November 22, 1963: The assassination of a president devastates America. But a phone call brings even more tragic news to Vikki Ward — her TV reporter husband was found dead in his Dallas hotel room that morning. Finding his notes, Vikki realizes her husband was embroiled in the plot to kill JFK—but his mission was to prevent it. When the Dallas police rule his death accidental, Vikki vows to find out who was behind the murders of JFK and her husband. With the help of her father and godfather, she sets out to uncover the truth. Aldobrandi Po, the bodyguard hired to protect Vikki, falls in love with her almost as soon as he sets eyes on her. But he’s engaged to be married, and she’s still mourning her husband. Can they ever hope to find happiness in the wake of all this tragedy?
Diana Rubino writes about folks through history who shook things up. Her passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her books, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society, and the Aaron Burr Association. When not writing, she owns CostPro, Inc., an engineering business, with her husband Chris. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, does yoga, plays her piano, devours books, and lives the dream on her beloved Cape Cod.
Nina Price is a Renaissance woman: a conservatory trained musician, a Silicon Valley businesswoman, a radio personality, a licensed acupuncturist and master herbalist, and a voice actor/storyteller. She especially loves books with an element of history in them: historical novels, memoirs, biographies, although she’s narrated books in many genres. Born and raised in New York, the characters and places in the New York Saga are very familiar to her, and dear to her heart. She loves to travel the world and listen to the way people speak English.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Nina Price. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
It’s 1932. Prohibition rages, the Depression ravages, and Billy McGlory comes of age whether he wants to or not. Musical and adventurous, Billy dreams of having his own ritzy supper club and big band. On the eve of his marriage to the pregnant Prudence, the shifty “businessman” Rosario Ingovito offers him all that and more. Fame, fortune, and his own Broadway musical – it’s all his for the taking, despite Pru’s opposition to Rosie’s ventures.Meanwhile, Pru’s artistic career gains momentum and their child is born. Can anything go wrong for Billy? Only when he gets in way over his head does he stop to wonder how his business partner really makes his millions, but by then it’s far too late….
Diana Rubino writes about folks through history who shook things up. Her passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her books, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society, and the Aaron Burr Association. When not writing, she owns CostPro, Inc., an engineering business, with her husband Chris. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, does yoga, plays her piano, devours books, and lives the dream on her beloved Cape Cod.
Nina Price is a Renaissance woman: a conservatory trained musician, a Silicon Valley businesswoman, a radio personality, a licensed acupuncturist and master herbalist, and a voice actor/storyteller. She especially loves books with an element of history in them: historical novels, memoirs, biographies, although she’s narrated books in many genres. Born and raised in New York, the characters and places in the New York Saga are very familiar to her, and dear to her heart. She loves to travel the world and listen to the way people speak English.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Nina Price. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Q&A with Narrator Nina Price
When did you know you wanted to be an audiobook narrator?
I host a morning drive radio show on a radio station in the Silicon Valley, which I’ve done for 25 years. A segment of my show each week called “Unbedtime Stories” features me reading a portion of a book by an up and coming author. When audiobooks became popular I figured that since I’d been reading stories on the radio, I should narrate audiobooks – so I started auditioning and narrating audiobooks.
How did you wind up narrating audiobooks? Was it always your goal or was it something you stumbled into by chance?
One day, I casually mentioned to a friend and her mother that I was interested in narrating audiobooks. The next day I got a message from my friend’s brother, one of my radio buddies, telling me that his mother heard that I was interested in narrating audiobooks and would he please tell me about his experience. He explained how the system works and what to do. I just followed his suggestions and was amazed that I got to narrate the first book I auditioned for.
Did you find it difficult to “break into” audiobook narration? What skill/tool helped you the most when getting started?
No. My friend’s suggestions helped me get started and I learned what I needed to learn as I did more books. I’ve done about 40 books to date.
A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?
I don’t have a theatre background but all the actors who narrate audiobooks claim that it is essential.
What type of training have you undergone?
I completed a very intensive voice acting training at Voice One in San Francisco, several years ago and continue to hone my skills constantly working with various coaches and taking classes.
What about this title compelled you to audition as narrator?
During the past year I discovered that the books I love narrating the most include the element of history and romance. The audition piece was the scene with Vita meeting Theodore Roosevelt and I really enjoyed preparing that scene. I also auditioned for Bootleg Broadway and got to do that book as well. I guess the publisher thought after that I should also narrate the 3rd book: The End of Camelot.
How closely do you prefer to work with authors?
I really like to work closely with my authors. Diana Rubino and I work very well together and I’m now narrating several of her other books. I really like to pronounce names and words correctly and relied on Diana to teach me the correct “neighborhood way” to say some of the vernacular expressions in the New York Saga.
Who are your “accent inspirations”?
For the New York Saga – I grew up in New York, in Manhattan, and have listened to the way New Yorkers speak my whole life. The character voices in the New York Saga come from the way people I’ve known or have heard speak.
How did you decide how each character should sound in this series?
As I prep each book I play around with the characters voices and I find that the voices either stick or they don’t as I’m developing them. I’m more kinesthetic than visual so I notice how each character feels in my body and in that way I know where to find each voice.
Have there been any characters that you really connected with?
In the New York Saga I connected most strongly with Vita and Vikki who are the heroines of the 1st book and 3rd book, respectively. I connected with Billy, the hero of Bootleg Broadway because he’s a musician and because I spent so many hours being him. However, like his family, I had trouble connecting with some of the choices he made.
What’s next for you?
Right now I’m narrating several of Diana’s other books: For Love and Loyalty which involves King Richard III and time travel, and Fakin’ It a modern day rom com which involves what happens when a popular hero steps out of a novel and into real life.
“Songs of the Day” for BOOTLEG BROADWAY (1931)
Just a Gigolo – Ted Lewis and His Orchestra
Minnie the Moocher – Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club Orchestra
It’s 1894 in New York’s Lower East Side. Irish cop Tom McGlory and Italian immigrant Vita Caputo fall in love despite their different upbringings. Vita goes from sweatshop laborer to respected bank clerk to reformer, helping elect a mayor to beat the Tammany machine. While Tom works undercover to help Ted Roosevelt purge police corruption, Vita’s father arranges a marriage between her and a man she despises. When Tom’s cousin is murdered, Vita’s father and brother languish in jail, charged with the crime. Can Vita and Tom’s love survive poverty, hatred, and corruption?
Toiling over the mind-numbing work, Vita conjured up her favorite daydream: an elegant brownstone with lacy iron gates, bay windows, polished floors, marble fireplaces. No trash flung down air shafts, no shared toilets, no backyard privies…above Fourteenth Street.
Diana Rubino writes about folks through history who shook things up. Her passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her books, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society, and the Aaron Burr Association. When not writing, she owns CostPro, Inc., an engineering business, with her husband Chris. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, does yoga, plays her piano, devours books, and lives the dream on her beloved Cape Cod.
Nina Price is a Renaissance woman: a conservatory trained musician, a Silicon Valley businesswoman, a radio personality, a licensed acupuncturist and master herbalist, and a voice actor/storyteller. She especially loves books with an element of history in them: historical novels, memoirs, biographies, although she’s narrated books in many genres. Born and raised in New York, the characters and places in the New York Saga are very familiar to her, and dear to her heart. She loves to travel the world and listen to the way people speak English.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Nina Price. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Q&A with Author Diana Rubino
Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
My publisher, The Wild Rose Press, auditioned some narrators and sent me samples. When Nina finished narrating it, Wild Rose released it and put it on sale with retailers.
Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?
Adventure and suspense translate well, as long as the narrator has an animated voice. My books, with characters who have different actors, came out really well, because Nina does great accents and different voice inflections.
How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
We spoke on the phone a few times, and discussed the characters and their backgrounds. When she had a question about the pronunciation of a word, I either spelled it out phonetically or sent her a video of someone saying the word or phrase.
Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
Yes, FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET’s heroine Vita is based on my great-grandmother, a businesswoman, wife and mother. She was way ahead of her time. I always have historical events as backdrops for my books. BOOTLEG BROADWAY is set during ProhibitIon, and THE END OF CAMELOT is centered around the John F. Kennedy assassination.
How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
I pace myself, I write 2500 words a day and sometimes more if I’m on a roll. My enthusiasm never wanes, because I’m a huge history buff, I love doing the research, and my passion for it comes out in my stories.
Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
I listen to audiobooks on long car trips. It’s convenient to listen to books while doing something else, driving, as a passenger in a car, doing chores, etc.
Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
The dialogue is very animated and authentic throughout all three books. Nina does great New York and ‘wiseguy’ accents.
How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
I always celebrate by recharging my batteries—usually by reading my favorite genres, biographies, mysteries, and paranormal novels.
What gets you out of a writing slump? What about a reading slump?
I’ve never been a slump; I make sure I reach my 2500-word goal every day, even if it’s not my best output. I can always go back and rewrite.
In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?
A series allows the reader to get to know the characters and become familiar with them. Stand-alones don’t have that advantage.
What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Keep writing. Keep practicing. Most of all, don’t ever give up on your dream. Just having a dream makes you very special. If you get impatient because it’s taking so long, just ask yourself this: Why does 16-year Scotch take 16 years? Some things are worth waiting for.
What’s next for you?
I’m writing my next biographical novel, about Edith (Mrs. Theodore) Roosevelt.
“Songs of the Day” for FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET (1894-5)
The Band Played On – Dan Quinn
The Sidewalks of New York – Dan Quinn
The Liberty Bell – U.S. Marine Band
My Pearl is a Bowery Girl – Dan Quinn
My Best Girl’s a New Yorker – Edward M. Favor
Diana Rubino’s Picks for FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET
Diana Rubino writes about folks through history who shook things up. Her passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her books, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society, and the Aaron Burr Association. When not writing, she owns CostPro, Inc., an engineering business, with her husband Chris. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, does yoga, plays her piano, devours books, and lives the dream on her beloved Cape Cod.
Nina Price is a Renaissance woman: a conservatory trained musician, a Silicon Valley businesswoman, a radio personality, a licensed acupuncturist and master herbalist, and a voice actor/storyteller. She especially loves books with an element of history in them: historical novels, memoirs, biographies, although she’s narrated books in many genres. Born and raised in New York, the characters and places in the New York Saga are very familiar to her, and dear to her heart. She loves to travel the world and listen to the way people speak English.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Nina Price. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
