Today we'll meet Nick J. Russo, the talented narrator who's voiced many of my audiobooks. Whether it's Sarge's gruff commands, Max's sly teasing, or James's awkward protestations, Nick's does an incredible job bringing my characters to life.
Howdy, Nick. Welcome to my blog.
Thanks for having me, Bey!
First off... how did you get into audiobook narration?
I got into audio book narration a bit on a whim. I was working in an entirely different field when a friend of mine, John Solo, was looking for people to to read at his studio, Falcon Sound Company. As soon as I came in and read, I knew it was something I would enjoy doing. It's not every day that you can stumble into a dream job and turn it into a full time career, but three years later it's what I'm doing and loving it!
What is your favourite part of doing narration?
My favorite parts are usually when there is some kind of intense moment in a book. If I'm able to really get into the character and convey more extreme emotions like jealousy, fear, anger, extreme joy, regret, and of course lust in sex scenes, just to name a few, they are incredibly fun to perform. When those are written well, it's great to translate into audio.
The hardest part?
Sometimes it can be tough finding just the right voice for a character. During my pre-reads I've gone in with an initial voice in mind only to find that it doesn't work whatsoever by the time I'm done. Accents, depending on the type, can be a bit difficult at times as well.
Favourite genre (or subgenre) of books to narrate?
I have a few favorite genres, but if I had to pick one I'd say sci-fi. I've always been a sucker for space adventures, whether it be Star Wars, Star Trek, Battle Star, Mass Effect - whatever. To me, sci-fi is like pizza: there isn't any bad version of it.
Are you reading anything right now?
I'm about to start 1984, which I've heard great things about and pretty excited for. John Grisham novels are always a go to of mine as well.
What are your top 5 books of all time (any genre)?
I'm not sure I could pick just five! If I had to list some that come to mind though, I'd probably say John Grisham's The Firm, David McCullough's 1776, Stephen King's The Shining, and the Star Wars Thrawn Trilogy. I'm also a big fan of the Harry Potter series. Real random list I know, but that's how I roll. :P
I appreciate getting to be on your blog, as l'm a big fan of your work, Bey! It's so much fun narrating your stories because I know before I even read the first page that the characters will be three dimensional and a lot of fun to voice. Thank you for letting me voice your guys! And thank you to all those that enjoy my reads. It's really great to hear from fans via reviews, tweets, or on Facebook. I've got a bunch of titles in the works right now, with Bey's The Last Nights of The Frangipani Hotel out in audio today!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Nick!
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