HOW TO choose the BEST ACX Narrator for your Audiobook ~ Part 2

Voice-Over Artist Tristan Hunt and I have started a YouTube series of How-To's to help authors with the audiobook production process of their books.

The number one question I am asked about audiobook production at writer's conferences is, "How do I choose a good producer/narrator for my book?" THIS IS PART 2

Please comment and let us know if this is helpful to you, or if you have any other questions for us. Thanks for visiting!

The next thing to ask yourself as you begin to look for a producer/narrator is:

 

If it's written in third person, how many male and female characters are in the story?

 

If there are a majority of male characters in your story, then you should probably choose a male narrator. If there are a majority of female characters in your story, then you should probably choose a female narrator. But be sure to listen to the samples from the narrators you're considering to see if you like how they do voices for the opposite sex. You want your listener to be drawn into the story and held there by the voice of the reader, if a strange sounding voice is too jarring or distracting, it will yank the reader out of the story and they won't enjoy the experience as much as they could have.

Note: ACX is probably the best place to find the right narrator for you story and get production going.

How To Choose the Best Narrator for Your Audiobook Part 1 ~Audiobook Production via ACX

Tristan Hunt and I have started a YouTube series of How-To's to help authors with the audiobook production process of their books.

The number one question I am asked when I teach about audiobook production at writer's conferences is, "How do I choose a good producer/narrator for my book?" Please comment and let us know if this is helpful to you, or if you have any other questions for us. Thanks for visiting!

I think it's important to listen to what Tristan is trying to say about this endeavor being a creative "production." This is a collaboration to create a new product and a new way to experience your story. One reader told me she gets something different out of each format, which I found intriguing. But even reading an eBook is a different experience from reading the same story in print. So it's important to make sure the audiobook experience is just as enjoyable and unique to that format. And if you don't take care in your narrator choice, you will hurt sales because that experience won't be as great as it could have been for your audience.

The first thing to ask yourself as you begin to look for a producer/narrator is:

 

Did you write the book in first person or third?

 

If you wrote in first person then you must match the gender of the reader to the gender of the main character. If you wrote first person from more than one character's point of view, then you need a reader to match the gender of each. Note: ACX is, in my opinion, the best place to find the right narrator for you story and get production going.

Exclusive Q & A with Storytellers Tristan Hunt and Cheri Schmidt

 

Join us on BookTube!

 

Starting now, I'll be posting to YouTube twice a week. Join me for exclusive interviews, audiobook recommendations, how to on audiobook production, book trailers, and Sophia's Messy Kitchen Cooking channel. Check back every Tuesday and Saturday for something new.

 

Up next, the audiobook trailer for Forever, book 3 in The Fateful Vampire Series! If you haven't had a chance to listen to books 1 and 2, you'd best get to it. To preview those, go to Soundcloud right now. Or go to YouTube and watch the trailers. ;)

 

 



Cheri's 6 Reasons to Try Audiobooks for the First Time

Recently, I asked readers to tell me what they thought of the samples for the audiobooks I have published. I've been surprised by many of the rather unenthusiastic comments. Some have even said they don't listen to audiobooks, so they can’t comment on the samples. Really? They won’t even take two minutes to even listen to the sample? I’m having a hard time understanding this. Honestly, to me this is similar to people who won't read, just in reverse. And it reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Mark Twain.

“The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.” ~Mark Twain

 

It's true that it's hard to find time to read, especially when you have children to care for, a fulltime job to do, and laundry to sort. This leads me to my first reason to try audiobooks.

1 Listening to an audiobook is far more convenient than sitting down to read. You can multitask with an audiobook in ways you can't with a printed book or an ebook. You can enjoy a story or learn to speak French while doing laundry, preparing dinner, or driving to work. Basically, you can listen to a story being read to you at times when you cannot read at all. So let me put it this way, “The man who does not listen to audiobooks has no advantage over the man who cannot hear.” And with Whispersync via Amazon, you can keep the story going from your Kindle to your car without interruptions, making audiobooks even more convenient. Keep listening while you drive the children to soccer... Life doesn't have to interrupt your enjoyment of a good book.

2 Listening to a book rather than reading it IS NOT cheating like watching a movie is. Movies have been changed from the original book because much of what is in a book can’t be translated into film. The internal monologue, the descriptions of feelings, taste, and smell are not things that can be shown on the big screen. Sure an actor can show emotion on their face, but it's still just not the same. Books that are made into movies need to be stripped down to dialogue, scenery, sounds, and action. Movies just can’t be as rich and allow you to use your imagination like a book does. But most audiobooks are unabridged, which means it's exactly the same as the physical book, just more entertaining and more convenient. And listening still allows you to imagine every nuance written upon the page. The story is not imagined for you, it's simply lifted from the page.

3 Listening to an audiobook can help you momentarily escape reality when life sucks. When a book is acted out by a professional reader, the little inflexions in the voice, the laughter, and the tension all make the story fill your senses and bring it to life in a way that the story surrounds you. Maybe you need to run as you try to escape the demons in your life. Maybe you’ve been crying and you wouldn’t be able to focus on the words to read them. Maybe your vision is failing you because of an illness. Maybe you’re in so much physical pain you can’t even lift a book to read it. Maybe you’re blind but you love to enjoy a good story. Listening to someone read to you is actually easier than reading Braille. When you can EASILY sink into another world, time, or place, you can take a momentary break from reality so that when you do return to facing your demons, you’re refreshed and ready to battle again.

4 Audiobooks can make you smile when you realize you’re caught in a traffic jam. Nowadays, most audiobooks are digital, meaning you can have several with you at all times on your smartphone. Stuck in traffic or driving a long distance? Escape the monotony with a great story.

5 There’s nothing quite so delicious as having a romance whispered into your ear. Need I say more?

6 Have you listened to Harry Potter as read by Jim Dale? Um, you’re totally missing out if you haven’t. Your children are missing out too. And if none of the above reasons are enough to get you to try an audiobook, then start with Harry Potter and you’ll be hooked.



Of course, you’re welcome to try one of my audiobooks as well...

Not sold yet? Listen to chapter one of Fateful right now.

 

 

Tristan Hunt is like listening to Jim Dale, just sexier... ;)

 

And if you're smart, which I'm sure you are, go download the Kindle copy of Fateful for FREE,

and then snatch up the 10 hour long audiobook for $1.99!

 

(Just click on the image below.)

 

 

Thanks for visiting my website!

 

Why do you love listening to audiobooks? Let me know in the comments.

 

Audio of Cheri's books are available in the USA from Amazon, Audible, or iTunes.

Also from AU Audible.

And from UK Audible.

Audiobook Production Via ACX Q&A ~Part 2

A series on audiobook production via ACX by Cheri Schmidt.

Here is Jason Downs (aka Tristan Hunt) and Cheri Schmidt (aka that pale vampire) doing a Q & A for a writer’s conference. Second question: Can the author approve the voice of each character?



Jason brings up a good point. You've already been through the audition process, so there shouldn't be too many surprises. And you really should trust this person that you've hired to know what they're doing and allow them to do their job without you nitpicking over details that just don't matter. Let them have creative license with the story. This is a collaboration...

However, I feel it's important to note that you should take care in the audition sample you choose to post for the book. Make sure you have voices of the two main characters in there, along with some accents that might be necessary. I would also suggest choosing a scene with some tension and dialogue for both a male and female character.

Oh, and there's one more thing I forgot to mention. If you've described your characters well enough, the right voice for each one will be, or should be, pretty obvious to the professional you've hired. That's one thing that changed for me after I first heard my stories "performed." As I wrote, I could hear how it would sound as an audiobook. I couldn't do that before. I think it also improves your writing, because you know what will and won't work better than you did before

Thanks again for visiting my blog. Check back later for more... And please comment and share. ;)

Audiobook Production Via ACX Q&A ~Part 1

A series on audiobook production via ACX by Cheri Schmidt.

Here is Jason Downs and an extremely pale vampire—I mean me doing a Q & A for a writer’s conference. First question: How closely do you work together?

(Note: I’ve never recorded Skype before and really had no idea what I was doing. And I never really meant to post it to YouTube, but it turned out to be too long for the conference. I was aware of the box in the top corner, but was afraid of messing up the recording if I tried to get rid of it. It finally went away on its own and I don’t know why. I also knew the mouse arrow was on my shoulder, but was afraid I might accidentally minimize the program if I tried to move that too.)

 (Good grief! It was really hard for me to post that to YouTube...)

Cheri’s additional thoughts on this question...

I think how closely you work together largely depends on the author and how involved you want to be. But it is a creative collaboration, so perhaps more authors should be more involved. That doesn’t mean that you need to be nitpicky or annoying, though. That just means get to know each other a little so you can make the best decisions for the story, and better market the book after production is finished.

My guess is that producers and authors that have done a royalty share deal are more likely to work together closely during and after production, because they both benefit financially if sales are good.

Jason mentioned that he's had some authors who just approve the audio without making any changes, and I wanted to comment on that. I don’t know if all producers do it this way or not, but Jason would post chapters as he finished them. Either one at a time, or a few at a time. I couldn’t resist reviewing them right away, but I have heard of authors who don’t bother listening to the chapters at all. And then when it’s finished they wonder if they should listen to it or just approve it. I don’t think that is wise at all, and I was surprised to hear from Jason that some authors actually do that. Yes, producers edit their work, but things can still be missed by mistake. Just like authors need more than one editor, so does a narrator. With ACX, I feel like the rights holder is final QA, and if you don’t listen just to make sure there aren’t any random repeats still in there, you’ll make your producer look bad and that will affect his rating in the reviews. I have listened to audiobooks with repeats in the finished product and it always surprises me, because it wouldn’t have been all that hard to fix.

However, while reviewing the audio, remember that every change you ask for could cause a change in sound. So be very selective. I’ve heard of some authors who feel like that’s how they wrote it so the producer had better not change a single word! Oh please, sometimes that just happens when reading. But if it sounds natural and still makes sense, then leave it like it is. That will be better for sound quality. And you'll likely have a better working relationship with your producer if you're not a pain to work with.

Thanks for dropping by, and check back for more videos of this Q & A...

New Cover for Fateful Giveaway

Hello my darlings!

I need your help! I've been working on new covers for my books, but I can't decide on the one for Fateful. I love them both for different reasons. Please take a look and then comment to let me know which one you like best and why.

Here are the choices: (Click on the image to see it bigger.)



Soft Sepia (A)

Soft Pastels (B)

To sweeten the deal, lets have a giveaway! Post a comment for your choice and then enter on the Rafflecopter form below.

Prize Choices: (Winner will be able to choose one.)

 

~Danielle's Fairy Necklace as described in Forever and is. This necklace is handmade from antique brass findings and chain from VintaJ. The aqua crystals are real Swarovski faceted beads. The center drop is a pale aqua, 8mm, Amazonite bead. The beautiful antique brass bead in the back is so pretty you can wear it backwards for two different looks. This Victorian design is unique and will be a piece that people will ask where you got it from. Valued at $29.99. (Note: The three-way connector in the center will be slightly different, seems I can't purchase that one any longer, but the replacement is equally as nice, if not better!)

 

~OR~

 

~An audiobook copy of either Fateful or Fractured as produced by Tristan Hunt (AKA Jason Downs) from Audible, valued at $19.95-$24.95.

 

(Listen to the samples right now. ;) This prize is available to USA and UK customers.)

 

Hurry!!! This giveaway only goes until Thursday!

And remember that your choices are Soft Sepia (A) or Soft Pastels (B)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hampton Court Castle and Gardens in Herefordshire

I write fiction/fantasy, in case you hadn't noticed. And I'll be the first to tell you that vampires and fairies are not real. Disappointing, I know...I mean hugely disappointing! Seriously!!! Why can't fairies be real? Why?

Anyway, those "fictional" stories in my head are inspired by real places. That's surprising too, I know, but there you have it...

In Chapter 4 of Fateful I describe one of the these "real" places called Van Kampen Gardens  at Hampton Court Castle. (NOT TO BE CONFUSED with Hampton Court Palace, though!) There are two Hampton Courts, but there is a big difference between the two. The one mentioned in Fateful is in Herefordshire and is easily far enough away from Chertsey to give Ethan plenty of time to talk to Danielle without exposing her to his magical vampire gaze too much. Such a romantic gentleman he is! Sorry, he isn't real either, just in case you were hoping. I know that's rather disappointing too. Oh well...

For my 20th Anniversary, my husband took me to England and to Van Kampen Gardens. Twice. Yes, I loved it so much I had to go see it twice.

These are just some of the pictures we took while there. Unfortunately for us, spring had not yet sprung so while the garden was beautiful, it had not fully bloomed.


Just as there is in the book, there is a huge wisteria arch. However, as you can see below, there were no blooms or leaves on it yet. :(




And of course there was a maze. This is the archway and door that led to the start of the maze.





And of course there is a tower in the middle of the maze.






The area of the gardens is very flat. And from the tower you can see the entire garden and of course the entire maze.





The tower has a secret exit that runs under the maze and deposits you into a garden that is hidden and secluded.



We wished we could have seen the garden at it's peak. I'm sure we'll try to get back here someday...




We took over 400 pictures.

Here's the strange coincidence about this garden: I didn't know I had so many ancestors who lived near here when I chose the location for my book. My ancestors on both sides of my family, my mother's and my father's, are from Herefordshire. So close to this garden in fact, that they probably visited it. I only discovered the connection after I wrote the book. Weird, huh?

My Great Grandfather was born near here in 1824. For over 180 years prior to that, my ancestors called the surrounding area just west of this garden home. In fact, my 2nd Great Grandfather is buried only about 4 miles from this garden.

And the release date for The Order of Curse-Bound Knights is nearing!!! Check back soon to see a preview of the first three chapters! Here is a preview of the cover.

Be the very first to know about new releases and exclusive mailing-list only giveaways by joining my mailing list!

 

Hello my darlings! I frequently get messages asking me when my next book is coming out.

So let's make it super easy, shall we?

By simply subscribing to my mailing list you’ll be the VERY FIRST to know about new book releases. Also, you’ll be automatically entered into a monthly drawing for signed copies of my books, or free copies of my audio books from Audible, or other swag items such as book-themed, handmade jewelry. This is different from my blog email subscription in that you will ONLY be emailed when a new title is released, or about exclusive sneak peeks, or if you are the monthly winner. I promise! The last thing I want to do is clutter up your inbox.

And to make it even sweeter...when I get 1000 subscribers signed up for my mailing list, I'll give away a grand prize to one lucky winner that includes:

1~ A signed paperback copy of Fateful, Fractured, and Forever.
2~ Each book will come with a pretty handmade, beaded bookmark.
3~ A choice of either Danielle's pearl necklace from Fateful, or her fairy necklace from Forever.
4~ And a copy of Fateful or Fractured on audio, narrated by Tristan Hunt.

Always grateful,

Cheri

(Privacy Policy: Your email address will be kept confidential, used only for this newsletter, and it will not be shared with or sold to anyone else.)

PS: View samples of the prizes next and then keep scrolling to join. And of course it's free to join...

Free stuff for subscribers only!

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Drew’s interview of Ethan Deveroux: (Don't miss the giveaway at the end ;)

Drew: Thanks for joining me today. It’s nice to talk man to man.

Ethan: Indeed. The pleasure is all mine, I must say.

Drew: (wrinkling his nose like something smells bad) “Indeed?” and “I must say?” Your...um, historic choice of words prompts me to ask: Do you realize that you sound kind of cheesy sometimes?

Ethan: It might be that British, Mr-Darcy-like side of me coming out. I grew up in the late 1800’s. Sorry, old habits. (Ethan grins showing teeth)

Drew: Mr. Darcy, huh?

Ethan: I daresay, if someone plucked him from the past and plopped him right in the middle of the 21st-century, wouldn't people label the poor bloke as cheesy too? (Ethan slants an offended gaze back at Drew)

Drew: Dude! People don’t say “daresay” anymore!

Ethan: British guys do.

Drew: Really? (still not buying it)

Ethan: We use words like actually, bangers and mash, bloke, pip pip, cheerio, and knickers quite frequently too.

Drew: (Drew gaped at Ethan before saying) You’re pulling my leg.

Ethan: (smirking knowingly) Perhaps.

Drew: So is it safe to guess that you know the effect this kind of speech has on women?

Ethan: (shrugs shoulders) Danielle likes it...and with that knowledge, I confess I might be pouring it on a little thick.

Drew: Let’s get back to business, shall we?

Ethan: Very British way of putting it. (Ethan offered in approval)

Drew: Er, thanks...So in the books it's mentioned that you and Danielle recognize and know each other. From like another time. Can you explain that?

Ethan: I believe we knew each other BEFORE we were born into this life, as spirits basically. I also believe we chose one another then and had a relationship then. But since none of us can remember our existence before we were born, we too can’t remember that time together either. We can only see it when we look directly into each other’s eyes, or sense it, really. It’s sort of like how one’s spirit continues to exist after death of the physical body—one existed before physical life too.

Drew: Don't you know a witch, or fairy, or something that could shed some light on this for you?

Ethan: Hm, perhaps. That’s a good idea, though. I'll look into it and inform you all in book 3.

Drew: So how old are you?

Ethan: A little over 170.

Drew: And how long have you been a vampire?

Ethan: I was turned in my twenties, so for about 150 years.

Drew: Why do you want to be human and mortal? Why not stay a vampire with all of the benefits that come with that?

Ethan: I still consider myself human, just cursed. And as a cursed man I can't have children. I want to be a father more than I want immortality.

Drew: But all of that power and strength! Can’t you hypnotize with our eyes and don’t you have some kind of magical breath that smells intoxicating instead of like normal breath...which might smell more like a burger with onions for example?

Ethan: (Glancing sideways, a grin lifts the corners of his mouth.) I rather fancy American burgers with ketchup and mustard and pickles and, of course, melted cheese. Ah! Don’t forget the chips!

Drew: You’re getting sidetracked again.

Ethan: (rubbing his stomach) I suppose I should have stopped for a bite first.

Drew: So at the end of book 2 you make a decision that seemed sort of impulsive to me. Why so quick? Why no hesitation?

Ethan: Inside I did hesitate. There are advantages, so to speak, that I will miss due to that decision. But I strongly believe it was for the best, for both Danielle and me. I will always do what's best for her. Deep down I can be as selfish as anyone, but in this instance, I was choosing what I thought was best for her. She really hated being a vampire even if I thought she was safer that way. I just want her to be happy.

Drew: What do you have to say to people who say you’re like Edward?

Ethan: Well... I’m older than he is. I have blond hair and blue eyes. I can grow facial hair and I can tan when exposed to the sun. I’ve never looked down on Danielle as though she were a child. Our spirits are the same age even if our physical bodies aren’t. I see her as an equal, no actually, that isn’t right either. I put her above me. I respect her. She can kick major a—! And I’ve let her defend herself when I knew she could. Like with that handsy-creep she met at the dance club.

(Ethan took a big breath and released it slowly, also releasing his fisted fingers.)

Going back to that Edward chap, I certainly do not sparkle, and I have real fangs! I believe I do have a soul, always have. I believe in an afterlife as well as a pre-earth life, which is where I believe I met Danielle, and probably why I don’t fear the idea of growing old as a mortal man. And, most importantly to me, I wasn’t constantly resisting the urge to eat Danielle. I was more concerned with getting to know her, winning her heart and becoming un-cursed so I could have a normal life with her. ~He’s a little aggitated. His accent got thicker...~

Drew: So what is the deal with you and Lucas?

Ethan: The troubles with him go back to our days in school as teenagers. He became a murderer before he ever became a vampire. My friends and I tried to stop him but failed. He blames me for things I couldn't change and things I did do to him. Because of that conflict he went after Danielle. I regret the fact that my past put Danielle in danger.

Drew: What should readers look forward to in book 3?

Ethan: Readers will learn the details about my past with Lucas. And you’ll get to know me even better than before. Look forward to another wild ride with a considerable dose of danger, an introduction to more mythical creatures and, as always, plenty of romance and sexy Victorian lingo. (Ethan winks, only smiling with half his mouth.)

Author note: The sale on Fateful will be ending soon, so I suggest you snatch it up now! Plus I’ll give away a free e-book OR PRINTED COPY of Fateful or Fractured or Fair Maiden to one of the lucky people who post a comment below by August 12th. (Yes, even international.)

Cheers! Cheri