Laura Kinsale has been publishing audio versions of her backlist, produced by The Story Circle in London, and performed by Nicholas Boulton. Kinsale approached me about doing a giveaway to celebrate the release of The Dream Hunter in Audio. In the process, I learned a LOT about audioboks, not the least of which that I really, really like them, and also like very much when the narrator is male and excellent with voices.
I mean, I've been pretty vocal about my adoration of the available Richard Armitage-narrated abridged Georgette Heyer novels, so the male narrator thing shouldn't be a surprise, but it was to me. I have no problems with skilled narrators of any gender – the skill is what makes the audiobook a wonderful experience. But I hadn't thought about how many romances are narrated by women until I started corresponding with Kinsale about this project.
So please meet Nicholas Boulton, the narrator for Laura Kinsale's audiobooks. You can hear a whole selection of samples of his reading at Kinsale's Soundcloud page – including ringtones of various phrases from the books.
Kinsale says, “I wanted a male narrator for my romances because most of my books are hero-centric, but the heroines are equally important. Nicholas Boulton isn't just a voice actor, he's a voice artist. His skill at it is amazing. He can make you think there are five different people in the room talking to one another at the same time. He's got a swoonworthy, sexy voice, (just wait until we get to Ruck speaking Middle English—hot!) but there are a lot of male narrators and actors with that talent. Very very few of them can also voice a convincing female character. Above all, I chose Nick to narrate my books because of his ability to voice female characters so beautifully and naturally.
He's very well-known in gaming circles as the voice of Hawke in Dragon Age 2, along with Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect.”
Kinsale added, “He's also a kite-surfer, and in September will be participating with 250 others in an attempt to set the world record for the largest parade of kiters to complete a one mile course on the water, followed by a 40 mile downwind kite in the English Channel, on behalf of the youth charity Snow Camp and British sea rescue organization RNLI.
Yes, right, that's 40 miles. Kite-surfing. He's promised me that he'll wear water wings and won't jump the Brighton pier, so I'm down with it. At the risk of encouraging this sort of risky behavior in my very valuable narrator, at least before he's finished recording all my books, his contribution page is online.”
If you're curious about Kinsale's audiobooks, so far, four have been released – all with Nicholas Boulton narrating: The Dream Hunter, Flowers from the Storm, The Prince of Midnight, and Midsummer Moon.
So what was that about new audiobooks and a giveaway? Oh, yes!
To celebrate the release of The Dream Hunter and the other audiobooks from her backlist, Laura Kinsale has offered up a grand prize, and two runners up prizes as well.
The grand prize: a download code from Audible.com valid for one copy of The Dream Hunter, and another title — winner's choice.
Plus, a pair of pink Beats by Dre headphones that Kinsale has told me are the most amazing headphones she's experienced.
She made a video of people reacting to Nicholas Boulton's reading of her books – and yes, those are the model of headphones she's giving away (the winner gets a new pair, of course):
Link!
Due to shipping limitations, the headphones are US/Canada only. (And, if the winner prefers earbuds, these pink Beats by Dre earbuds are also an option.)
But the download codes are valid worldwide (and all of Kinsale's audiobooks should also be available worldwide, too). Thus we have two runner up prizes as well: two more download codes at Audible.com, each good for one copy of The Dream Hunter, and another title of the winner's choosing.
How do you enter? Easy!
To enter, leave a comment below telling us what you'd do while listening to a Kinsale audiobook if you won. Wash dishes? Clean things? Hide under a blanket? Drive through traffic on the Tappan Zee Bridge? (no, wait, that's me. Sorry.) Share what kinds of tasks you'll accomplish while listening, and you're entered to win. The Dream Hunter is 12 hours and 45 minutes. You could probably raise your own barn and smile while you did it!
Comments will close at 3:00 pm EDT on Friday 9 August, and I'll announce the winners later that day.
Standard disclaimers apply: Void where prohibited. The giveaway for the Audible download code prize is open to international residents to the extent permissible by applicable law. Must be over 18 and rocking out to win. I am not being compensated for this giveaway. Tumble dry low, reshape and dry flat. Is there anything worse than “reshape and dry flat?” Yes. Dry clean only! By submitting an entry to the contest as set forth herein, each entrant does acknowledge and agree that, in the event such entrant is victorious, such entrant will perform a ceremony reasonably appropriate to such circumstance, including, without limitation, the Miposian Dance of Joy. Close cover before striking.
I hope you'll consider what monumental tasks you can complete in 12 hours and 45 minutes, and share with us to enter. Good luck! And rock on!
I would regrout my shower. It makes the job less awful.
I have to take a long road trip by myself in October, so I would definitely listen to it then. I would be so mellow on the California highways that I would mellow both lanes on either side of me and accidents would drop to a new low in my wake. See, you’d be contributing to public safety!
During my commute. Or at work when I run out of Radiolab podcasts.
I would listen while dismantling patriarchy.
And picking up dog poop in the yard.
I’d listen while quilting or perhaps on a journey to/from a visit to the folks who are 7 hours away.
Thanks for the opportunity!
I’d like to say that I’d be sipping sherry, or taking a bubble bath, or lounging in silk pajamas—or perhaps taking a bubble bath whilst sipping sherry and awaiting my silk pajamas—but a realistic appraisal of my average week leads me to suspect that I’d be doing laundry.
However, with Laura Kinsale on my headphones, even “reshape and dry flat” would be joy-inducing.
I am a full time studio potter. 90% of the time, I listen to audio books while I work. The only time I listen to music (that 10%) is when I’m throwing on the potter’s wheel. So I will be listening to Laura Kinsale’s wonderful books while I work in the studio.
I would listen while in a road trip to visit my parents or my new granddaughter, once she is born.
I do pretty much everything while listening to an audiobook. Household chores, shopping, exercise all go better with a book to listen to—and the Laura Kinsale/Nicholas Boulton combo is unbelievable. Flowers from the Storm was amazing when I first read it, doubly so when I listened to it.
I love to quilt as much as I love to read so I would be hand quilting while I listen to this book with time out to just listen and sigh…his voice is wonderful. Simon Prebble has always been my favorite male narrator but Nicholas is his equal!
I’d listen during my commute to and from work. It definitely helps!
Since I wear my mp3 player like a piece of jewelry everywhere I go (home, work, grocery shopping), I could be doing almost anything while listening! The Prince of Midnight and Midsummer Moon were absolutely wonderful in audio.
I would listen while completing a DYI project – staining a set of unfinished closet doors, louvered and both back and front. There’s lots of tiny surfaces on those darned doors, so it’s going to take some time, and having something great to listen to would make it go by much faster. 😀
I generally listen to audiobooks while putting my kids to bed. But Laura Kinsale audiobooks I listen to while cleaning, cooking, and driving my son to his therapies.
Close my eyes and enjoy 🙂
Pretty much EVERYTHING. Audiobooks are like crack. Except better for your brain.
I sometimes listen to them while cooking and cleaning, but my favorite thing to do is work a jigsaw puzzle while listening to an audiobook. It feels so decadent.
OMG
That voice! I would have to take a long hot bath. Calgon I mean Nicholas Boultan take me away.
I generally listen to audiobooks while driving, but also while knitting or drawing. (I do endeavor not to knit and drive at the same time, however.)
Captcha: coming44. I’m really not going to tell you what I think of that.
I love audiobooks! They can turn any yucky task into something fun – even better than a spoonful of sugar! When I’m in the middle of a good audiobook story, I actually look forward to cleaning day. Treadmill running becomes bearable. Marathon baking is downright splendid!
Nurse my newborn!
I would listen with a glass or five of wine, paint my toenails, and just generally loaf around because with two small boys and a brand new baby that is pretty much my idea of the best way to spend my adult time ever.
I would listen while I’m baking pastries in the morning before I open my cafe. Those wee hours of the morning can be so silent.
I would read while pretending to jog. 🙂
I would paint my new apartment 🙂 Still four more rooms to go!
I’d listen to the audiobook while I’m drawing or coloring, which will easily fill up 12 hours and 45 minutes!
I would listen while I sort mail at work – easily one of the most boring tasks imaginable. Audiobooks have kept me sane doing it and I am so excited about Kinsale’s books becoming available.
I would sit on my couch and cuddle with my dog 🙂 Or… to be productive… I would unpack all my books from my move. It’s only been a week so I don’t feel too bad about procrastinating 😉 Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
I will listen while walking my dog. And again while commuting. And some more while knitting. Audiobooks + knitting + wine = fabulous.
I would listen while driving up to Minneapolis to see my boyfriend…and totally proceed to miss the exit, I’m sure!
I’d listen everywhere, which is pretty much how I roll regardless. Dishes, laundry, commuting, cooking, showering (TMI?), etc.
I’d listen in the car, as long as I didn’t have my kids with me. (I had to stop listening to romance novels in the car when my two-year-old started asking sticky questions about the racy bits.)
I listen while driving. BUT I re-listen to familiar ebooks to relax myself to sleep.
I’d listen while knitting!
I listen to audiobooks and podcasts all the time while I’m out walking (I live in a big city and I commute to my job on foot). This got me into trouble recently when I got so caught up in what I was listening to that I almost got hit by a bike (who ran a red light, so it was kind of his fault).
I’d listen in the car while driving my niece to visit every other college in the state.
I would listen at night when I am too tired to much of anything else beside curling up with a good book! I love the idea of being read to…like a bedtime story from long ago.
I listen all the time: dRIVING, COOKING, CLEANING, sleeping, showering, I have players in all the bedrooms,my bathroom, cars, great room; portables, tapes and CDs. I’m cornering the market on boom boxes that have tape and CD players. In fact, I rarely buy books. Get from the Library, buy Audios Right now ti’s TRUE LOVE, FEVER, HEART OF THE SEA.
I like to think of myself as discriminating about readers….Anna Fields, Kate Reading, Suzanne Toren, John Lee, Davina Porter, Joyce Bean, Susan Erickson. No real good ones coming up that I can say. A bad book can be semi-saved by a good reader…but a bad reader couldn’t save the BIBLE.
I would listen constantly – driving, working, working out, cleaning the house, getting ready for work in the morning. I recently got an Audible membership, and I’ve quickly become addicted!
I’d listen while working out. And this would be pretty good incentive to keep going, I would think!