Kelly, from Books-n-Kisses and I would like to welcome Authors Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick to our Audio Book Lovin series! I've read and listened to their HITMAN Series narrated by Iggy Toma and it's a great series. Kelly and I asked Jessica and Jen to give us their thoughts on audiobooks and they started chatting with each other via email.
Below is their conversation!
JESSICA:
When Jen and I heard that the Hitman books were going to be signed for audio, we were ecstatic! We’re both big fans of audio. My house is actually a pretty audio-heavy household. My husband loves to ‘read’ but he insists on all of his books being audio! Some of my favorite books are made that much more fabulous by a great narrator.
JEN:
I love audiobooks. They are a great way to help pass the time on the commute or while cooking dinner or doing chores around the house.
The narrator is really important. From my own experience, a good narrator can elevate an average book but crater a really good book. A historical author I love has a narrator whose voice is too dry for me and I've never been able to get into the audio versions of books that I adore.
JESSICA:
Unfortunately we weren't really involved with selecting who would narrate the book. That’s the situation, sometimes. All we can do is cross our fingers and hope that whoever is picked has the right ‘voice’ for things.
I know that for my billionaire books, I was sent several ‘auditions’ of female narrators and asked to pick one. I…didn't like any of them! This one was too gravelly, this one too serious, this one too slow, etc. So I asked for more auditions, and Tantor (our publisher) sent me Jillian Macie’s audition, and she was perfect! She had the right conversational tone and sounded smooth as butter. I love the way she brings the characters to life, and I love that she’s continued to be the narrator for all of the books in the series. As a listener, I hate it when you get used to one person’s voice and then it’s changed up.
I also have audio as Jessica Sims, and the narrator on those, Leah Mallach, has done a fabulous job. She’s so chatty and gets the voices just right!
JEN:
The only input we really had was the number of narrators – since the book is told by two people, we asked for a male and female narrator.
JESSICA:
Jen and I have the same problem that a lot of authors do – we can’t listen to our own books! It just feels weird to have it read back to us. I know I don’t listen to audio of my own novels. All I hear are words I should have chosen or when a word is repeated too often, or if the narrator mispronounces a name that I say differently in my own head. So I don’t listen. I just hope that everyone else enjoys it, because that’s all that matters! As for listening to the whole book, though? Nope! I listen to the samples just to see how the narrator sounds and then turn it off before it gets too weird.
JEN:
One of the things I love about the Hitman audio books that Nick's part is voiced by an actor with an accent is even better. Hearing the words given audio life by professionals is a really exciting part of this publishing journey.
JESSICA:
Yes! We first heard Iggy Toma’s version of Nick at Romantic Times this spring, because a friend had the audio on her phone. We made her pull it up so we could hear his voice, and then we both squealed with delight when his delicious Russian accent came through. That was such an awesome moment! I can’t wait to hear the rest of the books narrated – I know he’s going to do an amazing job.
Jessica and Jen, THANK YOU both so much for
We had the pleasure of interviewing the narrator of the HITMAN Series, Iggy Toma earlier in the Audio Book Lovin' series, to see the interview, please click here.
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Now go visit Kelly to see her post of the day!! :)
Below is their conversation!
JESSICA:
When Jen and I heard that the Hitman books were going to be signed for audio, we were ecstatic! We’re both big fans of audio. My house is actually a pretty audio-heavy household. My husband loves to ‘read’ but he insists on all of his books being audio! Some of my favorite books are made that much more fabulous by a great narrator.
JEN:
I love audiobooks. They are a great way to help pass the time on the commute or while cooking dinner or doing chores around the house.
The narrator is really important. From my own experience, a good narrator can elevate an average book but crater a really good book. A historical author I love has a narrator whose voice is too dry for me and I've never been able to get into the audio versions of books that I adore.
JESSICA:
Unfortunately we weren't really involved with selecting who would narrate the book. That’s the situation, sometimes. All we can do is cross our fingers and hope that whoever is picked has the right ‘voice’ for things.
I know that for my billionaire books, I was sent several ‘auditions’ of female narrators and asked to pick one. I…didn't like any of them! This one was too gravelly, this one too serious, this one too slow, etc. So I asked for more auditions, and Tantor (our publisher) sent me Jillian Macie’s audition, and she was perfect! She had the right conversational tone and sounded smooth as butter. I love the way she brings the characters to life, and I love that she’s continued to be the narrator for all of the books in the series. As a listener, I hate it when you get used to one person’s voice and then it’s changed up.
I also have audio as Jessica Sims, and the narrator on those, Leah Mallach, has done a fabulous job. She’s so chatty and gets the voices just right!
JEN:
The only input we really had was the number of narrators – since the book is told by two people, we asked for a male and female narrator.
JESSICA:
Jen and I have the same problem that a lot of authors do – we can’t listen to our own books! It just feels weird to have it read back to us. I know I don’t listen to audio of my own novels. All I hear are words I should have chosen or when a word is repeated too often, or if the narrator mispronounces a name that I say differently in my own head. So I don’t listen. I just hope that everyone else enjoys it, because that’s all that matters! As for listening to the whole book, though? Nope! I listen to the samples just to see how the narrator sounds and then turn it off before it gets too weird.
JEN:
One of the things I love about the Hitman audio books that Nick's part is voiced by an actor with an accent is even better. Hearing the words given audio life by professionals is a really exciting part of this publishing journey.
JESSICA:
Yes! We first heard Iggy Toma’s version of Nick at Romantic Times this spring, because a friend had the audio on her phone. We made her pull it up so we could hear his voice, and then we both squealed with delight when his delicious Russian accent came through. That was such an awesome moment! I can’t wait to hear the rest of the books narrated – I know he’s going to do an amazing job.
Jessica and Jen, THANK YOU both so much for
We had the pleasure of interviewing the narrator of the HITMAN Series, Iggy Toma earlier in the Audio Book Lovin' series, to see the interview, please click here.
Jessica Clare is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author who writes under three different names. As Jill Myles, she writes a little bit of everything, from sexy, comedic urban fantasy to zombie fairy tales. As Jessica Clare, she writes erotic contemporary romance.
She also has a third pen name (because why stop at two?). As Jessica Sims, she writes fun, sexy shifter paranormals. She lives in Texas with her husband, cats, and too many dust-bunnies. Jill spends her time writing, reading, writing, playing video games, and doing even more writing.
You can find Jessica at
Jen Frederick is the USA Today bestselling author of the Woodlands series as well as the Hitman series. She lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She's been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own.
You can find Jen at
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OMG... that's like asking me for the name of my favorite child! A recent 5-star favorite of mine was Rogue by Julie Kagawa.
ReplyDeleteNice interview ladies. I'm loving listening to all the different types of voices, accents and tones
ReplyDeletei haven listened to any audio books yet
ReplyDeleteI haven't listened to any audio books as yet so I don't have a fave but I love Iggy Toma's voice, listened to the Last Kiss snippet
ReplyDeleteThat's really a tough choice to make, because I love so many! I'm going to choose Karen Moning's Shadowfever, but that's partially because the book, itself, blew me away.
ReplyDeleteAny of the Eve Dallas books by J.D. Robb narrated by Susan Erickson. She's a great narrator.
ReplyDeleteI have tons of favorites. All of Sherrilyn Kenyon's series, Dark-Hunter, The League, and Chronicles of Nick are among them.
ReplyDeleteI have several faves but my most recent is My Life as a White Trash Zombie. Such great narration and a terrific book.
ReplyDeleteHard to pick just one. So my two favorite audio series are Charley Davidson and White Trash Zombie.
ReplyDeleteMy fav audiobook is Lothaire by Kresley Cole. The narrator Rober Petkoff makes it even more thrilling than the book on paper!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite so far is Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren!
ReplyDeleteI like the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved Kiss of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning, narrated by Phil Gigante.
ReplyDeleteKMM fever books are all on the top of my list!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!