Catching up at the end of the year!

Time has just flown by and I've been meaning to post about various things but haven't gotten around to it.  First of all, Duane and I 'shopped small business Saturday' after Thanksgiving in her neighborhood, Seminole Heights.  Love the stores there and both of us did quite a bit of Christmas shopping that day.

If you keep up with national news, you'll know that Seminole Heights was dealing with a serial killer until just a few weeks ago.  He hadn't been caught before the shop hop and our buddy, Greg, owner of Cleanse Apothecary, told us that he had been escorting customers to their cars if they felt uncomfortable.  Everyone was on edge and businesses like some of the restaurants really felt the difference in their evening hours.  However, the man who has been charged was caught due to a tip from a co-worker, so the residents and businesses in Seminole Heights were very relieved.  Four people were simply executed on the streets.  No connections to each other and, as far as the public knows, the alleged killer did not know any of his victims.  So tragic for the families.

On the recording front, The Online Stage released a collection of Mike Murphy's radio plays on Audible.  I had a role in the play The Return of Cosmo Draper which is included in A Radio Play Collection:


Six quirky radio dramas brought to you by members of The Online Stage. Featuring the voices of Amanda Friday, Brett Downey, Susan Iannucci, Alan Weyman, Leanne Yau, Beth Thomas, Lucy Perry, Ed Humpal, Charlotte Duckett, John Burlinson, Eileen Tipping, Denis Daly, Nancy German, Jeff Moon, Peter Tucker, Ben Stevens, Ron Altman, K.G Cross, P.J. Morgan, Marty Kryz, Maureen Boutilier, Noel Badrian, Bob Neufeld, Lee Ann Howlett, Joseph Tabler, David Prickett, and Tovarisch.

Program
Danny MacIntyre Meets the Molecule
Family Tree
Happy Birthday, Dear Emily
The Forever Pill
The Gift
The Return of Cosmo Draper


You can listen to the sample and/or purchase from Audible here.
                    

I'm currently recording another true crime book for Wildblue Press called A Special Kind of Evil: The Colonial Parkway Murders by Blaine L. Pardoe and Victoria Hester.  It should be for sale on Audible in February.  I'll post here when that happens.

 I actually managed to make some Christmas ornaments this year for my three nieces.  I found this great pattern to crochet a snowman face that you then stretch over a battery operated tea light.

I made three just like this one. The left pic shows it unlit and the right side is with the nose lighted.

I used this free pattern here from Ravelry.  So fast and easy to do!  I didn't even need to purchase any fabric paint.  I just used some blush on the cheeks and dotted some red nail polish for the mouths.  Easy-peasy and the girls loved them. 💟

More on the Christmas front, including 'Ugly Sweater Family Night' where my mom lives.  My sister Carol made ugly Christmas sweaters for our mom and her three granddaughters.  They were a pretty big hit -- lights and all.

My mom as a fireplace with my 3 nieces as a reindeer, snow globe, and Christmas tree.

 

Taylor, the reindeer, from the back.

Then the Friday before Christmas, we held a painting party at Painting With a Twist for an early celebration of my mother's birthday.  My mom, her four children, five grandchildren, and one fiancee, all painted a pic of various animals 'bringing home the tree.'

The painting party.

My, ahem, masterpiece.

A Dorothy Parker title now on Audible!

I can't resist a little Dorothy Parker now and then!  My latest recording on Audible is Men I'm Not Married To by the aforementioned Dorothy Parker.  This was produced in cooperation with Spoken Realms. 

"In this story, by American writer Dorothy Parker, a woman gives a laundry list of men she's not married to. She also convincingly states the reasons why she is not and would not want to be married to the various men. Parker's wit and humor shine through as the eccentricities and foibles of the men are described."

To listen to the sample and/or purchase the recording, head to Audible here. 

Another full-cast production from The Online Stage on Audible!

I was privileged to play a small role in the latest production from The Online Stage in cooperation with Spoken Realms.  Abraham Lincoln by John Drinkwater is now available on Audible.  I play the role of Mrs. Otherly along with another unnamed woman.

"In survey after survey, Abraham Lincoln is universally ranked as the greatest of America's presidents, setting standards for honesty, courage, compassion and ethical responsibility. John Drinkwater's play was the British poet's first theatrical success, opening in England in 1918 to surprising acclaim and making its way to Broadway in 1919, to even stronger public enthusiasm. It was produced on radio by Orson Wells on August 15, 1938, on his program, The Mercury Theater on the Air. In 1924, a two-reel film version of the play was distributed nationwide, one of the very first sound films, and on May 26, 1952, the play was presented on television on the anthology series Studio One, with film icon James Dean in a very noticeable supporting role.

After a brief poetic prologue, the play depicts six scenes from Lincoln's life that illustrate key aspects of his remarkable character:

• His acceptance of the Republican nomination for President
• The outbreak of hostilities at Fort Sumter
• Discussions with three very different individuals about the conduct of the war
• The emancipation proclamation
• The surrender at Appomattox
• The assassination at Ford's Theater

Featuring Ben Stevens as Abraham Lincoln. Additional voices provided by Andrew Coleman, Linda Barrans, Larry Wilson, Ron Altman, Libby Stevenson, Jennifer Fournier, Peter Tucker, Andy Harrington, Joseph Tabler, Marty Kris, Jeff Moon, Russell Gold, Ted Wenskus, Richard Andrews, Nancy German, Lee Ann Howlett, and John Burlinson. Audio edited by John Burlinson."

To listen to a sample and/or purchase the recording, head to Audible here. 

Full-cast production of Little Women now available on Audible!

The cast of The Online Stage is proud to present our full-cast production of the beloved classic Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.  I was thrilled to play the role of the narrator.  This recording was produced via Spoken Realms.

"First published in 1869, Little Women is the story of four sisters growing up against the background of the American Civil War. Alcott wrote the book at the urging of the publisher, Thomas Niles, who was seeking a story about girls that would have popular appeal. Although it was commenced essentially as a children's book, it developed into something of a bildungsroman, which touches on more serious issues such as the difficulties faced by single-parent families, the death of a sibling, and fractured relationships.

The book was an immediate success at publication and has become a classic of young adult fiction. It has been adapted numerous times for presentation both on stage and on film.

Presented by the Online Stage. Narration by Lee Ann Howlett. Also featuring the voices of Amanda Friday, PJ Morgan, Tiffany Halla Colonna, Becca Maggie, Elizabeth Klett, Andy Harrington, Ron Altman, Ben Lindsey-Clark, Glenn Hascall, Nancy German, Maureen Boutilier, Jeff Moon, Jennifer Fournier, Miranda Hodges, Izzy Lindsey-Clark, Rebecca Thomas, Brett Downey, Sarah Hulslander, Chris Marcellus, Leanne Yau, Cate Barratt, Libby Stephenson, Marty Krz, and David Prickett. Audio edited by Elizabeth Klett and Michele Eaton."

To listen to the sample and/or purchase the book, head to Audible here.

My latest recording -- a true crime book -- on sale today!

My latest recording went on sale on Audible today.  This one happens to be one of my favorite genres -- true crime.  Yes.  I am a ghoul.  She is Evil! Madness and Murder in Memphis by Judith A. Yates was published by Wildblue Press.

"That woman is evil. She is evil!"

Ejaz Ahmad was handsome, charismatic, and a self-made businessman. He arrived in the United States from Pakistan determined to fulfill his mother's dying wish: to come to America, complete his education, and make his mark in the world. Settling in Memphis, Tennessee, Ejaz became owner of several businesses, father to a handsome boy, and a devout Muslim. The only thing missing in his life was a wife, someone special to protect, honor, and love.

Leah Ward was a pretty girl, but a prison parolee with a history of drug charges, petty crime, and a questionable past. She led a flotsam life, drifting from town to city to state. When she was introduced to Ejaz Ahmad, she believed she had found the ultimate answer: a place to live, someone to take care of her, and money to spend. But what began idyllic soon became abusive and then dangerous for Ejaz. His friends and family warned him. And in May of 2003, Ejaz paid the ultimate price when family members found his mutilated body in a shed.

She is Evil is a story of trust, abuse, religion, and murder. Of a kind man who tried to help a troubled woman and became the victim of abuse and, eventually, a heinous murder."

You can listen to a sample and/or purchase the book on Audible here. 

Solids and Stripes for Love-Squared Challenge!

I've posted here before about knitting and crocheting squares for different organizations to be made into blankets for children at homeless shelters in the winter.  One of my favorite sites is Love-Squared which is based in Michigan.  They have a network of volunteers who sew the donated squares into blankets and distribute them across shelters in Michigan and other states.  They've been having a 'challenge' to see which type of square they receive the most -- solid or striped.  Both are very welcome -- this is just for fun.  

My stash in July.

I've been switching back and forth between knitting and crocheting 8" by 8" squares for months.  The pic above was what I had accumulated by July.  Since then I've added more squares to the pile whenever I have some spare time to work on them.  The pic below is the pile I have now.  There are 23 in this pile and I'm working on number 24.

23 finished squares as of today.

If you have some time -- and can 'spare a square' -- this is a great way to contribute to a worthy cause. I usually send extra skeins of yarn along with my squares to be used to seam the squares into blankets but you can just send squares or even skeins of yarn you aren't using.  From one to hundreds, Love-Squared gratefully accepts all squares.  I wouldn't suggest using cotton yarn due to shrinkage when washed (the water might NOT be cold!) but any type of acrylic or acrylic blend works nicely.

The deadline for this 'challenge' is September 30th but they need squares all year-round.  The solids vs. stripes is really just for fun although Love-Squared will post which type 'wins' with the most donated.  Here is their site on Facebook -- Love-Squared.  You can find everything you need to know to help out this wonderful group!  Now, back to knitting...

New Full-Cast Production of a Classic from The Online Stage

Another full-cast production of a classic is now available on Audible from The Online Stage.

Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll continues the adventures of 7-year old Alice and the many creatures she meets via the looking glass.  I play the parts of Haigha, the Beetle, and the First Daisy.  So much fun!

"Lewis Carroll's delightful sequel to Alice in Wonderland finds seven-year-old Alice off on another exciting adventure into Looking-Glass World. On her journey, she meets life-size chess pieces, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Humpty Dumpty, and a host of fairy-tale creatures.

Performed by a splendid cast, this Online Stage production will charm listeners of all ages.

Narration by Noel Badrian.
Featuring Miranda Hodges as Alice.

Also featuring the voices of Linda Barrans, John Burlinson, Elizabeth Chambers, Denis Daly, Brett Downey, Michele Eaton, Jennifer Fournier, Amanda Friday, KG Cross, Bob Gonzalez, Andy Harrington, Marie Hoffman, Lee Ann Howlett, Kalynda, Elizabeth Klett, Arielle Lipshaw, Ben Stevens, Joseph Tabler, and Alan Weyman."

This is another charity project from The Online Stage.  All proceeds from the sales of this audiobook will be donated to Action Against Hunger, an organization that saves the lives of severely malnourished children while helping vulnerable communities become self-sufficient.

To listen to a sample and/or purchase head to Audible here.

My narrator interview on The Audio Flow!

Tune in this week to hear my chat with Jocqueline Protho, host of The Featured Voice, as a guest on her Audio Flow series.

We talk about a little bit of everything to do with audiobooks -- related mostly to me, of course.  This was a lot of fun to do.  Jocqueline has a free and easy interview style.  Jocq comes from the publishing industry and travels quite a bit for various book events.

I'll be featured all this week August 14th-18th here, folks!  Enjoy the veal!

My latest recording -- a historical romance!

My latest recording just went live on Audible yesterday.  The Bedwarmer's Son by Caryl McAdoo actually falls into several categories.  It's a historical romance, a murder trial, and Christian fiction.  I loved giving voices to the different characters in this one.


"What if Abel had killed Cain, but there was no jury of his peers?

In 1928 Georgia, a black man who kills a white man is automatically guilty, but the bedwarmer's son, an ex-slave, is no normal black man. And the dead white man is his half-brother. Once his lily-white lawyer lady learns the truth, everything changes. Can she save him from swinging?

Will the bedwarmer murder the one she's been bought to serve?

From the antebellum South, come travel the dusty trails of Jim Crowe Dalton, Georgia, with slave and master, saint and sinner. See if God is really big enough, if he truly cares about his children. McAdoo has done it again, this time in a brand new way. A delightful morsel for the palates of Christian listeners world round."

To listen to a sample and/or purchase the book, head to Audible here.

A little Dorothy Parker between books!

My recording of a short story by Dorothy Parker was just released for sale on Audible.  I've always loved reading quotes of her bon mots and was happy to narrate a longer piece by her.

From Audible:
"Mr. and Mrs. Wheelock live with their five-year old daughter in a small house in a tidy suburb. Although they present the picture of a happy little family, the old adage "appearances can be deceiving" could certainly apply to their household. This was American author and celebrated wit Dorothy Parker's first published short story."

To listen to a sample and/or purchase the story, head to Audible here.

Winners of the 'June is Audiobook Month' Drawing!

OK, another 'June is Audiobook Month' has passed and I've got the names of the five winners who will each receive one book of their choice from my recordings.  Between the initial announcement here and the one I posted on here on Goodreads, we had 17 entries.  As usual, I had my husband, George, choose the winners using our very 'high-tech' method.

Selecting the winners.

This year's winners are SS, Darlene, Lisa, Shane, and tarafarah7. 

I'll be notifying all of the winners via email.  You just need to check out my books on Audible here and let me know which book you would like.  Then I'll send you a code with a link to that book along with instructions for claiming it.

Congratulations to the winners and a big 'Thank You' to everyone who took the time to enter!

Check back here same time next year for another 'June is Audiobook Month' giveaway!

A New Free Production from The Online Stage on The Internet Archive!

A new free production from The Online Stage just went live on The Internet Archive.  The Riding to Lithend by Gordon Bottomley is a one-act play in which I got to play an old hag named Jofrid.  As usual, this was a full-cast production and we had a lot of fun with the various parts.  The story is set in Iceland in the 10th century A.D.

The play is hosted on The Internet Archive and can be streamed or downloaded from here.

June is Audiobook Month 2017! Giveaways!

OK!  It's one of my favorite times of the year!  June is Audiobook Month and I always have a giveaway right here on my blog.  Yes, it's a little late being posted this year but I had a good reason.  I was in New York for the annual Audio Publishers Conference (APAC).  Had a great time mingling with other narrators, publishers, and tech people.  Linda has been my proof-listener for several years and she flew from Detroit to take part, too.  We also added an extra couple of days to see a little of New York City.  I hadn't been since I was a kid and Linda visited in her twenties but didn't get to see much at the time.  I think we made up for it and we have the 'barking dogs' (feet) to prove it!

Enough about my delay in posting.  I'm offering a chance for 5 people to win one of my audiobooks of their choice.  All you have to do is leave a comment below.  It helps to have some way to reach you -- either through your blog (if you have one) or via Goodreads or Facebook.  You can also enter your email address like this (using mine as an example) -- LAHOWLETT (at) yahoo (dot) com.

I'm going to advertise the drawing on Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook, too!  Tell your friends.

Here's a list of my current books available via Audible.  If you're one of the 5 people who wins the drawing, you can make your selection from here.

Good luck and you can check for other audiobook giveaways this month by searching Twitter and Google for these hashtags:  #loveaudiobooks #JIAM #JIAM2017 

A little piece of New York for you.  I took this from the Empire State Building.

  

My Latest Audiobook on Sale on Audible!

My latest narration just went on sale on Audible.  Behind Her Special Agent Badge: Murder, Mayhem, and Life in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by Floy Turner and Sherrie Clark picks up where Floy's first book Behind Her Miami Badge left off.

In this second book, Floy has been promoted to Special Agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).  Among her high-profile cases are the murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace, the crash of ValuJet Flight 592 into the Everglades, and various other murders, kidnappings, and drug busts. 

From Audible:
"Floy Turner is back, but this time she's knee-deep in murder, kidnappings, and burglaries. Leaving behind her Florida Highway Patrol Trooper hat and Miami's highways and byways, she dives into the world of high-level criminal investigations. Not only does she love it, but she finds she has a real knack for it.

In this sequel to the best-seller Behind Her Miami Badge, Turner takes on the role of special agent in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida's premier law enforcement agency. With an innate passion for justice, she and her teams don't stop as they hunt down those perpetrators who threaten the public she swore to protect. As a result, serial murderers, robbers, and burglars, as well as dangerous fugitives, drug dealers, and human traffickers discover that they can run, but they can't hide with Turner hot on their trails.

Strap yourself in and get ready to embark on a roller-coaster ride as Behind Her Special Agent Badge drops you behind the crime-scene tape before racing you through loops of gripping action with peaks of humor sprinkled in along the way."

I love getting to 'be' Floy in these books.  To listen to a sample and/or purchase the book, head to Audible here.

New Full-Cast Farce from The Online Stage!

I had a blast participating in this short series of farcical situations as a member of The Online Stage!  Arcadian Adventures With The Idle Rich by Stephen Leacock has no shortage of silliness from the, well, idle rich.

"Stephen Leacock (1869-1944) may be considered the Canadian counterpart to Mark Twain. For many years he was professor of economics at Magill University and published a number of well-regarded texts on economics and political science. However, he is best known today for his many volumes of humorous fiction. During the 1920s he was one of the most widely read authors in the English-speaking world and was considered by Jack Benny and Groucho Marx to be one of the greatest comic writers of all time.

In Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich, Leacock applies a satirical scalpel to the foibles and pretensions of the wealthy and the powerful. He not only probes the quirks of traditional power structures like corporations (public and private), political parties, universities, and churches but also finds time to poke fun at one of his favorite targets - the world of psychic phenomena.

A Little Dinner with Mr Lucullus Fyshe
The Wizard of Finance
The Arrested Philanthropy of Mr. Tomlinson
The Yahi-Bahi Oriental Society of Mrs. Rasselyer-Brown
The Love Story of Mr. Peter Spillikins
The Rival Churches of St. Asaph and St. Osoph
The Ministrations of the Rev. Uttermust Dumfarthing
The Great Fight for Clean Government

Narrated by Cate Barratt.
Cast: Lucullus Fyshe - Jeff Moon; Dr Boomer - Ron Altman; Fareforth Furlong - Richard Andrews; Mrs. Rasselyer-Brown - Lee Ann Howlett.
Additional voices supplied by Bob Neufeld, Ben Stevens, P. J. Morgan, Brett Downey, Denis Daly, Andy Harrington, David Prickett, John Burlinson, Alan Weyman, Joseph Tabler, Susan Iannucci, Becca Maggie, Jennifer Fournier, Ted Wenskus, Leanne Yau, Arielle Lipshaw, and Marty Kris.
Audio edited by Denis Daly."

To listen to a sample and/or purchase head to Audible here.

Amigurumi Easter Eggs and Recording News!

I can't believe that today marks only two weeks until Easter.  Where has the year gone?  It's nice to be busy but, sheez, sometimes I'd like to go into slow-mode and take time to breathe.  Well, as usual, I had been looking at Easter items I could make for my three nieces.  They're now 10, 9, and 7 years old.  I love being an aunt and I know it won't be too much longer before I'll have to start choosing more 'mature' gifts for holidays.  Of course, M&Ms are always welcome!

This year, I found a terrific Amigurumi pattern for making colorful Easter eggs.  I worked these three up in an afternoon.  (Hurray!)  They're crocheted and you can find the pattern here at the website Petals to Picots.  I used Lily Sugar 'N Cream cotton yarn in variegated pink and variegated lilac.  My results are below resting on some Easter grass.

So, each niece will receive an egg, a tube of M&Ms and an Easter card in the mail.  I'll suggest using these as 'prize' eggs when they have their various Easter egg hunts.

As far as work is concerned, I've been super busy.  I'm just finishing up narrating the second book in the series about former Florida Highway Patrol Officer Floy Turner during her years as a Special Agent with the Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement.  This one is called Behind Her Special Agent Badge: Murder, Mayhem, and Life in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.   Floy and her co-writer Sherrie Clark picked up where the first book, Behind Her Miami Badge: Undercover, the Cocaine Wars, and Life in the Fast Lane, ended.  I've really enjoyed telling Floy's 'story' in these books.  The upcoming book features her work on the murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace, the crash of ValuJet Flight 592 into the Everglades, and numerous cases involving murder, drugs, and human trafficking.  This book ends just before the events of September 11, 2001.  The third and final book (which Floy and Sherrie are currently writing) will begin with 9/11.

I've also been involved in full-cast recordings with The Online Stage.  I'll post here when the recordings become available on Audible.  Right now, there are several I've worked on that are in post-production.  One is a full-cast version of Little Women.  I play the narrator in that one so it was a pretty big project for me.


I'll post here as things progress... 

New Full-Cast Production from The Online Stage on Audible!

A new full-cast production of a classic Greek tragedy has just been released on Audible.  Hippolytus by Euripides and translated by Bob Gonzalez features cast members from The Online Stage.  I play the nurse in this and I loved the chance to sink my teeth into that character.

Euripides (c. 480-406 BCE) is the author of 18 extant plays and many more only surviving in fragments. He is the youngest of the three great Athenian tragedians with Aeschylus and Sophocles.
Hippolytus, bastard son of Theseus and the Amazon Hippolyta, has sworn chaste allegiance to the goddess Artemis, thus severely offending the goddess Aphrodite by failing to revere her. Aphrodite swears revenge and promises that he will die before the day is done, taking with him Queen Phaedra, wife of Theseus. Aphrodite sickens Phaedra with uncontrollable lust for Hippolytus, and when he vehemently spurns her, he sets in motion the events that will seal his doom.

Cast
Aphrodite - PJ Morgan
Artemis - Linda Barrans
Hippolytus - Russell Gold
Phaidra -Erin Louttit
Nurse - Lee Ann Howlett
Theseus - John Burlinson
An Old Huntsman - Ron Altman
First huntsman/Messenger - Andy Harrington
Second huntsman - Alan Weyman
Third huntsman - Alan Weyman
Chorus leader - Jennifer Fournier
Chorus One - Leanne Yau
Chorus Two - Elizabeth Chambers
Narrator - Alan Weyman

Audio edited by Alan Weyman. Freely adapted by Bob Gonzalez from the translation by Ian Johnston.

To listen to a sample and/or purchase, please visit Audible here. 

Frida at the Dali in the 'Burg!

Duane, Linda, and I had been looking forward to the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the Dali Museum in St. Pete as soon as we heard it was coming.  We finally made it over there and we weren't disappointed.  Besides the beautiful print above advertising the event, there was a flower wall that we absolutely loved.  It just seemed so 'Frida' since she was so often seen with flowers adorning her hair.

Full view of flower wall.

We noticed a number of people having their photos taken in front of the flower wall (above).  I'm not big on silk flowers but this was beautiful.  There was a short documentary film you could watch -- it ran about 5 minutes -- that showed black and white footage of Frida walking about and with her husband, Diego Rivera.  There was quite a bit of information about the dreadful accident that nearly took Frida's life.  I'm truly amazed that she survived it.  Here's a pencil sketch she drew while laid up after one of her many surgeries.  This was a recreation of what happened to her.   

Frida's sketch of the accident.

Here's a photograph of Frida with her parents and siblings.  I actually thought that Frida was in the front right.  Duane knew immediately that Frida was on the left wearing the men's suit.  I would never have guessed.

Frida (far left in suit) with her family.

 I thought this particular piece of art by Frida was very 'Dali-esque' and not her usual style.  I really liked it.

Frida's 'Dali-type' work.

Out of all of her works on display, I found myself drawn to this particular self-portrait.  I don't know why since it doesn't illustrate her usual bold colors but I think it was my favorite.

One of Frida's self-portraits. My favorite.

Close-up of a section of the flower wall.

After we finished viewing the exhibit we spent a little time in the Dali gift shop.  Always a nice place to browse and drop a few dollars.  All three of us bought a few things.  I settled for a cool 3-D Frida bookmark.  

Then we headed down Central Avenue to the old downtown section of St. Pete.  We had a terrific and relaxing lunch at the Community Cafe.  We've eaten there before so we knew we already loved the food.  They were preparing for another art exhibit by local artists.  This time the theme is Flower Power.  The cafe is a busy place and they do a lot to showcase area talent.  

Another great day in the 'Burg! 

Utopian fiction short story live on Audible!

A utopian fiction short story by Winnifred Harper Cooley that I recently recorded is now for sale on Audible.  It's called A Dream of the Twenty-First Century.

Not long after the beginning of the 20th century, a woman has a dream about what she imagines the 21st century will bring. This utopian fiction piece was written by Winnifred Harper Cooley in 1902. Cooley is best known for her book The New Womanhood. Cooley's mother, Ida Husted Harper, was an author, a journalist, and a prominent figure in the United States' women's suffrage movement.

To listen to a sample and/or purchase, please click here. 

Two new full-cast recordings from The Online Stage!

The Online Stage (of which I am a happy member) just released two new recordings on Audible!  I have small roles in both recordings.

First up is The Mantle by Nikolai Gogol.  I play the landlady and Akaki Akakievitch's daughter.

"The Mantle" follows the life of a civil servant, Akaki Akakievitch who just loves his work! Born in St Petersburg, he is a copy writer, meaning he copies text from one place to another. In his spare time and after work hours, he also copies. When given more responsibility, he begs to return to...copying. One particular winter, he notices that, between home and office, he is cold, his mantle is threadbare, and he can no longer repair it himself. Our conflict begins here, as Akaki seeks a solution to his threadbare mantle.

Nicolai Gogol is a wonderfully observant author and his characters are so rich that we feel we can understand their points of view. This tragicomedy is Russian society in the mid 1800s at its most delightful!

Cast: Akaki Akakievitch - Ben Stevens; Mother - Linda Barrans; Petrovitch/ Tovarisch/Sentry - Jeff Moon; Superior official/Doctor - Russell Gold; Assistant/Shouting man/Friend - Andy Harrington; Landlady/Daughter - Lee Ann Howlett; District Superintendent - David Prickett; Man in street/Lower officials - Alan Weyman. Narrator - Susan Iannucci."

To listen to a sample and/or purchase the book, head to Audible here.

The second recording is the children's classic Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.  LOTS of roles in this book!  I play the cook and the old crab. (No snarky comments on that last one!)

Alice is played by an actual 7 year old -- the wonderfully talented Miranda Hodges!

 "Join seven-year-old Alice as she tumbles down the rabbit hole to have an adventure in Wonderland, in Lewis Carroll's classic novel beloved by children and adults alike. Alice encounters many strange and curious creatures in Wonderland, including the anxious White Rabbit, the rather unhelpful Caterpillar, the disappearing Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter and his guests at their tea party, and the horrible Queen of Hearts.

Featuring the voices of Noel Badrian, Miranda Hodges, Joseph Tabler, Leanne Yau, Susan Iannucci, Chyanne Donnell, Andrew Coleman, Ben Stevens, Lee Ann Howlett, Anastasia Durning, Richard Andrews, Caprisha Page, Jennifer Fournier, Linda Barrans, Denis Daly, Erin Louttit, Brett Downey, Elizabeth Klett, Charlotte Duckett, PJ Morgan, Garrison Moore, Amanda Friday, K.G.Cross, Brett Downey, John Burlinson, Maureen Boutilier, Jeff Moon, Michele Eaton, Marty Kryz, Carol Box, Alan Weyman, and Bob Gonzalez."

Please note that All proceeds from the sale of this audiobook will be donated to Charity Water, a non-profit organization which is dedicated to the building of sustainable, community-owned water projects around the world.

To listen to a sample and/or purchase, click here. 

My latest audiobook now for sale on Audible!

My latest audiobook just went on sale on Audible.  Very proud of this work since it covers a part of Florida's history that should be remembered.  Black Cloud: The Deadly Hurricane of 1928 was written by journalist and author Eliot Kleinberg.

"The deadly hurricane of 1928 claimed 2500 lives, and the long-forgotten story of the casualties, as told in Black Cloud, continues to stir passion. Among the dead were 700 black Floridian men, women, and children who were buried in an unmarked West Palm Beach ditch during a racist recovery and rebuilding effort that conscripted the labor of blacks much like latter-day slaves. Palm Beach Post reporter Eliot Kleinberg has penned this gripping tale from dozens of interviews with survivors, diary entries, accounts from newspapers, government documents, and reports from the National Weather Service and the Red Cross. Immortalized in Zora Neale Hurston's classic Their Eyes Were Watching God, thousands of poor blacks had nowhere to run when the waters of Lake Okeechobee rose. No one spoke for them, no one stood up for them, and no one could save them. With heroic tales of survival and loss, this book finally gives the dead the dignity they deserve. The new, updated edition of this important book is published by the Florida Historical Society Press."

To listen to a sample and/or purchase the book, head to Audible here. 

Women's March - Saturday, January 21, 2017 - in St. Petersburg, Florida

I participated in the Women's March held in St. Pete yesterday with three of my friends.  I want to thank the organizers of the march and the St. Petersburg Police Department for helping to make this such a friendly and peaceful event. 

Overview of the crowd

Duane, me, JoElla, and Linda

According to the Tampa Bay Times, this was the "largest demonstration in city history" for St. Pete with over 20,000 participants.