Narrator Evan Harris is more than just a great voice - he's a Pretty great guy.
Seeing a novel in print for the first time is an immense thrill. Hearing it for the first time, well, that's a buzz on a whole other level.
When her first novel was ready for Audible, there was only one person Teddy Raye wanted to be the narrator for Her Minder, Book One - actor and fellow podcaster Evan Harris.
"I met Evan when Trev (Teddy's husband, known as The Bassman on their own podcast) was doing a play at our local community theatre," Teddy explained. "The lead actor had to drop out at the last minute, and Evan stepped in and took over the role just days before Opening Night. He did an incredible job, and I have never forgotten the hard work and dedication he brought to walking in and taking over this important role with so little time and prep. We've all been friends ever since.
"In addition to being a terrific actor, Evan is a podcasting genius. I call him 'The Podfather'," says Teddy. "He and Jason (Underwood, his podcast partner on The Bearded Ones Comedy Podcast) are hilarious. They do improv every week, and I've never known any two people who can think on their feet so quickly!
"He got my husband and I into it as part of his podcasting chain, The Bearded Pods Network, and he's such a fun person to bounce around ideas with. He's incredibly busy, between his podcasts and acting roles, but when I approached him about being the reader for Her Minder, he was available, and his performance went beyond my wildest dreams."
Evan has narrated an impressive variety of titles, ranging from one act plays to travelogues to role play game guides. He has also read several book series, most notably The Adventures of Benjamin Crosse, by Oxford and Oxford and The Birthright, by Rick Paltrow.
"What I love is Evan's ability to bring all these characters to life," Teddy added. "There are sometimes five or six people 'in the room', so to speak, and Evan has a way of reading them so that you know exactly who is speaking. He gives each character a real personality, so there's no confusion.
"At the beginning, I was terrified of making suggestions or corrections," said Teddy. "I would just cringe when I had to give notes, but Evan set me straight right away. 'I am working for you,' he said, 'and you can't worry about upsetting me or hurting my feelings.' Sometimes I'm afraid he's created a monster! I suppose he sometimes feels the same way."
Teddy and Evan have a very relaxed working relationship when it comes to recording the novel. "Evan will text me that a chapter is ready for my first listen, and I go through it, reading along with the text. If I hear anything that needs correcting, I send him a note with the time stamp, and he makes the changes."
Listening to someone reading your words, however, isn't always as easy as one might think. "Sometimes, given the nature of my writing, I do sit and squirm a bit. It's one thing to write erotica; it's quite another to hear someone reading it out loud! I would be like, 'Oh my Gawd, my friend Evan is reading this, knowing I wrote it - how can I ever look him in the eye again?' But the cool thing is that Evan never sounds uncomfortable or self-conscious when reading it, though. He's so relaxed, it's like it's the most natural thing in the world. In fact, several of my friends have a bit of a crush on him because he reads the 'sexy' parts so well!"
The full read-through for Book One - The Doctor, finished in early 2018 and was quickly approved by Audible for sale, but the timing could not have been worse. "My husband suffered a stroke about two days before Audible released Her Minder," Teddy explained. "I barely remember Evan texting me, saying, 'It's live!' but I was in hospital with Trev, and unfortunately it was the last thing on my mind. Afterward, I felt really bad. Evan had put so much time and effort into reading this large novel, and I didn't have the time or energy to promote it."
It's one thing to write erotica; it's quite another to hear someone reading it out loud! I would be like, 'Oh my Gawd, my friend Evan is reading this, knowing I wrote it - how can I ever look him in the eye again?'
Even here, Evan proved himself to be more than just a novel narrator and fellow podcaster. He helped Teddy and Trev by running a GoFundMe while Trev was recovering. "He'll be embarassed about me writing all this, but Evan single-handedly helped us get through the most difficult months of our lives by raising and organising money for us."
He sponsored fund-raising evenings for Trev at his Improv club; he championed their situation on his podcast - he went above and beyond over and over again. Because of his efforts, Trev and Teddy were able to concentrate on getting Trev through his stroke and subsequent surgeries without having to worry about paying bills. "He's very modest, but I often tell Evan he's a hero to us both. He's a great friend to have."
And it looks like this author/narrator partnership is going to be around for a long time to come. "Evan is currently working on Book Two, and I am even more excited about the work he's doing on it than I was on Book One, if that's possible. And I'm hoping that he'll say yes to narrating Book Three as well.
"In fact, I can't imagine anyone else reading my books. Now, when I write these characters, it's Evan's voice I hear when they talk. That's kinda cool, you know?"
Teddy Raye's second novel, The Chine, Her Minder Book Two, is now available in soft cover and e-book formats. The Audible edition, read by Evan Harris, will be available in the latter part of 2019.
Click HERE to purchase any of Evan's Audible books. And don't forget to tune in to his podcast, The Bearded Ones.