Reading · Bookish Media · RSS Amplifier

This page did not load. You can still read it on the original site — the toolbar below keeps your place in the directory.

Elsie Silver, Teddy Hamilton, and Julia Goldani Telles break down the magic of live duet narration

The more I read, the more questions I have. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that one of the best parts of my job is getting to have some of these questions answered… A little while ago, I interviewed Elsie Silver (Author of Fever Dream), Teddy Hamilton, and Julia Goldani Telles (Narrators) about Fever Dream, and this is your official inside scoop. Ever wondered what it’s really like to record an audiobook? What makes a live duet sound so much better? How does one prepare to record an audiobook? What Teddy Hamilton is recording next?! Well, you’re in the right spot, so let’s get into things!

Elsie Silver’s newest book, Fever Dream, released today and follows Emmett Bush as the new leading man on a dating show he only agreed to do in order to save his family’s farm. Enter Julia Silva: the location consultant on set and the little sister of his most bitter professional rival. They shouldn’t like each other, but the more time they spend together, the more the lines begin to blur. Fever Dream is the first book in a brand new series called Emerald Lake.

How it all started

Not only is writing a book an incredible feat, but writing one with both readers and listeners in mind is something I will forever be fascinated by. Elsie Silver has confirmed in a past interview that she often writes with the audiobook in mind, especially if she knows who the narrator will be. She confirms she knew Fever Dream was going to be a live duet narration, and Teddy Hamilton was quickly locked in as the male narrator. This marked Teddy Hamilton’s third audiobook with Elsie Silver. He expressed a particular fondness for "cowboy westerns.

“My heart beats in the same way cowboy romances do” — Teddy Hamilton

Silver also added a Cybertruck joke in Fever Dream, specifically for Teddy Hamilton, after a Tesla joke from Wild Eyes went viral. As for the story itself, Elsie Silver notes that the farm setting in Fever Dream is her favourite part of the book. The farm and horse industry details were inspired by her time volunteering as a teenager, and she aimed to showcase the difficult reality of the horse industry.

Julia Goldani Telles was inevitably cast for the female narrator after the producer said she sounded like an “Elsie Heroine.” It was also perfect that she shared the same first name as her character. This marks Telles’ first audiobook narration after a career in film and TV. She’s always been a huge fan of audiobooks and has appreciated being in constant conversation with a story, which ultimately motivated her to record her first audiobook. She noted that the main adjustment from TV to audiobooks was learning to slow down and imagine simply talking to a friend.

Before the two set foot in the recording studio, they conducted a brief table read via Zoom. Telles also prepared with Silver—the two chatted about Julia’s character to make the recording smoother than in film and TV, where multiple shots can be taken.

The magic behind live duet narration

There are three main types of audiobook narrations:

Duet narration: Features 2 narrators performing together in the same scene. Oftentimes, the female narrator voices all female characters and the male narrator voices all male characters. The end result is a conversational feel. This is how Fever Dream was recorded.
Dual narration: The narration is split by chapter or point of view, so one narrator voices all characters for the entirety of a chapter
Single narration: One narrator voices every character and narrates the entire book

Teddy Hamilton (Emmett Bush) & Julia Goldani Telles (Julia Silva)

Teddy Hamilton confirms that the live duet narration took place in the same studio. This immediately creates a more natural feel among actors. Hamilton also notes that they can check in visually with each other, creating a sense of presence that is absent in remote recording. Elsie Silver, as a listener, noted that live narration prevents the “disjoint emotional feeling” that can occur in non-live recordings, making the final product feel like “next level” acting to the listener.

“I do know that there have been a few books that have been recorded in live-duet and I don’t think that the average listener knows why they love those books so much” — Elsie Silver

On the flip side, most dual narrations are often stitched together in a Frankenstein-like way through editing. When remotely recording or in dual narration, the narrators record alone and have to guess how the other narrator is feeling and approaching the scene. For example, both characters might have different interpretations of what it feels like to be frustrated. The emotional disconnect can be much stronger when the narrators are not always in the same room.

When it comes to crafting each character, Teddy Hamilton explains that he focuses less on vocal variations and more on finding the character's "center" and "pain.” This pain, rather than the voice, informs the “quality of their expression,” especially for characters like Emmett, who has a “cocky persona” but is secretly trying to help his family. He also highlighted Julia Telles’s reflective approach to her narration, suggesting that the character’s internal thoughts and reflection will be more impactful in the audiobook. Both narrators agreed that having the privilege of being inside the characters’ heads allows them to develop a quicker connection with Julia and Emmett.

Another added element in the live duet narration was the presence of a director, Emma Wilder. The director's role is to ensure faithfulness to the text, correct misspoken words, and guide emotional beats, such as ensuring a line intended to be whispered is delivered appropriately. Julia Goldani Telles was used to having a director on set, but Wilder’s own experience as a narrator herself allowed her guidance to offer more insight, compassion, and flexibility.

“It’s kind of like having a director who is also an actor, like you just have someone with more insight” — Julia Goldani Telles

Hamilton added that he appreciated that Wilder would "call him out" on his habits since they’ve known each other for so many years. Having Wilder in the room also allows everyone to feel comfortable during some of the intimate scenes. Telles shares her appreciation for living in the era of intimacy coordinators, which made her feel more comfortable in her previous acting roles. She also notes her admiration for the sex scenes in Fever Dream and how they didn’t feel exploitative, but instead more natural.

And if you needed more convincing to listen to the audiobook, both Hamilton and Telles confirm that any scenes involving banter and jealousy will most definitely hit harder in the audio version.

When we leaned more into the craft of narration, Julia Goldani Telles shared her difficulty in creating a grandma voice. Elsie Silver adds that not only did Telles nail the family’s voices, but she also crafted various voices for the dating show's contestants. At the end of the day, Telles’ main takeaway was don’t be afraid to “sound ridiculous” in the beginning. After nailing down the voices, she also shared that her favourite voice to craft was Catherine, a Southern contestant on the show. Elsie Silver revealed that the character is loosely based on her friend and fellow author, Catherine Cowles. In turn, Silver is loosely based on a character from Cowles, although she wanted to be a “bad guy” compared to the “good girl” of Catherine in Fever Dream.

Not only is this audiobook a duet narration, but Elsie Silver also played a part in the narrating with the reader’s note, content warnings, and dedication. She recorded it in a dark studio by herself with one sound engineer. The first part of the dedication is for readers, and the second is for her dog, who passed away while she was finishing this novel. While she had no trouble writing them, she shed tears when it was time to read them aloud. She recalls needing to read it multiple times and having to think of something completely different to get through it. Silver also acknowledges a newfound respect for narrators who have to read any sad scenes.

“It’s different saying something out loud than it is injesting words on a page.” — Elsie Silver

➡️ Do you usually prefer single, dual, or duet narration in audiobooks? Why? Does the genre of the audiobook influence your preference?

What’s coming next…

Elsie Silver: The next book in the Emerald Lake series will follow Parker and her Professor, but she is quick to note that it’s not a classic teacher-student dynamic. That relationship is how they know each other, but she’s taken the trope in her own direction. Silver also reveals that there will be some great banter in the story, as readers might expect with the hints we got in Fever Dream. Parker’s “black cat” energy shines in this story, and Julia Goldani Telles jumped into add that she has “capricorn energy".

Teddy Hamilton: Right after our interview, Hamilton was headed to record day four of Fifty Shades of Darker, a duet-style reboot of the series in which he voices Christian. The three books in the series are all written from Ana’s POV, so Teddy Hamilton’s voice only occurs during Christians dialogue.

Julia Goldani Telles: When asked if we might see another audiobook narration in her future, she was quick to say she feels like she’s just “getting started.”

a bookish newsletter written for readers, by readers <3