The Spinning Heart

It brings me enormous pride to be able to announce that I have just started work on narrating Irish author Donal Ryan's acclaimed debut novel "The Spinning Heart".

Booker Prize Nominee 2013

Last week, the book was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize and we are all hoping that it will make the short-list on September 10th. 


"In the aftermath of Ireland's financial collapse, dangerous tensions surface in an Irish town. As violence flares, the characters face a battle between public persona and inner desires. Through a chorus of unique voices, each struggling to tell their own kind of truth, a single authentic tale unfolds.

The Spinning Heart speaks for contemporary Ireland like no other novel. Wry, vulnerable, all-too human, it captures the language and spirit of rural Ireland and with uncanny perception articulates the words and thoughts of a generation. Technically daring and evocative of Patrick McCabe and J.M. Synge, this novel of small-town life is witty, dark and sweetly poignant."

Am so delighted to be a part of this. Especially due to me being from Ireland, and this being my first narration for an Irish author. 
Donal Ryan is an incredible writer, and I'm very grateful to be trusted with the opportunity to bring his work to audio.

Exciting times indeed!

Updates

Just a quick update. 
For my royalty clients who are waiting very patiently to get their audiobooks released, I am almost done. 
Other work has had me swamped and I have have virtually zero time available for my projects. 

I'm off to get some more work done. 

Thank you! 

A Quest of Heroes...and other news

So much happening at the moment and it has been almost impossible to keep on top of everything but we're getting there. 
Morgan Rice's critically acclaimed "A Quest of Heroes" was released to Audible last week and is expected to be available for download very soon. 

"The Hawk & His Boy" by the incomparable Christopher Bunn is the next title to be completed and will be released shortly. I have a special attachment to this book in particular and I hope you will find that it reflects in the production. 

Robb Rodenparker's horror compendium "Ultimate Fear" is also in the pipeline and will be completed very soon. 

My studio setup is changing slightly as we work more on getting audiobooks out to authors and providers in a more timely fashion. 
I never thought I would have received as many requests for narration that I have now, and I have a lot to be thankful for. 

However, the amount of requests and projects far outweighs the amount of hours in the day, so in order to prevent any further delays, I have had to take measures to reduce my own workload and begin outsourcing, as I simply cannot find time to complete them while maintaining my day-job (which pays for all the studio equipment and bills.)
As I have mentioned in an earlier blog, I restricted the number of royalty projects that I was willing to work on, and this is definitely making a difference to my bottom line. 

To further improve production facilities, I have raised my per finished hour rate. This allows me to hire an audio editor in addition to the mastering engineer that I already have. Finding the right person to edit an audiobook was difficult as you are handing a large section of your story-telling ability, the timing, to someone else. The good news, is that I think I have found the right one.  

We will find out soon. 

I Am ONE! ....

It's been twelve months since I began narrating. Lots of lessons have been learned on the way to a year. 

Some pieces of advice for new narrators from a good-as-new narrator:

1. Get training. Seriously. Regardless of your acting, voice-over or media background, audiobook narration is a completely different animal. 
The best instructor bar none: Pat Fraley. Go to him. Learn. Come out of a workshop ten times better than you were going in. Or at least buy his book "Billion Dollar Read". 

2. Put as much cash as you can into your recording space. A properly treated room will make even the cheapest microphone sound acceptable.

3. You are an audiobook narrator and not a mastering engineer, so please hire one, at least until you know what you're doing. You will never, ever regret doing this! 

4. Due Diligence - "What, Wayne?" 
On royalty deals, ask your authors to provide a marketing plan for their book. You'll be putting a minimum of 40 hours (a week's work) into a production for them. Unless you are using the book to cut your teeth and are happy to get nothing for it, make sure the author is into it as much as you. If they are not: negotiate a per finished hour deal. Even $100 is better than 10 sales after 12 months. 

5. If you are not enjoying yourself.....stop narrating! 

Thank you to everyone for a fantastic year...
I'm off to have some cake!

More Steampunk...

Again, just a short blog to say to steampunk author Michael Coorlim's second instalment in the "Bartleby & James Adventure" series is now on sale at Audible. 

"Maiden Voyage of the Rio Grande" is a one-hour tale of murder, mystery and suspense aboard the largest airship that the world has ever seen. 
Can Alton Bartleby and James Wainwright find the culprits and save the stricken Rio Grande from capsizing and destroying London? 

Find out here: 

Maiden Voyage of the Rio Grande 

Michael Coorlim has done a wonderful job of writing this series and the third instalment is also on its way soon, so make sure to collect them all!

It's a terrific story but please, make sure you listen to the first in the series And They Called Her, 'Spider' before you do.
You won't be disappointed!

Spiggot....

Quick blog to let you all know that "Spiggot" by Craig Saunders is now on sale at Audible.com

It's an absolute riot of an audiobook, and you can download it here: 

Spiggot: A Depraved Comedy by Craig Saunders


Not for the easily offended! You have been warned!

The Hawk And His Boy....

Just a sneaky listen for you.....enjoy!