Over the past five months, we have literally raved about Laura Kinsale’s audiobook releases. Six have been released since May 2013 with two additional titles scheduled for release before the end of the year and the balance of her backlist in 2014. The combination of writing and narration is simply outstanding. We have reviewed all six titles and each time, Nick Boulton’s narration has received an A or A+ grade. He’s set a new standard for romance listening and now appears on many a romance listener’s “best of the best” list.
Laura Kinsale has chosen the path of excellence in taking her print books to audio format and we think that worthy of a great deal of attention. Last week, we recorded this talk with Laura in the States and Nick in the UK (therefore the slight background noise you may hear occasionally) and we think it one of our best recorded interviews to date.
Laura’s titles are available at Audible:
Prince of Midnight – Reviewed May 8th
Flowers from the Storm – Reviewed June 6th
Midsummer Moon – Reviewed June 7th
The Dream Hunter – Reviewed July 30th
My Sweet Folly – Reviewed October 17th
For My Lady’s Heart – Reviewed October 11th
Enjoy!
Lea Hensley
What a good interview! So nice to hear about the collaborative effort between author, narrator and director.
Enjoyable interview! Thank you.
Delightful conversation! Nick is entirely too modest about his abilities to ‘inhabit’ each character with just his voice. Because of his outstanding performance in Flowers From the Storm, I’m getting all of his narration of Laura’s books.
Wow! If I weren’t already in love with Nicholas, I would be now. Loved this interview
Oh, this was wonderful. It was great to hear both their takes on their collaboration and you know I agree 100% with your comment that Nick has set a new standard in romance narration.
I always enjoy hearing actors/voice artists talk about their work – I imagine there are lots of people out there who think it’s a doddle (after all, all you have to do is sit and read; anyone could do it, right?), and the more interviews like this are there to set the record straight, the better.
Caz this made me smile:
“I imagine there are lots of people out there who think it’s a doddle (after all, all you have to do is sit and read; anyone could do it, right?),
In the first narrators forum (at SOA) and in many conversations since – the best of the best narrators have said the same thing Nick did in this interview – Audiobooks are the hardest work an actor will ever do.
Each time that point is made I’m not surprised but still my admiration and appreciation of gifted narrators increases!
Oh, I can imagine it’s very hard work. Not only does it require superb vocal technique and a superb physicality to support the voice, I’m sure it can also feel very.. exposed. After all, it’s just “you” – just one actor (mostly) and there is no ensemble to help you out if you’re feeling rough or something goes wrong. Sure, things can be edited, but it still requires a great deal of conviction and self-confidence to sit in a studio for hours on end, being certain that what you’re doing is going to turn out right in the end.
I can see some parallels between the art of audiobook narration and the art of writing a good romance novel – or rather, in the way they are perceived. People think it’s easy to pen a smutty book or read one out loud, and both are often seen as being at the bottom of the pecking order in their respective crafts.
Thankfully, some of us know differently :)
Thanks to Lea and Brenda for pulling it together! They kinda had to drag wallflower me into it, but I’m glad–it was really fun. I get to hear Nick’s voice for hours and hours while we’re working on an audiobook, but I never actually talked to him that long before! ;)
Laura this conversation was a privilege to be in on. I’m so glad you decided to join us – as you say – it was really fun!
And just to be honest here – I want a ringtone of Nick’s laughter after you asked him “When did you realize you were an alien…?” :D