From the Professional Audiobook Narrators Association's board of directors, Christine Mascott talks us through this years fabulous lineup for PANA Con 2026

https://pronarrators.org/panacon-2026-event/

On July 25th 2026 PANA Con takes place as a virtual/online conference of Webinars & Panels

Christine talks us through all the exciting events surrounding the conference and the panels and breakout sessions available

It is for all levels of narrator. Will cover a deep dive into Social Media and Branding, and ensure takeaways

Virtual makes it inclusive

Monday - Digital Swag bag

Tuesday 21st JULY - International Narrator meet up day (also for non-members)

Wednesday - PanaShowcase - 50 narrators sharing samples streaming live!

LiveStream still available on the Youtube channel from last year

Thursday - PanaRama with a Producer, Podium’s Anna Lyse Erickson

Friday - Live Social

Also the PANAcon Sample Review Program

SATURDAY - THE CONFERENCE itself

Hillary Huber - KeyNote Speaker

Breakouts are recorded, so if you have to choose, you still have 30 days after the conference to catch upFor more information on membership, workshops and the conference:

https://pronarrators.org

If you'd like more information about the podcast or about audiobook production or narration, get in touch with www.anaclements.co.uk/coaching

Karen Commmins, founder of The Narrators RoadMap - THE BEST place to find out ALL things narration shares her love of the Harp. Karen talks to us about playing Oboe and Flute throughout school but as an adult she chose to start from the beginning as a harpist and now plays a 47 string Symphony Harp!

And Sean Pratt, the NonFiction guru, chats all things Drawing, He walks us through downgrading his guitar playing and his trials and tribulations with the Spanish language

Karen shared: Barbara Sher's book - I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It

And the wonderful Robert Henri quote: “The object isn't to make art, it's to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.”

We talked about external judgement! “What people say is a reflection of them, not you” and Sean shared his thoughts on "keeping the stakes low"

Both shared what hobbies provide that nothing else can, and when I asked, "Do you turn to your hobby in times of trouble?" you can find out what they said ion this episode

My takeaways:

True self confidence doesn’t come from repeating affirmations in the mirror, it comes from the proof that you are who you say you are.

https://www.seanprattpresents.com

https://karencommins.com

production, get in touch:

Https://anaclements.co.uk/coaching

MARNI PENNING joins us to talk about her life, career and her book, The Penning Method

From a creative family to Cincinnati Shakespeare where she was marketing director for 6 years she talk to us about the wild times they had there

She studied Theatre and Graphic Design degree, took part in Edinburgh fringe and set up Andi Arndt and her History professor!

Through Lyric Audio, MARNI got a job as a narrator and worked though ACX on mystery thrillers.

From her first booking 2018 to her first APAC in 2019 she walks us through her experience and the joy of her pseudonym

She discusses how her book took shape from her workshop notes with Jennifer Jill Arraya, and her Shakespearean notation - and how she was not prepared to wait for permission

She's been coaching since 1994: from going over monologues with high school kids to training narrators and actors

"I hate directing, like helping!"

She talks about her late diagnosis, ADHD and her next book on perimenopause, menopause, and ADHD. Based on her Peri-TikToks with her black lab: menoPAWS. Nobody told me!

Find out more: https://www.theladyhamlet.com

and if you'd like more information about the podcast or about audiobook narration coaching and production, get in touch:

www.anaclements.co.uk/coaching

Part of the PROSE & CONVS series, we were joined by Self proclaimed IT nerd, full time IT manager turned Author Douglas Putnam, and Narrator Judith Bareham to talk about the first of a Fantasy trilogy that just came out as an audiobook

He talked us through his info dumps to keep the characters and the world moving - maybe it's 4 books now!

The audiobook they worked on - A New Age of Man - with 64 characters had Judith focussing on the first 15 and the newly created names and pronunciations which led to 90 minutes of discussion (and Judith was right!)

They discussed their process, the edits and upload. Next books? Characters are growing up and the worlds are expanding.

AWARDs for the ebook - BookFest and Global Awards - took home Silver for EPIC fantasy

If you enjoyed this episode and have any questions about it or the process of audiobook narration or production, please get in touch

https://www.anaclements.co.uk

VOAtlanta's very own Lynn Norris & Jessica Merchant joined us in 2025 to talk through the ins and outs of organising a conference of this magnitude: what it entails and how it all works

They talk us through what’s new. The Key note, Audiobooks, and everything VOATLANTA

Details of this year's conference can be found here:

https://www.voatlanta.me/voa2026/Home

https://www.voatlanta.me/voa2026/AudiobookSpeakers

We were also joined by Joel Froomkin and Sean Pratt who popped in tp share details of their Audiobook X-Sessions

This is episode 27-3 and was recorded in February 2025

If you have any questions about this episode or would like more information on audiobook narration coaching, please get in touch

Https://www.anaclements.co.uk/coaching

In this episode we talk about what your headshots and website photographs say about you.

Sean Pratt is a well respected coach and prolific audiobook narrator. He shared his career story: acting in film, TV and theatre and then his journey into fiction and then non-fiction audiobooks, narrating 50 books a year

Sean teaches a curriculum of classes on audiobook narration that are 1:1 online. They cover narration, non fiction and the business and marketing of the industry

He encourages us to ask: what are you selling? Discusses promotional materials. References an Audiofile magazine marketing webinar on youtube with Sean and Michelle https://youtu.be/66rCZPv4CSI?si=a34yESbY3_U00Pht

He talks us through how to experiment and crowdsource your 3 words, Personality, Energy and Attitude, and how to use that in your search for work

How to come up with ideas for your photo shoot; and he mentions these artists websites: JRodney Turner, Lillian VO, Jennifer Jill Arraya, Gary Furlong

Sean talks about the difference between a Commercial Photographer and a Head Shot photographer. The importance of preparation and the visual representation of our brand

How do you transfer those thoughts into pictures?

Awareness of self. Let Sean describe his vision in pictures

This episode 26-3 was recorded live in January 2025

If you' d like more information about this episode or about audiobook narration coaching, get in touch

Https://www.anaclements.co.uk/coaching

A Prose and Convs. session with actor and coach, Steve Corona who produced his first audiobook in 2007 and then stepped away for a while. He says he wished he had come back to it sooner, but acting, the theatre and dialect coaching kept him busy.

Linda Hughes, now a full time author of 4 years, with 27 books to her name, shares her story. Voiceover work in radio advertising. Seminar leader - life balance, team building, communication skills) and flying around the world.

They talk us through the 37 characters in her book, Gold mountain and discuss their connection and collaboration.

The Alaskan Gold rush inspired book is the second in the series

https://www.lindahughes.com

https://www.coronaproductions.org/audiobooks

Episode 25 started off our 2025. This conversation was recorded on Clubhouse in January 2025

Part of our Prose & Convs series, narrator Rosemary Cline brought along author, Kelly Brakenhoff to discuss their project.

They talked about their meeting and working together

Rosemary shared her passion for narration and the other projects she is involved in

Kelly shared her books, her love of all things creative and her incredible experiences with Sign Language

Kelly Brakenhoff

https://www.facebook.com/kellybrakenhoffauthor/

Clifton Strengths

https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253715/34-cliftonstrengths-themes.aspx

Kelly’s website

https://kellybrakenhoff.com/product/cassandra-sato-mystery-series-audiobook-bundle-books-1-4/

Episode 24 recorded Dec 2024

If you have any thoughts about the podcast or have any questions about audiobook narration or production, please get in touch:

Https://www.anaclements.co.uk/coaching