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Showing posts from 2013

Merry Christmas!

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As we celebrate Christmas and close out another year, I'd like to take a moment to thank all the readers of Adele Park's Quirky Audio Books Blog.  I appreciate your kind attention and hope you'll continue reading my blog in the New Year. Recording for Gadzooks! Another Quirky Audio Book has reached the half-way point.  Look for more information about my fantastic cast of actors and some sneak peeks at the new project.   Here's hoping 2014 is a fantastic year for you!

Advice for co-writers by Lillian Brummet

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This article comes to you courtesy of Lillian Brummet of Brummet's Conscious Blog. I will be a guest on Lillian's radio show, Conscious Discussions Talk Radio on Thursday, January 9, 2014 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/consciousdiscussions A lot of people ask us how we can work together being that we are married? It is not as hard as it seems from the outside and is much like any other working relationship other then that we see each other at the end of the workday as well. Of course we’ve been working together for more than a dozen years now so we’ve had the time to figure out who is good at what. The key is really finding out what your co-writer is good at and what he likes to do, along with his favorite hours to work (Is he a morning person?) and how he likes to work (Does the work environment have to be absolutely silent?). And the same goes for you – and then with that information you can figure out if you can work in the same space or whether separ

Now Recording: Andra Harbold

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Andra Harbold returns to Straight to Audio Productions to continue her marvelous rendition of Moon McKenna for the Quirky Audio Book Series. In Gadzooks! , Moon McKenna will take on the nearby polygamists in Zion Flats and stir up a whole lotta trouble. Andra brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her work as a voice actress, freelance director, Equity actor, dramaturg and teacher. After earning her BA in theatre from Middlebury College in Vermont, Andra went on to earn a Masters Degree from the University of London Goldsmiths College. Andra is immersed in the theatre community in Salt Lake City where she has been part of numerous productions. Most recently, she directed Deborah Salem Smith's Love Alone at the University of Utah http://www.theatre.utah.edu/event/love-alone/ . Andra is a co-founder of Salt Lake City's Flying Bobcat Theatrical Laboratory. During this past year, Andra collaborated with Robert Scott Smith to create three

Now Recording: Abby Elvidge

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Straight to Audio Productions is pleased to introduce newcomer Abby Elvidge as part of the cast for Gadzooks! A Comically Quirky Audio Book . Abby will tackle the role of Nadine, a serial bride who has an kooky habit of prematurely sending her husbands to the Celestial Kingdom. Abby is a professional voiceover artist who plays characters of all ages, genders and species. Some of her clients include Crossroads Press and Macabre Ink Digital, Hot Lava Games, Animatica Studio and 8Floor Games. Check out Abby's hilarious rendition of Walnelli, the animated walnut http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EYblrL6pBU . But it's not all video games and cartoons for Abby. Her voice can be heard on several audio books, including Dead Times by Bram Stoker Award winning writer, Yvonne Navarro https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A1MAN4ED1OR6WB. Prior to becoming a Woman of a Thousand Voices, Abby worked as a paleobotanist, studying plant macro-fossils. Somewhere

Now Recording: Faith Sandberg

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It's a pleasure to welcome Faith Sandberg back to Straight to Audio Productions in her continuing role as Blue McKenna. Faith has spent the past nine years in New York City enjoying a busy career as an actress. She has appeared in numerous film and TV projects. Most recently, Faith was cast as Amanda Stone on the CBS show, Blue Bloods http://vimeo.com/78508887 Fans of Boardwalk Empire can see Faith in action as the character, Kitty http://vimeo.com/28748166 Other TV shows Faith has appeared in include The Big C on Showtime and ABC's Cupid . Additionally, Faith has been in several movies. Sundance enthusiasts had the chance to watch Faith in Price Check with Parker Posey http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3417716/videogallery/primary_title-tt1845849 . As a multi-talented actress, Faith has graced many stages, including a recent role as Roxie in Chicago. She also has a successful voice-over business, doing commercials for Audi, Disney, Snickers

Everyday Oracles

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A Guest Post from Everyday Oracles by Ann Bolinger Heidi’s mysterious bear and the crunch of an invisible moving sidewalk I would like to thank Adele Park for hosting me as a guest blogger, as part of the virtual book tour celebration for my book, EVERYDAY ORACLES – Decoding The Divine Messages That Are All Around Us . One day I needed to pick up a couple of gifts from a shop on the Taos Plaza. Like so many historical plazas this community gathering place is built on a square and features a large gazebo where bands perform, speakers speak and when the stage is empty, children run and play. The square is surrounded by shops on every side so parking is always at a premium. I circled the first time and had no luck so decided to make one more complete trip around, and if no place opened up I would go to the post office and then come back and try again. I remember telling myself, if I’m supposed to find a parking place one will open up …. And it did!

Time Management Tips from Lillian Brummet

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Today's Blog Post is a Guest Submission by Lillian Brummet of the Conscious Discussions Blog and Radio Show. Lillian's article really hits home with me because I am self-employed and facing the same time challenges that she mentions in the article. Lillian offers some great tips for getting things done right, the first time, on time. I'll have the honor of appearing on Lillian's radio show, Conscious Discussions on January 9, 2014. You can hear the broadcast online www.blogtalkradio.com/ConsciousDiscussions Time Management  Time management is a real issue for most self-employed individuals. The first thing is to make sure that you have set aside specific work hours with a start and stop time frame, and focus on following that schedule. For instance you might be able to rise earlier than the family getting to the office by 5 AM until 7:30 AM, pausing to get the kids off to school and then spending 10 AM – 2 PM in the offic

Now Recording: Rhett Guter

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Rhett Guter returns to Straight to Audio Productions for his continuing role as Steven Finch in Gadzooks! A Comically Quirky Audio Book . This character was first introduced in Yikes! Another Quirky Audio Book . Steven Finch is an adorable stoner with a major fixation on a band called the Rectal Surgeons. Rhett did such a comical portrayal of this character in Yikes! , we couldn't wait to have him come back! http://www.yikesaudiobook.com/index.html Rhett has just wrapped up another season with the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Rhett played the lead in a fabulous rendition of Peter and the Starcatcher. He was also part of the cast for Richard II as well as Anything Goes. http://www.bard.org/about/actors/guter.html#.UknPTxxSxIg. In addition to working seven seasons for USF, Rhett's talents have been showcased abroad. Rhett was in Germany and France earlier this year as part of the International Tour of West Side Story. Anyone who has se

Now Recording: Lesley Mendenhall

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Straight to Audio Productions welcomes Lesley Mendenhall back to the studio. Lesley played the role of Suki in Yikes! Another Quirky Audio Book . Lesley will now tackle the role of Nancy Neptune in Gadzooks! A Comically Quirky Audio Book. In real life, Lesley works as a professional voice actress for film, video games, animation, industrial and commercial projects. When she's not in the studio, Lesley serves on the Ivins City Council. Her contributions to the community include co-founding a No-Kill Animal Shelter in Ivins. Putting her passion for animal welfare into practice, Lesley is a caretaker to nine rescue kitties.  Lesley with Tiger Lily, Studio Kitty Extraordinaire Lesley's background includes a BA in Music from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri where her studies focused on Voice and Opera Performance. Somewhere along the way, Lesley also learned to play the harp! In her personal life, Lesley is an avid reader,

Gadzooks! A Comically Quirky Audio Book

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Production is underway for Adele Park's new work titled WHEN ASSISTED SUICIDE AND COSMETICS COLLIDE . . .  Gadzooks! A Comically Quirky Audio Book. Social taboos are cast asunder as listeners are treated to a lighter look at end-of-life situations. In the eyes of Nadine, a polygamist and serial bride, nudging her husbands into heaven is a testament to her undying love. Even Nancy Neptune, a notorious shock jock, is gobsmacked by Nadine's so-called “Celestial Send-Offs.” Things go to hell in a hand basket when Nadine offs the wrong guy and is charged with assisted suicide. Meanwhile, Blue McKenna has problems of her own. A power outage has leveled Blue's medical marijuana dispensary. Scottie Sphincter, lead singer of a band called The Rectal Surgeons, is fingered as a suspect. Blue attempts to unmask the inscrutable Sphincter only to develop an annoying crush on him. Using witty narratives, a cast of nine characters transport listeners t

"Priceless Personalities" by January Jones

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January Jones is a radio host, author, mother, grandmother avid golfer and No Whining Advocate.  Check out January's latest project, "Priceless Personalities." Priceless Personalities by January Jones Have you ever met someone who was unforgettable? Someone who touched your heart and soul? People who have faced difficult problems? People who have struggled to find solutions? People who fearlessly shared their stories? People who have informed and inspired you? People who have Priceless Personalities? I have been fortunate to host an Internet radio talk show called ”January Jones sharing Success Stories” and it has been my privilege to interviews hundreds of guests. My guests have shared their stories, their struggles, their secrets and their triumphs in their own words. In this book, we’re talking about guests with problems such as incest, molestation, runaway kids, child abuse, drug abuse, prostitution, unemployment, scandal, starting over,

Don't Surrender the Fate of Your Novel to Publishing Executives

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Have you unconsciously surrendered the fate of your novel to the whimsical tastes of publishing executives? Do you think your book can't move forward without the financial blessing of others? Agents and publishers can certainly boost our careers, but I'm not sure they can break them. In all likelihood, our destiny lies in our own hands. It took several years worth of groveling at the heels of those in the publishing industry for me to comprehend this. Even though you've probably spent years visualizing the success of your book, how much time have you devoted to thinking about the specific things you want to achieve? Perhaps you have a vague fantasy involving money and fame. These things are definitely desirable, but chances are there's more to it than that. The act of creation ignites something within us, even if we can't put our finger on it. There's a lot to be said for fully experiencing the moment we are in. Many of us ho

Reincarnation Through Common Sense

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Doug “Ten”Rose, an author and modern day philosopher, has a new book out. Doug participated in the Book Blogger Fair this summer and continues to crank out fine reading for all! Reincarnation Through Common Sense by Doug “Ten” Rose has been released in print as well as online . Rose’s previous work includes the cult classic Fearless Puppy on American Road. All author profits from sales of these books will be donated to sponsor Buddhist Nuns and Monks. Mr. Rose has previously invented and directed charitable projects involving rock stars, pro sports teams, a governor, and many more. He has been recognized in the Congressional Record, by The Giraffe Society, and has traveled over a hundred thousand miles without ever driving a car, owning a phone, or having a bank account. Project info, bio, sample chapters, TV/radio/newspaper interviews and articles, and much more at www.fearlesspuppy.org “ Once you accept the universe as being something expand

Review of Peter and the Starcatcher

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Did you ever wonder how Peter Pan came to inhabit Never Never Land? Or, for that matter, how an orphaned boy earned such a curious name? The Utah Shakespeare Festival answers these questions and more in a hilarious play called Peter and the Starcatcher http://www.bard.org/plays/peter2013.html Peter and the Starcatcher is based on a novel by Dave Berry and Ridley Pearson. USF does an outstanding job of bringing this delightful story to audiences in Southern Utah. Peter Pan, known only as “Boy,” is played by Rhett Guter, a talented actor/singer/dancer who also choreographed this enchanting production http://www.rhettguter.com/ . The USF production of Peter and the Starcatcher is populated with an amazing cast, including Quinn Mattfeld who does a rollicking portrayal of The Black Stache, aka Captain Hook http://www.bard.org/about/actors/mattfeld.html#.UkX0ZhxSxIg. Mattfeld keeps the audience in stitches with outrageous antics and snarky commentary. Betsy Mugav

Write a Book in Record Time

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Do you have a great idea for a novel but can't seem to get it written? Sure, there are some people who say their stories “just flow out of them.” This enviable lot seems to have little trouble cranking out one manuscript after another, but for the rest of us, it's a lot of hard work. Here are some tips I recently used to get a big project done in record time. The Cloister Cloistering isn't just for monks! You can create your own special place of seclusion to help you shut out the distractions that keep you from your work. When I first explored this idea, I spent some time looking at pictures of cloistered structures to give myself a visual image of this idea. There are lots of stories about writers who cloister themselves in exotic locations while they hammer out their next bestseller. Oftentimes, they conveniently solve a mystery or fall in love during this process. Here in the real world, most writers don't have that opportunity, but they ca

Yikes! Wins Readers Choice Award

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Thanks to everyone who voted for Yikes! Another Quirky Audio Book in the Reader's Choice sponsored by the Book Blogger Fair. It's always nice to be recognized, especially in the humor/satire category, but this contest featured more than just “atta boys.” Winners from the Reader's Choice Awards each receive a “badge” with their Amazon link posted to the website for the Book Blogger Fair http://bloggerbookfair.wordpress.com/blogger-book-fair/bbf-readers-choice-awards/winners-july-2013/ This year's Book Blogger Fair brought 150 writers together to promote more than 400 books. I had the opportunity to share content with several interesting people including Doug Ten Rose, author of Fearless Puppy http://www.fearlesspuppy.org , and Tom Lucas, author of Leather to the Corinthians http://readtomlucas.com/about-tom/about-leather-to-the-corinthians/ . The Book Blogger Fair was coordinated by an exceptionally organized writer named Kayla Curry. Check out Kayl

Leveraging the Universe and Engaging the Magic

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Have you ever contemplated why things seem to come so easily to certain people? Would you like to become one of those people? Mike Dooley, creator of Notes from the Universe , explains how you can do that in his audio book, Leveraging the Universe and Engaging the Magic http://www.tut.com/about/mikedooley/ . Dooley is fond of saying, “thoughts become things.” In Leveraging the Universe and Engaging the Magic, Dooley goes into detail about how it all works. Boiled down to it's basic message, Dooley says if we think and speak in positive terms, we'll get positive results. Conversely, negative thinking will net negative outcomes. Sounds simple, right? Yet it's so easy to slip into “stinkin' thinkin'.” That's because it takes more energy to think positive thoughts than negative ones. The irony is, when we think on a positive level, we actually have more energy! I became acquainted with Dooley's work though his internet service