BLAST, BLITZ, PROMOS, REVEALS, & TOURS . . . : Shéa MacLeod

Showing posts with label Shéa MacLeod. Show all posts

Thursday, May 23, 2019

TOUR Audio - COZY MYSTERY - THE DEATH IN THE DRINK (The Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries, #7) by Shéa MacLeod Narrator: Yvette Keller

THE DEATH IN THE DRINK

The Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries, #7

by Shéa MacLeod

Narrator: Yvette Keller

Length: 4 hours 9 minutes

Release date: August 23rd 2018

Publisher: Shéa MacLeod

Genre: Cozy Mystery

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of THE DEATH IN THE DRINK (The Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries, #7) . . . Viola has returned and all her friends including Lucas. It feels like lots of time should have past but it has not. Viola finds that she in back in the vicinity of a dead body. I not so sure that this one didn't deserve the death, but maybe not so dramatic. That type of death should be reserved for the truly nasty. Maybe I should retract that. Nasty was being to nice of a description. Being with Viola again and the trip she made down Regency lane was fun. Not funny, but fun. I enjoyed learning new things and seeing Viola out of her comfort zone. You could see growth in her character. She still is blunt and to the point. I don't want her to lose that.

Yvette has brought to life the characters and the sass of Viola will be loved through it all. The Death in the Drink showed growth in the characters and expanded the writing of MacLeod. I find that with each one I want more from Viola and maybe a real relationship commitment.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Yvette Keller. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

A local costuming guild has arrived in Astoria for a long weekend of recreating their favorite time period - the Regency. Think Jane Austen, sailing ships, high tea, a costume ball, and...a dead body.

When the guild’s nastiest member winds up dead in the drink, Viola is convinced it’s no accident. And after the husband of the deceased gets into a brawl on the front lawn of the town’s most well-known landmark, she knows something’s up. Armed with nothing more than a folding fan and her wits, she sets out to unveil the killer before somebody else winds up in Davy Jones’ locker.

Viola Roberts cozy mysteries:

The Corpse in the Cabana

The Stiff in the Study

The Poison in the Pudding

The Body in the Bathtub

The Venom in the Valentine

The Remains in the Rectory

The Death in the Drink

Shéa MacLeod writes urban fantasy post-apocalyptic sci-fi paranormal romances with a twist of steampunk. Mostly because she can’t make up her mind which genre she likes best so she decided to write them all. After six years living in an Edwardian town house in London just a stone’s throw from the local cemetery, Shéa headed back to her hometown of Portland, Oregon. She plans to live out her days eating mushroom pizza, drinking too many caramel lattes, exploring exotic locales, and avoiding spiders. Shéa is the author of the Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries and the bestselling Lady Rample Mysteries.

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Yvette Keller’s first job as a narrator was reading aloud to keep her little brother out of trouble. Her favorite party trick is reading words upside down. Little kids need to see the pictures. Yvette lives in her beloved home town of Santa Barbara, using a lifetime of vocal stamina in her home studio. She produces technical VO industrials for Mesa Steps Consulting clients in addition to audiobooks. A lifetime of reading and speaking has proven one thing: Yvette loves stories. She is thrilled to be making books accessible and engaging through her narration work.

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Viola Roberts' Top 10 Ways To Catch a Killer

Social media stalking
Identify their lawn clippings
Invite them to a seance
Pretend to buy real estate
Tackle from moving car
Hit them with a kayak oar
Jump out a window
Check their closets
Cosmetics, cosmetics, cosmetics
Slow speed car chase

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Thursday, May 16, 2019

TOUR Audio - COZY MYSTERY - THE STIFF IN THE STUDY (The Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries, #2) by Shéa MacLeod Narrator: Yvette Keller

THE STIFF IN THE STUDY

The Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries, #2

by Shéa MacLeod

Narrator: Yvette Keller

Length: 4 hours 20 minutes

Release date: May 17th, 2017

Publisher: Shéa MacLeod

Genre: Cozy Mystery

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . THE STIFF IN THE STUDY (The Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries, #2) . . . Viola's back. She brings her nose of the truth and protecting her friends. This too was another quick mystery that almost get Ms. Roberts killed, yet again. I still feel like Yvetter Keller does a fab job with the narration. She has it in the bag. Her voice matches the cozy mystery vibe. The story gives you a glimpse at Viola her writing or lack of writing her new book, her boyfriend or not, her friends, her life at home (Astoria, OR), the detectives without a clue, and much more.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Yvette Keller. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Viola Roberts is at it again! The sleepy seaside town of Astoria, Oregon is the last place you'd expect to find a dead body. That is until the director of the local museum turns up dead in the study and Viola's friend, Portia, is accused of the crime. Viola ignores her looming deadline and bout of writer's block and sets out with her best friend, Cheryl, to solve the murder. From starting riots at local dive bars to breaking into crime scenes, Viola will stop at nothing to prove Portia innocent even if it means putting herself in the cross-hairs of the killer.

The Corpse in the Cabana

The Stiff in the Study

The Poison in the Pudding

The Body in the Bathtub

The Venom in the Valentine

The Remains in the Rectory

The Death in the Drink

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Q&A with Yvette Keller, Narrator of The Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries

When did you know you wanted to be an audiobook narrator?
- I always wanted to get paid to read books. But how was always the question. Who pays other people to just read books? I “made do” with a career teaching people stuff from books, making technical training videos, and speaking in front of audiences. At some point, enough people said to me, “Hey, why don’t you narrate audiobooks?” that I started believing it might be possible.
How did you wind up narrating audiobooks? Was it always your goal or was it something you stumbled into by chance?
- I’d been asked several times whether I was an actor or a voice over pro and I always said, “No, I’m just a corporate trainer.” But (secretly) I took some classes and researched low-cost options for my self-published author friends. When I read the Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries, I contacted Shea immediately: “I feel like you wrote these books FOR ME. Can I (pleasepleaseplease) narrate them?” Narrating satisfies two dreams: Getting paid to read books AND supporting fantastic indie authors!
Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
- Honestly, I started out listening to audiobooks that I suspected I wouldn’t like. By that I mean books that I worried would not hold my interest. I figured that listening to them while I drove, washed dishes, or pulled weeds meant I wasn’t “wasting” my time. I’ve since realized that only certain books work for me as audiobooks: Literary books with rich language and deep themes frustrate me as audiobooks - I want to read the words myself. On the other hand, action adventure novels, mysteries, and autobiographies (read by author is my favorite) are wonderful companions to have pouring in through my ears. Now I’m addicted and convinced that audiobooks make chores go faster.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook?
- My favorite part is knowing I’m contributing to accessibility: By making the story come to life in an audio format, someone who can’t read the book can listen to it instead. Whether that is someone with a disability or just someone who doesn’t have the time to read, I’m expanding the reach of fun stories. My least favorite part is the “producer” role. Editing, mastering, and to some extent marketing the books all take time away from reading another book and bringing more books to the audience.
Is there a particular genre you feel unsuited for? Have you ever declined a project because you didn’t think you were right for it?
- My primary training is not as an actor, so I’m unsuited for anything that I personally would never read. That means if you have a blood-soaked thriller, or a gory true-crime book, or a horror novel, sorry, but I’m not available.
How closely do you prefer to work with authors?
- As close as possible! An an independent producer, I’m really providing a service to the author. I want them to be ecstatic when they hear their book! That means I take advantage of whatever time they offer me to get background on characters, making sure I pronounce things correctly.
Do you read reviews for your audiobooks?
- Yes! I love interacting with reviewers and fans, especially through Goodreads. This is super-natural to me because I was an instructor and facilitator for so many years. Back then the “learner” or “client” really mattered to me; I wanted to be a great trainer or facilitator so they met their goals. Now, I want to be an amazing narrator so that listeners are entertained. If they provide feedback about what they like (or hate) about my performance, I appreciate that they took the time and effort to share that with me. I’m super grateful!
If so, which ones stand out to you most, positive or negative?
- All reviews are one data point; one lister’s feedback. What stands out is when a group of reviewers will leave the same feedback. For example, I gather fans really like my pace and the fact that I keep the voices consistent across all the books. Sadly, negative reviews are rarely constructive. “I didn’t like it,” or “I don’t recommend this,” isn’t helpful to me. Negative ones *might* stand out if they included why something hit them wrong way, but without that, the review isn’t actionable - I can’t learn from it, so I move on.
Bonus question: Any funny anecdotes from inside the recording studio?
- I’ve been told since Kindergarten that I am an “outstanding” reader. By then I was reading Cajun Night Before Christmas in a Creole dialect, and mimicking the Southern accents of my friend’s mom. I was a kid-actor and participated in theater all through school. In college, I was taking an intensive, 6-week class where we only read Moby Dick. One of the best compliments that stuck with me came from the Dean of American Studies, who said one day after class, “You are one of the few truly great readers of Moby Dick.”

THE CORPSE IN THE CABANA

THE STIFF IN THE STUDY

THE DEATH IN THE DRINK

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Thursday, May 9, 2019

TOUR Audio - COZY MYSTERY - THE CORPSE IN THE CABANA (The Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries, #1) by Shéa MacLeod Narrator: Yvette Keller

THE CORPSE IN THE CABANA
The Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries, #1
by Shéa MacLeod
Narrator: Yvette Keller
Length: 4 hours 47 minutes
Release date: August 29th 2016

Publisher: Shéa MacLeod
Genre: Cozy Mystery

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . THE CORPSE IN THE CABANA (The Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries, #1) . . . What fun to be heading to a convention for work and find that you are involved in a mystery? How far will you go to get yourself out of trouble? Would you do the same for a friends? I loved Viola. She was fun, quirky, smart, almost clueless, except for when she was very on the money. The narrator Yvette Keller had the voice that made this cozy mystery just flow and jive with me. I am looking forward to the next one.

This was a quick, fun, light, sassy read/listen. Viola had a good friend, a job she loved, and three men (one she did know, one too young, one a stick in the mud).

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Yvette Keller. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Sassy, snarky Viola Roberts quit her boring accountant job to pursue her dream of writing novels, even if it meant eating ramen noodles every day. Now that her career has taken off, she's headed to a writers' conference at an exotic Florida resort complete with white-sand beaches and swaying palm trees, where she plans to lounge in the shade drinking frosty beverages with little umbrellas. And, of course, no sojourn to tropical climes would be complete without her boozy, wise-cracking best friend, Cheryl.

When Viola discovers the diva of the author world dead (as a doornail) of unnatural causes, the police immediately consider Viola their prime suspect. But when the head detective turns a gimlet eye on Viola's best friend, the author has had enough! Along with help from hunky fellow writer Lucas Salvatore, Viola is determined to ascertain who killed the corpse in the cabana before she or Cheryl winds up in jail. Or worse.

Viola Roberts cozy mysteries:

The Corpse in the Cabana

The Stiff in the Study

The Poison in the Pudding

The Body in the Bathtub

The Venom in the Valentine

The Remains in the Rectory

The Death in the Drink

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Q&A with Shéa MacLeod, author of The Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries

How did you select your narrator?
- In the case of the Viola Roberts books, Yvette is a long-time friend and historical costuming buddy. Working with her was natural and fun.
How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process?
- We definitely went over pronunciations and character tips, but for the most part, I just let her do her thing. And she knocked it out of the park.
Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
- Always, yes. The Corpse in the Cabana was inspired by my own trip to a writer conference in Florida. Only in real life there weren’t any dead bodies.
How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
- Take time out to enjoy life. Travel. Experience the world. It not only recharges me, but provides so much inspiration.
What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
- You probably don’t want to know what I think about people who say snide things about what other people love. “Listening” exercises a different part of your brain than “reading” with your eyes, but a story is a story is a story. Either way you still have to activate your imagination. And whatever format you choose to read (or listen) to, that’s fantastic! Not everyone has the time or ability to sit down and read a physical or ebook.
What gets you out of a writing slump? What about a reading slump?
- I just keep writing. Maybe write something different and new. Reading slump? What’s that?
If this title were being made into a TV series or movie, who would you cast to play the primary roles?
- Melissa McCarthy would play Viola Roberts. She’s who I had in my head when I was writing. Any time I was stuck, I would say to myself, “What would Melissa McCarthy do?”
Have any of your characters ever appeared in your dreams?
- Yes. Lady Rample came to me in a dream. Which is why that series now exists.
How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
- The same way Viola would: With a glass (or two) of red wine.
What’s next for you?
- This year, I’ll be turning the Lady Rample Mysteries into audiobooks and starting a brand new cozy mystery series set in the 1940s.