Guess who's narrating a fantasy audiobook for the first time?!
Me! TobyVO!
I promise that's the last time you'll have to read that joke. Thank you for your patience...
It is my absolute pleasure to announce my partnership with the exciting young author Gabriela Lavarello, for the production of the audiobook for Book 1 of the Raymara Chronicles: Of Liars and Thieves. Published in 2021 (go and read it you cowards), it is Gariella's debut novel and follows a group of individuals with hidden pasts and various talents on a quest to return the five magical beasts ravaging the once peaceful realm of Raymara to the pages from which they were released by the mysterious and elusive Storyteller.
Producing this audiobook is a fulfilment of one of my earliest goals from the start of my voice-acting journey. Narrating a classic fantasy tale in the mould of Tolkein and GRR Martin is a huge thrill and a wonderful opportunity for me to wheel out my favourite pastime - voicing characters. The amount of fun you can have when you're in need of a voice for a rambunctious fairy toadman really is unlimited if you throw yourself into it! My thanks to Gabriela for creating such a diverse array of characters for me to play around in. If you'd be interested in knowing the process by which I decide on and devise voices for the characters in my stories, please do drop a comment below and let me know! I would love to create an explainer video about that and other facets of my process too.
How do Audiobook?
Ah yes. A truly ancient and wise question, little one.
One of the most exciting (but also nerve-wracking) times in the process of getting an audiobook off the ground is the communication with the author immediately post-audition. Because Gabriela is based in the US, the time difference meant returning each other's correspondence was a slow process, and nearly ended up with me accepting another offer I'd had, though I'd been holding out for this one. When I tell you I've refreshed my inbox more times in the last week than I have in the last 2 years, you'd better believe it.
Once I'd officially received the offer to produce the audiobook, Gabriela sent over a pronunciation guide for her book (essential reading for any narrator - we don't want any HERM-ee-OWN-ee-s or HERM-eye-one-s ) of character, creature and place names as well as rough ideas on how to voice each of the main characters. Gabriela is keen for me to put my slant on the voices though, and apart from the main cast, I've got creative control over the voices of all the inhabitants of Raymara. Time will tell whether this is for good or for ill. I've yet to decide which Kingdom's inhabitants will sound like a Welsh holiday park, or Chatham's high street on a Friday night.
Somebody stop me...
Once I've pre-read a few chapters to get a feel for the book, its straight to the recording booth with my laptop, phone and my specially devised vocal lubricant (apple and blackcurrant squash - no you can't have the recipe). I'll record myself reading until my stumble rate hits 3 stumbles per sentence, and then take a break (either to scream, or) to edit what I've done. Another explainer on this in due course...
Moment of truth...
Here's what I got.
Now, Gabriela has heard my voice already in the audition piece, but it's important at the start of a narration process for the author (or occasionally the publisher) to hear an extended flavour of how the narrator is narrating and give some feedback. Gabriela and I spoke over Zoom today about the 15 minute extract I uploaded last night and she gave me some feedback. She requested I change the way I'd be pronouncing one of the Kingdom names (Keadora is KEY-ah-DOOR-uh, not key-AH-door-ah; or indeed LEVIOSAAA, Ronald), she enjoyed the way I'd voiced a character she had pictured with a different voice and was happy for me to continue with my interpretation, and asked that I speak a bit faster in the non-dialogue bits. It was really nice to speak to her and hear her speak about her vision for the book and briefly discuss plans for marketing it as I record it.
And now its in my hands! I'll keep recording, editing, mastering and uploading the book, chapter-by-chapter, until it is finished! I gave Gabriela an estimate of 22 weeks (it's a long book!) for completion, but I'm hoping to make it sub-20 at least. Look out for updates on my Facebook page in the coming weeks and months.
You may even find me on InstaTok once I've managed to shake off my millennial shackles *jangles chains humorously*.
While you're here, why not check out the rest of Toby's audiobook catalogue, or you know - sponsor a donkey* or something.
*Other donkey sanctuaries are available.
First published 16th March 2023
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