Romance Audiobooks discussion

Hello all! I had a big long post here and goodreads ate it. So I'll just cut to the chase:

Audiogals and I are planning an interview with Nick Boulton, the amazing actor who's narrating all my audiobooks. (If you haven't had a chance to hear him, The Prince of Midnight , the first of eleven audiobooks, is out on Audible and iTunes now!)

I need help! What sort of questions would you like the Gals and I to ask Nick?

Laura

How did he feel narrating a romance? Was it weird? A challenge? Funny?

I didn't realize it was you asking, Laura!! Anyhow, off to check the sample at Audible. ;)

Thanks, DG! I wonder that myself. He reads with an amazing depth of feeling, something I really appreciate. Hope you enjoy the sample! L

whee - I needed a book with PRINCE in the title for a reading challenge - guess what i's buying ;)

Laura wrote: "Thanks, DG! I wonder that myself. He reads with an amazing depth of feeling, something I really appreciate. Hope you enjoy the sample! L"

Sounds great! Now I'm waiting a couple of days until my Audible credit rolls in to get it. ;)

I haven't read this book so I'm really excited.

I prefer male narrators in general (I like those heroes to sound manly, LOL!) so I was really excited when I found out a guy was narrating all your books.

Go Dee! ;)

Yes, DG, that's what I thought; I knew I wanted a male narrator. The special thing about Nick is that he can also do the female characters so well, which is pretty unusual!

In fact that would be a good question--how does he manage that?

in general, I like hearing how narrators prep for books - read them, make notes, any special traditions that they have - the stuff that might be the same, but likely different for people

Hi everyone!! Laura I have to tell you I am addited to audio books Ive heard over 300 in a year or so I also I am new fan of yours. I had never read anything by you but I got a really cute book self for mothers day and I wanted to fill it so I went to the book exchange and found For My Lady’s Heart and its on my to read list but i have to admitt Ive been lazy and I got a lot of itunes gift cards for mothers day and Ive been listening a lot more then reading any how I just wanted to tell I have about an hour left on Prince of midnight and WOW I LOVE IT!!! what a refreshing story the hero in the story is great! Im so glad more will be out on audio I also have to tell you how lucky you have been to catch Nicholas Boulton to narrate for you stories the people in charge dont understand how a bad narrator can ruin a good story he was awesome and Ive heard many. Yay Im so excited! can you please give an idea on when more will be out? I'll save my gift cards for them ;)

So glad you are loving listening to Nick, Miss_read_it! The next two audiobooks, Flowers from the Storm and Midsummer Moon, will be out basically any day now. It's just whenever Audible releases them. If you sign up for my newsletter on my website (laurakinsale.com), I'll be sending out notice by that means the moment they appear. So happy you have gift cards, what a great Mother's Day gift!

Yay Flowers from the storm! Ive been meaning to read that one for a long time. I found it on a best romance novel ever list but ive been to lazy to read! I guess its just listening to the books is a really nice experience especially when the narrator does well. Im so glad ill have more from you and nick soon :) Ill be signing up now for your newsletter and thanks for replying its nice when authors appreciate their fans many dont reply Im waiting for another to respond to my email for months. Leslie :0}

Just got it! Woohoo! Nick Boulton here I come!

listening now - about 1.5 hours in and really enjoying and I have some serious driving tomorrow - at least 4 hours in the car, likely longer

Finished Prince of Midnight yesterday--really loved everything about it, story, production and narration! Audiofile magazine states, Flowers From the Storm will be released in June by Audible.

Sorry, missed some of these! Dee, D.G. and Sheryl, so GLAD. I keep saying this, but I've never been comfortable promoting my own books, but somehow because it's Nick I can just dance around and say YAYYY! I'm SO HAPPY you are giving them a try.

And yes, Flowers from the Storm and Midsummer Moon are coming. Just as soon as Audible goes live with them, which I can't predict but should be any day now.

Now that some of you have listened, any other suggestions on interview questions for Nick?

Now that he has done romance if he will be doing other romance novels/authors?

Flowers from the Storm and Midsummer Moon are now available from Audible--hooray!

I'm interested to know about the preparation. Sometimes you listen to a narrator (although I hesitate to describe Nick that way - it really doesn't do him justice) and it's obvious they've done more than just read the book. Nick has managed to get so completely into the heads of your characters, that I wonder about how he approached each book, and how the preparation process may have differed from that for his other voice work.
Was there anything he found especially surprising, unexpected or difficult about narrating a romance?
And finally - please could he come round and read me the phone book next time he's got a few hours to spare !

Thanks Caz, that's something that really interests me too, how he prepares! I hope we'll be able to get this interview set up soon.

And you won't need a phone book. I've got the listening copy for The Dream Hunter. It's his best reading yet--if you can believe it. I can't see how he can get any better, and then he does. Arden and Zenia are just--perfect and real.

Laura wrote: "I can't see how he can get any better, and then he does."

Clearly, this is also something that needs investigation :P

In all seriousness - if it's not already apparent from my reviews here and at AudioGals, I'm pretty much addicted to Audiobooks and have listened to a fair few over the years. But this is the first time I can remember feeling the need to bang on and on about them to anyone who will listen! I know this isn't what this thread is about, but I just wanted to congratulate you - and Nick - and say thanks for doing such a stupendous job.

LOL, well he's getting plenty of tweeting about it, so hopefully he knows we appreciate him! ;)

I just finished listening to Prince of Midnight. I had never read the book, but fell in love with the story. I fell in love with Nicholas Boulton. I have never liked any male narrator of a romance, until now. "Wow" seems both insufficient and appropriate at the same time. So....wow!

Dawn wrote: "I just finished listening to Prince of Midnight. I had never read the book, but fell in love with the story. I fell in love with Nicholas Boulton. I have never liked any male narrator of a romance,..."

I love male narrators! If there were more male MF romance narrators, I'd be buying more audiobooks! As it is, my audio purchases are mainly in the MM genre. There's something about a rich, warm male voice that's such a turn-on even when he's narrating a female character. It's why I've bought ALL the Sandra Brown romantic suspense books that have male narrators.

Not all male narrators are good, of course, but I far prefer them to female ones. I'd pick a male narrator over even the best female narrator.

I just listened to Nick Boulton on the Audible page for Prince of Midnight and oh boy, his voice just curls up my insides.

Now, I haven't touched a historical romance in twenty years but Boulton as narrator has persuaded me to try. I'm going to get this audiobook when my next credit arrives in 2 weeks.

Thank you, Dawn, for the heads-up:)

I have only listened to the three men who narrate Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. At first I thought maybe I just didn't like male narrators with British accents (as all three of them do), but that cannot be the case, since Nicholas Boulton is British and sounds it. Now, I am going to have to give the men out there another chance :)

I just bought Midsummer Moon and Prince of Midnight.

...doing happy dance:) Omigod...Boulton's voice is incredible.

Dawn wrote: "I have only listened to the three men who narrate Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. At first I thought maybe I just didn't like male narrators with British accents (as all three of them do), but tha..."

I thought there were only three of the Bridgerton books available in audio - and they're all narrated by Simon Prebble (apart from the most recent release of the epilogues which is James Langton). AFAIK, they're both British.

But yes, Nick Boulton is exceptional.

I wish Boulton would be contracted to re-do all the Georgette Heyer books.

Yes, his voice is incredible but I thought the Laura Kinsale book, Midsummer Moon, was downright awful.

I bought Prince of Midnight too, unfortunately, and the Flowers one but much as I love Boulton's voice, nothing can induce me to listen to them. I'm not even going to ask for a refund from Audible as punishment to myself and a reminder to stick to contemporaries.

ElaineY wrote: "I wish Boulton would be contracted to re-do all the Georgette Heyer books.

Yes, his voice is incredible but I thought the Laura Kinsale book, Midsummer Moon, was downright awful.

I bought Princ..."

One thing that Kinsale is noted for is the degree of variation you'll find in her books. She doesn't have a "type" of hero or heroine - they're all unique as are the settings of her stories. I encourage you to try FFTS after you cleanse your mind of whatever bothered you about Midsummer Moon. None are simple story lines.

I doubt you realize that this thread was started by Laura Kinsale to discover what we would want to hear from Nick Boulton in an interview. We welcome your further thoughts on Midsummer Moon but just ask that you do so on our September 2013 Romance Listening thread. http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

Caz wrote: "Dawn wrote: "I have only listened to the three men who narrate Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. At first I thought maybe I just didn't like male narrators with British accents (as all three of them..."

I have two of her epilogue's and one book. The other narrator is Kevin Brighting

Dawn wrote: "Caz wrote: "Dawn wrote: "I have only listened to the three men who narrate Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. At first I thought maybe I just didn't like male narrators with British accents (as all t..."

Ah yes, sorry, I'd forgotten that the Epilogues had been available singly before.