Interview with Nicholas Sparks

from the Vault: Nicholas Sparks is author of eight New York Times bestsellers, including The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, The Rescue, A Bend in the Road, Nights in Rodanthe, The Guardian, and The Wedding, all recorded for Time Warner Audiobooks by various narrators. His audiobook is the non-fictional memoir "Three Weeks with My Brother," written with Micah Sparks and narrated by Henry Leyva, with an introduction read by Nicholas.  A family man, Mr. Sparks lives in North Carolina. (His latest novel is DREAMLAND. Also THE WISH, THE RETURN, EVERY BREATH. He is winner of a first ever Audiobooks Today Influencer Award in Romance, along with Nora Roberts.)

JONATHAN LOWE:  Your new book "Three Weeks With My Brother" is biographical in nature, using your world trip with Micah as a framework to do a parallel story about your relationship with him, and the losses you've faced together among your shared family members. Have you written non-fiction before?

NICHOLAS SPARKS:  No, this was my first attempt at non-fiction, and Micah's first attempt at writing anything, but I found the process enjoyable in that I knew where the story was going because I knew what we'd lived through.  Unlike novels, where you're debating on the structure and events while trying to figure things out, sometimes without a clear goal in mind, this was very clear to me.  It was just putting it down the right way that presented the challenge.

LOWE:  You guys look so alike. In what ways are you different?

SPARKS:  We're not that different, really. Micah tends to be a little more moody than I am.  I tend to be very driven.  I get focused on a task, and try to do it as best I can, whether it was school or track and field or writing.  Micah tends to have a better balance about things.

LOWE:  So he's a bit more laid back than you?

SPARKS:  Slightly, but that's not to say he doesn't work hard. He's had successful businesses, has a professional career in manufacturing as well, it's just a little different than the way I do it.

LOWE:  You've admitted to being a Type A personality, though, true?

SPARKS:  Well, see, that's the thing.  That's what my wife says, and that's what my agent says, and that's what my editor says, and practically everyone who knows me says, but I personally don't feel I'm Type A.  I feel I should work harder!  But I make time for my family and my kids, too.  They each need individual attention, and then my wife and I will go out to lunch or on a date two or three times a week, just the two of us, and we do all the family stuff too.  Trips to Disneyland, things like that.  So I do try to keep some kind of balance, it's just that for Micah it comes a little more natural.

LOWE:  What was the most interesting thing that happened on your trip together?

SPARKS:  So much was interesting. You have to take the whole trip in context.  Universal truths we learned like "money can't buy happiness."  We went to poverty stricken countries like Cambodia or India where people might earn $25 a month, and yet they were happy. Kids were playing, and hanging out with their dad, and you see the dad proud about their son just like we are about ours.  And that's always a wonderful lesson to have reinforced because people fall prey to the opposite belief.  But probably the most unique part of it was the epic role of history, these temples were built so long ago. . .the rise and fall of civilizations. We got to this Mayan temple, and we climbed to the top, and it's amazing, but this temple had stopped being used about 900 A.D., so it was abandoned, and 500 years later Columbus floats over.

LOWE:  Gives you a perspective.

SPARKS:  It really does.

LOWE:  Years ago I saw that 48 Hours show, which gave the impression that Warner Books discovered and developed you into a bestselling author. Was wondering how much credit do you give to your early editors for your success?

SPARKS:  Well, I will say that I've worked with the same editor for every book, all eight novels and this book, and I've been with her since the beginning of my career, and my agent, and pretty much the same team at Warner Books.  Unlike many publishing houses, nobody has changed.  The same person has designed all the covers. . . everyone is the same, so it's like old home week when I go to New York to visit.  It's been a wonderful experience, you see all your friends, and it's nice.  About my debut, Warner paid a lot of money upfront, but of course not everyone makes it that way, regardless of what a publisher pays, and so you need to have good reviews in major markets, or go on Oprah, and word of mouth is important too.

LOWE:  Until a book is read by the public, it's like the old Hollywood saying, "Nobody knows anything."  Then magic can happen.  Now, when your novel "Message in a Bottle" was made into a film, and you got to go to the set and talk to Kevin Costner, that must have been an exciting moment for you.

SPARKS:  It was exciting, and I reacted like just about anybody would react. . . "oh my gosh, there he is."  Same thing.  You know, I'm certainly not a big wig in Hollywood or anything.  I've met these people, briefly, but I'm not on their Christmas card list.  (laughs)  But that's okay.  They've all been wonderful to work with, and they've been gracious to the family I'd bring to the set.

LOWE:  Any anecdotes to share?

SPARKS:  My son had a crush on Mandy Moore when she starred in "A Walk to Remember."  He loved that girl.  She was 17 at the time, and he was 10.  It was funny, he'd go right up to her door and knock, and say "can I come in?"  She'd be doing her schoolwork or something, and he'd just stare at her.  That was cute.

LOWE:  Women readers will want me to ask this. Are you really as romantic as you seem? I mean, you don't sit with a remote and watch sports all the time, like most men, and communicate with grunts and requests for beer?

SPARKS:  I don't.  I try to do nice things for my wife frequently.  This makes my wife happy, and my wife is wonderful to be around when she's happy.  So I send flowers and buy unexpected gifts, and we make time for each other, and at the same time, my wife does a lot of stuff for me too.  It's not always easy living with an author, but we're happy with each other most of the time.

LOWE:  One of the most amazing things I read about you is that you read over 100 books a year.  Other authors I talk to have little or no time to read.  How do you do that, given that you have five kids and so much else going on?

SPARKS:  I love reading, and I read very quickly, obviously.  Most books don't stay with me, with that magical quality, other books I linger over longer.  I have wide interests, so it's almost like watching television.  You turn off the TV and pick up a book, read a page a minute or faster, and pretty soon you're reading a hundred books a year instead of watching TV.

LOWE:  Do you listen to audiobooks on the road?

SPARKS:  Yes, I do, and generally I prefer non-fiction for the road. . . biographies and histories. . . but then, to be honest, I really don't drive much.  I live in a small town in North Carolina.  Put it like this.  My car is four years old.  I drive it everywhere.  Everywhere, I take my car.  Four years.  Nine thousand miles.  (laughs)  I mean, I just don't go anywhere!  I go to the store, drive back, drive to post office, drive back.  Nothing.

LOWE:  I interviewed Dennis Kao and Linda Ross, producers at Time Warner Audiobooks, and they talked about the choice of Tom Wopat as one your narrators.  He's a macho guy who can be sensitive too. That's the ideal, don't you think?  Was wondering what you think of audiobooks as a medium.

SPARKS:  They're great.  I remember as a kid driving with my parents there'd be radio stations with plays and stories. You almost never hear that now, but I remember hearing that, and I loved it.  It's a wonderful thing for people who spend a lot of time in the car.  If you're going to drive 45 minutes or more to work every day, you know, you can go through 50 books a year.  So you can be as well read as anybody you know.  It's a wonderful choice, and I actually recorded "A Walk to Remember" and the prologue for this new book, and I love it, although I do prefer to read.

LOWE:  You mentioned living in Greenville SC at one point, which was my home town.  What did you think of the area?

SPARKS:  It's a great town. Greenville was very instrumental in launching my career.  It's beautiful upstate country, but I'm more of a water person.  So in the end, we moved a little closer to the coast, into North Carolina, and live on a river, and it's beautiful.

LOWE:  You have a new movie coming out, right?

SPARKS:  I do. "The Notebook" stars James Garner and Gina Rowlands. I've seen the film a couple of times, and I did the DVD commentary, meaning I really liked it and was pleased with the adaptation, so no problem doing any publicity work that they want with the film.  When the DVD comes out you can hear my commentary, if that interests you. The film is very romantic, beautifully shot, and wonderfully acted, and I think people will really love it.

See interview at this blog.

GOING PLUM CRAZY OVER JANET EVANOVICH

from the Vault: Janet Evanovich has written nine bestselling novels featuring a would-be detective named Stephanie Plum, who is actually a bounty hunter.  Her latest books include HOT SIX (her first NY Times bestseller), SEVEN UP, HARD EIGHT, and now TO THE NINES.  The books are produced on audio by either Brilliance Audio or by Audio Renaissance. (NOTE: Have interviewed Janet twice, but can’t find the other interview. Her latest titles are Going Rogue and Game On. Upcoming: The Recovery Agent.) 

Janet Evanovich has written fourteen bestselling novels featuring a would-be detective named Stephanie Plum, who is actually a bounty hunter. Her latest books include Twelve Sharp, Lean Mean Thirteen, and now Fearless Fourteen. The books are produced on audio by either Brilliance Audio or by Audio Renaissance. I caught up with Janet by phone and via email. 

JONATHAN LOWE: Hi, Janet. Started the new book tour yet?

JANET EVANOVICH: No, not yet. Soon.

LOWE: No more little mystery bookstores, this time?

EVANOVICH: I'd love to do those, but they need to have shelter and restrooms for at least 700 people, and most just can't handle that.

LOWE: There's a problem we'd all love. Remind folks of your humble beginnings. What got you started writing, and what is your background?

EVANOVICH: Well, I majored in Fine Arts in college. I was a painter. Somewhere in my late twenties I realized painting wasn't where I wanted to be and started searching out other avenues of creative endeavor...like baking chocolate chip cookies and making party dresses for my daughter. I was a stay-at-home mom and when the kids went off to school the chocolate chip cookie baking somehow morphed into trying to write a book. Previous to this my only English background was Freshman English 101. I learned to write by analyzing books I loved and hated.

LOWE: A bounty hunter is certainly more interesting than the typical sleuth. Where did your character Stephanie Plum come from? And how did you come up with the name?

EVANOVICH: I have a lot of history with Stephanies. My favorite niece was named Stephanie, and there were a lot of Stephanies in my home town. I think it's a pretty name with a lot of music to it, and I used it once as a pseudonym back when I was writing romance as Stephanie Hall. I chose Plum because it seems to go well with Stephanie, and I wanted people to think of something that was ripe and juicy. When I decided to move into crime fiction (reached menopause and had a lot more ideas about murder than about sex!) I searched around for the perfect job for my protagonist. One day I happened onto the movie Midnight Run. It's about a bounty hunter and I thought the job suited my purposes. Stephanie Plum is probably not the world's best bounty hunter, either.

LOWE: You like to keep things humorous...murder mysteries with a light touch. Is this Stephanie's modus operandi, in order to stay sane, or do you also react to tense situations with humor?

EVANOVICH: I'm one of those people always laughing at inappropriate moments. I suspect I see things at a slightly off-center point of view. I also think laughter is important. Some of my humor comes from my formative years watching I Love Lucy, and some of my humor is social commentary.

LOWE: Describe Fearless Fourteen, if you will.

EVANOVICH: There's a monkey named Carl, a kid who's a Blybold Wizard, Moonman Dunphy saves the day with his potato rocket and there's a dead guy in Joe Morelli's basement.

LOWE: Quirky, to say the least! Look forward to hearing it. How many numbers do you anticipate writing? Those Alphabet mystery novels have an end point at Z, but you can go on forever, at least in theory, can't you?

EVANOVICH: I'll continue writing as long as people keep reading. I'm contracted through book fifteen.

LOWE: Do you listen to your own audio books? What do you think of Lorelie King?

EVANOVICH: I do listen. And I love Lorelie King! She was actually my request. She'd been doing my U.K. books, and I was having a hard time finding someone to do my books in this country. The Recorded Books reader C.J. Critt does the library editions here, but she was contracted to them, and although I love her, she wasn't available. So I asked to get Lorelie. What do you think of her?

LOWE: She captures Stephanie's character very well, and does a marvelous job.

EVANOVICH: Yes, she's articulate and consistent. By the way, do you know Lance Storm? Have we ever talked about Lance?

LOWE: Not that I recall.

EVANOVICH: Well, Lance was a wrestler, and I don't know if you realize it, but Cracker Barrel plays a big part with WWF wrestlers. If you go to his website at StormWrestling.com, and read his links, he lists his favorite restaurant as Cracker Barrel.  Reason I know him is that he has a book club, and we trade off a lot of readers, and when he's in town we hang out with Lance.

LOWE: [Note: I was audio book reviewer for Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores when I first interviewed Janet.] That's a hoot. A wrestler with a book club. So who influenced you? Who are your favorite authors?

EVANOVICH: The earliest influence was Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge. They were always setting off on adventures. And of course, there was Lucille Ball. On my last book tour the book that traveled with me was Slightly Shady by Amanda Quick. Shady is a Regency romance and I love reading about the Regency period. They're comedies of manners much like the Plum books.

LOWE: Is anything going to film? Have you written any screenplays yet?

EVANOVICH: TriStar bought the rights to One for the Money, the first book in the series. I've never written a screenplay but think it might be a fun future project.

LOWE: Am trying to think of who might best play Stephanie. Ashley Judd? Cameron Diaz? Sandra Bullock?

EVANOVICH: Or maybe Anne Hathaway or Ellen Page.

LOWE: Wow, that's even younger than I imagined. A Stephanie Plum for a new generation. Now, you are truly everywhere, these days. Ever signed books overseas, and does any of this ever interfere with the writing?

EVANOVICH: Once I did a month long tour of Australia, three weeks in England, Scotland, Ireland, and then a month long tour of the U.S. The result of all that touring is that you can get behind on the writing. I love the signings and media but hate the flying.

LOWE: At this point, can you even remember being at a signing where few people showed up?

EVANOVICH: When I first started touring I had signings where no one showed up. It takes a lot of Cheez Doodles and beer to get over that sort of thing! An average signing now runs anywhere from 500 to 5,000 people.

LOWE: No more Cheez Doodles for you, then, Janet! (She now loves Butterscotch Krimpets cake).

AGE BEFORE BEAUTY

Grover Gardner

These days, beauty no longer defers to age. The opposite is true. We all seem to prize youth, and discriminate indiscriminately against those we perceive as old. We seek Botox, plastic surgery, drugs and diet pills in an effort to stave off the inevitable. To Dr. Andrew Weil, however, such a mindset is unfortunate. With his book HEALTHY AGING, Weil has become Tucson's most famous full time resident author. Appearing on the cover of Time magazine, and featured in the NY Times and on the Today show, Weil talks about aging gracefully as an option to being influenced by Hollywood's belief that if don't look under 30, you're not really alive.

Certainly Weil is himself a proponent of both traditional and alternative diet and lifestyle choices to optimize a slower aging process. On Today, Katie Couric even called him a "guru" of such. Yet as founder of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, he has talked nationwide about wellness based on diet for years, causing Time magazine to recently declare that, "No other physician has done more to shape the direction of medical education in America." This doesn't sound at all like a man dispensing questionable remedies from a desert cloister, despite his large gray beard. Maybe he just looks like a guru.   

Weil's book is indeed quite scientifically realized.  Despite its subtitle, "A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being," it parallels--in many ways--the bestsellers of Dr. Nicholas Perricone, with an analysis of the biological changes that appear on the cellular level due to stress hormones, free radicals and the natural, progressive shortening of telomeres on the ends of chromosomes. Weil even advises adopting an anti-inflammatory diet, using spices like turmeric, and eating fish like salmon. Dermatologist Perricone, meanwhile, appears on the cover of Life Extension magazine, with the head of a salmon on the plate before him. The irony here is not that both men espouse the same regimen, but rather that Weil appears to be more skeptical of an industry that exploits our desire for immortality. As Weil puts it, "I am dismayed by the emphasis on appearance in anti aging medicine."  The other irony is that he dismisses claims that real life extension is on the horizon, because "nature doesn't care about individuals, only their genes." Ironically, for sure, once you pass your immortal DNA on, nature is pretty much done with you. So where's the irony here, you ask?  Most visibly of all, salmon die soon after spawning.

As to whether there may ever be a pill that can extend human life beyond the current upper limit of 120 years, Weil cites the success of Dr. Cynthia Kenyon in her research with nematodes. It is the same scientist who inspired my own upcoming suspense novel “The Methuselah Gene,” due to the 50% increase in life span that Kenyon observed in worms known to researchers as caenorhabditis elegans. Yet despite Kenyon's gene manipulation, and the hope of the company she founded, Elixir, worms are still not humans.  (Or at least not MOST humans, although the killer who steals an experimental longevity formula in "Geezer" in order to secretly test in on a small town's residents might qualify).  

Until a real breakthrough in life extension comes, what are we to do in the meantime?  This is the question that Weil answers in "Healthy Aging," with proven science to back him up.  What distinguishes his answers from the more aggressive fad diet and exercise books on the market is his tone. This is especially evident on the audiobook version that he narrates. "Aging can bring frailty and suffering, but it can also bring depth and richness of experience, complexity of being, serenity, wisdom, and its own kind of power and grace," he says. Weil is not preaching or conducting a pep rally here.  He respects his audience.  They are, after all, not children, and what aging Americans needs now, especially in this area, is a little dignity. His advice? Live in moderation, eat a wide selection of natural whole foods, exercise regularly but not too much, touch a lot, and don't fret over those wrinkles or a few extra pounds. In this way, you will be joining good company, including even those few in Hollywood who have seen the insanity of an unwise obsession for what it is, like Jamie Lee Curtis, star of "Perfect” and “The Dorothy Stratten Story.” Or Lauren Bacall, Paul Newman, and Robert Redford. Or Colin Powell. Pair this book with "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle, another book without a trace of hype, and you have a roadmap for real peace, health, long life, and happiness.  -0-

"Live long and prosper..."

If you prefer description and characterization over choreographed special effects, then James Lee Burke's mystery masterpiece, PURPLE CANE ROAD, is your huckleberry. The plot here has no significance to anyone outside the heart and temperament of its main character, Dave Robicheaux, and the creator of that character wouldn't know a cliche if it climbed into his green turtle soup. Actor Will Patton performs this regional Louisiana story with a native and intuitive skill bordering perfection. In Purple Cane Road, Dave seeks the truth about the long ago murder of his mother, following a new lead implicating crooked cops. During his gritty and sometimes grisly hunt, he manages to learn more about his mother, and gains an identity which he can finally grasp in being her son.  In an interview, Burke told me this was the book he was most proud of writing. And Patton won an Audie award for reading Burke. (Simon & Schuster Audio)

What is the fascination people have with race horses?  I wasn't sure until I heard SEABISCUIT--AN AMERICAN LEGEND by Laura Hillenbrand.  With little time or interest in spectator sports, I found myself nonetheless riveted by the suspenseful description of the races run by this champion, an underdog with ferocious will and blinding speed who captured more news headlines in 1938 than anyone--even FDR or Hitler. The travails and games played by the owner, trainer, jockey, and the press are examined here, during a Depression era run of ups and downs all the way to a glorious victory. Actor/narrator Campbell Scott tells this amazing true story with an understated reverence, keeping out of the way as Seabiscuit threads his way through the pack to pull out in front. "See ya later, Charlie," said the jockey atop Seabiscuit to the jockey next to him, and then urged his horse for a final burst to the finish line.  The other horse was exhausted, but Seabiscuit---much like a few rare audiobooks---had power in reserve.  (Random House Audiobooks; have interviewed Laura.)

Bill Bryson has a knack for making difficult subjects understandable, even enjoyable.  In his book, A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING, the author of "A Walk in the Woods" and "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" does just that, tackling geology, astronomy, chemistry, even physics in such a way that boredom is replaced by wonder.  It's a matter of wording.  Knowing how much to include in an explanation, and where to crack the shell to get at the nut.  All the great men of science are here, too, including the patent clerk who became Time magazine's "Person of the Century," (Einstein), and the guy who invented the drip coffee maker only to die sniffing laughing gas.  So turning off the ball game does have its rewards, including the discovery that you're riding on a big blue ball weighing five million million tons, hurtling toward any number of hazards on the back 9 of the Cosmos Invitational. Your caddy, Bill, carries this bag of tricks himself, and explains each one. (Random House Audio)

GUARDIAN OF THE HORIZON by Elizabeth Peters is a historical mystery involving a missing journal and an expedition to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. The novel follows the well drawn character of Amelia Peabody and her husband Emerson as they set off to aid a friend and royal heir who's been struck down by a mysterious illness while others plot against him. As they revisit the city of the "Lost Oasis" in this established series, you'll find yourself drawn in by Barbara Rosenblat's talent at creating characters, and her uncanny ability to make each one distinct and memorable.  Peters is a two time Grand Master winner in the mystery genre, and is known for her authentic research and intricate plot twists.  So you have all the usual and unusual villains, from tomb raiders to soldiers of fortune, pitted against our intrepid explorers as Amelia once again finds herself duped and betrayed, and must deal with her unruly husband and impulsive son. It's a melodramatic, humorous and entertaining audiobook boasting historical accuracy, a command of language, and a "grand master" narrator to nail the accents. Who could ask for anything more?  (Recorded Books)

Avatar's Stephen Lang is also a narrator of audiobooks, particularly Sandra Brown's.

Interview with Nora Roberts

from the Vault: Nora Roberts has over 500 million copies of her novels in print, making her one of the most well read romance writers in history. Although primarily a romance novelist, she has also published many futuristic mystery novels as J. D. Robb. (Latest: Nightwork, Shelter in Place, and movies Carnal Innocence, Brazen, Tribute, Midnight Bayou, Northern Lights, High Noon. She is winner of a 2022 first ever Influencer Award in the category Romance.)  

Jonathan Lowe: After IRISH THOROUGHBRED you wrote IRISH ROSE and IRISH REBEL. Are you Irish yourself?

Nora Roberts: Yes. I'm Irish on both sides of my family, with some Scot thrown in. I've always had a strong connection to Ireland. When I was able to go to Ireland the first time years ago, it felt like going home.

Lowe: How surprised were you at your success? How difficult was it to establish your name?

Roberts: It was a gradual process. Selling the first book was like a miracle. I had, until that point, sought some avenue for creativity in every craft known to man. Ceramics, embroidery, sewing. I even put little flies in overalls I made my sons. How sick is that? Canning, macrame, needlepoint, baking. I had a distressing craft addiction. Fortunately writing cured me of it, and Silhouette opened a marvelous door for me.

Lowe: Do you have many male readers?

Roberts: Yes, I do. A varied and interesting base which has expanded since the Robb books were published. I got a letter from a guy who drives a rig, and habitually listens to my audios when he's on the road. He assured me he was a real guy, but that parts of JEWELS OF THE SUN had him in stitches at the truck stop. I love that. I've also seen father-daughter readers at signings. I've always had mother-daughter readers, and I love knowing my books are a bond between generations.

Lowe: How did you decide to mix the SF and romance genres in the Robb titles?

Roberts: I write quickly. That's just my natural pace. As a result, both of my publishers had considerable inventory. For some reason they refuse to publish only my books. Go figure. My agent and editors suggested I write under another name. I dragged my feet on the idea until my agent said, "Nora, there's Pepsi, there's Diet Pepsi, there's Caffeine Free Pepsi." And the light went on in my head. I could be two popular brands! So I agreed to try it if I could do something a little different. I'd had the germ of the idea for Eve Dallas years before. Tough, haunted, driven murder cop of the future. I really enjoy writing romantic suspense, and was intrigued by the idea of adding just a whiff of SF. Nothing too fanciful. Fun tech toys, societal changes, but keeping the basic human element. And I wanted to do it as a series, with continuing characters so I could develop relationships, and the romance between the man characters, over a number of books. Then Roarke walked onto the page, and the rest is history.

Lowe: What about female readers for Roarke?

Roberts: I have a lot of female readers who seem to enjoy the In Death books as much or more than the books I write under my own name. Roarke has a lot to do with that. After all, he is Roarke. And Eve seems to appeal to both men and women because she's strong, just a little dark, courageous and sexy. They're grittier, more violent books in many ways. So I've found there's considerable overlap.

Lowe: What about films, like SANCTUARY with Melissa Gilbert. Did you visit the set?

Roberts: Yes, I was able to spend a couple days--nights really--on the set in Toronto, to meet Melissa and Costas Mendaylor, the marvelous and gorgeous actor who plays Nathan. The cast and crew were wonderfully welcoming, and I had the opportunity to watch them make a hurricane. It was freezing! Cold, dark, rain machines, wind machines, lightning machines, mud. And our actors out there in shirt sleeves as this was supposed to be summer on an island off the coast of Georgia. I felt the script stayed very true to the book, to the characters and the emotions. But filmmaking convinced me to keep my job where I can stay inside and stay warm.

Lowe: Where did you find the time and determination to do what you have done?

Roberts: You don't find time. You make time. I have a fast pace--that's just the luck of the draw, like eye color. But I also have a great deal of discipline, a gift from the nuns who educated me for the first nine years of my schooling. Nobody instills the habit of discipline and the shadow of guilt like a nun. I write six to eight hours a day, occasionally on weekends as well.

Lowe: So you do overtime, and you're a fast writer to boot! How many drafts?

Roberts: I do a first draft fairly quickly. Just get the story down and don't worry about fixing or fiddling. Straight through, no looking back. Once I have that initial draft, I know my characters more intimately, know the plot more cohesively, so I can go back to page one and go through it all again, fleshing out, fixing little problems, finding where I went wrong and adjusting it, or where I went right and expanding that. Adding texture, sharpening the prose. Then I go back to page one again, for a third draft, polishing, making sure I hit the right notes.

Lowe: The hard part is in the rewrites, so true, and the initial draft is a voyage of discovery. More fun. So you have an instinct when it's ready?

Roberts: No book is perfect. I try to send in the best book I can write at the time. And I trust my editor to tell me if it can be made better.

Lowe: Now tell us about the phrase "a day without fries is like a day without an orgasm."

Roberts: (laughs) Actually, that was one of those on-line message board conversations. Just silliness. There was some discussion on one of the AOL boards about dieting and cutting out beloved yet fattening foods. Fries came up, and I happen to have a deep emotional attachment to fries, so this was my response. Some of my readers caught it, so when they established a reader web page for me, they named it ADWOFF--A Day Without French Fries. A delightful and fun site.

(Note: read my new romance "The Final Plot of Valerie Lott.")

Interview with Christina Delaine

Lowe) How did you discover voiceover?

Delaine) Kids do funny voices, but I was that weird little kid walking around impersonating John Moschitta,the fast-talking guy who did the MicroMachine commercials, and acting out whole scenes from The Wizard of Oz, doing all the different character voices. Later on, when I had gotten out of grad school for acting and was cast in a popular show in NY, I quickly realized that despite its success, pretty much everyone in the cast had a day job besides acting to make ends meet, and they spent much of their day doing things they hated so they could do this one thing they loved for a few hours a night. So I made a vow that I would never do anything other than perform to make my living. VO was a natural fit for me. I started to aggressively pursue it,and it became the way for me to support my theater habit. 

Lowe) Influences? 

Delaine) As far as audiobooks go, I’d say my heroes and strongest influences are Barbara Rosenblat and Will Patton. Barbara was my first listening experience. My mom got me Elizabeth Peter’s Amelia Peabody series, narrated by Barbara, and I was just blown away. I don’t think I could have asked for a better introduction to the art form. Barbara is a wonderful actor. Her ability to inhabit character is simply awe-inspiring, and her facility with accents and vocal characterization are unparalleled. I had no idea the breadth of acting and skill involved in audiobooks and her work just opened the door to this whole world for me. Will Patton is simply sublime. His acting is so beautiful, so effortless. He’s always so alive, spontaneous and existentially present within the text, just channeling the emotional subtext so fully. When I daydream about doing the job well and what that means, I imagine I’m the love child of Barbara and Will.

 

Fav authors and why? 

Every single author I narrate for! They pay my mortgage! Also, they picked me, and I’m a sucker for flattery! I am cheekily serious, but that’s also a hard question, and a long list. I was an English major in undergrad. My double focus was on Shakespeare and 19^th Century American Fiction, both of which I love, so Shakespeare, Hawthorne, and Irving are on the list for sure, but my tastes are wide and varied, and books are a huge part of my life. My dogs are Boo Radley, named after Harper Lee’s "To Kill a Mockingbird", and Esme, named for the title-character in "For Esmé—with Love and Squalor" by J.D. Salinger. I’m a huge fan of Stephen King, especially when narrated by Will Patton, and my guilty pleasure is any kind of apocalyptic fiction. Give me a few zombies, a plague or a post-armageddon hellscape, and I’m a happy girl. Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger series is a favorite.

What are you working on now, and what’s next?

I’m currently working on TAKE WHAT YOU NEED by Idra Novey for Penguin Random House Audio. What’s next is me taking a little time to work on children’s book I’ve been writing about my dog. Hopefully, one day, there will be an audio edition available! 

(Note: Will Patton narrates James Lee Burke, and my Rosenblat interview appears at this blog. Also, my audiobook The Final Plot of Valerie Lott drops today).

Interview with Jayne Anne Krentz

 

from the vault: Jayne Ann Krentz is the prolific author of dozens of romance bestsellers, including her latest, TRUTH OR DARE, and also LIGHT IN SHADOW, SMOKE IN MIRRORS, and SUMMER IN ECLIPSE BAY.  Writing as Amanda Quick, her newest is the excellent THE PAID COMPANION, an historical romance also on audio from Brilliance. And if two pseudonyms are not enough, Krentz also writes as Jayne Castle for Jove Books!

JONATHAN LOWE:  Welcome, Jayne. Can you tell us, what led you into writing? What is your background?

JAYNE ANN KRENTZ:  I started writing the day I realized I couldn't find enough books in the stores or in libraries that would give me the hit that I wanted from a novel.  I decided to try writing the story I wanted to read.  I'm still doing that.  My plots and characters have changed over the years, just as I've changed, but the basic themes haven't.  When I look at the books I'm writing today I can still see a lot of the same elements in my work that have been there right from the beginning . . . a focus on the importance of honor, trust and family.  As for my background, I grew up in a couple of very, very small towns.  I have a degree in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and an MA in librarianship from San Jose State University.  I worked as a librarian for a few years before I turned to writing full time.

LOWE:  Writers like Nora Roberts now tend to mix genres, and I've noticed that in "Truth or Dare" you feature a protagonist who has psychic gifts.  Besides adding suspense to romance in order to avoid sentimentality, I'm wondering which genres work best for this mix, and which you prefer to read or write?

KRENTZ:  In hindsight it's easy to see the literary influences of my youth.  I started out on horse stories, became addicted to Nancy Drew, and then discovered Andre Norton.  To this day, my favorite plots involve a combination of romance, suspense, animals and the paranormal.

LOWE:  What kind of research did you do on "Truth or Dare"?

KRENTZ:  Research is one of the most fascinating aspects of the writing process for me.  Perhaps, in part, because of my librarian background.  In the course of plotting "Truth or Dare," I learned a lot about feng shui, the ancient Chinese theory of interior design.  I also learned more than I really wanted to know about how easy it is to accidentally electrocute yourself in a backyard pool!  On a more positive note, the book provided a perfect excuse to spend a few days in Sedona, Arizona.  The town in the book is fictional, but I had the red rock country around Sedona in mind when I wrote the story.

LOWE:  Have you heard Joyce Bean read your work, and if so, what did you think of her performance?  Did she capture the characters the way you imagined them?

KRENTZ:  I think the best answer I can give is to tell you about my brother's reaction to the book.  My brother never developed the habit of reading for pleasure.  He certainly knows how to read -- he reads magazines, newspapers, tech manuals, etc.  But he never discovered the joys of reading fiction.  "Truth or Dare" was the first audio book he had ever heard.  The only reason he listened to it was because it was dedicated to him.  You should have seen the email he sent to me raving about Joyce Bean's performance!  He said she made him laugh, made him cry, and she made him want to go right out and buy another audio book!  He has since become a huge fan, not only of her work, but of audio books in general.  And now I finally know what to give him for Christmas.

LOWE:  Audiobooks are reportedly going up in sales while hardcovers are declining, I'm told.

KRENTZ:  I don't know how to interpret the statistics, but I do know that we often forget that reading fiction for pleasure is a relatively recent development in the course of human history.  Printed novels have only been around for the past couple of hundred years and they were not widely available until the last century.  But we have always known how to listen to a good story.  The talent is in our genes because it's a survival skill.  For untold thousands of years our ancestors handed down information, wisdom, warnings and advice through stories told around fires built in dark caves.  The oral tradition is the oldest tradition of all.  It is no surprise to me that audio books are enormously popular today.  Audio books also take advantage of another truly remarkable human talent, one that we often take for granted--the ability to walk and chew gum at the same time.  You can drive a truck, hop on a treadmill, clean house, or plant bulbs, all while listening to a book.

LOWE:  What is your next novel about?

KRENTZ:  My next hardcover will be out in November.  The title is "Falling Awake."  It is a novel of suspense set against the backdrop of modern dream research.  It involves all of my favorite ingredients. . .suspense, romance, a bit of paranormal stuff and, yes, a cat.

LOWE:  Do you go on book tour, and if so, what's that like for you?  Who makes up your audience?

KRENTZ:  Yes, I've been out on several tours.  They're hard work but always rewarding.  It's great to meet other people who love the same kind of books that I love.  Books provide an instant bond.  I think that, if you truly enjoy my stories, it probably means that you and I have similar world views and share similar values.  It doesn't surprise me that I have a great time chatting with the people who show up for my signings.  We're friends before I even pick up the microphone.

LOWE:  What do you do for fun?

KRENTZ:  Anyone who reads or listens to my books has probably already guessed that I love to cook.  I am also very interested in nutrition.  My husband and I eat a largely vegetarian diet with some fish added.  Cooking is the way I relax after a day of writing.  Oh, yeah, I also love to shop at Nordstroms.

LOWE:  If you have time to read, what have are reading now?

KRENTZ:  I am always reading. . .always looking for another good story.  Right now I'm enjoying Elizabeth Lowell's "Die in Plain Sight."  Great suspense and romance, plus a lot of really interesting stuff about the art world.

LOWE:  What is the strangest or most funny thing that ever happened to you?

KRENTZ:  Getting published.  Never thought it would happen and still can't quite believe that it did.  The whole concept of actually getting paid for doing something I love still blows me away.

                                                                      Ariana Grande

 

Interview with Brad Meltzer

from The Vault: Brad Meltzer is the author of six New York Times bestsellers, his seventh being THE BOOK OF LIES, narrated by Scott Brick. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School, Meltzer was once an intern on Capitol Hill, and currently lives in Maryland with his wife and son. Or Florida.

JONATHAN LOWE: Just finished listening to your new novel "The Book of Lies." Until I heard it, I was wondering how on earth you'd link up the premise about finding the first murder weapon used by Abel to kill Cain with the real life murder of the father of the creator of Superman. Congrats on an enjoyable journey of following clues bolstered by the father-son theme.  

BRAD MELTZER: Thanks. My editor asked the same question when I started.

LOWE: Am curious about your research. Did the premise arise organically from your boyhood love of comic books, and your curiosity about their authors? And how did your investigations proceed within your usual two-year time frame to write a novel?

MELTZER: Every writer has a story they've been waiting their whole life to tell. This is mine.  I know this because I first pitched The Book of Lies over a decade ago. When my first novel, The Tenth Justice, was published, my original pitch for the follow up was a story involving Cain. Exactly. My editor at the time smartly told me: “You’ve just established yourself as a bestselling author of legal thrillers. Do you really want to risk it all by suddenly switching to kooky things like Cain?” It was a moment I’ll never forget. I caved right there. I was twenty-seven years old and barely had paid off my student loans. I caved in no time at all. In fact, I set the record for caving. But it took me until now to come back to it.

LOWE: It really is still partly a mystery--the murder, and the genesis of Superman--isn't it?

MELTZER: Absolutely.

LOWE: There's a website to explore about this?

MELTZER: It’s all at bradmeltzer.com, including a video ad for the book.

LOWE: Why did you first choose to write about the Supreme Court fiction earlier, anyway? Did you have a lawyer or politician in the family?

MELTZER:  No, actually I was the first in my family to go to college, so we certainly didn't have a lawyer there. When I was in law school I found out about the Supreme Court, and what some of the clerks do up there, so the way it happened, I was daydreaming in one of my law school classes when all of a sudden like a lightning bolt or gift from God, it came to me, and I wrote on the back of my calendar the words "Supreme Court" and the word "clerk" and "book idea." And that was where "The Tenth Justice" was born. There are these nine justices on the court, and these clerks do so much work for them, with so much influence, they're called the tenth justice. So the book came from my fascination with these young people on the nation's highest court.

LOWE:  You do character sketches and a lot of research, but do you produce a full outline for every novel, or do you prefer to surprise yourself?

MELTZER:  I definitely prefer to surprise myself, but I eventually wind up with a full outline.  What I do is outline only about fifty to a hundred pages at a time. Then I write those fifty pages, and then outline another fifty. So I know where I'm going, but it allows me to makes changes over the course of the two year period it takes me to write a book.

LOWE: Scott Brick, our mutual friend, told me how enthusiastic he was in reading Book of Lies, and now, after hearing it, I can see why he would be, since he's a huge comic fan who is also narrator of your previous novels for what is now Hachette Audio. Scott told me you guys participated in a fun panel discussion at ComicCon in San Diego, too. Did you discuss Book of Lies, and were you frustrated that your novel wasn't yet released so you could sign it there?

MELTZER: I actually signed galleys there too, so was thrilled to do that. Free books are always fun.

LOWE: A couple of quotes that you used in the novel struck me as memorable, one being something about you can't see the rainbows in your soul without first seeing tears in your eyes. Another was a Buddhist quote about only losing those things which you clutch. Where did those quotes come from?

MELTZER:  Native Americans and Buddhists. They’re so darn quotable.

LOWE: I see that Dennis Kao was producer and director of the audio version. I've met and interviewed Dennis in the past, regarding how audiobooks are made, and about one of my favorite thrillers with sound effects, "The Breathtaker" by Alice Blanchard. He's worked his magic here on your book as well, with the unobtrusive Mahler and Elgar clips, and the PDF of illustrations included on the final disk. Have you heard the companion soundtrack to your audiobook?

MELTZER:  Those are directly from the soundtrack we did for Victor Records. It’s on iTunes and Amazon — and we actually scored the key chapters of the book so you can play certain chapters and hear exactly the song that conveys the emotion of that chapter.

LOWE: Scott's dramatic performance alone is reason to listen, of course. Are any of those character accents a result of your throwing him a curve ball, and do you think he batted it out of the park?

MELTZER: Scott is my hero. It’s why I actually asked him to come back and rerecord my first two books. If my name is on it, so is Scott’s. He makes me sound handsome. Plus, I’ll get him with an accent he can’t do sooner or later.

LOWE:  You wrote the movie "Jack and Bobby," about the Kennedy boys before they grew up. Is Universal doing anything with your novel "The Zero Game"?

MELTZER: Nope.

LOWE: You grew up reading comics, too, and graphic novels, like from Alan Moore and Warren Ellis and Frank Miller. Any more graphic novels of your own in the works, like "Identity Crisis"?

MELTZER: "Last Will & Testament" should be out as you read this. How’s that for service?

LOWE: What can we expect from you next time, in two years, or haven't you considered that yet? And where you going on book tour?

MELTZER: Working on the new one now.  See them all at my website. (The Lightning Rod, The Nazi Conspiracy, The House of Secrets, The President's Shadow, The Fifth Assassin, plus children's titles.) 

Interview with Barbara Rosenblat

 

from the vault: Barbara Rosenblat is one of the most prolific and talented narrators around, and a pioneer of the industry. Highly praised for her exuberance, interpretive skill, and range of dialects, she is clearly one of the finest and most listenable of performers. The possessor of many loyal fans, she lives in New York City.  She is winner of a new Audiobooks Today Influencer award.

JONATHAN LOWE: Could you tell readers, what is your background prior to your association with Recorded Books?

BARBARA ROSENBLAT: I have been an actor since leaving university, although, truth be told, you couldn't shut me up when I realized in third grade that people seemed to pay attention when I was asked to read aloud. That improved my reading skills enormously. Up until that time I only enjoyed looking at picture books. I still prefer to read slowly, and never skim as I need to
get settle on the dramatic arcs and rhythms of any new project early in the game. Anyway, after a few shows in New York I moved to the UK where my professional career took off in earnest. Since I was born in London, I had no trouble joining the union and beginning my quest for work. I started with a National tour of 'Godspell' that culminated in a 6 month run in London's West End. Then it was official, and I could get an agent and continue my career. I lived there for 14 years appearing in plays, TV, regional theatre and film and radio.

LOWE: And that led you to the business of narrating?

ROSENBLAT: Yes. London was also where I recorded my very first audiobook. I had been doing commercial voice-overs and film dubbing for years, so this seemed a natural extension of my talents. It was an awful 'Scottish-Canadian' logging romance for Harlequin Books. That was followed by a lot of young adult pulp fiction and other long narrative works. But the bulk of my 'training' in the audiobook world came when I was invited to join the stable of actors at 'Talking Books for the Blind' on my return to New York. The Library of Congress was very specific in its requirements, and I did over 200 titles for them over the years learning alot along the way. During that time, someone put me in touch with the people at Recorded Books, and after my audition, I recorded my first commercial title for them, "Jamaica Inn", by Daphne du Maurier. Lots of English and Cornish accents. . . I was in my glory.

LOWE: A natural, as they say. So, from reading in class to acting to narrating for the Library of Congress and Recorded Books?

ROSENBLAT: I suppose the career found me, since I continued to record for both places until I got my first Broadway gig. I created the role of 'Mrs. Medlock' in the Tony award winning musical, "The Secret Garden." I also served as production dialect coach and we ran for two years. The performance schedule limited my recording time during the days so I just recorded for
RB. They have always been flexible with actors' hours.

LOWE: Most people haven't even read half as many books as you’ve narrated, let alone gone through the work of narrating them. What is the process you've developed toward narrating?

ROSENBLAT: Well, there are always words and place names and snatches of melody that need researching for accuracy. You know darn well that if an obscure place name is miss-said, it will interrupt the listener's flow and we never want that to happen. Dialects and characterizations must be precise so that the listener can follow, but not so labored that you tire your
audience. It's a fine balancing act, staying true to the author's objectives at all times.

LOWE: I know you've done readings at museums and for the openings of new libraries. But you also teach people how to narrate now, too, don't you?

ROSENBLAT: I held my first Masterclass in the Art of the Audiobook here in New York City.

LOWE: Who attended the lecture, and what did they think?

ROSENBLAT: Those who attended were all professionals in other recorded mediums. They were most taken with the subtlety of this medium, and how it is married to the endurance needed to complete a long novel of many characters.

LOWE: Do you think narrating is more difficult than other kinds of acting, or is it just different?

ROSENBLAT: Narrating a novel is a completely different skill from any other acting discipline as the voice--and the voice alone--becomes the 'silver screen' for all the books intent. A successful narrator will elevate second rate material, and make the good stuff gleam in a new arena.

LOWE: Describe the experience in the studio.

ROSENBLAT: I only require five things during the recorded process. A good nights sleep, a full tummy, a comfy chair, good lighting, and fine headphones. All the rest, the studio space, the technology, the water supply, the director and engineer--these are all the purview of the publisher. You work together to make sure it is as comfortable an experience for all concerned as possible. Two hours of finished recording will take a minimum of four hours in the studio. Of course the difficulty of the material is always a factor, too.

LOWE: What genres do you most enjoy?

ROSENBLAT: I have to say, I have made somewhat of a career doing mysteries and romances. But frankly, I have done such a variety of stuff over the years that it is just easier to say that' a good book records itself and I am just along for the ride'.

LOWE: Any favorite titles you've done?

ROSENBLAT: Many. 84 Charing Cross Road, The Shell Seekers, Tortilla Curtain, Bridget Jones' Diary, The Queen and I, and on and on...

LOWE: You've won a lot of awards, particularly the Earphones awards given by Audiofile. How many are you up to now?

ROSENBLAT: Many, and The Audie Award for Best female Solo narration of Bridget Jones' Diary. That's my 'Oscar,' and I am so proud of it.

LOWE: Do you travel much between coasts?

ROSENBLAT: Some, and I did go to Hollywood to take part in a recording of 'The Dybbuk', a wonderful audio drama with Theo Bickel and Ed Asner. We won an Audie for that production.