BJ’s Blog

With historical fiction, the exposition/scenery is always important. “Chew the scenery”. That’s what makes historical fiction great.

What an honor to meet Lisa Smith from Oasis at the latest Deyan Masterclass. She and PJ Ochlan really helped us sharpen our skills and dig a little deeper. Highlights included: How does the narrator feel about this moment? You should always know this. It makes the...

It was such a treat to finally “meet” Gina White from Podium at the Deyan Masterclass last night. She and PJ Ochlan pointed out some aspects of narration that are often overlooked. These included: Always know the emotion of the scene. Always be able to put a name on...

Amazing performances abounded in the Deyan Masterclass last night. PJ Ochlan and Elishia Merricks from Macmillan helped us really stretch and discover all the nooks and crannies we missed. Here are my key takeaways: Work that inner voice. Show the listener what the...

Magic and wonder were on display in the Deyan Masterclass last night. The great PJ Ochlan and Amber Beard from Penguin Random House coached us through some amazing performances. Here are my key takeaways: Mind the neutral narrator. Give the narrator as much...

It was a real treat to be coached by PJ Ochlan and Almeda Beynon from HarperAudio at the Deyan Masterclass. We had some real breakthroughs, and it was wonderful hearing the stellar performances of the other narrators. Key takeaways included: As in writing, so in...

Utah Audiobook Narrators Conference 2022 This year, our ragtag band of narrators in Utah brought in the amazing Christina Rooney, audiobook director for Penguin Random House and others. It was some of the best training I've ever had. Here are some of my takeaways:...