Advent Calendar - Day 6 AUDIO GIVEAWAYS

Happy Holidays!

Today, we have an interview with Michael Ferraiuolo the narrator of the audio books Everything I Know and Baby, it's Cold. I hope you enjoy hearing from Michael.

AND in the spirit of holiday giving, I am handing out audio book download codes. In order to be eligible for the giveaway, you must be a follower of the blog AND....that's it. :-D

Post a positive comment about the holiday season--we could all use a little encouragement at this time of year--and I'll randomly pick twenty-- yes, twenty of you--from those comments to receive an audio download code. You can use it to buy any of my audio books.

That's basically it. Happy Holidays, Happy Reading. Let the commenting begin.



INTERVIEW  with Michael Ferraiuolo
 
 
Tell us a little bit about your background. How did you get started in narrating/producing audio books? How many audio books have you narrated?
 
MF - I began my career as a singer. Over time I branched into music production and voice acting. One happy accident after another and I found my way to audio books. To date, I have recorded 42 audio books.
 
How much acting is involved in narrating a story?
 
MF - For me, quite a bit.  Great story telling is often dependent upon the characters. If your characters are homogenized, the listener can be left confused or worse yet, bored.
 
You’ve now narrated two Josh Lanyon titles, EVERYTHING I KNOW and BABY, IT’S COLD. Which project was the more difficult or challenging?
 
MF - Each book brings its own unique challenges. In both titles the challenge was to capture the mood and feel of each scene and then balance that with the emotional tone of the characters.
 
Which character was the most fun to narrate in EVERYTHING I KNOW? Why?
 
MF - Any of the children! It’s always fun to speed up and play with wild inflections as kids do in their speech patterns.
 
Which character was the most difficult to narrate in EVERYTHING I KNOW? Why?
 
Again, the children. You have to balance character voices like that so you don’t sound too cartoon-ish or over the top.
 
Which character was the most fun to narrate in BABY, IT’S COLD? Why?
 
MF - I have to say Jesse. His discomfort and sarcasm were so relatable. His voice was easy to find.
 
Which character was the most difficult to narrate in BABY, IT’S COLD? Why?
 
MF - Rocky took a moment to figure out. It isn’t always the case when you get a character description and can simply say “this character will sound like so-and-so”. Rocky was layered as an individual and needed more than just a gruff voice.
 
Was there a particular scene in either or both stories you think you read especially well? Or that you particularly enjoyed reading?
 
MF - Any scene where two characters are speaking honestly and openly to one another is always a joy to perform. I find that simple admissions of one’s feelings are the most engaging dramatic moments.
 
How awkward is it to read erotic scenes aloud?
 
MF - There’s always a moment of “I can’t believe I’m doing this” when narrating an erotic scene. Depending on the title or the context or the scenario you can find yourself feeling silly or a bit uncomfortable at first. If you can treat the scene as another emotional exchange between characters you can not only get through it but also elevate it.
 
What’s the most satisfying or rewarding part of narrating/producing an audio book?
 
MF - It is always satisfying when an author tells me that they are happy hearing their characters come to life in the way they imagined.
 
Have you ever found yourself in the position of refusing to narrate a book or a scene?
 
MF - Fortunately I have not yet found myself in that position!
 
Where can readers/listeners find out more about you and your work?
 
MF - Listeners can find me on Audible.com by entering my name in the search bar or at the online home of my production company Iron Works Studios
http://www.ironworkstudios.com/audio-book-production.html