Lauren Dawes's Blog, page 2

#NewBookSaturday: Borrowed Magic: An Urban Fantasy Novel (Witch's Bite Series Book 1) by Stephanie Foxe

Happy New Book Saturday. This week I found "Borrowed Magic" by Stephanie Foxe. Book one in the Witch's Bite Series, "Borrowed Magic" piqued my interest because it covered a lot of the things I like to find in a book - urban fantasy, paranormal fantasy and suspense. This is only a short read (96 pages) but at 0.99c, that seems fair enough. So far, the reviews have been good with the comment "well-written" been repeated in some form or another throughout all of them.


I’m Olivia Carter. I have powers that no one should have and no one can know about. Peddling legal potions isn’t enough to pay the bills, so when an opportunity to work for the vampires fell in my lap, I took it. I heal the people they feed on and don’t ask too many questions.

Paranormals aren’t in the closet, and haven’t been for years, but that doesn’t mean everyone wants us around. The councils keep all the supernaturals in check, but that isn’t enough to satisfy everyone. I keep my head down and follow the rules (mostly), because more trouble with the law is the last thing I need.

When the police show up at my door trying to pin a murder on my employer, and then me, I’ll have to risk everything to save my friends and my future. 

Borrowed Magic is the first book in the Witch’s Bite urban fantasy series. It features an ass kicking, potion slinging heroine in a fast paced, dangerous tale full of magic and murder. Perfect for fans of McKenzie Hunter, Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Ella Summers, and Linsey Hall.

Like the sound of it? Get your own copy here:  


Disclaimer: As always, I have no affiliation with this author, publisher or book. I simply chose it because I like it. Happy reading!

#NewBookSaturday: Dead Man Talking: A Cozy Paranormal Mystery (The Happily Everlasting Series Book 1) by Jana DeLeon

Happy New Book Saturday! 
This week's sampling from Jana DeLeon. Admittedly, I've not heard of her before, but according to the cover of her biography on Amazon, she's a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.

The cover really got my attention just because when I punched the words 'paranormal romance' into the search bar, I wasn't expecting to get this book. On closer inspection, the reviews are mostly positive, with the overall consensus of "Dead Man Talking" being a great, light read. Have a look for yourself...




Welcome to Everlasting, Maine, where there’s no such thing as normal.

Meteorologist Zoe Parker put Everlasting in her rearview mirror as soon as she had her college degree in hand. But when Sapphire, her eccentric great-aunt, takes a tumble down the stairs in her lighthouse home, Zoe returns to the tiny fishing hamlet to look after her. Zoe has barely crossed the county line when strange things start happening with the weather, and she discovers Sapphire’s fall was no accident. Someone is searching the lighthouse but Sapphire has no idea what they’re looking for. Determined to ensure her aunt’s ongoing safety, Zoe promises to expose the intruders, even though it means staying in Everlasting and confronting the past she thought she’d put behind her.

Dane Stanton never expected to see Zoe standing in the middle of her aunt’s living room, and was even more unprepared for the flood of emotion he experiences when coming face to face with his old flame. Zoe is just as independent and determined as he remembered, and Dane knows she won’t rest until Sapphire can return to the lighthouse in peace, so he offers to help her sort things out.

Armed with old legends, Sapphire’s ten cats, and a talking ghost, Zoe has to reconcile her feelings for Dane and embrace her destiny before it’s too late.

Like the sound of it? Get your own copy here:  

Disclaimer: As always, I have no affiliation with this author, publisher or book. I simply chose it because I like it. Happy reading!

#NewBookSaturday: Veil of Darkness (Book 1) by Derek Adam

Happy New Book Saturday!
Been hanging out for this week's read? Well, I don't want to disappoint. This week's installment is called "Veil of Darkness" by Derek Adam. Yep, that's right! It's a male author! I don't think I've ever come across a male PNR author before (if you have please leave me a comment!)
Looking over the customer reviews, he's received all 4 & 5 star reviews - that's a good sign. It was only released October 30th of this year too. I know I'm intrigued. After the blurb, I've placed some of the things that have been said about "Veil of Darkness".


There’s a world just beyond the veil… in the dark, out of sight, and out of reach for most. That is where they live.

Spirits, demons, and creatures of myth.

For decades, one organization has sought to uncover the secrets of harnessing the power on the other side of the veil for its own misdeeds.

And for decades, a group devoted to protecting life and the natural order has worked to counter the efforts of evil.

Emma is the perfect guardian, living in isolation until called on, accompanied by a tenacious Siberian husky bonded as her familiar and companion. Her life and existence is devoted to one end – using her unique abilities to maintain the balance and bring an end to that which does not belong.

Luca is a paranormal expert capable of seeing beyond the veil and communicating with the other side. With his spirit companions, Sutter and Virgil, he’s called on to investigate an unusual event that will forever change him, and the small border town he once called home.

After a chance encounter, Luca will awaken something in Emma that will force her to face her most difficult struggles, and inspire a whole new reason to fight. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A truly captivating paranormal romance unlike anything you've ever experienced - beyond vampires... beyond shifters... beyond the veil. It's a supernatural romp into the occult with action, mystery, and a healthy dose of laughs from the support characters that will keep you turning pages from start to finish.

“I write horror novels...and this was a paranormal romance. So I was predisposed to focus on the ‘romance’ part and be dismissive of the paranormal angle. I have never been happier to be proved totally wrong about my assumptions.”

“It's not just that Derek was thinking outside the box on this book. He was thinking outside the universe”

“I love paranormal and this one was so damn good that I can’t wait to see what books 2 and 3 are about.”

“Wickedly freaking awesome!”

“Derek Adam shows his versatility with this start to a new paranormal series!”

“As someone who does not normally read paranormal romance, I loved the hell out of this book!"

“Derek Adam has created an amazing story line that truly ensnared me”

“Adam's first foray into the paranormal genre, and I'd say he hit it out of the otherworldly realm!”

Have I convinced you? 

Disclaimer: As always, I have no affiliation with this author, publisher or book. I simply chose it because I like it. Happy reading!

#WritingWednesday - An Interview with Jeremy Cohen - Voice Over Extraordinaire ~ PART TWO

I knew you'd come back to read part two of my interview with Jeremy Cohen! I'm glad you did. 

Things are coming to a close with the audio production of Dark Deceit. It's been such a fun process, and with any luck, I'll be able to work with Jeremy again on books two and three. But enough about me, here's part two of the interview with Jeremy Cohen...


1. Explain what a ‘typical’ recording day looks like for you?
As soon as I wake up, hydration begins; probably about 64 oz of water within the first 20 minutes to a half hour.  The following hour is spent doing normal morning routine things: shower, shave, dog-walk and a light breakfast.  I return, and continue to hydrate while starting my prep work.  This prep work is the same for a 150k word book, or a 10 second read for a commercial.  I re-read the chapter/chapters I plan on recording that day, noting which characters will be in each chapter and what their emotion level is at the beginning, middle, and end of each chapter.  While reading, I will do a few facial and vocal exercises that if done in public, I would be locked in a padded room.  I then traverse slowly from the living room to my studio, happily placed on the third floor.  While walking slowly, I try to get through a few of my favourite tongue twisters as I can with a pen in my mouth.  I make sure to fill up my water bottle to take sips from while recording, boot up the studio, and start rolling.
2. If someone wanted to get into doing narration work, how would they go about that? And do you have any advice to give about the industry?
Can I tell everyone to not do it so there is less competition and more work for me ;) If you want to join the ranks of working VOA’s, my suggestion is to just START.  There is no ONE way to break in, you just have to start somewhere.  There are countless resources online with some solid guidelines on what to do.  First and foremost, get a mic.  Any mic.  It doesn’t have to be a $3,000 Sennheiser, but you are going to need something to speak into.  Then it is important to know two things.  It is acting, and it is sales.  Most VO will be in your own speaking voice, and you will STILL BE ACTING.  As if actors in general don’t experience enough rejection, the sales part is going to have you hearing no more often than not.  You will now have a product, and that product is your voice.  And you. Want. Customers.  Sell it.  
Make sure you can package your voice in the best way possible to show that it’s better than the other products for that particular client.  99% of my time is recording demos and sending them out and trying to find new clients, authors, agencies, anything.  You get passed over all the time, sometimes, even invited to come back in for a call back, and still not getting the job.  If anyone has any specific questions, they can contact my through my website http://www.jeremycohenvo.com .  I'd be more than happy to answer a few more specific questions (within reason) and/or direct people to some online resources and perhaps even solid VOA’s or Coaches in their area.
3. Is this your full-time job, or more like just something you do as a hobby?
2 years ago, people would ask me what I do and my response was always they same.  I am a production coordinator for national advertisements, and I also do Voice Over.  I simply made way more money doing the former, even though my heart was in the latter.  Then I made a decision to admit to myself this one thing: I was an actor, and I was going to have to deal with being a starving artist for a little while.  Even though I was making little to no money in the beginning, I switched it around saying I AM a voice over artist, and I work production and other small things on the side.  
Since that day, my bookings have increased every 3 months, and happily, for the past 6 months, I have paid all of my rent, utilities, and everything to spoil my dog with voice over.  It’s currently feast, but the nature of the business is that there will be a time where I will have to go and do other work.  And I have no shame in working in a warehouse during the day while still auditioning in the evening waiting for the next booking.  Keep’s me grounded, and allows me to meet a variety of people that can actually help influence new characters.
4. Tell me about an awkward/funny/strange/weird moment you’ve had while recording someone’s novel (if any have been had).
I recently was recording a scene and received a phone call from my father, who happens to be a physician, while recording.  I finished the scene and returned his call.  This is the conversation near verbatim:
Dad: I called you earlier, you didn’t pick up, what’s up? Me: I was recording, sorry. Dad: Cool! What were you recording? Me: A chapter in the book. Dad: Oh what was going on in the chapter? Me: (fearful of discussing the true context of the chapter) Just some exposition.Dad: C’mon Jer, what happened?Me: You know the characters, uh, were doing things.Dad: (Pressing) What happened in the chapter Jeremy!?!Me: I WAS PERFORMING CUNNILINGUS ON THE MICROPHONE DAD, OKAY?!?!?!Dad: …Dad: …Dad:  I was walking into a conference with a few other doctors.  My phone is apparently louder than we both anticipated
(Side note, I nearly wet myself when I read this!)
5. What is the process for recording and how long does it take on average?
For character work, it’s all the same.  Read the copy a few times, figure out: who the character is, who they are talking to, where they are physically, where they are mentally, what they are doing physically.  The last part is important for mic placement, if stage directions or exposition state that a character is curled up in the fetal position…I get in the fetal position.  If they are swinging a sledge hammer, I pantomime doing so.  That can add a bit of time.  Sometimes, it also depends on the copy.  A page from Shakespeare would take me a little more time than say Nancy Drew.  That being said, I think I am pretty slow. I stumble quite a bit.  With your book, a pre-cut file is normally about twice as long as the finished cut with all the stumbling, and also a few bathroom breaks from all that hydrating.  
6. How many projects do you do throughout a year?
3 years ago.  Maybe a dozen.  Now, with all the small jobs included, 30-50.
7. Are there any well-known books you’ve narrated and want to brag about?
Dark Deceit, by Lauren Dawes (aww, shucks!)


Well, that's it folks! I hope you enjoyed the interview. I want to thank Jeremy for taking the time to answer my questions, and for putting up with all the other questions I ask him on a daily basis as I go through the recorded files and shoot notes off to him.
Normally, this is where I'd add all the social media links to get in touch with him, but like Batman, his is mysterious and hard to get a hold of. Perhaps you could just shine the Bat Signal up into the sky at night?

~~~~~

Dark Deceit has a tentative release date of November 1st.

 

#NewBookSaturday: The Change (Unbounded Series Book 1) by Teyla Branton

Happy New Book Saturday!

This week's little slice of bookish heaven comes from author Teyla Branton. It's called "The Change" and it was what was at the END of the blurb that caught my attention. In the 'praise' section, it says:
“Teyla Branton belongs right alongside Patricia Briggs, Kim Harrison, Jennifer Estep, and Kelly Armstrong.”
They are fighting words, so I had to talk about it today. Even better? It's FREE right now. I've just one-clicked it. The reviews are generally positive with mentions of great characters and a fresh plot, which is always nice to see in the genre. Anyway, have a read of the blurb and see what you think. Happy reading!

Death, Life, or Love—Unbounded Always Play for KeepsThere are only two ways to kill Unbounded, and fire isn’t one of them—as law school dropout Erin Radkey learns the hard way. By fluke of a recessive gene, she has become Unbounded, a nearly immortal being with paranormal abilities.

Erin’s Change separates her from her loved ones and alters everything she believes to be true. A week earlier she was considering a marriage proposal; now she contemplates the best way to stay alive. Caught in a battle between two Unbounded groups, the Emporium and the Renegades, she is also hunted by a secret mortal society sworn to eradicate the Unbounded gene.

As Erin plunges into this dangerous new life, she must carve out her own place in the madness, protect her mortal family, and decide which group she should join. Her unique ability is vital to both groups in the race to secure an identification software that spells death for all Unbounded—or enslavement for the entire mortal world. Some will stop at nothing to use Erin as one more pawn in a battle that has spanned centuries. Erin’s undeniable attraction to Ritter Langton, whose family was massacred by opposing Unbounded two hundred and forty years ago, complicates her choices. There are no second chances. Death, life, or love—Unbounded always play for keeps.Non-stop action, terrifying consequences, and powerful romance make The Change an exciting addition to the world of romantic urban fantasy.
Praise for the UNBOUNDED series: “Excellent and well written!”
“I recommend reading the entire series”
“Thoroughly enjoyable”
“High action and adventure”
“Teyla Branton belongs right alongside Patricia Briggs, Kim Harrison, Jennifer Estep, and Kelly Armstrong.”
Like the sound of it? Get your own copy here: 

Disclaimer: As always, I have no affiliation with this author, publisher or book. I simply chose it because I like it. Happy reading! 

#WritingWednesday - An Interview with Jeremy Cohen - Voice Over Extraordinaire ~ PART ONE

For those of you who are unaware, I'm currently getting one of my books, Dark Deceit, being made into an audiobook. This has always been a dream of mine, so when the opportunity arose, I jumped on the bastard and held on for dear life!

Fast-forward about two months, and I'm almost nearing the end of the actual narration stage. I've been working closely with my narrator, Jeremy Cohen, and feel like a real working relationship has formed. If this is, in fact one-sided, I feel a little awkward right now. (Jeremy, if you're reading this, say it isn't so!)
As we've chatted, I started to get curious about his work and the whole industry. After much deliberation, I worked up the courage to ask if I could interview him. To my shock, he said yes. To my delight, I found out I was the first person to interview him.
Interview. Cherry. Popped.
 I decided to split the interview into two parts, so sit back and enjoy part one of my interview with Jeremy Cohen...

1.  Can you tell me a little about how you got into the industry? Was it something you’d always wanted to do, or did you ‘fall into it’?
I started doing accents at a young age.  My mother and I could never agree on what to listen to on the radio during long road trips, so to break up the monotony of brake lights and telephone poles, my mother and I would improvise conversations happening between the drivers around us.  Fast forward to my years in college.  I was getting my degree in Electronic Media, and taking a class called sound for picture, taught by an adjunct professor, whose day job was an engineer at a local recording studio.  One project required a us to learn the hardware of a sound board and to record other students doing some VO for a fake commercial.  I ended up voicing 4 of the 8 characters in that spot, and the teacher invited me to his studio to record a demo.  A week later, I played an excited sports fan waiting to get tickets from a genie….AND, they gave me money for it.  I spent the next five years attempting to get into a career more suited to my degree, I wasn’t happy, dropped everything, and did everything I could to do Voice Over.
2.   I feel like I know your voice so well, but I have no idea what you look like. Do you enjoy the anonymity that comes along with narration work?
I don’t see my success in the industry to amount to me being able to enjoy the anonymity.  However, my experience working in advertising and television in Los Angeles for 6 years does allow me to look forward to the anonymity if I am lucky enough to work on the level of those with celebrity.  There is a great documentary available on Netflix called, “I Know That Voice”, which is interviews with some of the juggernauts of animation voice over artists.  I cant remember who exactly stated it, during an interview, someone mentioned that they have friends from on-camera-television fame that have become reclusive because every time they leave their house, they are swarmed by fans and paparazzi.  But some of these VOA’s that have voice some of the most recognizable cartoons EVER, are able to walk freely with their family around Disney land, sometimes even next to those in costumes of the characters they voice, and everyone is none the wiser, and they are able to lead normal lives.  (Mark Hamill is excluded because he made the mistake of being a young Jedi as well as the most iconic animated Joker in Batman the Animated Series).


3.  What has been your favorite project to work on to date? Can you tell me why you enjoyed it so much?
This may seem like a cop-out, but my favourite project is always the one I am currently working on because A) it means I am working, and work means I can put food in my dogs bowl, and B) I just enjoy the work, there is a freedom/release that I get from performing and being on the Mic that I can’t get anywhere else.  Your book is also so very fun to work on because of the vast array of characters, in both genders, inside a captivating story.
Outside of your book.  I was recently hired on by a sketch comedy/variety show in Los Angeles called “Jake and Daryl’s One Woman Show: LIVE”.  They had a formidable social media following for a few videos they made for Funny-or-die.  They had pitched a few show ideas around town to the networks, getting close but not getting picked up.  They took a few of those ideas and made a great live show, a few with introduction videos, which they invited me to voice.  One of them being a sketch about what happens after an accidental apocalypse, and another introducing a terrible magician who works at a Casino and Discount Jerkey outlet.  First and foremost, they were hilarious scripts, and it was very cool to see or more over, hear my voice being used in a live setting.
4.  Do you prefer voicing male or female characters, and why?
I can’t say that I have a preference.  It is VERY difficult for any male to voice a convincing female character.  That being said, narration does afford me the chance to do female characters, which is fun.  Alas, my anatomy does make it so I can make more distinctly unique male voices. 

~ ~ ~
Check in next week for part two of my interview with Jeremy Cohen! What's it going to entail? My lips are sealed, but if they were to slip open, I would tell you he'll cover how to get into the industry, what his process is and also about a very funny and slightly embarrassing phone call with his dad. I do believe my book was the culprit for this too.

#NewBookSaturday: Shadow Born: a New Adult Urban Fantasy Novel (Shadows of Salem Book 1) by Jasmine Walt & Rebecca Hamilton

Happy New Book Saturday! This week's book is "Shadow Born" by Jasmine Walt & Rebecca Hamilton. I'm always curious about novels written as a collaborations - how does it work with two authors, each with their own unique voice? Don't they compete with each other? I've only read one other set of collaborated books (Elizabeth Hayley, in case you were wondering) and all of those books were seamless because they both had similar writing styles. Let me know in the comments if you've read a collaborated book before and what you thought of it!

  Chicago Police Detective Brooke Chandler is keeping a secret… and if she’s not careful, it could get her killed.

Brooke is no stranger to the supernatural. In Chicago, vampires are just as prevalent as drug lords, and infinitely more bloodthirsty. So when her partner and fiancé dies in a mysterious fire while chasing down a lead in Salem, she suspects something dark and otherworldly is at play.

Blessed with the ability to see into the past by touching inanimate objects, Brooke transfers to the Salem PD, hoping her talent will help her get to the bottom of things. Between dodging assassination attempts and being stonewalled at every turn, the going is tough. Add in a mysterious fae club owner with secrets of his own and a personal grudge against her, and it becomes nearly impossible.

If Brooke wants to play in the supernatural sandbox, she’s going to have to roll up her sleeves and get dirty. But how many people will have to die for Brooke to discover the truth about her fiance? And is she even ready to know?

Find out what lurks in the SHADOWS OF SALEM by reading SHADOW BORN, the latest Urban Fantasy hit readers are comparing to Karen Marie Moning and Patricia Briggs. Like the sound of it? Get your own copy here: 


Disclaimer: As always, I have no affiliation with this author, publisher or book. I simply chose it because I like it. Happy reading!

#NewBookSaturday: Beyond The Veil: A Muse Urban Fantasy (The Veil Series Book 1) by Pippa DaCosta

Happy New Book Saturday! So this book caught my attention for a few reasons - the cover, the blurb and also the praise it's received.

It really does sound as if it's right up my alley! It's dark urban fantasy at it's finest. The best part (as of the time I post this), it's FREE! I just one-clicked this bad-boy. Even better news? If I like it, there's another four books to read after it.


If your ex is the Prince of Greed, you’d better be ready to raise Hell.

Charlie Henderson is living a lie. Her real name is Muse, she's half demon, and her attempt at a normal life is about to go up in smoke.

After a assassin tries to kill her, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake, Muse must return to the one man she hoped never to see again and ask for help. The Prince of Greed isn’t known for his charity. His price is high, and the cost could tear her apart.

Trapped between the malevolent intentions of the scheming Prince of Hell and the cocky assassin with ulterior motives, Muse must embrace the demon inside her if she has any hope of surviving them both.

Complex characters, original, and twists galore. The phenomenal Veil Series is an action-packed, gritty urban fantasy for fans of Ilona Andrews, Lilith Saintcrow, and Jeaniene Frost.

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2014 Quarter-Finalist.

Here's what's been said:

"This emotional, supernatural novel keeps up a brisk pace without leaving the reader behind... A solid start to the series." ~ Publishers Weekly.

"Reminiscent of Jessica Jones... Exciting, sexy, psychologically acute." ~ Kirkus

"Action-packed, raw urban fantasy that’s edgy and eclectic." ~ Amazon reviewer.

"This is a fantastic book, and one of my new favorites! ...a brilliant and original (urban fantasy) tale, entwined with a fascinating element of romance. I am eager to dive into the next book in the series to see what happens with these fantastic characters." ~ Moonrise Book Blog

"I almost cried. It was THAT heart wrenching." ~ Nocturnal Predators Reviews

"Steamy and sensual in places whilst heartrending and profoundly poignant & deep in others." ~ Amazon reviewer.

"Beyond the Veil has everything you want in a good urban fantasy read... Muse is a great main character, that is "real". She is fast becoming one of my fave heroines. And what can I say of the men, but sexy alpha men are my weakness and this one has two!" ~ Night Owl Reviews

Do you just have to have it? Get your own copy here (and remember it's FREE right now*:

*At time of posting
Disclaimer: As always, I have no affiliation with this author, publisher or book. I simply chose it because I liked it. Happy reading!
 

#WritingWednesday - A new and exciting adventure - PART 3: Findaway Voices Progress Report

If you're a regular either here or on any of my social media accounts, you'd know that I'm in a blissful state of audiobook production. <sigh> Even writing the words makes my heart flutter. 

It's been a long journey - writing, that is - and I've always wanted to get an audiobook produced for at least one of my books. Then, lo and behold, my wishes came true when Draft2Digital (D2D) (who I use to sell my books across multiple platforms (excluding Amazon)) teamed up with Findaway Voices (FV) who can produce and sell your audiobooks. If you want to read about how that evolved, you can check out my posts, PART ONE and PART TWO. 

Things have progressed quite a bit since my PART TWO post, so let's get into it...

1) After I got to hear the sample from my selected narrator and chose to go ahead with the project, FV sent me a Rights Holder Production Agreement, which was a one-page contract outlining the details of the title of my book, the narrator I selected, the hourly rate of the narrator and also the estimated completion date for the project. 

Once I signed and sent it back to them, they counter-signed and returned it. In the meantime, I was asked to provide production notes. Now, these were a completely optional thing, but I chose to send them since I have some characters and terminology with difficult/confusing pronunciation. Since I'm a grammar nerd, and I know the phonemic alphabet, I translated the word directly. Here's a sample of what I sent:  Aesir – Ey-zir /ˈeɪ zɪr/ Agarwaen – Ah-guh-r-a-nHel – hell /hel/Jotunn - yaw-toon /ˈyɔ tʊn/ Morier – more-ee-erNiflheim - niv-uh l-heymVanir - vah-nir  /vɑ nɪr/Sigyn - see-gin /ˈsi gɪn/Narvi – nar-vee /nɑ:vɪ/Skadi – skay-dee /skɑ:dɪ/Brynhilder – brin-hill-der /ˈbrɪn hɪlder/ 
Of course, you don't have to do this, but I never miss a chance to phonemically transcribe a word. (nerd *cough* nerd)

2) Once my narrator signed the agreement it was time to get my 15-minute sample of Dark Deceit. I was notified by email when it was available. It was uploaded onto my dashboard where I could access it immediately. Hearing my words read aloud again was phenomenal. As I listened, I made sure there weren't any pronunciation issues or words missed. If there were, there is a little icon I can click on the side which gives me the opportunity to give feedback notes directly to the narrator. Cutting out the middleman, it makes corrections to the recording much more streamlined and faster. As always, if I were to have any issues, I could email FV directly and they would solve the problem - so far, I've had none and I'm so happy with how smoothly this process is going. 

To give me a little direction when I was listening, I was sent 3 documents which were:


1. New Audiobook Checklist: This outlines the key steps involved between now and publishing with Findaway Voices.
2. Tips for Reviewing the First 15-Minutes: This overviews the goal of having your narrator provide the first 15-minutes of the audiobook for your review and approval before beginning production on the full audiobook. It also includes helpful guidelines for what to consider while reviewing the audio and how to provide feedback.
3. Tips for Reviewing the Full Audiobook: This includes helpful guidelines for what to consider while reviewing and providing feedback on the full audiobook once submitted by your narrator.Right now, I'm in constant communication with my narrator as he provides me with a new chapter or two every day or two. Like I said before, as I listen, I can add notes directly to my narrator as I listen to there's no need to make long lists to later type out and send; if there's an issue, it can be resolved almost immediately.  
I'm still feeling very good about this whole process. FV updates me regularly with emails, and my narrator also keeps me up-to-date with the recording on his end. I'm looking forward to hearing the final book, and to share it all with you. Stay tuned for another update soon!

#NewBookSaturday: The Wolf of the North: Wolf of the North (book 1) by Duncan M. Hamiton

Happy New Book Saturday. What have I got for your viewing pleasure today? Something a little different that covers a topic I really like - Norse Mythology. The cover caught my attention, then as I read the blurb, I became more interested.

The First Part of the Wolf of the North trilogy by Amazon Bestselling Author Duncan M. Hamilton.

It has been generations since the Northlands have seen a hero worthy of the title. Many have made the claim, but few have lived to defend it. Timid, weak, and bullied, Wulfric is as unlikely a candidate as there could be.

A chance encounter with an ancient and mysterious object awakens a latent gift, and Wulfric’s life changes course. Against a backdrop of war, tragedy, and an enemy whose hatred for him knows no bounds, Wulfric will be forged from a young boy, into the Wolf of the North. This is his tale.

It was released in October 2016, but it's sustaining a good rank on Amazon:
#5 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Myths & Legends > Norse & Viking #6 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Myths & Legends > Norse & Viking #37 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > New Adult & College
I also liked some of the review 'headings', which included my favorite pun - "Wolfed it down, hunting for more..." (see what they did there :) )
  Would you like to wolf down your own copy?

Disclaimer: As always, I have no affiliation with this author, publisher or book. I simply chose it because I liked it. Happy reading!