Sci-Fi Encounters: Behind the scenes with 2 audiobook narrators

Audiobooks are a rapidly growing phenomenon these days, as people are so used to multitasking, and to downloading content in many formats. I recently attended several workshops on the topic at the RWA national conference, including a chat helmed by Vicky Hensley of the Audiogals website. She calls audiobook listeners "double taskers" who want a "seamless listen." The narrator or voice actor is the key to enjoyment of an audiobook. As Ms. Hensley listed requirements for a top-notch narrator, I kept nodding because I'm fortunate enough to collaborate with a wonderful actor, Michael Riffle, on my science-fiction romance audiobooks.

Michael and I did Wreck of the Nebula Dream together last year. I'd listened to endless auditions, and no one was quite right to portray my tough-but-caring Special Forces guy of the far future. (And give life to all the other characters.) When Michael auditioned, I knew from the first word that my character Nick Jameson was talking to me. I got goose bumps!

After that successful collaboration, we decided to branch out this year and try something new for Escape From Zulaire. Although Michael excels at portraying all the characters — male, female, alien, robot — since much of Escape is told from the heroine Andi's point of view, we selected an actress to play opposite him. Michael directed and is not only the military hero, Tom, but also the other supporting characters.

I thought readers might be interested in the behind-the-scenes viewpoints of Michael and actress Mary Fegreus, who plays Andi, on bringing a science-fiction romance novel to life.

First, a bit about Michael (courtesy of the actor):

In addition to being an audiobook narrator and producer, he's also known for roles in video shorts and movies such as Killer Morning, Wait Your Turn and To Remain Silent. He recently completed a limited run of the play Death by PowerPoint at the LA Fringe Festival.

And a little background on Mary (courtesy of the actress):

She's known for Funeral Kings, Meat Me in Plainville and Gilded Lilys. She will also appear in an episode of Chasing Life on ABC this coming season.

Veronica: When did you know you wanted to act?

Michael: I first started to enjoy acting when I had an improv class in eighth grade. It was the first time that acting really felt fun. I pursued it through high school in the form of school plays and musicals, and went on to obtain a minor in Theater from the University of Rochester. After graduating I did plays in Rochester, Cleveland and Boston, and then transitioned to film, which is why I'm now in Los Angeles!

Mary: I started acting in theater when I was a little kid, and I never stopped. These days, I mostly work in TV and commercials.

Veronica: What drew you to voicing audiobooks?

Michael: Ever since I read the Harry Potter series aloud to my family on a road trip in college, I knew I enjoyed it and that it was something I wanted to do. I took a workshop in LA with actor David H. Lawrence XVII (Heroes) that made me I realize that I could do be doing it professionally.

Mary: I have done voiceover work for other projects before, but this was my first foray into audiobooks. If I'm being totally honest, I would have to say Mike drew me into it! He told me he had a new project he was working on and asked if I would like to be a part of it. It is very difficult to tell Mike "no" when he gets excited about a project

Veronica: What kind of preparation do you typically do for an audiobook role?

Michael: I keep it pretty simple when I prepare for a book. I'll read through the entire book once so that I know the whole arc of the story (making specific note of anything about character accents or affectations), and I'll ask any questions of the author if anything is unclear, and then I'll just start recording.

Mary: For this project, I did as little preparation as possible! That sounds terrible, so let me explain. I read the first two chapters to get an idea of who Andi was at the beginning of the story and made some choices about how I wanted to play her based on that. After that, the first time I would read a chapter was as I was voicing it! It helped me to keep my performance active and spontaneous. I loved experiencing the twists and turns of the story with Andi.

Veronica: Let me follow up on that a bit, Mary. Was there any particular aspect of portraying Andi that you especially enjoyed?

Mary: I am a sucker for a woman who can hold her own in an action scene. There is a critical battle at the end of the book that was a particular treat for me. I won't spoil anything, but I'm sure you'll know the one when you hear it.

Veronica: So Michael, we did something unique this time, having Mary voice the heroine. How was it to work with another actor on an audiobook?

Michael: It was very interesting working with Mary on this. It cast me in a role as director, which I found enjoyable, although it's very different to know how I want to say something versus knowing how to get someone else to say it the way I think it should be said. That being said, Mary is a seasoned actor so I was in good hands. The main advantage of working with another actor is that the conversations sound more dynamic, and the listener isn't subjected to me trying to make a convincing lady voice for nine hours. The only real disadvantage is that it easily tripled the amount of time it takes to edit the project.

Veronica: I have to say that some of my favorite parts in the audiobook were listening to the two of you talking to each other in character, so much like listening to a play or movie. I really believed I was there with Andi and Tom.

Since this is a science-fiction romance, there were some intense and even steamy moments between the characters of Andi and Tom. Did those scenes present any particular challenge?

Michael: I don't know if it's because Mary and I have a very comfortable relationship or if it's because we recorded our parts separately, but I didn't find any of the romantic or intense parts challenging. From a directing standpoint, there was a little bit of challenge in the romantic scene because Mary wasn't entirely comfortable with the intimacy.

Veronica: I know they always say the steamy scenes in the movies or TV are among the hardest to do, because there'll be all the crew members watching and the elaborate choreography of the action. I imagine this must have been a bit similar, as far as comfort levels.

Mary: Mike's being nice about it. Full disclosure: I did a lot of kicking and screaming during Chapter 6, and I may have had a bottle of soju in the recording booth with me. The outtakes from that scene are pretty funny. That's been my experience as an actress with all romantic scenes. The moments that are the steamiest in the final product tend to be the silliest behind the scenes.

Veronica: As the author and toughest critic, I have to tell you the intimate scenes in the final audiobook were so believable and sounded so spontaneous and real, full of genuine emotion when Andi and Tom share their feelings.

Did you have a favorite scene in the book?

Michael: I really enjoyed the interactions between Andi and the Betang. The voice that I used for the Betang was a cross between the Emperor from Star Wars and Cthulhu. I was editing this scene late at night. I had paused the track for a minute to work on something else, and when I restarted it, I had a momentary heart attack because I thought there was someone behind me speaking into my ear. It was totally creepy, but very gratifying as an actor.

Veronica: I love that! And I know Mary already shared with us that she relished the kick-butt action scene in Chapter 8. I have to tell you, I've listened to that scene more than once. So much emotion, high stakes, so exciting! Let's talk nuts and bolts: How many hours of recording go into each finished hour?

Michael: For a normal audiobook it takes about four hours to edit one hour of recording. It's important to remember that you are telling a story, not just reading a book. Mainly, it takes a lot of patience, because editing is as tedious as it is necessary. Reading is the fun part.

Veronica: As an actor, how do you prepare to "read" the book?

Michael: I usually make sure I'm thoroughly hydrated. I also drink a lot of pickle juice and hot toddies to keep my voice from getting too crusty. I do some vocal warm-ups, and do lots of deep breathing, because when you're going to be monologuing for an hour straight, it's really important to have good breath support. I find that I get my best performances when I can visualize what's happening in a scene, so there is some mental prep before beginning a chapter as well.

Veronica: I really enjoyed the way you brought each of the characters to life, Michael. What goes on in your mind as you create each unique voice?

Michael: I usually read the character description very closely before I make the voice. For example, Corporal Rogers was described as large, heavy-set and somewhat gruff character, so I imagined what he would look like, and what someone who looked like that would probably sound like. Sgt. Wilson is the one exception to that method. Before I started recording, you told me you wanted him to sound like the country singer Clint Black. That made my work very easy.

Veronica: Yes, when I was writing this novel, I happened to hear Nothin' But The Taillights by Clint Black and something about the song and his voice just told me who the supporting character of my sergeant had to be.

Is there a science-fiction or fantasy franchise that you'd especially like to work on (film, game or TV). If so, what character would you want to be?

Michael: I would do the audiobook or film adaptation for any of the work done by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman in a heartbeat. They are well known for their work on the Dragonlance series. I grew up reading their stuff, and I still read it today. Of course, those have been around for so long already that it is probably far too late to jump on that train. I would also love to play Gambit if he ever reappears in an X-Men movie. He was always my favorite mutant.

Mary: If I could work on a Joss Whedon project, I would die a happy woman.

Veronica: What's next for each of you?

Michael: I'm drumming for the band The Alarmed (@thealarmed on Twitter), and we are currently working on a new EP. Mary and I are going to start filming some original content for YouTube. The writing is complete, so now it's just a matter of finding time.

Mary: A short film that I produced and starred in with my writing partner, Jason Weary, will be hitting the festival circuit soon. I can't say much about it, but it is dark and hilarious! Also, Mike and I are gearing up to film a pet project pretty soon. We never stop working!

Veronica: Michael, listening to you voice the secondary character of Sgt. Wilson was so much fun, I HAVE to write a sequel just for him — will you re-enlist? LOL.

Michael: Definitely. Mitch was a really enjoyable character to voice. He had a very distinct personality and always seemed to lighten up scenes. Looking forward to hearing his story!

Amazon best-seller Veronica Scott is a two-time recipient of the SFR Galaxy Award and has written a number of science-fiction and paranormal romances. Escape From Zulaire recently received the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award for Paranormal and Futuristic Romance. You can find out more about her and her books at veronicascott.wordpress.com. Please e-mail Veronica at scifiencounters@gmail.com about content related to this column. Due to the volume of mail, e-mails may not be answered personally, but all will be read.