Interview With 'Beyond The Veil' Narrator Hollie Jackson

Hollie Jackson, narrator for The Veil Series, has stopped by to answer some questions about what it was like to narrate 'Beyond The Veil, #1 The Veil Series.' (Audiobook out now).

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I was lucky enough to discover a narrator who not only brought the main character of Muse to life, but who was also great fun to work with. Audiobook production can be a bit of a mystery, so I asked Hollie if she could demystify the process for us (and what she wants for Christmas!) ~ Pippa.


How did you discover you had a talent for narrating?
~I’ve always been a reader and I was that girl in class who was always first to volunteer when asked to read out loud. *laughs* I grew up being read to by my family members, and I’ve always been known to just… spontaneously read out loud whatever I’m reading if I’m particularly taken with a turn of phrase. My husband was actually the one who encouraged me to try my hand at narrating, as I read to him on a daily basis as it is. Everyone told me I had the voice for it and I figured, what the hell? When someone approached me about narrating their project, I gave it a whirl and realized just how much I loved it. And here we are almost 150 projects later.

Do you have any other talents? (Quirky is good)
~Dragon (my husband) claims that I have an uncanny talent for finding the hole in any flat surface I’m walking upon. I’m also quite good at falling up the stairs.

What were your first thoughts when you read Beyond The Veil?
~My first thought? I *have* to narrate this. I absolutely fell in love with not only the premise, but the character, Muse. I have a soft spot for snarky, confident, strong female leads in Urban Fantasy settings, and I *loved* being able to portray all of that. Plus? She’s a half-demon. And that is complete awesomesauce. I’ve done all manner of halflings, but Muse is my first demon.

Were there any scenes you struggled with & why?
~Actually, no! And this is a very good thing. One of the things I noticed as I went through, was that the writing was so fluid that I rarely had to stop for any mistakes or adjustments. It was an easy read, as far as just being so smooth and well written, and kept me utterly engrossed the entire time.

The one thing that DID bug me? What happened to Jonesy? As a fellow cat-owned person, I was all kinds of distraught about what happened and the not knowing is driving me nuts! (Don’t worry. Like all good felines, Jonesy survives pretty much anything and everything. He’ll be back later in the series).

What was your favorite scene & why?
~That final showdown was *completely* my favorite scene. From the moment Muse heads to the hotel, to that realization on the ground of what happened with Stefan… it was one of the most frustratingly satisfying finales I’ve had the pleasure of reading!

Who’s your favorite guy, Stefan or Akil? Why him?
~That is a tough one, as I kinda like them both. I’m a “root for the villain” kind of gal, so my first instinct is to go with Akil. No matter how despicable he may be, he’s all kinds of sexy suave, and I can completely understand Muse’s fascination and wariness. But then there’s also Stefan…who, just yum. I love his sarcastic wit and cocky attitude. Can I just have a Stef/Aki sandwich? (Perhaps with a scruffy dash of Ryder on the side…)

How many projects are you working on right now?
~Oh goodness. I have a *bunch* on my plate. I’ve currently got somewhere around 60 or so projects all told waiting in the queue in various stages of development, with more added every week. I never thought I’d be as busy as I am, but I truly do love it.

What’s your favorite thing about being a narrator?
~Honestly? That I get to read amazing stories and bring those stories to life for not only their creators but those who read them. There are so many people who don’t have time or physically can’t read and audiobooks open up those worlds to them, introduce them to characters and stories they might not otherwise get to enjoy. I love that my voice is instrumental in doing that.

What do you want for Christmas?
~A cat-proof Christmas tree. *laughs* We haven’t had one for years because our Feline Mafia like to cause all kinds of havoc. Beyond that? I’ve got a birthday and anniversary literally within days of the holiday, so perhaps a weekend getaway to the Rose Red Mansion is in order.

Barring that, cookies. Cookies and video games are always welcome.

What are you most looking forward to when narrating the upcoming ‘Devil May Care, #2 The Veil Series’?
~I am *really* interested in seeing what Muse decides to do. The ending to BTV was so epic and it really seemed like she was finally embracing who she really is, so I’m excited to see just what she does with her abilities. Also? I cannot *wait* to see the “jail break” as it were.

And of course… if there’s any word on what happened to Jonesy. ;)

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Thanks for dropping by, Hollie.

You can buy the Beyond The Veil audiobook (or get it FREE with your Audible trial) here. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IA3S97K

#2 The Veil Series, Devil May Care is due to be released as an audiobook in December.

Find out more here www.theveilseries.co.uk & sign up for your FREE novella here: http://eepurl.com/O5Aq5