Review of Desert Tryst from Audible UK

I just discovered that a lovely person named Jumime wrote a fantastic review of Desert Tryst on Audible UK and it is just so perfect that I am going to share it with y'all:

"Short+Sweet+Hot, like a chilli Chocolate Brownie!"

Would you consider the audio edition of Desert Tryst to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version, but judging by the narration, I think it would be as good as the audio edition.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that you can feel the connection and chemistry between the main characters and that plenty of backstory is given for them, despite the short length of the novel. I also liked how sweet a character Thomas was, it's easy to see why Dmitiri would be drawn to him.

What about Greg Tremblay’s performance did you like?

He's a fantastic narrator, my favourite by far. He really brings the characters to life, making each voice distinctive and adding real emotion to his performance.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I definitely laughed at points, especially at Dmitri's internal musings, but mostly I aawww-ed at how these guys clearly want each other and have this chance to make it happen. I also really sympathised with Dmitri's hard life and upbringing and how, despite that, he's a strong character who's a good man at heart, if not in deed.

Any additional comments?

I like the fact that this is a short story because it's very well written and narrated, it avoids unnecessary 'padding' as some longer novels are prone to using to fill their stories and I can listen to it all in one sitting if I choose, as opposed to sometimes having to spread it out over a couple of days. I'm notorious for listening to a single book repeatedly. That being said, if a full-length sequel to this was written, I'd be all for it. Well done Susanne, this book is on my favourites list :)!

Thank you so much Jumime!!! I love you!!! :)

Click here to find Desert Tryst on Audible UK 

AudioFile Review of Desert Tryst

Why, look! A *lovely* review of DESERT TRYST in AudioFile Magazine! *much happy dancing ensues*

"Narrator Greg Tremblay impressively portrays the two men in alternating chapters."

"...the buildup to their belief in each other and passionate love is satisfying for listeners to hear. The New Mexico desert provides an evocative setting for this short yet enjoyable story."

http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/107920/

Go get it! You know you want to. ;)

AudioBook:
http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Desert-Tryst-Audiobook/B0117VPKTG

(on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/desert-tryst-1night-stand/id1017791097)

Ebook:
http://www.amazon.com/Desert-Tryst-1Night-Susanne-Saville-ebook/dp/B00Y3O5WY8

Sound Clip from Vampire Close

http://coffeeminx.tumblr.com/post/133545243064/example-i-used-at-rwa-national-conference-of-an

If you're interested: here's the audio book on Audible

Interview with NICHOLAS LEA

Interview with Nicholas Lea at DragonCon 

Sunday 6 September 2015

Periodically I ask People I Really Like if I can interview them for the segment of my website I call The Chatty Cat Cafe. 

Nicholas Lea being one of those People, I requested an interview at DragonCon. He graciously agreed.

However, you think YOUR DragonCon is busy? I got a glimpse of how busy it can be for the guests.

First, we were going to do lunch, but he never got a lunch break. We rescheduled for late afternoon, but the fans kept coming. 

Mr. Lea - ever humble and self-effacing - was certain people would stop arriving at his table on the Walk of Fame any moment. They never did. He severely underestimates the size and dedication of his fan base. There was always someone who wanted to tell him what they'd seen him in and what it meant to them. 

So we ended up doing this interview in between fan visits on the floor of the DragonCon Walk of Fame. 

Note: Mr. Lea's words are in ALL CAPS just to make this easier to read. He wasn't shouting. Well, except to be heard over the din. :)

EDIT: Changing "Nic" (which should be "Nick") to "Mr. Lea" since it's really presumptuous of me to be calling him anything other than that or Sir. :)

Me: Right. Okay. Pretend we’re at a cafe. What’s your favorite hot beverage?

NL: COFFEE. STRONG. USUALLY WHAT I DRINK WHEN I GO OUT TO GET COFFEE IS DARK ROAST WITH A LONG SHOT OF ESPRESSO.

Me: Do you have any pets?

NL: I HAVE THE BEST DOG IN THE WORLD. I’LL SHOW YOU A PICTURE. HIS NAME’S JIMMY STEWART. HE TURNS 10 IN ABOUT A WEEK. AND WHEN YOU COME IN THE DOOR HE SMILES AT YOU. 

THAT’S HIM SMILING BECAUSE HE’S SO EXCITED.

*shows photo of adorable Jack Russell terrier showing every last one of his teeth in a huge, wolfish grin*

Me: (laughing) He looks ferocious! 

NL: I KNOW BUT HE’S LIKE, HE’S MY BEST FRIEND. I’LL SHOW YOU A GOOD PICTURE. 

*shows photo of same handsome Jack Russell terrier looking straight into the camera with soulful, deep brown eyes* 

I DON’T THINK I’VE LOVED TOO MANY THINGS IN MY LIFE MORE THAN HIM. HE'S GOT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EYES. I COULD TALK ABOUT MY DOG ALL DAY. 

Me: Jimmy Stewart, you said? Is that your favorite actor or did your dog’s personality remind you of him?

NL: IS JIMMY STEWART MY FAVORITE ACTOR? HMMM….YEAH. YEAH, I’LL SAY THAT. IT’S LIKE SAYING ‘WHO’S YOUR FAVORITE BAND?’ BUT….YEAH. 

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE FILMS.

Me: Of all your roles, which comes closest to your dog’s personality?

NL: I DID A MOVIE CALLED SHOT IN THE FACE THAT YOU’LL NEVER SEE. IT’S A COMEDY. I’M A FUMBLING BANK ROBBER. HE’S AN IDIOT. HE’S A COMPLETE IDIOT. 

Me: But good-hearted we assume?

NL: UMM. SOMEWHERE IN THERE. YEAH.

Me: If money were no object, what would you do?

NL: IN TERMS OF ACTING?

Me: In terms of anything.

NL: OH, I THINK IF I COULD BE DOING ANYTHING, I’D EITHER BE SINGING, PLAYING AND SINGING, OR PLAYING GOLF PROFESSIONALLY.

I MEAN, LISTEN, WHAT I DO, I LOVE. 

BUT I WORKED ON A SHOW CALLED MEN IN TREES, AND THE CREATOR OF THE SHOW FOUND OUT THAT I SING, AND WANTED TO KNOW WOULD I SING ON THE SHOW? I SAID FOR SURE, AND SHE SAID WOULD YOU WRITE THE SONG? AND I SAID FOR SURE. SO WE WENT INTO THE STUDIO AND RECORDED A COUPLE SONGS AND THAT’S AS CREATIVELY FULFILLING AS I’VE PROBABLY EVER FELT. 

Me: You need to do an album. That’s not a question. That’s a command. 

NL: (laughing) DID YOU SEE ME AND DUCHOVNY SINGING ON YOUTUBE? 

Me: Yes!!

NL: IT’S PRETTY FUNNY.

Me: Do you get nervous before going on stage?

NL: TOTALLY.

Me: What do you do to relax?

NL: SMOKE POT. THAT’S THE HONEST ANSWER.

Me: What’s your favorite song to sing?

NL: I’M NOT GOING TO SING IT FOR YOU.

Me: No, no, no... wait. (mock indignation) What? I’m outraged.

NL: I LIKE SINGING THE ELVIS SONG LOVE ME. I WON’T SING IT FOR YOU. BUT YOU’LL FIND IT SOMEWHERE. IT’S A GREAT SONG.

*interviewer stumbles, forgets next question, apologizes for being so nervous*

NL: DON’T BE NERVOUS. HONESTLY, DON’T BE NERVOUS. NOTHING TO BE NERVOUS ABOUT. REALLY. WE’VE MET EACH OTHER ENOUGH TIMES NOW.

Me: You can act, and you can sing. Are you a triple threat?

NL: CAN I DANCE? YOU KNOW, I THINK I CAN DANCE, BUT I NEED TO HAVE SEVEN OR EIGHT COCKTAILS BEFORE I DO IT. AND THAT’S NOT THE MOST….

IF I WERE TO DO IT PROFESSIONALLY…. 

I’M NO CHRIS WALKER, LET’S PUT IT THAT WAY. (laughing) I THINK I’M A PRETTY GOOD DANCER. I HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF TIME. 

Me: So you could be in a musical!

NL: I COULD BE IN A MUSICAL. I’D LIKE TO BE IN A MUSICAL. IN A MUSICAL FILM, NOT ON STAGE. I’D BE TOO TERRIFIED TO DANCE ON STAGE BECAUSE I’D FALL OVER, PROBABLY.

Me: Do you like performing on film better than stage performances?

NL: YOU LEARN MORE ON STAGE. YOU LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU WORK AS AN ACTOR ON STAGE. BUT FILM IS MORE IMMEDIATE AND MORE EXCITING. YOU FIND THAT YOU DON’T NEED TO DO AS MUCH. IT’S LIKE GOLFING. IF YOU HOLD THE CLUB TOO TIGHT AND SWING TOO HARD, YOU’RE IN TROUBLE. IF YOU JUST RELAX AND VISUALIZE AND BE ATHLETIC, THEN SWING EASY, YOU’LL BE FINE.

Me: How did you get interested in golf?

NL: BECAUSE IT’S LIKE ACTING. USES THE SAME SIDE OF MY BRAIN. CALMNESS. CERTAIN KIND OF MENTAL ATHLETICISM AND VISUALIZATION AND TRUST. YOU CAN’T SWING A CLUB WITHOUT KEEPING YOUR HEAD DOWN. THE MOMENT YOU LIFT YOUR HEAD UP TO WATCH WHERE IT (the golf ball) GOES YOU’RE IN TROUBLE. YOU HAVE TO TRUST THAT IT’S GOING TO GO WHERE YOU WANT IT TO GO. 

Me: This is off topic but, how did you hurt yourself?

NL: I ALMOST CUT THE END OF MY FINGER OFF ABOUT A WEEK AGO. GOT SEVEN, SIX STITCHES ON THE END OF MY FINGER. 

Me: (winces) What were you doing?

NL: I WAS TRYING TO PUT UP SOME PLASTIC TARPING AND I HAD TO PUT A HOLE THROUGH TWO PIECES OF PLASTIC USING BRAND NEW SCISSORS AND I WENT (ferociously stabs the air with invisible shears and strikes finger)

I HAD TO GET ON A WATER TAXI IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND GO TO THE CLOSEST HOSPITAL AND…. YEAH. IT WAS DRAMA. UNWANTED DRAMA. 

Me: Last question - we spoke of imbibing many cocktails before dancing earlier. How drunk would I have to get you for you to agree to narrate a smutty, erotic audio book for me?

NL: SMUTTY EROTIC? 

I DON’T KNOW. YOU KNOW, I’LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I HAVE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT. 

BUT… PROBABLY NOT THAT DRUNK. 

This then devolved into plans for world domination procedures for giving him a choice of audiobooks to narrate, before we ended the interview and he kissed me goodbye. 

Whereupon I was a complete professional and did not swoon on the Walk of Fame floor. I am very proud of myself for that.

Although I might possibly have been seen running around in circles on the sidewalk, with flailing Kermit-arms, yelping:

*SQUEEEEE*  NICHOLAS LEA KISSED ME  *SQUEEEEEE*. 

But... let’s keep that last bit between us, yeah?

The End

Interested in audiobooks I already have available? CLICK HERE

Interested in more interviews? Check out THE CHATTY CAT CAFE

Looking for a LIST OF MY BOOKS?

Wondering if the hero on the cover of my latest intentionally bears a striking resemblance to Krycek? 

And if you've seen SHOT IN THE FACE, let me know in the comments!

Cyber Launch Party!

For today only, over at Author Island's party page:

"WIN - leave Susanne a question today at her Cyber Launch Party and your name goes in the hat for a copy of her new book WICKED BELOVED in your choice of either ebook or audio! Please leave your email address so we can contact you if you are today's winner!"

So pop on over and comment:
http://cyberlaunchparty.blogspot.com/2012/10/celebrating-kinky-new-sci-fi-from.html

Listener Reviews for WICKED BELOVED

Listening to @a_howdz read Wicked Beloved by @susannesaville is porn for my ears. Sooooo hot.
— Christy (@spacelovinggirl) September 29, 2012

@susannesaville @a_howdz I am a puddle on the floor. Your writing is really fantastic. Such great characters as always. Your delivery is :D
— Emma Stockburn (@estockburn) September 28, 2012

@a_howdz you are just like warm honey. But seriously you have made @susannesaville wonderful words and characters truly hypnotic :D
— Emma Stockburn (@estockburn) September 26, 2012

@susannesaville I'm listening to your book and I die. One bravo, two Damn he kills it. The multiple voices... I just *flatline*
— Crystal Beck (@Lost_In_Anarchy) September 26, 2012

Great audio book narrated by @a_howdz who does an amazing job at reading off fantasy porn, but you already knew that. audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?…
— Megan (@StoleTarts) September 25, 2012

Sample and purchase at:

Audible US

Audible UK

iTunes

Interview with ADAM HOWDEN

Welcome to The Chatty Cat Cafe!

Those of you who've followed me for a while know I used to post pet-centered interviews under the Cafe title, back on my old blog.

A few of those interviews were saved and appear on my website.

But I haven't done any more....UNTIL NOW.   **trumpet fanfare**

Have you been listening to the audio version of Wicked Beloved and wondered, who is the exceedingly talented and sexy fella reading this? Wonder no longer!

Yes, today the Chatty Cat is privileged to present.... oh, who am I kidding.... Today the Chatty Cat is squeeeeeing like a teenaged fangirl on a half-crazed sugar high because our guest is the one and only:

ADAM HOWDEN

If you play video games at all, you'll be familiar with his work. He's all over:
Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Fable III
Star Wars: The Old Republic
as well as starring in:
Lost Horizon (Fenton Paddock)
Xenoblade Chronicles (Shulk) (English version)
and
The Adventures of Tintin: The Game (Tintin)

And he has acquired his own Estrogen Brigade from playing Anders in Dragon Age II.

On stage he starred as Malevole/Altofront in The Malcontent, plus he has guested in several television programs, like New Tricks.

Adam in The Malcontent

And, as I said, now he has narrated the audiobook version of Wicked Beloved. (Squee! Such a sexy voice!)

So, yes, right there my gaming and writing worlds collide. 

Luckily I am a professional.

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Ahem.

Okay. Not that much of a professional. (major Twitter crush)

Amazingly, because he is an extra-special, patient, and very, very nice person, he agreed to be interviewed by drooling fangirl me.

So here we go:

Welcome to The Chatty Cat Cafe! First off, tea or coffee? How do you like it served?

Tea, well brewed, milk, half teaspoon of sugar.

The focus here is generally on pets and you’re famous for being a Kind Hearted Cat Lover. Please introduce us to your cats.

I have two black cats. They are called Frankie & Goose. Frankie is very pretty (he's a bit of a girl). He wears a collar & has white armpit hair. He's also a bit chubby. Goose is a bit more rough around the edges, but still very handsome.

How did you come up with the names Frankie and Goose?

I actually didn't have the honour of naming Frankie & Goose. They were from a rescue centre. I think they'd already had several owners before me & presumably one of them named them. They are from the same litter though, brothers, so they've always had each other.  

What are their favorite treats?

Goose likes treats. His favourites are these smelly biscuits called Dreamies, but he's also partial to a bit of smoked salmon. Frankie won't eat treats. Don't know why. He'd rather eat more than his fair share of his normal dried food.

Favorite places for napping?

Goose likes to either sleep on my bed (especially when I've just changed the sheets), or on rough surfaces like wicker baskets. Frankie likes to sleep in enclosed spaces. Under duvets or in his little cat hut, which is like a very small tent. They're both fond of the sofa too.

Which of your characters/performances would you say best represents the ethos of each of your cats and why?

Goose is like a character I played in a play called MARY STUART called "The Earl of Leicester", who was Queen Elizabeth I’s favourite at court. He behaves all smooth & cavalier & is a bit of a user but really he's a bit insecure & needs love & reassurance.

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Historical Hottie.

Frankie is more like my character "Anders" who I voiced in the video game DRAGON AGE 2. He's pretty loyal, loving & very determined (especially when he wants to get into a room when the door is closed or under my duvet in the middle of the night) He appears to be a softy but he sometimes goes absolutely crazy like he's possessed (like Anders). He's given me some nasty bites & scratches before.

Anders in Dragon Age 2

Do you get nerves before performances? How do you relax?

I do get nervous before any performance whether it's stage, screen or voice over. I just have to say to myself "you'll love it when you're doing it so get on with it". You just have to dive in & at some point the nerves subside & you start to enjoy the performance.

How do you warm up before performing?

To warm up I do vocal & physical exercise. The vocal involves lots of scales & I will sometimes sing songs. Also I do tongue twisters like repeating "Red Leather, Yellow Leather" & "I'm not pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's son. And I'm only plucking pheasants till the pheasant plucker comes." The latter one can sound quite interesting if you mess it up.

I do loads of stretching for physical warm ups.

What's your favorite song to sing?

Songs I might sing to warm my voice up are "Shimmer" by a band called FUEL, "Folding Stars" by BIFFY CLYRO & "Friday I'm In Love" by THE CURE.

If life were a musical, what would be your theme song?

If life were a musical, my theme song would be "Hasa Diga Eebowai" from THE BOOK OF MORMON. It's so funny & outrageous. I love it.

You can act and you can sing - are you a triple threat? Can you dance?

I am possibly one of the worst dancers mankind has ever known, so unfortunately I'm not that kind of "Triple Threat", no. I probably have some comedy value though.

If you had complete artistic control and money was no object, what play/movie/game/book/whatever would you choose to star in and why?

If money was no object & I had full artistic control I would want to write, star & direct a movie about my mother's side of the family living in East Africa in the 1960's. I would play my grandfather. I've been told so many amazing stories of their time there & having visited there myself I want others to see what a beautiful place it is. It's all in my head, I just need to write the bugger ;)

I know you write comedy sketches—are you working on anything currently? Is comedy your favorite genre to write?

I'm hoping to film some more comedy sketches soon. It's hard because you're often depending on other people's availability & there's no budget. But I do it because it's fun. I like writing & performing comedy because I am very childish.

How was recording an audiobook different from recording for games and adverts?

Recording an audiobook takes a lot more time than games or adverts. So it takes a lot of patience on both my part & the sound engineer. You know you're going to be sat at a mic for hours reading aloud, which is not something we tend to do much of in the 21st century, so it's important to try to be as relaxed as possible. Don't get angry at yourself when you cock-up & try to be as prepared as possible.

And lastly, getting back to the pet theme I wandered away from, do you have any advice for someone thinking of getting a cat?

My advice to anyone thinking of getting a cat is to get one from a rescue centre. The chances are it'll be much more fun & intelligent than some inbred pedigree breed & you won't have to worry that people are going to steal it. Also, the rescue centre will have had it health checked, neutered & micro-chipped. There is no need to spend hundreds of pounds for a cat. You can get yourself a wonderful bundle of fluff for the cost of a small donation to the rescue centre.

Thank you so much for doing this!! 

Y'all can follow Adam on Twitter to keep up with his exploits. 

And you can buy his reading of Wicked Beloved on Audible or iTunes.