Expeditionary Force Blog Tour: Paradise by Craig Alanson

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

 

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About Audiobook #3

Author: Craig Alanson

Narrator: R.C. Bray

Length: 15 hours 53 minutes

Publisher: Podium Publishing⎮2017

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Expeditionary Force, Book 3

Release date: May 23, 2017

Synopsis: While the crew of the starship Flying Dutchman have been trying to assure people that hostile aliens do not have access to Earth, the UN Expeditionary Force has been stranded on the planet they nicknamed “Paradise”. The Flying Dutchman is headed back out on another mission, and the UN wants the ship to find out the status of the humans on Paradise. But Colonel Joe Bishop warns that they might not like what they find, and they can’t do anything about it without endangering Earth.

 

Buy Links for Audiobook #3

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Planets of the solar system against the background of a spiral galaxy in space.

 

 

Good story development in this one. I’ve grown accustomed to hearing Skippy’s snarky remarks on Joe Bishop as they embark on another wacky journey across the universe. R.C. Bray really gets into character “as usual” with several “LOL” moments! The fact that someone can craft something like this is remarkable. The strong narrative and dialogue make you feel part of the adventure.

 

 

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NARRATOR INTERVIEW WITH R.C. BRAY

 

Did you find it difficult to “break into” audiobook narration? What skill/tool helped you the most when getting started?

I had two great champions get me through the door: Pat Fraley and Scott Brick.  Bringing my years of acting experience to narration impressed them enough to make suggestions, introductions, and continued support.  Also, ACX was launched the same time I got into narration. Being able to use that as a means to navigate the process (along with many patient authors, rights holders, and independent publishers), was a godsend.  Several of the titles I did via ACX garnered attention from bigger publishers and off I went.

 

A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?

It’s not essential, but it does help.

 

What type of training have you undergone?

I was a CTA (Communications/Theatre Arts) major in college that performed Off-Broadway and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  I also attended the Connecticut School of Broadcasting where, because of my theatre background, I excelled during the voiceover portion.  It was my abilities in voiceover that was a catalyst to getting the job at Kaplowe Studios.

 

How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for narrating?

I keep from burning out by thinking of my past jobs.  I don’t ever want to have to go back to doing any of them.  The thought of that lights a massive fire in me.

 

Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you? 

I used to listen to them nonstop when I was a commuter.

 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook?

Unless it’s really brilliant writing, my least favorite part is when I get to the middle and realize I’m only halfway done.  My favorite part is being exposed to books I would likely have never picked up.

 

Is there a particular genre you feel unsuited for? Have you ever declined a project because you didn’t think you were right for it?

I’d love to be suited for children’s/YA novels, but I’m afraid my deep voice doesn’t jibe well with them.

 

How closely do you prefer to work with authors?

Enough to get certain information but definitely not so much they start to direct.  You wrote it, now let me read it.

 

Who are your “accent inspirations”?

Frank Muller, Paul Michael, Scott Brick

 

What types of things are harmful to your voice?

No idea.  I’m not a vocal warm-up kind of guy.  I just go for it. Pneumonia sucks though.

 

Has anyone ever recognized you from your voice?

No, but after I tell people what I do (only if they ask, I don’t like bringing it up) they inevitably “hear it now!”

 

 

 

 

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About the Author: Craig Alanson

Craig Alanson is a NYT best-selling author. His first audiobook ‘Columbus Day’ was one of five finalists for Audiobook Of The Year 2018 Visit craigalanson.com for FAQs, blog posts, merchandise, etc.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads

 

 

About the Narrator: R.C. Bray

From an early age Audie, Earphones, and SOVAS Voice Arts Award-winning audiobook narrator R.C. Bray despised reading. Truly hated it with a passion.

And audiobooks? Even worse. Those were for people too lazy to read (not to be confused with those like himself who didn’t want to read to begin with).

R.C. eventually got older and wiser (he was always good-looking) and eschewing his capricious convictions fell head-over-heels with reading. Not just to learn words like “eschew” and “capricious” so he could use them in a bio line, but because someone was actually going to give him money to do it.

Note: R.C.’s gorgeous wife and three beautiful children begged him not to make this his official bio. Clearly he misunderstood.

 

Website⎮Facebook

 

 

About the Publisher: Podium Publishing

Podium is an industry-leading independent audiobook publisher built upon the foundation of successful partnerships with self-published authors and narrators. With deep share of voice in the genres of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Romance, the company has enjoyed quick commercial and critical acclaim, releasing almost 1,300 audiobooks, numerous best-sellers, winning an Audie Award and 13 Voice Arts Awards. Podium is best-known for supporting, nurturing and discovering independent authors and narrators from the U.S. and around the world. The company gained international notice when it took a risk on one-time unknown author Andy Weir (The Martian) and turned his e-book into the largest audiobook seller in the world.

 

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Rom Hoop market. Thai Railway with a local train run through Mae Klong Market in Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand. Tourist attraction in travel and transportation concept.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expeditionary Force Blog Tour: SpecOps by Craig Alanson

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

 

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specops expeditionary force book two

 

 

About Audiobook #2

Author: Craig Alanson

Narrator: R.C. Bray

Length: 15 hours 50 minutes

Publisher: Podium Publishing⎮2017

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Expeditionary Force, Book 2

Release date: Mar. 7, 2017

Synopsis: Colonel Joe Bishop made a promise, and he’s going to keep it: taking the captured alien starship Flying Dutchman back out. He doesn’t agree when the UN decides to send almost 70 elite Special Operations troops, hotshot pilots, and scientists with him; the mission is a fool’s errand he doesn’t expect to ever return from. At least this time, the Earth is safe, right?

Not so much.

 

Buy Links for Audiobook #2

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I had no idea how humorous the Expeditionary Force was until diving into the series, but it’s definitely hilarious. It also has an impressive amount of science fiction, technology, that give you a space adventure kind of feel. The author does an excellent job crafting an intricate story with well-defined scenes. The narrator R.C. Bray is in full form, of course, and seems like the characters were written specifically for him.

 

Four golden stars isolated on white background

 

 

NARRATOR INTERVIEW WITH R.C. BRAY

 

 

Did you find it difficult to “break into” audiobook narration? What skill/tool helped you the most when getting started?

I had two great champions get me through the door: Pat Fraley and Scott Brick.  Bringing my years of acting experience to narration impressed them enough to make suggestions, introductions, and continued support.  Also, ACX was launched the same time I got into narration. Being able to use that as a means to navigate the process (along with many patient authors, rights holders, and independent publishers), was a godsend.  Several of the titles I did via ACX garnered attention from bigger publishers and off I went.

 

A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?

It’s not essential, but it does help.

 

What type of training have you undergone?

I was a CTA (Communications/Theatre Arts) major in college that performed Off-Broadway and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  I also attended the Connecticut School of Broadcasting where, because of my theatre background, I excelled during the voiceover portion.  It was my abilities in voiceover that was a catalyst to getting the job at Kaplowe Studios.

 

How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for narrating?

I keep from burning out by thinking of my past jobs.  I don’t ever want to have to go back to doing any of them.  The thought of that lights a massive fire in me.

 

Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you? 

I used to listen to them nonstop when I was a commuter.       

 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook?

Unless it’s really brilliant writing, my least favorite part is when I get to the middle and realize I’m only halfway done.  My favorite part is being exposed to books I would likely have never picked up.

 

Is there a particular genre you feel unsuited for? Have you ever declined a project because you didn’t think you were right for it?

I’d love to be suited for children’s/YA novels, but I’m afraid my deep voice doesn’t jibe well with them.  

 

How closely do you prefer to work with authors?

Enough to get certain information but definitely not so much they start to direct.  You wrote it, now let me read it.

 

Who are your “accent inspirations”?

Frank Muller, Paul Michael, Scott Brick

 

What types of things are harmful to your voice?

No idea.  I’m not a vocal warm-up kind of guy.  I just go for it. Pneumonia sucks though.

 

Has anyone ever recognized you from your voice?

No, but after I tell people what I do (only if they ask, I don’t like bringing it up) they inevitably “hear it now!”

 

 

 

galaxy image dark

 

 

About the Author: Craig Alanson

Craig Alanson is a NYT best-selling author. His first audiobook ‘Columbus Day’ was one of five finalists for Audiobook Of The Year 2018 Visit craigalanson.com for FAQs, blog posts, merchandise, etc.

 

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads

 

 

About the Narrator: R.C. Bray

From an early age Audie, Earphones, and SOVAS Voice Arts Award-winning audiobook narrator R.C. Bray despised reading. Truly hated it with a passion.

And audiobooks? Even worse. Those were for people too lazy to read (not to be confused with those like himself who didn’t want to read to begin with).

R.C. eventually got older and wiser (he was always good-looking) and eschewing his capricious convictions fell head-over-heels with reading. Not just to learn words like “eschew” and “capricious” so he could use them in a bio line, but because someone was actually going to give him money to do it.

Note: R.C.’s gorgeous wife and three beautiful children begged him not to make this his official bio. Clearly he misunderstood.

 

Website⎮Facebook

 

 

About the Publisher: Podium Publishing

Podium is an industry-leading independent audiobook publisher built upon the foundation of successful partnerships with self-published authors and narrators. With deep share of voice in the genres of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Romance, the company has enjoyed quick commercial and critical acclaim, releasing almost 1,300 audiobooks, numerous best-sellers, winning an Audie Award and 13 Voice Arts Awards. Podium is best-known for supporting, nurturing and discovering independent authors and narrators from the U.S. and around the world. The company gained international notice when it took a risk on one-time unknown author Andy Weir (The Martian) and turned his e-book into the largest audiobook seller in the world.

 

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Instagram

 

 

 

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Author Karen A. Wyle releases her new novel: Water to Water

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

Water to Water image

 

 

Two young Vushla questioned what everyone knew about death. What should they do with the answer?

When the time comes for Vushla to die, they go into the ocean and are dissolved away. Or so Terrill has always believed, and still believes after taking part in his father’s final journey. But when he meets a young Vushlu who lives by the sea, Terrill must confront information that calls this fundamental belief into question. Will the two of them discover the truth? And what should they do with what they find?

 

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Questionmark at the Wall

 

 

 

*How did you come up with the title for this book? It sounds rather poetic.

–The idea came from a familiar phrase in the English Burial Service: “ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

 

*What exactly is a Vushla?

–The Vushla (plural — singular is Vushlu) are one of the sentient species on a planet humans haven’t found. They could be described as a cross between a centaur and a tortoise: their general body configuration is that of a centaur, and they are largely covered by many small plates of a hard substance they (and their neighbor species, the Weesah) refer to as armor. The armor is often moved as part of gestures and body language. I envision them as roughly human-sized.

 

*Tell us how the idea for this book came about.

–That was a first for me. The way Vushla typically meet death came to me as an image in a dream. My husband contributed a key plot twist.

 

*What is the connection between the Vushla, water, and death?

–As described in the Preface and in the book blurb, when a Vushlu knows it is dying (I use “it” for unidentified Vushla and Weesah, and he or she for individuals of known gender), it tries to get to the ocean, where it swims or wades into the surf to dissolve away. If it dies on the journey, the friends and relatives accompanying it on the funeral journey hire fisher folk (who have custom-made waterproof suits) to carry the body into the ocean.

 

Whether there are other connections . . . you’ll need to read the book to find out. 🙂

 

*Was your approach different in writing this book?

 

The origin — a dream, as I mentioned above — was different. Otherwise, I did what I usually do: wrote a (very) rough draft during National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo or NaNo; put it aside for a month or so; did multiple revisions and editing passes over the next nine months; sent it to beta readers and made more revisions based on their comments; did the final proofread/edits; and published it (as a preorder) on Amazon and Google Play and via Draft2Digital. (The paperback will, I hope, be ready by the release date of October 17th, at least on Amazon. B&N will take a little longer due to a cumbersome proofing process.)

 

*What comes first the idea or theme?

 

That’s an interesting question, especially this time around. What thematic concerns inspired that dream? I can’t say for sure. I certainly had both mortality and parent-child relationships on my mind, as my father died a little more than six months before NaNo began. (I don’t remember exactly when I had the dream, but I would guesstimate it was a month or so before NaNo.)

 

*What was your experience like writing Water to Water?

 

I can generally keep up with or stay slightly ahead of the pace NaNo requires (an average of 1,667 words per day), and this time was no exception. My confidence in the story fluctuated about as much as usual — which is to say, frequently but not to the point of either ecstatic certainty or profound gloom. I frequently consulted my general science adviser, aka my husband Paul Hager, on various aspects of world-building.

I approached cover design a little differently this time. I’ve most often collaborated with a particular designer, but that collaboration works best when I have some fairly definite starting ideas. This time, the one idea I had felt insufficient. I decided to spring boldly into the red, financially speaking, and invest in a cover from a designer (or rather, a group of designers) I’d long admired, Damonza. I am delighted with the result, which has gotten consistently favorable comment during the book’s Silver Dagger Book Tour (continuing through October 26th).

 

 

 

Karen A Wyle

 

Karen A. Wyle is the author of multiple science fiction novels, including The Twin-Bred Series: Books 1-3; near-future novels Division, Playback Effect, and Who: a novel of the near future; and YA near-future novel The Link. Her one novel (so far) outside the SF category is afterlife fantasy/family drama Wander Home. She has also published one nonfiction work, Closest to the Fire: A Writer’s Guide to Law and Lawyers, a resource for authors or for anyone interested in understanding more about American law.

Wyle was born a Connecticut Yankee, but eventually settled in Bloomington, Indiana, home of Indiana University. She now considers herself a Hoosier. Wyle’s childhood ambition was to be the youngest ever published novelist. While writing her first novel at age 10, she was mortified to learn that some British upstart had beaten her to the goal at age 9.

Wyle is an appellate attorney, photographer, political junkie, and mother of two wildly creative daughters. Her voice is the product of almost five decades of reading both literary and genre fiction. It is no doubt also influenced, although she hopes not fatally tainted, by her years of law practice. Her personal history has led her to focus on often-intertwined themes of family, communication, the impossibility of controlling events, and the persistence of unfinished business.

 

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