The Gothic Shift

Audiobook Tour: The Gothic Shift by Brian David Bruns

Author: Brian David Bruns

Narrators: Scott Bennett, Brittany Morgan Williams, Thomas Stone, Gary Furlong

Length: 9 hours 41 minutes

Publisher: Brian David Bruns

Released: Mar. 31, 2017

Genre: Horror; Short Stories

Winner of the International Book Awards for Best Short Story Collection, The Gothic Shift is a beguiling collection of the macabre and supernatural from best-seller Brian David Bruns. “The Gothic Shift” begins with a man who comes into a restaurant every day to gulp down vast quantities at the shrimp buffet, while his forlorn waitress seems to gain weight on his behalf. Here Bruns achieves a delightful balance of whimsy and the grotesque, with a glimmer of moonstruck romance. “The Finger People” is a fine study of Civil War squalor and carnage – spotlights the Union attack on the Confederate stronghold Fort Henry. A timid rebel cook discovers something even grislier than the usual horrors of war: ghouls feeding off the dead…and the living. “The Ghost of Naked Molly” takes us back to old New Orleans on the eve of the Louisiana Purchase, where the ghost of a gorgeous octoroon slave mistress complicates the political schemes of a local grandee by parading around his house in the nude. “The Penultimate Mr. Nilly” visits the crew of a ship stuck in the Arctic ice in 1859 as they slowly go mad from hunger. The ultimate solution – prompted by a stitched, velveteen toy wolf – gives a completely new twist on survival of the fittest.

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Brian David Bruns has adventured in over 60 countries to gather material for his bestselling books and won dozens of literary awards, including the USA REBA Grand Prize. He has been featured on ABC’s 20/20 and was anointed Sir Brian by Prince Michael, Regent of the Principality of Sealand (yes, really). Sir Brian writes of his global experiences with a self-mocking wit and an astute insight into human behavior. His historical fiction seamlessly blends his love of travel and adventure with the fantastical–a sort of Indiana Jones meets Bram Stoker. He is devoted to veterans organizations, such as Operation Homefront and Wounded Warriors Project, to which he’s donated thousands of his books. After several years residing in Dracula’s actual hometown (yes, really), he and his Romanian wife now live in Las Vegas with their two old rescue cats, Julius and Caesar.
WebsiteAmazon
  I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Brian David Bruns. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Q&A with Author Brian David Bruns
  • Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
    • I had Gary Furlong firmly in mind for my story of an Arctic exploration ship getting stuck in the ice. The characters range from American to British to French. I had already worked with him for my nonfiction series Cruise Confidential, where he nailed literally dozens of global accents. He was excited about this project—until he read the story! He admitted to being overwhelmed by the intensity of the horror tale and it affected him for a few days afterwards. I was secretly pleased, of course, because it’s supposed to be a bruiser. Belated apologies, Gary!
  • Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?
    • I think any story can and should be shared audibly. Perhaps this is because I’m a natural storyteller who insists upon telling every single experience to every single person I meet. It’s amazing I have any friends left at all. But yes, audio is even better than print when regional dialects come into play. They can really transport a listener to the correct time and place. It was a real pleasure casting narrators for the vastly different regions in The Gothic Shift.
  • Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
    • There are four stories in this book, ranging from 18th century New Orleans to the Civil War to the explorer-era Arctic to modern-day Chicago. I heard each of the characters in my own mind. Obviously it was my job to convey those voices to the reader, but it was a delight to hear others’ takes, especially from professionals. They are often superior to what I was imagining. If there is any way to transport listeners out of the present, its with a solid—and correct—accent.
  • How did you select your narrators?
    • Gary Furlong was foremost on my mind, and it was his suggestion to work with J. Scott Bennett, whose gravelly voice was precisely what I needed for the story of The Ghost of Naked Molly. I needed a man who could convey an aged, arrogant gravitas as well as a bear of a rough frontiersman. He excelled at both. For my tale of the Civil War I wanted a Southerner, as the story is told from a Confederate cook’s point of view. Thomas Stone was a fantastic find, a native Southerner who managed to capture the somewhat ‘slow’ sense of the main character. Finding a spunky young woman for the titular story was much more difficult. There aren’t so many teens doing audiobook narration! But Brittany Morgan Williams is a young actress who I was thrilled to find.
  • 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?
    • The narrators were all selected based upon the location of their stories’ setting, so most of the time they knew better than me. I’m amazed how all four narrators intrinsically understood what I was looking for in each character. It’s really remarkable. I’d like to think it’s because the text is that good, of course. The reality is that the narrators are that good. I was particularly smitten by how Brittany narrated her main character (in the titular The Gothic Shift story) as spunky but clearly overwhelmed. It really added a lot to the story.
  • Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
    • I am a globetrotter and was a travel writer for some time. Seeing all these amazing places and encountering the histories, the people, the myths, it was all too awesome to not share. The tales I weave and the mysteries therein are entirely from my own mind, but they are reliant upon some fascinating and disparate settings. I’ve sailed the North Atlantic, visited the old mansions of New Orleans, and been a waiter outside of Chicago. I know that latter doesn’t sound so fascinating, but believe me, the people you meet while doing so certainly are! The bizarre antics of Mr. Arno were observed. The final novella, about the Civil War, is a topic near and dear to me. I am a member of the Civil War Trust, preserving the battlefields to remember what happened and, more importantly, why.
  • How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
    • It’s true I’m always in danger of burning out because I have too much on my plate. But that’s because I love what I do. I’m a slave to my passions. Maintaining enthusiasm is easy when so much of the world inspires you: just go see some! Logistically, however, I do switch from one project to another constantly (I have to) and that gets me excited all over again because they are all so vastly different.
  • Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
    • In the Penultimate Mr. Nilly a ship is trapped in Arctic ice and the crew slowly goes insane. Having worked at sea I know how fundamental it is to the experience to hear the disparate accents from the crew. We all read in our own voice, I suspect, so hearing the different voices really emphasizes just how far from home you are. Gary Furlong has proven a master of dozens of accents. Dude’s amazing.
  • If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes, when and where would you go?
    • This is a truly difficult question for a history lover, like identifying your favorite song: too much stuff gets you excited! I’m particularly drawn to the Victorian age and would love to see some different places in that era. I’d love to see some areas before we destroyed them (who wouldn’t want to see a herd of wild buffalo miles long thundering over a virgin prairie?). Likewise I’d love to see some of the Old West boomtowns in their heyday. I’ve seen ghost towns that once had tens of thousands of people and literally hundreds of saloons, but now just a handful of buildings in the weirdest, most desolate and remote locations. Ironically none of that is featured in The Gothic Shift, but they are in other books I’m writing now.
  • What’s next for you?
    • I am learning to narrate my own books for release in 2020, as well as release a series of historical fiction thrillers AND a series of romcoms. I’m way too busy and clearly in denial about being able to handle it. Loving what I do helps, of course. This winter will see From Romania with Love, (a romcom) and next spring The Widow of Half Hill (Gold Rush mystery).
Giveaway
Giveaway: $50 Amazon Gift Card
The Gothic Shift Giveaway: $50 Amazon Gift Card https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js   Oct. 17th: Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author Dab of Darkness Book Reviews Oct. 18th: Eileen Troemel Locks, Hooks and Books Oct. 19th: Jazzy Book Reviews Hall Ways Blog Oct. 20th: Nyx Blogs Always Love Me Some Books Oct. 21st: 4 the Love of Audiobooks Oct. 22nd: Southern Girl Bookaholic Turning Another Page Notes from ‘Round the Bend Oct. 23rd: Viviana MacKade eBook Addicts

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Cruise Confidential

Audiobook Series Tour: Cruise Confidential by Brian David Bruns

Author: Brian David Bruns

Narrator: Gary Furlong

Length: 9 hours 44 minutes

Series: Cruise Confidential Series, Book 2

Publisher: Brian David Bruns

Released: Oct. 12, 2018

Genre: Travel Humor

Cruise ship crew have it hard. Cruise ship rock stars have it harder! Bruns is back to expose the high seas art world. In this hilarious sequel he vividly describes his ship life highs and lows, misadventures, mis-flirtations and, through it all, his astute insights into human nature.
Buy LinksBuy on iTunes
Buy on Audible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CiszF1QYAw
Brian David Bruns has adventured in over 60 countries to gather material for his bestselling books and won dozens of literary awards, including the USA REBA Grand Prize. He has been featured on ABC’s 20/20 and was anointed Sir Brian by Prince Michael, Regent of the Principality of Sealand (yes, really). Sir Brian writes of his global experiences with a self-mocking wit and an astute insight into human behavior. His historical fiction seamlessly blends his love of travel and adventure with the fantastical–a sort of Indiana Jones meets Bram Stoker. He is devoted to veterans organizations, such as Operation Homefront and Wounded Warriors Project, to which he’s donated thousands of his books. After several years residing in Dracula’s actual hometown (yes, really), he and his Romanian wife now live in Las Vegas with their two old rescue cats, Julius and Caesar.
WebsiteAmazon
Narrator Bio Originally from Ireland, Gary Furlong worked a teacher in Niigata, Japan; a puppeteer in Prague; an improv artist in Memphis, and a festival performer in Ireland. A naturally-gifted mimic, Gary began narrating audiobooks for a living in 2015 and hasn’t looked back. Gary specializes in accents and dialect, with fluency in Irish, British RP, and Standard American. In four years of working full-time with audiobook production, Gary has narrated over 100 audiobooks spanning Fantasy,Thriller, Romance, YA, and non-fiction for world-class publishing houses and independent authors. In 2018 Gary won a much coveted AudioFile Earphones Award and the Independent Audiobook Award for Romance. He now lives in Texas with his wife and their golden retriever called “Gansey,” which means “Sweater” in Irish Gaelic.
WebsiteTwitterFacebook
  I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Brian David Bruns. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it. Guest Post
Brian David Bruns’ Perks of Being an Author
I am a ninja. Good authors are. There are many reasons for this. I’ll prioritize two: Organization isn’t a sexy topic. Satisfying? Oh yes. But not sexy. Writing a book forces you to use your gray matter, which is something we all can benefit from. It’s much-needed practice in taking time to put things where they belong. That makes good habits of being efficient. More importantly it teaches you how to look for commonalities, teaches you to analyze things and people and situations to find their roots. More sexy (perhaps, depending on your past) is introspection. Authors write about situations with which they are familiar. Always. Your book’s about intergalactic Znarfus invading Earth? Sure, there’s imagination at work, but what about character interaction? Character background, experiences, desires, hopes? That’s all based on familiarity, and that takes some inward analysis. Self-objectivity is not easy, but worth the effort. Perhaps you will surprise yourself on just how awesome you really are. Maybe you’ll discover you’ve been blaming others for every bad thing you’ve done. If you take the time to identify such things you are better able to recognize what’s up when situations pop up in the future. Self-awareness and objectivity is powerful stuff. The stuff of ninjas. Be a ninja. Giveaway
Giveaway: $100 Amazon Gift Card
Cruise Confidential Giveaway: $100 Amazon Gift Card https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js
VIEW THE FULL 14-DAY SCHEDULE HERE!

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Cruise Confidential

Audiobook Series Tour: Cruise Confidential by Brian David Bruns

Author: Brian David Bruns

Narrator: Gary Furlong

Length: 9 hours 20 minutes

Series: Cruise Confidential Series, Book 1

Publisher: Brian David Bruns

Released: Mar. 31, 2016

Genre: Travel Humor

National Best Seller ForeWord Humor Book of the Year Benjamin Franklin Awards Humor Book of the Year In Cruise Confidential, Brian David Bruns spills the dirt – or, in this case, the dirty water – on those romantic, fun-filled vacations at sea. His hilarious chronicle of the year he spent working for Carnival Cruise Lines takes listeners down into the areas where the crew works and lives, leaving listeners gasping with laughter as they’re assaulted nonstop with events that range from the absurd to the utterly bizarre. Stewards fighting over food. Cutlery allowances and other nonsensical rules. What the crew calls those onboard (no, it’s not passengers). And, of course, the sex. An abundance of ready, willing, and able bodies eager for action on a vessel replete with nooks and crannies leads to love in some mighty strange and seemingly impossible places. Breezy, entertaining, and informative, Cruise Confidential is essential listening for those planning a cruise or for anyone who just needs a good laugh.
Buy LinksBuy on iTunes
Buy on Audible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CiszF1QYAw
Brian David Bruns has adventured in over 60 countries to gather material for his bestselling books and won dozens of literary awards, including the USA REBA Grand Prize. He has been featured on ABC’s 20/20 and was anointed Sir Brian by Prince Michael, Regent of the Principality of Sealand (yes, really). Sir Brian writes of his global experiences with a self-mocking wit and an astute insight into human behavior. His historical fiction seamlessly blends his love of travel and adventure with the fantastical–a sort of Indiana Jones meets Bram Stoker. He is devoted to veterans organizations, such as Operation Homefront and Wounded Warriors Project, to which he’s donated thousands of his books. After several years residing in Dracula’s actual hometown (yes, really), he and his Romanian wife now live in Las Vegas with their two old rescue cats, Julius and Caesar.
WebsiteAmazon
Narrator Bio Originally from Ireland, Gary Furlong worked a teacher in Niigata, Japan; a puppeteer in Prague; an improv artist in Memphis, and a festival performer in Ireland. A naturally-gifted mimic, Gary began narrating audiobooks for a living in 2015 and hasn’t looked back. Gary specializes in accents and dialect, with fluency in Irish, British RP, and Standard American. In four years of working full-time with audiobook production, Gary has narrated over 100 audiobooks spanning Fantasy,Thriller, Romance, YA, and non-fiction for world-class publishing houses and independent authors. In 2018 Gary won a much coveted AudioFile Earphones Award and the Independent Audiobook Award for Romance. He now lives in Texas with his wife and their golden retriever called “Gansey,” which means “Sweater” in Irish Gaelic.
WebsiteTwitterFacebook
  I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Brian David Bruns. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Q&A with Author Brian David Bruns
  • Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
    • I feared the challenges of finding a narrator were too great for this book. Sure, I could find someone to just read the text, but I wanted to convey the feeling of being abroad. Accents can be tricky things because many people, Americans in particular, are not exposed to too many of them. So you don’t want to put anybody off. But when you are living below the waterline in a crew cabin of a cruise ship, every single person you meet reminds you that you’re far from home with every single word they say. I thought that was important.
  • Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?
    • I think any story can and should be shared audibly. Perhaps this is because I’m a natural storyteller who insists upon sharing audibly every single thing to every single person I meet. It’s amazing I have any friends left at all. That being said, I am a visual creature too. I love the look of the printed word and take pains to make my writing visually engaging. That’s more of my fiction, though. My narrative nonfiction, such as in Cruise Confidential, is much more like us sitting down over a beer and sharing experiences.
  • Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
    • The narrative voice of the book is entirely my own, but I didn’t have a hope or a prayer of handling the extreme linguistics of so very many “characters” from so very many nations. After a decade I finally mustered the courage to actually seek somebody who might be able to give it a shot. It was a daunting task.
  • How did you select your narrator?
    • With 60+ nationalities and subsequent accents, selecting a narrator was no mean feat. I searched through copious numbers of samples from many excellent narrators. But really, how realistic was it to find one person who could do accents ranging from all places Asia to all places Europe and North America to boot? Behold: Gary Furlong. He was an Irishman who had lived in Japan who I found by way of Ohio. His mastery of so many accents that one hears living on a cruise ship was so complete I suffered flashbacks.
  • 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?
    • Narrator Gary Furlong is a consummate professional, so any word he doesn’t know how to pronounce he knows how to learn. That said I through him for a loop once or twice with some Native American names. The man’s from Ireland, so you have to give him a break. Certainly I’d be lost if he showed me some Gaelic! It was important that the narrative voice was a Midwestern standard American accent because that is what I speak, and where I’m from is fundamental to the plot. It was also important to convey my manner of storytelling, which is often grandiose but in a tongue-in-cheek manner. Transcripts of my dialogue can strip out my presentation and sometimes make me out to be a superlatively arrogant man. In fact I’m only very arrogant.
  • Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
    • Contrary to the naysayers, every word of this book is true. When peeling back the veneer of a beloved pastime such a cruising, there is bound to be resistance. I’d imagine anyone writing a tell-all about working in Disney World would encounter the same thing. But what I experienced was absolutely shocking and I felt the story needed to be told. That it had a happy ending was in no way assured and is honestly more a matter of attitude than objectivity.
  • Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
    • I love audiobooks. I was a marathoner for most of my life and would listen to lots of books. They made the long, painful miles enjoyable. Well, at least somewhat enjoyable! I am particularly fond of narrators who can do multiple voices. It’s by no means a requirement, but I enjoy the theatricality of it. As I branch into narrating some of my own books I understand just how impressive such skills are!
  • Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
    • The accents are incredibly powerful. I think the audiobook is orders of magnitude better than the print.
  • If this title were being made into a TV series or movie, who would you cast to play the primary roles?
    • This book has nearly been made into a TV show on several different occasions, once getting all the way to step 20 of 20 before not making the cut. That was disappointing, as you can imagine. If I had a time machine I would have done anything to get Bruce Campbell to play the narrator (me). If anyone wants to know what it’s like hanging out with me, just watch Evil Dead 2. Looks, personality; we could be twins. Well, barring the chainsaw hand and the misogyny.
  • What’s next for you?
    • I am learning to narrate my own books for release in 2020, as well as release a series of historical fiction thrillers. My true love isn’t being abused on the high seas, but in fact more akin to something you’d find in the X-Files or Bram Stoker. Travel and history do go hand in hand, and a good historical fiction can be very educational. That’s where my real passion lay.
Giveaway
Giveaway: $100 Amazon Gift Card
Cruise Confidential Giveaway: $100 Amazon Gift Card https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js
VIEW THE FULL 14-DAY SCHEDULE HERE!

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