My New York Saga is now on audio with the
expressive voice of Nina Price.
Here are poignant quotes, songs of the day, and the
dream cast:
FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET (1894-5)
Songs:
The Band Played On – Dan Quinn
The Sidewalks of New York – Dan Quinn
The Liberty Bell – U.S. Marine Band
My Pearl is a Bowery Girl – Dan Quinn
My Best Girl’s a New Yorker – Edward M. Favor
Quotes:
Toiling over the mind-numbing work, Vita conjured up her
favorite daydream: an elegant brownstone with lacy iron gates, bay windows,
polished floors, marble fireplaces. No trash flung down air shafts, no shared
toilets, no backyard privies...above Fourteenth Street.
Vita went to mass before
breakfast. She sat way in back and didn’t pay much mind to the priest chanting
away in Latin. This was her private time for praying and remembering her
mother. She looked up in the familiar far corner. The image of an angel with
dreamy blue eyes looked down at her. As she pretended that angel was Mama, a
protecting comfort always warmed her.
“My
cousin Mike was found shot to death next to this building. Your father and
brother were arrested for his murder. I’m sorry, Vita. I’m so sorry.” Tom
approached her with caution, longing to hold her, to cradle her in his arms.
* *
Vita Caputo – Rachel Weisz
Tom McGlory – Christian Bale
Rosalia Caputo – Marissa Tomei
Jadwiga Wisen – Debra Messing
BOOTLEG BROADWAY (1931)
Songs:
Just a Gigolo – Ted Lewis and His Orchestra
Minnie the Moocher – Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club
Orchestra
Mood Indigo – Duke Ellington
Stardust – Isham Jones
I Got Rhythm – Red Nichols
Quotes:
Billy clasped Pru’s hand, dropped to one knee, and cleared
his throat for the most important recital of his life. “You’re the essence of
my being. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and even after that.
Now you’re carrying my child, and I want us to be a real family. Pru, will you
marry me?”
“What did you name her?” Billy couldn’t stop staring.
This breathing,
living child nestled in
Pru’s arms was his flesh and blood. And he thought his songs were a divine
creation!
“Nothing
yet.” She looked up at him and smiled. “I thought I’d leave that to you.”
“Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat, I
can’t even think straight.” He slapped the side of his head. “I might wind up
calling her Zeppo or something. You better name her.”
“I
have to go, Billy. It’s my time…”
“No,
Pru. Don’t talk like that.” My heart started hammering. I removed my sweaty
palms from her arm. “Please. I love you, Pru. You’re my whole life.” I
struggled to keep my voice even as I sobbed. “Don’t leave me!” That was an
order—the only one I’d ever given her. I turned my head so she couldn’t see me
bawling and swiping at my tears.
* *
Dream Cast:
Billy McGlory – Leonardo DiCaprio
Pru Muller McGlory – Gwyneth Paltrow
Greta Schliessmeyer – Scarlett Johansen
Rosario Ingovito – Joe Pesci
Al Capone - Chazz
Palminteri
FROM HERE TO CAMELOT (1963)
Songs:
Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
From Me to You – The Beatles
You’re the Devil in Disguise – Elvis Presley
Louie Louie – The Kingsmen
Walk Like a Man – The Four Seasons
Quotes:
“Vikki, it’s
Linc Benjamin.” His ragged voice came over the line. “I have terrible news.
Jack is dead.”
“What?” She
couldn’t have heard right. “What did you say?”
“Jack was
found in the bathtub of his hotel room this morning—”
She dropped
the phone and slid down against the wall. Her glasses fell off her face. The
room spun. Sunlight glared. She smelled the new coat of wax on the kitchen
floor.
Vikki read over her father’s transcript, Jack’s voice
echoing through her mind. “I’ll find you, you bastard, whoever you are,” she
said reverently, like a vow. “If I have to die doing it.”
Al lowered
his lips to Vikki’s, and everything converged into a blur. Her arms wound
around him. She wept, for her loss, for fear of the future, of the unknown, of
this man whose mouth claimed hers. This time she didn’t ask Jack to forgive
her. She hoped he was tripping the
light fantastic with Marilyn Monroe right now.
Dream Cast:
Vikki McGlory Ward – Christina Applegate
Billy McGlory – Harrison Ford
Aldobrandi Po – Vincent Irizarry
Rosario Ingovito – Edward G. Robinson
Greta Schliessmeyer McGlory – Michelle Pfeiffer
An Interview About Me & Audio Books
Tell
us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
My publisher, The Wild
Rose Press, auditioned some narrators and sent me samples. When Nina finished
narrating it, Wild Rose released it and put it on sale with retailers.
Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into
audiobook format?
Adventure and suspense
translate well, as long as the narrator has an animated voice. My books, with
characters who have different actors, came out really well, because Nina does
great accents and different voice inflections.
Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of
while writing?
No, I never thought of it at the time.
How did you select your narrator?
When I heard Nina’s sample, I knew she was the
best narrator for my books.
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?
We spoke on the phone a
few times, and discussed the characters and their backgrounds. When she had a
question about the pronunciation of a word, I either spelled it out
phonetically or sent her a video of someone saying the word or phrase.
Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
Yes, FROM HERE TO
FOURTEENTH STREET’s heroine Vita is based on my great-grandmother, a
businesswoman, wife and mother. She was way ahead of her time. I always have
historical events as backdrops for my books. BOOTLEG BROADWAY is set during
Prohibition, and THE END OF CAMELOT is centered around the John F. Kennedy
assassination.
How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain
your enthusiasm for writing?
I pace myself, I write
2500 words a day and sometimes more if I’m on a roll. My enthusiasm never
wanes, because I’m a huge history buff, I love doing the research, and my
passion for it comes out in my stories.
Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format
appeals to you?
I listen to audiobooks
on long car trips. It’s convenient to listen to books while doing something
else, driving, as a passenger in a car, doing chores, etc.
Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more
resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
The dialogue is very
animated and authentic throughout all three books. Nina does great New York and
‘wiseguy’ accents.
If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes,
when and where would you go?
I’ve always wanted to spend a week in ancient
Rome, Greece, or Pompeii.
What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating”
or as inferior to “real reading”?
It’s as much cheating or
inferior to ‘real reading’ as watching a TV show or a play instead of reading
the script.
How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
I always celebrate by
recharging my batteries—usually by reading my favorite genres, biographies,
mysteries, and paranormal novels.
What gets you out of a writing slump? What about a reading
slump?
I’ve never been a slump;
I make sure I reach my 2500-word goal every day, even if it’s not my best
output. I can always go back and rewrite.
In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a
stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?
A series allows the
reader to get to know the characters and become familiar with them. Stand-alones
don’t have that advantage.
Have any of your characters ever appeared in your dreams?
Yes, but they’re historical figures—Richard III
and Henry VIII.
What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Keep writing. Keep practicing. Most of all, don’t ever give up
on your dream. Just having a dream makes you very special. If you get impatient
because it’s taking so long, just ask yourself this: Why does 16-year Scotch
take 16 years? Some things are worth waiting for.
Do
you have any tips for authors going through the process of turning their books
into audiobooks?
Ask your publisher if they do audio books, and if not, remind them
that audio books are booming!
