Meet THE STARGAZER's awesome audiobook narrator, Erin Lin

In the days leading up to my book launch, I wanted to refresh my memory of my own novel to better talk about it on the road. Yes, I know that I wrote it, but it’s been a minute since I’ve actually read the whole thing cover to cover. The calamities of the Starbuck clan have not been top-of-mind because I’ve been busy writing book #3. And then the team at Park Row sent me the link to the STARGAZER audiobook, and I was intrigued.

Confession: I’m not a huge audiobook fan. I will listen to a memoir or a podcast as I take a walk or go on a long drive, but I prefer to hold fiction in my hands, curled up on the couch. And, when it comes to my own work, that instinct to not listen grows even stronger, because these are my words that I’ve carried around for years in my head. It’s personal. There’s something odd about hearing a voice actor speak my prose back to me, which is why (second confession) I didn’t even listen past the first page of DAUGHTERS. I guess it’s like actors who can’t watch their own films?!

But, a few things are different with STARGAZER. For one, in the three years since DAUGHTERS came out, audiobooks have grown exponentially in popularity. A lot of readers prefer audiobooks, while another segment of the reading population will read one book while listening to another, so that they always have two books going at any given time. Others will toggle back and forth with one novel, experiencing the story simultaneously two ways. Readers recommend not only books these days, but audiobooks, as in “I loved that listen!” A strong audiobook can help an author find — and expand — her readership.

Secondly, STARGAZER is told in omniscient narration, meaning that I am working with a big cast of characters, and the actor needs to distinguish between a lot of different voices, making this novel particularly challenging to narrate well.

Thirdly, although I got to select Erin Lin from a list of six actors, I never heard her narrate a sample of my own work before she recorded it. Instead, I was given short clips of her and others reading other books and had to imagine how they would sound narrating everyone from my main character, 18-year-old Nantucketer Winnie Starbuck, to Zander Washington, the helmsman of Stargazer, an escaped slave living on the run at sea. My husband, Brett, who casts actors in commercials and voiceovers, helped me decide on Erin, pointing out that her voice had energy. (Another thing that resonated with me? On Erin’s website, she says that, as a child, she read aloud to her little sister and acted out all the parts. Awwww! ;))

Once Erin was cast, she reached out via Instagram to tell me how excited she was to narrate STARGAZER. In particular, she said that she hoped I liked the voice she created for Chin. This wasn’t something I had even considered as I wrote the book, and now I was like…what does Chin sound like?

So I had a mission: I had to listen up to the part where the Chinese cabin boy, Chin, first speaks aloud, at the end of chapter two.

Spoiler alert: I was hooked from page one, and I adore the distinct and cute voice Erin created for Chin in chapter two, and I cried at the end of the novel. My own novel! In which I know the ending. I listened to the prologue and was like….oooo, this is a great story! I was so entertained. I couldn’t wait to hear what happens next, even though I know what happens next! Erin adds drama to the drama. Not only has this been an extremely fun way to re-read the novel before book tour, but it has provided me with a nuanced and expanded sense of the power of storytelling.

Publishing can be lonely. But Erin knows the story almost as well as my editor and I do, which makes me feel like we are in this together.

Fun fact: Erin had trouble pronouncing one particularly important word in the book pertaining to the Starbuck diamond, a piece of jewelry I invented for Nell. Press play below to hear this sort of hilarious audio as Erin messes up the word “brooch” over and over again in the recording studio. (She’s a good sport to share this file with us!)

I asked Erin to be a part of this newsletter, so here are a few other fun facts told in her voice:

• My first job ever was as a telemarketer. That was also one of the first times I was told I had a ‘nice voice,’ although it was kind of creepy since it happened during a cold call.

• Ironically, I’m a little bit scared of being out on the water. First time I ever set foot on a ship was with Carnival Cruises. I didn’t realize I was deathly afraid of the ocean until we left the port. They had to stop orientation just for me because I started crying from panic (I think I was 14? lol). I’m better now and have been on a yacht and catamaran since, but that was not a fun way to figure that phobia out.

• I spent 10 years in sales and built my acting portfolio from the ground up. I'm full time VO now though! I’m fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese. I can also get by narrating short phrases in Japanese, Korean, French and Italian.

• Julie packs a ton of diversity into this book and I had an absolute blast performing all the characters. When I was a newbie narrator, I auditioned for a book that asked for a British accent. The author (who was a London native) picked me (YAY) and then asked me where in England I was from. I told him I was actually American. He ended up rescinding his offer cause he wanted a genuine Brit...so I guess it was a compliment and an insult at the same time??

• There's a ton of sailing terminology [in STARAGZER] and the word studding sails really messed with my head since it's pronounced STUN-suhl.

• I don’t drink coffee, more of a tea gal.

And, since my main characters, the Starbucks, made their fortune selling tea, a tea gal was exactly what this clipper ship needed!

So, read the book AND listen up, because we are talking nauti starting June 9th! Remember to check out my website for all book tour events!

xo

Julie (& Erin)