In this episode Mark interviews Laura Holley, a Utah-based voice actor and speculative fiction writer whose passion for storytelling began with her first stage performance at seven years old.

Prior to the main content, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report.

In the interview, Mark and Laura talk about:

• Laura getting into theatre in the second grade and the first role that she played
• The power of playing a villain really well and how fun it is to play (in both acting and voice acting) the antagonist
• Transitioning into the role of voice actor
• The early decision between two roles Laura held in high regard: Hollywood actress and stay-at-home mom
• Recognizing that she could get involved in voice acting from home
• Paying for a voice acting program early on during the pandemic
• The term "creative catalyst" that Orna Ross mentioned in Episode and Laura's term "creative luminary"
• Different techniques that can be used when performing audiobooks and voice acting
• How acting can inform one's writing
• And more...

Links of Interest:

• Laura Holley's Website
• Episode 472 - Going All In On Substack with Orna Ross
• Episode 479 - The Keyboard is My Favorite Fidget Toy with Premee Mohamed
• Episode 480 - Rambling Reflections From the Road: Returning From Camping & Vitamin N
• Substack Reflection: The Trees and I, The Rooted, yet Restless Writer
• Substack Reflection: The Long & Winding Road Back To A Typewriter
• The Creative Penn Podcast - June 22, 2026 Episode (Mark as guest): Creative Satisfaction, In Person Print Book Sales, And Author Mindset with Mark Leslie Lefebvre
• Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%)
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
• Mark's YouTube channel
• ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link)
• Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
• Stark Realities Book
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
  • Once Bitten (Novella)
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
• Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
• I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises

Laura Holley is a Utah-based voice actor and speculative fiction writer. Her passion for storytelling began with her first stage performance at seven years old. Trained by vocal coaches Jessica Straus and Glad Klassen and writing mentor Wulf Moon, she brings depth and richness to every story with her voice or her pen. When not creating new worlds in her private studio, she's often in her home's hidden game room—plotting to conquer them.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0