone writing to tell me how much they love what Ralph does with the books.

Has your crafting of character or plot action changed due to your author / narrator connection?

Penny: No, and that was, as I mentioned, intentional.  The books and characters need to be mine, and not be influenced by anyone else, no matter how wonderful they are.

What are your feelings about your audience identifying strongly with the narrator as the voice of your books? 

Penny: I love it.  Indeed, for most people who listen to Ralph, he’s become the voice of my main character, Armand Gamache.  Many of the readers have a not-so-secret crush on Ralph!  I write to assure them that he’s as lovely a man as he sounds.

What are your thoughts on the continuity of retaining the same narrator throughout a series? 

Penny: I think it’s critical.  When someone really embraces the characters and books, and genuinely ‘gets’ not just the story, but the tone, then some magic happens.  That person ‘becomes’ the books, makes them richer, deeper.  Breathes life into the characters.  Ralph has done that for my books and people look forward to not just the book, but Ralph narrating it.  It would be a shame (and I’d hate to have to deal with the annoyed letters) if he no longer did the audio.

What are the benefits and drawbacks to a narrator & audiobook director reinterpreting your work in the audio medium? 

Penny: Well, I’ve been extreme

Charlaine Harris & Johanna Parker: an audiobook author/narrator pair extraordinaire. It’s no mystery why audiobook series have such passionate followers – the Sookie Stackhouse audios are a prime example of the connection between the reader’s voice and the continuing characters. I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Parker about her voicing of the supernatural Southern Vampire mysteries, a perfect tie-in to Booklist’s Mystery Month.

Thanks for visiting Audiobooker, Johanna! You and Charlaine are one of the most popular pairings on the audiobook shelf. Have you ever spoken or emailed with the other half of your duo? 

Yes. I spoke to Charlaine first in 2005, when I was about to narrate my first of her books - Dead as a Doornail for Recorded Books – which was the fifth of the Sookie Stackhouse series. I needed to confirm that I was about to use the correct pronunciation the name Sookie and her hometown, Bon Temps. I subsequently met Charlaine at a librarians’ convention in Chicago, where Charlaine spoke to the attendees about her work – the creative process, her writing style, etc. – and I read selected passages from several of her novels. Charlaine touched the crowd by relating that her mother had recently developed macular degeneration, and could no longer read her daughter’s work. The audiobooks, Charlaine, said, provided a happy solution to this dilemma, allowing her to “read” them by listening.

Charlaine and I immediately clicked, and have had a close working relationship ever since. I have now narrated all of the Sookie series to date. We’ve met a number of times since, at various promotional events around the country; and we often communicate by email, not only regarding the Sookie series, but regarding our other shared interests as well.

One particularly moving event took place immediately following a public reading in Iowa City, IA. As the reading was ending, a gay couple approached us, and told us that together Charlaine and I were responsible for saving their marriage. We were incredulous until the couple explained. It seemed that one of the men was a voracious reader who was fanatical about the Sookie series. He couldn’t share his literary obsession with his partner, however, because his partner didn’t like to read books! This put a severe strain on their relationship, and, they contended, nearly led to the breakup of their marriage. Their salvation came when the reader managed to persuade the non-reader to listen to the audiobook versions. Suddenly they were both Sookie fans. Marriage saved.

Has your crafting of character or plot action changed due to your author / narrator connection?

Absolutely. My relationship with Charlaine has provided me with a deeper, more intimate understanding of Sookie’s character and world, and as a result, has enhanced my performance.

How do you retain the mood & vocal characterizations of a series over time?

I record a sample of my rendition of each character’ voice on my iPhone. That way, when I return to any character, even a minor character, even years later, I’m able to recreate him or her with precise continuity. Though Charlaine has been known to surprise me with a minor character coming back years later and stumping me. I get all the cd’s and go track by track trying to find that voice! Most listeners may not notice but it niggles me not to get it right.

What are your thoughts on the continuity of retaining the same narrator th