🍪 Castable Cookies are what I call important nuggets of information that we can share on our websites to help those who are casting audiobooks make the right choice, get to know us more and hopefully send us auditions and work!
Castable Cookies Series 2026
Casting Directors, Producers and Authors share what they like to see our narrator's websites to help them cast the right voice for their project!
Kat Jackson |
Jessica Kaye |
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Kat has spent more than 20 years shaping the way the world listens. A producer, director, casting specialist, educator and audio executive, she's worked on thousands of audio projects across her time as a studio manager, producer and director, collaborating with best-selling authors, award-winning narrators and a wide cast of muppets. Kat believes that audiobooks are their own artform, one created through partnerships built on excitement, connection, trust, and always in her case, a bit of humor. Kat is also the editor-in-chief of the go to ezine for all things Audiobooks, www.audiobookrush.com.
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Publishing and entertainment lawyer Jessica Kaye has produced/directed multiple Grammy Award-winning audiobooks. She has served on the boards of Audio Publishers Association, Mystery Writers of America and serves on the board of Screamfest Film Festival. Jessica owns audiobook distribution company Big Happy Family (www.bighappyfamilyaudio.com) and co-owns audiobook production company Curated Audio LLC (www.curatedaudio.net).
She authored “THE GUIDE TO PUBLISHING AUDIOBOOKS” (Writers Digest Books, 2019), created “MEETING ACROSS THE RIVER” (anthology, BloomsburyUSA, 2005) and contributed to “CULPRITS” (Datura, 2024) and “OCCUPIED EARTH” (Polis Books, 2015). “CULPRITS “is a limited series for DISNEY+, streaming on Hulu in the US. |
P.J. Ochlan |
R.E. Carr |
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Meet P.J. Ochlan! P.J. has closely shaven brown hair, a mustache and beard, a welcoming smile, and a multi-colored button-down shirt.
P.J. has been working in the entertainment industry for more than 40 years with credits spanning Broadway, feature films, and numerous television series regular and guest star roles. Along the way he’s worked with many icons including Jodie Foster, Clint Eastwood, Robin Williams, Joseph Papp, and Al Pacino. With more than 700 audiobook performances, P.J.'s narration has been recognized with multiple Audie Awards, Earphones Awards, Voice Arts Awards, and the Odyssey Award. P.J. is also one of the industry’s leading dialect and performance coaches, and with his company, Lepton Productions, he's produced and directed many award-winning projects from films to countless audiobooks. For all coaching, visit www.drdialect.com. Vertical Divider
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Meet R.E. Carr! R.E. has short brown hair and is standing against a brick wall, looking to the side with a sassy smirk on her face, wearing drop down cat earrings and a black t-shirt.
R. E. Carr likes to split her time between the alien (well resident alien) she married, her two adorable offspring and the vast army of characters who constantly argue in her brain. She uses her past life as a video game reviewer to remind herself just how awesome it is to be writing novels now. Some people have imaginary friends; R. E. Carr prefers imaginary universes. All social platforms: @TotalRECarr Website: www.rachelecarr.com Royal Road (current fictions for free): https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/162584/xenias-bakery-for-beasts |
Deanna Anthony |
Melissa Addey |
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Talkbox Productions is a full-service production studio for mission-driven creatives ready to amplify their message in the most intimate medium there is: audio.
Tavia Gilbert Founder/CEO/Creative Director https://talkboxproductions.com Vertical Divider
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Melissa Addey writes richly researched historical fiction through the ages: Ancient Rome, medieval Morocco, imperial China and Regency England. www.melissaaddey.com
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Jesse Bickford |
Chris Ciulla |
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Jesse Bickford is the senior audiobook producer for Blackstone Publishing and has been with the company since 2008. As a lover of storytelling, a bibliophile, and a former theater kid, the world of audiobooks is the perfect home for this self-proclaimed "Book Dragon." Outside of Blackstone, Jesse moonlights as a narration coach under her company, Book Dragon Coaching. When not audio booking, Jesse can be found playing with her menagerie of pets, exploring the offerings of southern Oregon with her family, or just cozied up on the couch with a book in one hand, and a glass of something delicious in the other. www.bookdragoncoaching.com.
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A TV, Film and Commercial on-camera actor and video game voice, Chris has narrated over 600 audiobooks. His audio production company, Leonardo Audio, currently produces for Simon & Schuster, SourceBooks and Podium Publishing.
Last year he received and shared his first Audie award for the multi-cast performance of THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans (PRH). It also won an Earphones Award, of which Chris received another for the solo performance of Elliot Ackerman’s SHEEPDOGS (PRH). Chris also was seen earlier this year on Apple TV+ as Ferry Captain Lee in the pilot episode of Widow's Bay with Matthew Rhys. Chris has become a highly pursued audiobook coach, and he dearly loves when his students work more than he does. He currently teaches several Fundamental and Elective workshops and manages a Vetted Narrator program that introduces capable narrators to audiobook casting and production personnel. Check out our Workshop tab at www.LeonardoAudio.com, or hit Chris up for a private session anytime. |
Khai Dattoli |
Tyrrell Harrell |
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Khai is the Executive Casting Director at Podium Entertainment, the fastest-growing independent publisher in North America. Over the past decade, she's cast more than 5,000 audiobooks with special focuses on developing talent for genre fiction and trending nonfiction. I don't have a personal website, but Podium's website is: www.podiumentertainment.comf.
Fill out Podium’s Narrator Form: https://web.miniextensions.com/26aihRUdAKDnO1Dlr5Ynweb.miniextensions.com/26aihRUdAKDnO1Dlr5Yn.. Vertical Divider
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Tyrrell’s an award-winning director, producer, and the founder of TYDEF. With nearly 25 years in media and entertainment, Ty is dedicated to amplifying vital stories through the art of voice and authentic casting. He loves to share his craft and develop others to bolster and sustain our industry.
Tyrrell's socials: @_tythedirector and @tydefinc |
Jessica Escalona |
Almeda Beynon |
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Jess Escalona is the CEO of Common Mode Inc. and the founder of Jess Escalona Media. Common Mode Inc has a 30+ year reputation of producing high-quality audiobooks for publishers like Simon and Schuster, Harper Collins, and Hachette.
Common Mode’s website is www.common-mode.com Follow her on Instagram @jess_escalona Vertical Divider
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Almeda Beynon is an award–winning audiobook producer and Director of Audio Production at Sourcebooks Audio, where she leads in-house production across a wide range of genres. She came to publishing from a background in sound design and education for theatre and live events, so aural storytelling has always been at the heart of her work. Beyond production, she is active in the audiobook community advocating for creative excellence and collaboration between authors, narrators, and production teams. When she’s not making audiobooks, Almeda is usually keeping the world whimsical for her toddler, overplanning a relative’s surprise party, or answering to “Goldie Prawn” in her shrimp-themed Mardi Gras dance krewe.
Follow Almeda on her Socials: @sourcebooks.audio |
Marnye Young |
Gina White |
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Marnye Young is a stage, screen, and voice actor and has recorded hundreds of audiobooks. Marnye has an MFA from David Geffen Yale School of Drama, is the recipient of numerous awards, including SOVAS and Earphones and has done voice-over work for major brands like Microsoft as well as video games.
She is a coach, a mentor, a Jane Austenite, a Shakespeare buff, the owner of Audio Sorceress and a mom of identical twins. You can find Marnye pretty much everywhere or just stop by her website www.marnyeyoung.com and drop her a line. Vertical Divider
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Gina White started her casting career in audiobook publishing in 2016 at Tantor Media, a division of Recorded Books. Now she is Casting Operations Director at Podium Entertainment. While still casting as usual, she is also now responsible for monitoring things like the narrator form, narrator database, and ensuring the casting operations process runs smoothly.
She has cast several nominated audiobooks throughout the years and has fostered lasting relationships with storytellers. Feel free to reach out Gina: [email protected] to introduce yourself and fill out Podium’s Narrator Form: https://web.miniextensions.com/26aihRUdAKDnO1Dlr5Yn |
Jess Herring |
Sara Pagluica |
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Jess Herring is an audiobook producer and casting professional whose work focuses on guiding projects from manuscript to finished audiobook. Known for her thoughtful approach to talent, selection and production management, herring has become a respected member of the Audiobook community and a valued resource for both experienced narrators and those entering the industry.
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Sara Pagluica is a producer, director, and audio editor for Audible Studios, and has been working in the audiobook industry for over 17 years. When she’s not helping to bring stories to life she is an oil painter.
You can check out her work on her instagram @sara.pagluica or at www.sarapagluicapaints.com. |
Heather & Jeffrey Kafer
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Daniele Lanzarotta
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High Gravity Productions is the creation of Heather Costa and Jeffrey Kafer, husband-and-wife narration team and audiobook industry veterans. With thousands of titles narrated and produced, they are the premier audiobook production choice for independent authors and publishers alike. They live in Los Angeles with their children and mini golden-doodle. www.HighGravityProductions.com
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Daniele Lanzarotta is the Founder of Elysian Nightfall Studios. Specializing in post-production, Daniele has years of experience as sound engineer, and is also an award winning casting director. When not working on audio, Daniele is also an author of young adult and new adult paranormal/fantasy/contemporary novels, including the Academy of the Fallen Series, the Sudden Hope novels, and The Sinners Series. www.instagram/elysiannightfallstudios
www.elysiannightfallstudios.com www.danilanzarotta.com |
Lisa Cahn
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Briar Sommerset
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Lisa Cahn is an award-winning spoken-word producer who specializes in audiobooks, collecting multiple Audie Awards and Grammy nominations along the way. Her spoken-word development company, Prose Garden Productions, creates audio programming in recording spaces worldwide and out of PGPs studio in New York’s Hudson Valley. The company works with a large roster of professional narrators and best-selling authors (novelists, thought leaders, and influencers in politics, journalism, technology, sports, and entertainment), to create audiobooks, podcasts, museum audio tours, and audio documentaries for prominent individuals and organizations worldwide.
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Briar Somerset is a Gothic and Dark Fantasy romance author, audiobook publisher, sound effects director, and the founder of Vellichor & Vein Press. Her production work spans full-cast and immersive audiobook projects, including original fiction and adaptations of classic literature. The audiobook adaptation of her novel Disenchanted received a 2024 SOVAS nomination for Best Sound Engineering by Daniele Lanzarotta of Elysian Nightfall Studios. She specializes in audio-forward storytelling across the scope of publishing and sound design.
Learn more about Briar Sommerset: www.briarsomerset.com |
Rick Gualtieri
Rick Gualtieri lives alone in a dark, evil place called New Jersey with only his wife, kids, and pets to both keep him company and constantly plot against him. When he’s not busy monkey-clicking words, he can typically be found jealously guarding his collection of vintage Transformers from all who would seek to defile them. Defilers beware!
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Julie Wilson
Julie Wilson, also known as The Articulate Coach, is an award-winning audiobook producer, coach, and industry leader who has spent nearly than two decades helping shape the audiobook industry. She has produced thousands of audiobooks and collaborated with bestselling authors, celebrities, thought leaders, and award-winning narrators. Today, she coaches audiobook narrators on performance, branding, and career strategy through live workshops, small-cohort programs, private coaching, and The Articulate Society, helping them build sustainable careers rooted in their unique voice. www.TheArticulateCoach.com
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Andrea Emmes
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Award-winning narrator and author with 400+ titles narrated, Andrea has been a professional actor for over 25yrs, performing on stage, TV/film, video games, commercials & audiobooks. She has a degree in Game Art and Design and was a game designer for Disney Interactive. She has coached and designed websites for fellow narrators for 8yrs and focuses on making her clients websites castable for publishers and authors a like.
To learn more about Andrea, check this entire website, starting with the Audiobook Demos Page!
To learn more about Andrea, check this entire website, starting with the Audiobook Demos Page!
