Podcast in Death

This week we have an episode that we put together at the last minute for reasons that will be explained in the episode. So, in this episode, we talk about the various book covers from the J.D. Robb "In Death" series. Mostly, we are looking at what we would call [...]

Hey, Everyone!

This week we have an episode that we put together at the last minute for reasons that will be explained in the episode. So, in this episode, we talk about the various book covers from this series. Mostly, we are looking at what we would call the “Neon” covers. These are the covers that had bright, neon colors on them and compilations of different elements that would hint to the contents of the book. We show Caitlin several of these covers to see if she can then guess what the book was about based on those elements.

Jen is on vacation for this episode, and we’re kind of sad about that because we could have used her extensive knowledge of “In Death” book details in this episode.

So that you can have some visuals as you are listening to this episode, we will link to all of the various covers that we discuss in this episode below.

This book is about a crazy Handmaids Tale-like cult. This is about power and control, but it's also about freedom, mostly because a lot of what happened in this book happened because of people trying to get out from under that power and control or... trying to find, get or [...]

This book is about a crazy Handmaids Tale-like cult. This is about power and control, but it's also about freedom, mostly because a lot of what happened in this book happened because of people trying to get out from under that power and control or... trying to find, get or [...]

We're taking on the topic of the Rumor that Wouldn't Die, also known as "Nora Roberts Must Have Ghost Writers." This rumor is ridiculous and stupid, and people need to stop spreading it. We read a review of "Shadows in Death" that came out after we did our "We Review [...]

We’re taking on the topic of the Rumor that Wouldn’t Die, also known as “Nora Roberts Must Have Ghost Writers.”

Here’s what we have to say about that:

 

For more context, here is the link to the original post by Nora Roberts that we reference in this episode:

Zombie Ghosts post from Fall into the Story

 

Look, everyone: If you write like it’s a full-time job like Nora does, it is entirely possible to write four books (or more) per year. AJ and Jen have both participated in “National Novel Writing Month,” and completed a 50,000 “novel” in one month. If we can write 50,000 in a month while still working at our full-time jobs, Nora can write twice or three times that in a month for her full-time job. (And do it 10 times better, probably).

We read a review of “Shadows in Death” that came out after we did our “We Review the Reviews – Shadows in Death Edition” episode. It’s a really obnoxious review that is pretty typical of what obnoxious assholes say when they accuse Nora of  having ghostwriters.

Also, we just want Nora to know:

If you haven’t picked up on it by now, let us be clear: We are all HUGE fans.

There will always be an open invitation for Nora (or Nora’s publicist Laura) to be a guest on this show, and we would be honored should that ever happen. Honestly, we’re good people and really fun. Just ask Susan Ericksen.

We’re back with one of our most popular topics: We Review the Reviews! This time, we are reviewing the reviews of Betrayal in Death! Mostly all stuff that we hear all the time like Eve is unlikeable and there are gratuitous sex scenes, and the books are not realistic. Also, [...]

We’re back with one of our most popular topics: We Review the Reviews! This time, we are reviewing the reviews of Betrayal in Death! Mostly all stuff that we hear all the time like Eve is unlikeable and there are gratuitous sex scenes, and the books are not realistic. Also, [...]

We talked with Susan Ericksen, Y'all!!

Susan Ericksen, for those who may not know, is a classically trained actor and an award winning audiobook narrator with over 500 audiobooks in her body of work. She’s a three-time Audie Award–winer including two Best Romance awards for both New York to Dallas and Origin in Death.

Her 20 Audiophile Earphones awards include awards for Thankless in Death, Promises in Death, Fantasy in Death, Dark in Death, Celebrity in Death, New York to Dallas, Kindred in Death, Strangers in Death.

Those of you who have listened to this show from the beginning will know that from episode one, a main goal of this podcast was to eventually be able to talk with Susan Ericksen since both AJ and Tara are such huge fans of her work.

And this week, it happened!!!

As you will quickly find out once you listen to this entire episode, Susan Ericksen is just about the greatest person on the planet. We were all just blown away by how gracious and warm and open and funny she is. But not only that, Susan Ericksen changes people’s lives! Listener Michelle Kaye commented on Instagram and said:

I’m beyond excited. I have bad anxiety and Listening to her voice read In Death get me out of my head so I can relax. Only books that do that. It’s her!!! She’s is a gift in my life!!!!!

Susan talks about how she got into the Audiobook business. She gives a plug for her husband is also an audiobook narrator: David Colacci

She talks about how she got started reading the “In Death” series, then walks us through the process of recording an “In Death” book, and some of the joys but also the challenges with that.

Susan tells us a couple of fun stories about people who recognized her voice when she was out and about.

Then we talk a bit about how she gets into the groove of each character before reading their part, and the skill that’s involved in having to do many different characters in a scene. Also, about how she comes up with all the different voices that she uses for the books, and how bonkers the last scene of “Shadows” was just in general and how difficult scenes like that are to record.

She talks about drawing on her own familiarity with New York from having lived there for 20 years, to give Eve Dallas’ New York a very diverse cast of characters through their voices. She explains how she came up with Peabody’s voice, and the unexpected problems that happen when she voices someone like Trina.

Then Susan Ericksen answers our fan questions. Here are some of her answers.

She is currently reading the Owen Archer Series by Candace Robb.

She does, in fact, sing in the shower.

She has an unusual collection of cooking magazines.

She has some fantastic things to say about the lessons she’s taking away from 2020.

Our final question she pleads the 5th on, and we don’t blame her at all.

Among her upcoming projects are audiobooks for a couple of indie authors: Elizabeth Vaughan and R. K. Thorne.

We highly recommend becoming an audiobook listener, and starting with the latest book: Faithless in Death. Add the audiobook onto your ebook purchase for only around $7.47 and that’s a bargain!

Also: Susan Ericksen has never met Nora Roberts in person?? How is that possible??? Someone set that meeting up pronto!

Those of you who have listened to this show from the beginning will know that from episode one, a goal of this podcast was to eventually be able to talk with Susan Ericksen since both AJ and Tara are such huge fans of her work. This week, it happened!!! As [...]