Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf: Feature

Showing posts with label Feature. Show all posts

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Interview with Narrator Zachary Johnson and Giveaway for Quest of the Dreamwalker

Please help me welcome audiobook narrator Zachary Johnson to Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf.

M: Hello Zachary – Thank you for joining me in the blog world at Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf and for sharing a bit about your experience as a book narrator.

ZJ: Thank you so much for having me! I'm thrilled to be here!

M: I’m going to jump right in and ask if you would briefly share a little of your background and more particularly, what experience you had with theater, media, announcing etc. that led to you becoming a narrator.

ZJ: Sure thing! In school, I was always the kid teachers would call on to read stuff out loud, so you could argue I got my start very young, but I actually didn't start formal training in acting until I was 21. I studied at a school called Anthony Meindl's Actor Workshop for two years. My dad and I actually took some classes there together. It was one of those “I secretly really want to do this but I'll only do it if you do” things. Probably one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. I think that was what really made me want to give it a try in some form. The transition from the stage to the booth was somewhat jarring at first, but I'm an introvert, so it works well for me. It's kinda nice to have a little imagination chamber where I can act out the books as I read them and get paid for the privilege!

M: That is very cool to have taken classes with your Dad. As more background, did you always like reading and did you listen to audiobooks before entering the field?

ZJ: I loved reading from a very young age. My dad actually read the first four Harry Potter books to me when I was little. I think my interest really started there. I was just old enough to read books three and four myself, but I always liked it better the way he told it. There was something magical about it being brought to life by a good reader. He always put expression and nuance in the dialogue. It was wonderful. Plus we could geek out about it afterwards. I think, looking back, that's where my interest in the whole craft of reading out loud started, even if I didn't know it at the time. I became a pretty avid reader after that. I was always the kid with a book in high school, and in my adult life I really fell in love with science fiction and fantasy. I started reading Neil Gaiman, James S.A. Corey, whatever I could get my hands on. Still do. I just finished The Fold by Peter Clines, and, as of the time of writing, I'm reading The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.

As for audiobooks, I had listened to a few before I tried my hand at it. Jim Dale's reading of Harry Potter was a big one for me. I absolutely loved his voice. I think that was my first example of an audiobook so perfectly cast you really can't imagine anyone else reading it. My in earnest consumption of audiobooks began shortly after I finished my third project, a book called SIMPOC: Human Remants. Someone who had listened to and enjoyed one of my projects was kind enough to invite me to a group of avid audiobook listeners on Facebook and I mentioned that I wasn't a huge consumer of the medium. A fellow narrator in the group promptly set me straight with the admonition that “listening to audiobooks is a critical part of our jobs.” I can emphatically state that he was right. I started listening to Scott Brick and was immediately hooked. Now I frequently have one playing on my commutes to work or any long drive, really. It's amazing what one can learn from another narrator's style of performance. They might have a speech quirk or an emphasis pattern or a delivery style or character voice that could be just what I need for a future project!

M: I agree that Jim Dale did a fabulous job with the narration of the Harry Potter series.
How do you prepare for a particular work? Do you read the book or talk to the author beforehand? For example, when I listened to Quest of the Dreamwalker, it seemed like you knew the characters and you knew exactly where the book was going so it seemed that you had read the entire book first.

ZJ: Oh yeah. Both. All the time. Talking to the author and hashing out the voices is absolutely critical, as is reading the book beforehand. I like to go through and highlight the text to help me when I'm narrating. It indicates what lines require emphasis or signify a tonal shift of some kind. Notes in the margins, things like musings on the tone of the piece, or even just one-word reactions are good (frequently my one word reactions are just things like “s***” when something bad happens; seeing it while I'm narrating helps me get in that state of mind and live it with the characters). It also helps to know of any plot twists or major developments in advance of performing the book, as it helps to highlight the foreshadowing during the narration. For Quest of the Dreamwalker, I think I ended up reading it three times before I recorded it. I kept getting sick and couldn't record, so I'd just make more and more notes in the text so that, when I finally could, it would be the best it could be.

M: I was certainly impressed with your narration in Quest of the Dreamwalket which seemed "spot on".
Do you work on developing special voices for each character or do you focus more on the emotional inflection to carry the personality of the character? Does this vary depending on the project?

ZJ: I use accents frequently, though I always check with the author before incorporating those. Some, like Quest of the Dreamwalker, feature sprawling fantasy universes wherein it makes sense for the language to have diverged a bit from culture to culture, so I can vary accents by the region the character hails from, some with a Scottish accent, some with a British one, others borderline Australian, that kinda thing. In terms of doing special voices, I would say I'm definitely more in the “emotional inflection” camp if characters are from the same area and have the same accent. Certainly I can make one voice lower and another more nasal and another a bit more gravelly, but I have to be careful not to stray into caricature territory unless that's what the character calls for. Sometimes ridiculously exaggerated mannerisms work, but in those cases, I've found the author usually has a pretty specific voice in mind.

How I approach it is indeed unique to the project I'm working on, but I've found that, by and large, my biggest asset in character voice development is my tendency to read character dialogue out loud to myself anyway when I'm reading, whether for business or for pleasure. Usually, as I get to know a character, their voice will start to take on certain characteristics that come to define them, and, in some cases, it's even helped to write down a list of adjectives to describe the voice as it's forming. I also like to send a sample reel to the author before I begin performing, containing a line from every significant character in the book. That way, the author can direct me as much as possible before I really dive in.

M: I really enjoyed your accents in Quest of the Dreamwalker.
I'm curious, do you work in a studio or at home?

ZJ: At home. I lined my closet with foam mattress toppers to sound treat it and set up a microphone, an audio interface, a chair, and a little desk with a wireless keyboard on it so I can keep my computer outside and my booth free of fan noise. It also doubles as a wardrobe and a triples as a small book repository. It's cozy.

M: That does sound like a cozy spot - if a bit crowed - in a nice way with books especially.
In your opinion, what makes a good narrator? Do you have any advice you would you give to narrator-hopefuls?

ZJ: I would say that a good narrator is someone who is able to feel what the characters are feeling and who can bring that emotion into their read. I love when the narrator seems emotionally invested in what's going on. An audiobook told that way can take on the magical quality of stories told by firelight during childhood. It's amazing.

As for hopefuls, here are a few things I've learned:

If you've not yet tried the craft, but are considering it, test yourself by reading out loud to yourself in a closet for an hour or two a day. Do this every day for two weeks. If you enjoy it, you're probably possessed of the temperament to narrate. So happy reading!
Don't skimp on the equipment. Really do some research and get the tools that will make you sound professional. It'll take some saving up, but it's worth it. If you know a good sound engineer, talk to them. See what you can get that's both capable of producing a quality sound and saving your bank account undue evisceration.
Listen to audiobooks. You never know what you can learn from a fellow performer.
Understand that rejection is almost never personal. That author you've submitted to wants to make the job offer as badly as you want to get it, but it's just the nature of creative work that certain people are better suited for certain jobs. You could be an absolutely sterling example of your narration niche, but it's just that: a niche. No one voice is suited to every single story. Some require a deep, thrumming tone. Some require a gentle, soothing read. And some require you. Find those jobs, and be at your best when they appear. Lincoln said it best: “I will study and prepare myself, and someday, my chance will come.”

M: That sounds like very good advise.
I don't think I really appreciated how much work is involved, in addition to skills, in being a good narrator. The narration in Quest of the Dreamwalker helped me recognize this in you as a new narrator for me. You certainly succeeded as a wonderful storyteller for me.

Thank you again for stopping by. It was nice chatting with you, Zach! Where can folks go to find out more about you and your work?

ZJ: It has been my pleasure! If you're interested in checking out projects I've narrated, you can follow this link here:
http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_1_srNarr?searchNarrator=Zachary+Johnson&qid=1497326122&sr=1-1

I can also be found on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/zacharyjohnsonvo/
[M comment: Zach has a cute bunny gif if you scroll down his facebook; not to mention a photo with his mouth stuffed with marshmallows for voice effect!]

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/zjohnson1020

And, of course, ACX:

https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A3BTDM4SYY7KM1

And again, thank you! Happy listening, everybody!
-Zach

[M: Image from ACX]

GIVEAWAY:
TWO WINNERS: Audible Credit Code for Quest of the Dreamwalker download. One for US Listener and One for UK listener.
(Codes courtesy of the author and narrator.)

ENTRY FORM HERE

(Don't forget to fill in the form for entry!)
For 3 Extra Bonus entries
(a) comment on the review, OR
(b) Comment on this Narrator Interview.

* This contest is open to US and UK for Audible Code.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) July 1, 2017. Winner will be announced in the Sunday Post on July 2, 2017.
Winners are asked to respond on the winners form linked in the announcement or by email

Sunday, January 19, 2014

BookBlast Feature and Giveaway: Warrior's Moon by Jaclyn M. Hawkes

Warrior's Moon

Medieval Historical Romance by Jaclyn M. Hawkes

Never in all the kingdom has there been a more brave and protective champion. Nor such a loyal and capable maiden. And they loved each other desperately.

But is their love strong enough to withstand all their dark age holds—danger, feudalism, disease, and unfair oppression?

Yes, they truly loved each other desperately.

They loved their kingdom more.

Amazon * Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

Praise for Warrior's Moon

"This book has adventure, memorable characters, and tons of action. There is even romance! I absolutely loved it!!!" ~Laura (Goodreads)

"I loved this book! Great characters, I love a strong female lead. I really enjoy all of Jaclyn Hawkes books, but I must say this in one of my favorites!" ~ KMon (Amazon)

Tour Schedule

Author Jaclyn M. Hawkes

Jaclyn M. Hawkes grew up in Utah with 6 sisters, 4 brothers and any number of pets. (It was never boring!) She got a bachelor’s degree, had a career and traveled extensively before settling down to her life’s work of being the mother of four magnificent and sometimes challenging children. She loves shellfish, the out of doors, the youth and hearing her children laugh. She and her fine husband, their family, and their sometimes very large pets, now live in a mountain valley in northern Utah, where it smells like heaven and kids still move sprinkler pipe.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/10/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

White Rogue Author Feature and Character Interview!

My review and giveaway post follows but below you can meet the authors and read a fun Character Interview!

About the Book:

Cold War era biological experiments are resurrected and after Boston experiences a seemingly inexplicable bio-terrorist attack, the Center for Disease Control’s Dr. Davie Richards and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Paula Mushari once again join forces to uncover who is behind it. An obscure reference to a Dresden project found amid crash site evidence marks them both for execution. Paula and Dave are forced to leave Boston in the middle of the night and head to Washington, D.C.,where they soon find that anyone they contact also becomes the target of assassins. When the daughter of the CDC’s director is taken hostage, Dave and Paula come face to face with an evil that forces them to question the very nature of duty and service to country. With the help of one man, they learn the true meaning of dark operatives while they desperately try to stop another bio-attack from happening.

Purchase your copy at AMAZON

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE.

About the Authors:

DR. DAVID FETT, a board certified ophthalmologist, received his BS and Masters from MIT before earning his MD from Dartmouth Medical School. He now runs a private practice in Los Angeles and serves as an assistant clinical professor at UCLA School of Medicine. He lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Randi, and their four children.

STEPHEN LANGFORD is a veteran writer/producer of over 150 hours of primetime television. He has also ventured into screenwriting and fiction. He lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Sandy, and their two daughters.

CONNIE MALCOLM is a recovering journalist who worked on The Globe and Mail in Toronto. She has worked previously on ten books of nonfiction authored by her husband, Andrew. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and the youngest of their three sons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The image below is NOT contractor Geneva Scott from White Rogue but I could picture a female 'spy' like this. [The image is Piper Perabo in Covert Affairs who has played Annie Walker since 2010.]

Character Interview

White Rogue Interview with Geneva Scott

Steve Langford, one of the authors of White Rogue, has agreed to help us interview one of the more unusual characters from the novel, Geneva Scott.

SL: Geneva, why don’t you give us a little background on how you got into the business of working under contract for the CIA?

Geneva: Are you %#$*%* kidding me? I told you there are some questions I can’t answer. Ask me another one like this and you’ll have trouble leaving here.

SL: Okay. Okay. How long have you been a contractor?

Geneva: I’ve been doing this for about 7 years on and off. It’s pretty fulfilling work.

SL: Are you telling me that you get satisfaction from killing people.

Geneva: Are you stupid? Do you think I’m going to tell you that I have killed people? Let’s just say that I like variety in the assignments that I take. I like the power, the rush I get from manipulating my targets and bringing my best assets into play in acquiring the desired result.

SL: Are you telling me that you use sex to trap guys?

Geneva: You figure it out.

SL: How has your work for the government impacted your life?

Geneva: Since there’s no shortage of bad boys in the world, I manage to make a decent living and that’s important to me because I’m married and have two great kids.

SL: Really? How does your husband handle what you do? I mean …

Geneva: Listen, Steve, you may be a good writer but don’t think you can figure out everything there is to know about me. My family, my husband are my business. I think we’re done here. Now you tell everyone to get White Rogue and read about me; after all, I am one of the most intriguing characters.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Book Feature for a Good Cause: End Malaria

End Malaria, http://www.EndMalariaDay.com , is an astonishing new book by more than sixty best selling business authors and social thought leaders who joined together to share information in a book whose entire profits go to buy malaria bed nets. Malaria is a disease that causes more childhood death than HIV/AIDS.

Malaria bed nets are simple nets that hang over a window or a bed. They're treated with a chemical that mosquitoes hate. The mosquitoes fly away, they don't bite, people don't get malaria.

Every single penny spent on the Kindle edition goes to Malaria No More, giving them enough money to buy one or two bednets and to deliver them and be sure they're used properly. Low overhead, no graft, no waste. Just effectiveness. None of the authors or anyone at the Domino Project receive money to be part of this project.

Wait, there is one ulterior motive: We hope you are inspired. One of the sixty plus contributors might share a gem or spark an idea. The book is a collection of essays from 62 business and social thought leaders about the key drivers to live a life of meaning and impact. Contributors to the book (all of whom donated their work) include David Allen, Tom Peters and Keith Ferrazzi; TED speakers Brene Brown and Sir Ken Robinson; New York Times' best-sellers Jonah Lehrer, Gary Vaynerchuk and Dan Pink; Daymond John and Dave Ramsey; and leaders from organizations such as Google and GlaxoSmithKline.

There's a second motive: Stepping up feels right. It's a few clicks to buy a book and for the rest of the day, or even a week, you'll remember how it felt to save someone's life.

END MALARIA was born out of a passion to save lives by author and Senior Partner of Box of Crayons Michael Bungay Stanier. Teaming up with marketing and publishing innovator and creator of Squidoo.com Seth Godin, they found a way to sell a book and give away all of the profit in the fight against malaria.

" This is the power of authors working together, the power of ebook distribution and most of all, the power of people who care to make a difference. Over and over, we're seeing that a new generation cares about business not just as a way to make money, but as a way to make a difference. These authors (and their readers) are making a difference at the same time they're saving lives." - Seth Godin.

Learn more about End Malaria Day:

Buy the book:

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/qOwyhl

End Malaria Day is April 25, Twitter #EndMalariaDay , www.Facebook.com/endmalariaday

$20 sends a mosquito net to a family in need and supports life-saving work in the fight against malaria.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Book Feature with eBook Giveaway: Creative Spirit by Scott Nicholson

"Scott Nicholson is a writer who always surprises and always entertains."- Jonathan Maberry, Dust & Decay

CREATIVE SPIRIT

A paranormal thriller by Scott Nicholson

After parapsychologist Anna Galloway is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she has a recurring dream in which she sees her own ghost at Korban Manor. She’s compelled to visit the historic estate to face her destiny and the fate of her soul.

Sculptor Mason Jackson has come to the manor to make a final, all-or-nothing attempt at success before giving up his dreams. When he becomes obsessed with carving Ephram Korban's form out of wood, he is swept into a destructive frenzy that even Anna can’t pull him from.

The manor itself has secrets, with fires that blaze constantly in the hearths, portraits of Korban in every room, and deceptive mirrors on the walls. With an October blue moon looming, both the living and the dead learn the true power of their dreams.

View or sample Creative Spirit at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Kobo, Smashwords, BN.com, or Goodreads. Look for Liquid Fear and Chronic Fear from Amazon’s Thomas & Mercer imprint.

--------------

CREATIVE SPIRIT is Scott Nicholson’s revised edition of the 2004 U.S. paperback THE MANOR. Scott is Kindle bestselling author of 12 novels, including THE RED CHURCH, DISINTEGRATION, LIQUID FEAR, and SPEED DATING WITH THE DEAD. Connect with Scott on Facebook, Goodreads, LibraryThing, Twitter, blogspot, website or Amazon page

I won't get to review the book until next year but Scott is providing one ecopy of Creative Spirit for giveaway now, so check out the book details and the giveaway rules and good luck!
TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for the ARC Copy:
1. Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you found there. This is required for entry.

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For two entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Four total entries possible.)

* This contest is only open WORLDWIDE

* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on December 21, 2011.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
The WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on December 22.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

MBS Saturday Comment Giveaway (Replacing Enquiring Minds)

Thank you to everyone who commented at Enquiring Minds #40. Most of us include family as one of the things that make us happy. Also many included books as a second or third happy thing. Quite a number of us would seek peace or no wars and again almost all of us would donate money to charity if we had a billion. Couldn't we do some lovely things???! :-)

The Winner from Enquiring Minds Week #40 is: #4 Mary. Mary please pick a book from the Love Books List for Giveaway or remaining Christmas Giveaway Books and let me know your choice, your address and a choice of bookmarks by completing the WINNER FORM.

Now --- Let's talk about how we will proceed with this comment feature! We will continue to ask questions to get to know each other better. Some questions will be about books and some about our lives.
Here are some suggested names for the feature:
1. Sharing Beyond Reviews (SBR)
2. Talking Beyond Reviews (TBR - not to be confused with To Be Read!)
3. Sharing Beyond Books (SBB)
4. Talking Beyond Books (TBB)
5. Our Lives with Books! (OLWB)
6. Our World and Let's Read (OWL Reads- okay I like the initials even if the title isn't so hot.)
7. Let's Talk Books (LTB - I think this is in use already.)

So let me know what title you like or might suggest Question #1 below.

Then we get to look at pictures for the feature.
Here are some I really like.
A.

Do you like any of these particularly? Or do you have an image to send me that you really like? Question #2 this week.

Also I think any of you might have good questions you'd like to ask so you may input suggestions in this Question Suggested Form. At the beginning of each month I will draw from the suggestions I used the month before and that person will get a book choice or GC.

So that is two questions to answer today and I am adding one additional book Question.

Your turn to share:

#1. What name do you like or would you suggest for this Comment Feature?

#2. What image do you like: A-F or include a link to a suggested image or email me one?

#3. How much time do you spend reading each day?

I read and listen at various times a day. I would say it averages 100 pages or an hour and 15 minutes a day in reading and an hour and 30 minutes total listening.

Enquire Comment Winners can choose a selection from Valentine and "Love" books or the remaining Christmas Giveaway Books. I will add a new summer list soon.

Rules: a) Must be a follower; b) Share a comment on any (or all) of the questions posed.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.

In addition to the usual Winner choices listed above this post's comment winner will get to choose from The Arc Giveaway List too.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made by Friday, June 17 at 10PM central.