Good Stuff is Coming…

So Excited!

OMGOODNESS you guys. I’ve just received the final file of my Book 3 cover and I’m sooooo in love with it! I can’t WAIT to share!! Details (and of course PICS!) coming soon! Eeeeee!!! Stay tuned, y’all. You do not want to miss this!

Meet the Voice of Rennie! (…And All of Rennie’s Friends)

I can’t even tell you how excited I am to make this introduction. Seriously, I feel like this has been years in the making. Everyone… I would like you to meet Almond Eastland. (Everyone: “Hi Almond!”) This is the wonderful lady who has given Rennie (and all of her friends and foes!) a voice. She has brought so much artistry to my little indie book, and I just can’t say enough about how thrilled I am to have her on board. She has brought all of Rennie’s qualities and quirks to full-dimension life and I am ecstatic to share her with you!

FIRST… a quick reminder that we’re doing a GIVEAWAY for a FREE download of the audiobook for Drawn In: Book One of the Paper Dreams Chronicles. For details, see the post from yesterday. To cut to the chase and get your own copy now, click here!

Okay, so a little background on how this partnership came to be… I posted in June about beginning my hunt for auditions on the ACX site. I had never met Almond (still haven’t in person… that seems weird! Haha!), but when I heard her audition, I got goosebumps. It’s hard to describe that moment as an author when you just know that you’re listening to your main character. I mean, Rennie talks to me all the time, so I know what she sounds like (I’m not crazy… it’s an author thing). So long story short, I gathered some great auditions, and weeded through them, and I narrowed it down to my top two. I had them both read one more section, and I knew I had my Rennie. There are so many phrases and sections that she reads which sound exactly like they do in my head; it’s almost freaky.  And there are also a few interpretations which took me off-guard and surprised me. Again, as an author, that’s pretty freaking cool.

So without further ado… meet Almond!

Sioux: Hi Almond! Welcome to my blog; I’m so glad you could join me!

Almond: Hi Sioux! Thank you so much for having me!

S: Before we dive into the art of audiobooks, I have to comment on what a great name you have! As someone who enjoys unusual names, I have to know… is there a story there? 

A: Thank you. You have a pretty cool name, too!

The short version is that my mom was a 19-year-old hippie. The longer version is that she had a vision of me before I was born and “received” the scripture, “the Almond tree shall flourish.”

S: That is so cool! I love that there’s such a unique story behind your unique name.

So now to audiobooks… what made you want to get into narration? 

A: I’ve loved to read for as long as I’ve been able to, and I love audiobooks for letting me read more that I would otherwise be able to, since I can listen while I drive or do other things.

When I was researching college majors, I already had a family to support, and none of the professions that would let me read for a living seemed to offer much in the way of financial security, so I chose to become an accountant.

Once my kids were in college, I began to investigate other career paths that I might find more fulfilling. I heard Carrie Olsen talk about voice over on the Afford Anything podcast, so I started researching it. Audiobook narration is the branch of voice over that “makes my heart sing,” as they say, and now I’m working toward being able to read for a living after all. 

S: You have such a great style and a vast array of vocal traits. I’m betting that didn’t happen overnight! Can you tell us about some of the training you’ve had and the tools you use to build those skills?

A: Thank you. That’s very kind of you to say. Most audiobook narrators are trained actors, so I’ve definitely had a steep learning curve. Fortunately, I love to learn, so I am constantly working to build and grow my skills. That involves everything from listening to a lot of audiobooks (yay!) to taking classes, and working one-on-one with coaches. It is very challenging, and a huge investment, but that’s what it takes to learn a new profession.

One thing that’s pretty cool is that I’ve gotten to work with my youngest son, Ian. He’s a newly-minted drama teacher, and, in my completely unbiased opinion, a great coach. It’s been really neat to be able to learn from him and see him in his professional role. It’s something I think not a lot of parents get to experience.

S: Wow, what a cool experience! So tell me a little about your personal style. Do you have a favorite genre to narrate? 

A: Apparently, I have a young-sounding voice, so I seem to be a good fit for any genre that features a young female lead–all the better if she’s a bit quirky! So far, that’s meant cozy mystery, YA, fantasy, and romance. I guess if I had to choose, I’d go with YA because it can encompass all the other genres.

S: And, of course, I have to ask a few questions about this book, because it’s mine! Haha! What made you audition for Drawn In when you saw it posted on the ACX site?

A: The blurb was immediately intriguing. It sounded like a compelling story that I would enjoy reading–and it was! Then, when I downloaded the audition script, the writing was really strong, and the characters seemed to leap off the page. I try to put auditions out of my mind as soon as I submit them, but this was one I was really hoping I’d get.

S: Was there a particular character who was especially fun or interesting for you? What made him/her stand out to you?

A: Well, I know it’s the obvious answer, but I just loved Rennie. She’s smart and funny and nerdy. I just felt an immediate connection to her. 

S: And that connection definitely shines through when you portray her! Now, without any spoilers, did you have a favorite scene or section?

A: First of all, I love the overall sense of mystery, that “what is going on here?” feeling of the book. (You really need to finish Book 3 so I can find out!) And the contrasting but overlapping settings are great!

Maybe because of that mysterious quality, I was surprised by how sharply the book evoked that “first love” feeling. I met my husband when I was 17, and I found myself thinking a lot about that summer when I was doing my pre-read. So, my favorite scenes are the ones with Rennie and Alex.

S: Haha! I am working on Book 3, I promise! And finally, any advice for people who want to learn to narrate audiobooks? 

A: It’s harder than you think! If you’re interested in narrating audiobooks, first take Sean Pratt’s test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPzPi-_0Xi8. Then, if you’re still interested, be willing to invest in good coaching and tools.

S: Thanks so much for coming on my blog today! You are such a joy to work with, and I love learning more about how you do what you do!

A: Thank you for inviting me, Sioux. It’s been a real pleasure to work with you, too.

So there you have it! Want to learn more about Almond? Check out her sites too!

Her website is here: almondeastland.com

Her Facebook is here: Almond Eastland VO

Her Twitter is here: @almond_eastland

And her Instagram is here: almond.eastland

It’s Official… We Have an Audiobook! (Plus a GIVEAWAY!)

Oh my gosh you guys you guys you guys!! We did a thing… Rennie has a VOICE! Drawn In: Book One of the Paper Dreams Chronicles is now officially an audiobook and it’s LIVE and available on Audible, iTunes, and Amazon!

The narrator, Almond Eastland, is absolutely incredible and I am so so pleased with how this has turned out. Stay tuned this weekend for an interview with her right here on my blog to learn more about her and the art of audiobook narration. She’s really great. I can’t wait for you to meet her!

In the meantime, let’s do a giveaway! Who wants a FREE code to download the Drawn In audiobook?? To enter, comment here on the blog, on the Facebook post, the Instagram post, or the Twitter post. That’s it! Each comment will get you an entry. SHARE the post for an extra entry! Someone will win… might as well be you! I’ll do the drawing on Wednesday 01/01 (cos why not start the New Year with free stuff, right?).

Audiobook Adventures… Take Two!

About four years ago, I started on a journey to get Drawn In produced as an audiobook. It was exciting, and I learned a lot in the process, but ultimately it didn’t play out. It’s no one’s fault & there’s no ill will at all, just to be clear.

But now it’s four years later, and I am so ready to try this thing again! I’m on the hunt for my Rennie. So if you are an audiobook narrator (or know one to share this with), give it a shot! It’s open for auditions on the ACX website and I’ve already received a few great submissions!!

A few notes:

This will be a single narrator production, not full cast. I’m looking for one person.

The main character is a 16-year-old girl, standard American accent.

This will be royalty-share (but I am willing to negotiate for the right person if something else is needed).

Ideally, I’ll want to use ONE narrator for all three books in the trilogy. (Book three is still being written.)

• One minor character has a British accent (London… think Doctor Who, not Downton Abbey).

Contact me with questions! I’m sooooo excited to get going on this!! 😃

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Launch Day…

Soooo… funny story. I went to my Amazon author page to see what I needed to update and lo and behold, A Time Forgotten is listed as Available! Whaaaat??? So, thank you Amazon, the paperback version is available TODAY!

The Kindle version is still slated for tomorrow, so if you’ve pre-ordered, it will arrive as scheduled.

So here it is… get your PAPERBACK version a day early (and just think, you’ll avoid alllll the spoilers by reading early!)

 

NEWS!!! You ready for a cover reveal??

I have been out of the blogosphere (is that still a word?) for a very long time. VERY long time. You may have noticed. BUT! I have big news!! Last night, I finally finally finally completed my rough draft and I am entering the editing phase! I’m thinking that I’ll be ready for a summer release! Whaaaaat? Super excited about this. Like, I can’t even tell you how excited.

So in honor of this major step in the process, I’m ready to do a cover reveal! My AMAZING cover artist, Leslie, has had this ready for me for quite some time and I feel like I’m finally living up to my part of this. 🙂

Oh! I just realized this is a title reveal too! So here’s the scoop on that…

I was pounding my head against a wall trying to come up with the title for my sequel to Drawn In. I was completely stuck on the idea that I wanted all 3 books to begin with “Drawn.” It just made sense. But a dear friend of mine interceded and compelled me to keep pushing for something stronger. I ignored her for a while. But then I realized that she was right. I was boxing myself in in a way that didn’t need to happen. And so I went back to square one and started re-imagining what it could be if I let myself out of that box. And I went back to the Prophecy in book one…

Hair of Fire, Eyes of Ice,

With her family she’s all alone.

She’s been drawn in to a time forgotten

But paper dreams will lead her home.

And there was my title. And I love it. It feels right, and it feels specific, and it feels like mine. And so I give you… the cover of A Time Forgotten.

I’m in love with it. My favourite part is the small patch of starry sky shining through in the corner. SO beautiful! And do you notice the Spiral Spire there on the Citadel? And who is this reaching out, inviting you to join? Is this Alex? Is it Seth? Someone new? Hmmm…

Feel free to comment! I’d love to hear your thoughts!