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It’s been a busy season: 6 books I narrated were released this month!

My Missing Daughter – a riotous adventure full of zeitgeist social media posts, well-intentioned misadventure, teenage angst and twists. It’s a great read, I hope I’ve done it justice. 

Their Frozen Bones, the 23rd Kane and Alton book – your devotion to your craft is seriously impressive DK Hood, I don’t know how you keep divining fresh new plots!

I always enjoy the challenge of picking up a series part way along – Wendy Dranfield’s The Crying Girls was the 8th in her series, and my first.

Erin Luken’s This Dark Paradise is a fantasy YA novel that’s dreamy and seductive, and was a joy to narrate.

I love narrating books that broaden my mind – I got that in spades from 2 non-fiction titles, The Elements of Marie Curie by bestselling author Dava Sobel, and Africonomics by Cambridge professor Bronwen Everill.

And finally, my love of performance was born in the theatre – so spending a weekend as a goat with Animal work maestro Gabrielle Moleta was divine. What transcending, meditative work – thank you Gabrielle.

This month I did something I’ve never done before – I ran a marathon! The Zurich Marathon was tricksy, with its 2 degrees outside and driving snow, but I managed to finish, injury-free, and actually crazily keen to do another. Best of all, thanks to my amazing friends and family, over £1000 was raised for the mental health charity Mind. 

I do love narrating kids books – especially when they highlight 101 Awesome Women Who Changed Our World

I loved working with the fabulous Frances Loy on Sony’s Stellar Blade – chuffed that my all-knowing computer voice made it onto the trailer.

And when not running or behind the mic, I’ve been busy performance coaching. This month we kicked off Speakers’ Lab with Washington DC’s 15 Minutes Group: 4 weekly sessions jam-packed with the dos and don’ts of great public speaking, real-time feedback on how to improve how you come across, and lots of opportunities to practice. Best of all, I get to work with the brilliantly talented Tracey Madigan, and terrific programme admin Laura Latendresse. 

The 20th title in the Kane and Alton series that I narrate is out this month. It’s a real treat to spend years immersed in the same characters and their world – huge congratulations to DK Hood on the enduring success of her books. To celebrate her 10th title, I’ll be part of a Facebook Live event at 11am on 11th October (also available to watch after the date!). Author DK Hood and I will be answering questions about our processes of bringing the series to life. Feel free to join us!

It was hard saying goodbye to Becky Chambers’ brilliantly humane Wayfarers series, having narrated all four books, as well as her stand-alone novella. But I’ve been having a blast voicing a new sci-fi series, Refractions, by MV Melcer. Set in the ecological and political fall out from climate change, it is filled with messages of tolerance, acceptance, and hope. For fans of Becky Chambers’ novels, this one is worth a look (and listen!). Refractions: Book 1 comes out on 16th November – which happens to be my birthday!

It’s been way too long since my last update – it’s been a busy time. I’ve been out & about voicing lots of ADR including the latest season of Black Mirror, The First Lady & The Power, and working with the wonderful Frances Loy at Molinare on a top secret game for Sony – watch this space…

I’m proud to have given voice to lots of audiobooks in my home studio, including Claire Horn’s timely exploration of how reproductive justice intersects ectogenesis – Eve.

And finally, this post marks the relaunch of my website – I’m moving it over to WordPress to allow me more hands-on access. I’m extremely proud of the revamp, and hugely indebted to the legend that is Lara Taylor for her vision, patience, and generosity in bringing it to life. Please do let me know what you like about it, and what you think could work better!

So tremendously chuffed that my podcast is now live on Spotify. Whistleblowers is produced by Parcast & the lovely gang at Stabl. About heroic people who risk everything to speak truth to power.

Moral dilemma and noble intentions are also at the heart of my latest audiobook, Our Child of Two Worlds – a sequel to the gently brilliant Our Child of the Stars. You can find both on audible.

You might think my latest non-fiction title, CEO Excellence is more about cold hard cash than ethics. But don’t be so quick to judge. Encouragingly, the book says top CEOs are driven more than ever by a need to do good in the world. Our planet needs a lot more of that.

Busy in my home studio at the moment, but so enjoyed some recent projects recorded out and about: Laura Lam’s eerily prescient sci-fi, Goldilocks, and Dashe Roberts’ wacky and wonderful, Sticky Pines: The Bigwoof Conspiracy, to name but two.

Positively tickled pink to have been part of the ADR team on RUN – the new HBO series from the talented ladies behind Killing Eve & Fleabag.

And, there’s little more ‘cherry on the cake’, than getting positive feedback for a project you loved working on. Many thanks to AudioFile for the lovely review of Marc-Uwe Kling’s fabulous QualityLand.

I couldn’t be prouder of my latest audiobook releases. From horrific soviet history (Anne Applebaum’s Red Famine), to a heartwarming tale of acceptance and forgiveness (Julie Cohen’s The Two Lives of Louis and Louise).

Another couple of favorites are 2 exceptionally humane and well-written sci-fi novels – Record of a Spaceborn Few, the latest from Becky Chambers’ hugely popular Wayfarers Series, and the retro space-race tale Our Child of the Stars, by Stephen Cox.

I’m very proud of my latest audiobook. It’s Block 46 – the first in the Roy and Castells murder mystery series. It’s scandi-noir with a french twist. It was a linguistic rollercoaster – but, thankfully, I can now do a convincing rendition of The Insy Winsy Spider in Swedish…

I’ve also recently become an instant expert in managing a culturally diverse workforce with The Culture Solution, and wooing millenials to top flight companies with Leading with Vision. Which is why I was in need of some R&R. If you ever find yourself on Canada’s West Coast try to find Mussel Beach Campground, 15 miles down a dirt track. Well worth the journey.

Another year, another sci-fi space opera by Becky Chambers: A Closed and Common Orbit. I’ve been back in the studio recording the sequel to Bailey’s Women’s Prize nominee The Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet.

I’m pleased as Pims to have voiced the Wimbledon Weekends ad campaign in Canada – in French Canadian to boot.

And…it’s all a bit hush-hush, but fingers crossed the English-language version of Magiki from Zodiak Kids finds a home – I’m pretty excited to be playing Lady Fiona in this lovely new cartoon series for 4-7 year olds.

Big congratulations to Becky Chambers for making it onto the Baileys Women’s Prize longlist for her wonderful sci fi space opera The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, which I recorded the audiobook for. As Tor.com says, it “will restore your faith in…humanity”. 

Proud to be slugging out a double hitter of crime fiction audiobooks, with award-winning actor and producer Roy McMillan at the helm – Chris Mooney’s Fear the Dark and Every Three Hours, from Penguin Audio.