Tag: audiobook

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
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Behind the Scenes: Crafting an Audiobook with Raconteurs Audio

We’ve been delighted to work with Raconteurs Audio, the production company who are the guiding lights in turning Confessions of an Ageing Tennis Player into an Audiobook. We met the company at the Troubadour conference in Leicester in September and it’s been full on since then. We asked Helen, founder of the company, about what interested in her working on the book. She says:

“When we met at the Troubador conference and you showed me the book I was intrigued. What a challenge to turn this beautifully illustrated book into an audiobook. Finding the right voice was only the first step … making sense of the layout of the MS was another challenge, and I know parts 2, 3 and 4, will each present a new set of conundrums to overcome. From a producer’s point of view working on a book that is so clearly character led, where the humour is quirky, when it is a book with attitude, is always a joy. Getting across the almost schizophrenic narrative voice, and in due course bringing in all the other characters is enormous fun, then fitting it all together into one seamless production is what makes our job unique. It’s a real privilege when an author trusts us to bring their words to life.”

She goes on to describe how Raconteurs itself started.

“The idea for Raconteurs happened in 2018 when a group of British Audiobook narrators met over coffee and bagels in a Manhattan 24-hour diner. Three years later Raconteurs Audio LLP was formed, and we produced our first audiobook, a collection of short stories by H. G Wells. This was awarded a prestigious Audiofile Magazine Earphones Award.

Since then, we have gone from strength to strength: we have another Earphones Award and an Audie Nomination to our credit, and work regularly with indie authors, as well being a production partner for mainstream publishers. Our core partnership remains at the heart of the business, as we continue to build our network of carefully selected narrators from around the world. 

We are immensely grateful to the authors and publishers who trust us with their work, and we do all we can to bring their words to a listening audience, creating audiobooks of which we can all be proud. 

And here at NOP, we’re delighted to be working with Raconteurs and can’t wait to hear the magic they’ve woven!

Want to see more about the book itself? Just click here:

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
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Julian Writes… Maya and the Drop Shot!

She wears headphones. All day. I’m certain she’s listening to Serbian poetry or perhaps meditative tennis podcasts. I asked what music inspires her but she just shrugged, “It’s white noise.” This may be metaphorical. I think she’s protecting herself from the chaos of the publishing world. Later, she briefly smiled when I offered her a stapler. Progress.

I try later that morning and ask what she’s listening to. ‘Hawking Teds,’ she said, deadpan. I pretended to know.  I think she meant Hawkwind. Fascinating! A woman who misnames her band and owns it. There’s art in that. Like hitting a drop shot when everyone expects a drive. I’m certain she listens to ‘Once in a Lifetime’ and thinks of me.

The Courting Lives of an Ageing Tennis Player

The Courting Lives of an Ageing Tennis Player

“Tennis belongs to the individualistic past – a hero, or at most a pair of friends or lovers, against the world.” (Jacques Barzun)

 

£19.99
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Julian Writes… First serve to Maja!

Maja works in silence, the kind you only hear before a serve. I tried a conversational volley: ‘Do you play?’ She said, ‘No.’ Flat, clean, devastating. I regrouped, mentioned Wimbledon, rhythm, focus but still nothing. I’m not discouraged. Early games are about reading your opponent’s stance.

(one hour later)

She seems to have remarkable focus. While others chatter about deadlines, she types with unnerving precision. I attempted small talk .  “So, are you a fan of the backhand slice?” was an artful opening serve I thought but she merely retorted, “I prefer not to talk during work hours.” straight back down the line. A professional! A rare breed. I sense a bond forming, though she doesn’t yet realise it. I drafted a note of appreciation to HR, praising her “quiet industriousness and unstudied elegance.” Will send tomorrow after suitable reflection.

The Courting Lives of an Ageing Tennis Player

The Courting Lives of an Ageing Tennis Player

“Tennis belongs to the individualistic past – a hero, or at most a pair of friends or lovers, against the world.” (Jacques Barzun)

 

£19.99
Shop now