Audio Spotlight: The Sparks & Author Interview

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Title: The Sparks

Author: Kyle Prue

Narrator: Jon Eric Preston

Length: 9 hours 14 minutes

Series: The Feud Trilogy, Book 1

Released: Feb. 24, 2017

Publisher: Cartwright Publishing

Genre: Fantasy; Young Adult

One teen assassin-in-training must unite three warring supernatural dynasties before death comes to them all…

Find out why USA Today calls The Sparks “a crackling read” that “builds a vivid world (both) otherworldly and relatable.”

Neil Vapros just wants to make his father proud. The sixteen-year-old aspires to serve his family as an assassin, but he nearly dies in the process. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Neil’s family, as well as two rival dynasties, have abandoned an ancient promise to protect their city. An unknown evil has begun hunting all three houses from the shadows…

As Neil’s relatives fall one-by-one, he attempts to unite the three supernatural families against a common enemy. But earning trust after years of assassination attempts could prove impossible. Neil’s fight may involve more than a bloodthirsty empire, as betrayal rears its ugly head…

The Sparks is the first book in the award-winning Epic Feud trilogy of young adult fantasy novels. If you like captivating characters, inventive world building, and supernatural battles, then you’ll love Kyle Prue’s action-packed coming-of-age tale. Buy The Sparks today to ignite your thirst for adventure!

“A crackling read. The Sparks builds a vivid world that is at once otherworldly and relatable. Characters spring from the page in a deft twist on mythology that belies Kyle Prue’s young age. He’s a voice to be heard.” (Scott Bowles, USA Today)

Winner of numerous national awards including: Best Book in Florida and Best Fiction for Young Adults 2015 from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association. The Sparks was runner up for Best Young Adult Fiction at the Florida Book Festival and won Honorable Mentions at the New England Book Festival, Midwest Book Festival, Southern California Book Festival, and the International London Book Festival. Prue also won an International Moonbeam Award and Indie Fab award for Best Young Author.

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Q&A with Author Kyle Prue
  • Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?
    • I think Fantasy stands head and shoulders above other genres as far as audiobooks go. Fantasy, especially high fantasy, is filled with so many deeply textured characters with their own rich traditions and sets of values. These worlds also come with so much dramatism. All that pomp and circumstance is just dying to be read aloud.
  • Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
    • My writing has always been written with the spoken word in mind. (Side effect of my time in the theatre.) Often I would read monologues aloud to make sure that if they were performed they would carry the necessary weight. Preston took that and ran with it.
  • How did you select your narrator?
    • Preston auditioned against dozens of his talented peers. However at the end of the day my team and I decided that there was no way it could be anyone else.
  • Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
    • All writing is on some level autobiographical. If an author says otherwise they might be hiding something.
  • Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
    • The Feud Trilogy is filled with so many larger than life characters. Preston’s narration REALLY makes that evident. Whereas when you’re reading on your own it’s possible to fall into a rhythm and start to hear characters talking in the same voice, Preston does an incredible job of adding interesting nuance to every single role.
  • What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
    • I’d probably say, “hey maybe it’s weird to care so much about this distinction. When was the last time you went outside? It’s nice out there. Let’s touch some grass.”
  • How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
    • I took a shower.
  • What gets you out of a writing slump? What about a reading slump?
    • The more I write the rarer I find writer’s block, however when it does come it hits HARD. My advice, while it might seem counterintuitive, is to step away. Sleep. Eat. Watch something. Do some life living. So much of good writing is about finding a flow and forcing words out usually just leads to later rewrites.
  • In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?
    • Writing a series is such an advantage from a story perspective because you’re allowed to put things on simmer. You don’t have to force characters through their narrative arcs on a ticking clock. I also think that the more pages you have to work with the more layers you get to add. While one book is a simple machine, a series is a swiss watch, with gears clicking away against each other. The con of writing a series is that you have to write more than one book.
  • What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
    • Read. Sorry that’s not a very glamorous answer, but that’s what any author will tell you. You have to read.

Kyle Prue is an award winning author, actor and comedian. Kyle wrote The Sparks: Book 1 of the Feud Trilogy when he was just 16 years old. Kyle has spent the past year on a national book tour visiting over 80 middle and high schools and meeting over 60,000 students. Kyle is now a freshman at the University of Michigan, studying acting and creative writing. He still visits schools and is a keynote speaker for conferences.

Kyle is the founder of Sparking Literacy, a non-profit dedicated to lowering the high school dropout rate by inspiring teens to read, write and follow their dreams. The Sparks has won numerous national awards including Best YA Fiction awards from: The Florida Authors and Publisher’s Association, the Florida Book Festival, New England Book Festival, Midwest Book Festival, Southern California Book Festival, and the International London Book Festival. Kyle also won an International Moonbeam Award and IndieFab Award for Best Young Author.

Narrator Bio

Jon Eric Preston received his Theatre degree from Florida State University after returning from the London program. He earned top honors narrating in the Dramatic Interpretation category on the Speech and Debate team, and performed professionally in Children’s Theatre companies and did National Tours of A Christmas Carol, Twelfth Night, and Othello.

As a SAG BookPAL and a father reading to his two boys for more than 12 years, moving into the booth to record audiobooks was a natural and joy filled progression.
He is thrilled to be narrating and giving voice to the characters for Kyle Prue’s Feud Trilogy.


 

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Spotlight – A Friend to All: Charlie Hoessle, by Diane Key-Biggs

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a friend to all charlie hoessle

A Friend to All: Charlie Hoessle
by Diane Key-Biggs
Illustrated by Shelley Dieterichs
Children’s book, biography

You and your children will enjoy this delightful children’s book entitled A Friend to All: Charlie Hoessle. The book was written by Diane Key-Biggs who worked with Charlie at the Saint Louis Zoo. But the story is told through her son’s eyes.

He asks about the statue of Charlie Hoessle outside the Herpetarium at the zoo and why there is a giant snake around him. He then asks if Charlie grew up in the jungle, why did he like snakes so much, and more!

After hearing him give a talk at a local museum, Carol Perkins, wife of then Zoo Director Marlin Perkins, was impressed with how much he loved animals and talking to people about them. Charlie started working at the zoo part time. He started the education department and then moved up the ranks to become the zoo director. Charlie was the host of the Saint Louis Zoo Show, a weekly public television program that aired from 1968 – 1978.

You’ll want to add A Friend to All: Charlie Hoessle to your list of must have children’s books. With charming illustrations by artist Shelley Dieterichs, A Friend to All: Charlie Hoessle delights with this fun story about a wonderful man who is truly a friend to all!

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About the Author & Artist

shelley dieteriches penguinAuthor Diane Key-biggs is a mom, an animal lover, and a lifelong learner. She has a National Association of Interpreters certification, her Masters of Arts and Education in Multiple Discipline Studies from Webster University, her Missouri Elementary School Teaching Certificate and Washington University Graduate Certificate in Science Education. Diane has been a seasonal park guide at The Gateway Arch and a seasonal instructor at The Saint Louis Zoo and Library for over 11 years.

shelley dieteriches snakeArtist and children’s Illustrator Shelley Dieterichs has been a freelance designer and illustrator for 39 years. She has illustrated numerous children’s books and educational materials. Recent work includes Noodle & Nugget: A Tale of Two Kitties, the Dover Fabulous Fairies Coloring Book, and When Michelle Met the Queen, a new release that Shelley co-authored and illustrated. Shelley has created numerous illustrated alphabets that she uses to personalize products for children, pets, teachers and her Garden Alphabet was licensed for embroidery designs. Shelley’s products and books are available at her website: goodbuddynotes.com. Samples of her artwork may also be viewed online at artbyshelley.com.

Audio Spotlight: Into Neon + Author Interview

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Title: Into Neon

Author: Matthew A. Goodwin

Narrator: Zachary Johnson

Length: 6 hours 15 minutes

Series: A Cyberpunk Saga, Book 1

Publisher: Matthew A. Goodwin

Producer: Audiobook Empire

Released: Jun. 15, 2021

Genre: Science Fiction; Cyberpunk

 

“Star Wars Meets Blade Runner In An Awesome Adventure!” -Amazon Review (5 Stars)

Moss’ life is going nowhere until a mysterious woman knocks on his door and leaves him with the key to take down one of the world’s largest corporations. When he discovers a familial connection to the stranger, Moss leaves the comfort of his home with his best friend for the sprawling megacity.

There, he joins a group of ruffians dedicated to freeing people from the yoke of the evil companies. Police-for-hire, motorcycle gangs and betrayal threaten them at every turn.

Can Moss help this small group of rebels fight the power before it’s too late? Find out in Into Neon: A Cyberpunk Saga.

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Q&A with Author Matthew A. Goodwin
  • Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
    • Audiobook Empire made the process so easy for me. The idea of setting up an audiobook was something I had wanted to do since publication, but actually putting it all together seemed daunting. Given how streamlined they made this for me, I am planning to release my entire series in audio format.
  • Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?
    • No, I think there is a place for all types of literature in audio format. I am as likely to listen to a six-hour murder mystery as I am a thirty-four-hour biography.
  • Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
    • Not consciously. I did not even know if people would pick up my book when I first wrote Into Neon. I was mostly just writing a book that I wanted to read, and I have been thrilled with the positive response. An audiobook seemed almost like an impossible dream when I was first writing and so it is a dream come true that it is coming out now.
  • How did you select your narrator?
    • This was a no brainer. Zach brought the perfect energy to the project, crafted the voices of the characters exactly right and, as an added bonus, is a huge fan of cyberpunk. Since I write in a somewhat niche genre, having a narrator who loves it is something I really appreciate.
  • How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
    • We worked quite closely, and Zach worked hard to find the right voice for all the various characters in the book. There were only a few names of things that I had to make sure were right, but it turned out that he was already saying the words the way I wanted.
  • Were there any real-life inspirations behind your writing?
    • The real world is the foundation on which all good cyberpunk is created. If you are going to envision a realistic near-future, you must understand the present as well. Looking at trends in technology and society certainly help to craft a science fiction setting that fells real.
  • How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
    • Reading is the thing that seems to help break the log jams in my mind or get me excited again. Reading outside of my genre helps too. Sometimes I just need a break from the thing that I am thinking about all the time and escaping into the world of another author seems to do the trick.
  • Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
    • Absolutely! Audiobooks were what taught me to love science fiction and fantasy when I was young. The Hobbit audiobook and the radio dramatization of The Empire Strikes Back were in my Walkman all the time! As I grew up, my passion for audiobooks never left. I still listen whenever I can and will never stop.
  • If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes, when and where would you go?
    • I am not sure that I would use the power since it pretty much ALWAYS goes wrong, but if I could go back and walk the streets of Ancient Rome, I would want to do it. I love history but that society, more than just about any other, fascinates me.
  • What’s next for you?
    • I have several more books to come in the Cyberpunk Saga series as well as audiobooks coming for the rest of them as well. Follow ThutoWorld on your favorite social media to keep up with all my news.

 

Matthew A. Goodwin has been writing about spaceships, dragons and adventures since he was twelve years old. His passion for fantasy began when he discovered a box set of the Hobbit radio drama on cassette tape in his school’s library at the age of seven. He fell in love with fantasy worlds and soon discovered D&D and Warhammer miniatures.

Not wanting to be limited by worlds designed by others, he created Thutopia (now called the Thuton Empire), a fantasy world of his own which he still writes about to this day.

Like many kids with an affinity for fantasy, a love of science fiction soon followed. He loved sweeping space operas and gritty cyberpunk stories which asked questions about man’s relationship to technology. That led him to write his first published work, Into Neon: A Cyberpunk Saga, which takes place in a larger science fiction universe.

He has a passion for travel and wildlife and when he is not off trying to see the world, he lives in San Francisco with his wife and son.

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Lover of mathematics, devourer of science fiction, and connoisseur of the dad joke. When he’s not doing math for business or fun, he’s devouring science fiction and fantasy, reading up on scientific advancements, going for a jog, or, on all too rare occasions, taking a refreshing swim at the beach. At your service, you shall have an able storyteller and gifted conveyor of information. Experienced in narrating fiction, from the romantic to the post-apocalyptic, and nonfiction, from the historical to the corporate, and armed with the tools to make it all sound great, Zachary promises that, no matter the job, you’ll be read-iculously pleased!

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At Audiobook Empire, audio reigns supreme, narrators are hailed as heroes, and headphones are worn with pride.

Marrying pomp and circumstance with quality you can count on, Audiobook Empire is a full-service production house that produces and promotes audiobooks with gusto.

Give your audiobook the imperial treatment by producing it with Audiobook Empire.

 

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