Author: Jacob Holo
Narrator: Tess Irondale
Series: Time Reavers, Book One
Length: 8 hours 36 minutes
Publisher: Holo Writing
Released: July 13, 2017
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
The monsters are real, and time is their weapon.
Fed up with bad teachers and daily fights with her sister, 16-year-old Nicole Taylor yearns for something better. Sadly, she's in for a letdown, because the world ends next week.
Nicole discovers she has a rare gift. She can bend time around her and even stop it completely. With her powers awakening, she must face the Reavers: horrific killing machines that exist outside our time.
Plagued with nightmares and ambushed by monsters at every turn, Nicole has one chance to stop their genocidal invasion. With help from a chain-smoking pyrokinetic, a neurotic sword-wielding assassin, and an icy goth chick with a crossbow, she may stand a chance.
But the Reavers are tireless foes, and time is on their side.
Jacob Holo is a former-Ohioan, former-Michigander living in sunny South Carolina. He describes himself as a writer, gamer, hobbyist, and engineer. Jacob started writing when his parents bought that “new” IBM 286 desktop back in the 80s. Remember those? He’s been writing ever since.Website⎮Facebook⎮Instagram
Tess Irondale is a professional audiobook narrator and voice actress, credited with bringing nearly 50 titles to life. She specializes in Fantasy, Adventure, and Erotica, although her work has covered nearly every genre including Young Adult, Humor, Spirituality, LGBTQ, Sci-Fi, Self Help and Mystery. She is on Audible's in-house voice roster, and also works directly with authors through ACX. When not in the recording booth, she can be found hiking in the woods or hunkered over a crossword puzzle.Website
Q&A with Author Jacob Holo
- Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
- It was actually a lot easier than we expected it to be! Several of our indie author pals had great success with Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX), so when we decided to dip our toes into audiobook creation, it was the first place we looked. All we had to do was select a narrator, send the manuscript, and voila! Finished audiobook in a few months. Of course, there was a little more to it than that: Once the first recording was done, we listened to it multiple times to catch and smooth out any errors, so it was definitely an arduous process – but it was also a lot of fun.
- How did you select your narrator?
- I work closely with my wife H.P. on most projects, and this was all her. She scoured ACX’s database of voice actors for days to find the perfect voice, and Tess Irondale was the clear stand-out. The main character of Time Reavers, Nicole, is a teenage girl who is flung from a life where her biggest problem is rivalry with her adopted sister Amy…to a life where she suddenly has superpowers and has to use them to fight giant, dimension-hopping, time-manipulating cyborg insects. That’s a pretty big change, but Nicole is a no-nonsense girl who does her best to keep a cool head, even when faced with problems as big as that, and we wanted a voice actor who could capture that type of character. However, the novel also required the ability to convey a wide range of accents, ages, and even monster noises, so that was another big factor in our decision. Fortunately, when H.P. heard Tess’ voice samples, she hit every checkbox perfectly!
- How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
- Oh, we worked very closely! Time Reavers is set in at least four different countries with characters from at least as many nationalities, some of whom speak with accents you would expect of their home country (in this case, Russia, Germany, Japan, and the US), one of whom is German but raised in conditions that give him a slight British accent. Then there are the reavers themselves, each of which make unique roars that basically sound like the Balrog from The Lord of the Rings movies combined with a jet engine – which is not exactly an easy sound for the human voice to emulate. Tess did a fantastic job with all of it, though. We went back and forth about the characters’ backgrounds, verbal quirks, and even their fates in upcoming books – the sequel, Mind Reavers, is going to be one of our next projects.
- Oh, we worked very closely! Time Reavers is set in at least four different countries with characters from at least as many nationalities, some of whom speak with accents you would expect of their home country (in this case, Russia, Germany, Japan, and the US), one of whom is German but raised in conditions that give him a slight British accent. Then there are the reavers themselves, each of which make unique roars that basically sound like the Balrog from The Lord of the Rings movies combined with a jet engine – which is not exactly an easy sound for the human voice to emulate. Tess did a fantastic job with all of it, though. We went back and forth about the characters’ backgrounds, verbal quirks, and even their fates in upcoming books – the sequel, Mind Reavers, is going to be one of our next projects.
- Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
- Lots actually, though I’d say the biggest contributor came from the time I spent in Germany. I really enjoyed interacting with another culture up close and personal during the time I was working over there, and I actually visited some of the locations that appear in the novel.
- Lots actually, though I’d say the biggest contributor came from the time I spent in Germany. I really enjoyed interacting with another culture up close and personal during the time I was working over there, and I actually visited some of the locations that appear in the novel.
- How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
- I’ve had a passion for writing since a very young age. There are times when I’ll do nothing but write for weeks at a time, often putting in ten, twelve, or even fourteen hour days one after another. Somehow that hasn’t burned me out yet, so I think I’m doing pretty well in that regard.
- I’ve had a passion for writing since a very young age. There are times when I’ll do nothing but write for weeks at a time, often putting in ten, twelve, or even fourteen hour days one after another. Somehow that hasn’t burned me out yet, so I think I’m doing pretty well in that regard.
- Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
- I’m not. I prefer having an actual book in my hands. But H.P. devours audiobooks, and she loves how a good reader can bring an entirely new dimension to a book. Maggie Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle, for example, is one of her favorite series, and though Stiefvater is a stellar writer, Will Patton rocks the reading on the audiobook enough that though H.P. owns the series in print, she almost always revisits the series in audio.
- I’m not. I prefer having an actual book in my hands. But H.P. devours audiobooks, and she loves how a good reader can bring an entirely new dimension to a book. Maggie Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle, for example, is one of her favorite series, and though Stiefvater is a stellar writer, Will Patton rocks the reading on the audiobook enough that though H.P. owns the series in print, she almost always revisits the series in audio.
- Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
- I think the characters’ relationships come through more vividly in the audiobook version simply because listeners can hear the emotions behind the words rather than just reading them – and there are a lot of intense emotions in this book. Nicole and Amy have a trying relationship (as teen sisters often do), and Daniel and his fellow Tau Guard Rüdiger have a particularly dark and tempestuous history that bubbles up at tense moments. Beyond that, though, Tess’ unique performances for each individual character gives them all a chance to shine even more brightly than they did in the text version. H.P. said she actually developed a little crush on Rüdiger’s voice.
- I think the characters’ relationships come through more vividly in the audiobook version simply because listeners can hear the emotions behind the words rather than just reading them – and there are a lot of intense emotions in this book. Nicole and Amy have a trying relationship (as teen sisters often do), and Daniel and his fellow Tau Guard Rüdiger have a particularly dark and tempestuous history that bubbles up at tense moments. Beyond that, though, Tess’ unique performances for each individual character gives them all a chance to shine even more brightly than they did in the text version. H.P. said she actually developed a little crush on Rüdiger’s voice.
- If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes, when and where would you go?
- I’d travel into the future and pick up some “history” books or whatever the equivalent turns out to be. Then I’d check them out just to see how far off my science fiction is.
- I’d travel into the future and pick up some “history” books or whatever the equivalent turns out to be. Then I’d check them out just to see how far off my science fiction is.
- If this title were being made into a TV series or movie, who would you cast to play the primary roles?
- It astonishes readers when I say this, but even though my stories play out like movies in my imagination, I rarely have specific people in my for the characters I write. H.P. is the opposite: She pictured teenage versions of Saorise Ronan as Nicole, Daniel Radcliffe as the assassin Daniel Cadinsky, and Rinko Kikushi as the weaponsmith Shoko.
- It astonishes readers when I say this, but even though my stories play out like movies in my imagination, I rarely have specific people in my for the characters I write. H.P. is the opposite: She pictured teenage versions of Saorise Ronan as Nicole, Daniel Radcliffe as the assassin Daniel Cadinsky, and Rinko Kikushi as the weaponsmith Shoko.
- What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
- I don’t consider it cheating, and H.P. finds that sort of elitism very tiring – and frankly, what does it matter? Whether listening or reading, a person’s still experiencing the same content, just in a different package. Plus, one of the reasons why we considered making audiobooks in the first place is because certain groups of people specifically requested them, as reading physical books is somehow difficult for them. For some the reasons were circumstantial – One worked as a truck driver and so had no time to read physical books, but had hours upon hours in which he could plow through audiobooks. For most, though, the reasons were unavoidable – We’ve met a number of people at cons who struggle with dyslexia or similar difficulties, and audiobooks allow them to experience the pleasure of reading while taking away the processing difficulties. All this to say, audiobooks are in no way inferior, just different.
- I don’t consider it cheating, and H.P. finds that sort of elitism very tiring – and frankly, what does it matter? Whether listening or reading, a person’s still experiencing the same content, just in a different package. Plus, one of the reasons why we considered making audiobooks in the first place is because certain groups of people specifically requested them, as reading physical books is somehow difficult for them. For some the reasons were circumstantial – One worked as a truck driver and so had no time to read physical books, but had hours upon hours in which he could plow through audiobooks. For most, though, the reasons were unavoidable – We’ve met a number of people at cons who struggle with dyslexia or similar difficulties, and audiobooks allow them to experience the pleasure of reading while taking away the processing difficulties. All this to say, audiobooks are in no way inferior, just different.
- How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
- I started another novel – or three! Soon after releasing Time Reavers, I released Bane of the Dead, Throne of the Dead, and Disciple of the Dead, which are a complete trilogy of giant robot novels that take inspiration from mecha anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Mobile Suit Gundam. Fun Fact: My love of anime actually influences a lot of my writing, so sometimes I’ll stick anime easter eggs into my books. Daniel’s ringtone? It’s “Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” the theme song from Evangelion.
- I started another novel – or three! Soon after releasing Time Reavers, I released Bane of the Dead, Throne of the Dead, and Disciple of the Dead, which are a complete trilogy of giant robot novels that take inspiration from mecha anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Mobile Suit Gundam. Fun Fact: My love of anime actually influences a lot of my writing, so sometimes I’ll stick anime easter eggs into my books. Daniel’s ringtone? It’s “Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” the theme song from Evangelion.
- In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?
- I generally find stand-alone novels to be easier to write. Problems come up in the planning and writing of any novel, and the “tools” available to the author in a standalone novel are a lot more flexible since it’s not part of a larger universe. But ultimately, I really enjoy working on a series and getting to dig deeper into difference aspects of a fictional universe as well as show the progression of characters through a series of the events. For instance, I’m really looking forward to exploring the backstory of the reavers in Mind Reavers, which is something I barely touched on in the first book.
- What's your favorite:
-
- Food – Sushi is basically its own food group in our house.
- Song – Oh, this is a tough one. I’m going to have to go with “Don’t Worry” from Xenoblade Chronicles X, arranged by Hiroyuki Sawano and performed by Aimee Blackschleger. Through a strange series of events (involving my wife’s retina suddenly detaching from the back of her eye, her lung spontaneously collapsing, and this music playing in my car as I drove her around), “Don’t Worry” has, in a strange way, become our song.
- Book – Frank Herbert’s Dune. It was the first book I read that really captured my imagination in a way that made me want to create my own worlds.
- Television show – Oh, wow. So many good ones to pick from. Hmm, let me think here. I’ll have to go with Doctor Who.
- Movie – This one’s easy. Dirty Pair: Project Eden. It’s definitely a product of its time (1986), but once you get past that, it’s a fun, goofy action anime where the simplest mistake can result in a string of explosions.
- Band – Anything featuring Yuki Kajiura.
- Sports team – The closest I come to watching sports is watching Starcraft tournaments, but if I could choose a favorite player, it would be Scarlet.
- City – Kyoto. My brother and I visited the city on my way back from a long term assignment in China, and it was the best vacation of our lives. The city was a fantastic mix of modern conveniences and historical temples and shrines. The weather was perfect, the food was awesome, and the people were ever so friendly.
-
- Are any of those things referenced in appearance in your work?
- Occasionally. For instance, a major sequence in Mind Reavers will take place in Kyoto.
- What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
- We encounter a lot of aspiring authors, especially at conventions, and the main piece of advice we give them is always WRITE! A lot of people say they have a great idea for a book but never actually get it down on paper, and that’s the key – If you want to be a published writer, you have to finish your book. It may not be as good as you think it should be, but that’s ok. If you’ve finished the first draft, you’ve already accomplished a lot more than many aspiring authors. From that point, you edit and edit and edit again until you’ve polished it into something you’re ready to share with the world.
- We encounter a lot of aspiring authors, especially at conventions, and the main piece of advice we give them is always WRITE! A lot of people say they have a great idea for a book but never actually get it down on paper, and that’s the key – If you want to be a published writer, you have to finish your book. It may not be as good as you think it should be, but that’s ok. If you’ve finished the first draft, you’ve already accomplished a lot more than many aspiring authors. From that point, you edit and edit and edit again until you’ve polished it into something you’re ready to share with the world.
- Do you have any tips for authors going through the process of turning their books into audiobooks?
- An audiobook can be made or ruined by its reader, so make sure you find a reader who suits the characters and style of your book. Time Reavers would not have been the same book if it had been read by a gravelly-voiced old man (even though that same gravelly-voiced old man might be well suited to some of our other books)!
- An audiobook can be made or ruined by its reader, so make sure you find a reader who suits the characters and style of your book. Time Reavers would not have been the same book if it had been read by a gravelly-voiced old man (even though that same gravelly-voiced old man might be well suited to some of our other books)!
- What’s next for you?
- I’ve had the exciting privilege of collaborating on the first book in a new series with New York Times Bestselling author David Weber! It’s a time travel novel, the first draft is nearly complete, and I hope we’ll be ready to share some of the juicy details soon. Any readers who’d like to learn more can subscribe to our newsletter at https://holowriting.leadpages.co/dragonsofjupiter/. Subscribers are the first to learn about our new releases, as well as any contests or giveaways that we run. (We usually do two a month!)
Sep. 20th:
Sep. 21st:
Sep. 22nd:
Sep. 23rd:
Sep. 24th:
Sep. 25th:
Sep. 26th:
➜Sign up as a host here
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave your comments below.