Audio, you say? Get to know Krista Nicely

UPDATE: We are squeaky clean close to getting the audio finished! It should be this week! Don't be a stranger...

The audio narration begins today for "I Walked With Jesus: New Testament Stories of Faith and Healing From the Least of These."

Krista Nicely

Get to know Krista Nicely!

How long have you been narrating books? What do you enjoy the most about it?

I have been narrating books for a little over 3 years.  One of the things I enjoy most about narrating is the opportunity to be all the characters - the hero, the villain, the odd minor character or creature, both males and females, from the young boy to the elderly grandmother.

What is your favorite genre to narrate?

I don’t necessarily have a favorite genre. I do enjoy narrating books with an engaging story, interesting, dynamic characters. I also love a good challenge - such as learning to pronounce a few Finnish words for one book.

What is the trickiest part of narrating, perhaps something you have learned through practice?

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For me, one of the biggest challenges has been consistency - pacing and voice -  as narrating a single book can take anywhere from several days to weeks. When I get in my studio in the morning, which is when I typically record, I listen to some of the last recording and even read along with myself for a bit. This can help me feel the pacing as well as hear and in a way feel the placement of my voice.  This practice can help with maintaining a consistent sound from chapter 1 to the final chapter of a book.

If you could advise an author just starting in working with a narrator, what would it be? What advice would you give to a narrator just starting out?

Two things come to mind. First, make sure your book is ready for narrating and that it has been professionally edited. As a narrator, I work hard to ensure that I read the written manuscript exactly as written - preferably without errors. Also, a well-edited book is much easier to read.  And with that in mind, I would suggest that authors read their book out loud to themselves. Doing this will help them to hear the text and notice if dialogue sounds natural or awkward or even if there is a word that is overused.

Why did you decide to take on Kathryn's book?

I am always up for trying something new! This book is different from other audiobooks I have done in that it is a series of stories from the New Testament rather than a novel. Kathryn’s retelling of the stories and providing a possible backstory for familiar figures of the Bible interested me. I thought it would be a fun challenge.

Thank you, Krista!