Brenda: Welcome to AudioGals Xe. As always, we love having you stop by to talk with us and today you come bearing gifts! Ones tailored to our romance listening audience (and their taste buds) in celebration of your 50th audiobook release. We’re so pleased to be involved in this weeklong party that allows audiobook listeners to share this accomplishment with you. I know a number of blogs are celebrating with us. Can you tell us about your week thus far and what you have planned for romance fans with this visit to AudioGals?
Xe: Thanks for having me, Brenda! The support of this group and romance listeners has played a huge part in getting to my 50th book, so I’m especially grateful that you are up for helping me celebrate. :)
It’s a romance/lit fic mash-up this week!
On Monday, I kicked off the festivities with an in depth interview and discussion of my 50th narration, Magnificence, by Lydia Millet, over at the delightful Books, Personally, where we’re also giving away the audio version of Magnificence, as well as … cookies!!
Yesterday, I had a great chat with author M.V. Freeman over at Southern Romance Magicians on “World-Building As Character” where the author joined in the celebration by adding the digital download of her book Incandescent to my giveaway of a copy of the debut UF/PNR from Kira Brady, Hearts of Darkness, and … Chocolate!
And tomorrow, the Literate Housewife and I will be chatting about being “Under the Influence – When Books Inspire,” starting off with a discussion of The Art Forger, and offering a giveaway of both print and audio versions of the book, as well as … cookies!
And of course today, here at AudioGals, it’s a mega-giveaway, befitting the role that romance listeners have played in my career: the full set of six Nightwalkers in audio + the new Frank release, Forbidden 
AND cookies! :)
Participants should note that while Forbidden is brand new, the Nightwalkers is my personal set and a few of the volumes have been gently opened and listened to.
All giveaways are running through Friday, so feel free to visit the other blogs and enter. Heck, you could end up with all the audios and most importantly, ALL THE COOKIES!
- Now for the AudioGals’ small print: You’ll find the easy entry form at the bottom of this page – no comments are necessary. You have until midnight (PST) Friday, November 9th to enter. We’ll contact you the following day, Saturday Nov 10th and you’ll have 48 hours to respond. If we don’t hear back from you in that time frame, we’ll select another winner. Due to audio geographical restrictions, the giveaway is limited to those living in the U.S. or Canada. You may only enter once.
Brenda: Hmm – I wonder – do the other hosts allow fellow bloggers to enter? Cookies and chocolate up for grabs along with audiobooks – I want in! Regardless, we have an enviable prize package for those that enter here at AudioGals and I’m not thinking of the cookies – well not too much – yet.
Xe: Oh the other giveaways are definitely fair game for you! And of course, the homemade cookies are the best part…
Brenda: I’ll bet they are while the audiobooks hold an appeal all their own for many of us. As a big fan of your narration of Jacquelyn Frank’s six Nightwalker books (Jacob, Gideon, Elijah, Damien, Noah, and Adam), I know the winner is in for some delightful listening with deliciously deep-voiced heroes to go with Frank’s unique paranormal world, an ever expanding world as she continues to write spinoff series. Listeners may not realize that after the Nightwalker series, you went on to narrate books that branched from Frank’s original Nightwalker world with Hunting Julian and Stealing Kathryn in her The Gatherers series and now the first in her newest series set in that same world, The Bodywalkers, with Forbidden released just last week. Now for that sound clip you provided to help tempt listeners…
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/63925569″ iframe=”true” /]
Taking a look at Audible, I find the average rating of 4.0 to 4.5 stars on the Frank titles you’ve narrated to be so impressive. 645 listeners have taken the time to leave feedback on Jacob alone! I realize that the author creates the world and writes the stories but, for me, it is your narration that makes these books the audio hits they are.
Xe: Brenda, that means so much to a narrator to hear. We pour so much of ourselves in to our performances that it is heartening to hear that it’s appreciated!
Brenda: In mentioning these manly voiced heroes, I’m reminded of one of your recent Tweets about the toll those deep voices take on your vocal chords. Do you ever regret the fact that your “men” have become your trademark in the romance community?
Xe: Hmm, I can’t say that I regret it as it’s such a huge part of why some listeners enjoy the performance … plus, I have to confess that opening my mouth and having a sexy dude’s voice come out is kinda awesome :)
That said, it is true that it’s hard on my vocal cords and I have to be very careful to schedule the work so that I don’t have to voice several such vocally stressful books back-to-back. And honestly, it does amount to bit of self-imposed pressure to be able to constantly deliver the most authentic male voices I possibly can. I’ll just cop to it: I’m “that” kind of artist – the kind that does what I need to do to get the result I want, damage be darned. I was the same way when doing visual art and it’s a core piece of my personality. Doesn’t mean it’s healthy, and I own that, but it is part of who I am and I’ve learned to accept it.
Brenda: Go easy on the damage part – we want you narrating for a long time! Especially knowing the effort you put forth to deliver these narrations, an example of which can be heard in this clip you shared while prepping for Anne Stuart’s On Thin Ice:
Becoming Finn – Evolution of an Irish Secret Agent.
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/31995704″ iframe=”true” /]
This was a great teaser piece that had us waiting with bated breath for the audio release date. I feel fortunate that I was in on the ground floor of your romance narrating career with Anne Stuart’s Fire and Ice in the fall of 2010. Your voicing of Reno and his family’s Japanese accents and Jilly’s young but steadfast personality, brought that book alive in a new way for many of us. That performance landed you a boatload of romance audio fans evidenced by your numerous wins in the 2011 and 2012 Speaking of Audiobooks Favorite Romance Audiobooks Polls. I know we aren’t here to talk about you today but, hey, we can’t sponsor a talk like this without letting folks know just how much we adore your narrations.
Xe: Aw, thank you! It’s been fabulous to have had you along for pretty much the whole ride :)
Brenda: Fire and Ice was part of the Ice series, followed by On Thin Ice this past springmuch to our listening pleasure. Ah Finn and his Irish accent, your efforts heard above made him truly swoon-worthy … ahem, moving on. In fact, of the fifty books you’ve narrated, twenty-two have been series or parts of series. Do you look forward to revisiting these multiple characters you’ve developed voices for?
Xe: I do enjoy working on series, for exactly that reason – you get to revisit characters you’ve already lived with, so to speak. Sometimes, of course, that’s difficult if their voice is a challenge, but for the most part, it’s a comfort. Additionally, I’ve already got the world/setting in mind, I’ve lived in it with the characters in previous books, so we can just hit the ground running together when I get in the booth.
Brenda: Talking with you today gives me a chance to discuss my favorite type of listening which is series or connecting books, no matter the genre – be it Pamela Clare’s I-Team series with a different couple featured in each book or a series like JD Robb’s In Death that has the same main couple throughout.
Then there are those few that branch out with spinoff series after a few books like Jeannine Frost with her Night Huntress, Night Prince, and Night Huntress World series or Jacquelyn Frank with The Nightwalkers, The Shadowdwellers (narrated by Kirsten Potter), The Gatherers, and now The Bodywalkers. Stories set in the same world but with different lead characters and story arcs.
Xe: Having done both types that you mentioned, with a main character around which each book revolves (Evy Stone in the Dreg City series by Kelly Meding, or Lily Ivory in the Witchcraft Mystery Series, by Juliet Blackwell), and those with a different H/H in each book, but all set in the same “world” with characters intertwining (i.e. Nightwalkers, Bodywalkers, Gatherers), I’ll confess preferring the former – one H/H that moves through all books … but that’s only because it’s so much easier for me as a performer. What series can you think of that does this particularly well … what elements do you feel account for the success of a “branching” series?
Brenda: You’ve made me think here and although there are always exceptions to a rule, I find I prefer the former as well – one hero and heroine who carry the series while we watch their relationship grow, change, and deepen as well as keeping up with the peripheral characters and having a new set of circumstances to deal with in each book. I’d have to say that preference is more commonly found within urban fantasy series outside of Eve and Roarke in Robb’s In Death series.
But when I think about the popularity of series books or any type of series in general, the Sunday Comics come to mind. What would the Peanuts gang be up to – would Dick Tracy solve his crime this week? How many fans opened up to the comics section first on a Sunday morning? Of course I only know about those anticipated Sunday comics because of my grandparents! ;)
Series of books are popular in the same way as those comic strips. They allow the listener to fall back into earlier stories. No need to spend a lot of time understanding a backstory or learning who everyone is – you’re able to launch into a new experience quickly while still catching up with your favorite characters. Be it just a glimpse of some past couple or previous characters continuing to play significant roles, you continue down the path with some sort of new romantic angle, solving a new crime or fighting a new monster or finally vanquishing the common enemy.
Xe: Something that I think Jacquelyn Frank has done very successfully with the Nightwalkers/Shadowdwellers/Bodywalkers series is continually build, in a credible way, on the main concepts, tone and characterizations of the original series. What series can you think of that do this particularly well… What elements do you feel account for the success of a “branching” series?
Brenda: I’m going to answer in reverse and say one element that works for me as authors branch out with different series (this won’t be a surprise) is keeping the same narrator which, in turn, keeps the series cohesive for me. I mentioned Jeannine Frost above with her three series that are based in the same world with the same concepts and she is superb at this as is narrator Tavia Gilbert in delivering the books. Another that comes to mind (though not exactly in these parameters) is Christine Feehan with her Ghostwalker series as she adds different military based teams with different abilities in different cities while Tom Stechschulte continues to deliver each to audio with his addictive voice. I could continue by mentioning Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter books or Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series with Justine Eyre and Renee Raudman respectively at the helm but onward…
To do this successfully, an author has to write characters that readers invest in. We end up involved in their lives, their romance, and the challenges they face as friends. In the case of paranormal romance or urban fantasy, a world is created with its own set of dynamics and generally an evil that must be dealt with as a group. A word I often use when speaking of favorite series is camaraderie – the feeling of loyalty and warm friendship that the characters develop and that continues to grow with each new book. This growth can stem from the original cast at the beginning of the series or as new characters are introduced. It is that dynamic that acts as a draw, keeping listeners coming back for more and it can be equally as strong a reason for a listener to return as the continuing romance.
And you’re right. This is something Jacquelyn Frank does well within her series and as she branches off. She takes the insular “nations” of beings in her books, whether they are thought of as strangers or true enemies, and brings them to the realization that they need others – those outside their own kind. The leads must join forces and go from enemies to friends to realizing true love is possible between them. In accepting this order, they ultimately succeed against a bigger threat.
Xe: Oh I couldn’t agree more, Brenda! I think you pegged what it takes to do this successfully, and I love the concept of “camaraderie!” I think this is where a narrator really has to step up. We have to voice the characters in a way that demonstrates that bond-building. Initially, we have to voice the H/H in such a way as to show their personal transformations throughout their arc; but we also have to voice all the characters in such a way that it shows the development of all the various relationships over time, over the course of the series. If we’re doing our job right, I believe that this should be a fairly organic process for the narrator, as we are growing and developing and falling in love and grieving with characters as we move through the series.
Brenda: Exactly Xe, you definitely get it when it comes to a continuing series. Following one of these series, especially with a narrator you love, enhances the experience, which means guaranteed enjoyment for listeners as they enter a familiar world, readying themselves for the next stage.
I know the fans of both your series and single titles feel the same as I do Xe. Thanks for the good times, bad times, hot times, hard times … and especially for the obvious dedication to your craft that comes through to the listeners ear in the end.
Xe: Thanks to all of YOU! I continue to be heartened and humbled by the support of this amazing community of listeners and commit to continuing to hone my craft to ensure the very best listening experience for you that I possibly can.
Brenda: We appreciate your joining us today Xe and for the giveaway package you’ll be sending out to one lucky winner. Once again, where are we directing listeners to next on your blog tour in order to continue this celebration of your 50th audiobook narration?
Xe: Tomorrow is the last stop of this crazy whirlwind. I’ll be chatting with Jennifer Conner over at Literate Housewife , giving away print and audio of The Art Forger … and COOKIES!
Your Entry for the Giveaway
Enter here for your chance to win Xe’s 50th Audiobook Celebration gift package: Seven audiobooks and Cookies! Jacquelyn Frank’s new release Forbidden, first in The Bodywalker’s series and her Nightwalker series Jacob, Gideon, Elijah, Damien, Noah, & Adam. Xe’s homemade cookies will be Chocolate chip, oatmeal cranberry w/white chocolate chips, and ossi di morto (bones of the dead). Yum!
Contest is Closed
Brenda
What a fun interview – have often wondered how authors’ relationships to their characters change over time as a series develops; interesting to also consider how a narrator’s vocal expression of a character must not only evolve within a single novel, but also over the course of a series. Love the description of this ideally being an “organic” process. Great interview!
Thanks Jennifer, this organic process as a series progresses is something Xe has down pat!
Quick clarification on the cookies: the selections are set and this is what the cookie package will include:
Chocolate chip, oatmeal cranberry w/white chocolate chips, and ossi di morto (bones of the dead).
Yes, Xe is offering a unique cookie selection compared to the more generic selection found in the entry form. I had never even heard of ossi di morto (bones of the dead before) I’ll have to give them a try now for sure. :)
@Jennifer – thanks! And I also wonder about that with authors – how that must feel to change and grow with their characters.
What an awesome price pack! That would be great listening
Ezi
I agree Ezi – a great giveaway for several types of fans IMO.
A. The obvious – those who love Xe’s superb narrative ability.
B. Jacquelyn Frank fans who love her audiobooks BUT even more so for the Frank fans that aren’t familiar with the audios and don’t know what they’re missing!
C. Cookie lovers – I’d encourage cookie lovers to listen to the audios of course – but hey aren’t the cookies enough? :D
I’ll start by saying, Xe, that I completely enjoyed your “Becoming Finn – Evolution of an Irish Secret Agent” back when you originally released it. I hope you continue with that sort of thing now and then. Talk about getting fans enthused!
I’m not one who easily listens to long paranormal series. J R Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series was an easy sell for me as I loved the series in print (the first five). But, for the most part, my PNR/Fantasy series choices have been based on Brenda’s strong recommendations and, sometimes, even hand holding. The biggest hits for me have been Jeaniene Frost’s series (and family branches) narrated by Tavia Gilbert followed by KMM’s Fever series, Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series, & Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series. Sounds like I need to try Jacquelyn Frank. I know I’ll love the narration. :)
After reading this, I decided to start Ilona Andrew’s The Edge series narrated by the awesome Renee Raudman – another series recommended by Brenda. Get prepared Brenda – questions coming! (she always helps me get a grip on the world building)
Lea – Serious? – your ready for The Edge Series? – Next joint listen? – Then we can be depressed together if Tantor doesn’t come through with the fourth/final book in the series. :D
As to sound clips I’d encourage anyone to check out Xe’s Soundcloud account – http://bit.ly/SxmZwv
It’s full of great audiobook clips (a long and a short clip from Stuart’s On Thin Ice – with that final Finn voice!) and a lot more – humor, poetry, full length children’s stories like The Velveteen Rabbit, etc.
My families favorite funny is Best of Craiglist: Kitten vs. Boyfriend
http://soundcloud.com/xesands/kittenvsboyfriend
You bet! Joint listen coming up! Are you ready to start the first? Have any wonderful notes to send my way? :)
Ah, thanks for spreading the word on the SoundCloud / Going Public offerings, Brenda :) That project (for which Velveteen Rabbit) is near and dear to my heart, and I’ve had a great time with the pieces recorded for my husband as well (i.e. Kitten vs. Boyfriend).
Ezi – thanks so much! I think I heard a rumor that you have a little crush on Elijah, no? :)
Lea – thanks for the feedback on “Becoming Finn.” Had a great time working that. I actually did something somewhat similar a few weeks back for “Hart” from Kira Brady’s HEARTS OF DARKNESS (which is being given away at Stop No. 2 this week – see above). I was having a very difficult time choosing just one clip of him…I mean, he’s a classic alpha bad boy, so he starts off as a, well, you-know-what, and eventually turns into a mushpie :) Hard to show that evolution in one clip. So I created a little piece just for him called, Evolution of an Alpha Hero: http://soundcloud.com/xe_sands/evolution-of-an-alpha-hero
And I hear you on a series. As a reader, I think I actually prefer stand-alone books. As much as I love series, I can sometimes get a bit obsessive with them, and feel almost obligated to continue with a series, even if I’d rather read something else. But as a narrator, I feel differently – perhaps because I get to “live” as the characters for so long :)
Enjoy The Edge series!
I’m so glad you talked about Fire and Ice. I loved that audiobook! It might not have been the best choice of listening material as I was driving to work – ahem – but it certainly made me do whatever it took to get my work done so I could listen on my way home. I whole heartedly agree about Xe’s male voices. They are great. :)
Yes Jennifer, add the deeper tone of voice to the the Japanese accents in Fire and Ice and the setting of the story became a reality, loved it. :)
Quite an interview. Like you said, it’s the best thing about a series – you get a chance to revisit your fav characters!
Glad you agree Shriya – good luck with your entry!
Thanks!
@Jennifer – thanks for cruising over here! And I remember some of the tweets from when you listened to Fire and Ice on the way to work – LOL! Thanks for the kind words :)
@Shriya – Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it, and that you stopped by. Good luck in the drawing!