BY: JONATHAN LOWE

Finally, what makes a good narrator? Well, obviously, it’s in the voice. A sonorous and pleasing voice is preferable to one that sounds like it’s coming over the speaker at a fast food drive-through. “Want fries with that?” No, thank you. Given a rich or interesting voice, the really good reader enunciates clearly. Words must be crisp and precise in the telling. Finally, a reader must not sound like they are reading, and should be able to present a realistic interpretation. This requires acting skills to jump between dialog, narration, and action while using appropriate dialects and different character voices. It’s rare to find a reader who possesses all of these qualities - golden voice, precise diction, acting skills, versatile dialects. One of the pioneers of the industry was Frank Muller, who began recording in the '70s, and along with Barbara Rosenblat, propelled audiobooks out of the vinyl phonograph world into the realm of Recorded Books (tapes and CDs found in libraries everywhere). I had the privilege of having Frank record my own first novel, POSTAL, for The Publishing Mills in 1999, for which he won another of his many Earphones awards. Later, I interviewed him for Cracker Barrel Old Country stores, and was there when one of his last recordings, TISHOMINGO BLUES, by Elmore Leonard, won the prestigious Audie award. (The industry's "Oscar.") The motorcycle accident that ended Frank's career did not, thankfully, end his life or his spirit, and so now, especially if you are new to audiobooks, you owe it to yourself to sample his work.

As an example, TISHOMINGO BLUES features one of Elmore Leonard's typically eccentric characters, the high diver Dennis Lenahan. Lenahan works at a lodge and casino in Tunica, Mississippi, and while up on the diving board one day witnesses a mob hit. A second witness is Robert Taylor, a shady Civil War reenactment participant who lures Dennis into his varied schemes. Both men seem to take naturally to their respective death wishes, and also seem to have weaknesses for women who could also get them killed. With a background of Delta blues, wacky Civil War buffs, and reputed deals with the devil, the novel hums along under the steady and engaged voice of Muller, who lends to Leonard's quirky dialogue his own brand of ambient energy. (Recorded Books & Harper Audio; 7.5 hours unabridged)

Tucsonan Jonathan Lowe is also author of FAME ISLAND, numerous articles and stories, and is editor of a new satirical website, JustSayNoWay.com.