News

I’ve promised an update about the audiobook conference (APAC) and that’s coming, although my iPhone decided to wipe out my half-done post so I’m still rewriting that. However, before much more time passes I wanted to make a very special announcement, one that my friends who read this blog already know, but not all of my VO friends and clients know about yet.

My husband Andy and I are expecting our first child in early August! We’re super excited about welcoming and facing the unknown changes and challenges this baby will bring into our lives. We don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl, so there’s the old fashioned element of surprise left for us when I deliver our baby on top of all the wonderful and overwhelming feelings that go along with being first time parents. I’m pretty sure being cat-parents doesn’t count ;) (although nearly a decade of dealing with litter boxes and hairballs has had a stomach-strengthening effect over the years that should do well by us with all that babies do on a regular basis.)

So now that this is out in the wide open, here’s my rough game plan in terms of VO for the upcoming months. Starting when I give birth (estimated to be August 7th but realistically could be a week on either side of that) I will spend 2-3 weeks focusing on just being a new mom, where I won’t be taking on any new clients, but will handle any “emergencies” for my current clients. Anyone I’m currently working with will get an email reminder of the dates that may be affected and I’ll have a notice of when that time off officially starts ready to send out once the baby comes. My husband is more than qualified to hit the “send” button on that email on my behalf. After that initial time away from my studio, I will be working 100% from home, guaranteed for 8-9 more weeks. My husband also works from home, so since we’ll be sharing as much of the newborn responsibilities as possible (while certain things will naturally be 100% my job), I’ll have regular studio time and will be “back to work” for new and existing clients. The biggest difference will be figuring out my turnaround time on projects based on all the new changes going on in our lives, and that will be communicated on a per-project basis as we take things one day at a time until we’re more accustomed to our baby’s schedule and needs.

If you regularly read this blog, you know that I also have a full-time production and VO job in radio. At this point and for many reasons, I won’t be speculating about the choices I will make towards the end of my guaranteed 12 weeks of leave. I’m grateful that we’ll have our insurance through them and that my leave is at least partially paid, as the time off from my freelance work and my husband being away from his editorial assignments and other photo work during the first few weeks won’t be a hardship on us and we can focus on what’s important – being parents to this awesome little baby!

If you follow me on facebook or twitter (which I don’t post on frequently so I won’t be an annoying add), I will be broadcasting my availability changes on there. Even though I’ll have a brand new baby on my hip, I’m still hopelessly attached to my iPhone and our iPad so I probably won’t be taking any time off from social media (or Angry Birds or Ticket to Ride…) During those middle of the night feedings with baby, I welcome you to challenge me to a game of Words with Friends and help me stay mentally sharp (username – arielleaudio). It’s a very exciting time for us and I’m happy to share that baby and I are healthy and having a low-risk pregnancy, and I’m feeling great, fully enjoying these last 8 weeks or so before becoming a new mom.

My first audiobook is now available for download! It was self-directed, self-produced in my home studio, checked for accuracy by a very generous friend, and finally mastered by Jeff Kafer.

Just coming off the Thanksgiving holiday, I’ve been reflecting more than usual on things I’m thankful and grateful for. There’s a lot in my personal life, but also on the business side. I’ve got great clients and have built strong relationships with cool people; we know what to expect from each other and work well together. While my current clients already know the level of service, creativity and energy I bring to their projects, I wanted to create a few offers for new Radio and TV imaging clients. Choose which special better fits your needs:

- Any radio or TV station that contracts with me for a year of imaging voiceover work will get the 13th month of my voiceover services free.

OR

- Any radio or TV station that contracts with me for at least 6 months of imaging VO will get the last month of that contract at an “unlimited” page limit, regardless of the regular monthly page limit.

These specials are good through January 7, 2011 for new imaging contracts that go into effect by February 1, 2011.

Many stations flip when they come back from playing Christmas/Holiday music, and if an imaging change is part of your New Year’s plan, let’s talk! My rates are fair and scalable based on your monthly copy needs and market size. Quarterly retainers and full imaging VO buyouts are also available in smaller markets.

With many projects, I’m not able to discuss what I’m working on until it’s released and open to the general public. In this case, I wanted to highlight the product itself now that it’s gone live, because it’s pretty cool if you have a need for a better conference call and text system. :)

It’s a group-calling system that allows detailed management and contact organization and ties together a conference call system with easy, iPhone controls. No pin numbers or access codes involved. You can also send texts to everyone in your group from this app as well, quite convenient if you don’t have time to dig out email lists and you just have something quick to say to everyone. Callvine was the largest phone system I’ve done and is a very cool product! It has a lot of great uses, for volunteer and non-profit organizations, college classrooms, and even fantasy football organizers are thrilled with the functions. However, I wouldn’t be super thrilled about my FF organizer using it, I’m sitting in last place in our league.

In the App Store on your iPhone, and check out the app from your computer here

I’m happy to announce that I will be recording my first audiobook, a very cool, edgy, hip book called “Blood Angel” by Justine Musk. It will be digitally published through Crossroad Press on iTunes, Audible and several other mainstream channels. I’m very excited to be working on this project and am really enjoying reading the book at the moment. I’m encouraged to see such great reviews of it on Amazon and can only hope that the audio version I’ll be performing will deserve reviews that are just as positive.

Since I’ve been given permission to discuss the book as I’m working on it, I’ll have periodic updates here on the blog and also on my facebook business page, Arielle Audio. If voicing commercials is a sprint, recording an audiobook is compared to a voice over marathon. I look forward to sharing some of the interesting terrain of my 26.2 miles on the way to my largest, most unique and challenging voiceover project so far!

I’ve just updated my website with a new page – Audiobooks! Currently I have 2 demos posted, more will be posted within the next week or so. Demo #1 is a short, all-purpose voice demo that spans a few audiobook categories. Demo #2 is a short reading from a book by Walt Morey called “Year of the Black Pony.” When I started reading this, the writing just fit like a glove to my reading style. I have a longer excerpt that I may put in its place, since YA is my genre of choice within audiobooks.

Speaking of, I’m excited to be attending the Audiobook Publishers Association Conference as well as Book Expo America in a few weeks. It’ll be my first time back to New York in about 5 years, and I’m hoping to squeeze a show (or even The Daily Show) into my schedule while I’m in town. I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with some awesome women I met in an audiobook workshop last year as well as making new connections at both conferences.