Join me here, in the comments section of this blog, tonight, January 15th, from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. ET, as we chat with DO OR DIE’s audiobook narrators Patrick Lawlor and Melanie Ewbank!
(AND! Another chance to win an ARC of DO OR DIE, plus a chance to win a download of the DO OR DIE audiobook! Details about that below!)
BREAKING NEWS: Blackstone Audio is going to be re-recording and reissuing the first four books in the Troubleshooters series, starting with THE UNSUNG HERO, using the dual narrator format with Patrick Lawlor and Melanie Ewbank as narrators! They tentatively expect to release THE UNSUNG HERO sometime this summer, followed closely by THE DEFIANT HERO, OVER THE EDGE and OUT OF CONTROL! I’ll keep you posted regarding the exact dates! Yay!
Patrick Lawlor and Melanie Ewbank have been reading my books for quite a few years, starting with FLASHPOINT, which was the first Troubleshooters book that was read using the dual narrator format.
For those of you who haven’t yet listened to any of my books on audio (and, oh! You should!), they are narrated or read by two people — one male (Patrick) and one female (usually Melanie).
See, I write my books using only one character’s deep point of view per scene. In other words, for example, the prologue for DO OR DIE is from Ian Dunn’s — the hero’s — point of view, and only from Ian’s point of view. That entire scene is written in his voice, with his words. We see the world through his eyes. So it makes sense for Patrick to read that scene, right?
But DO OR DIE’s chapter one, scene one, is from the heroine, Phoebe Kruger’s point of view. Again, we see the world through her eyes and only her eyes. So who reads that scene? Melanie.
The entire book is broken down that way, written in the points of view of a handful of male and female characters, in addition to Ian and Phoebe. So, Patrick reads all of the male characters scenes, while Melanie reads all of those from the point of view of the women. See how that works?
It’s incredibly listenable — is that a word? But it really is a fun format!
And I love the forethought and preparation that both Patrick and Melanie bring to each project. Before each recording, we talk about the book, about the characters — Patrick and Melanie approach the story from an actor’s viewpoint, which I truly appreciate. They’re brilliant. They’re equally at home with comedy and drama. I love them rather madly, and was thrilled to be able to keep working with them at Blackstone, my new audiobook publisher.
Here’s some fun trivia. One of my most popular characters in the Troubleshooters series is Navy SEAL named Izzy Zanella. I created Izzy specifically for Patrick to read. Writing Izzy’s books — he’s been in a number of them, and he’s incredibly irreverent — it was a lot of fun. I could hear Patrick’s voice in my head the entire time I was writing. It was very inspiring! When Patrick reads my books, he “gets” the cadence and the rhythm of the sentences exactly.
So okay. Come by this blog page tonight, starting at 9:00 p.m. ET, and post your questions and comments for Patrick and Melanie. (I’ll be here, too!)
Feel free to post questions and comments in advance, but because this is a real-time chat, Patrick and Melanie will start by answering those questions that are posted at 9:00 p.m. ET, and will get to the earlier-posted questions if there is time.
Contest Details: As usual, everyone who posts on this page starting . . . NOW and ending tonight at 10:00 p.m. ET, is automatically entered into a drawing where one lucky reader/listener will win an ARC (advance copy) of DO OR DIE, and another lucky reader/listener will win a download of the DO OR DIE audiobook, via Downpour.com, courtesy of the lovely folks at Blackstone Audio! (Fine print: The DO OR DIE audio download won’t be available until the book’s 2/4/14 release date.)
Read DO OR DIE’s cover blurb at https://suzannebrockmann.com/upcoming/do-or-die/
Get a signed hardcover copy via my DO OR DIE Virtual signing at https://suzannebrockmann.com/upcoming/do-or-die/dod-virtual-signing/
Suz, I want to know, since your new book you are writing with Melanie is set in the time frame of Born to Darkness, if I should have my daughter read it before the new one or it won’t matter to understanding the plot?
Patrick and Melanie, do you guys go back and re- listen to previous recordings of the characters you will be doing in the new book or do you remember how you sounded?
Thanks
Andrea
Hi, Andrea!
NIGHT SKY (the YA book I wrote with my daughter Melanie), while set in the same paranormal futuristic world, takes place in Florida, far from Boston (where BtoD was set). So, no. She can start with NIGHT SKY. (Friday’s countdown is gonna include a cover reveal and blurb from NIGHT SKY! Wait’ll you see the gorgeous cover art! So excited!!!!)
Hi Suz (and Patrick and Melanie)!!
Just wanted to say hi and good luck on a wonderful chat tonight (I’ll be working)!! Thank you so much for being so wonderfully talented at your respective jobs 🙂
Thank YOU, Autumn!
Hi Suz, Patrick and Melanie! Guess I’m gonna miss this chat too since I’m living in the ‘future’ and probably can’t jump online at the right time. G’day from Sydney Australia 😀
Well, G’day back to you! catch you next time!
Can’t wait to get it. Your writing is fantastic.
I love your books in audio. Especially Izzy. Izzy on paper is great, Izzy in audio is fantastic! I agree that Patrick is perfect for Izzy.
I can’t wait for the release of Do or Die.
thanks, Kim! I love reading Izzy! He is easily my favorite, and I always do a really geeky secret fist pump and utter a little ! “Yeah!” To myself when I find he’s going to be in a book.
Izzy wouldn’t exist if Patrick hadn’t read FLASHPOINT. That’s a fact! 🙂
Suz, Kim – You are so right, Patrick made Izzy my favourite… I have all the TS books on Audio and my favourites that stand out have Izzy as narrated by Patrick! I recommend Into The Storm, Into The Fire but also Dark of Night (Deck c’mon) – all are excellent but those are my picks.
Yup, Missy. Yup. Love it. Good selection!
I am just too excited to chat later tonight, so I thought I’d take the website for a test spin, make sure I’m using it right! Talk to you soon!
You are using it completely right, Patrick! Feel free to start chatting whenever you’re ready!
Cool! Let’s talk!
Hi Suzanne! I am counting down the dsys till the book release. Can’t wait! February 4th can’t come soon enough!
There’s no way to pick just one of your books as my favorite, they are all great. Can’t wait for the release of Do or Die.
I can’t wait, either! It’s coming, soon!
About thirty minutes until our chat with Melanie Ewbank and Patrick Lawlor starts! I’m excited that they’re dropping by — but even MORE excited to find out that they’ll be re-recording THE UNSUNG HERO, THE DEFIANT HERO, OVER THE EDGE and OUT OF CONTROL for Blackstone Audio’s dual-narrator reissues of the first Troubleshooters books!
Neither Patrick nor Melanie have read those books before, so they’ve got some surprises in store. I think I’m most excited about hearing Patrick read David Sullivan and Melanie read Mallory Paoletti from THE UNSUNG HERO. And I REALLY can’t wait to hear the WWII subplots in all four of those books. Gonna be fun.
Readers/listeners: Which of those four books are you most looking forward to hearing in the dual narrator format?
THE UNSUNG HERO,! No. Wait. Maybe THE DEFIANT HERO or maybe. … So excited that these will be redone – it will def make the relistens so wonderful.
I was just wandering if they read the entire book days prior to the recording or do they just go with the go flow and give first initial reactions to their voiced.
Wanda, we read through it first, get all the character stuff down, confer with Suz, agree on a few ground rules and hit the studio. General rule once we’re there, if its a major character, I get to pick how the males talk and Melanie gets to pick how the females talk. If its a minor character, whoever does it first, sets the character, and the other reader has to go with that.
That’s makes sense Patrick. Thanks
Melanie:
In your humble opinion, what the the strong core characteristics of an effective audio book?
Thanks,
Dan D.
Well, Dan, of course strong writing is paramount. But a good narrator to bring those characters off the black and white page and into living color is what makes an audiobook…well…an audiobook! Am I correct?!
I’d go with that!
Question for readers as we wait for the chat to start: Have you ever listened to a dual-narrated audiobook? (If yes, which book was your favorite?)
Okay, I’ll answer my own question! FLASHPOINT remains a favorite of mine (it was the first that Patrick and Melanie read.) I’m also a HUGE fan of LETTERS TO KELLY — they both really kicked ass with that little non-Troubleshooters story!
I’ve yet to hear a sample of DO OR DIE, but I’m waiting for it impatiently! Gonna get emailed to me, any… day… now…
PS to answer a question, click the little link that says “reply” and your answer will appear beneath the question!
Oh! I was doing it wrong…
Not wrong, just… differently. 😉
I’ve never listened to audio books before, I’m afraid I would fall asleep listening, not that the story is boring, it’s just that I think I would need to do something with my hands, like turning pages either with a book or my ipad, I read when I’m relaxing, may be if I was taking a long drive or exercising, I may have to try it though because it seems like they are popular
I’m usually at work when I listen to audio books. I’ve also taken an audio book on a long drive or waiting in lines. Things like that. Patrick Lawlor does the TS male characters perfectly.
Yes, Kairee. Yes, he does. 🙂
Kairee, I’m blushing, thank you! I do love my job! I think I’ve said that more than once tonight! I’m glad you like them.
I’ve listened to them on long drives. (We regularly drive from FL to Boston.) It’s pretty entertaining! You definitely should give ’em a try!
I’ll definitely give them a try. We take trips from Texas to Florida and I hate the drive, our closest family is Oklahoma and that’s 5 hour drive, so audio books are a must for my next road trip.
I downloaded three of the TS books onto my MP3 player–long drive to Mt. Rushmore coming up this summer–now I’ll be entertained. The only bad part? I tend to pick up the swearing a little 🙂
Oh, they can be downloaded? Well that’s easy, I thought I had to buy cd’s. I read mostly ebooks and I do believe there’s an option of audio books on my ipad. That’s really cool
The download option is terrific. In fact, my new audiobook publisher, Blackstone Audio, has generously given me a free download of DO OR DIE to give away to one of you who are posting here tonight! (You won’t be able to download the book until the Feb. 4th release date, but that’s okay.)
Personally, I download audiobooks directly into my itunes library!
Well I was going to have to wait until Feb 4 to download my ebook anyway so if I win the audio book that will work also. Y’all have definitely sold me on the audio books.
Ronda, I used to think that abt audiobooks too, I’d fall asleep. No way – esp not with these books. There’s so much action, so many things going on, and these incredible narrators will only amplify the wonderful writing in every way – they add to the experience. You can’t skim – they read it all to you, and you process it differently than reading, so it’s like a whole new story. Do it.
Very cool, Melinda! Thank you!
Rhonda, I was like that until my boss told me to give it a try. I think this is the best ones I have ever listened to.
I LOVE Dark of Night. Decker and Tracy sure are steamy!
Hot Target and Hot Pursuit are two of my favorite TS books
Those are two of my favorites, too 🙂
I have listened to all of your books that Patrick & Melanie have dual narrated. My favorite is Breaking Point because I absolutely LOVE Izzy, Patrick’s voice for Izzy & Izzy & Eden’s story. Hope we get to read more about them in future books!
Hi, Shelly! Thanks! I think you mean BREAKING THE RULES. (Breaking point is Max and Gina’s book.) Too many breaks/breakings! LOL!
Haha, yes too many “breaks” for my tired brain to keep straight tonight! Max & Gina are my second fave story, followed by Kenny & Savannah, so can’t wait for that recording!!
I have listened to the dual narrated audio books and I love them. I think my favorites are Hot Pursuit, Hot Target, Breaking Point, and Into the Night. I pretty much love all of the dual narrated books. 🙂
By the way, I’m really glad they’re re-recording some of the earlier Troubleshooter audio books. I’ve heard some of the earlier versions and I definitely prefer the dual-narrated versions, specifically with Patrick and Melanie.
I listen to audio-books all the time at work and I have to say this series is the BEST I’ve ever heard. I wish you all could make a movie, too 😉
I want to give a big welcome to Melanie Ewbank and Patrick Lawlor, who have been my audiobook narrator “dream team” since 2004, when they exceeded my wildest hopes and expectations with their narration of FLASHPOINT!
They are back, providing their unique blend of comedy and drama in the audiobook of DO OR DIE (release date Feb. 4, 2014), plus there’s recent news from Blackstone that they’ll both be tapped to re-record the first four books in the Troubleshooters series, starting with THE UNSUNG HERO, which is tentatively scheduled for a summer 2014 release!
Everyone give Melanie and Patrick big virtual hugs! Let the chat begin!
P.S. Chatters and guests alike: Remember to hit “refresh” to see new posts!
Thanks, Suz! Glad to be here!
Can’t wait to hear your *new* version of The Unsung Hero. That’s the only TS audio book I didn’t really like. Of course, I can’t wait to hear your take on the others, too!
Yeah, I’m pretty excited, too!
Patrick and Melanie- How has the preparation changed between the first book you narrated In the trouble shooters world to this last one?
It hasn’t changed, really. We work together to match the voices (as much as is possible…male voice reading a female character and vice versa) but the prep is the same for each book. We decide on pronunciation for words like either/neither — which can go EITHER way — but Suz’s books are pure joy to record and so the prep hardly feels like working!
Here’s the prep that *I* do when I know that Patrick and Melanie are lined up to read one of my books: A happy dance in my office, because I COMPLETELY trust them to do right by my characters, and I know the audiobook is gonna rock! 🙂
Have you ever been at the studio with them when they’re recording? THAT would be neat to see 🙂
I have not! I’m hoping to make that happen in the not too distant future! That would be crazy fun! (Especially since I wouldn’t have to stay for the full 11 hour days! Holy moly!)
That would be TOO FUN!!!! we are trying to get her out one of these days. Of course, then I’d have to wear pants…
My eyes…. Could that photo be used by romance authors on Facebook as part of their Man Wars? Just curious.
Knock yourself out, Melinda, I’m not shy. (Much to everyone’s dismay!)
That would be SWEET to have Suz on site!
I will not comment on whether or not Lawlor wears pants in the booth…but I will say that we each have our own chair. ‘Nuff said.
We are pretty much creatures of habit! 😉 but its like anything else you do with a team, the more you work together, the easier it is to work. The three of us have developed a good rhythm together. We know each others timing, tricks, habits, etc. We know where Suz is going, and she knows where to take us. As far as I’m conned, it just keeps getting better.
Patrick–I love your work as Izzy. That character in general cracks me up, but your take on him is great. I laugh out loud at work sometimes…people stare, but it’s worth it 🙂
Thanks, Kairee, Izzy is my favorite, too! Suz knocked it out of the park with him!
And I LOVE to make people stare…at other people! 😉
Woot! Here we goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Hi y’all — so happy to be here with you!
Hi, Melanie! So happy that you’re here!
Hi Melanie–just wanted to say I love your narration of the TS books. I particularly liked your performance as Jennilyn Lemay. For whatever reason, she is my favorite.
Thank you! Suz writes such fantastic characters — I would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite!
Question for Patrick and Melanie: How many days did it take to record DO OR DIE (which happens to be my longest book. Ever.)?
Quality AND quantity this time out! Do or Die might be my favorite. MIGHT. We did it in 4 11-hour days and change. Then had about a half hour of “pick-ups” (corrections). We had limited time together in the studio, so we had to make the most of it! but we each worked on it for several days before arriving at the studio! And our engineer, Wendy at Blackstone, and in fact, ALL of the Blackstone family, were great!
Follow up question: How do you not go MAD from 11 hour days in the studio? And follow up to the follow up, how do you keep from losing your voices?
Seriously, these books are a BLAST to record! And Melanie and I are old friends, she makes me laugh and keeps me sane. Wendy, our new engineer jumped right in and joined the team like she was always there AND everyone at Blackstone was wonderful and treated us like rock stars AND Ashland was awesome, so, not a problem. This, by the way, is NOT NORMAL! These books really lend themselves to a more fun atmosphere in the booth than most.
… And actually, the voice thing amazes me, too! REMEMBER KIDS, don’t try this at home, we are trained professionals!
Who says we don’t go MAD in the studio? BwaaaaHaaaaHaaaaHaaaaHaaaaHaaaa!
Ditto Patrick’s reply — we are a strong team and the material is fantastic. It is exhausting, but in that really gratifying way. The voice thing? Patrick and I both have STAMINA BABY! Audiobook narration is not for the vocally delicate, and for a 500+ page Brockmann book ya betta have chords of steel!!!
Isn’t The Unsung Hero the first seal team 16/troubleshooter/FBI book.?
Why, yes, Patricia, it is. And because I wrote it early in my career, I didn’t retain audiobook rights. So those rights were sold, and the audiobook was recorded without my input, and it was… Well, it… was. (I’m afraid I couldn’t listen much past page, well, three….?)
But now we have a chance to re-record the book using Patrick and Melanie and the dual-narrator format, and we’ll get a really awesome version. That’s why I’m so excited. (And everyone who’s tried to listen to the previous version is excited, too! LOL!)
That’s the story that hooked me on your books.Thank you!!!!!!
OMG OMG OMG – I’m doing a total reread of the series and since book 1 was dreadful in audio (I can say that, being the consumer), I’m reading the ebook (gawd forbid I read paper books again just cuz I own it). Patrick and Melanie reading Tom and Kelly -[swooooon]. Patrick, I’m actually reading it with your voice in my head.
No question here, just THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU from AudioGal 3.
🙂 keep in mind that Suz has rightly forbidden me to do any Boston accents, so don’t let the “Me-In-Your-Head-Doing Tommy P-Voice” do one either!
LOVE,LOVE,the troubleshooter’ s.I have always read the books,but never tried the audio books.Thinking this might be the one I start with.
You definitely should give the audio a try, Patricia. It’s really fun. And Patrick and Melanie are skilled at bringing the stories and characters to life! DO OR DIE will be a great book to try! (Although I’m super jazzed for their version of THE UNSUNG HERO!)
Hi!
What age group is Night Sky aimed toward?
Hey, Michelle! NIGHT SKY is a young adult (YA) book, aimed at readers from middle school through assisted living facility! LOL! I just found out today that 58% of YA readers are between 24 and 49, so… Yeah.
But the main character of NIGHT SKY is an almost-17 year old girl. The story is written from her first person POV. (No plans just yet to record an audiobook, but last I heard, Patrick was lobbying to read it! And you know what? He’d do a great job! LOL!)
Sounds like something my daughter (13) would like
Yup. Exactly. 🙂
I might have something to say about THAT!!! (Let the lobbying begin!)
Yup. Yup! 🙂
Okay, THIS could get fun! Actually, and it KILLS me to say this, but, Melanie would be a brilliant choice for this book, should you decide to record it! (I would do it in a heartbeat, don’t get me wrong, but…just sayin’)
I do think at least a few rounds of bribes should be proffered before any decision is made, though!
Sounds interesting. Trying to find new books for my son, and an audio book would be even better. Who do we have to talk to, to get that happening?!?!
Hi Suz, I love your books!! I feel as though I have gotten to know each of the guys in your Troubleshooters series. I haven’t listened to any of the books in audio…but I’ve always wondered what Izzy sounded like, so I’ll have to listen to Patrick!
Yes, you will, Kathy! Because Patrick’s Izzy is EXACTLY what Izzy sounds like in my head. You might want to give a listen to INTO THE STORM — that’s the book where Izzy tells his “ghost” story in the SUV with Jenk and Lopez and Gillman and Lindsey. “Give me back my leg!” Mwah! Sheer perfection from Patrick in reading that scene! 🙂
Awwww shucks! But Izzy’s “Play-By-Play Commentary scene is still one of the funniest things I’ve read!
I kid you not, I snorted tea out my nose when I heard your “Give me back my leeeeggg!” My family thought I’d lost my mind, LOL!
THAT makes my career all worthwhile! Thank you! My work here is done!
So many great characters, and I’m so excited to hear the early ones done by Melanie and Patrick. I love the humor that Suz writes and that comes through so well in the audiobooks.
Give me back my leg!!! I laugh out loud each and every time I have heard that part.
The first dual narrated audio book I listened to was Hot Target. It was also the first of your books that I read (listened) to. After that I bought all of them on eBay. I’ve read each many times. I also have the audio version of most. Looking forward to the rerelease with Patrick Ann Melanie!
Hi, Patricia! Yeah, HOT TARGET was a really fun audiobook! I still remember talking to Patrick about Jules. “Yeah, Jules is gay, but he can kick your ass…” I thought Patrick read him exactly right!
I absolutely love the audiobooks, Patrick & Melanie bring the books to life. They are amazing, and I hope they continue to do all your Seals audiobooks. They really add the drama to the characters, and the books always have so much funny stuff in them as well. Can’t wait to read this new one! Keep them coming.
Suz is an amazing writer. We love the funny stuff too! Sometimes we get the giggles so hard in the booth it takes us a few minutes to get back to recording!
Sometimes I get the giggles, knowing that you’ll be reading those sections aloud! (Hee hee!)
Yeah, what she said!
Patrick and Melanie how do you prepare for recording the audio?
We get the honor of being some of the first folks in the world to get *first eyes* on the manuscript, which we read. Then we confer with each other, and with Suz about things like character (if it’s a new one being introduced in her series) and pronunciation (if Suz has created a country that doesn’t exist). We flag the chapters for point of view (male character point of view is read by Patrick, female point of view by me). Then we take a collective deep breath and start recording!
I love the audiobooks! I got them after I read them and listened while driving back and forth to work. Patrick and Melanie pull you right in. Question: how do you keep so many characters fresh in your head and giving them all their own personality without them blending into each other? How do Patrick and Melanie do the same so they come across as being different? It’s got to be difficult.
Thanks so much! Keep writing, keep recording and we’ll keep reading!
Suz writes such well-defined characters that it’s easy to keep them straight in our heads — but on occasion while recording our mouths don’t cooperate so Patrick and I listen closely to each other to keep the characters from blending vocally.
I love listening to audio books while I excercise. Trying to read on the treadmill makes me ill! Love when books are offered on my fav books!
That’s a great idea–I’ll have to try that tonight 🙂 Treadmill time.
I have all your books and audiobooks. Great news about the re-recording of the first four books in the Troubleshooters series! My favorite Izzy part in audio is when he got married in Las Vegas and kept hearing songs in his head, hilarious.
Have you watched Josh Holloway in his new TV show Intelligence? Josh Holloway would be a great Sam, wish it could happen. Looking forward to Do or Die.
Ooh, Josh Holloway has a new show? I must confess, until I saw him in LOST, I couldn’t picture anyone playing Sam. But yeah. He’ll do. 🙂
I have a hard time picturing actors in my mind to play your characters, even though movies would be wonderful to see. Your characters are bigger than life in my head…It would also be weird to hear them speak after being so used to the way they talk on the audiobooks with Patrick and Melanie narrating 🙂
(At work so using my iPhone ~ fun ~ NOT!)
A quick Hello to Patrick and Melanie! (see Patrick I snuck in!) Thanks for the great way you help bring Suz’s books to life. I’m an audio girl at heart and am impatiently waiting for Do or Die!
Suz, thank you so much for your great stories and I look forward to each book with the knowledge that you are going to knock another one out if the park!
(I’ll catch the rest if the chat when I get home.)
So good to see you here!!! I was afraid we would miss you!
You DO SOOO rock, EL! thanks for showing up!
Forgot to mention that I’m ecstatic that Patrick and Melanie will be doing the 1st 4 books in the TS series. Tom, Nils, Stan and Kenny’s books being read by 2 of the best in the business! Yippee!
Yeah, I’m so happy about that! I gotta say, I’ve been pushing for this to happen for years now. I can’t wait until Patrick reads Kenny “WildCard” Karmody, and Melanie reads Savannah. And I REALLY can’t wait until Melanie reads Rose’s WWII memoir! Yay!!!!!
I’m looking forward to Melanie’s take on Eve (The Defiant Hero). What a fantastic character!
Ah, Eve! Yes! Melanie, you will LOVE reading Eve. She’s in her late 70s in the contemporary subplot but a teenager in the WWII subplot. That’s gonna be a blast to hear!
Ok, now I’m hearing Helga in Melanie’s voice, too. Wow, I’m getting psyched!
Helga! Melanie! Helga lived in Denmark as a child, during WWII. She was a Danish Jew, or as her neighbors called her, a Dane. Her WWII subplot is about the fact that Denmark refused to let Germany take their Jewish citizens. It’s a really great story. Like Eve, Helga’s story is told via flashback, to when she’s a little girl. In the contemporary story, she’s an older woman, an Israeli citizen, who is dealing with early onset Alzheimer’s. Yup. Can’t wait to hear THAT, too!
Is it gonna make me cry? I hate crying in the booth! First I choke up, then Patrick chokes up, then the engineer chokes up…!
Yup. It’ll be awesome.
That will be great. I love listening to their audiobooks, but have to make sure I’m using headphones, or I will blush terribly!
I hear you! 🙂
Start giving me notes, I can’t wait!
Ok you have won me over.My next book purchase will be The Unsung Hero audio book narrated by Patrick and Melanie. 🙂
Yay, Patricia! Just make sure you wait until the summer when the reissue comes out! Makes sure Patrick and Melanie are listed as narrators! OK?
I’ve also listened to Patrick narrate a couple of T. Jefferson Parker books. Great voice and just really makes the story better!
Oh wow, Lisa, thanks, Those were really fun, too. That was a while ago, but I still count those as some of my favorites. Especially having to Nixon in California Girl!
Oh wow, Lisa, thanks, Those were really fun, too. That was a while ago, but I still count those as some of my favorites. Especially having to do Nixon in California Girl!
I almost didn’t make it! I love all of your books Suz and especially love Patrick and Melanie’s voices. Ptrick can portray all of the characters but to me, he’s mostly Izzy. I didn’t realize until just now, reading your info above, that you had Patrick’s voice in mind while writing Izzy. I love all of the characters but especially Izzy and Jules. Then again, I love, Sam, Alyssa, Max, Tom, Sophia, Decker, etc., etc.!!! Can’t wait to read (and listen to) your new book! Best to all.
Hey, Lisa.
I’m with you re: Izzy. But I also really love Patrick’s read of Decker.
Thank you so much! I love all the characters, but izzy the most, and Jules and Decker… And Jimmy Nash, he was the first for me. And now, a new challenger arises (quite literally at times) in the form of Ian Dunn! DUNN IS FUNN! I hope y’all like him as much as I do! And Phoebe is AWWWW SOME!
Let me tell the story of how Melanie came to read FLASHPOINT. At the time, Brilliance Audio was my audiobook publisher, and FLASHPOINT was the first book where I had any creative control. So I pitched the dual narrator idea to them, and they were open to it. And then we had a conversation something like this:
Me: About the female narrator. It’s really important to me that she sound real.
Them: Real…?
Me: Yeah, like… she doesn’t have matching handbag and shoes.
Them: Um…?
Me: you know, like, she doesn’t have a hair-do? She could get caught in the rain, and it’s not the end of the world. She might even bite her fingernails. You know. A real woman.
Them: Oooookay.
So then they send me an audio sample of Melanie, and I’m like, “Yes!” Truly, I am a master communicator, because they got it. LOL!
Funny, ‘cuz Melanie is a total, white glove wearing, prissy debutante type in real life. Aren’t ya, Sugar?
Which would be fine as long as she can act — which she certainly can! 🙂
Hello! Looking forward to reading DO OR DIE!
Thanks, Julie!
Hi! I’m new to Suzanne’s books…I love to read but haven’t had any time lately so I picked up an audiobook from the library. The description of Born to Darkness sounded good so I borrowed it.
I’m 6 discs in and love the concept and characters (and Patrick and Melanie too) I can’t wait to finish it and plan to borrow more when I go to the library again this Saturday.
I finish my last college course on February 3rd so the book on February 4th is mine! I’m going straight to the bookstore!
P.S. Patrick’s voice is amazing and I love the idea of male/female readers on the audiobook.
Thanks, DeAnna! Welcome to my world! Glad you dropped by!
Thanks, DeAnna! Keep listening, and welcome! I love my job!
I’m trying to get Born to Darkness on my library’s Summer Reading List or recommended books! I really like that series. How great to hear that Night Sky is set in the same world.
Thanks, Nancy! 🙂
Hi All! I have read and listened to all of the TS series books many a time. Patrick and Melanie are my two favorite book narrators. I’ve always been quite partial to Patrick as Jules. I can’t wait to hear both of them voicing the early stories!
Thanks, Jen! Jules is awesome! I have such a good time reading Suz’s work, it’s a great gift!
I have not listened to any of these audiobooks yet. I’ve read, and re-read (and re-read….) all of the troubleshooters books, and have just recently started listening to audiobooks. I am finishing up The Deathly Hollows, of Harry Potter fame, and found that the narrator really made the audiobook.
I was wondering what to listen to next- audiobooks are great for dog walking and elliptical time 😉 you all have convinced me it will be Suz’s books next! Great books, and sounds like wonderful narrators!
Thank you, I’m sure these will keep me listening for a nice long time. I’m sure the first four troubleshooters will be out before I make it through all the rest!
Carol, Start with FLASHPOINT. It’s the beginning of what I think of as the “flashpoint story arc,” a good place to start, and the first book that Melanie and Patrick narrated. (Thanks for dropping by the chat!)
Thanks! I will definitely do that! Excited to listen to them now!
FLASHPOINT is awesome!
Okay, you guys? Patrick as Jones and Melanie as Molly, in OUT OF CONTROL. Yeah. THAT’S gonna rock!
I CAN’T WAIT to find out what the what y’all are talking about!
I agree! 2 of my favorite characters.
Okay, so my mission this weekend is to get FLASHPOINT on audiobook and THE UNSUNG HERO book from the library!!!
Late to the party, but just wanted to toss my kudos in for the dual-voice narration technique. It really adds a unique layer to the audiobooks. Plus Melanie and Patrick bring definately the characters to life.
Hey, Josh! (I not-so-secretly wanted to hear Patrick read your book, UNDEAD CHAOS! Maybe someday…?) Thanks for dropping by!
Always willing to talk about it! who knows? We are doing the first four TS, INC books! It all starts with a conversation!
He DOES have a sexy timber to his voice.
Which Amy has noted on many, many occasions….
Thanks!
Okay, gang, we’re approaching our 10:00 p.m. ET turn into pumpkins time!
Thank you to Melanie Ewbank and Patrick Lawlor for chatting with us tonight! We love you both rather madly!
But now we’ve got to let them go and get some rest!
Thanks again to everyone who participated in tonight’s chat!
Love and hugs,
Suz
Thanks, Suz, you really know how to throw a party! Lets do it again!
Maybe this summer, right after THE UNSUNG HERO comes out, after you and Melanie have done four four-day/eleven hour sessions in a row! Thank you again!
Darn! I forgot and missed it. Suz, if you check back here I have a question. Will the new audiobooks still be available at Audible or will I have to go somewhere else to find them?
Hey, Lori, I’m still here, kinda of virtually sweeping up. 🙂
And yes, the new audiobooks will be available at Audible, but they’ll also be available at Downpour.com, and via itunes and a variety of other places, too!
On a more serious note – Suz, your characters (especially Jules) made me rethink a lot of stuff I grew up believing. Yup, I was raised in a very traditional/fundamental Christian home. I never really gave the whole “what it might really mean to be gay” thing much thought until Jules came along. Needless to say, I’ve changed my opinion on gay marriage and some other related issues. After all, like Robin pointed out, what’s more detrimental to the sanctity of marriage – two people who love each other and are committed to sharing their lives (regardless of gender), or the guys/gals like Robin’s Dad who change partners faster than they change their socks? The stories of Jules & Robin and Tony & Adam really helped me see past my prejudices to what really matters – the human heart. I’ll admit, I’m not totally comfortable with reconciling what I was taught with my new take on things, but I’m getting there.
Great chat! Thanks Suz, Patrick and Melanie. 🙂
Missed the conversation, but I wanted to let everyone know that Audible does have Do or Die ready for pre-order…And Patrick, I discovered you through your reading for Suz, but I have totally enjoyed your narration of other books as well. I actually ended up reading several non-fiction military stories partially because I knew you were doing the narration. Often the narration is too dry and distant so I end up reading (vs listening) to them, If you ever get a chance to respond,
What type of narration do you prefer? Fiction or Non Fiction? And of those what Genre? (And we accept that you totally love Suz works, so this is for novels/memoirs ect other than her work) Thanks.