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8.1.24- DM ME TO JOIN THE WAITING LIST!
The Workshop will be at the Warren Conference Center in Ashland, MA – near Boston.

The New England Narrator Retreat is a chance to take your craft and your career to new heights in a relaxed atmosphere of camaraderie and community. You’ll meet friends new and old and have a chance to get to know your colleagues, coaches and publishers –all while taking some deep dives into the audiobook world.

Once you’ve registered, please take a moment to fill out the Form of Choices –> HERE (updated 8/19/2024). This is where you pick coaches for directed sessions, etc. and how we know who wants a single or a double on-site (and roommate situations).

COACHES:

JOHNNY HELLER, JO ANNA PERRIN, PAUL ALAN RUBEN, PAULA PARKER, CAROL MONDA, JOEL LESLIE FROOMKIN, PETER BERKROT

DON BAARNS, TOM DHEERE

PUBLISHERS:

DREAMSCAPE – ERICK BLACK;   SPOTIFY/ORANGE SKY AUDIO – RINN KRAUS,

PODIUM – GINA WHITE; MACMILLAN – ESTHER DE ARAUJO

 

AGENDA (SUBJECT TO CHANGE!)

MONDAY OCT 14TH

4PM: CHECK IN

6PM: DINNER

6PM – 12AM: COCKTAILS

7:45PM -8:45PM: LISTENERS LOUNGE #1 – BY LOTTERY/3 MINUTE READS MAX!

7:45PM -?:  FIREPIT #1

8:45-?  KARAOKE #1

TUESDAY OCT 15TH

8-9:30AM: BREAKFAST

9:40-10:50AM: PANEL #1 – INTROS/WELCOME – PUBLISHER Q&A #1 – MC: Johnny

11-11:45AM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

1. DEEP DIVE: THE FEMALE VOICE:  CAROL, JO ANNA, PAULA  – MAPLE
2. SELF-DIRECTION: AND…SCENE!   PAUL – CEDAR
3. AUDIOBOOK PROJECT MANAGEMENT:PREP TO MARKETING-TOM DHEERE – OAK
4. GENRE DEEP DIVE: LIT RPG/FANTASY & CHARACTER CHOICES: JOHNNY & JOEL – RESERVOIR A
5. BUSINESS TIPS: ORGANIZING YOUR WORK & YOUR WORKDAY: DON – RESERVOIR B

12-1:15PM: LUNCH

1:30-3:30/4pm DIRECTED READINGS

1. Reservoir A – PETER
2. Oak –  JOEL 
3. Reservoir B – CAROL 
4. Cedar – PAUL 
5. Maple – JOHNNY & JO ANNA
6. LOBBY–  PAULA 

3:30pm-5pm – SOCIAL MEDIA OPTIONS WHICH IS BEST? HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OF THEM – TOM & DON – Lobby (if you want to attend this session, let your coach know so you can read early! THIS SESSION MAY START A WEE BIT LATE -DEPENDS ON DIR READ TIMING!)  MAPLE

4:40pm-5:40pm: Optional session offerings from our colleagues (TBD)

1. HUMOR – PHIL THRON, BILL LORD, BRENDA WLAZLO – RESERVOIR A
2. TAX TIPS – TOM DHEERE – MAPLE
3. BOOTH HEALTH – MELISSA KAY BENSON – RESERVOIR B
4. ACCENTS/DIALECTS – STEVE CORONA – OAK

6PM: DINNER

7:00PM-12AM- COCKTAILS/BAR

7:30PM-8:30PM: LISTENERS LOUNGE #2 – BY LOTTERY/3 MINUTE MAX READS

7:30PM-?: FIREPIT #2

8:30PM-? KARAOKE #2

WEDNESDAY OCT 16TH

8-9:30AM: BREAKFAST

9:40-10:50AM PANEL – PUBLISHERS Q&A #2!  MC: Johnny

11-11:45AM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

1. CRAFTING YOUR DEMOS/BUILDING YOUR WEB SITE:  JO ANNA, CAROL & LISA WARE –MAPLE
2. PLAYING/FINDING SUBTEXT- CHOICES & DIRECTION:  PAUL & PAULA –RESERVOIR A
3. DEEP DIVE: CLASSICS – GREAT EXPECTATIONS: JOEL      RESERVOIR B                 
4. MULTI-CAST PRODUCTIONS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW – JOHNNY, RINN, & _________    CEDAR       
5. MORE BUSINESS – BE THE PROFESSIONAL IN THE ROOM:  TOM & DON –OAK

12-1:15PM: LUNCH

1:30-3:30/4pm DIRECTED READINGS

1. Reservoir A –  PAUL
2. Reservoir B – PETER
3. Cedar – JOHNNY
4. Oak –  JOEL 
5. Maple – JO ANNA & CAROL
6. Lobby  – PAULA 

3:30pm-5pm: BUSINESS/TECH Q & A – TOM & DON – LOBBY  (if you want to attend this session, let your coach know so you can read early!)

4:40pm-5:40pm: Optional sessions offerings from our colleagues (TBD)

1. VO GENRES – SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST AUDIOBOOKS – TOM DHEERE/CAROL MONDA –OAK
2. WORKING WITH INDIE PUBS/DIY-  PHIL THRON, ADAM BARR –MAPLE
3. IMPROV FOR AUDIOBOOKS – BRENDA WLAZLO- RESERVOIR A       
4. ACCENTS & DIALECTS WITH STEVE CORONA   – RESERVOIR B        

6PM: DINNER

7PM-12AM: COCKTAILS

7:30-8:30PM LISTENERS LOUNGE #3 -BY LOTTERY/3 MINUTE MAX READS

7:30-? FIREPIT #3

8:30-? KARAOKE #3

THURSDAY OCT 17TH

8AM-10:30AM BREAKFAST/GOODBYES/LOTS OF PICTURES TO MAKE UP FOR FORGETTING TO TAKE ANY EARLIER

—————-

IMPORTANT NOTES THAT YOU WILL LIKELY IGNORE & THEN ASK ABOUT LATER:

1. BREAKOUTS – I will assign rooms/spaces for every breakout and session. Going outdoors is an option if it’s nice out.
2. DIRECTED READS – Publishers will wander from session to session as they like. They are free to comment but you need feel NO pressure!
3. LISTENERS LOUNGE – You will be assigned your day and time by lottery for this. NO PIECE LONGER THAN 3 MINUTES! NO GUARANTEES THAT EVERYONE WILL/CAN READ!
4. FOR FOOD PREFERENCES/NEEDS, LISTENERS LOUNGE, DIRECTED READINGS COACH SELECTIONS, FILL OUT THE FORM HIGHLIGHTED ABOVE – “FORM OF CHOICES”.
5. THE WORKSHOP PRICE IS NOT THE SAME AS THE WARREN CENTER PRICE. YOU WILL BE BILLED BY THE WARREN CENTER FOR FOOD/FACILITIES.

PAYMENTS – PLEASE READ THIS

Your workshop fee is NOT the same as the room/board/facilities fees charged by the Warren Center.

IF/WHEN THE WARREN CENTER FILLS UP, YOU CAN STAY AT THE OFF-SITE HOTEL. (You can also stay off-site to save some loot! Off Site hotel attendees participate in all the activities as on-site attendees.)

COSTS:

WORKSHOP FEE: $900 (THIS DOES NOT COVER ROOM, BOARD, FACIILITIES!)

DAY TRIPPERS:

WORKSHOP FEE: $900 & THE WARREN CENTER FOOD/FACILITIES FEES: $610 + TAXES

OFF-SITE HOTEL:

(about 10-15 minutes away!)

  USE THIS LINK FOR OUR SPECIAL ROOM  RATES! JUST PUT IN THE DATES (OCT.14-16):            https://tinyurl.com/5uvtm6kj
(CHECKING OUT THE AM OF THE 17TH!)
WORKSHOP: $900
HOLIDAY INN (using our room block link) $144.10 p/night ($129 + TAXES)
WARREN CENTERFOOD/ FACIILITIES FEE: $610 + taxes.

ONSITE WARREN CENTER ROOM & BOARD & FACILITIES:

1. SINGLE ROOM:  $209 p/night + taxes. Plus $610 food/facilities = $1237 plus taxes and booze.

2. DOUBLE ROOM: $124.50p/night with roommate = $373.50 + $610 food/facilities each = $983.50 plus taxes and booze Per Person. (If not sharing – $249 p/night + taxes; Plus $610 food/facilities plus taxes  = $1357 plus taxes and booze.)

ROOMS MAY BE LIMITED THIS YEAR DUE TO WARREN CENTER CONSTRUCTION. WE JUST DON’T KNOW SO WE NEED EVERYONE TO REGISTER….

IF YOU KNOW WHO YOU WANT TO ROOM WITH, PLEASE MARK IT ON THE GOOGLE SHEET. WE NEED BOTH OF YOU TO CONFIRM. YOU ARE WELCOME TO SHARE A SINGLE IF YOU LIKE.

WHEN ON-SITE ROOMS ARE FULL, YOU WILL NEED TO STAY AT THE OFF-SITE HOTEL.

The payment you send me is for the Workshop. The Warren Center fees are separate. You will get a bill from the Warren Center.

You DO NOT NEED TO CALL THE WARREN CENTER FOR ROOMS.

Refunds:  THERE ARE NO REFUNDS. Every year, we have late cancellations, and we have to adjust our rooming plans/schedules/etc. THERE WILL BE NO REFUNDS. If you find you cannot attend, we will see if there is a possible replacement from the waiting list but that’s the best we can do.
We reserve the right to refuse your registration due to space and comfort concerns and, if we do, we will refund your fee.

If covid rears its ugly head and causes cancellations, that’s considered an “Act of God” and not a nice one at that. As to covid, we expect all attendees to be fully vaccinated. We will follow local and federal CDC guidelines on this issue.