A week before Christmas, something very strange happened to my first book. The main character, Karen, stepped out from the covers and started talking. I mean, really talking, and in a young American voice (Caitlin Thorburn).

I listened and a tingle ran across my shoulders. I was spooked. There’s no other way to describe it. But I was enthralled. Her voice was fresh, her dialogue challenging, and her actions kind and thoughtful. Who was this vibrant girl?

Then Conrad started. Juno, that almost had me in pieces. Although the same narrator spoke the words –  this time with a deeper tone and a British accent – Conrad sounded as sexy, assured, uptight and a little scary as he is at the start of the written version of INCEPTIO.

I’ll be honest. Although I listen to podcasts and radio plays, Book at Bedtime, etc. I’ve never listened to an audio book. I know the story of this one – I wrote the damn thing – but I was still welded to it. How peculiar is that?

The second one, PERFIDITAS, followed. What a relief! I stole back into that world of voices in Roma Nova…

And now I’ve listened to SUCCESSIO, heartbroken and moved almost to tears. Then AURELIA took me back to a more direct age, with Julie Teal‘s no-nonsense British voice. But with her range, she conveyed Aurelia’s tough and tender moments perfectly.

Listen to a sample of the INCEPTIO audiobook and you’ll hear what I mean!

Oh, and here’s PERFIDITAS…

You can find full details, a (scary!) video and direct links to all four audiobooks produced by Audible UK here. They’re now available on Apple/iTunes as well – links here.

(My original mental ‘models’ for Karen/Carina and Conrad were young versions of Mg Ryan and Val Kilmer, but I’m not posting their images for copyright reasons.)

Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers –  INCEPTIO,  PERFIDITAS,  SUCCESSIO,  AURELIA,  INSURRECTIO  and RETALIO.  CARINA, a novella, is now available in print and ebook.  Audiobooks are available for the first four of the series.

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