Reading Audio Books is Hot! Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.org by Viacheslav Blizniuk
Hello and Welcome to the J.Q. Rose blog! So glad you are here. Today I need you to help me make a decision on producing audio books or not. I certainly enjoy listening to audio books, especially since I can easily download them from my library using Overdrive.com. But, I have to be patient because the waiting time is long due to the popularity of audio books and authors. It's crazy easy to order them from Amazon and read them just a minute after ordering. Have you tried audio books? When I was a kid, I loved when the teacher read to the class after lunch. Audio books have taken that experience and enlarged it into an entertaining time. Audi books remind me of the plays that were performed on the radio way back when--I was a tiny child at the time. Plays like the Green Lantern and Orson Welles' War of the Worlds (known as radio drama) and of course soap operas. The Wall Street Journal described audio books as “a rare bright spot in the publishing industry.” According to audio book expert, Robert Reiman, " E-book sales are waning, but, audio book listening on Audible grew 38 percent last year. Audio book sales growth is up 20 percent worldwide two years in a row." So I am thinking about jumping in on this "rare bright spot". I have a novella I would like to make into an audio book. The whole process is daunting, but then again, I look back at my first experience formatting an e-book to upload to amazon. That was a challenge indeed, but I did it.
One of the many decision I would have to make is to find the narrator. I wouldn't consider narrating my own book, so I would like a voice actor who can use his/her voice to conjure up the many characters via voice inflections when a nasal quality. rich baritone or squeaky voice is needed to portray the character. The narrator has to pull the reader/listener into the story. Owen McCuen narrated my author friend, Miss Mae's, zany story, Ahoy Gum Drop. He certainly knows how to perform amazing characterizations to bring this fun story to life. Here's a sample from the audio book
This summer I plan to explore bringing Sunshine Boulevard to life via audio book.
What is your experience as a reader with audio books? If you are an author, have you published an audio book or considered creating an audio book? Please leave your comment below. I look forward to reading them. Thank you.
Vintage Movie Camera
freedigitalphotos.com by 2nix
Hi and welcome to the J.Q. Rose blog.
Do you know that I'm a movie star??? Yes, it's a fact, and I can prove it by introducing you to the man who made it possible, my producer, Owen McCuen. Owen has kindly agreed to visit the J.Q. Rose blog to answer any questions about his work and the process of how he made me a movie star.
Actor and Narrator Owen McCuen
Now, puh-leeze, people, Owen is NOT an author, or anyway, he isn't promoting a book. So be kind to him, okay? He's not used to appearing in this capacity. He's usually on video as an actor, or he is behind the scenes as a narrator for audible books. Here's more about this talented (and may I add, handsome?) guy.
About Owen: Owen McCuen began his voiceover career in 2004 with coaching
from the renowned vocal coach Joanne Joellla. Under her guidance, Owen earned
roles in radio and internet commercials for companies like NJ Lottery, Giant
Foods, Lacroix Restaurant, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Tozour Energy Systems, and
Tremor Video.
Following Joanne’s advice, Owen expanded his skill set by
working on camera as an actor. This led to dual roles as actor/narrator for
Rita’s Water Ice, UMDNJ, Learning Ally, Trending Accessibility, and Einstein
Creative. Now managed by VS Talent Group in Mt. Holly, NJ, Owen continues his
acting and voiceover career with challenging roles in front of the camera as
well as behind the microphone.
Owen’s newest role is that of audiobook narrator. “Noble the
Moose Was a Bully” is a pre-K tale about bullying; character voices abound. But
one of the most nuanced performances to date is the thriller “Itsy Bitsy
Spider” by Kimberly Shursen. Steady exposition and lively dialogue give
listeners the opportunity to experience Kimberly’s expert storytelling,
even when they are unable to focus on the written page. ACX has provided the
opportunity for Owen and Kimberly to work as a team to bring “Itsy Bitsy
Spider” to life.
It wasn’t long before Owen connected with author Miss Mae on
her fantastic family-friendly book, “Ahoy Gum Drop!” The author’s imagination
paints a vivid picture of foreign lands and quirky characters. Over a dozen
unique voices spring to life in this audiobook adventure featuring the Mishaps
from Gum Drop Island. Intrepid internet reporter I.B. Nosey has jumped off the
page and into video as Owen, Miss Mae, and Patrick McCuen collaborate on
Nosey’s video interviews.
Listen to Owen's amazing voice characterizations in this book trailer for Ahoy Gumdrop! (It's okay to giggle outloud.)
I.B. Nosey,
Intrepid Internet Reporter
# # # #
Yikes, his bio includes his work with I.B. Nosey, the official unofficial cyberspace reporter who is the only nominee and title-holder of the Pukelitzer Award.
Welcome, Owen, to the J.Q. Rose blog. I'm delighted you're here and are willing to answer some interview questions.
My pleasure, J.Q. Ask away.
Who or what influenced you to become an actor?
I've been doing voices,
impressions, and accents since I could talk, I think. Voice acting and
performing have been "my thing" for as long as I can remember, mostly
influenced by Mel Blanc and The Muppets' Jim Henson, Frank Oz, et al. Kermit
the Frog is pretty much my hero.
I finally got interested enough to investigate
a career in voice acting back in 2004. Joanne
Joella is a voice coach and performer in the Philadelphia area. I began
training with her in 2004 and she gave me my first opportunities in voiceover.
Her ability and integrity as a coach were everything to me. Voice Acting is a
competitive business, so Joanne encouraged me to try acting on camera as well.
Acting gave me practice being expressive and taking direction, and has informed
my voice acting greatly. My career would not be what it is today without
Joanne.
What is your experience in this field?
I had some voiceover jobs in
2004/2005 and began acting on camera in 2010. My experience coaching kids at
The Little Gym, though, really gave me some OJT with crazy voices and getting
in and out of character at a moment's notice. Acting in independent films and
commercials have allowed me to meet some great people who needed narration for
their projects. My agent VS Talent Group has supported me immensely. I've also
narrated two audiobooks for audible.com ("Itsy Bitsy Spider" by
Kimberly Shursen and "Ahoy Gum Drop!" by Miss Mae).
Where do you perform?
I live in Southwestern New
Jersey, so I mostly work in the Philadelphia area, with a lot of my narration
done from home.
What is your best asset?
I am a very expressive person. I can be over the top or subtle, depending on the role.
What are you most proud of in your career?
That's hard to say because I'm proud of my work, especially when a creative person calls me back to do another project. On camera, I'd have to say that the independent short film "Like There's No Tomorrow" by Time to Back Out Productions is a highlight because I am the only actor on the screen for the entire 25 minutes. The film led me to connect with the horror movie podcast "The Last Knock" on which I was interviewed; That has led to some great friendships and even a role in the short film "Case # 5930". In voice acting, the narration of audiobooks has given me the professional weight I needed to take my career to the next level.
What are your goals for your career?
I am interested in being a working actor, both on camera and behind the microphone. With audiobooks, audio drama, commercials, and independent film experience, I believe I can achieve that goal. I want to earn interesting and challenging roles in projects large and small; to make people laugh, cry, think, or feel something and make a decent living doing it!
What is the process for recording an author’s audio book?
ACX.com is the technical wing of audible.com. Narrators, authors, and studios can create profiles on that website so that they can find the right match for their projects and talents. As a narrator, I upload samples of my narration and voiceover demos, and then peruse the available titles that are accepting auditions. If the rights holder (that's usually the author) likes my audition, we agree to terms and begin production. The terms are usually a named price per finished hour or a royalty share agreement. I'm open to either arrangement!
Please tell us about the intrepid internet reporter, I.B. Nosey, and
your videos for promoting authors and their books with this character.
Ah, from the mind of Miss Mae
comes I.B. Nosey, the official unofficial reporter! Our videos serve as a
promotional tool for folks who want to spread the word about their work. The
videos would be useful for any artist, but authors in particular seem to like
the videos because they can introduce the world to the work or characters who
live inside the books. Nosey has a child-like aura but he's not strictly for
children: Family-friendly but managing to appeal mostly to adults who enjoy a
good journey into the fantastic! I.B. is nosey indeed and almost never gets the
information right. He frequently ends up (not unlike the Three Stooges)
attempting to escape trouble by the end of his adventure. Thank you so much, Owen, for participating in the interview and for offering us a peek inside the world of voice-overs and audible books. I'm sure readers want to know more about these promotional videos, so I now present J.Q. Rose starring in the interview by that zany rascal, I.B. Nosey.
# # # #
An I.B. Nosey Mini-Movie with J.Q. Rose
You too can be a "star" and promote your books and projects through
this creative I.B. Nosey video. Nosey interviews the author (or character of your book) in a way that entertains the viewer while introducing the story. You'll have a multimedia promotional tool that Miss Mae and Owen McCuen will help to promote by sharing with their thousands of fans.
It was so easy to be a part of this production. Miss Mae asks three questions and from there she creates a script for Owen. Patrick McCuen designs the colorful drawings, and Owen narrates and directs the production of the movie. For more information on promotional mini-movies, go to Feeling Nosey's site
If you wish to know more about the audio book process and video production, please ask in the comment section below. Owen will be popping in to answer your questions.
AND let me know what you think of my hairdo, my nails in the mini-movie. Do I look better with the camera shot on my left side or right side? Was the lighting complimentary to my delicate skin??? Thanks!!
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