Chatting with Penny Reid & Cris Dukehart, a Giveaway & a First Chapter Listen!

Today we’re welcoming Cris Dukehart as our latest Narrator Friend and to help pull it all off with style, author Penny Reid is joining Cris and me in a chat all about their joint work. We’re also giving away two sets of Penny’s Elements of Chemistry series which releases this summer [NOW CLOSED] AND we have a First Chapter Listen of Attraction, the first in the series which releases today. You can find the First Chapter Listen immediately below today’s chat.

And be sure to check out Cris’ Narrator Friend page!

The Giveaway is closed

We’re giving away two download sets of Penny Reid’s Elements of Chemistry series courtesy of Tantor Audio as each is released in audio format this summer. Attraction releases today; Heat releases on July 28th; and Capture releases August 18th. Entry is simple. Just complete the easy entry form found at the bottom of the page by midnight (CST) Sunday, July 5th. No comments are necessary to enter although we’d love to hear your thoughts in our discussion area. You may only enter once – anyone entering more than once will be disqualified. We’ll contact winners on July 6th so watch your email as we must have acknowledgement of your win within 24 hours. If we don’t hear from you, we’ll select another winner. The giveaway is limited to those residing in the U.S. or Canada.

 

Chatting with Penny and Cris

LEA  Welcome Penny and Cris to AudioGals! We’re excited to have you with us today.

PENNY  Thank you for having all of us!

PENNY  (all two of us)

CRIS  Hello there!

LEA  And a special welcome to Cris as our newest Narrator Friend. Over the past months, Cris and I have been looking for just the right opportunity to formally introduce her with great flair. And Penny, you provided us with just that!

CRIS  SQUEEEEE!

PENNY  If I accomplish anything with these books, I hope it’s introducing Cris with great flair. Life goal achieved

CRIS  The minute I finished devouring The Elements series in the pre-read, I KNEW…

CRIS  PENNY ROCKS THE CASBAH!

LEA   Oh Penny – you have done just that! When Cris told me about your books, I immediately downloaded your Elements of Chemistry series to my Kindle and was so taken with your characters.

PENNY  Well, thank you! I consider myself extremely lucky to work with someone of Cris’s caliber

CRIS  (blush blush blush)

PENNY   When the publisher sent me her audio sample I yelled (out loud and alarming my husband) SHE’S PERFECT!

LEA  When I started reading your series, I just happened to be listening to The Boys in the Boat about the US rowing team who wins the gold in the 1936 Berlin Olympic games and I thought…

LEA  Yes – oarsmen!!

LEA  Hunky oarsmen!!

PENNY  HAHA! Yes… “oarsmen”

LEA  Now that I think about it, oarsmen are probably called rowers these days… but that was 1936!

PENNY  I used to row in high school and college, so sharing my lust… er, love for the sport felt natural.

LEA  And it gave us such a different backdrop. It worked completely for me.

CRIS  Thank you Penny… for the enthusiastic approval AND for the hunky oarsmen!

PENNY  Well, rowers are hot. There, I said it. I’m not going to lie, as a college student/rower I used to objectify the heck out of the male rowing team. I figured if I was going to write a book based in college, then I needed to add some male-rower objectification.

PENNY  It’s delightful when they row without shirts, for example.

LEA  Ohhh – I’ve decided I need to travel where I can see some of those rowers practice. Such a thing of beauty I’m sure.

CRIS  TAKE ME!

PENNY  It is, truly. And not just in the obvious ways. As Kaitlyn describes in the book (when she is on the water) the moving together is beautiful (to see and experience).

CRIS  I’m ALL FOR hot male objectification!

PENNY  LOL Cris

LEA  Okay! Living in Oklahoma, we just don’t see that type of thing!!

PENNY  I’m in Florida; we get Ivy League teams down here in the Winter… so… visit anytime.

LEA  Ahh – Cris? Let’s check our calendars…

CRIS  I was just thinking… Penny will so completely regret having issued that invite when she finds Lea and me camped out on her doorstep!

LEA  Hehe

CRIS  I’ll bring the snacks… I’m good with snacks.

PENNY  No regrets! I hope you like red wine.

LEA  Uh – yeah!!

PENNY  #SCORE

LEA  So, obviously we are talking about your Elements of Chemistry series which Tantor is releasing this summer. Can you give our listeners a look into the setup of the series?

PENNY  Sure… The series centers around Kaitlyn Parker (introvert and daughter of illustrious parentage) and Martin Sandeke (jerk-faced bully and son of wealthy but less than illustrious parentage). Kaitlyn struggles to find her way from teenage-hood to adulthood, as does Martin. He forces her to face her passions, and she pushes him to live his life with honor.

PENNY  The central theme of the story focuses on the struggle young people (18-22) face, how to balance passion with being a productive, honorable member of society. Which sounds heavy… but it’s mostly hijinks.

LEA  And utilizing my new knowledge on rowing team basics, Martin is the “stroke” on the team which I now realize is super impressive.

PENNY  Yes. Being the stroke is like being the quarterback (the most oft used analogy for US sports). Setting the rhythm, the pace. Also, stroke typically has the best form and technique (but isn’t usually the “strongest” of the rowers).

PENNY  The strongest sit in 6 and 5 seat. (I was 6 seat… )

PENNY  I just had to throw that in

CRIS  Did I mention that PENNY REID ROCKS the gosh-darn CASBAH?!?

LEA  And I’m very impressed!! Now I’m wondering if we’ll see more of seats 6 and 5 but I digress…

PENNY  Cris- that only happened once and all the charges were dropped.

CRIS  LOL, Penny.

LEA  The first in the series, Attraction releases today with Heat releasing on July 28th and Capture on August 18th. It sounds as though this is one continuous story? Or is it three separate stories with some involvement of previous characters?

PENNY  The books form the Elements of Chemistry trilogy are one continuous story – a’la the Lord of the Rings (but without Elves, Orcs, and evil eyes). However, the books were split into their separate parts because they each represent 3-separate arcs for the characters/parts of a relationship –

PENNY   1. Attraction (initial attraction)

2. Heat (… nudge nudge, wink wink)

3. Capture (moving beyond attraction and heat, digging deeper)

LEA  Would this series be considered New Adult or more straight Contemporary Romance?

PENNY  Definitely New Adult! I usually write contemporary/adult, but I really wanted to try/attempt writing in the New Adult genre.

PENNY  New Adult is all about that initial finding of oneself, learning what love is (and what it isn’t), discovering your boundaries.

LEA  There is so much interest among our reviewers (and they certainly represent the larger listening audience) for New Adult titles. I too listen to New Adult and encourage all romance listeners to give it a try – regardless of age.

CRIS  By this definition… I AM “new adult”…

PENNY  Cris- I knew it!

LEA  And although I’m certainly far beyond my New Adult years, I find so much that totally charms me!

PENNY  That is wonderful! and I can understand why. Reliving those new feelings, first love, first uncertainties. There is a wisdom in youth that is lost as we grow older, wisdom in optimism, I think.

LEA  In 2013, we ran an article featuring New Adult – it was a fairly new phenomenon at the time. Age is loosely defined therein (as was the genre at the time).

PENNY  Typically (in my experience) New Adult will focus on the “first” struggles of an adult, so the age group is typically 17/18 – 25.

CRIS  I think one of the reasons that “New Adult” stories DO charm and draw so many of us in, regardless of age, is because of its THEMES, finding out what love is and isn’t… discovering yourself and your boundaries are themes that repeat again as we age and reinvent through the years.

PENNY  Cris- yes! We are always re-discovering ourselves (boundaries, etc.). But the first time is usually exciting.

PENNY  Some great examples of new adult authors: Colleen Hoover, Tamara Webber, Amy Harmon. These ladies write compelling fiction about these “firsts”

LEA  I know this isn’t your first series to be released in audio format. Did you have any influence in the choice of Cris as narrator?

PENNY  Yes! My agent (Louise Fury, who I like to call ‘Agent Fury’) always insists in the contract that I have approval over the narrator. Like I mentioned, the publisher sent several audio samples. As soon as I heard Cris it was… magic.

PENNY  Magic Mike magical. Super majestic. She was perfect. She *is* Kaitlyn.

CRIS  OMGOODNESS!

CRIS  THANK YOU!

PENNY  I wanted someone who could pull off uncertainty, dry humor, comedic timing, and wit. She was it.

PENNY  No Cris – thank you.

CRIS  It is possible that I had an unfair advantage over whatever other narrator gals were sent over. Many narrators come from a theatrical background… not so with me.

CRIS  I’m an academic. Forensic Anthropology.

LEA  Tell us more!

PENNY  AH HA! NOW IT ALL MAKES SENSE! (sorry for shouting)

LEA  Shows excitement – I’m ALL for that!

CRIS  I’m a passionate and voracious reader, for sure but, well…

PENNY  My background is biostatistics, so of course a scientist reading the work of a scientist… makes sense.

CRIS  Ah HA! is right! The pieces come together! Though I never hid in closets… I absolutely COULD HAVE.

PENNY  If this were the Maury Povich show, then I would be the father.

LEA  The question begs to be asked. How did you get started narrating?

PENNY  Yes, I want to know this, too.

CRIS  I have always been a voracious and passionate reader… if I had hidden in a chemistry lab closet, I would have had a book (or five) with me. Growing up, my best friend’s mother was a professional storyteller and the director of the Cloister’s Children’s museum. I spent many a day wandering areas of the Maryland castle that were otherwise not accessible to the public and listening to stories being told. It was a fairytale really. It followed, then, as I got older that I would continue to listen but to “books on tape”… and hoping to give MY children the same experience I had of being introduced to storytelling and literature, I read to them… and then to their classes and then, as word got about, to many, many classes throughout the area and eventually, after some arm twisting and hair pulling by my husband, I was convinced to give narration a try.

CRIS  I’ve since trained (because every good academic takes CLASSES to know their subject) with fabulous fellows and narrators extraordinaire, Scott Brick and Pat Fraley in LA and man-genious director fellow, Paul Ruben in NY.

CRIS  And really… I just LOVE what I do – talking to myself in a padded room… all day long.

PENNY  HAHAHA

LEA  Have the two of you met each other either by email, phone, or in person? If so, how did it occur?

CRIS  I fan-geeked out… all over poor Penny. I genuinely adore this series.

PENNY  Cris sent me an email. She asked if there was anything in particular I wished/hoped for the audiobook.

PENNY  She was very gracious and kind about the book.

CRIS  Snort… Penny

CRIS  I COMPLETELY fan-geeked out.

PENNY  LOL Very classy…

LEA  You know – listeners love knowing that the author and narrator have communicated.

CRIS  I think the best audiobooks come from author/narrator collaboration.

LEA  It makes us feel even more certain that the author’s words are being performed as written. I know that can happen without contact between the two but it exhibits a willingness to get it JUST right.

LEA  And that is what we want and, yes, expect!

LEA  We so want the author’s words performed just as the author intended.

PENNY  I can see that… however, I would also state that allowing the narrator to add their own artistic vision/spin is always a good thing. Something I’ve learned with the audiobooks I’ve done in the past is to “let go” once you choose your narrator. I’ve found that if I choose a narrator that loves the content and loves the freedom of bringing it to life, they will do so with passion (once I choose my narrator).

CRIS  That’s it… it’s official. I have a girl crush on Penny.

PENNY  You’re cool, Cris. I like you.

PENNY  Just one more thing on this subject…

PENNY  I love it when my readers email me or message me or announce in my fan group that they listened to the audiobook and it was like listening to a new book/reading it for the first time. I LOVE THAT.

PENNY  I think that’s what’s so special about audiobooks.

CRIS  I love that TOO!

LEA  Oh – I know that feeling!

PENNY  It’s a collaboration/marriage of written and spoken, giving the material new meaning, new layers.

PENNY  If my narrators followed my vision entirely, I think something would be lost (an opportunity would be lost).

CRIS  To make it more.

LEA  When a narrator gets it right, it’s like fleshing out the author’s words and making it even a better experience!

PENNY  I agree, Lea!

CRIS  I once read, in an AudoFile interview of YA listeners… that listening to an audiobook doesn’t necessarily take the PLACE of reading a book… but rather offers, as watching a MOVIE of a book does, an entirely new vision of the story.

PENNY  Cris- absolutely. I would love to see how a director (a fellow artist in a different medium) would translate my work.

LEA  So… Cris, how did you go about preparing for this series? Did you find anything to be particularly challenging?

CRIS  Well… interesting that it would come up at this point in the interview… when I read… for work (in the pre-read or as I narrate) or for pleasure, the words, for lack of a better description, “play out” in my head… like… a mind movie.

CRIS  Before I begin any book, I read through it with the intent of gathering character and plot information… accents, impediments, character traits… plot twists.  It all goes into how someone sounds… what their background is… how they present to the world, if that makes sense

CRIS  Then, if the author is amenable, I pick their noggins… and I check out reviews, if there are any, on GoodReads…

CRIS  Mostly, I look for bad reviews… which sounds odd, I know…

PENNY  (That is so interesting! What a great idea.)

LEA  Well written negative reviews can often make me WANT to read a book.

CRIS  But if the readers found anything difficult… or challenging with the story… I try to mitigate those things, if I can, in my read.

PENNY  Lea – Me, too.

PENNY  Cris- Yes. Very smart of you.

LEA  What a concept Cris!

You have the ability to clearly differentiate your males from your females. Is this something that comes to you naturally or did you have to train to achieve that effect?

CRIS  Hmmmm. Both, I think, Lea. I have a higher register, so I have to accept that I just am not ever going to sound like a man… but… males emote differently than women… they emphasize differently. They have a sound that is very clearly… very distinctly male.

CRIS  I’ve found, too, that being a narrator has made me a bit of a conversation stalker

LEA  Always doing your homework?!

CRIS  LOL

CRIS  EXACTLY Lea. Actively listening is a job requirement I think.

LEA  We notice those differences – no matter what others may say, men talk differently.

LEA  A narrator doesn’t need to go low to portray a male excellently.

CRIS  I DO drop my register…

LEA  I have noticed – are you dropping it more than when you first started?

CRIS  I think I do. Yes. For the Alpha male heavy series I do. It is sometimes more of a vocal challenge for sure.

LEA  Penny – will we see more of the characters found in the Elements of Chemistry series?

PENNY  Well… maybe. Elements of Chemistry is the first “book” in the Hypothesis series (I know, that’s confusing…). The next “book” will be entitled Laws of Physics and centers around Abram from Capture (part 3). This is the first series I’ve written where I haven’t plotted out all the books ahead of time.

CRIS  OH SQUEEE! I’m recording Capture now!

PENNY  If there is enough interest, I’d love to write a book about Eric and Sam (or: Eric and/or Sam)

CRIS  HOORAY ABRAM!

PENNY  Abram is fun, yes??

CRIS  So VERY fun!

LEA  I saw the Hypothesis series when preparing for our chat today. I assumed it had been renamed. So, do we have any idea how many books (trilogies?) we’ll see?

PENNY  No, what happened is, when I decided to write in the New Adult genre I entitled the series: The Hypothesis Series. Then Elements of Chemistry took on a life of its own, and really needed to be a trilogy (one book split into 3 parts, again I use The Lord of the Rings as an example… because I am a nerd).

PENNY  So the series is: The Hypothesis Series. The first book is Elements of Chemistry. And it is split into 3 parts: ATTRACTION, HEAT, CAPTURE. I’m guessing that Laws of Physics will likely follow a similar model.

PENNY  If you want to help me brainstorm on titles for the three part… I won’t turn you down.

LEA  I’m sure we could work up a lot of excitement for you there.

PENNY  (i.e. Motion, Energy, and… gravity?)

PENNY  O.o

CRIS  GRAVITY is BRILLIANT!

PENNY  LOL Also, the three parts of EOC are actually each full novels

PENNY  Attraction being the shortest at 45k; Heat 65k, and Capture 75k words

LEA  Penny, another of your books was recently released in audio format – another Tantor title – The Hooker and the Hermit co-authored by L.H. Cosway. Can you tell our listeners about the setup?

PENNY  OHHHoooohHHhooooohhHHHHh!!

LEA  Understand – I’m listening now!

PENNY  Yes… The Hooker and the Hermit is not about a prostitute, let’s just start there.

PENNY  A ‘hooker’ is a position in rugby; the hooker in the story is Ronan Fitzpatrick (dirty talking Irish rugby league player).

PENNY  The hermit is Annie Catrel, Wharton Business school graduate and covert celebrity stalker blogger. She picks him apart on her blog, he loses his temper, they email back and forth, hilarity ensues (and some dirty talking).

CRIS  We interrupt this interview for a brief moment of fan-geek out… I LOVE LOVE LOVE the AUDIOBOOK of The Hooker and the Hermit! (I’m sorry… I’m such an excitable dork… but really… it is the bomb-diggity for SURE… fresh and NEW and CLEVER as all GET OUT!)

CRIS  Okay… carry on.  (blush)

PENNY  Ha! George Allen’s narration of Ronan was spot on.

PENNY  He was brilliant!

LEA  Can I say (enthusiastically!) that George Allen is absolutely bringing the hooker completely to life!

CRIS  LEA… AGREE!

LEA  Ah – we both posted at the same time!

CRIS  Agree with lusty sweaty-earbud ears!

PENNY  LH Cosway was adamant that we have a native Irish speaker for the role. And she turned away 10 or so auditions.

PENNY  We always knew Lucy Rivers was going to be Annie, but finding Ronan was not easy.

LEA  Well, I’m completely impressed.

PENNY  This book… Oh my goodness, I loved writing this book because LH Cosway is an amazing writing partner. And she is one of my favorite authors.

CRIS  I think it was an incredible pairing, really!

PENNY  All her books are weird and wonderful and original and… there’s some something completely erotic (without it being explicit). She seduces the reader.

LEA  I HAVE to try! Is there one you would suggest I try first?

PENNY  YES! Painted Faces!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LEA  Okay – done!

PENNY  I know I just used my exclamation point quota.

CRIS  (Is it so completely whacked that my heart is entirely racing out of my silly book-loving chest as we talk about books?!?)

PENNY  (it’s not weird, Cris. It’s awesome.)

LEA  Hey – we want to see exclamation points and whacked out things!

CRIS  Penny and I are YOUR GALS!

PENNY  But, you have to promise me you will read to 20%. Because most people are freaked out at first. But it will seriously change your perspective on what is sexy.

LEA  Promise.

LEA  We always end our talks with current or upcoming projects in the works. It doesn’t have to be romance related. Cris, can you share some of yours with us?

CRIS  I’m really very excited about a title just released by Harper Audio… a novel by Matthew Quick, author of Silver Linings Playbook. It’s called Love May Fail and while it isn’t a ROMANCE… it IS a LOVE STORY.  Crazypants brilliant and funny as all bejeebus, it was a multi cast read.

CRIS  Matthew Quick is just so good at writing with a genuine and thoughtfully snarky pen about our flawed selves… and I was really just thrilled to be part of the project.

CRIS  The story follows Portia, the wife of a porn director who finds herself at a personal crossroads, clutching a gun, waiting for her philandering husband to come home with his newest actress/mistress. Interesting coincidence… this book ALSO begins with ME in a closet though this time, sandwiched between designer stilettos and a porn director’s golf clubs.

CRIS  It’s a story of humor and flaw, acceptance and love… and literature… really good literature.

LEA  Penny, we’re curious about what is next among the many you have shared with us. Will you be continuing an existing series or introducing us to something new? Or possibly both?

PENNY  All the things! I can tell you what’s next… as in, immediately releasing/working on.

PENNY  I’ve just finished writing (like, last night) my next release, Truth or Beard which is book #1 in the Winston Brothers series, (a spin off from my release last year, Beauty and the Mustache). It releases July 21. This series follows the exploits of the 6 (bearded) Winston brothers in Tennessee, and all of the books have the word ‘beard’ in the title… because I think it’s funny.

PENNY  After that, as of today, I’m finishing up the primary writing for Happily Ever Ninja (book #5 in the Knitting in the City series). It’s about a married couple and married love and what that looks like (i.e. how marriage can and should be just as romantic and meaningful as the beginnings of falling in love).

PENNY  And after that… coffee? Sleep? Maybe a massage. Or maybe you two ladies will come down to Florida and help me ogle rowers.

PENNY  Thanks, Cris!!

LEA  Of course!! Now for that date…

CRIS  OH!!! How about US… coffee, a massage AND ROWER-OGLING!

LEA  Sounds like a plan Cris!

LEA  And, of course, as audio enthusiasts, we have to ask about audio possibilities. I know you Knitting series is in audio format so I assume we will see Happily Ever Ninja as well one of these days? And Truth or Beard – any plans?

PENNY  Oh! Yes, both will be in audio. Truth or Beard will have two narrators (male and female). Joy Nash, who did an exceptional job with Beauty and the Mustache (and in specific the authentic Tennessee accent) will be narrating the female part.

LEA  Yes!

PENNY  I’ve yet to cast the male role… I need to get on that.

LEA  We’ll be watching closely…

LEA  Will you be self publishing the audio or will it be a Tantor release?

PENNY  Knitting in the City is all self-published, I think it’ll continue that way. The Winston Brothers will also likely be self-published, just because it’s a spinoff of KitC. But, all future series (The Rugby series, the Hypothesis series) I’ll try to go through Tantor first; they have amazing talent and resources and are just wonderful with which to work.

LEA  Tantor knows how to treat us romance fans right.

CRIS  They are SUPER excited about the EOC series

PENNY  Also, if I can, I’d love to keep Cris as the narrator for the Hypothesis series.

PENNY  For all the books

CRIS  OH SQUEEEEEE!

CRIS  Happy dancing all over!

LEA  Is there anything you all want to add before we sign off?

PENNY  Just that you are wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to do the interview and all your thoughtful questions. I had a great time… Also, Cris is adorable.

CRIS  Thank you BOTH

LEA  So glad you agreed to join us Cris. And thanks Penny!!

 

First Chapter Listen – Attraction

 

 

 

Time to Enter

Those entering more than once will be disqualified.

Contest closed.

And happy Penny Reid/Cris Dukehart listening to you!

 

Lea Hensley