Audiobooks: A Chat with Sandra Murphy

Published May 21, 2025

An Interview by Deborah L. Brewer

Though books have been read aloud since the beginning of books, the first audiobook recording was made in 1932. The American Foundation for the Blind published Shakespeare’s plays, the Constitution, and popular novels on vinyl records. By the 1970s, libraries were lending books on cassette tape, and by the 1990s on CD. How far we’ve come with today’s digital files and streaming, wi-fi, and AI. Over half the U.S. population has now listened to an audiobook. It’s a massive market. How does an author get in on that?

Meet Sandra

Sandra Murphy is a versatile audiobook narrator known for her dynamic character voices, fierce comedic timing, and gripping storytelling in over 100 audiobooks.  Based in Denver, Sandra specializes in narrating books set in the historic West and has a particular passion for mysteries, ranging from paranormal to thriller to cozy. In her time off, Sandra loves to hang out with her family–cooking amazing food, laughing hysterically, and dancing in the kitchen.  On those truly blessed occasions when deadlines are met and family well fed, you will find her relaxing in the backyard hammock, book in hand.  

Q & A

Debby: Welcome, Sandra. Thank you for sharing your insights with Pikes Peak Writers. You interviewed with us in 2020 (link below), thank you for coming back to give us an update.

What considerations are there when choosing a narrator for an audiobook? Are there specific styles an author can look for depending on genre?

Sandra:  In choosing an audiobook narrator, you are really finding the voice of your brand.  There have been many actors who have portrayed James Bond, and each brought their own unique take to the character. Preference is personal. Every audiobook narrator will bring something a little bit different to the narration, so it’s about finding the tone, style, and personality that highlight your work the best.

Audiobook narrators will voice the book in their normal register, so you want to find someone whose normal speaking voice will work for the tone of your book.  For example, I don’t narrate a lot of middle grade because my voice is in the mid to low end for females.  However, my lower range suits mystery perfectly.  

What does your brand sound like?  I recommend listening to a lot of audiobooks in your genre and getting to know what your genre typically sounds like, and then go from there.

Debby: How do a voice artist and an author decide on what voices or accents to use for different characters? If a publisher is involved, does the author have a say? 

Sandra: I’ll start with a favorite quote, “Every time an author writes, “They had some kind of accent I couldn’t quite place,” a narrator dies.” – Joel Froomkin.  Now, don’t get me wrong, a character can have a general Southern or Eastern European accent.  Some type of specificity is helpful.  When the details are in the text, it’s fairly easy for the audiobook narrator to discern which characters have accents.  The general rule of thumb is to give a general nod to the accent but not make it too heavy, which would impede listening comprehension. 

You are hiring an audiobook narrator because you like their work and want them to apply their artistry to your story.  Some narrators do a subtle variance between characters’ voices, while other narrators make more distinction between voices.  It’s a personal preference.  What every audiobook narrator should do is take what you’ve written, such as “she spoke slowly like her battery was running down,” and apply it to the voice for that character.

If you are independently published, you have the opportunity to work directly with your narrator.  You will be given a 15-minute sample of your book to approve before official recording begins.  This is a great time to make sure you are happy with your character voices and the overall approach.  If you are traditionally published, you may be given input in the selection of the narrator, or you may not – it depends on the publisher. 

Debby: If one is writing with an audiobook in mind, is there a best practice for dialogue tags? Are there other writing considerations?

Sandra: Books make great audiobooks when they are written like a screenplay.  You are writing words not only to be read but to be performed.  I’d recommend reading your work out loud and see what doesn’t sound right to your ear.  Too many “he said/she said” can make the book sound a little clunky.  

If you are writing something that cannot be easily researched or translated, you might want to make a note for your audiobook narrator.  This could be a fictional name, such as Ttszooodjdeaaaarrr, which I had to pronounce in a sci-fi book.  Or it could be a created fairy language with sayings such as “By dee prood mahaw,” which appeared in a cozy mystery.  Also, Latin, Gaelic, and native language pronunciations can be more challenging to research in addition to acronyms and names in non-fiction.

Debby: Can you recommend online resources for writers to find more information on voiceover artists and pricing?

Sandra: For independently published authors, ACX is still the largest distribution platform where authors can list their book for anywhere from royalty share to standard SAG rates (roughly $350 per finished hour.)

Debby: Lastly, what do authors need to know about the audiobook industry and the use of AI?

Sandra: There is now the choice to have your audiobook produced by AI, which may be the right move for you if you want your book to be accessible.  However, I would encourage you to think about the impact this may have on your brand.  To my knowledge, text written by a human author receives copyright protections upon registration.  There is no copyright for audiobooks produced that are AI-generated.

We know from decades of sales data that what sells an audiobook is the quality of the narration.  Human narrators bring a depth of emotion and nuance that artificial intelligence simply cannot replicate. When I narrate an audiobook, I’m reading the subtext – the words not printed on the page – to highlight how the character is feeling.  I bring my lived experience to show what it feels like to be loved, betrayed, marginalized, etc.  AI can never do that.  

It comes down to whether you believe an audiobook is the reading of words on a page or an artform.  For me, it will forever and always be an artform.

Discover more here:

Sandra’s 2020 Interview: https://pikespeakwriters.org/interview-with-sandra-murphy/

Audiobook History: https://www.audiopub.org/history-of-audiobooks

Find Sandra at: www.voicemama.com

Deborah L. Brewer joined Pikes Peak Writers a decade ago, seeking help with a cozy mystery. When the novel was completed, she stayed for the camaraderie. Now she’s writing short stories. An editor for the PPW 2022 anthology, Dream, Deborah contributes to Writing from the Peak to help fellow PPW members write better with more enjoyment, and ultimately, achieve their writing dreams.