Tag Archives: audiobook

Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Linear – Sober Spirituality Releases on Audio!

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FinalThis week a really beautiful book released into the world, that I’m so happy to celebrate – Sober Spirituality  by Erin Jean Warde.  I had the honor and joy of narrating this audiobook for Christianaudio, and what I found to be especially moving about Sober Spirituality, is Warde’s transparency as she candidly shares the journey that she took, as an Episcopal priest, to stop drinking.

Through personal stories, and supporting scriptural text, Warde illustrates that healing doesn’t have to be linear.  That on our road to recovery, there isn’t just one way, or the highway.  Our recovery is usually a series of “another day one…” and in Warde’s case, her road to sobriety involved many day ones that consisted of –  stop drinking, then start drinking again, then stop, then start again, stop … etc.  But within each of these moments lies the sweet spot – that recovery isn’t final – its fluid.  It’s constantly changing, flowing and moving.

Our healing (whether it be in our relationship with alcohol, our low self-esteem, or another area where we might need healing in) doesn’t have to follow a straight line.  What worked for some –  or many –  may not work for you and I – and that’s OK.  Recovery and healing isn’t usually neat and tidy.  More often than not, it’s downright messy, it’s spit and dirt (see John 9) and involves one step forward,  many steps back, then another step forward – until suddenly – we are at a new place.  We look around in amazement and see just how far we’ve come.  And in this new place, we can celebrate the joy that can be found in that moment, wherever that may be, knowing that our journey is ever-evolving, ever unfolding and always fluid.   And within that fluidity there is healing, and beauty and hope.  And hope does not disappoint.

Sober Spirituality is now available in print and on audio at Audible and Amazon.com.

The McQuaid family saga continues as FALLING FOR THE COWGIRL releases on audio!

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cowboy4-WPFeature-300x224Colorado Territory.  June 1869.  A young woman disguised as a man.  A bounty hunter hiding his identity.  A dangerous war criminal pretending to be one of South Park’s own.  A love that will no longer be denied.  This ain’t no ordinary rodeo, folks – this is Colorado Cowboys, Book Four.  So excited to celebrate the audiobook release of Falling For The Cowgirl written by Jody Hedlund and published by Tantor Audio!

This fourth installment in the McQuaid family saga was so much fun to narrate!  I have adored the character of Ivy McQuaid since we first met her in book one,  and Falling For The Cowgirl centers squarely on the romance between Ivy McQuaid and Jericho Bliss, a romance that has been steadily gaining speed until it can no longer be contained.

Ivy McQuaid is no ordinary heroine … she’s a tomboy through and through, peppered with a whole lot of sass, and known as foolish, and impulsive and wild.  Paired with handsome, no-nonsense Jericho Bliss, a cowhand turned bounty hunter, sparks fly whenever these two get around each other.

Book four opens with Ivy, now almost nineteen, disguised as a man, in the middle of a cowhand competition – or what would be known today, as a rodeo. The problem is, it’s 1869 and women are not allowed to participate in this type of competition.  Never one to let a little detail like this stop her, Ivy disguises herself as a young school teacher, under the alias of Buster Bliss.  So far so good. This plan is working great.  That is … it was – until she spots her childhood infatuation, Jericho Bliss, at the competition.  Holy Saint Peter.  Ivy hasn’t seen Jericho for almost two years, not since he left town and took her heart with him … again.

Meanwhile, Jericho is also pretending to be someone he’s not.  Currently undercover as a bounty hunter, he’s tracking a dangerous war criminal, whom he suspects is hiding in South Park.  Things heat up a might when Jericho and Ivy’s eyes meet after she almost plunges to her death in a Roman-style riding competition!  Realizing he’s recognized her, and unable to take the risk of Jericho blowing her cover, Ivy quickly exits stage left, grabs her horse and hightails it out of there, hoping to escape a meeting with Jericho.  There is never any escaping, where Jericho is concerned, however … probably why he’s such a great bounty hunter!  He’s fuming at what almost happened to Ivy and chases after her with the intent of giving her a piece of his mind for putting herself in such danger.  But that’s the funny thing about the mind … it can quickly be overtaken by the heart.  And this love – a love that has been vehemently denied by both parties for years – well … it might finally, and ultimately, have its way …

Falling For The Cowgirl is now available on audio at Audible and Amazon.

Five-Part Invention Wins an Earphones Award!

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5-part-invention-WPFeature-300x224Earlier this year one of the most beautiful, moving, and heart-stirring books came across my desk.  A book that I couldn’t put down, one that moved me to the core, and one that I was so happy to be a part of, as one of five narrators for Dreamscape Media.  This book is Five-Part Invention, and it is the debut novel of extraordinary writer,  Andrea J. Buchanan.  This morning, happy news started the day when I learned that this exquisite book, has just won an Earphones award!

Thank you so much, AudioFile Magazine for taking the time to listen to, review and for awarding Five-Part Invention with the wonderful honor of receiving an Earphones Award.  Huge congratulations to Andrea J. Buchanan, Erick Black and Dreamscape Media, and to my immensely talented co-narrators, Elizabeth Wiley, Jayme Mattler, Jackie Meloche and Jane Oppenheimer.  It’s an honor and joy to be in your company!  Heartfelt thanks to Erick Black for casting me as Anna – a character that will forever remain in my heart.

I have included the text of the review below, as well as included a link to AudioFile Magazine’s review, here –  incase you prefer to check out the review on line.  Also – please do check out this book – either on Audio, or in print.  You can find Five-Part Invention on Audible or at Amazon. com.

Here’s the review!

FIVE-PART INVENTION

Earphones Award Winner

by Andrea J. Buchanan | Read by Elizabeth Wiley, Jayme Mattler, Susan Hanfield, Jackie Meloche, Jane Oppenheimer

Fiction • 14.25 hrs. • Unabridged • © 2022

Buchanan’s debut novel unfolds like a symphony as it examines the impact of trauma on five generations of women. Five talented narrators breathe life into these complicated survivors. Elizabeth Wiley, as Lise, the matriarch, has an immigrant’s accent as she reveals her traumatic truth to her adult daughter, Anna, through a letter that weaves through the stories of her descendants. Susan Hanfield’s Anna mourns the mothering she missed in her childhood while mothering Pauline, the girl she is raising as her own. Jane Oppenheimer portrays Pauline’s neediness as she struggles to feel connected. Jayme Mattler spotlights Hope’s curiosity and insightfulness as she spends spring break with the grandfather she never knew. Jackie Meloche delivers Zoey’s self-acceptance as love triumphs over trauma. N.E.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2022]

Trade Ed. • Dreamscape • 2022

https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/Read/218472

Five-Part Invention 🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼 New Audiobook Release From Dreamscape!

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In music, the word invention (n.) is defined as:  a short keyboard composition featuring two- or three-part counterpoint.  

Five-Part Invention, is the gripping debut novel from New York Times bestselling author, Andrea J. Buchanan, that is now available for listening on Audible.  I’m so grateful to have been a part of this incredibly beautiful project!  I had the honor and privilege of voicing Anna, one of the five protagonists, in this exquisite saga spanning five generations of women that “wrestles with the question – if trauma echoes through generations, can love echo, too? Is the love we transmit enough to undo the trauma of the past that we unwittingly carry with us and often re-enact in the present?” (Publisher Summary) 

Five-Part Invention begins with Lise, in the form of a letter written to her daughter Anna, in an attempt to explain, and to try to undo, the estrangement that she has had with her daughter, from the moment Anna was born.  This first invention sets the stage for this riveting multigenerational story.  Buchanan then skillfully shifts the lens to shine a light on each of her five protagonists’ lives, told from their perspectives.  Here we are introduced to Lise, Anna, Pauline, Hope and Zoey, all written so exquisitely and vividly, and in such a way, that is not only immediately captivating, but all at once, immersive.  Buchanan places each of these five extraordinary women in their specific eras, allowing each counterpoint to ring out clearly in their own unique voice, as they transparently share their story, their struggles, their search for identity, and their ultimate journey to self-love, all the while answering the question …

Is the love we transmit enough to undo the trauma of the past?  

Heartfelt thank you to Dreamscape Media, for casting me as Anna, and for inviting me to be a part of this truly special project.  To my incredibly talented co-narrators –  Elizabeth Wiley (Lise), Jane Oppenheimer (Pauline), Jamie Mattler (Hope), and Jackie Meloche (Zoey) –  what an honor and joy it is to be in your company. 

Five-Part Invention is now available in print and on Audio at audible.com and amazon.com.

The Heart of a Cowboy – Colorado Cowboys, Book 2 – is now on Audio!

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Council Grove, Kansas.  May 1863. An icy cold river. A near drowning. Bandits. Horses. Wagons. A brilliant Botanist.  A brave Cowboy. A Bodyguard.  Get ready – this new historical romance literally starts off with a splash!  As in the rushing water splash … of the unforgiving Neosho River.

I couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate the audiobook release of Book 2 of the Colorado Cowboys: The Heart of A Cowboy, written by the extraordinary Jody Hedlund, and published by the wonderful team at Tantor Audio. 

We first meet botanist Linnea Newberry in the river. Drowning. Literally. She’d been perched on the back of a covered wagon headed for Colorado Territory, completely immersed in her study of a southern cattail, Typha domingensis.  In the midst of her analysis, her wagon hits a large stone in the river bed and she is unceremoniously thrown into the rushing water of the Neosho River.  The current is strong from recent rains, and the muddy water immediately drags her under, aided by the weight of her heavy muslin skirt and petticoats.  Luckily for her, a lone rider is nearby and he and his sorrel horse waste no time, plunging into the river, in an attempt to pluck her from the river’s cold claws.  

The lone rider is a cowboy by the name of Flynn McQuaid.  We’ve met Flynn before. He made his first entrance at the end of Colorado Cowboys, Book 1:  A Cowboy for Keeps, when he receives a letter from our hero in the first book, Wyatt McQuaid, pleading for his brother to come out west with their younger siblings, to where Wyatt promises them a new life.  

Back at the river, once Linnea is rescued from the brink of death by Flynn, Linnea’s grandfather, who is lead scientist, hires Flynn to act as his granddaughter’s bodyguard, unbeknownst to Linnea, for the rest of their botanical expedition in order to ensure her safety.  Flynn is on his own expedition, albeit begrudgingly, driving Wyatt’s cattle across the Sante Fe trail.  He is desperate to provide a better life for his younger siblings and even though the last thing he wants is Wyatt’s help, he knows he needs to do something to start over and maybe, hopefully, he can finally start to dislodge the oppressive load of guilt that hangs heavy on his shoulders. He needs to get his life together and the last thing he wants, or has any time for, is romance. 

But hey, that’s perfectly fine because Linnea doesn’t have romance on her mind, either! Not in the least.  Linnea is desperately trying to make a name for herself as a respected and revered botanist, in a time where women were still not being taken seriously in the science world. The last thing she wants to do is get sent back home, or worse – fall in love and get off track. Oh no.  Her career is the only thing on her mind. 

However, sometimes our minds and our hearts aren’t always in agreement and when Flynn reluctantly accepts the charge to become Linnea’s bodyguard, an entirely new expedition … of the heart, ensues.

The Heart of a Cowboy is now available on Audible and Amazon. 

 

Wonder Dogs: True Stories of Extraordinary Assistance Dogs – Releases on Audio!

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“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

Meet Tucker.  Not only is he adorable, but he is also one of the many extraordinary Wonder Dogs in this beautiful and inspiring new book – Wonder Dogs: True Stories of Extraordinary Assistance Dogs written by Maureen Maurer, with Jenna Benton.

We first meet Tucker when he arrives at the Kahului Airport in Maui, just in time for Christmas. Tucker is the newest addition to the ohana (family) of “heroes in training” at the Assistance Dogs of Hawaii.  At this point in Wonder Dogs, it has been five years since Maureen took a leap of faith and sold her CPA practice, in order to follow her childhood dream of training dogs to assist people with disabilities.  

As we move through each chapter of Wonder Dogs, Mo introduces us to a new “hero in training” along with the incredible individual, that they will be paired with.  The person in need of an assistance dog, may be a child, or an adult and their disabilities range from limited mobility to severe.  As we learn about each of these incredible dogs and their courageous partners, we see lives change, a newfound quality of life emerging that had never before been dreamed possible, and a bond of friendship formed, that will last a lifetime. The journeys that both of these heroes embark upon, is not only extraordinary – but will leave your heart forever changed, and so full.

This book has truly been one of the most encouraging, uplifting and moving books that I have ever had the pleasure of narrating.  Heartfelt thanks to the wonderful team at christianaudio for inviting me along on this extraordinary journey. I couldn’t be more grateful. 

If you, or someone you know, is in need of a special assistance dog, or you would like to help make it possible for more Wonder Dogs to help children and adults with disabilities, and other special needs, please visit ADH/ADNW’s websites at assistancedogshawaii.org or assistancedogsnorthwest.org.

Wonder Dogs: True Stories of Extraordinary Assistance Dogs is now available across all platforms, and can be found on Audible and at Amazon.com

Check out History Channel’s The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch – Season 2, Episode 2

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use this historyLocated in Utah, there is a ranch that has been considered a hot spot for UFO and paranormal activity for more than two hundred years.  Encompassing approximately 512 acres, at the center of the Uintah Basin, is a place called Skinwalker Ranch.

I first learned about Skinwalker Ranch when I was approached by author and researcher Ryan Skinner, back in 2015, in regards to recording his book, Skinwalker Ranch: The Path of the Skinwalker.  Most recently, Ryan and I collaborated again on his latest book The UFO Farm, which takes a deep dive into Ryan’s personal encounters in and around the ranch, as well as the documented interviews of many others who have also experienced first-hand, the unexplainable and often frightening phenomena, known to occur at Skinwalker Ranch.

The interest in Skinwalker Ranch continues to gather momentum, and now you can get even closer to this mysterious ranch, from the safety of your living room, via the History Channel Original Series: The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch.  In this gripping new series, real estate tycoon, Brandon Fugal, is joined by a top notch team of dedicated scientists, investigators, researchers and experts, who work to uncover the mystery that lies between the natural elements of the ranch, and the vast unknown.  New episodes drop Tuesdays at 9/8c. This week on The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch, Season 2, Episode 2,  author/researcher Ryan Skinner, makes a special appearance as a guest investigator.  In this episode, Ryan uncovers a never before seen sight at the ranch, which could help unlock a piece of this ever evading puzzle.

The UFO Farm,  it now available in print and on Audio at Audible.

Stay safe – and remember – if you’re traveling late at night on I-70, southwest of Fort Duchesne . . . watch out for those orbs!

Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting – Now on Audio!

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031921-slider-yourlifeiswaiting-1000x391_crop (1)“To everyone one of us who finally … maybe… possibly … believes they have the right to perpetual happiness, beginning now.” – Lynn Grabhorn. 

Releasing today on audio is Lynn Grabhorn’s insightful book, Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting: The Astonishing Power of Positive Feelings. 

I had the pleasure of narrating this profound book for Dreamscape Media, and to say it changed the way I now think … or rather feel … would be putting it mildly.  In Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting, Grabhorn outlines practical, clear steps to help us tap into our feelings, so that we can begin living the abundant life that was truly meant to be ours. 

In our day to day lives, it’s easy to get bogged down in the weeds by negative or worrisome thoughts. In Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting, Grabhorn invites us to start paying attention to how we’re feeling on a day to day basis, sharing that, it is only once we get in touch with our feelings, that we can then begin to see how our feelings have either, positively or negatively, been affecting our everyday life. 

The first step that Grabhorn encourages us to take, is to identify what we are currently thinking about and the things that we don’t want.  From here, step two inspires us to identify what we DO want.  In step three, we begin to get into the feeeeeling place of what we DO want.  Step four, motivates us to expect, listen and allow it to happen.  Grabhorn shares that once we actively take these four steps, we begin to live our lives in a happier, higher vibration of energy. Because we are now operating from that higher place, we soon notice our “worries, concerns, doubts and fears slowly start to move from a constant ever-present little hum to an uncommon occurrence in a matter of weeks.”   We begin to feel more encouraged, we start to dream again, we go through our day feeling more optimistic, and ultimately we become more connected to our inner being and the world around us. From here, we begin to move into that happier, more content place – the place, that we were always meant to live in.   

Excuse Me Your Life is Waiting is available in both the Expanded Study Edition, as well as the regular edition, and can be found on Audible, Amazon and across all platforms.  

Jody Hedlund’s A COWBOY FOR KEEPS Releases in Print & on Audio!

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Colorado Territory. August 1862. Horses. Romance. A Stagecoach Robbery. A Mail-Order Bride. A Handsome Cowboy. Whoa.

I couldn’t be more excited to celebrate the print and audiobook release of Jody Hedlund’s new book – A Cowboy For Keeps: Colorado Cowboys, Book 1.

Already a fan of Hedlund’s wonderful writing, it was such an incredible joy and honor to narrate A Cowboy For Keeps, published by the amazing team at Tantor Audio. 

A Cowboy For Keeps begins with a bang . . .  pun intended! We dive in from the get-go with a stagecoach robbery in progress, where we are introduced to the beautiful and strong-willed heroine, Greta Nilsson, who is traveling to Colorado as a mail-order bride.  Greta did not become a mail-order bride on a whim. This wasn’t a romantic notion. She has thought long and hard about this, has saved and planned. Greta’s eight year old sister, Astrid, suffers from consumption, and it was thought, during this time in history, that wide open spaces in the country could offer relief, and possibly extend the lives, of those who were struck with this illness. The only way Greta can think of, to help Astrid, is to offer herself as a mail-order bride to a wealthy man, who could provide for her and Astrid. However, things do not go as planned. At the hands of bandits, Greta loses every penny of her savings, only to then discover, that the man she’s come west to marry . . . is dead.  Jobless, penniless, with an ill sister, and knowing no one, Greta has to make a decision and quickly.

Enter Wyatt McQuaid. A handsome cowboy.  Wyatt wants to start a cattle ranch but he doesn’t have the money needed to get the ranch up and running.  The mayor, who has promised to help Greta, offers Wyatt the most unlikely of bargains. He will invest in the cattle Wyatt needs for his ranch. . . on one condition – that Wyatt help the town become more respectable, by getting married. And the mayor just happens to have the perfect bride in mind . . .

A Cowboy for Keeps is now available at Audible or on Amazon.