Interview with Lewis Hampson, producer of ‘All Creatures Small and Great’

Posted on April 13, 2022 by Lena Yang

Often, when we extol the virtues of audiobook narrators, we don’t have to clarify the humanness (or, rather, non-humanness) of the talents that bring our beloved stories to life. That, however, is not the case for entomologist and broadcaster Dr. George McGavin’s All Creatures Small and Great. While this groundbreaking original audio production from W. F. Howes already boasts a stellar cast that includes Sir David Attenborough and Alison Steadman, it is the many legged-and-winged creatures featured in the audiobook’s special binaural recordings who truly steal the show.

Put on your headphones and treat yourself to a very special message from our buzzy friends in the recording below. Can you guess what they are? (Hint: they are great admirers of flowers.)

We spoke with producer Lewis Hampson about his recording experience with All Creatures Small and Great. Find out what he has to say about recording insects, working with the rockstars of natural science, and why he loves audiobooks.

Audiobooks.com: Tell us about the recording experience for All Creatures Small and Great.

Lewis Hampson: Recording All Creatures Small and Great with George has been a brilliant experience, both in and out of the studio. George is supremely knowledgeable and through his career has made some fantastic contacts that we were able to utilise to further enhance the audiobook. As well as recording George at our in house studios, we were able to arrange a varied array of interviews with contributors such as Sir David Attenborough and Jane Horrocks, as well as guests such as George’s long-time friend Professor Steve Simpson and Natural History museum curator Dr Erica McAlister. This varied list of guests makes for a really insightful delve into the world of insects from many different angles. The recording of the book with George was an absolute pleasure, I am definitely much more knowledgeable about insects now too!

Audiobooks.com: Why did you decide to specially produce this book as a binaural experience?

Lewis: We decided to introduce binaural recordings because it is a fantastic way to further immerse the listener into the world of insects. We gave George a portable recorder and in-ear Binaural microphones so he could record the bees and insects himself. When you hear the binaural bees and windswept coastline, you are hearing what George was recording himself. The listener is transported into George’s shoes and can hear exactly all of these things as if they were there themselves. The nature of binaural recordings means that we can present these recordings in 3D! Sound is no longer just coming from the left or right of a traditional stereo field. It is now coming from 360 degrees and the difference is really noticeable when wearing headphones. It really is a great way to further drive immersion in audiobooks.

Audiobooks.com: It must have been quite a unique experience to work with so many insect sounds. How does producing audio of insects compare to a standard audiobook narrator?

Lewis: Producing the binaural 3D audio of insects requires some specialist equipment and knowledge about how binaural recordings work. It’s a very different situation to the controlled environment of a studio recording booth. George is quite literally out in the wild with the elements and insects, recording exactly what he is hearing. This can present challenges such as wind or other external/unwanted sounds potentially being captured in the recording, but with George’s expertise around bees and insects we were able to capture exactly what we need to bring the listener directly into George’s world.

Audiobooks.com: What would you recommend to listeners who wants to enjoy All Creatures Small and Great to its full potential? Should they listen to it on a hike with earbuds, on a home stereo system…?

Lewis: All Creatures Small and Great is best heard through headphones. Because of the nature of binaural recordings, the 3D effects the produce can only be truly heard through headphones. Listening through a normal speaker system is perfectly fine, but if you wish to hear the full effects of binaural (3D) audio then headphones is the only way to achieve this, so I would recommend people to listen with headphones were possible!

Audiobooks.com: What was it like to work with the rockstars of natural science?

Lewis: It was a real pleasure to work will all involved in this audiobook. From the absolute legends like Sir David Attenborough and Alison Steadman, to the fascinating interviews with University professors and museum curators, all of the extra content really helps to give the listener a wide array of experience and insight into the world of insects and why they are so important to us! There is a vast array of topics covered in the interviews alone which complement the audiobook really well.

Audiobooks.com: What do you love about audiobooks?

Lewis: I love how audiobooks elevate the words from a page and bring them to life. All Creatures Small and Great is a perfect example of this. Hearing George talk about insects and his passion for them is really infectious and I came away with a much deeper respect for the role they play. Audiobooks also give us the chance to hear from people themselves, in their own voice rather than just words on a page, which is really brought to the fore here. And of course we can provide immersive 3D audio! This is something simply not possible with a traditional book and it really helps to further immerse the listener.

Audiobooks.com: Can we expect more immersive binaural audiobooks from you?

Lewis: Absolutely! Binaural is here to stay in Audiobooks and we can’t wait for you to hear what is in store.

Looking for Book Recommendations?

• Here are the audiobooks our members have been loving, along with our staff picks that we’ve been championing.

• Looking to share your love of books? Our handy Book Clubbin’ questions make it super easy to start a book club. Or, Netflix n’ buddy-read with this year’s book-to-screen adaptations (just be prepared for the perennial debate: is the book better than the movie/show?).

• If you’re looking for something extra, we’ve got author and narrator interviews to give you a gleam inside their worlds.

• For the curious-minded, audiobooks can teach you a thing or two, from nature therapy to personal finance. It can even keep the little ones busy so you can steal some time back for yourself.

New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!

Interview with C.L. Polk, Author of ‘The Midnight Bargain’

Posted on October 13, 2020 by Lena Yang

If you’re an ardent fantasy fan, then you’ll know C.L. Polk from her World Fantasy Award-winning debut, Witchmark, the first entry in the Kingston Cycle series. This year, she’s stepping away from the world of the Kingston Cycle with her first standalone novel, The Midnight Bargain, which follows sorceress Beatrice Clayborn who must make a choice between her family and her ability to cast magic.

We got the chance to pick C.L. Polk’s brain about audiobooks, what inspired her to write The Midnight Bargain, and which book she’s most looking forward to this year. Keep reading to see what she had to say.

Audiobooks.com: What can readers gain from listening to the audiobook version of The Midnight Bargain that they might not necessarily get from reading the print version?

C. L. Polk: I really love audiobooks because they’re my perfect accompaniment on walks, while commuting, and even washing the dishes at home. The Midnight Bargain is enhanced by the companionable feeling of listening to someone read to you, bringing the voices of the characters and the world to life, all so the story can take you away.

Audiobooks.com: This will be your second collaboration with narrator Moira Quirk, who also narrated your previous audiobook Stormsong. How involved are you in the casting process and what do you look for in an audiobook narrator?

C. L. Polk: I was so happy to have Moira Quirk reading for me again. She really brought Grace to life in Stormsong. My involvement in the casting process is limited, so I’m very lucky to have Moira again!

Audiobooks.com: This is your first standalone novel. How did it feel to venture away from your Kingston Cycle series?

C. L. Polk: I really enjoyed writing The Midnight Bargain. I had been spending years in the world of the Kingston Cycle, and as the trilogy was coming to a close, it was time to do something different, and Beatrice’s story was waiting there, fresh and different and twirling in a circle to make all those skirts bell out. It’s always bittersweet when a saga comes to an end, but The Midnight Bargain was far too absorbing a project for me to feel sad about the end for long.

Audiobooks.com: The Midnight Bargain grapples with a world in which women forfeit the right to practice magic after marriage in order to protect their unborn children. Why did you decide to explore the issue of reproductive rights through a fantastical lens? What did the genre allow you to do or say that you otherwise couldn’t have?

C. L. Polk: This is what I always do. I’m writing about different worlds where magic is real—but the problems our world faces are problems there, too. I had the beginnings of The Midnight Bargain in my head for a few weeks, but I wasn’t really getting the traction I needed to make the story fly. But current events had me thinking about reproductive rights, and how we still have to fight, sometimes bare-knuckled, to control our lives. But to talk about that in a fantasy story, I had to provide a better reason than just warring opinions. The idea of the spiritborn provided that reason.

Audiobooks.com: Do you think you’ll ever return to Beatrice Clayborn’s story in the future?

C. L. Polk: I think if I did return to the world, I would have to tell a different character’s story, and so far, no one has volunteered! I think they’re wary of the ordeal Beatrice went through, honestly.

Audiobooks.com: In addition to your book projects, you also run a blog about the craft of writing. What advice do you have for all of the aspiring writers out there?

C. L. Polk: To thine own self be true. Write what you love. Please yourself. Always prioritize your enjoyment. Writing novels is hard work. it takes a long time. And you need to love the book for years and years afterward.

Audiobooks.com: What’s one book, real or one you wish was real, that you’re dying to read or listen to?

C. L. Polk: I need to read Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse. I loved her Sixth World books so much, and I’ve been dying to get my hands on her new series since the announcement.

Interview with Ben Dolnick, Author of ‘The Wolf’s Mother Speaks’

Posted on September 29, 2020 by Kylie Conner

Interview courtesy of Recorded Books

In The Wolf’s Mother Speaks, Ben Dolnick takes listeners on an unforgettable, hauntingly funny journey alongside a mother whose love takes many forms. A mother (Joyce) finds out a secret about her estranged adult son, namely that he regularly turns completely into a wolf. No, not a werewolf half-man half-wolf creature, but a full-on actual wolf. It’s out of his control when it happens, and he’s done some terrible things. Once Joyce finds out, she goes to great lengths to help her beloved son. But as the novel unfolds, the narrative explores ideas not only of survival and murder and familial devotion in the face of the most challenging and unbelievable circumstances, but also of mental illness if not actual insanity. The result is a thrill ride with a lot of bumps and a substantial body count. Here Ben talks about his new audiobook!

1. In The Wolf’s Mother Speaks, the main character Joyce is dealing with a painful estrangement from her son, which seems very realistic, and then things take a turn into the supernatural. Where did the inspiration for The Wolf’s Mother Speaks come from?

I think the first inkling I had of this book was when, years ago, I read a story about a serial killer being arrested at his house in Kansas. This was one of those situations in which the killer has a wife, a family, neighbors who think they know him, the whole domestic scene. And I was so fascinated, particularly by his family members—what did they know? What did they think of him now?

But I knew that I didn’t want to write a standard serial killer book—I love a good serial killer novel (Red Dragon is one of the more compelling books I’ve ever read), but I didn’t want to write something with forensics, FBI agents, etc; I was after something weirder.

So, I handed those inputs—some murder, some family dynamics, some strangeness—to the mysterious mental organ where novels gestate, and out popped this book!

2. Was the writing process different for this book from how it was for your previous novels (The Ghost Notebooks, Zoology, You Know Who You Are, and At the Bottom of Everything)?

This was a much more “spoken” book than those—which is to say that the vast majority of the book is actually purporting to be transcribed speech. That made this book lots of fun to write—I love nothing more, as a writer, than doing various voices—but it also made for various narrative challenges. People tell stories very differently than they write them—there was no room for literary tricks, or elegant descriptions, or anything like that. It’s a much more compact and slangy sort of writing.

3. You’re an avid audiobook listener, which we love to hear! What is it about audiobooks that speaks to you, both in your personal listening, and as a writer?

Yes, audiobooks are the best! I’ve always thought of writing, despite the silence in which it takes place, as fundamentally an auditory medium. When I walk into a library where everybody’s quietly reading in their little carrels or whatever, I see it like one of those weird silent raves, where everybody’s wearing headphones and quietly thrashing around in ecstasy. This person is hearing Vonnegut, this person is hearing Toni Morrison, this person is hearing Murakami—and all that hearing is taking place entirely internally.

So audiobooks just make that aural quality of writing even more tangible. I spent a lot of the quarantine so far—55 hours of it, in fact!—listening to War and Peace, and I don’t think I could have gotten through it, certainly not with such pleasure, if I had just been reading it. Each character, however long it had been since I’d heard from them, was immediately identifiable by their voice. It felt even more intimate than reading, in a way. My eyes can skim or rush in a way that my ears usually don’t.

4. What was it like hearing your previous novels in audiobook form for the first time?

It was amazing! I was so used to hearing the books in my head—by the time a book is published, you can all but recite it—but here it was actually taking form in space, in the sound of a stranger’s voice. And it was fascinating to hear the little choices the readers made, both at the sentence-level and in terms of character. It was kind of a bittersweet thing, like (I imagine) watching a kid go off to college—you’ve worked so hard on this thing and off it goes to lead an independent existence, no longer under even the illusion of your control.

5. What do you personally like to read or listen to?

Everything! Lately I’ve been listening to classics—I’m moved onto Proust, after finishing War and Peace—but I also listen to lots of Buddhist stuff (Already Free by Bruce Tift is a recent favorite). And reading-wise I’m all over the place. I read a lot of thrillers — police procedurals (Ed McBain is great), supernatural stuff (Dracula, Frankenstein), espionage (Eye of the Needle is truly amazing). Lately I’ve been reading some more experimental fiction—Perec’s Life: A User’s Manual, a bunch by Mark Leyner, some Gerald Murnane. My bedside table is basically a perpetual avalanche of things I’m halfway through.

6. If you could curate a shelf for The Wolf’s Mother Speaks to sit on, what other books would be on it?

It would have to be an eccentric shelf! I think I’d love to put it somewhere between the funny, experimental, voice-obsessed books of, say, George Saunders and David Foster Wallace, on one side—and then on the other side I’d like to have the plotty, efficient novels of Ira Levin (Rosemary’s Baby, Stepford Wives, etc.). Oh, and let’s put some Alice Munro on that shelf too! She is hands-down the best at all things related to families—and she’s got quite a way with plot too. That would be a shelf where my book would live very, very happily.

7. What’s your favorite scary story?

I think Ira Levin’s [The] Boys from Brazil is my favorite of the moment. It’s tense and strange and brilliantly told. The whole last third—which I feel like I can’t describe at all without spoiling it—is just hilariously compelling. He’s able to do that Hitchcock thing of making you hold your breath for minutes at a time while the characters walk a tightrope over a flaming pit. ∎

Interview with Gary Jansen, Author of ‘MicroShifts’

Posted on September 5, 2020 by Lena Yang

With every year that rolls around, many of us set personal goals with the hopes of bettering ourselves. Although, inevitably—as this year has shown us—curve balls both big and small will come along and nudge us off of our paths. That’s why author Gary Jansen created the simple but powerful method of “microshifting” to help people create significant, sustainable changes in their lives by making small, incremental adjustments. In his latest audiobook, MicroShifts, Jansen blends masterful storytelling and dozens of practical tips to help you change your life.

We got the chance to pick Jansen’s brain about his latest audiobook, the recording process, and how he stays motivated in tough times. Keep reading to find out what he had to say.

Audiobooks.com: “MicroShifts” is the idea that implementing small, daily changes can impact our lives in profound ways in the long run. What led you to develop this technique?

Gary Jansen: I wrote a book some years ago called The 15-Minute Prayer Solution (available as Exercising Your Soul from Recorded Books), which was in some ways a book about time management. There are 1440 minutes in a day. One percent of that time is 14 minutes and 24 seconds, roughly 15 minutes. I asked readers, what would happen if you dedicated your life to growing spiritually every day by setting aside 15 minutes a day for spiritual practice? Just 1% of your life. Before writing the book, I had experimented with that principle for a year. The results were transformative. MicroShifts grew out of that initial idea that you can make significant changes in your life by setting aside small blocks of time to do something you really want to do. All of us feel like we don’t have enough time, but we do have time. All of us can find 15 minutes a day to meditate, pray, call a friend, learn about the stock market, research healthy foods, go for a walk, paint, learn to cut an onion, clean out a closet, or take a power nap. Whether you’re a busy mom or an executive or a plumber working around the clock—everyone can find 15 minutes to do something to better their lives. I think there is something innate inside us that always wants us to strive to improve. MicroShifts aims to help others do that.

Audiobooks.com: What can readers gain from listening to the audiobook version of MicroShifts that they might not necessarily get from reading the print version?

Gary Jansen: I hope the humor comes through. I like to make people laugh, and I have a dry sense of humor, so sometimes people don’t know if I’m joking or being serious. As the author of the book, I know where the jokes are and how they should be delivered. Plus, I’ve been a musician for over 25 years, so intonation, tempo, and rhythm are essential. I’m hoping the writing’s musicality comes through, too, especially in the chapter about writing and Stephen King. That chapter felt like a song to me.

Audiobooks.com: You’ve been narrating your own audiobooks since 2010. What are some of the most interesting changes you have seen in the audiobook industry over the last decade?

Gary Jansen: I love the process of recording. I love being in the studio. I love getting to have fun with my voice. I’ve been a huge fan of audiobooks since the ’90s. Having worked in the publishing business, I know audiobooks struggled to find their audience for a long time. In retrospect, I guess I can see why. Audios weren’t that financially lucrative, as compared to a hardcover book or paperback sales. There wasn’t a lot of money to invest in the recordings, and sometimes that meant lackluster productions. Nowadays, audio is riding high. I know many people who no longer read print books. They only listen to audio. Plus, as an editor, I know that one way to get a bestseller is for an author to write a book for people who don’t usually read books. There are plenty of people who just don’t like to read, but they like to listen; they like to learn. Audio gives a whole new part of the population access to great books and great minds. And with this level of popularity, there’s more money to invest in the best engineers and voice talent. In the last ten years, audios have become an art form.

Audiobooks.com: How has your approach to narration changed over time?

Gary Jansen: I think I’m more conscious now than ever to the energy of lines. By this, I mean that sometimes a line should be read slowly, sometimes quickly, and sometimes naturally like a steady pulse of heartbeats. Over the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to read in front of large audiences and be interviewed on TV. I’ve learned that if you switch up your rhythms and your tempo, you’ll keep someone’s attention better than if you stay at a steady pace. But I don’t try to force a line. The spoken line needs to be an outgrowth of the written line. I just have to try to find the energy of a word, a line, or a paragraph. That can take extra time for me when I’m practicing and preparing, but I think it makes for a better listening experience.

Audiobooks.com: During these uncertain times, many people have had to make drastic lifestyle changes. How have you used your technique of MicroShifting to stay healthy and focused during this time?

Gary Jansen: MicroShifts is a book of practical spirituality, meaning it’s a book that helps you develop your mind, body, and soul and gives you things to do. I’ve worked with author and doctor Deepak Chopra for many years, and he’s been a big influence in my life as a friend, a writer, and a mentor. Everything is connected. Case in point: All the gyms are shut down, and I miss working out with all the folks I’ve gotten to know at our local gym. I’ve been using the idea of microshifting to help me exercise at home to keep me sane. Since I only have a few dumbbells, I make small changes to the way I perform an exercise, which keeps me on my toes, and I exercise in small chunks of time throughout the day to keep me active. I’ve also taken up running during the lockdown, and I’ve used microshifts to push myself to run just a few more feet every day. Those extra steps you take add up over time. I have more energy and feel better than I have in years. When you feel better—when you aren’t distracted by pain or fear or anxiety—something changes inside you spiritually. You feel happier and focused, and when you’re happier, you treat the people around you better too. Your relationships improve, and when that happens, the world around you transforms in surprising ways.

Audiobooks.com: Do you have any advice for people who are looking to implement these daily shifts into their lives? How do you stay motivated and committed to taking 1% out of your day to making positive changes?

Gary Jansen: Staying motivated is hard, and being consistent may even be harder. Sometimes we can be overcome by feelings that drag us down. “What’s the point?” or “Why should I even try?”. Often, we feel this way because of this nasty little pest in our heads—that inner voice—that is saying things like, you’re not good enough, you’re never going to succeed, just give up. Most meditation practices will tell you to let the voice speak, allow your thoughts to move through you like they were clouds, let them pass. I’m not that patient. I want them to shut up because a lot of times, this voice in your head is just a liar. So one microshift you can do is thought replacement. If you start to doubt yourself, repeat the word love or wealth or prosperity or happiness repeatedly to drown out the voice of self-doubt. It might sound stupid or overly simple, but the reason why negative thoughts often spring up inside us is that we’ve repeated them over and over again to ourselves. We’ve allowed the voice to speak lies. So speak truth when the voice speaks lies. It’s a small thing, but in time the practice can rock your world in remarkable ways.

Audiobooks.com: Is there anything new that you’re working on that you can share with us?

Gary Jansen: I am working on a script for my memoir Holy Ghosts, which is about growing up and living in a haunted house (and is an audiobook at Recorded Books). I’ve talked with some producers over the years in Hollywood about turning Holy Ghosts into a movie. So there’s been interest. Writing a script is difficult and requires a unique skill set, but I’m using microshifts to inch my way to completion. I want Ethan Hawke to play me in the movie. I’m not only a fan of his films, but he’s a fantastic audiobook narrator. I just finished listening to him read Jack Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums. Loved it! ∎

Interview with Lis Wiehl, Author of ‘Hunting The Unabomber’

Posted on June 24, 2020 by Kylie Conner

If you’re a true crime aficionado, then you’ve definitely heard the story of the Unabomber. This case captivated the masses in the 90s, but there’s so much more to the story that Lis Wiehl, author of Hunting the Unabomber, has brought to light.

We got the chance to pick her brain about audiobooks, the recording process, and what inspired her to write about the Unabomber for her latest release. Keep reading to see what she had to say.

Audiobooks.com: What can readers gain from listening to the audiobook version of Hunting the Unabomber that they might not necessarily get from reading the print version?

Lis Wiehl: Through my tone of voice, readers will get a heightened sense of drama and excitement on the hunt for this notorious domestic terrorist. As I read the pages I relived the hunt with the FBI agents, profilers, and all the other sources who made this book come alive. Reading the actual words I’d written was a very personal thing, and I think that personal experience comes through in an audiobook. If you listen closely, you can hear my smirk, chuckle, and sigh. You can’t read those expressions in the printed version.

Audiobooks.com: Was your initial plan to narrate your own book, or was this one of the roadblocks you met with COVID-19?

Lis Wiehl: It was absolutely my initial plan to narrate this book. Even as I was writing the book, I knew I wanted to narrate it. I had recorded most of the book before the COVID-19 shelter in place occurred. But, after shelter in place happened, it looked like we might have to hire a professional audio reader or actor who had a home studio, and who could record the book from scratch.

Fortunately, my amazing audio producer, Gabe Wicks, ultimately secured a safe studio where I could record the last installment of the audiobook. I am extremely grateful to the editorial team at Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins for sticking with me through COVID-19!

Audiobooks.com: How would you say this recording experience differed from narrating your other audiobooks?

Lis Wiehl: Other than the scare surrounding COVID-19, this recording was different because I was creating an important historical record by telling the story through people who had lived and experienced the events. I felt they were counting on me to get it right. I had only my voice to convey the tenor and tone of the whole operation. That was a big task!

Audiobooks.com: Did you ever consider narrating one of your fiction titles? Is this something you might do in the future?

Lis Wiehl: I’m not an actor. I’m not a professional audio reader. I read Hunting the Unabomber because this is nonfiction, and I thought my voice could convey raw emotion, changing tone, and personal connection in a way a professional reader might not. But I’ll leave reading my fiction titles, which require different voices for different characters, to the audio professionals.

Audiobooks.com: What made you decide to research the Unabomber for your latest release in the “Hunting” series?

Lis Wiehl: The Unabomber represents the longest domestic terrorist hunt in FBI history. That makes him a natural subject for me. For nearly two decades, the Unabomber terrorized a nation from a remote cabin in Montana. And Kaczynski was a mathematics wunderkind, going to Harvard at a young age, and even teaching at the college level, so he was a puzzle to figure out. I was fascinated to study the motivations behind his descent in to destruction. And the Unabomber is relevant today. What he did changed the way the FBI conducts its investigations even now.

Audiobooks.com: Are you currently working on anything new that you can share with us?

Lis Wiehl: I am deep on the hunt in my next installment of the Hunting series! The target of my hunt not only cost lives, but also endangered national security for years. Through interviews with key players involved in hunting my subject, I’m uncovering new mysteries, solving puzzles, and unlocking secrets that will make this book a thrilling ride!∎

Audiobooks.com Interview with Sophie Kinsella, Author of The Shopaholic Series

Posted on December 11, 2019 by Kylie Conner

Sophie Kinsella’s Confessions of a Shopaholic debuted in 2003 and since then has snowballed into an extremely popular and successful series that not only boasts 10 books in its line-up, but also has a movie adaptation of the first book starring Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Krysten Ritter, Joan Cusak, and John Lithgow – to name a few.

Now, Kinsella has released the 10th book in the series, Christmas Shopaholic, where Becky is faced with the daunting task of hosting the big family holiday celebration at her place. With every step she takes to make everything perfect she worries if she can really pull this off.

We were able to catch up with Kinsella recently to ask her a few questions about her latest release and what she sees on the horizon for both Becky and the Shopaholic series.

Audiobooks.com: What do you look for in an ideal audiobook narrator?

Sophie Kinsella: I love to hear characterful voices. When I write, my books are all first person and so the voice is very clearly in my head. I love it when an audiobook narrator taps into the narrative voice I have had in my head when writing.

Audiobooks.com: What do readers gain from listening to the audiobook that they miss out on if they just read the print version?

Sophie Kinsella: When I read books that I like, I often whip through them very quickly, and think afterwards that I’ve missed some of the subtlety and wit of the writing. With audiobooks you have the opportunity to luxuriate in the writing.

Audiobooks.com: In Christmas Shopaholic, Becky’s family has long-standing holiday traditions. Does your family have any similar, fun traditions that you’ve kept up over the years?

Sophie Kinsella: We play a brilliant game where you have to put on hats and gloves and scarves and eat a chocolate bar with a knife and fork. We also read ‘Twas the night before Christmas every Christmas Eve before we put out mince pies and sherry by the fire for Father Christmas to find.

Audiobooks.com: Becky is tasked with hosting the holiday festivities and chaos ensues. Did you draw on your own personal experiences with hosting family over the holidays? And if chaos ensues, how do you deal with it?

Sophie Kinsella: I don’t know what you mean – there is never any chaos when I host Christmas… Seriously, I think it’s easy to panic over Christmas arrangements but I’m lucky that we as a family are all quite forgiving of each other – and a box of candy and a small glass of sherry will always smooth things over!

Audiobooks.com: In this installment of the Shopaholic series, in typical Becky-fashion, she strives to host the perfect holiday get-together and get everyone the perfect gifts. What do you think it is about Becky that causes your readers to have such a soft spot for her?

Sophie Kinsella: It absolutely thrills me that Becky has such an enduring appeal. I think she feels real to a lot of my readers – she certainly feels real to me! She has grown and matured over the years, even though she is the same Becky and still gets into trouble. And although she has flaws, she also has many qualities which are inspiring – her optimism, her good-heartedness, her ingenious solutions to problems, and her relationships with her family and friends. She always tries her best, even if her best usually backfires.

Audiobooks.com: And more personally from your own perspective, what is it about Becky and her story that makes you want to keep returning to it again and again?

Sophie Kinsella: I love Becky like no other character! She’s the only heroine I’ve created that I keep returning to. I just love writing in her voice and seeing the world through her eyes. She’s so optimistic and can-do and has her own special logic.

Audiobooks.com: Where do you see Becky and her family in 10 years?

Sophie Kinsella: I’m sure Becky will have given up shopping and she and Luke will be a sensible ordinary couple… or not!∎