Tag: Andy Murray

Samuel James: Voice Behind the New Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player Audiobook

Soon to be launched on over a million ears across the length and breadth of the land – the entire world indeed – is the audiobook of Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player, read by the one and only Samuel James who says:

“The idea of an epic battle between the common man and the forces, trying to keep them at bay is always a winner with me. Nick’s brilliant balance between humour and tragedy had me cheering for Lord Andrew whilst at the same time wishing he could find someone, anyone, to just sit down with for a serious talk over a cup of tea …  Iparticularly enjoyed recreating a well known – and cringeworthy – interview with a certain political leader on the BBC!”

Samuel was born in Portsmouth and raised in southeast London. He trained as an actor at Mountview Theatre School and is an audiobook graduate with Helen Lloyd Audio.

Sam’s theatre credits include Twelfth Night and Women Beware Women at the National Theatre, and the original West End productions of Ragtime and The Full Monty. He is a familiar face on television appearing in everything from sit com to prime-time drama. 

Sam’s audio work includes over 100 full cast audio productions for the BBC, Audible Studios and Big Finish. He was nominated Best Supporting Actor at the BBC Audio Drama Awards for his performance as Billy in The War of the Worlds and he co-starred in Black Eyed Girls for the BBC, which won the Best Original Audio Drama Award. 

Audiobook highlights include Bram Stoker’s Dracula for Spotify Audiobooks and Barry S. Richman’s Follow the Drum for Podium Entertainment. He is currently recording 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for Spotify Audiobooks – and is delighted to be the voice of the beleaguered and deluded hero in The Confessions Series, his first narrations with Raconteurs Audio. 

Here’s to the first of many collaborations with Samuel and his production company, Raconteurs Audio!

Buy your own CD of the audiobook here:

Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player: the Audiobook

Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player: the Audiobook

Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player is now available as an Audiobook on CD.

£20.00
Shop now

Kevin Coyne plays ‘Mad Boy’ for Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player

When Paul Warren, the Confessions illustrator and I first met, we soon realised we were both fans of the Derby born musician, Kevin Coyne. I had seen Kevin several times, and Paul was lucky enough to be one of his best friends and study with him at the Derby College of Art.

We both thought it would be terrific if Kevin’s role in our lives could be acknowledged in the Confessions… book and so were delighted when Helmi, Kevin’s wife, allowed us to use of Kevin’s song, Mad Boy, as the accompanying song for Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player. If you’re listening up there, Kevin, we hope we’ve done you proud.

Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player

Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player

“I don’t like your attitude!” snaps “Serena Williams” as we square up over the club’s dubious grass courts. But I am “Andy Murray”, the greatest tennis GOAT ever, no really I am and you “Serena” are blocking me from my ultimate goal: chairman of our local club.

‘Confessions’ is about a man of a certain age – Lord Andrew John Paul George Ringo Murray of Kirkintilloch – who lived out his tennis fantasies when he was young and never quite moved on as he grew up.

The first of a series, “Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player” is the must-go-to illustrated comic guidebook about our dreams and our disappointments, our failures and our triumphs.

£12.99
Shop now

Julian Writes:Audiobook, here I come!

Have spent the weekend recording “test reads” in my wardrobe using my phone and a towel. It’s going well, though Siri keeps interrupting.

In my final take I whispered:

“Confession isn’t weakness — it’s marketing with honesty.”

It gave me goosebumps.

If this goes right, I’ll make sure the series becomes a whole audio universe.
The Courting Lives of an Ageing Tennis Player: The Podcast. The Soundtrack. The Brand.

If this goes wrong, I’ll tell Nick it was a focus-group experiment.
Either way, the voice of NOP is coming.
And it might just be me.

Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player

Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player

“I don’t like your attitude!” snaps “Serena Williams” as we square up over the club’s dubious grass courts. But I am “Andy Murray”, the greatest tennis GOAT ever, no really I am and you “Serena” are blocking me from my ultimate goal: chairman of our local club.

‘Confessions’ is about a man of a certain age – Lord Andrew John Paul George Ringo Murray of Kirkintilloch – who lived out his tennis fantasies when he was young and never quite moved on as he grew up.

The first of a series, “Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player” is the must-go-to illustrated comic guidebook about our dreams and our disappointments, our failures and our triumphs.

£12.99
Shop now

Julian Writes: third slightly tentative steps to my Audiobook Ambitions

Woke at dawn with a vision. Not of Nick, but of the soundtrack.

Imagine the ball hitting the net in slow motion, followed by a deep cello note and a whispered confession:

“I was always better at losing gracefully.”

Then my voice (or a fades in, narrating over ambient crowd noise.
It’s not just an audiobook — it’s cinematic intimacy.

Sent a 1,200-word email draft titled “Sonic Futures: Aural Brand Synergies” to myself.
Will forward to Nick once I’ve removed the parts where I refer to myself as “the oracle of audio.”

Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player

Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player

“I don’t like your attitude!” snaps “Serena Williams” as we square up over the club’s dubious grass courts. But I am “Andy Murray”, the greatest tennis GOAT ever, no really I am and you “Serena” are blocking me from my ultimate goal: chairman of our local club.

‘Confessions’ is about a man of a certain age – Lord Andrew John Paul George Ringo Murray of Kirkintilloch – who lived out his tennis fantasies when he was young and never quite moved on as he grew up.

The first of a series, “Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player” is the must-go-to illustrated comic guidebook about our dreams and our disappointments, our failures and our triumphs.

£12.99
Shop now

Julian Writes: second tentative steps to my Audiobook Ambitions

Home late after a “strategy chat” with Eleanor in the pub. She says audiobooks are “performative literature,” which I think was meant kindly but sounded like a warning.
I told her I’d volunteer to “consult” on the voice direction, i.e.select the narrator. She raised an eyebrow and asked if I knew any voice actors. I said I was network-adjacent to several. (Translation: I follow Stephen Fry on X.)
In my notes app I’ve drafted:
Julian Pilkington-Sterne: The Sound of Modern Literature™
It’s ambitious, yes. But ambition is a transferable skill.

Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player

Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player

“I don’t like your attitude!” snaps “Serena Williams” as we square up over the club’s dubious grass courts. But I am “Andy Murray”, the greatest tennis GOAT ever, no really I am and you “Serena” are blocking me from my ultimate goal: chairman of our local club.

‘Confessions’ is about a man of a certain age – Lord Andrew John Paul George Ringo Murray of Kirkintilloch – who lived out his tennis fantasies when he was young and never quite moved on as he grew up.

The first of a series, “Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player” is the must-go-to illustrated comic guidebook about our dreams and our disappointments, our failures and our triumphs.

£12.99
Shop now