Author: C.A. Gray
Narrator: James R. Cheatham
Length: 10 hours 37 minutes
Publisher: C.A. Gray⎮2021
Genre: Christian Fiction
Release date: Nov. 24, 2021

​

Where are you from? Where do you live now?
Originally I was born in Baton Rouge, LA, but I’ve been in Tucson, AZ for more or less my whole life.

How long have you been writing? How did you start writing?
I've been writing since I was in elementary school... although back then all my main characters were cats (go figure). I've got about 12 shelves' worth of journals throughout my life, and have always felt that words are incredibly powerful. I minored in Creative Writing in college. I guess I always knew I'd end up writing eventually.

What is your writing process?
I brainstorm a world and a general gist of the story, and then I outline the story in broad strokes. Next I outline the nitty gritty, down to what happens in each chapter. Then I write from the outline, in roughly 20 page chunks, editing as I go. I send each set of 20 to my primary editor (my mom, whose maiden name I borrowed as my pen name) and make whatever edits she recommends as I go. Then when I finish the story, I reread the whole thing and edit it to the best of my ability before shipping it off to her and to my other editors!

What do you find to be the most difficult part of the writing process?
Most difficult are those days when I have to make myself write, but I’m really distracted by something else. It’s super hard to focus, and I don’t feel like I’m writing anything worth saying, but I do it anyway. My favorite part is also the easiest—that feeling of ‘flow,’ when I’m really identifying with my characters and I feel immersed in my world. Problem is, when my writing time is up on those days and I have to switch to something else, it’s really hard to do!

Where are your books set? Why?
Piercing the Veil is set in Norwich, England, because that’s where I studied abroad when I was a junior in college. That experience changed my life, and in many ways I left my heart there. Of course much of it is also set in Carlion, the fantasy world of the former Camelot, too. That was more incidental: they’re British and Arthur is a story everyone is familiar with, so it was easy to borrow! The Liberty Box trilogy is set in what used to be the United States of America, but in a future where the U.S. has fallen. I chose that because I was fascinated by dystopian stories, but I wanted it to feel a little closer to home than if I’d set it in a fictionalized universe… and I also wanted to briefly touch on the economics of how and why the U.S. collapsed in the first place. I like to take the opportunity to educate the reader here and there when possible, if it doesn’t take away from the story… physics in Piercing the Veil, and a little economics in The Liberty Box.

Are your characters based on real people?
Not intentionally. :) I think all of my main characters (Peter and Lily, Jackson and Kate) have aspects of me in them, because I imagine how I would react in a given situation or how I might say something, and I put that in their heads or their mouths. But I suspect I’m pulling all of my characters from experience, whether it be myself, others, or fictional archetypes. You write what you know.

Where do the ideas for your books come from?
​ The germ of the idea comes from other stories I love, always. The rest comes from very intentional brainstorming sessions, usually over a period of days or weeks… they definitely don’t fall into my head complete.

Who is your favorite author?
I’d have to go with the proverbial JK Rowling. LOOOVE the Harry Potter series. But C.S. Lewis would probably be a close second… The Chronicles of Narnia is fantastic, and I also love his non-fiction. When you aren’t writing, what do you like to do for fun? I love spending time with friends and family, working out (yoga and running), watching movies (my husband and I have an occasionally contentious movie blog: westsidehecklers.wordpress.com), reading fiction or non-fiction, having coffee or a glass of wine after a long day... and I don't get to do this nearly as often as I'd like, but I love to travel!

Do you do school visits?
I haven't yet, but I’d definitely be open to that! Shoot me an email if you'd like to discuss... What’s next? At the moment, I’m working on “The Potentate”, the third book in The Liberty Box trilogy. But my sister-in-law had a really interesting idea for another story with a similar theme—what life do you want to live, the real one, or a far more glamorous fantasy that only feels real in your mind? Seems appropriate for our society with budding Virtual Reality technology. I’ll flesh that one out and see where it goes next!


Lightning Round!!! 
Favorite Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake or chocolate ganache cake from Trader Joe’s. Basically anything dark chocolate, though. 

Favorite Color: Depends on when you ask me… at the moment, probably pastel lavender, but hot pink is a consistent favorite. 

Cats or Dogs?
CATS (mostly because I am allergic to dogs, though). v If you couldn’t be an author, you’d be… An actress, assuming I could be that instead! Should I say doctor? I’m guessing in this question I can’t be that either. 

Favorite Food: Fried shrimp. Unless I haven’t had veggies in awhile, because then I literally crave them. 
​
Coffee or Tea? COFFEE! (Is this even a question???)

​Only the Rourkes can take something as serious as a hostile takeover of Carnage Crossing and make it macabre yet beautiful, deadly yet humorous, loveless yet romantic ALL at the same time. Bravo on another amazing series!

5 Stars
​Lynn 

About the Author: Alex Callister
Alex is an action movie fan and her books are full of cult references and movie one-liners. Her kick-ass heroine, Winter, was inspired by Bond, Bourne, John Wick, Vin Diesel, Jack Reacher and many others. She has a history degree, a certificate in creative writing and a murderous imagination. She writes when she gets a chance, which is mainly at night between 10pm and 2am at home in London, with her three Bengal tigers. Her debut WINTER DARK was the Audible UK Thriller of the Year and was a finalist at the Audies in 2020.
Website

About the Narrator: Ell Potter
Ell Potter is an actor, writer, and award-winning narrator. While training at LAMDA, she was named Audible’s ‘Breakout Star’ and her debut audiobook was subsequently nominated for an Audie. She has since recorded extensively with numerous publishers, winning multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards in the process. Her narrator credits include Hamnet, the Winter series, Dark, Salt, Clear (BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week), In At The Deep End , and little scratch .

​

A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?
I don't think having a background in theatre is essential to audiobook narration, but it can definitely help. When you're narrating, you're doing all the imaginative work to bring an entire 'production' to life - to follow the metaphor, you're painting the set, you're adjusting the lights, you're bringing the characters in on cue. Working in theatre gets you accustomed to living in a fictional world, holding multiple storylines in your head, accessing different characters, voices, and attitudes at a moment's notice.
How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for narrating?
Having time off from reading is really important! Which is difficult, because I'm a bookworm, so being in a book is my happy place. But sometimes you just gotta give your eyes a rest. If I have a heavy stint of audiobook recording - a book a week, for a few weeks in a row - I try to make sure I have other work lined up for afterwards. I love writing after I've done a stint of narration, because you learn so much from reading other people's work, it always feels like ideas are teeming to get out. If I'm craving diving into a book, I try to pick a totally different genre to the one I'm next narrating, so it feels like more of an escape.
Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
I hate to say this, but I'm not! I find it hard to turn off my 'narration' / 'work' brain when I'm listening: I don't find it as relaxing as others might. I'm thinking 'ooh, I love what the narrator did there', 'love that accent choice', 'I wonder how long that took'. I'm listening out for the edits and wondering how many pickups (misreads) they had. I love audio as a medium though. It's so intimate; you're right there with someone; they're a companion, a friend. Though I don't listen to many audiobooks, I am addicted to podcasts; I think intimacy is a similarity between the two formats. 
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook?
My favourite part of narrating changes depending on the specifics of each project. But the one consistent thing which I love is narrating the credits! It sounds silly, but I always leave the intro / outro till last, so it's the final thing I do on a project. There's this feeling of finality, of closing. Saying 'All Rights Reserved' fills me with deep satisfaction.
My least favourite part is in the research phase, where I look up the pronunciations of words I'm not entirely sure on. Sometimes this can be exciting - I get to learn a new word! - but sometimes it's a word I really should know how to pronounce, but I've forgotten, or I don't trust the fact that I haven't been saying it wrong my entire life (haha! it's surprising how often this happens). 
How closely do you prefer to work with authors?
There's no set way I like to work with authors. Sometimes I never hear anything from them - and what I enjoy about that is there's this mutual trust between us. The book does all the talking for itself; I'm just the conduit for that story. Everything I need to know already exists in the text.
But I also love the more collaborative approach some authors take - Alex being a case in point! During her writing process I might get an email from Alex asking me how I feel about a particular accent; we go back and forth about what might sound best, what might feel most comfortable. This way of working is so much fun, and makes me feel like Alex is really thinking about, and caring for, the experience of how the story will sound. It's pretty special!
Have there been any characters that you really connected with?
In the Winter books I have such a soft spot for Simon. A classic example of how Alex's accent-checks help me connect to a character: we decided Simon would come from Aberdeen, where my family is from. I also love that he's an absolute nerd. In the glitz and glamour of Winter's world, he's a relatable anchor in reality.
What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
F**ck off! 
I joke, but genuinely - it is reading. The earliest stories were all told by word-of-mouth. Plus, it's really accessible! And what have we learned over the past eighteen months? Accessibility is really important!  

​

​Author: Kyle Prue
Narrator: Jon Eric Preston
Length: 9 hours 53 minutes
Publisher: Cartwright Publishing⎮2021
Genre: Fantasy; Young Adult
Series: Feud Trilogy, Book 3
Release date: Nov. 22, 2021

​

Author: J. Lawrence Matthews
Narrator: Thomas Judd
Length: 19 hours 13 minutes
Publisher: East Dean Press⎮2021
Genre: Mystery; Historical Fiction
Release date: Oct. 1, 2021


​
“What do you get when you cross Abraham Lincoln with Sherlock Holmes? The alchemy of creative genius. Matthews brings us to the intersection of history and fiction in this beautifully written epic full of unfathomable twists and turns. It’s elementary: this book is sensational.” (Jim Campbell, syndicated radio host and author of Madoff Talks: Uncovering the Untold Story Behind the Most Notorious Ponzi Scheme in History)
“President Lincoln is assassinated in his private box at Ford’s!”
When those harrowing words ring out during a children’s entertainment in Washington on the evening of April 14, 1865, a quick-thinking young chemist from England named Johnnie Holmes grabs the 12-year-old son of the dying president, races the boy to safety, and soon finds himself enlisted in the most infamous manhunt in history.
One Must Tell the Bees is the untold story of Sherlock Holmes’ journey from the streets of London to the White House of Abraham Lincoln and, in company with a freed slave named after the dead president, their breathtaking pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth. It is the very first case of the man who would become known to the world as Sherlock Holmes, and as listeners will discover, it will haunt him until his very last.
At a time when Western history is being reexamined and retold, old heroes cast aside and statues torn down, and even the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, “the Great Emancipator”, is questioned, One Must Tell the Bees is a timely reminder that our history deserves to be understood before it is entirely undone.

Buy Links
Buy on Amazon⎮Audible

About the Author: Alex Callister
Alex is an action movie fan and her books are full of cult references and movie one-liners. Her kick-ass heroine, Winter, was inspired by Bond, Bourne, John Wick, Vin Diesel, Jack Reacher and many others. She has a history degree, a certificate in creative writing and a murderous imagination. She writes when she gets a chance, which is mainly at night between 10pm and 2am at home in London, with her three Bengal tigers. Her debut WINTER DARK was the Audible UK Thriller of the Year and was a finalist at the Audies in 2020.
Website

About the Narrator: Ell Potter
Ell Potter is an actor, writer, and award-winning narrator. While training at LAMDA, she was named Audible’s ‘Breakout Star’ and her debut audiobook was subsequently nominated for an Audie. She has since recorded extensively with numerous publishers, winning multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards in the process. Her narrator credits include Hamnet, the Winter series, Dark, Salt, Clear (BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week), In At The Deep End , and little scratch .

​

​The Winter Series was written specifically for audio, how did that come about?
Audible produce their own Audible Original titles and they commissioned the Winter books. They have six months exclusivity when a book first comes out, which means it can’t be reproduced in any other format like print or digital. It is very satisfying as an author to write for audio. A narrator brings the words alive and slows the reader down so even though the subject matter is gripping, the reader can’t speed ahead. Every word matters. The language has to be very precise.

Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?
Definitely. The more lyrical the better. There is a certain poetry to the spoken word. I am very conscious of rhyme and rhythm when I write. I say everything out loud as I go. I sound crazy. Makes working in libraries difficult!

Where do you write?
Everywhere. I carry a notebook around with me and am always noting down scenes when they occur. If I have a fight to write (and there are a lot of fights in the Winter books) I put my earphones in and go for a walk. Music is very inspirational. 

So, what do you listen to if you are writing a fight? 
At the moment, it is Seven Nation Army. I get obsessed with songs and listen to them fifty times while I write a chapter and then never listen to them again. I like I can’t fall in love without you by Zara Larsson for romance and Bad Things, the soundtrack to True Blood, for sex. Each of the Winter books has a playlist on Spotify of tracks I was listening to at the time. 

There is a lot of sex in the Winter books is that something you deliberately set out to do?
Yes. Winter is my version of Bond. I have tried to stay true to the promiscuity of early Bond.

Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you? 
Absolutely. Audio is very immersive. I like to listen to the same things over and over. I always have something on if I am driving or cooking etc... My favourites are the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, read by Nigel Planner and Tony Robinson and Celia Imrie. I practically know them off by heart.

What are you listening to at the moment?
The Raven Boys series by Maggie Stiefvater narrated by Will Patton. I love the way he says ‘Blue’. I was expecting a female narrator when I started so took a bit of time to get used to his voice, but now I think he is perfect.

How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters? 
Very closely. I am really lucky my narrator lets me give her production notes. Because it’s a series, we have been able to plan characters and backstory together. There’s this central character, Simon, that is Aberdonian because Ell really wanted to do an Aberdonian accent. Now he has a whole Aberdeen backstory! Sometimes, I put things into the books as a joke or a challenge for Ell – like an Algerian gangster talking Italian.

Does she try to change anything?
Sometimes. That is the beauty of writing for audio. It is a very collaborative event. If she wants to change something I’m usually fine with it. 

What’s next for you?
The fourth instalment in the Winter series, Winter Falling, is out 10 April 2022

When did you know you wanted to be an audiobook narrator?
I was told by several peers in the VO world that they thought I possess the perfect combination of having a great story telling ability and a voice they connect with and enjoy listening to . As I had been a SAG BookPAL reader, read for both my boys classes in school,  and love long form narrative, it just seemed like a natural fit.

A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?
Having received my degree in Theatre from Florida State University, the training of breaking down a script/story has proven to be incredibly useful to me when approaching books to narrate.

What type of training have you undergone?
Working out at the Don LaFontaine Voice Over Lab through the Los Angeles SAG/AFTRA Foundation, and learning ProTools has been of incredible value to me for narrating audiobooks. Continuing study, workouts and Narrator forums are ongoing. There is always something that can be learned.

What would you say are your strongest narration abilities?
The ability to paint the picture and tone of each scene, and giving a full range of emotions and depth of life to all of the characters.

How did you decide how each character should sound in this title? 
As I had narrated book 1 “The Sparks” and book 2 “The Flames”, some of the characters were already set and determined. When I read a book, I see and hear the story in my mind, so in reading “The Ashes”, with any new characters, the qualities that are given to them individually usually allows the character’s voice to just come through for me.

Has anyone ever recognized you from your voice?
​I’ve had people tell me that when they hear commercials I’ve done that they knew immediately it was me.
How does audiobook narration differ from other types of voiceover work you've done?
Audiobook narration is the marathon of Long Form voice-over. While every script or piece of copy should be approached with the sense of giving a three dimensional life to the read, being responsible for giving the entire book and characters a life is utterly different from a one liner.
​
Do you read reviews for your audiobooks?
I do. It’s good to know how the listeners are receiving the story, and it let’s me know where anything I’m doing can be improved upon.

If so, which ones stand out to you most, positive or negative?
​I’ve learned to take reviews as a cumulative experience. As I am self-directing, I have a pretty good sense of how I need to come across to let the characters have believable arcs and justify their actions with the way they are speaking. It’s rewarding to get reviews that the listeners have laughed and cried because of my narration.

What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
Personally, I would love for the Audiobook listening community to use the expression “I’m listening to...”, unless of course they are doing it with whispersync, which is listening as you read along. The spoken word and oral tradition of telling stories came well before humans gained the ability to write. The spoken word is the predecessor to the “written book” form of conveying ideas. Who didn’t love having a bedtime story read to them as a child? There is no reason to stop enjoying having a story read to you just because you are a “grown up”. I would also ask them if they knew that Audiobooks have been an incredible tool for helping those with reading difficulties such as dyslexia, and those who want to learn a language. Perhaps if they asked “What was your favorite part of the story?” instead of being judgemental, they might actually find a friend, make a connection, and help rehumanize us all...one story at a time.

​