I am thrilled to welcome my friend and favorite voice actor, Patience Martin, of Peapod Audio, to my blog. Patience has recently completed voice production of my first children’s book—NO FEAR. She has absolutely the most beautiful voice and incredible talent I’ve ever heard. I am thrilled to share NO FEAR with you in audiobook. I want you to get to know Patience, too.
As a bonus, I will be giving away 3 audiobook copies of NO FEAR. Want to win? Make a comment and you’re in the drawing!
I love asking questions of fellow creatives. Here are Patience’s answers.
When did you first get the actor bug, and how did you get into voice acting?
I’ve been acting since before I could read. My older sister used to teach me dialogue by repetition, and we’d do plays for our family and friends. I got into voice acting in my teens, when I auditioned for and was cast in a radio suspense drama called THE CALLER ON LINE ONE, for Cape Cod Radio Mystery Theater. Since then, I’ve done a few more episodes in that series, as well as voiceover commercials for radio and TV, and audiobooks.
What is your favorite genre of book or project to produce?
I like children’s literature the best, but I’d also really like to work on some fun chick lit, or some mystery/suspense.
Which is why you and I worked together to get NO FEAR published in audio. Your voice brought tears to my eyes as I listened to your recording. Well done, my friend.
What is your process, once you’ve accepted a contract to produce?
I just start recording, and then when I’m happy with what I’ve done, once I’ve recorded enough different takes of characters’ voices, I start listening and editing. Occasionally I realize I want to change something, so I go back in and re-record a few lines. Then it all has to be processed to meet the standards of ACX, or whichever platform will carry it.
Why voice acting versus acting on a stage or in film?
I’ve done a lot of acting on stage, and that can be really fun, but with voice acting there are more opportunities to play a variety of roles. I can be any type of character-–-young or old, tall or short, fat or thin, pretty or plain, even male or female. And I don’t just play the characters, but also narrate the action of the story, and inner thoughts of the characters.
If you could meet any famous historical figure, who would it be and why?
So many people would say Shakespeare, but I really would like to meet him. Of course I’m curious to know if he really wrote all those plays and sonnets by himself, or if there was some ghost writing involved, but I’d also just like to have a conversation about ordinary things. I’d really like to meet Noel Coward and Dorothy Parker too.
How do you juggle career and a personal life?
A lot of texting and e-mail, to keep in touch with friends even when I’m working. And I have to eat, so sometimes I have lunch with a work friend, or dinner with a friend or friends after work. But some days there just isn’t time for both, and I come home and watch TV or read with my dog. Fortunately, I like my own company.
What would your dream working retreat be?
A great recording studio, with an engineer/editor who isn’t me. And then I’d get to record multiple short children’s books, and/or something longer, but after recording my work would be finished, and the editing and tweaking would be up to someone else.
What would your dream project be?
A series, like, for example, all the Beatrix Potter books, so listeners would have some continuity. And I’d like to work with other voice actors, so we could each take on a major character in a book. If we did LITTLE WOMEN, four different women could play the March sisters, and if we did JANE EYRE, I’d play Jane, opposite a male Mr. Rochester. I contradicted myself a little, because I said earlier that I like playing a variety of roles – even males – but it’s a lot of work to play ALL the roles in one story.
Also, I’d really like to do radio plays, like they did in the 1940s, with someone standing on the sidelines banging on a piece of sheet metal to simulate thunder.
What piece of advice would you give someone who is trying to get into the business?
There are multiple YouTube videos that explain how to get started. I wish I knew what THE way was, but there are lots of ways. I made a demo on CD, took it to a book fair, and passed out copies to authors who might be interested in doing an audiobook.
Do you have a hidden talent?
Hula hooping around my neck.
Cute! I can see you doing that. What is your biggest work pet peeve?
The time it takes to get the tedious bits of work done. Also when there’s noise while I’m trying to record.
What type of music do you prefer?
Broadway soundtracks, Big Band, Sinatra, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s pop.
What are your favorite three television shows? Movies?
TV: Moonlighting, The Office, Mary Tyler Moore. Movies: 1776, Dead Again, Holiday Affair.
If your life was a movie, who would you cast to play you?
I’d really rather play someone else than have someone play me.
What is your favorite leisure time activity?
Reading and watching TV/movies.
What is your favorite meal?
Spaghetti.
Do you have pets? Tell us about them.
A little Pekingese named Max. He can run like the wind, and is very cuddly.
Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?
Fiction, unless it’s a really engaging biography.
How do you prepare for a work session? Any special things you do for luck or to get in the zone?
Drink water or tea, avoid anything with milk, and just go. For me, less preparation is more. I give a more authentic performance if I’m reading the story as I go, letting the action surprise me, instead of rehearsing too much.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
I used to think New York or California, where all the actors congregate, but now I think just somewhere with pleasant weather and good WiFi.
Last romantic gesture from a crush, date, boy/girlfriend, spouse?
A giant Valentine – so big it wouldn’t fit in the mailbox.
Thank you for allowing me to interview you. I’m sure my readers have enjoyed meeting you as much as I have enjoyed working with you.
NO FEAR can be found at:
AUDIBLE: https://adbl.co/3mESWcs
ISBN Hard Cover 978-1-7323116-5-7
B&N NO FEAR by Lynda Rees, S. Sathi | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
SO UNIV. LINK: https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/1604eb5c-7706-11ec-a408-7f064acb0b65
KOBO/RAKUTEN: NO FEAR eBook by Lynda Rees – 1230004964599 | Rakuten KOBO/RAKUTEN/RAKUTEN/RAKUTEN/RAKUTEN United States
KidsWld: Kidswrd Books for Kids, Children’s book promotion
Readers: Don’t forget to comment, ask questions, or respond in some way, in order to get entered into the drawing for the giveaway. Respond to: lyndareesauthor@gmail.com or comment on my blog post.
To reach out to Patience Martin, you can click the link below or one of her photographs. The links will take you to Peapod Audio. http://peapodaudio.com/#about
Patience Martin of Peapod Audio
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