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In Tree Pose, Ric and Elaina’s romantic getaway in Tasmania turns perilous when a mysterious text from Ric’s past threatens to upend their lives. How important do you think the role of a narrator is in shaping the listener’s experience of an audiobook?
For an Audiobook, the narrator makes or breaks the production. A seasoned, professional narrator or voice performer can heighten the storyline with a deep sense of storytelling. They can bring the listener into the “story world” with their voice.
In many ways, an audiobook is a play that happens in the listener’s mind. It’s all about the words and the way they sound.
We wrote the Yoga Mat Mysteries series as lyrical fiction. It’s not only meant to be read but also to be heard.
We envisioned this long ago when we first started talking about this series. The words and combinations of words are carefully crafted to put you in every scene as if you were attending a play. Our narrator Rupert Degas is a consummate actor and voice actor. He has the ability to take the words from the written page and transform them into verbal voice images.
We like to think of our stories as having magic. The storyteller can add that fairy dust which gives the stories even greater capacity.
How involved were you in the selection of the narrator, and what qualities do you think Degas brings to the storytelling that enhances the listener’s experience?
We spent over a year searching and listened to audition tapes each day. There were hundreds of auditions heard over the entire year. We were searching for the narrator that could collaborate well with us.
We had written our prose that begged not only to be read but also to be listened to. Storytelling is an art and important in the Yoga Mat Mysteries series. We wanted to immerse the reader and the audiobook listener into the world of our characters.
Overall, enriching our characters with the power of audiobooks, gave them a new world beyond the printed page. We had originally breathed life into them, but audiobooks gave them the clarity of clear speech.
Our characters now had an expanded stage presence—and they could talk, laugh, and cry … in various accents!
Rupert Degas brings his voice-acting energy into the strong characterizations that we have developed. In our joint project of working with Rupert, we have fused together a winning combination of the human voice speaking the award-winning prose.
How did you feel when you first heard Rupert Degas’ narration of Tree Pose, and what aspects of his performance stood out to you the most?
After a full year of searching, our compatibility meter zeroed in on Rupert Degas. Rupert has the uncanny ability to create, craft, and deliver an infinite range of voices. We had another unique set of voices in Tree Pose for him to voice perform.
Once again, we gave Rupert a detailed biography for each character. We knew these characters well. We had lived with them for two years by then. John claimed that Ric, one of our main protagonists, was using his straight razor and leaving it wet on the bathroom sink!
Hearing the prose spoken and Rupert’s interpretation of our characters was very fulfilling. We had read the book to each other numerous times during our edits. As this is book three Rupert has a thorough understanding of the main characters and how they would speak and react.
We have poured our energy into their personalities, bringing them alive on the page. Rupert helped intensify the drama, love, humour, fear, and wonder of each of the characters.
Were there any particular scenes or moments in Tree Pose that you were especially excited to hear brought to life through Rupert Degas’ narration?
Every dramatic, funny, powerful story starts with the characters and storyline. The best narrator cannot resurrect a story that does not compel.
We spent about a year on the written part of the book /audiobook. We are careful and diligent writers. We ensure excellence in terms of editing, proofreading, and production. The book has to be ‘5-star’ before we even start the audiobook production.
Our goal is always ironclad: The voice of the storyteller had to enhance the listener’s experience of our stories.
We were seasoned audiobook producers by the time we came to book 3, Tree Pose. We were excited to once again be working with Rupert.
Our first audiobook, Dead Man’s Pose had captured the imagination of AudioFile, the premier review of audiobooks. It earned an Earphones award and the founder of audiobook, Robin Whitten, provided a ‘Behind the Mic’ podcast interview with Jo Reed.
By the end of the year, Dead Man’s Pose was awarded Best of 2023 in the mystery/suspense category.
Earlier this year, we won an award from IBPA for the Second Audiobook in our series – Cobra Pose. This was in the category of Best Audiobook – Fiction. A month later, we won the Best Audiobook for the (Mystery/Suspense/Thriller,Action/Adventure) category again for Cobra Pose from the Indie Reader Discovery Awards.
The story of Tree Pose takes place on the island of Tasmania Australia and besides Ric and Elaina, the characters include our seasoned outback detective, Jack MacMasters, and Alfred Hastings a man who prefers sleep rough.
Alfred’s voice was particularly difficult for us to describe to Rupert. We liked Chris Hemsworth’s Australian accent, but there was a particular commercial that we had heard where that male voice speaks with a gravelly sound to it. It took us a month to track down the commercial we had heard and describe what we liked about ‘gravelly quality’.
Alfred is one of our characters who likes to sleep rough. He’s been ‘on the ground’ for over ten years. It was that gravelly quality that we were after.
As a connoisseur voice actor, Rupert nailed Alfred’s voice. As Alfred roams around Tasmania, his role becomes instrumental and his voice perfect for this mystery thriller, hinting at just enough romance for this third story in our series.
Recently one of the reviewers of Tree Pose confided they stayed up all night listening to it. Now that is music to our ears!
It makes every minute of the year of unsuccessful listening, the time in our unventilated closet, the nights wondering about ‘What’s the Plan?’ … all worthwhile.
We want every listener to listen to our stories and be so enthralled, they stay up all night to listen. Or they, “go around the block just one more time” so they can hear the end of that story.
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Fire-Fight
Forgery by Deception follows a rebellious and ambitious banker who orchestrates a complex operation to smuggle drugs disguised as legitimate products and counterfeit currency. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I first thought about the counterfeit aspect many years ago when I watched an old Sherlock Holmes film, Dressed to Kill, starring Basil Rathbone. He is tasked with finding the hiding place of the Bank of England’s five-pound note plates before the criminals find it. The drugs were based on a friend’s job years ago. She was the Country Manager for a very large pharmaceutical firm producing drugs in a third-world country. It was only after I wrote my first novel Unfaithful, that I felt it was time for Forgery by Deception.
Richard Brock is a well-developed character that is believable and relatable. Was the character’s backstory something you always had, or did it develop as you were writing?
Only one part of Richard Brock’s character was based on a fellow I met many years ago. He was working for a New York Bank, setting up banks in Latin America. All of the other character traits were invented as I started writing the book.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
Actually, all the scenes between Cynthia Blane and John Paxton, I really enjoyed writing. I wanted to show their byplay as their relationship developed. I guess the fire-fight against Murray was the most intricate in terms of how to set up that scenario.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m working on a World War II spy story. It’s just in the research stage. I’m a student of WWII history, especially the espionage missions and deceptions that were carried out.
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First, they were going to create economic chaos in the United States economy, by producing currency that is both genuine and untraceable. By using an informant in the Treasury Department with a Top-Secret clearance, he was able to pull off the ‘Heist of the Century.’ A robbery so sensitive, that only a few select senior officials were informed. The result was that Security Chief, Thomas Ryan found it necessary to secure an independent agent outside of the Treasury Department, but with a department background.
Enter John Paxton, an old friend, and ex-Navy Seal, now retired who was a top Treasury Agent. Paxton, now 53 retired after having been seriously injured in a fire-fight during his last assignment. John is living on his sailboat the ‘PEGGY SUE,’ somewhere in the Florida Keys.
The Second part of Richard’s plan is to devise a one-hundred percent foolproof method of importing drugs into the United States. A method so complex, and a method so clever, that the DEA, The Coast Guard, and any other drug enforcement agencies, will be completely baffled.
Now for the last year, cut cocaine from Columbian drug lord Enrico Sanchez, has been successfully smuggled into New York City undetected.
Besides the law enforcement agents working on this case, a sharp and creative investigative reporter for The National magazine has been tirelessly concentrating on this one particular story, a petite 45-year-old Cynthia Blane.
Frustrated by lack of substantial leads and clues, Cynthia formulates an almost absurd theory as to how the drugs are being brought in. What if the drugs are coming in legally? If so, they would have to be different. They would have to be in an innocuous form. Some everyday product. Something we take for granted.
John Paxton now looking for any anomalies in recent unsolved crimes, is directed by Sean London of the DEA to contact Cynthia about her theory. After they meet on his sailboat anchored in the harbor of the Bahama Island, San Salvador, they exchange information about both their cases. They concluded that there is strong evidence that both of their cases are related in some fashion. The decision is that they join forces to solve both anomalies.
Forgery by Deception
Forgery by Deception. by Gene Piotrowsky, is a gripping novel that intertwines the high-stakes world of drug trafficking with an ingenious scheme to defraud the U.S. Treasury. The story follows Richard Brock, a rebellious and ambitious banker turned mastermind, as he orchestrates a complex operation to smuggle drugs disguised as legitimate products and counterfeit currency. The plot takes readers from the luxurious haciendas of Colombia to the gritty streets of New York City, weaving a tale of deception, betrayal, and relentless pursuit.
Gene Piotrowsky’s writing is detailed and immersive, drawing readers into the intricacies of the operation and the psychological nuances of the characters. The author excels in crafting a vivid sense of place, particularly in the scenes set in Latin America and New York City. The narrative is paced well, maintaining a balance between action and exposition, which keeps the reader engaged without feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of the plot. The dialogue is sharp and realistic, adding depth to the characters and their interactions.
One of the standout aspects of the book is its portrayal of Richard Brock. His transformation from a dissatisfied banker to a cunning criminal mastermind is both believable and compelling. The author provides a thorough backstory that explains Brock’s motivations and his gradual descent into the world of crime. This character development is crucial in making the reader understand and even empathize with Brock, despite his morally ambiguous actions. The supporting characters, particularly Brock’s associates and the law enforcement officers on his trail, are also well-developed, adding layers to the narrative. There are moments where I feel the technical details, especially regarding the counterfeiting operation and the logistics of drug smuggling, can become dense and somewhat overwhelming. While these details add authenticity to the story, I believe they may slow down the narrative for readers who are less interested in the minutiae of the criminal enterprise. Additionally, the book occasionally dips into predictable tropes of the crime genre, which can detract from the otherwise original plot.
Forgery by Deception is a meticulously crafted crime thriller that will appeal to readers who enjoy intricate plots and well-developed characters. Gene Piotrowsky has created a believable and immersive world where deception reigns supreme, and the line between good and evil is blurred. This book is highly recommended for fans of crime fiction and those interested in the mechanics of high-stakes criminal operations. Whether you’re a seasoned reader of the genre or new to crime thrillers, this book offers a captivating and thought-provoking experience.
Pages: 204 | ASIN : B0D3C53RVH
AQUA (The Arydian Chronicles Book 1) Aqua
In AQUA by Katherine Walters, readers are plunged into an exhilarating adventure, artfully blending elements of mystery, romance, and science fiction. The story follows Marin, a young woman undertaking a summer internship at COAST, a marine research center closely linked to her childhood. After a near-fatal accident at COAST, Marin’s repressed childhood memories resurface, revealing a profound connection to water and a hidden, underwater civilization.
Walters skillfully weaves a narrative where the revelation of Marin’s origins is gradual yet compelling. The story progresses with Marin grappling to understand her newfound knowledge while consistently encountering fresh information that adds depth to the plot. The novel introduces a secret race of Atlantean-like beings, a concept familiar yet refreshing in its execution. Walters plays with well-known tropes — the ordinary character with an extraordinary heritage, a corrupt global organization, and the classic dichotomy of choosing between two distinct lives. These themes, while recurrent in literature, are presented with a unique flair in the story.
The romantic subplot in the book adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, with Marin navigating relationships between two potential love interests. This dynamic interestingly symbolizes her inner conflict between life on land and in the ocean. While these relationships primarily serve to advance the plot, they contribute to the broader theme of Marin’s personal journey and the choices she faces. At the heart of AQUA is the theme of family — both by blood and by choice. Marin’s decisions are heavily influenced by her loyalty and affection for those in both her terrestrial and aquatic worlds. Aside from the conventional portrayal of corporate greed, the motivations of the characters are largely familial, adding a layer of emotional depth to the narrative.
The novel’s rich content is delivered with brisk pacing, creating an eagerness for more in-depth exploration of its characters and plot. This could be an intentional setup for potential sequels, which may further explore these aspects. AQUA is an engaging read, and it leaves one curious about the future directions this underwater world may take.
Pages: 268 | ASIN : B00N591782
