{"id":106,"date":"2018-05-11T18:42:57","date_gmt":"2018-05-11T18:42:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/?page_id=106"},"modified":"2022-02-27T20:05:00","modified_gmt":"2022-02-27T20:05:00","slug":"interview","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/interview\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.5″][et_pb_fullwidth_slider _builder_version=”3.16″ header_level=”h1″ header_font=”|700||on|||||” header_text_align=”left” header_font_size=”88px” body_font=”|700|||||||” body_text_align=”left” body_font_size=”87px” background_color=”#516870″ text_orientation=”left” auto=”on” auto_speed=”5000″ saved_tabs=”all” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_size__hover=”null” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover=”null” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover=”null” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover=”null” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover=”null” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover=”null” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover=”null” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover=”null” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover=”null” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover=”null” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover=”null” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover=”null” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover=”null” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover=”null” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover=”null” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover=”null” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover=”null” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover=”null”][et_pb_slide heading=”Ulvercroft Interviews Gordon Griffin” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” _builder_version=”3.16″ header_font=”Hind Guntur|700|||||||” header_font_size=”100px” header_font_size_tablet=”80px” header_font_size_phone=”35px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_line_height=”0.9em” header_line_height_tablet=”0.9em” header_line_height_phone=”0.9em” body_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#516870″ background_image=”https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/queen-header-no-text.jpg” background_position=”top_right” button_on_hover=”on” custom_padding=”35px|100px||0px” custom_padding_tablet=”35px|0px||0px” custom_padding_phone=”35px|0px||0px” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”]<\/p>\n

ULVERSCROFT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2017<\/h3>\n

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In the world of audiobooks, there aren\u2019t many better or more prolific than Gordon Griffin. Bringing a real warmth and enduring quality to more than 800 stories, Gordon\u2019s tireless work has even been noted by the monarchy, as earlier in the year he was award an MBE for his services to audiobooks. We had a chat about favourite authors, the Queen and his thanks to Penzance Library<\/a>.<\/h3>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding=”27px|0px|0|0px|false|false” _builder_version=”3.5″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Gordon-MBE-pic.jpg” _builder_version=”3.5″]
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How did you get started narrating audiobooks?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019d done a lot of radio including reading stories. I\u2019d also done a stint on Playschool and as a Guest Storyteller on Rainbow. I even presented a BBCTV Schools programme about books for children so when \u2018talking books\u2019 started up, I applied as I thought it was something I could do.<\/p>\n

How do you prepare for narrating audiobooks and has that changed since you first started?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Preparation is the most crucial thing about recording an audiobook. There\u2019s no such thing as too much of it. Preparation involves reading and re-reading the book, marking up the script, checking pronunciations etc so that when you come into the studio you know the book really well.<\/p>\n

What are the challenges when narrating an audiobook?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I really enjoy the recording process. I love telling stories. If you have done your preparations well, then there should be few challenges in the studio. You are putting into practice all the preparation you\u2019ve done.<\/p>\n

Throughout your career you\u2019ve narrated books from a variety of different genres. Do you have a favourite genre to narrate?<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the pleasures of my situation is that someone else is choosing what I record so that I get a wide variety of books; fiction, biographies, classics, historical books. I would hate to be tied down to one particular genre.<\/p>\n

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Does it help if you\u2019re a fan of the author?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It helps but it\u2019s not vital. I have to be as good as I can be whether I like the book or not.<\/p>\n

Is there a particular author you enjoy reading?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I enjoy books where the dialogue is realistic. It makes my job so much easier if people talk like real people. Of the writers I regularly record I\u2019d put Kate Ellis<\/a>, Pauline Rowson, Martin Edwards and Ann Cleeves in that category.<\/p>\n

Is there anything you\u2019d wish authors would do to make narrating easier?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think authors should worry about narrators. Just write their books. Although when a writer describes a character as having \u2018a gravelly, gruff voice\u2019 I dread it! And sometimes (through no fault of the writer really) there can be situations which can be challenging. I remember a scene in one book where a young woman from Belfast was having a blazing row with a middle-aged Italian in the back of taxi. That scene demanded a lot of concentration!<\/p>\n

Is there a book you\u2019d wish you could narrate?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Because I am recording a lot of books I get very little time to read any other books. Some years ago though I did enjoy reading Captain Corelli\u2019s Mandolin, which I found very funny but also very moving. I\u2019d have liked to record that.<\/p>\n

Is there a book narration you\u2019re particularly proud of?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am huge fan of Dickens. A narrator\u2019s dream. You don\u2019t have to think, \u2018what voice do I use\u2019 as it\u2019s so obvious from the writing. One of the first books I recorded for Soundings was A Tale of Two Cities. I won an award for that recording and it made me realise that maybe recording audiobooks was something I could do. I am also proud of recording and co-producing a biography of Lord Collingwood because it was written by my brother, Andrew.<\/p>\n

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\nYou\u2019ve now narrated well over 800 audiobooks and been awarded an MBE for doing. Do you think one day you\u2019ll narrate your autobiography?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s funny you should say that. A couple of years ago I was approached about writing a book based on the talks that I give throughout the country. It\u2019s the story of how a young Geordie lad growing up in the 1950s became the guy who recorded nearly 800 audiobooks! In other words my autobiography! I have just finished the first draft. It\u2019s called SPEAKING VOLUMES and It\u2019s anecdotal and (I hope) funny and if it gets a publisher and becomes an audiobook, you bet I\u2019ll record it!<\/p>\n

What was it like receiving your MBE and did the Queen say whether she enjoyed audiobooks?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s still all rather unreal. It was an amazing experience. The Queen has lovely eyes that she focuses of you. And she really listens. I explained how many audiobooks I had recorded which seemed to surprise her and we both agreed how much benefit visually impaired people get from them.<\/p>\n

Away from the microphone, what do you enjoy doing?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I relax by playing the piano and singing- as long as no one is listening! I love to travel. And (luckily) I love reading!!<\/p>\n

As Ulverscroft we distribute your audiobooks to libraries around the world. Have you got any fond memories or thoughts about libraries that you\u2019d like to share with us?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I love libraries. I remember so clearly longing to be old enough to join my local library. I was so proud when I eventually did. I even remember the first book I took out \u2013 Alice through the Looking Glass. Some years ago I produced an audiobook version of that classic for an audiobook studio in Hamburg. I was preparing a book once that had some Cornish in it and I don\u2019t mean the accent but the language, which I had thought was a dead language. This was before the internet. I had a brainwave. I found the telephone number of the Penzance Public Library and a very nice lady answered. I tentatively asked if anyone there spoke Cornish. She said, \u201cI do. Well, at least I am learning to\u201d. She was able to translate the sentences and give me the pronunciations. Thank you Penzance!!<\/p>\n

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+44 (0) 2072 425 066<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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ULVERSCROFT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2017 In the world of audiobooks, there aren\u2019t many better or more prolific than Gordon Griffin. Bringing a real warmth and enduring quality to more than 800 stories, Gordon\u2019s tireless work has even been noted by the monarchy, as earlier in the year he was award an MBE for his services […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/106"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/106\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2515,"href":"https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/106\/revisions\/2515"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gordongriffin.com\/ggnewsite2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}