Idiosyncratic Fables

Ordinary Boy, Extraordinary Trials: The Heart Behind Timeaous Spark and the Luck Curse

In 2023, Evan Kidwell stood up at a leadership conference and made a public promise that terrified him: he would publish his first novel by the end of 2024. No safety net. No excuses. Today on the show, debut author Evan Kidwell (writing as E.K. Kidwell) joins us to share exactly how that scary promise became the award-winning YA fantasy Timeaous Spark and the Luck Curse. Set in the breathtaking world of Mythantas, this 332-page epic follows an ordinary boy named Timeaous as he faces deadly Trials at Mythica High in a power-obsessed society that wants to break him. Think Harry Potter’s magic school colliding with the high-stakes intensity of The Hunger Games — wrapped in a heartfelt story about resilience, bullying, and finding your own kind of magic. Evan opens up about turning childhood pain into powerful fiction, the real-life leap from dreamer to published author, and what it felt like to earn a Silver Medal in the 2025 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards for Young Adult Mythology — just two years after making that bold commitment. If you’ve ever felt like your dream was too big or too late, this conversation will light a fire under you. Whether you’re 12 or 52, Evan’s journey reminds us that courage and resilience are the real superpowers. Grab your copy of Timeaous Spark and the Luck Curse on Amazon today (search E.K. Kidwell). Follow Evan’s story and stay inspired — links in the show notes.
Evan's Website: https://www.timeaousspark.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evan_kidwell_author/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565907646755
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Timeaous-Spark-Curse-K-Kidwell-ebook/dp/B0DJGYLK35
 
To be a guest on the show, fill out the contact form on my website: https://www.narratorjames.com
To join my Discord community: https://discord.gg/6JKxwNQQJc
 
#IdiosyncraticFables #WildernessFireProductions #TimeaousSparkAndTheLuckCurse #EKKidwell #SilverMedalYA #MythantasChronicles #YAFantasyDebut #FromPromiseToPublished #AuthorInterview #ResilienceThroughFantasy

From Stuffed Animals to Spicy Scenes: Inside the Booth with Lexi Evans

With 130+ audiobooks narrated for USA Today & New York Times bestselling authors, Lexi brings spice, heart, and serious booth-fogging energy to every performance. We talked her wild journey from reading to stuffed animals as a kid, her insane character prep process, duet narration magic, and why she truly lives in every book. If you love romance audiobooks that make you laugh out loud, cry in traffic, or blush in public… this episode is your next listen.
 
To find Lexi Evans online, follow the link to her website: https://www.lexievansvoice.com
To watch her perform live on TikTok, click this link: https://www.tiktok.com/@lexi_evans_voice
 
To join my Discord server for behind the scenes content and live narration, click here: https://discord.gg/6JKxwNQQJc

From Talent Agent to 500+ Audiobook Powerhouse: Meghan Kelly Sets the Mic on Fire

From talent agent and casting director to narrating over 500 audiobooks, Meghan Kelly has lived both sides of the mic — and she’s setting it on fire. In this episode of Idiosyncratic Fables, I sit down with the award-winning SAG-AFTRA narrator whose voice listeners describe as “snarky, sexy, and sweet” all at once. Meghan takes us behind the booth to reveal how she went from hiring talent in New York and Detroit to becoming the one everyone wants to book. We dive into her wild journey: opera training, fronting rock bands, building a custom home studio, and the real six-hour grind behind every finished hour of audio. Meghan shares the secrets behind her realistic character voices (yes, including the guys), her recent double ABR Award win for Best Thriller and Best Narrator on No Way Out by T.J. Brearton, and what it’s like living inside high-stakes suspense for weeks at a time. Plus, she opens up about the surprising hobbies (scuba diving with sharks, anyone?) that make her a better storyteller. If you love audiobooks, narration craft, or just great conversation with someone who’s truly mastered their craft, this one will light you up. Subscribe, rate, and review — and tell us which Meghan Kelly narration you’re listening to right now!
 
Join my Discord community here: https://discord.gg/6JKxwNQQJc
#WildernessFire #MeghanKelly #AudiobookNarrator #500Audiobooks #SAGAFTRA #AudiobookLife #VoiceTalent #NarrationNation
#SnarkySexySweet #ABRAwards #AudiobooksRock #BookNarrator #BehindTheBooth #VoiceActorLife #RomanceNarrator #ThrillerNarrator#AudiobookIndustry #PodcastEpisode

“When the Sword is Down: A Navy Veteran’s Inner Quest for Magic” – Lance Krautlarger & Arcane Tides

In this powerful episode of Idiosyncratic Fables, Navy veteran Lance Krautlarger steps into the studio to share the deeply personal story behind his debut fantasy novel Arcane Tides: A Journey Within. What happens when the uniform comes off, the sword is down, and the real battle begins inside your own mind? Lance takes us from the silence after active service to the therapeutic journal entry that accidentally became a 430-page epic. Together we explore how he turned anxiety, identity struggles, and the loss of “magic” into the unforgettable journey of warrior-mage Eldrin Seastorm — a story that proves not all battles end with steel. We talk candidly about writing through PTSD, the brutal editing process that transformed raw trauma into page-turning fantasy, why he wove his real journal quotes into the chapters, and the hope he has for every veteran (or anyone) still fighting to feel whole again. If you love fantasy that heals as much as it thrills, this is the episode for you. Grab Arcane Tides: A Journey Within wherever books are sold (paperback, ebook, and audiobook coming soon). Lance Krautlarger, thank you for your service — and for turning your scars into something beautiful. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a veteran or fellow book lover who needs to hear it.
Go get your copy of Arcane Tides here:  https://www.amazon.com/Arcane-Tides-Journey-Lance-Krautlarger/dp/B0GP6VNT2R
 
Join my Discord community here: https://discord.gg/6JKxwNQQJc
 
 #ArcaneTides #VeteranAuthor #FantasyWithHeart #MentalHealthInFantasy #IdiosyncraticFables #WildernessFireProductions

BostonVoiceGuy Unfiltered: Chris Ciulla on Narration, Noir, and Launching His Own Publishing Empire

Dive into the world of audiobooks with one of the industry's most versatile and prolific voices! In this episode of Idiosyncratic Fables, I sit down with Chris Ciulla, the award-winning narrator known as @BostonVoiceGuy.
With over 600 audiobooks narrated—including multiple Earphones Awards and an Audie in the mix—Chris has brought grit, heart, and killer accents to thrillers, noir, horror, and more. He's the voice behind characters in Fallout 4, Mafia III, Starfield, and on-screen roles in Gotham and Castle. Former sports radio host, boxing commentator, improv comic, and now CEO of Leonardo Audio and founder of Nor'easter Publishing, Chris shares his origin story: that life-changing Barnes & Noble moment hearing Michael Beck narrate Grisham in 2009, the mentors who shaped his craft, flipping between Boston tough-guy and Russian mobster effortlessly, producing star-studded projects, coaching the next generation of narrators, and building a legacy in honor of his late father.
Whether you're an aspiring narrator, audiobook fan, or storyteller at heart, this conversation is packed with booth wisdom, hilarious behind-the-scenes tales, and inspiration for anyone chasing a voice-driven career.
https://www.leonardoaudio.com
Listen now and subscribe for more deep dives into the craft of narration.
Join my Discord community here:
https://discord.gg/6JKxwNQQJc
#AudiobookNarrator #VoiceActing #Audiobooks #Podcast #ChrisCiulla #BostonVoiceGuy #NarrationCraft #AudiobookPodcast #VoiceOver #LeonardoAudio #IdiosyncraticFables #NarratorLife #ThrillerNarrator #AudiobookCommunity #Storytelling

Narrating Desire: An In-Depth Chat with Audiobook Star John Solo

As a fellow narrator, I was thrilled to welcome John Solo to Idiosyncratic Fables! We geek out over the art of audiobook narration, building voices for complex characters, navigating steamy MM romance moments, staying true across multi-book series, and the joy of stories that stick with you.
John opens up about his favorites, collaborations with top authors, trends in the genre, and tips for breaking in. If his voice has ever made you swoon or tear up, you'll love hearing the man behind it.
Tune in, subscribe, and share your favorite John Solo narration in the comments!
To listen to more of John's books, click this link to see his Audible page: John Solo Audible
To join my Discord server, click this link here: https://discord.gg/6JKxwNQQJc
#IdiosyncraticFables #JohnSolo #AudiobookNarrator #MMRomance #Podcast

The Serendipity of 237 Collective: Art, Fashion, and Heart in Cedar Rapids

I sat down with the incredible married duo behind @237collective — Abby Long-Williams and Paxton Williams — right here in Cedar Rapids. From Paxton's graffiti-inspired upcycled fashion shows to creating a welcoming 'third place' for underrepresented artists, poetry nights, open studios, and community magic... their story is a modern fable about turning passion into a thriving non-profit hub.
Be sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook for all the updates and information:237 Collective on Facebook
237 on Instagram
If you would like to be a guest on my show, fill out the contact form on my website: https://www.narratorjames.com
To be a part of the Wilderness Fire Productions discord server, click this link here: https://discord.gg/6JKxwNQQJc
#IdiosyncraticFables #wildernssfireproductions #podcast #237Collective #CedarRapidsArt #IowaCreatives #UnderrepresentedArtists #UpcycledFashion #LocalArtScene #CommunityHub #ArtAndCommunity #CedarRapidsIowa 

The Voice That Crossed Oceans: Award-Winning Narrator Curtis Michael Holland on Authenticity & Accents

On today's episode, I sat down with Curtis Michael Holland. From toy bowling pins turned into microphones and cardboard-box stages in small-town Canada… to a custom-built, double-walled vocal booth in Hong Kong… we talk about his journey across the globe to where he's at now. A former international IB theatre teacher and director with 12+ years across Kuwait, Italy, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, Curtis pivoted to full-time narration during the pandemic — right after a near-death illness on a tropical island left him rethinking everything. Today he’s a SAG-AFTRA, PANA, and APA member living in Hong Kong with his partner, two ginger cats, and one very opinionated Boston Terrier. With 150+ audiobooks under his belt for Penguin Random House, Tantor, Dreamscape, Podium, Simon & Schuster, Scholastic, and more, Curtis specializes in romance, horror, humor, young adult, sci-fi, and authentic queer stories. His mixed-race, LGBTQIA2S+ background and fluency in accents & languages (Mandarin, Arabic, French, Italian, plus a huge range of character voices) bring depth and representation that listeners rave about.
You can find out more about him at his website at www.curtismichaelholland.com
 
If you would like to be a guest on the show, let me know by visiting my website at https://www.narratorjames.com
 
If you would like to join my community on Discord, that link is here: https://discord.gg/6JKxwNQQJc
 
#AudiobookNarrator #CurtisMichaelHolland #VoiceActor #SAGAFTRA #Audiobooks #RomanceNarrator #HorrorNarrator #YANarrator #SciFiNarrator #QueerNarrator #HongKongNarrator #GlobalNomad #AudiofileEarphonesAward #TheatreTeacherToNarrator #PodcastGuest #AudiobookCommunity #LGBTQNarrator #MixedHeritageVoice #Podcast #IdiosyncraticFables #WildernessFireProductions

Trumpet Virtuoso Turned Audiobook Legend: Stacy Carolan’s Wild Path

Join me as I talk with audiobook narrator Stacy Carolan. We talk about his journey into audiobook narration, concert trumpet performer, being a husband and a father, as well as finding humor in all things. Stacy and I also touch on what it means to be unique, or dare I say, idiosyncratic. There is no such thing as "normal". Everyone has their own merits and flaws that are unlike anyone else. 
To learn more about Stacy and his audiobook career, feel free to check out his website at: https://www.mrstacycarolan.com
If you would like to be a guest on my podcast, I would love to have you! Send me an email through my website at: https://www.narratorjames.com
And if you would like to join my Discord server for behind the scenes content with audiobook narration, you are welcome to join! Follow that link here: https://discord.gg/6JKxwNQQJc
#podcast #idiosyncraticfables #audiobooks #narrator #wildernessfireproductions #storytelling 

Narrator and Author Powerhouse James Anderson Foster

Our guest is James Anderson Foster—award-winning narrator with over 500 titles under his belt, producer extraordinaire, and someone who's been praised by AudioFile Magazine for his energy, focus, and that spot-on delivery that makes you feel like the voice in your head came to life. Join us as we dive in to his work flow, love for thrillers, and real authentic characters. To keep up to date with what James is narrating and likewise writing, you can find him online at the following sites:https://jamesandersonfoster.com
https://jamesandersonfoster.net
https://jafosterbooks.com
 
And hey, if you want to go even deeper into the audiobook world—watch live narration sessions (Monday through Friday afternoons, Central Time), catch behind-the-scenes action, chat craft, share stories, and hang out with a great community of listeners, narrators, and authors—come join me over on my Discord server, Wilderness Fire Productions. It's where the magic happens in real time, and I'd love to see you there. Grab the invite here: https://discord.gg/42VrCCKKXk