Punch and Roll
I just got back from a weekend in Boston, narrating the audio for A Noble Sin. I thought I'd give you some of my thoughts while it's fresh in my memory.
The first thing I learned is that it's not about reading...it's about acting! Two six-hour days and, let me tell you, it's exhausting. The second thing? Being 6'3" is not the ideal height to record inside a foam phone booth.
So, how did I get myself into this mess? I volunteered. Not because I particularly wanted to walk the narration tightrope of acting my own book, but because my family insisted. For some reason, the memory of my over-the-top antics of reading the Harry Potter series gave them the false impression I might have the chops to take this on. Bottom line...they talked me into it.
But I wasn't completely convinced. This is high stakes. What if I messed up the reading enjoyment for the listener? So I auditioned—secretly hoping the pros would find something kind to say before directing me to the exit. They didn't. And that's why I found myself driving south from the woods of New Hampshire into the bright lights of Boston to try my hand at something new.
Enter the Professionals Thankfully, I wasn't going into this alone. Chris Ciulla at Leonardo Audio in Boston and Daniela Acitelli—who was narrating her own project from London—both agreed to hold my hand through the process. Having two people who understand sound quality, recording techniques, and how to coach performance made all the difference.
They gave me my homework. I annotated the script (my book), reading and notating my parts—identifying the vocal atmosphere I needed to create on each page. You like that? Vocal atmosphere. I wasn't sure, but now I get it—it's a real thing.
One of the takeaways from voicing your own work is the realization that I, unintentionally, created page after page of tongue twisters—verbal potholes I kept plowing into. Which leads me to Punch and Roll.
Punch and Roll Explained No, it's not a fight scene. In audiobook recording, when you mess up—and boy, did I mess up—you don't start the entire chapter over. You back up a few sentences, let the previous recording "roll" in your headphones, and "punch" in at exactly the right moment to continue seamlessly. It's surgical. One perfectly timed shot, no wasted motion. Like a sentence sniper.
How It Went It takes a while to get into the swing of things, but thankfully, I 'see' my books playing out like a movie in my head as I write. It didn't take long to connect with the action playing out on the page. When I finally unfolded my long body out of the tiny space, there were no high fives or back slaps from the proofer, the director, or the sound engineer for a job well done. Instead, I got 'the nod'—the recognition that I had earned my place as an audiobook narrator.
Why I'm Glad I Did It When we plant ourselves in a comfortable chair and read, we connect with the author's written voice. Listening to this audiobook will be more personal—you're getting my words AND my voice. There is an authenticity to that which I hope comes through when you listen to A Noble Sin.
The Result All I can say is I did my best. Tell me—what are your favorite audiobooks or narrators? I'd love to know what sets the great ones apart. For those of you that are new to listening to your books, give it a try. I hope you enjoy A Noble Sin on audio when it releases. It was a great experience!
A Noble Sin audiobook is releasing in August 2025. Give it a listen and decide for yourself whether authors should narrate their own thrillers.
