CassAsks - Abby Craden (Patreon)

Welcome to this month's CassAsks!

One of my favorite aspects of these interviews is being able to get insight into not only authors, but also artists (Trixia Quinzon and Halie Toris, so far) and narrators. I started with Lori Prince as my first narrator, of course.

But I've also reached out to the illustrious Abby Craden!

As someone that doesn't listen to audiobooks, I'm fascinated by narrators and the way they approach their craft. I hope you enjoy!

1. So far in doing CassAsks, I’ve mostly only corresponded with authors, so this is still very exciting for me! Can you tell me more about how you got into recording audiobooks? 

I was a classical theatre actor  working in a few classical companies in LA and had started doing Voiceover work as a way to support myself. Robertson Dean (who is a fabulous narrator) was in one of my companies and I asked him if he thought I would be a good fit for Audiobooks as they were still just getting popular (about 5 years before Audible and digital downloads came on the scene) and he said he thought I had a good sound for it and  helped me get started.  We put together a demo and he handed it to a producer at Random House and I did my first book there. Once digital downloads occurred we all got very busy!

2. What was your first fandom you ever joined (if you were into a fandom)? Did you read fic for it? 

I never joined a fandom. Did I miss out on something?!

3. What have you learned about yourself through your work?

Wow so much…I like being my own boss or rather having my own steady creative employment. I love doing all the characters and stretching my acting wings in ways I never imagined (mens voices, children,accents, ethnicities etc…) I never would’ve gotten to do that in  any other acting medium. I think dialogue between different people talking to each other oddly comes naturally to me. I’ve really learned to trust my instincts about characters and creative choices. We work alone so much  and are given a lot of creative freedom and trust by both authors and producers. And I’m a fast talker and have had to slow my rhythm down. I don’t love to work alone all day in a booth so I’ve had to figure out how to satisfy my need for human contact!

4.  What is the most difficult part, for you, about narrating a book? Making sure you get the correct tone, doing different voices… I know I would be terrible at attempting that! 

The hardest part for me is the technical stuff. Annunciation, smoothing out sentences, where to breathe and how to make my mouth not make noises and keep my stomach from growling (while either empty or full) and still stay in a creative flow. Also the sitting still while emoting is an odd skill to master. And just sitting for long periods of time in general. I’m also a huge fan of feedback and collaboration and there is really none of that so that’s a challenge for a natural extrovert.

5. Do you ever read a book and think something along the lines of damn, I would love to narrate this? If so – and if you are willing – which book(s)?! 

Yes and sometimes I read something and think thank goodness I don’t have to narrate it- so hard! I read for pleasure a lot less since its my job but I’m a fan of Gillian Flynn and would have loved to narrate her stuff. I think we’d be a good fit.

6. What is your favorite food/meal of the day? 

I told someone my favorite foods and they told me those weren’t food but snacks!  So hmm hard to say…I’m a vegetarian and have been for 30 years. I love mediterranean food, huge fan of olives, nuts, veggies, great bread and chocolate! 

7. If you could have dinner with one writer, dead or alive, who would it be?

That’s a really hard one there are so many amazing writers! I really wanted to meet EJ Noyes and converse with her and we actually did last year on her way to GCLS. It was really interesting to meet in person after so many collaborations and feeling like I knew her from her work. I love Michael Singer and I think dinner with him would be fascinating. I’m a Yogi and constantly working on my own liberation and his book “The Untethered Soul” really helped me grow and overcome during a challenging time..

8. What was the first work you ever voiced? 

I believe it was a multi-voiced book “Everything Matters” by Ron Currie Jr. I did a chapter in it.

9. Do you have any favorite characters you’ve voiced? Why? 

I really loved Easy Nevada from the Georgette Kaplan series- she was really funny and a total badass. I also have loved Celeste from “Alone” I  felt a real kinship to her. There’s been so many wonderful characters ALL the fabulous ice queens I’ve gotten to do who have taught me about being strong, sexy, knowing what you want and speaking your mind without apology.

10. What book got you into reading? 

I was a huge reader as a kid (my parents were teachers) and going to the library and returning home with a stack of books was always exciting. I fell in love with Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends” and all the Judy Bloom books. 

11. What book got you into reading romance/sapphic romance? Did you start reading the genre as a reader who enjoys romances or as a narrator? 

I got into romance and sapphic romance as a narrator. I think the stars aligned me with some really great Sapphic writers that were popping out in the genre and I became known through getting to narrate their work.

12. What is your process when you’re preparing for a day of work? What does that look like?

I have my 2 cups of coffee, my 15 minute meditation to clear my mind and then get dressed (working in PJ’s has never been conducive to a productive day for me) make my tea and launch in.  I begin and try to get in a flow,  I’ll have prepped the book and made character voice choices before hand. I have my character voice notes pinned up in front of me especially if there are a lot of them. I try to record a few hours at a time take a break and do yoga or go to the gym and then try to get in some more booth time. 

13. What is your favorite Taylor Swift song and/or lyric? 

I’ve never really listened to her! 

14. Do you ever work on more than one narration at a time? How hard is it to switch between works when you’re done with one? 

I generally do one at a time. It’s not hard but books linger with me sometimes. And I definitely feel affected by a book while recording. I have empathic tendencies and have to sort out what’s mine and what’s the characters that I’ve been living with for awhile. 

15. What would you title your auto-biography? 

The Accelerated Goddess Project

16. Would you ever consider writing a book? Would you want to narrate it if you did?

I have written quite a few blogs particularly during the crazy pandemic years and I’m in the process of sorting through them to perhaps compile into a book that I would narrate. I’m really interested in the complexities of being a human being! I’ve always been very introspective and have taken a lot of the challenges that living offers as opportunities for growth and expansion. But just the other day I thought about what it would be like to write a romance -I think I’ve got the formula down! I have the utmost respect for writers and their craft. I’m really an artist of expression and I don’t know if that would translate to the page. 

17. What four characters from sapphic romances you’ve read would you want to sit with at a dinner party? 

Easy Nevada because she’d make me laugh and could save me if trouble was brewing, Chiara Corelli because she’s another smart badass and probably has great cop stories, Magdalene Nox and Marcella from Blood Rituals because who wouldn’t want to have a drink and break bread with a vampire!