Today you are in for a special treat as I share with you an interview with the fabulous Jessie Drumm. I will have to admit that I am very fond of her as she narrated by audible book NEVER STOP RUNNING. Getting the job wasn't an easy task as she and about 168 others auditioned for it. The process took my casting team almost three months and several callbacks to discover Jessie. Let me tell you, the time and effort was worth it as she has knocked the audible book out of the park. The audible book, NEVER STOP RUNNING, narrated by Jessie came out of the gate as the #1 New Release for audible books. I owe that to Jessie and her fabulous narration.
MEET AUDIBLE NARRATOR JESSIE DRUMM
Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/jessie.wasserman.9
Tell your readers a little about
yourself, where you grew up, where you live now, where you went to school etc.
Let them get to know the personal you.
I grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts,
and I currently live in Newtown, Connecticut. I studied French, Theater, and
Italian at Ithaca College and French Business at The University of Paris. I
later earned a Masters degree in Teaching French from the University of
Massachusetts Amherst. I also have a certificate from Teachers College Columbia
in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. I love languages, as you
can see!
What inspired you to become a
narrator?
I am a full-time world language
teacher in a middle/high school in Westchester, New York. I was inspired to
become a narrator after narrating several educational videos for my school. I
was told I have a very professional, soothing voice, and I also love studying
accents. I decided to explore the option of voiceover/narration work since I
was missing the opportunity to perform theatrically, which I had so frequently
when I was younger. I used to read all of my books aloud when I was a child,
and I read now to my daughter. Narration felt like a natural field to try.
Do you have a preferred genre?
I really love psychological,
suspense thrillers, and mystery novels. I love any book with engaging
characters and a plotline that makes you want to do nothing other than
read/listen.
What has been your favorite section
or chapter you narrated from my book?
This is a tough call! I might have
to say my favorite was the chapter entitled “Behold the Knights” from Never
Stop Running because I really enjoyed the accent. In terms of dramatic
portrayal, I’d say Sebastian’s accident and the 911 call were exciting to
narrate, because of the wide range of characters and emotional complexity I had
to portray in those scenes.
LISTEN TO BEHOLD THE KNIGTS EXCERPT NARRATED BY JESSIE DRUMM BELOW
LISTEN TO THE 911 SCENE NARRATED BY JESSIE DRUM
What were your struggles or
obstacles you had to overcome to produce an audiobook?
I am very new to audiobook
production, so learning my software and editing tools was challenging. Also,
making myself a schedule around another full-time job and being a mom of a
young child made recording difficult at times. Another challenge was the range
of accents in Never Stop Running. I did my best to research them and
recreate them, without characterizing or stereotyping.
What production companies do you
work with?
I currently work for myself!
What one unique thing sets you apart
from other narrators?
I believe my background and
experience with languages and linguistics sets me apart from other narrators. I
research the etymology of words and their regional differences, which I find
very fascinating. I put a lot of care into the actual syntax and significance
of what I’m reading.
How do you prepare your voice before
narrating?
I brush my teeth and put on
chapstick! Sometimes, I also drink mint tea or oil pull (swish coconut oil in
my mouth) to prep my voice. I warm up by reading a few passages before I hit
record.
Do you have a preference for fiction
or non-fiction? Why?
I prefer fiction because I love
portraying a variety of characters. I enjoy bringing scenes in the book to life
and do my best to give each character a distinct voice or tone.
How do you go about marketing your
audiobook?
Facebook and Instagram are the main
social media I use. I also work with hundreds of interested teachers and
students who are curious to hear my performances, so word of mouth goes a long
way in marketing as well.
How do you choose the books you want
to narrate?
I look for an engaging text that
lures me in. I look for something I consider to be well-written, with
characters I feel I could convincingly portray.
Describe your recording studio?
My recording studio, like many new
voiceover artists, is my walk-in closet! It’s a treated space, in terms of
having carpet and lots of clothing to absorb echoes. There is no external noise
at all.
What is your preferred equipment in
microphones, headsets, software, etc?
I really enjoy my Audio Technica
headphones, my AKG P420 Project Studio Condenser Microphone and I prefer
ProTools for software.
What one piece of advice do you have
for new narrators?
I am a new narrator myself, but my
biggest piece of advice would be allow yourself as much time as possible to
learn your equipment and software before you take on projects. Also, assume
that everything is going to take longer than expected so that you time manage
appropriately. Finally, be patient with yourself and know that mistakes along
the way are entirely normal and expected.
Tell your readers anything else you
want to share.
It’s been an absolute pleasure
working with Dr. Melissa Caudle on Never Stop Running, and I hope you
enjoy it! I’ve grown quite attached to the characters and will miss them once
production is entirely complete.
LOOK AT THE FIVE-STAR REVIEWS FOR THE AUDIBLE BOOK NEVER STOP RUNNING WRITTEN BY DR. MELISSA CAUDLE AND NARRATED BY JESSIE DRUMM
