Realistic stories full of heart are breathtaking when matched with a narrator who seems to put her whole heart on the line in each of her performances. Tanya Eby is one of those narrators, especially when she brings contemporary romance author Susan Mallery’s appealing stories to our ears. She narrated Mallery’s THE GIRL OF HIS DREAMS, and her “splendid array of voices breathes life into each character.” Let’s hear more from Tanya about her narration of THE GIRL OF HIS DREAMS.
We also chatted with Tanya over email and were charmed to discover her real-life connection with elements from Mallery’s new story, SECOND CHANCE GIRL. Here’s what we discovered . . .
AudioFile: The dog Sophie sort of steals the show in Mallery’s book. What were you thinking as you narrated her parts of the story?
Tanya Eby: My dog Reggie records with me. She wraps around my feet and takes a nap. So I thought about Reggie and how I talk to her when I was narrating the scenes with Sophie. Funny thing is, Reggie would perk up during those scenes and lick my feet. TMI?
AF: The two heroes — Mathias and the Duke — are so different, and your narration clearly shows that. How did you approach these two different characterizations?
TE: I have to say, it’s easy to make distinct characters when the writing suggests it. Mathias and the Duke are two VERY different heroes. Mathias is younger, emotional, fueled by passion. I chose a voice that is rounder, youthful, energetic. The Duke is more dignified, intellectual and reserved. He has a slight accent and enunciates more. But both love deeply. It was fun creating two romantic pairs in this book with very different chemistries with their partners.
AF: You were really able to balance the funny parts, contemporary life in Happily, Inc., and some very emotional scenes with Carol and Mathias. How do you make sure no one emotion takes over your reading?
TE: I try to make my narration as real as possible. When you have an emotional scene with someone in real life, it’s sometimes hard to speak or get those words out. So I guess I just looked for quieter moments in intense scenes.
If Sophie the dog and a wandering giraffe can’t sell this audiobook, expert narrator Tanya Eby sure can!
Look for more great audiobooks read by Tanya Eby in her audiography, including many more sweet stories by Susan Mallery.
