New Year, New Stories: January Releases 🎧✨

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here, and I’ve missed connecting with all of you.  I’ve been focusing on the work – narrating, auditioning, and honing my craft — and it’s been a full and rewarding time.  But I do think it’s important to share the stories that touch our lives, so here I am!

January brought four new releases, and I’m excited to tell you about them.

🦉 Owl Diaries

I’m so delighted to be a part of the Owl Diaries series by Rebecca Elliott, published by Scholastic Audio.  “This adorable New York Times bestselling series is now available in audio format —perfect for young readers who love friendship stories with animal characters.”  The first two books released in January, with more to come throughout the year.  What a hoot it’s been bringing these sweet characters to life!  Available wherever you get your audiobooks.  🦉💕🦉💕

Racial Justice for the Long Haul

Racial Justice for the Long Haul by Christine Jeske, published by Christian Audio, is a thoughtful exploration of bridge-building and meaningful change through honest conversations across communities. I’m honored to have narrated this one — it’s full of grace, challenge and hope.  Now available wherever you get your audiobooks.

🎸 Mother’s Hip

This month on Lightspeed Magazine Mother’s Hip by Corey Jae White and Maddison Stoff — a haunting sci-fi story about a war pilot merged with a mothership, the drone children she’s conditioned to love, and what happens when that conditioning is violently stripped away.  Years later, she’s a veteran musician playing dive bars, trying to process her trauma through song.  Navigating these two different states of being – armored warrior and broken survivor — was a beautiful challenge. This one really moved me.  🌌 Link to listen to or read the story is here.

🌙 Jennifer’s Daughter

Dropping this week on Nightmare Magazine is Jennifer’s Daughter by Sara S. Messenger.  Fourteen year old Lane is homeschooled, isolated, and living with a mother who has dangerous secrets.  When Lane secretly befriends River, a lonely boy whose father has his own monstrous truths, their fragile connection becomes the only normal thing in their lives — until the night their parents discover each other.  The tender friendship between these two kids, both drowning in secrets but desperate to feel normal, broke my heart.  Raw and deeply affecting.  🖤 Link to listen to or read the story is here.

Coming in February:  Book 4 in Jody Hedlund’s beloved Matchmaker series — more on that soon!

Thanks for being here. It feels good to be back.  💜

 

 

 

Celebrations from 2017 and Cheers to 2018!

Wishing you a wonderful 2018 – may this new year be filled with much joy, laughter, good health and your deepest dreams coming true!  As I look back on 2017, I am so grateful for the many memories, opportunities and experiences that this year brought. Here are a few of the highlights:

As an audiobook narrator, 2017 began with much excitement and the tremendous honor of receiving a 2017 Audie Award nomination in the Young Adult Category for The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough, published by Scholastic Audio and produced by Deyan Audio. The year continued at an exhilarating pace with the opportunity to form new relationships with publishers, such as Tantor Media, Brilliance Audio and Recorded Books, along with many wonderful new authors, where I had the joy of narrating a wide variety of fascinating titles.

 

As an actor, three films that I had the pleasure of working on were screened around the world! 96 Souls, a sci-fi feature directed by Stanley Jacobs, in which I play a sympathetic shelter processor, acquired worldwide distribution and began it’s nationwide theatrical release on May 26th beginning at the Laemmle Music Hall in Beverly Hills. Je Suis (i AM) a hard-hitting short film directed by Faith Strongheart made it’s theatrical debut this year at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival where it screened at the short film corner. Magdalene, a 1930s period piece film, directed by Rebecca Cremona, in which I play the lead and title character, screened in Malta this year at the Malta Film Expo!

 

On stage, I had the great joy of playing Regan in William Shakespeare’s King Lear directed by Tony Tanner at the T. U. Theatre. I was also thrilled to perform at UCLA this year as Phedre in Jean Racine’s Phedre directed by Dennis Gersten.

Farewell, 2017! It’s been an amazing year and one that I’m extremely thankful for.