Narrated by Ehlen Valentine & Alastair Haynesbridge

SFN: Do you remember your first? (audiobook, that is!)

EV: OMG, yes!  I was so excited.  It was a series of rom-com novellas for Laura Burton - Truth or Dare Romantic Comedies.  It was a great way to dip my toes in the water, but boy, I am glad those aren't in distribution anymore.  I am such a different narrator 3 years later. (BTW, Laura was awesome to work with and very complimentary.  If you haven't read or listened to her work, do it!)

SFN: What's your pre-recording ritual?

EV: I get all my supplies in order, book to page, water, chapstick and lotion and then I do a physical and vocal warm-up that is lead by Nic Redman. It's only 5 minutes and literally gets my juices going. I then have a lovely internal conversation to tell myself - I can do this, I am good, and I can bring these words to life. And finally, I listen back to a bit of recording from the previous day so that I can make sure I get the tone of the upcoming chapter into the right spot. Then is it off with the AC or furnace and get roaring!

SFN: Could you please tell us how you prepare to voice a character that is written with a dialect or accent that is new to you?

EV: Well, well, well. I have had a few of these. Most recently (and for Lainey), I needed to do a New Zealand accent for the MMC. This area of the world is very difficult for me, but fortunately I had a lot of time and I've had some training on how to best research. When I can, I'll grab a dialect coach, but if not I have a few things I do. I start with YouTube and will search for an instructional on the accent. I'll write a few things out phonetically and then practice, practice. While doing this, I'll also listen to natives (not actors) speaking and try to pick up and validate what I have already learned. Once I'm into that for a while, I typically have a phrase that helps me slip into the accent. So if I lose it during the recording I say my phrase and it helps me back in. For instance with the kiwi accent, cat=ket, half=hawf, let=lit, and spend=spind. So I say these words over and over and then I can usually roll into it.

SFN: What's the biggest challenge you face as an audiobook narrator?

EV: Myself. Constantly challenging, constantly growing, constantly battling the roadblocks that can face us. This is a career where you are constantly being judged, not just by others, but yourself as well. It's tough when most of your feedback is coming from reviews that are sooooo subjective. And you don't have a manager or leader to help pull you out of the doldrums. Community and coaching are the best parts of this industry to overcome self-doubt, and focus on the career not only as an art, but a business as well.

SFN: If you could spend either a week in the past or a week in the future, where and when would you go?

EV: Definitely the past - honestly the future is so scary right now, I am not ready to see what's coming! But I don't know what past! I mean, I'd love to see my parents as young adults, myself at a younger age, observe what made me the way I am, have a little conversation with myself about my future... but also check out some big historical moments; emancipation proclamation, women's right to vote, Native Americans living in their land before being invaded. And also maybe just a full week in the 70s, killing it at the disco. I'm all over the place in my desires of the past....

Thanks, Ehlen! Be sure to check out this week's featured audio narrated by Ehlen and Alastair Haynesbridge, Fireball. And say “hi” to Ehlen (aka Amber) on Instagram or TikTok @ambervoice!

If you enjoyed this week's news, we'd love it if you'd share this signup link with your audiobook-lovin' friends: https://bit.ly/SuperFanNewsSignup

 

And if someone forwarded this email to you, we'd love to have you join us!

(PSST: IT'S TOTALLY FREE)

Missed a previous issue? You can find them all here:

Disclaimer: some of the above links may include affilate codes.