#Audiobook sebastian york narrator pic professional

Still, Arden’s resplendent rasp is only one reason that he and Lauren Blakely, a New York Times best-selling author, have collaborated together on nearly two dozen books, including one they co-wrote together that will debut in early 2021. “I can’t tell you the number of times that the hero’s voice is described as gravelly, smokey, growly, deep,” he says. To calibrate his character, he looks to cues written directly in the text. Courtesy of Joe Arden.Īrden’s also blessed with the right equipment for romance, a genre well known for providing its predominantly female audience with an alpha hero. (Fun fact: Eating green apples can reduce the saliva in the mouth, making them a narrator’s best friend).Īrden’s narrating supplies. He limits alcohol before recording sessions to avoid feeling dried out and steers clear of chocolate, dairy, and spicy foods to keep stomach gurgles and mouth noises to a minimum. In order to move at his pace-approximately 100 books per year-Arden must also manage his diet like an athlete. Between pre-reading the books, character preparation, vocal exercises, and time in the recording studio, he puts in upwards of 60 hours a week. 'The idea of immersing myself back in that world of words just sounded like a great place to spend time.” But he also points out, somewhat ironically, that the job of being a romance narrator isn’t sexy at all. “I was instantly hooked before I’d even been hired,” Arden says. What is it about this sultry baritone that drives women wild, so much so that he just might be the sensual whisperer of our time?įor starters, he loves what he does. Not to mention the fact that he does his work anonymously (Joe Arden is a pseudonym he uses for romance titles), so his adoring fans can’t even put a face to the voice they claim is phonic ointment for all that ails them. And, despite having read dozens of novels in the genre, I still find Arden’s X-factor a little puzzling. Oddly enough, Arden and I have known each other since our days growing up in Los Angeles however, I only learned of his steamy success after starting a romance book club for men. Gain exclusive access to the best sex tips, relationship advice, and more with our premium membership program. But considering that in five short years, he’s recorded more than 400 titles and earned a stack of industry awards, one could argue that the realm of romance audio has found its king. In fact, the one-time struggling thespian and New York “manny” only became a full-time voice actor in 2015 after attending an informational session at Audible studios on a whim.

#Audiobook sebastian york narrator pic professional

When you ask Joe Arden about his career, he’ll tell you that becoming the most prolific male romance narrator was a stroke of professional luck. She recalls, “as long as I had him in my ears, I could breathe and get through the day.' As the male narrator’s voice oozed through her AirPods, her heartbreak began to soften. Retrieving her phone from her handbag, Nevius hovered a finger over the thumbnail for a romance novel titled Richer than Sin, then pressed play. She’d been holding it together, but finally alone, thick tears welled in her eyes as she thought about the fact that her father had finally entered the last phase of his battle with ALS that, from the start, had been impossible to win.

In August, Jennifer Nevius slid into a lobby love seat amid the eerie quiet of a hospital on COVID lockdown.