Podcasts about january lavoy

Author Marshall Karp and narrator January LaVoy join AudioFile's Michele Cobb for a conversation about Marshall's latest novel, DON'T TELL ME HOW TO DIE - a mystery-turned-thriller where January LaVoy's superb talent brings an array of dimension to Karp's carefully crafted characters. Marshall is the author of over a dozen crime fiction novels - including the popular NYPD Red series, co-written with James Patterson - and January is an award-winning narrator who has voiced books by Nora Roberts, Dean Koontz, and John Grisham to name just a few. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This time we discussed Good Dirt, written by Charmaine Wilkerson and narrated by January LaVoy. Thank you to Libro.fm ALC Program and Penguin Random House Audio for providing audio review copies of Good Dirt for today's episode. Good Dirt [Libro.fm] Exploring Narrators[Episode 142] My Monticello (Novella) [Libro.fm] / [Episode 121]   The Turner House [Libro.fm] The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store [Libro.fm] When Stars Rain Down [Libro.fm] / [Episode 112]   The Trees [Libro.fm] James [Libro.fm] / [Episode 250] Roots [Overdrive/Libby] How Long 'til Black Future Month? [Overdrive/Libby]  

Narrator Moira Quirk joins AudioFile's Michele Cobb to discuss a fantastical dark academia tale by M.L. Wang, BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN. Moira tells listeners about what she enjoys the most about narrating science fiction and fantasy audiobooks, and the particular challenges she encounters while narrating the genre. BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN not only explores the realm of dark academia, but also examines the ripple effects of colonization, and it makes for an engrossing listen. Read AudioFile's review of BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN. Published by Random House Audio. AudioFile's 2024 Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Audiobooks are: BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN by M.L. Wang, read by Moira Quirk THE CRONE OF MIDNIGHT EMBERS by Iris Beaglehole, read by Bethan Dixon Bate THE MERCY OF GODS by James S.A. Corey, read by Jefferson Mays THE STARS TOO FONDLY by Emily Hamilton, read by Vico Ortiz THE WARM HANDS OF GHOSTS by Katherine Arden, read by Michael Crouch, January LaVoy, Katherine Arden WHEN AMONG CROWS by Veronica Roth, read by Helen Laser, James Fouhey, Tim Campbell Find the full list of 2024 Best Audiobooks on our website. Today's episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at https://www.brilliancepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Baldiwn's three-act play about the power of religion to shield people from the outside world has a cast that is quirky, protective, gossipy, dogmatic, and spirited. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Michele Cobb discuss this full cast performance that honors Baldiwn's narrative and enhances it by capturing the intensity and emotions of the play. This is a story of the highs and lows of passionate people who are trying to survive the best way they can. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the last of the Under Suspicion audiobooks, Golden Voice January LaVoy introduces listeners to the perfect family: Sara Richard Harrington and their twin sons. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Robin Whitten discuss this audiobook that begins with a flashback to the eve of the twins' college graduation party. Before the party ends, Sara and Richard are shot to death, and the twins are suspects—but never charged. Now, Laurie Moran decides to investigate. This tightly plotted whodunit lends itself to LaVoy's style and impeccable timing. Fans will not want to miss this last series installment and LaVoy's stellar performance. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media and their exclusive audiobook, Rifts and Refrains. Dive into the compelling story of Amara Johnson, a talented musician uncovering her family's hidden past while finding love and legacy in Nashville. To start listening, visit Dreamscape Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/CanMayoDiscord: https://discord.gg/9kwbKxeBjEHannah's Blog: https://www.tumblr.com/personalswtorheadcanons/Before the marriage of Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo, another suitor threatened to derail their star-crossed romance.Seeking rich, powerful allies to bring into the Rebel Alliance and a new home planet for the refugees from her native Alderaan, Princess Leia considers a proposal that could tip the balance of power against the evil Empire. The Hapes Consortium of 63 worlds is ruled by the Queen Mother, who wants Leia to marry her son, the dashing and wealthy Prince Isolder.Han Solo has always dreamed of marrying Leia himself, and now he makes a desperate, final gamble to win her back. Tricking Leia into accompanying him, Han flees with her to the beautiful and untamed planet Dathomir, where he hopes to win her heart.Fearing the imperious queen's reaction to Han's rash move, Luke Skywalker forms an unlikely alliance with Prince Isolder to track down the runaways. Soon Isolder, Luke, and Artoo will be at the center of an adventure leading to an awesome treasure, a group of Force-trained “witches,” and a showdown with an invincible foe.Written by Dave Wolverton. Narrated by January LaVoy.

This week we discussed Archangels of Funk, written by Andrea Hairston and narrated by January LaVoy. Archangels of Funk [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] / [Audible] Author Interviews from Arisia - Part II [Episode 241] Redwood and Wildfire [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] / [Audible] Will Do Magic for Small Change [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] / [Audible] Station Eleven [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] The Past is Red [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] ”The Year without Sunshine” written by Naomi Kritzer, narrated by Erika Ensign [Uncanny Magazine] - Issue Fifty-Five A Song for a A New Day [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]

January LaVoy and Michael Crouch perform Katherine Arden's historical novel with a supernatural twist. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Kendra Winchester discuss one of the must-listen audiobooks of the season. LaVoy delivers the perspective of Laura, a nurse who has recently returned from a WWI battlefield to her home in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Crouch narrates as Laura's brother, Freddie, a young soldier who has gone missing in Belgium. LaVoy conveys all of Laura's anguish when she receives word that her brother is missing. Crouch captures Freddie's long hours trekking through the mud, shell-shocked and beyond all hope of getting out of the war alive. A moving and captivating audiobook. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AUDIOFILE and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

January LaVoy performs this epic story of three teenagers who are brought back from the dead just long enough to compete in a mysterious game to see who gets to continue to live. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Kendra Winchester discuss this debut novel by Pulitzer Prize finalist Kelly Link, who is better known for her short story collections. Here, Laura, Daniel, and Mo find themselves back in Lovesend, Massachusetts, one year after they died. LaVoy captures whimsy and darkness in equal measure, spinning this fairytale-like story into an engrossing audiobook. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AUDIOFILE and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

irector January LaVoy and actor Tonia Jackson discuss Theatrical Outfit's presentation of the Lynn Nottage play "Clyde's" on stage through April 7 at the Balzer Theater at Herren's. Plus, we hear about the new Hulu documentary "Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told," and Ric Blair and Patrick D'Arcy of The Celts detail their upcoming show at Red Clay Theatre in Duluth on March 22.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Narrator Vikas Adam joins AudioFile's Michele Cobb to discuss Abdi Nazemian's ONLY THIS BEAUTIFUL MOMENT, which he co-narrated along with Fajer Al-Kaisi and Iman Nazemzadeh. It's one of AudioFile's 2023 Best Young Adult Audiobooks, and each narrator gives a transcendent performance. It explores three generations of an Iranian family and is full of joy and anguish alike. Adam tells listeners about the preparation that went into recording this moving audiobook, working with his co-narrators, and what has stayed with him about narrating this work. Read AudioFile's review of the audiobook. Published by Harper Audio. AudioFile's 2023 Best Young Adult Audiobooks are: ANDER & SANTI WERE HERE by Jonny Garza Villa, read by Avi Roque FOR LAMB by Lesa Cline-Ransome, read by Tyla Collier, Kevin R. Free, Rebecca Lee, Jaime Lincoln Smith, Dion Graham, Angel Pean FREE RADICALS by Lila Riesen, read by Gilli Messer THE GRIMOIRE OF GRAVE FATES by Hanna Alkaf, Margaret Owen [Eds.], read by January LaVoy, Nicky Endres ONLY THIS BEAUTIFUL MOMENT by Abdi Nazemian, read by Vikas Adam, Fajer Al-Kaisi, Iman Nazemzadeh WARRIOR GIRL UNEARTHED by Angeline Boulley, read by Isabella Star LaBlanc For the full list of 2023 Best Audiobooks visit our website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson's Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge's Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith's Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Vikas Adam photo by Ilya S Savenok for Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thérèse Plummer leads a full cast with her captivating performance as true-crime podcast host Ryanna Raines. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Michele Cobb discuss this audiobook that is meant to be heard. It's the story of a podcaster, Ryanna, who is contacted by a pair of UC Santa Barbara theater students who are suspected of murder and want to tell their story. What follows is a twisty psychological thriller. It plays out like a true-crime podcast with interviews, recaps, potent details, and a dark story. The impressive group of narrators includes current UCSB acting students. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

January LaVoy gives a breathtaking narration of an astonishing historical novel from Lauren Groff. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Emily Connelly discuss this story set in 1609 that starts with a servant girl fleeing from a failing colony into the forest. What follows is a dramatic, beautifully wrought story of survival, narrated with precision, emotion, and a keen sense of the story. LaVoy puts care into every word she narrates as the girl struggles through the wilds, heightening the joy of discovering any small sustenance, her determination to go on, and the many terrors she leaves behind. A propulsive and unforgettable listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for this podcast comes from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben's explosively fast thriller Shelter is now an Amazon Prime Original Series. Listen to the series that started it all at Audible.com/Shelter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carol Fitzgerald talks to Shari Lapena about her latest thriller, EVERYONE HERE IS LYING. Carol has christened Shari “the Queen of the One-Sit Read,” as every time she starts reading one of her books, she does not stop until she finishes. And she is not alone; we are hearing this from other readers. Shari talks about how the book opens and sets the story up, and from there how the neighbors all become part of the plot. The ending will make you stop and say, “That is so perfect.” Shari discusses her writing process, her drafts and early passes on her books, and how she works with her agent and editor. She also shares what she is hearing from readers about the audiobook, which is narrated by January LaVoy…and, yes, some hints about the next book, which will be her eighth. Book discussed in this episode:  EVERYONE HERE IS LYING by Shari Lapena: https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/everyone-here-is-lying Latest “Bookreporter Talks To” Interviews: Tracey Lange: https://youtu.be/NvMLQsooDvQ Naomi Hirahara: https://youtu.be/pwvkwqt2No Liz Nugent: https://youtu.be/pH2HEvvyiAo Alli Frank and Asha Youmans: https://youtu.be/d02mLanJV8g Carolyn Mackler: https://youtu.be/L4M-w9BeaTk Adrienne Brodeur: https://youtu.be/6U7kf2KVtco Lisa See: https://youtu.be/D8XYEYI60Ww Nancy Horan: https://youtu.be/49bdiHbIUmY Linwood Barclay: https://youtu.be/pkDG90y9FN0 Alice Elliott Dark: https://youtu.be/9AAk-lLDRbc Kate Morton: https://youtu.be/LMjdzDRlqrg Susan Patterson and Susan DiLallo: https://youtu.be/ZWDnhSS26KI Check out our past “Bookaccino Live” Book Group events: Nita Prose: https://youtu.be/f_Ev0KN8z2M Chamaine Wilkerson: https://youtu.be/0DluxmfXGoI  Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray: https://youtu.be/rYelwWiTJbE Janet Skeslien Charles: https://youtu.be/47Sx9DtcAkA Miranda Cowley Heller: https://youtu.be/gVlKvApDO8M Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/ FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter Website: https://www.bookreporter.com Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

A series of introspective monologues is brought vividly to life in six stellar performances. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Robin Whitten talk about this collection of reflective first-person monologues by soldiers, slave owners, and free and enslaved women. The setting is Louisiana during the late days of the Civil War, and the narrators portray all manner of humanity, delivering deeply felt first-person stories that neatly intertwine. Author James Lee Burke delivers his introduction and epilogue. A reminder of the disastrous results that once arose in a divided nation. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you'll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

January LaVoy's narration creates a visceral world for Elana K. Arnold's feminist Little Red Riding Hood retelling. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Emily Connelly discuss how the second person point of view can be distancing, but LaVoy's skilled narration draws listeners right in. Bisou is a 16-year-old who gains incredible powers once she gets her first period—powers that help her face down werewolves. LaVoy's delivery makes the tension palpable as Bisou fights to save her own life and protect her community and works to understand her grandmother's dark secrets. January LaVoy shares about narrating this audiobook in her narrator video. Teens can download RED HOOD for free through AudioFile's SYNC program July 13-19, find out more at audiobooksync.com Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Dreamscape Publishing is celebrating Audiobook Month with exciting giveaways! Learn more on their social media channels or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode of Pages n' Pages, we talk about our experience attending the North Iowa Book Bash, a book-ish event held in Northwood, Iowa, with many authors there in person to meet, talk with and sign books. It was such a fun experience and we will be adding this event to our calendar every year. What We've Read and What We Are Reading: Flawless (Chestnut Springs #1) by Elsie Silver Sammy Espinoza's Last Review by Tehlor Kay Mejia Fairy Tale by Stephen King Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and narrated by Robinne Lee, Julia Whelan, Oliver Wyman, Jennifer Beals, Pablo Schreiber, Benjamin Bratt, Fred Berman, Ari Fliakos, Judy Greer, January LaVoy, Jonathan Davis, Henry Leyva, Nancy Wu, P.J. Ochlan, Arthur Bishop, Holter Graham, Brendan Wayne, Pete Larkin, Alex Jenkins Reid, Robert Petkoff, and Sara Arrington In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune and narrated by Daniel Henning Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas The Paris Wife by Paula McLain and narrated by Carrington MacDuffie Additional Book Mentions: Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston North Iowa Book Bash Author Mentions: Hazel James Leora Gonzales Jodie Larson KC Enders Pam Godwin Dylann Crush- Podcast Romance Happy Hour Jennifer Hartman

In this week's episode of Pages n' Pages, we have our final installment of our A Day of Fallen Night read-along! We have been reading ADOFN, Roots of Chaos #0 by Samantha Shannon, for five week's and we've finally reached the conclusion of the story. We dive into unanswered questions, theories and our overall opinion on the prequel to Priory of the Orange Tree. Did we love it? Did we hate it? Listen and find out! What We've Read and What We're Reading: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and narrated by Robinne Lee, Julia Whelan, Oliver Wyman, Jennifer Beals, Pablo Schreiber, Benjamin Bratt, Fred Berman, Ari Fliakos, Judy Greer, January LaVoy, Jonathan Davis, Henry Leyva, Nancy Wu, P.J. Ochlan, Arthur Bishop, Holter Graham, Brendan Wayne, Pete Larkin, Alex Jenkins Reid, Robert Petkoff, and Sara Arrington Flawless by Elsie Silver (Chesnut Springs #1) In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune and narrated by Daniel Henning. -Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy Witch King by Martha Wells -Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire LeGrand. -Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy Forget Me Not by Julie Soto. -Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy Sammy Espinoza's Last Review Tehler Kay Mejia -Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy A Day of Fallen Night (Roots of Chaos #0) by Samantha Shannon and narrated by Ellie Kendrick, Sheila Atim, Thoren Ferguson, and Hanako Footman

In this week's episode of Pages n' Pages, we finish part three - Age of Fire - in A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon. We have been reading A Day of Fallen Night, which is Roots of Chaos #0 and the prequel to Priory of the Orange Tree, over the past several episodes. We dive deep into spoilers as we as gearing toward the end and try to figure out how all these characters survive... because of them might not make it in this world on fire. What We've Read and What We're Reading: Wet Hot Allosaurus Summer by Lola Faust and narrated by Katrina Medina- Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune and narrated by Daniel Henning The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores and narrated by Bailey Carr and Mary Helen Gallucci -Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and narrated by Robinne Lee, Julia Whelan, Oliver Wyman, Jennifer Beals, Pablo Schreiber, Benjamin Bratt, Fred Berman, Ari Fliakos, Judy Greer, January LaVoy, Jonathan Davis, Henry Leyva, Nancy Wu, P.J. Ochlan, Arthur Bishop, Holter Graham, Brendan Wayne, Pete Larkin, Alex Jenkins Reid, Robert Petkoff, and Sara Arrington Lost in the Moment and Found (Wayward Children #8) by Seanan McGuire  A Day of Fallen Night (Roots of Chaos #0) by Samantha Shannon and narrated by Ellie Kendrick, Sheila Atim, Thoren Ferguson, and Hanako Footman Until I Get You by Claire Contreas

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton introduce their first story pick for Season Two, Jocelyn Nicole Johnson's “Virginia Is Not Your Home,” from her debut collection, My Monticello, published in 2021 by Henry Holt and Co. “Virginia Is Not Your Home” follows the life of a woman who is attempting to outrun her namesake, and the story conjures questions of origin, of becoming, and of freedom. There is emphasis on movement and escape, on our names as our homes, and on understanding what it is we leave behind when we go. It interrogates the ways we forget and the ways we remember. The story is performed by January LaVoy, and it's excerpted from the My Monticello audiobook, produced by our friends at Macmillan Audio. Our thanks to them for sharing this story with Ursa listeners. Listen, then come back next week for our conversation with Jocelyn Nicole Johnson. Reading List: My Monticello (Jocelyn Nicole Johnson) My Monticello Audiobook (Audible) Jocelyn Nicole Johnson's website About the Author Jocelyn Nicole Johnson is the author of My Monticello, a fiction debut that was called "a masterly feat" by the New York Times, and winner of the Library of Virginia Fiction Award, the Weatherford Award, the Balcones Fiction Prize, and the Lillian Smith Award, as well as a finalist for the Kirkus Fiction Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Leonard Award, the LA Times Debut Seidenbaum Prize, and long-listed for a Pen/Faulkner Fiction Award and the Story Prize. Johnson has been a fellow at TinHouse, Hedgebrook, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Her writing has appeared in Guernica, The Guardian, Kweli Journal, Joyland, Lit Hub, and elsewhere. Her short story “Control Negro” was anthologized in The Best American Short Stories, guest edited by Roxane Gay and read live by LeVar Burton. A veteran public school art teacher, Johnson lives and writes in Charlottesville, Virginia. Read more from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Episode producer: Mark Armstrong Audio story produced by Macmillan Audio and performed by January LaVoy. Ursa Short Fiction is supported by our listeners. Share this podcast with a friend—or become a Member to help fund production: https://ursastory.com/join/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Our interview with actor and narrator January LaVoy visit us at JenniferJillAraya.com & SarahBethGoer.com https://www.januarylavoy.com/

Golden Voice narrator January LaVoy joins AudioFile's Robin Whitten to discuss C.L. Polk's fantasy EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THE END. Her captivating talents are on full display as she voices this romantic, fantastical noir mystery that is on AudioFile's list of 2022 Best Science Fiction & Fantasy audiobooks. Hear from January about how she approached the challenges presented by this audiobook, what she loves about narrating fantasy stories for listeners, and what's stayed with her about this audiobook. Read AudioFile's review of the audiobook at audiofilemagazine.com. Published by Recorded Books. AudioFile's 2022 Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Audiobooks: THE ATLAS SIX by Olivie Blake, read by Steve West, David Monteith, Damian Lynch, Caitlin Kelly, Andy Ingalls, Munirih Grace, Siho Ellsmore, James Patrick Cronin A COURT OF MIST AND FURY (1 OF 2) by Sarah J. Maas, read by Melody Muze, Anthony Palmini, Henry W. Kramer, Jon Vertullo, Amanda Forstrom, and a Full Cast EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THE END by C.L. Polk, read by January LaVoy MAXINE JUSTICE by Daniel Schwabauer, read by Aimee Lilly MOON WITCH, SPIDER KING by Marlon James, read by Bahni Turpin WITCHES ABROAD by Terry Pratchett, read by Indira Varma, Peter Serafinowicz, Bill Nighy For the full list of 2022 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, featuring the finest in specially curated novels including THE MAN WHO LAUGHS, Victor Hugo's 1869 biting arraignment of the aristocracy for their vices, crimes, and selfishness. Lavishly narrated by Simon Vance. Available everywhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even Though I Knew the End, written by C.L. Polk and narrated by January LaVoy follows a magical detective lured into one last case set in a magical 1940s Chicago with noir vibes. Thank you to Libro.fm ALC Program and Recorded Books for providing a review copy of Even Though I Knew the End for this episode Review & discussion with Lisa and Scott. Even Though I Knew the End [Libro.fm] Exploring Narrators[Episode 142] The Cemeteries of Amalo (Series): The Witness for the Dead [Libro.fm] /  [Episode 116] Murder and Magic (Series): The Conductors [Libro.fm] /  [Episode 95]

Golden Voice narrator January LaVoy's captivating talents are on full display as she narrates a romantic, fantastical noir mystery. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Emily Connelly discuss the joy of hearing January narrate ANY audiobook, especially one as enchanting as C.L. Polk's newest fantasy. All Helen Brandt wants to do is wrap up an easy magical investigation and go out dancing with her girl in the few days she has left before her soul is claimed by a demon. But the case is more complicated than it seems on the surface, as is everything in this tightly written, beautifully narrated novella. LaVoy embodies each character with ease, including intimidatingly ferocious otherworldly beings. LaVoy will have listeners breathless as Helen fights for a future with her girl. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Listen to AudioFile's fifth season of Audiobook Break, featuring Bram Stoker's DRACULA, read by Gildart Jackson. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Simon & Schuster Audio. Listen to GOING ROGUE by Janet Evanovich, read by Lorelei King today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PHASMA is a canon novel written by Delilah S. Dawson. It tells the origins of Captain Phasma of the First Order prior to the events of the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The book's audio edition is narrated by January LaVoy . We give our thoughts on the novel, and how this could possible be made into tv show. Grab the book and read along before jumping into our discussion. Spoilers for the book, duh!! Listen to Charles talk about Lords of the Sith on Force Friends Rewatch https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ryloth-rewatch-twilek-texts/id1485956003?i=1000575124425 Follow Us: @GoldSquadronGays on Instagram @GoldSquadGays on Twitter @GoldSquadronGays on TikTok Subscribe to our Youtube for Exclusive video content! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYwo19xoP81KNfxX-4Zi_hw Contact Us: Goldsquadrongays@gmail.com Theme Music from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/danijel-zambo/stardust License code: GNBFGWAK0CXN3KG2 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/goldsquadrongays/support

January LaVoy narrates Sarai Walker's chilling audiobook complete with ghosts, madness, and secrets. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Sandi Henschel discuss Golden Voice narrator LaVoy's skill at delivering fully developed characters and creating the perfect ambiance for this gothic novel. LaVoy channels Sylvia Wren, a world-famous, reclusive Arizona artist. Currently, she's being hounded by a journalist who's threatening to reveal her real identity: She is the heiress to the Chapel Firearms fortune, Iris Chapel. One-upping the reporter, Sylvia writes her own memoir, offering a disturbing look at her childhood. LaVoy navigates the backstory smoothly, becoming each of the six doomed sisters and their Cassandra-like mother. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three thrilling stories of the law from the master of the legal thriller. Homecoming takes us back to Ford County, the fictional setting of many of John Grisham's unforgettable stories. Jake Brigance is back, but he's not in the courtroom. He's called upon to help an old friend, Mack Stafford, a former lawyer in Clanton who three years earlier became a local legend when he stole some money from his clients, divorced his wife, filed for bankruptcy, and left his family in the middle of the night, never to be heard from again. Until now. Now Mack is back and he's leaning on his old pals, Jake and Harry Rex, to help him return. His homecoming does not go as planned. In Strawberry Moon, we meet Cody Wallace, a young death row inmate only three hours away from execution. His lawyers can't save him, the courts slam the door, and the Governor says no to a last minute request for clemency. As the clock ticks down, Cody has only one final request. The Sparring Partners are the Malloy brothers, Kirk and Rusty, two successful young lawyers who inherited a once prosperous firm when its founder, their father, was sent to prison. Kirk and Rusty loathe one another, and speak to each other only when necessary. As the firm disintegrates, the fiasco falls into the lap of Diantha Bradshaw, the only person the partners trust. Can she save the Malloys, or does she take a stand for the first time and try to save herself? 350+ million copies, 45 languages, 9 blockbuster films. No one writes drama like John Grisham.

A great narrator can elevate a good story into a great audiobook, and can bring any story they read to life. The Narrated audiobook club explored a range of audiobooks narrated by four great narrators: Bahni Turpin, Caitlin Kelly, January LaVoy, and Emily Woo Zeller.  Discussion with Shachi, Mark, Lisa and Scott. Bahni Turpin: The Hate U Give [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] / [Episode 71]   Transcendent Kingdom [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   Transcendent Kingdom [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   The Conductors [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] / [Episode 95]   The Help [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]     Caitlin Kelly: Keeper of the Lost Cities (series) [Audible]   Eliza and Her Monsters [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   Almost There and Almost Not [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   New York 2140 [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   The Atlas Six [Libro.fm] / [Episode 143- March 15th]     January LaVoy The 1619 Project [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   My Monticello (Novella) [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] / [Episode 121]   The Ten Thousand Doors of January [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   Phasma (Star Wars) [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   Dooku: Jedi Lost (Star Wars) [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] / [Episode 38] I Am Harriet Tubman [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]   Never Tell [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible]     Emily Woo Zeller Episode 122 The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] / [Episode 3]   Doctor Aphra (Star Wars) [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] / [Episode 74]   Vagabounds [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] / [Episode 81]   Strange Beasts of China [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] / [Episode 114]   The Poppy War (series) [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] / [Episode 114]   The Poppy War (Series) [Libro.fm] /  [Overdrive/Libby] /  [Audible] / [Episode 115]  This is How You Lose the Time War [Libro.fm] /  [Overdrive/Libby] /  [Audible]  Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal [Libro.fm] /  [Overdrive/Libby] /  [Audible]  Ninefox Gambit [Libro.fm] /  [Overdrive/Libby] /  [Audible]

January LaVoy narrates Ken Follett's epic novel packed with interconnected plots and political intrigue. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Robin Whitten discuss LaVoy's skill capturing the voice of each character, keeping listeners engaged and attuned to the story. It's a cautionary tale that strikes on a visceral level as global misunderstandings snowball into the threat of nuclear war. Listeners will be riveted as the unimaginable becomes possible, and LaVoy's narration becomes unpausable. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Family Media, the home of Oasis Audio, Enclave Audio, Paperback Classics, and Hollywoodland audio books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Louis Ozawa joins AudioFile's Robin Whitten to discuss FACING THE MOUNTAIN, Daniel James Brown's examination of Japanese American heroes in World War II. FACING THE MOUNTAIN is one of AudioFile's Best History & Biography Audiobooks of the year, and it shines much-needed light on the way those of Japanese heritage were treated during WWII. Louis's deft narration makes the stories even more compelling and harder to forget. Louis tells Robin about what has stayed with him about narrating this audiobook and how he prepared for the performance. Read our full review of FACING THE MOUNTAIN at audiofilemagazine.com. Published by Penguin Audio. 2021 Best History & Biography Audiobooks: FACING THE MOUNTAIN by Daniel James Brown, read by Louis Ozawa FOUR HUNDRED SOULS by Ibram X. Kendi, Keisha N. Blain [Eds.], read by JD Jackson, Kevin R. Free, January LaVoy, Robin Miles, Dion Graham, Angela Y. Davis, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and a Full Cast SOMERSETT by Phillip Goodrich, read by Robert Petkoff, Joe Morton, Simon Jones, Euan Morton, Nicola Barber, Phillip Goodrich [Note & Afterword] TOM STOPPARD by Hermione Lee, read by Steven Crossley TONY HILLERMAN by James Morris McGrath, read by George Guidall YOU DON'T BELONG HERE by Elizabeth Becker, read by Lisa Flanagan For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal, a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lois Reitzes speaks with Sean Hudock, actor, producer and co-founder of Knock at the Gate, and actor January LaVoy. Their all-audio immersive experience of Shakespeare's play Macbeth is designed for headphones and a dark room. Plus, City Lights producer Summer Evans takes us on a ghost tour…to the oldest city in the metro-Atlanta area—Lawrenceville. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

My Monticello, written by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson, and narrated by Aja Naomi King, January LaVoy, Landon Woodson, LeVar Burton, Ngozi Anyanwu & Tomiwa Edun brings the listener five thought provoking short stories and a novella centered around Monticello, Charlottesville, and greater Virginia. Review & discussion with Scott Ullery, Lisa McCarty and Shachi Bhatt Thank you to the Libro.fm ALC Program and Macmillan Audio for providing advance review copies of My Monticello for today's episode. My Monticello [Libro.fm] Monticello Sundry Book Club: [Instagram] / [Newsletter] Other Referenced Works: Parable of the Sower [Libro.fm] Legendborn [Libro.fm]

On this week's Very Special episode of Currently Reading, all four of us are wrapping up Season 3 with our Ask Us Anything episode! We received over 12 PAGES of questions for this episode and this is the first time that we've had all four of us on mic before, so all of this is new! As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  New: we are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). These are generated by AI, so they may not be perfectly accurate, but we want to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 3:08 - Still LIfe by Louise Penny 4:09 - Lord of the Flies by William Golding 6:05 - Sophie's Choice by William Styron 23:26 - The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins 34:19 - Bookend Homeschoolers Podcast 34:31 - Minisode feat. January LaVoy 34:32 - White allyship minisode w/Anna Hithersay 34:54 - Sorta Awesome podcast 39:59 - Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker 41:41 - Currently Reading Patreon  42:35 - Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland  43:33 - What Should Be Wild by Julia Fine 44:18 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 47:09 - Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen 48:12 - People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry 48:24 - The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman 48:27 - Untamed by Glennon Doyle Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast

Lois Reitzes talks with Paul Janeway about singing in the soul band St. Paul and the Broken Bones; and co-director and actor January LaVoy about Theatrical Outfit's production of "Fires in the Mirror."

In the second half of my conversation with Victory's Price narrator January LaVoy, we talk about the difference in working on Star Wars versus anything else, and the discussion goes in an unexpected and important direction. Here's her official bio: An Audiofile Magazine “Golden Voice” since May 2019, January has an extensive body of work in both narration and commercial voiceover. With hundreds of audiobook titles to her credit, she has received more than thirty Earphones Awards, eighteen Audie Award nominations (including seven wins), and was named Publishers Weekly's "Audiobook Narrator of the Year" for 2013. Her voice has been heard in national campaigns for products such as Revlon, Toll House, United Health Care, Dannon, Asthma.com, Home Depot, and Obama for America. January's tweets are protected, but she does screen and welcome new followers: https://twitter.com/justjanuary And you can also keep up with her work at JanuaryLaVoy.com! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

January LaVoy is an award-winning audiobook narrator, and she's here to talk about her work on Victory's Price, the conclusion of Alexander Freed's Alphabet Squadron Trilogy. Punch it! This is the first of a two-part conversation, and in this part, we'll be talking about conventions (the live event kind), her process in preparing for narration in general and Victory's Price in specific, her take on the story of Victory's Price, and the characters she found fun or challenging to perform... Here's her official bio: An Audiofile Magazine “Golden Voice” since May 2019, January has an extensive body of work in both narration and commercial voiceover. With hundreds of audiobook titles to her credit, she has received more than thirty Earphones Awards, eighteen Audie Award nominations (including seven wins), and was named Publishers Weekly's "Audiobook Narrator of the Year" for 2013. Her voice has been heard in national campaigns for products such as Revlon, Toll House, United Health Care, Dannon, Asthma.com, Home Depot, and Obama for America. January's tweets are protected, but she does screen and welcome new followers: https://twitter.com/justjanuary And you can also keep up with her work at JanuaryLaVoy.com! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

An outstanding cast of 87 narrators brings these essays and poems vividly to life. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this stunning audiobook collection of essays and poems covering 400 years of African American history. Of the many incandescent narrators called upon to bring the stories to life, JD Jackson (“Upon Arrival”), Kevin R. Free (“Cotton”), January LaVoy (“Sally Hemmings”), and Robin Miles (“Marroons and Maroonage”) are masterful. Ninety entries, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain, encapsulate the African American experience from 1619 to 2019, and the authors tell stories both little and well known that together give the listener a symphony of voices that bring the complex, often horrific, history of Black people in the U.S. into relief. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three books, three narrators! Unusual, to be sure, and on today's episode of the show, we'll talk about January LaVoy's performance in the audiobook of Victory's Price. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

@januarylavoy is the voice over actress for Nora Robert's book "Hideaway".

Today, the second half of my latest conversation with Nick Martorelli, executive producer for the PRH Audio adaptation of From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back. Punch it! What follows is the full list of questions I had for him, and I think we got to all of them, though not necessarily in this order: Aside from the source material and the stories themselves (naturally), how was the process of doing this audiobook different from the previous From a Certain Point of View audiobook? How does the preparation for an audiobook of short stories differ from the preparation that goes into a novel? How has the current public health situation changed your production process? Can you talk a bit about the casting process, as far as how and where it fits into the whole project process? Some folks, like January LaVoy and Marc Thompson, are well known to Star Wars audiences, and have “strong suits,” as it were, based on their previous Star Wars narration experience. How do you balance your casting decisions between leaning into those strengths versus applying their talents in fresh ways? Dion Graham is an experienced narrator doing a Star Wars project for the first time, and the similarly experienced Soneela Nankani is doing her second, after Lando’s Luck. (Emily is comparatively new, too, of course, but with more recent appearances.) Can you talk a bit about the considerations for bringing in narrators who may well be unknown to a Star Wars audience? Jon Hamm is, of course, an accomplished actor, but doesn’t do a lot of audiobook narration – this is only his fourth PRH Audio credit, and half of those are Star-Wars related. What does he bring to the table for you, from your own experienced perspective? I’d love to learn about the process of adapting Older’s “STET!” for an audiobook, because it’s so unique on the page. Do you have personal favorites among the stories in the collection? Or any stories that affected the way you think about Empire as a whole? And here are the links mentioned at the end of the conversation! Nick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickmartorelli PRH Audio: https://penguinrandomhouseaudio.com ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

Today, the first half of my conversation with Nick Martorelli, the executive producer for Penguin Random House Audio's version of The Empire Strikes Back's 40th anniversary short story celebration. Punch it! What follows is the full list of questions I had for him, and I think we got to all of them, though not necessarily in this order: Aside from the source material and the stories themselves (naturally), how was the process of doing this audiobook different from the previous From a Certain Point of View audiobook? How does the preparation for an audiobook of short stories differ from the preparation that goes into a novel? How has the current public health situation changed your production process? Can you talk a bit about the casting process, as far as how and where it fits into the whole project process? Some folks, like January LaVoy and Marc Thompson, are well known to Star Wars audiences, and have “strong suits,” as it were, based on their previous Star Wars narration experience. How do you balance your casting decisions between leaning into those strengths versus applying their talents in fresh ways? Dion Graham is an experienced narrator doing a Star Wars project for the first time, and the similarly experienced Soneela Nankani is doing her second, after Lando’s Luck. (Emily is comparatively new, too, of course, but with more recent appearances.) Can you talk a bit about the considerations for bringing in narrators who may well be unknown to a Star Wars audience? Jon Hamm is, of course, an accomplished actor, but doesn’t do a lot of audiobook narration – this is only his fourth PRH Audio credit, and half of those are Star-Wars related. What does he bring to the table for you, from your own experienced perspective? I’d love to learn about the process of adapting Older’s “STET!” for an audiobook, because it’s so unique on the page. Do you have personal favorites among the stories in the collection? Or any stories that affected the way you think about Empire as a whole? And here are the links mentioned at the end of the conversation! Nick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickmartorelli PRH Audio: https://penguinrandomhouseaudio.com ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

Today, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: a YouTube rabbit hole and setting down the books for Netflix Current Reads: A selection of hits and misses, all of which we’re ready to discuss with nuance Deep Dive: The Books We Are Jealous That You Get to Read for the First Time. Ah, nostalgia. Book Presses: righting another wrong in the press list, and cozy comfort for when the world is too much As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down!  *Please note that all book titles linked below are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . . Book of the Month - ad: 2:03 - Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman 2:15 - Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman 2:56 - Leave the World Behind by Ruman Alam 3:02 - All Things Murderful with Meredith on Patreon 3:33 - Ties that Tether by Jane Igharo 3:55 - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab 4:52 - Use our link and the code CURRENTLYREADING to get your first book for just $9.99! Bookish Moments: 8:02 - Winter in Narnia ASMR room 8:30 - Mr. Tumnus’ House ASMR room 8:34 - The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 9:32 - Interior Design Masters on Netflix 9:58 - Hoarders on Netflix 10:07 - The Home Edit on Netflix Current Reads: 10:38 - Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore (Meredith) 11:06 - Listener Press Episode at the end of Season 2 14:18 - The Night Swim by Megan Goldin (Kaytee) 14:44 - Kaytee thinks January LaVoy is her BFF because of her interview with her 17:26 - The Boys Club by Erica Katz (Meredith) 17:33 - Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler 17:34 - The Firm by John Grisham 20:55 - Long Walk to FREEDOM by Nelson Mandela (you guys, I said WATER? What the heck??) (Kaytee) 24:19 - Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Meredith) 28:52 - The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner (Kaytee) 31:00 - As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner 31:45 - The study about Millennials and Gen Z and the Holocaust Deep Dive - Books We Are Jealous You Get to Read for the First Time: 33:10 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend 33:15 - The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 33:23 - Winterhouse by Ben Guterson 33:27 - The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall 33:29 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 34:38 - The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 35:08 - Harry Potter by JK Rowling 35:59 - A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman 36:01 - This Is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel 36:03 - The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall 38:13 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 38:17 - I Let You Go by Claire Mackintosh Books We Want to Press Into Your Hands: 39:38 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (Meredith) 43:50 - A Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindburgh (Kaytee) 43:58 - Episode 34 of Season 1 Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com

Today, Kaytee and Meredith are here with a special episode for you! We are reflecting back on our second year of podcasting and our biggest wins and our biggest regrets. We get a bit vulnerable, a bit silly, and a bit reflective. You’ll get some behind-the-scenes glimpses as well as some “looking to the future” previews. We are so grateful for the cadre of listeners that we have connected with over these two years, and we could never have imagined how much this podcast could have brought to our lives. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down!  *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . . Best of Season 2: 4:10 - Season 2, Episode 31: Spicy Takes: Books We Wanted to Throw Against the Wall 6:04 - Episode 27 of Season 1: Bookish Pet Peeves 6:57 - Season 2, Episode 22: Goodreads Choice Award Side-Eye 7:11 - Season 2, Episode 23: Our Best Books of 2019 8:23 - Golden Earbud Awards EPISODE and Instagram post 8:43 - Meredith visits Kaytee Instagram Post 9:48 - The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain 10:04 - Ideal Bookshelf Puzzle 10:15 - A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota by Sun Yung Shin 10:40 - Apple Watch 10:55 - Bookshop.org 12:28 - Episode 36 of Season 2 12:33 - Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes by Kathleen West 13:42 - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins 13:32 - The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix 16:49 - The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff 18:29 - Season 2, Episode 36 conversation about wild animal pets 20:29 - COVID(eo)s on Patreon - free for all! 22:02 - COVID(eo) with 5 of our kiddos! 28:29 - Patreon - the beginning of Bookish Friend(ship)s 39:31 - Untamed by Glennon Doyle 40:52 - Slay by Brittney Morris 40:54 - Pride by Ibi Zoboi 42:22 - Season 2, Episode 29 - Golden Earbud Awards 42:55 - Season 2, Episode 35 - Girl, Get You A Bookstagram 44:16 - Season 2, Episode 25 - Cozy Mystery Deep Dive 45:31 - Minisode with January LaVoy 45:53 - Minisode with Anna Hithersay 47:41 - Patreon 49:14 - REMINDER: Last episode of Season 2, but be sure to join us on Instagram next week for a giveaway! Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com

January LaVoy is one of the most celebrated voice actors and book narrators in the country. She has recorded hundreds of books from the Star Wars franchise to works of John Grisham, Harlan Coben, Marcia Clark, James Patterson, and many others. She is also known for her Broadway and TV roles, including starring as Noelle Ortiz on the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live.

January LaVoy was named an AudioFile Golden Voice narrator last year, and she has been captivating listeners for years with her narrations. This year she won several Audie Awards, including the Fantasy award for her narration of Alix E. Harrow’s THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY. She has more than 30 AudioFile Earphones Award-winning narrations and is frequently on AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks lists in a range of genres. January brings so many of her acting talents to her narration work, and she’ll convince you that you’re listening to a full cast performance. On today’s episode, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss January’s lively narration of HIDEAWAY, the newest romantic thriller from Nora Roberts. January creates a full cast of voices to bring each character to life. HIDEAWAY begins with the kidnapping of 10-year-old Caitlyn, whose family is considered “Hollywood royalty,” and the kidnapping changes her life in many ways. January expertly handles the range of accents required and shifts her voice to convey Caitlyn’s maturity as the years pass. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of the complete Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library and the all-new Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Kaytee is chatting with audiobook narrator January LaVoy, who has narrated over 200 (credited) audiobooks! We’re chatting about her newest release, Nora Roberts’ Hideaway, plus a whole host of other topics. It’s a fantastic episode, so I hope you tune in and love it. Tune in to hear about: How she got started in audiobook narration Her preparation process Reading crying scenes and the power of the voice Pseudonyms to narrate erotica How essential audiobooks are And, of course, a book she wants to press into your hands! Minisode show notes are not timestamped, but linked titles are below for you to peruse. Hideaway by Nora Roberts The Chain by Adrian McKinty Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed Connect with January: via her website januarylavoy.com

Steve chats with January LaVoy, actress and audiobook narrator, about her experience with libraries, how she finds the right voice for each audiobook she narrates, the care she takes in translating an author’s story in audio, and working with a little-known actress named Meryl Streep to bring Charlotte’s Web to life.

AudioFile’s Michele Cobb and host Jo Reed discuss the biggest night in the audiobook world, the Audie Awards. Last night was the 25th annual celebration of audiobook excellence. Tune in today as we reveal the winner of the Best Female Narrator award, a category that includes some of the best narrators in the industry, recognized for their excellent work on compelling audiobooks. The finalists for the 2020 Audie Awards Best Female Narrator are: ALL THE LOST THINGS by Michelle Sacks, read by Cassandra Morris, published by Hachette Audio THE BOY by Tami Hoag, read by Hillary Huber, published by Brilliance Audio NOTHING TO SEE HERE by Kevin Wilson, read by Marin Ireland, published by HarperAudio PRIME SUSPECT by Lynda La Plante, read by Rachel Atkins, published by Zaffle THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY by Alix E. Harrow, read by January LaVoy, published by Hachette Audio Find a full list of 2020 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about the 2020 Audie Awards, one of the biggest events of the year in the audiobook world. Tonight, March 2, is the 25th annual Audie Awards gala, where the big winners will be announced. Today Jo and Michele are discussing the finalists in the Audiobook of the Year category, titles with high-quality content and production values that are recognized as benchmarks of excellence for the industry and serve as worthy ambassadors to new and current listeners.  The finalists for the 2020 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year are: ANGELS IN AMERICA: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes by Tony Kushner, read by Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane, Susan Brown, Denise Gough, and a Full Cast, published by Penguin Random House Audio BECOMING by Michelle Obama, read by Michelle Obama, published by Penguin Random House Audio CHARLOTTE'S WEB by E.B. White, read by Meryl Streep, January LaVoy, Kirby Heyborne, MacLeod Andrews, and a Full Cast, published by Penguin Random House Audio THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett, read by Tom Hanks, published by HarperAudio THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff, read by Holter Graham and a Full 45-Person Cast, published by Simon & Schuster Audio THE TESTAMENTS by Margaret Atwood, read by Ann Dowd, Bryce Dallas Howard, Mae Whitman, Derek Jacobi, Tantoo Cardinal, Margaret Atwood, published by Penguin Random House Audio Find a full list of 2020 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards finalist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda and Claire discuss Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray with a special guest for Would You Rather, voice actor and audiobook narrator January LaVoy, featuring music by Lyss Emerson.

Amanda and Claire interview January LaVoy, voice actor and audiobook narrator, featuring music by Lyss Emerson.

You can tell that it is almost Christmas time by the way the boys were ready and rearing to jump in headfirst to discuss Star Wars! By far this was the single longest continuous conversation the boys have had on this podcast. So long in fact it wound up being split into two episodes. This first part the boys introduce “Legends of Luke Skywalker” by Ken Liu and for those of you who like audio books, January LaVoy narrates the audio version (and does a spectacular job)! If you haven’t already figured it out all three of the guys are major Star Wars geeks. The conversation quickly goes off on many tangents.

We continue our 2019 Best Audiobooks celebrations with Children & Family Listening. Anthony Rey Perez narrated Carlos Hernandez’s SAL AND GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE, an audiobook that blends realistic and fantastic events—and plenty of humor and heart. Anthony joined AudioFile’s Robin Whitten to talk about narrating complex books for kids and teen listeners, growing up as a first generation Cuban-American in Miami, and his appreciation for Hernandez’s imaginative characters. Published by Listening Library. 2019 Best Children & Family Listening Audiobooks: ADA TWIST AND THE PERILOUS PANTS by Andrea Beaty, read by Bahni Turpin OTHER WORDS FOR HOME by Jasmine Warga, read by Vaneh Assadourian SAL AND GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE by Carlos Hernandez, read by Anthony Rey Perez CHARLOTTE'S WEB by E.B. White, read by Meryl Streep, January LaVoy, Kirby Heyborne, MacLeod Andrews, and a Full Cast WE ARE GRATEFUL: OTSALIHELIGA by Traci Sorell, read by Lauren Hummingbird, Agalisiga (Choogie) Mackey, Ryan Mackey, Traci Sorell, Tonia Weavel LOOK BOTH WAYS by Jason Reynolds, read by Heather Alicia Simms, Chris Chalk, Bahni Turpin, Adenrele Ojo, Kevin R. Free, JD Jackson, Guy Lockard, January LaVoy, David Sadzin, Jason Reynolds For the full list of AudioFile’s 2019 Best Audiobooks, visit www.audiofilemagazine.com. Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Paperback Classics, a new imprint from Oasis Family Media, bringing the best pulp and vintage paperbacks to audio, including 1960s cult-classic series Dark Shadows and Flash Gordon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a special episode of Behind the Mic, narrator Jason Culp joins AudioFile editor Robin Whitten to talk about his work on Emma Donoghue’s AKIN, which is one of AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks in the Fiction, Poetry, and Drama category. Hear Jason’s thoughts on narrating this latest novel from the author of ROOM, and add this audiobook to your wish list. Published by Hachette Audio. 2019 Best Fiction, Poetry, & Drama Audiobooks: AKIN by Emma Donoghue, read by Jason Culp RED AT THE BONE by Jacqueline Woodson, read by Jacqueline Woodson, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Peter Francis James, Shayna Small, Bahni Turpin DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid, read by Jennifer Beals, Benjamin Bratt, Judy Greer, Pablo Schreiber, Ari Fliakos, January LaVoy, Julia Whelan and a Full Cast THE TESTAMENTS by Margaret Atwood, read by Ann Dowd, Bryce Dallas Howard, Mae Whitman, Derek Jacobi, Tantoo Cardinal, Margaret Atwood A WALK IN THE WOODS by Lee Blessing, read by Alfred Molina, Steven Weber AN AMERICAN SUNRISE by Joy Harjo, read by Joy Harjo For the full list of AudioFile’s 2019 Best Audiobooks, visit www.audiofilemagazine.com. Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Paperback Classics, a new imprint from Oasis Family Media, bringing the best pulp and vintage paperbacks to audio, including 1960s cult-classic series Dark Shadows and Flash Gordon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listening to this National Book Award finalist is a delight. Ten African-American narrators read 10 interconnected stories with uniformly excellent performances. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed what she loved about this middle-grade audiobook written by Jason Reynolds. In tales set after school gets out, students head home on skateboards, talk about boogers and water bears, stand up to bullies, and show up to admit when they’ve done wrong. The author himself narrates the final chapter and author’s note. With each narrator so beautifully bringing the students’ stories to life, listening is an excellent way to enjoy them. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from GraphicAudio, A Movie In Your Mind. Celebrating 15 Years of Immersive Audio Entertainment featuring A Full Cast and Imaginative Sound Scapes with new series such as Brandon Sanderson's White Sand, Vault Comics Wasted Space, Ordinary Magic, and over 1,250 more full cast titles available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Under currents DB95764 Roberts, Nora. Reading time: 14 hours, 37 minutes. Read by January LaVoy. Romantic suspense fiction Suspense Fiction Romance

January LaVoy makes this an A+ listen. AudioFile Publisher Michele Cobb and Jo Reed discuss the ways in which January’s performance beautifully finds the sadness, desperation, and humor in the audiobook. These Colorado parents are willing to do anything to get their kids recognized as gifted, landing them a spot in the exclusive Crystal Academy. January creates distinct voices and personalities for both children and adults, particularly the four friends at the novel’s center. The only question we’re left with is which parent we identify with most, for good or ill. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. Join New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan for a seven-part original podcast – Behind the Scenes of Becoming Mrs. Lewis – and explore in depth the improbable and beautiful love story between C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman. Learn more at www.becomingmrslewispodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

January LaVoy’s breathtaking narration shines in this historical fantasy. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly marvel at LaVoy’s ability to bring dynamic and diverse characters to life. January Scaller is a daring young girl who feels trapped in the country home of her guardian, Mr. Locke, while her dad is off on adventures. When she finds a Door that leads to another world, and a book that points to the existence of thousands of doors, everything changes. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. Join New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan for a seven-part original podcast – Behind the Scenes of Becoming Mrs. Lewis – and explore in depth the improbable and beautiful love story between C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman. Learn more at www.becomingmrslewispodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2vtzup5 Welcome to the escape room. Your goal is simple. Get out alive. In the lucrative world of Wall Street finance, Vincent, Jules, Sylvie and Sam are the ultimate high-flyers. Ruthlessly ambitious, they make billion-dollar deals and live lives of outrageous luxury. Getting rich is all that matters, and they'll do anything to get ahead. When the four of them become trapped in an elevator escape room, things start to go horribly wrong. They have to put aside their fierce office rivalries and work together to solve the clues that will release them. But in the confines of the elevator the dark secrets of their team are laid bare. They are made to answer for profiting from a workplace where deception, intimidation and sexual harassment thrive. Tempers fray and the escape room's clues turn more and more ominous, leaving the four of them dangling on the precipice of disaster. If they want to survive, they'll have to solve one more final puzzle: which one of them is a killer? (p) Orion Publishing Group 2019

Narrator January Lavoy was recently honored as a Golden Voice by AudioFile. January is a skilled narrator who draws listeners into whatever she's performing, whether it's a thrilling mystery or a compelling historical audiobook. We wanted to know more about January's journey to becoming an audiobook narrator, the differences between narrating in the booth and acting on stage, and all of the work that she does to inhabit so many dynamic characters. January has narrated hundreds of engaging audiobooks, including THE DIVINERS series by Libba Bray, Coretta Scott King's memoir MY LIFE, MY LOVE, MY LEGACY, and the L.A. Theatre Works production of NATIVE GUARD by Natasha Trethewey. Discover even more of January's audiobooks on her audiography page. For more audiobooks narrated by January LaVoy, browse her audiography at audiofilemagazine.com For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Golden Voice narrator January LaVoy. Support for AudioFile’s Sound Reviews comes from Penguin Random House Audio and Listening Library.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2Gw87ly VICTIM. SURVIVOR. ABDUCTOR. CRIMINAL. YOU WILL BECOME EACH ONE. YOUR PHONE RINGS. A STRANGER HAS KIDNAPPED YOUR CHILD. TO FREE THEM YOU MUST ABDUCT SOMEONE ELSE'S CHILD. YOUR CHILD WILL BE RELEASED WHEN YOUR VICTIM'S PARENTS KIDNAP ANOTHER CHILD. IF ANY OF THESE THINGS DON'T HAPPEN: YOUR CHILD WILL BE KILLED. YOU ARE NOW PART OF THE CHAIN.

Listen to the first chapter of the audiobook version of The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth. Narrated by January LaVoy.

Listen to the first chapter of the audiobook version of The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth. Narrated by January LaVoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to the first chapter of the audiobook version of The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth. Narrated by January LaVoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to the first chapter of the audiobook version of The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth. Narrated by January LaVoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In June 2019, January LaVoy was honored as a Golden Voice, AudioFile's lifetime achievement honor for audiobook narrators. January has made invaluable contributions to the craft of audiobook narration. She manages to straddle the worlds of stage, screen, and teaching, and still records many audiobooks a year. January has won multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards and Audie Awards. Browse her full audiography and explore her AudioFile profile page here. Essential Listens to appreciate January’s versatility, range, and skill: THE DIVINERS CAMINO ISLAND ELIZA HAMILTON For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are Robin Whitten, Editor & Founder of AudioFile Magazine, and Golden Voice narrator January LaVoy. Support for AudioFile’s Sound Reviews comes from Oasis Audio, home to The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, read by LeVar Burton and nominated for the 2019 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a tale set during her days as a Sith Apprentice, Asajj Ventress has a new mission: uncover the secrets of her master Count Dooku. The audio-only story, written by Cavan Scott, follows Dooku’s assassin Ventress as she uncovers why Dooku left the Jedi Order. Narrated by a full cast including Euan Morton, Orlagh Cassidy, January LaVoy, Marc Thompson, and many more, the recording promises to deliver an epic exploration of a new chapter in Dooku’s story. (Source: https://www.starwars.com/news/dooku-jedi-lost-audio-book-announce)We wish we could have brought all of you with us to Chicago for Star Wars Celebration! And in some ways, we hope that our wall-to-wall coverage did that in a way!As our way of showing how grateful we are to you for all your support - both financially and in sharing our content - we present to you our interview with Cavan Scott, author of the soon to be release audio novel, Dooku: Jedi Lost.This was a really interesting conversation with bits of information we hadn't heard about the novel. And wait till the end for a really telling NON answer to a question that is more relevant after the trailer release for The Rise of Skywalker!We couldn't do this show without you. We really mean that. And we hope you enjoy our interview with Cavan Scott.

This legal and psychological thriller involves a righteous female judge and the one personal misstep that puts her personal and professional life in jeopardy. Narrator January LaVoy demonstrates her masterful talents in portraying a confident female judge, her sullen teenage son, the criminals who pursue her, and many additional supporting characters. Published by Penguin Audio. Read the full review of JUDGMENT at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dorothy Butler Gilliam was the first black female reporter and columnist for the Washington Post during the Civil Rights and Women’s movements. She had a front-row seat at some of the nation's most significant turning points. January LaVoy's soft, clear voice narrows the space between listener and author, and her fluid, expressive delivery expertly conveys Gilliam's determination, frustration, pride, and empathy. Published by Hachette Audio. Read the full review of TRAILBLAZER at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A dramatic presentation of poet Natasha Trethewey’s Pulitzer Prize-winning collection staged by The Alliance Theatre of Atlanta. Two narrators bring deep understanding of the poems—January LaVoy narrates those Trethewey wrote for and about her mother, and Thomas Neal Antwon Ghant represents The Native Guard, men who traded service in the Union army for freedom from slavery. Listeners will be immersed in this dramatic performance, amplified by music. Published by L.A. Theatre Works Read the full review of NATIVE GUARD at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Reviewer Jonathan Smith Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest today is January LaVoy, narrator of an impeccably researched biography of the philanthropist and unsung hero married to Alexander Hamilton. Tilar J. Mazzeo’s ELIZA HAMILTON: The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton, published by Simon & Schuster Audio, is a richly detailed audiobook concentrating on Eliza’s life after Alexander’s death. January’s skilled narration brings to life her dynamic character with personality, wit, and intelligence. Read our full review of ELIZA HAMILTON at audiofilemagazine.com. Explore ALL the audiobooks in AudioFile’s Best of the Year Ezine with sound clips and narrator videos at https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/bestof/. On today’s episode Michele Cobb, Publisher at AudioFile Magazine, and our guest, narrator January LaVoy. We are giving away audiobooks from Libro.FM, Audiobooks.com, and Downpour on Twitter — visit us there at @audiofilemag and look for the #podcast for your chance to download your picks from our Best Of lists. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. Support for Behind the Mic comes from Grammy Award-winning publisher Hachette Audio, home to works by James Patterson, JK Rowling, Joel Osteen, David Sedaris, David Baldacci, Elin Hilderbrand, Michael Connelly, and many more bestselling audiobooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re celebrating AudioFile Magazine’s picks for the 2018 Best Biography and History Audiobooks. Join us as we discuss these intriguing true life stories and share clips from BARRACOON and RFK. And don’t miss tomorrow’s episode featuring an interview with narrator January LaVoy about her narration of Tilar J. Mazzeo’s ELIZA HAMILTON. AudioFile Magazine’s Best Biography and History Audiobooks of 2018 BARRACOON by Zora Neale Hurston, Deborah G. Plant [Ed.], read by Robin Miles, published by Harper Audio ELIZA HAMILTON by Tilar J. Mazzeo, read by January LaVoy, published by Simon & Schuster Audio RFK by Robert F. Kennedy, C. Richard Allen, Edwin O. Guthman, read by James Lurie, Jim Meskimen, published by Harper Audio THE GOOD NEIGHBOR by Maxwell King, read by LeVar Burton, published by Oasis Audio THE SOUL OF AMERICA by Jon Meacham, read by Fred Sanders, Jon Meacham [Fore.], published by Random House Audio Explore ALL of the audiobooks in AudioFile’s Best of the Year Ezine with sound clips and narrator videos. https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/bestof/. On today’s episode are Robin Whitten, Founder and Editor, and Michele Cobb, Publisher at AudioFile Magazine. We are giving away audiobooks from Libro.FM, Audiobooks.com, and Downpour on Twitter — visit us there at @audiofilemag and look for the #podcast for your chance to download your picks from our Best Of lists. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. Support for Behind the Mic comes from Grammy Award-winning publisher Hachette Audio, home to works by James Patterson, JK Rowling, Joel Osteen, David Sedaris, David Baldacci, Elin Hilderbrand, Michael Connelly, and many more bestselling audiobooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Randy this week as he attempts his first "solo" flight. He shares his audiobook review of The Last Shot by, Daniel Jose Older, narrated by the author, Marc Thompson and January Lavoy. Randy also reminds us about the upcoming review of At Star's End by, Brian Daley. Last but not least, listen to a very special Star Wars story!

This week, Broadway's own January LaVoy and legendary fantasy writer Patrick Rothfuss read/perform the the opening of the After On audiobook (plus quite a bit more). With some notes & observations from the author.

Wesley: Hi, I’m Wesley.Robyne: and I’m Robyne.Wesley: and this is Obstructed View. Robyne: Today we’ll be discussing Dracula by Three Day Hangover. Dracula was presented at the McAlpine hall at West Park Church.Wesley: This performance was done immersively with a bar that was integrated into the performance.Robyne: If you don’t know the story of Dracula, we’ve linked a synopsis in the show notes. This piece by Steven Dietz and Lori Wolter Hudson is a liberal adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel. Let’s jump right into design.Wesley: So we have scenic and lighting design by Christopher and Justin Swader, sound design by Toby Jaguar Algya, and costume design by Caitlin Cisek. Robyne: I really liked the costumes. I loved how they found ways in all of the design elements under what I assume to be a very low budget, to really honor the story and the period from which this story comes. I found the proffesor’s costume to be very well contemporized. I found both Mina and Lucy’s costumes to be fitting of their characters. And all of the men seem to be fairly well dressed. I only didn’t necessarily care for Renfield’s costume, but it worked within the story and the design. Wesley: I thought the costuming worked well for what they were achieeing here. My only point of issue was Dracula, I thought his was a bit more on the grotesque side, a bit too flamboyant, a bit too 1970s. And when you’re contemporizing almost all these characters, he came off a bit dated and that was something that I couldn’t just grasp why.Robyne: I found that in the greater style of the piece that it fit, that he was a little dated. It didn’t bother me too much but I totally understand what you’re saying. I did think that the teeth work was wonderful, those prosthetic teeth up close looked great. Wesley: Yeah, teeth were great. I enjoyed the make up work.Robyne: I also like what they did set wise with dressing the room as they did. I understand that they couldn’t build a full set but there were a lot of things I liked about it. As you said when we first walked in to the room, I really liked how there was only one portrait on the wall. I really liked how bare most of it was, it really helped with the foot traffic in the immersion.Wesley: I, on initial impact, I appreciated the space greatly. It was large, it was cavernous, I liked the scarcity of what they used. There was a bit of difficulty of deciding where we can and cannot sit, I noticed a few people stumbling around trying to find a place to find a seat. But there was nothing really that distracting. I appreciate how they had to work with the sparcity of the space, transporting us from one world to another during the performance, though I wish there was a bit more integration into the actual foundation of the space itself. I never felt as though I was brought into a world with the hall around me, I felt as though I was always dealing with specific set properties being brought out in front of me. That with how statically they had the audience stand for great swaths of the performance where seats could easily do.Robyne: The immersiveness lost it’s fun when the scenes started to run over five minutes; I found myself standing for large periods of time. And the worst part of this production for me was the other audience members. Given that this was an immersive, Bar Theater piece, I was fully prepared for a lot of the interactions I was going to have, but there seemed to be a lot of clueless audience members who kept backing into one another, there were a lot of spilled drinks, there were a lot of elbows, and a good deal of that was unnecessary. While there was a lot of guidance given by either the cast out of character or by other members of the production team herding us along in this small room, there still was a lack of clarity in what was habitable space and, I agree, we were standing for far too long without moving. We should have been able to sit at certain points.Wesley: I’ve been in immersive situations where you finally form a bond of community with the audience around you experiencing the piece. For example, when I saw Speakeasy Dollhouse at the Player’s Club or, probably one of my favorite of these, A Serious Banquet, by This is Not a Theater Company, I felt as though I made friends that evening, experiencing this theatrical production, being immersed in this world with them. Here everyone else seemed a little bit intrusive. And given how big the hall was, I really felt lost with them.Robyne: In this style you have a spectrum and on the one end you have something like A Serious Banquet which is a party that everyone is invited to, and on the other end you have Sleep No More, which is completely isolationist.5:00This fell somewhere in between without any real intention of how this piece is suppose to interact with the audience and how the audience is suppose to interact with each other. It felt as if no attention was paid as to what we were suppose to feel.Wesley: Granted, I don’t feel as thought the immersivity was suppose to be a gimmick, but it didn’t feel integral.Robyne: There were fun moments with the sound design and a lot of the practical, from-the-audience sounds. There was this howling bit they kept having us do that had a great deal of diminishing returns at the end. There was an expectation I felt that the audience was supposed to be much drunker than we were.Wesley: The interaction with us felt like a necessary evil on their part as if they had to follow through with the immersivitiy and so the scenic design of this world never really managed to put it into a framework in which the immersivity was a necessity to the story telling. Robyne: I did not feel that the immersiveness was used to transport us into this world and to make this interactive, to feel like we were involved in the world. I didn’t really know why we were being immersed in this. This may have just as easily been done in a proscenium and it may have worked far better.Wesley: Lighting design by Christopher and Just Swader as well, I had no real issue with.Robyne: The, again, clearly were limited on what they could do both financially and in the space. It worked fairly well. There’s a moment of audience interaction, that we’ll discuss later, using the lighting that was probably the highlight of the show. Overall, lighting was fine.Wesley: Yeah. They had a couple nice effects: the red that backlight Dracula when he entered, it had a nice 1980s Pop-film kind of vibe to it. We recognize this was a very limited budget production, and for what they were probably able to work with on that level this was excellently achieved.Robyne: Dracula is presented in this downtown, nerd, bar theater style that holds a certain amount of irreverence for the material, usually a great deal of irreverence for the material, and is filled with anachronisms. I have seen a great deal of this sort of theater and it is usually blunt and less funny than it thinks it is, and unfortunately I found that prevalent throughout Dracula.Wesley: There was a lot of joy in the performers getting a chance to perform but I felt no love for the characters, no love for the material –Robyne: There is a great deal of finesse required to pull off a show of this nature very well. A lot of the references felt very heavy handed, a lot of the modernization of the script felt blunt. There’s a number of times where they pull out their phones and the dialogue doesn’t sound like humans of today’s world discussing the use of technology. There was just some very rough moments of, I could almost feel the collaborators asking, “Well, how does this sound? This works.” With no smoothing out of the language.Wesley: The pop-culture references, they were so unnecessary. The anachronisms never gelled well. They felt like a style that was meant to feel novel but I have seen it so many times before that it just felt stale, and rather than making this show feel more timely, it just felt more dated.Robyne: There were a number of them that worked but they were just unfortunately buried beneath seven more that didn’t.Wesley: There were also many times that they would reference the bar, and drinking, and being drunk, which, it was funny before you’re legally able to drink. Like they’re the sort of thing that people would say in a college movie. Here, it as so self congratulatory and invaise. Robyne: It is a necessary part of the production, it is an intential design element and that can be a great deal of fun, but there is a fun, in-character way to discuss this and there is a forceful reminder that the ticket cost is low and you should be drinking and it’s part of the production. Which is totally fine but there is a way to convey that without swearing at your audience, which can be fun but in this instance absolutelywas not.Wesley: There was one instance I enjoyed and the was January Lavoy playing Yeungling. Her coming out as this sort of meta, product-placement character –Robyne: That anachronism, that contemporization, that kind of meta-theatrical element is what this entire style is built upon. And January was not only wonderful in that role, and I would almost say tongue-in-cheek, very self-aware, character,10:00but the renaming of Van Helsing, and having her constantly bringing that element of the drinking into it, having the audience partake in the drinking as part of the story telling, was wonderful. Having her offer beers as weapons was a great addition, was more of what I was hoping to see in this production. But the bruskness of having your characters remind the audience that the bar is open during intermission, the constant, “Time to take a shot!” felt like a younger, recent post graduate, theater company.Wesley: It felt like an app they were able to get for a cheap price but in order to be able to do anything with it you need to buy all the upgrades in it. It felt like we were being held hostage to this bar. Rather than it being a joyful part of this world we’re in, it felt like a necessary evil to appreciate this thing that I was entirely unable to appreciate on any level of sobriety. That’s not to say that the performers were drowned by the piece.Robyne: January Lavoy’s Professor was wonderful, was just the embodiment of how great this style can work. I also really enjoyed Nemuna Ceesay’s Mina, it felt like a wonderful modernization of this character, holding kick-ass American feminist ideals while also still honoring the source material. I thought Miranda Noelle Wilson Lucy and Jonathan Finnegan’s Seward were both great and I loved their relationship. A lot of the modernization and meta aspects of their relationship, the constant back and forth about what level their relationship was, whether they were lovers or friends, I thought worked very well most of the time. Justin Yorio’s Harker felt slightly out of place, he was much more serious than the rest of the cast, as Harker is but it just, it just didn’t sit quite right in the irreverent, meta-style. Paul Kite’s Renfield, while I don’t like the character he portrayed, that rapid lunatic, in the stereotypical pop-culture sense, I felt he portrayed that role very well.Wesley: The rule of diminishing returns with almost every aspects of this production for me grated especially Paul Kite as Renfield. I could always appreciate his commitment and his capabilities but by the end, what was once charming became intolerable. Jokes were hammered and hammered and hammered and almost none of them became funny again.Robyne: Again I felt the audience was expected to be much drunker and louder than we were. It wasn’t clear whether the production was suppose to take place in a loud, noisy, drunken bar, ad the actors were supposed to be fighting over the audience to be heard. That wasn’t the case, we were paying very close attention. So the often repetitive text became blows, over and over. We only needed to hear that the floor was lava once for Renfield, which is a shame because the man was literally standing up on a piano and that is a great image, seeing that, and the idea of his childishness played in that way, was really great for me. And then it just got repeated and it was so unnecessary. All the repition was so unnecessary.Wesley: As I said when we left, I was never the audience for this production. The drama was meant to be an aspect of their performance but not an essential part of its success. I didn’t find anything besides the drama to take my attention and because of that I felt so apathetic to their performance. Their commitment to these characters, their commitment to their performances was fantastic. Whether it was the improvisational extremes from Paul Kite or if it’s the more reserved Justin Yorio, I could appreciate that they each brought an aspect of their craft to their performance. But in terms of the actual telling of the story, there was little I could grasp on to. And there was so little novelty in humor or in storytelling for me to have a good night with.Robyne: I felt that this production really suffered from something I see a lot which is the lack of a strong, critical producer. Somebody who has a greater sense of the show in mind who can also level some of their experience and economy towards the work itself, the language, the humor, the staging.15:00Every moment a well utilized, talented producer who the company trusts, can really bring that out, or a co-director, or an assistant director, just somebody to offer a contrary voice to not allow so much of this to run off the tracks.Wesley: A lot of this story was unnecessary, a lot of this dialogue could have been easily noticed to not gain a response in terms of humor and gotten rid of and would have given us more time to be immersed in the space they were creating.Robyne: There was also only one level of humor, they only offered us low-brow and a great deal of low-brow humor. There wasn’t a mixed bag, there wasn’t high-brow humor coming from Dracula and low brow humor coming from Renfield, which I felt was a shame because that would have been a wonderful balance.Wesley: There was no character delivered with a real wit to them. They were all given to us as either satirical images of their characterization or satire of storytelling. They were never in themselves clever characters.Robyne: or simply characters given witty dialogue.Wesley: Granted, I cannot say I’ve seen a Three Day Hangover performance before, though I will say here I don’t feel as though I saw any aspect of Dracula that night and I was hoping I would. I was hoping I would get a sense of the portrait of Bram Stoker involved in this. I feel as though that portrait would have been rolling its eyes and at best smirking.Robyne: There were moments in this production that could have lended themselves wonderfully to very meta performance structure, where the one portrait of Bram Stroker is involved. There were moments where they could have broken the style and really gone for actual horror. When you are standing in that room full of people in the dark and you feel people moving around you, there are all the elements you need for some true horror. But we never got that, it was always the same one note, and it went on relentlessly and for too long.Wesley: You read Dracula a while back and I asked you when it was done, “Does Dracula have a sincere sense of mystery and sexuality to it?” and you said you think it does.Robyne: Right. So something I really loved about the first act of this production was there seemed to be a very clever adaption of the sexual commentary from Dracula, which, in its time, in its place, was a very risqué novel to come out. The description if the encounters, the very sexual nature of Dracula’s existence, his appearance, was initially well handled and seemed to just vanish into this myriad anachronistic reverential material.Wesley: When they did attempt sexuality it came off like the lovers in Midsummer. It didn’t come off as people with actual sex drives. They might have been going for the cloistered sense of the Victorian but I found nothing about their existence to be grounded in actual sexuality. Every aspect of it felt like characterization. Which just brings me back to why do Dracula? Why do this piece if you’re not going to commit to any aspect of the source material? The story itself isn’t enough, there needs to be some aspect of Dracula you find enticing to put on stage. And it wasn’t the mystery, it wasn’t the sexuality, it wasn’t the politics, and it wasn’t any aspect of the death. It was on a Scary Movie level, “Hey, here’s a thing. Let’s make fun of it.”Robyne: It almost felt as if it was a Mystery Science Theater or a Rifftrax version of a new Hollywood adaption of Dracula. I felt as if I was sitting around watching that episode with kids from high school who I didn’t really like.Wesley: The audience was not the best.Robyne: As an audience member I didn’t know exactly what I was being invited to, which is a huge aspect of these immersive bordering on interactive pieces. There was a lot of fun that we were invited for. When Dracula first comes out, when Michael Borelli first comes out as Dracula, and he has a marker and he “bites” peoples necks, that was fun, and went on just long enough. And Borelli had that playful, very self aware, I almost want to say folksy Dracula, that “TRANSYLVANIA” thing going, which felt completely inaccurate but funny because of its inaccuracy and worked within the world. But was not on the same level as January Lavoy’s Professor pulling out Yeunglings and shooting them off, that is a different level of fun. 20:00Wesley: And an aspect of this performance was their self-referentialness, which I always found more fun if this was improv. A lot of the jokes they’re making, a lot of the things that were happening came off as though this would be great in the spontaneity of improv. But knowing that this was scripted, practiced, and rehearsed in that space, I’m not sure for how long but for any amount of time, it came off as gimmicky and patronizing to me.Robyne: yeah, it was, again, all one note. And that’s fine for a style but you have to be aware that you’re going to alienate a great number of your audience. And unfortunately I was a both a person who loves this style but also a person who was put off by this piece. There was an absolutely wonderful moment in this production.Wesley: Yes there was.Robyne: Which, spoilers, once Lucy has been turned by Dracula and the rest of the company is there to end her second life, they kill the lights and they ask us to turn on the flashlights on our phones to act as the sun. Then there is a second moment of Seward and Lucy singing Total Eclipse of the Heart, which was this wonderful, bizarre, anachronistic, hyper-meta theater style choice that absolute perfection.Wesley: It was hilarious because it was still good craftsmanship. It said something about the characters it said something about their situation, it said something about the world we were in, and it was smart too. The idea that they would be singing Total Eclipse of the Heart, to a vampire was hilarious. And I adored Miranda Noelle Wilson in that role. If this show ended in that scene this review would be going very differently right now because that scene was hilarious and heartfelt and beautiful and it came off with love of the source material.Robyne: And the moment right before that, was a great choice, where she comes through the doors, covered in blood all over her white dress, singing Come Little Children, the song from Hocus Pocus that Sarah Jessica Parker sings coming to steal the children, and it almost felt like this was going to be a commentary on darkness and vampires and those moments were wonderful in that sense. But the ending just kind of happened.Wesley: Not only did it just happen, it just happened for a very long time. The coda after the actual climax of Lucy’s death took forev-Robyne: Dragged. It dragged. And I really wish we had not seen the death of Dracula. This very easily could have been forty minutes shorter. You cut at the end of that and you finish not knowing where Dracula is. You don’t tell the whole sotry and you leave – If you are ending with that monologue about ‘once darkness is introduced, despite the fact you know it isn’t real, it will always haunt you’, because society is obsessed with vampires, that would have been a wonderful place to leave off, with that monster still out there. But it jus- it was so long.Wesley: And then were dealing with, honestly, less interesting, more grounded characters that don’t compel us in the same way that these two did simply because these two, their characters, more match the style for which they are portraying. A lot of the style I don’t like because it’s what I call ‘Fun as Aesthetic’, we’re showing you fun instead of actually having fun ourselves or making sure you have fun, we’re forcing this sense of fun upon you without actually committing to creating it in the world. But there, in that death of Lucy, it was all there for us.Robyne: We were involved, it was a great reference, it was a great concept, the acting was wonderful in that moment, the whole, everything came together, every element of this production was there.Wesley: And it almost makes me more angry because is shows you what the rest of this production could have been.Robyne: Right. And at that point, after that, you’re dealing with an audience that’s been standing, not walking around and moving but standing, for two hours, that’s sobering up and those things all combine to drag out.Wesley: All those things combine to make this ending that much less engaging.Robyne: So then I guess the question is, Wesley, is Dracula worth the $15 ticket?Wesley: No. Because it’s not just the $15 ticket but the amount of drinks you’d have to get from the bar to make this experience successful.Robyne: I would argue that this is a very specific style and if that is your cup of tea, then it is absolutely worth the $15 ticket. It is fun, irreverent, nerd, bar theater, and as long as you are not going in for a reverent retelling of Dracula you can have a lot of fun at this production.Robyne: As always, you can find us at Obstructed-View.com, on facebook at facebook.com/ObstructedViewPodcast, on twitter @Obstructed_View, on soundcloud at soundcloud.com/obstructedview, or email us at TheObstructedViewPodcast@gmail.com.Wesley: I’m Wesley.Robyne: And RobyneWesley: And remember,Robyne: Blood will have blood.

In this episode: ENJOY has been translated from Japanese to English, and The Play Company is bringing it to New York Audiences. Director Dan Rothenberg (Philly's Pig Iron Theatre Company) came by to discuss the show and its translation challenges, and he also talks about the thriving theatre scene in Philadelphia. P.S. Classics has released the new cast recording for the Broadway Revival of Finian's Rainbow. We play "Old Devil Moon", sung by Cheyenne Jackson and Kate Burton. Pick up the cast recording at iTunes or Amazon. G.B.S. is a new play that deals with a families communication breakdown in the face of a relative's disease. The Clockwork Theatre's Artistic Director, Jay Rohloff, and Executive Director, Harrison Harvey, stop by to discuss the show as well as their theatre company's 5th anniversary. CORALINE's Off-Broadway Cast album has been released by Ghostlight/Sh-K-Boom, and we listen to "When We Were Young and Trod the Boards" sung by Francis Jue and January LaVoy. Pick up the recording at Amazon or iTunes. Nicu's Spoon Theatre company is back with their presentation of the Pulitzer Prize Winning WIT. Director Alvaro Sena and Actress Anouk DuTruit came by to discuss the show and theatre company.