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About
the Book: CJ Reynolds couldn’t wait
to escape his hometown. He’s loving his bachelor life as a software developer
in California. So much so that he hasn’t been back in years to see the grandmother
who raised him. Single mother, Mikal Benson, believes her small town is the perfect
place to raise her son. After Mikal finds her neighbor, Polly Rogers, sprawled
on the floor in a pool of blood, barely clinging to life, she calls Polly’s grandson—CJ
Reynolds—and insists he must come home. Now. Emotions erupt between CJ
and Mikal—setting off a perfect storm of love and reconciliation when, from her
coma, Polly whispers three words that change everything. Did she fall or was
she pushed?
CJ, Mikal, and her little boy form an
unlikely team, coming together to discover the truth as danger engulfs them and
love transforms them into a family.
Mafia marriage—may
the best wiseguy win
Welcome audio book narrator, Alan Manson
Tell us about yourself. Where are you from?
I was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, but moved to the US about 7 years ago after marrying an amazing American woman. We just celebrated our 10th anniversary . When I was young, I was super shy. It took a long time to get over that. I am definitely a late bloomer, but as they say, better late than never 😊
How long have you been an audiobook narration?
I have been narrating audio books for about 2 years, so still a relative newbie. Trial of a Warrior, by Mary Morgan, was actually my first audiobook narration, and the first audiobook that I ever auditioned for.
How did you get into audiobook narration?
When I first moved to the US, people kept telling me how much they loved my voice, so eventually I decided to try my luck at voiceover. I started doing some research and soon found that I knew nothing about the industry, and that there was a lot to learn. But I persevered, took some lessons, and started trying out with auditions. I had heard about audible and found out how to audition for them. That is when I auditioned for my first audiobook by Mary Morgan, and she gave me the chance to record it.
Where do you record?
I have a home recording studio, setup in my spare bedroom. I recorded my first book in a homemade booth, basically a frame made from PVC pipe and covered in heavy packing blankets. I now have a proper booth, a Studiobricks One Plus VO Edition, which is great.
Other than your great voice, is there anything special you need to narrate an audio book?
The most important thing in any recording is the space you are in. It needs to be as soundproof as possible; you do not want any external sounds getting onto your recording. But it also needs to be treated, so there are no reflections, as these can cause echo’s, which you do not want. Once you get the space figured out, you really don’t need to spend that much on equipment. Obviously, you will need a microphone and a computer to record and edit on, but that is it.
How do you prepare for recording? Do you read a book in its entirety before recording?
I prepare by reading the book front to back , making a note of all the characters, and any information about them. Male, female, accent, attitude, that kind of thing, so that I can develop the character voices. I make a copy of the manuscript and mark it up with all the info that I find.
Do you ever come across unfamiliar words? How do you handle that?
Yes, there can be some quite difficult words to pronounce. If I do find one, I first try googling it to see if I can find the pronunciation. If that fails, I check with the author. Usually they will make a quick recording of the word and send it to me.
What is the funniest error you've made while recording? Did you keep it as an outtake?
Sometimes I just can’t get my words out when I read, it is not so much funny as it is a little frustrating, trying to read the same line over and over. I have been known to shout at myself, and scream. I don’t tend to keep those as outtakes though 😊
How long are your recording sessions?
I try to keep each session no more than 2 hours as your voice can get tired. Then I will edit what I have done, and if time allows, record some more.
Do you listen to audiobooks?
Yes, I listen to audiobooks almost every day while driving to my work.
How do you feel about your own voice in recordings?
Personally, I have no idea why people like my voice, I just irritates me, LOL
What was something you found unique in recording Mary's book?
Well, it was the first time that I had read a romantic novel, so that is unique for me. I found Mary’s writing captivating; I could not stop reading it. I even needed some tissues occasionally for my crying. Not easy to record a book, with tears rolling down your face I found.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I got started in audiobook narration and voiceover in general rather late in life. I still work full time as a Software Engineer, so I am busy doing that and voiceover. If there is one piece of advice that I could give, is that it is never too late to start something new, and every day you don’t learn something is a wasted day. Work hard, don’t give up!
Thank you for joining us.
About the Book: Accompanied by two knights, both wrongly accused of
treason, Issylte, a healer who possesses magic of the forests, flees
Avalon. The trio travels to Bretagne, where Issylte heals a critically injured
wolf and obtains fiercely loyal, shapeshifting allies. While in Brocéliande,
Issylte discovers a passion with Tristan which transcends all bounds. When she
becomes the Lady of the Mirrored Lake, sworn to defend the sacred waters of the
Goddess Dana, Issylte must undertake a perilous quest to discover what
priceless object lies hidden in its murky depths. As a nascent evil emerges,
the two lovers face a diabolical trio which threatens their lives, their love,
and their kingdoms.
Our Review: An epic story populated by elves and dwarfs; knights,
both black and white; Priestesses of the Tribe of the Goddess Dana, is a study
of the author’s devotion to history as well as her talent and imagination. The
writing is fluid and descriptive, the settings lush and colorful, the
characters varied and interesting. Kudos to author Jennifer Ivy Walker
for her strength and perseverance.
On a scale of 1-5, The Lady of the
Mirrored Lake merits a 4.5.
Kat Henry Doran, Wild
Women Reviews