Kyla Garcia

What was the first audiobook you performed?

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero.

What title or series are you best known for?

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez.

If a listener wanted to get to know your work, which of your audiobooks would you point them to?

The Halfling Saga (series) by Melissa Blair (especially Book 4! An Honored Vow)
Maria, Maria by Marytza K. Rubio
There, There by Tommy Orange
One on One by Jamie Harrow
Ice Moon by Camila Victoire

Where else have we heard your voice?

Spirit Rangers — a tiny frog spirit who sings “Stuck on You” to your kiddos, final season, Episode 8, Season 3 (Netflix)
Apple News — amplifying social justice issues
Cable Girls — Lidia/Alba, English dub (Netflix)
Women in Blue — Maria De La Torre, English dub (Apple+)
The Space Within — Rosa, Seasons 1 + 2 of the Audible podcast series

What do you always have in the booth?

Water. Tea. A tiny little turquoise turtle bead, because turtles carry home on their backs and are a totem for storytellers; a special crystal a friend gave me and a Mantra Medallion that says “Be Here Now.”

A rotation of these precious objects (and others) keep me grounded when disappearing into the magic of new worlds in the booth.

How did you come to performing audiobooks?

Mandy Williams and Bob Deyan are the reason I am a narrator. I met Mandy on a print shoot. We were talking about our love of reading and she was the first person to tell me about narrating. I could not even believe that job existed. She saw the joy in my eyes and asked if I wanted her to refer me to the late, great Bob Deyan. She did.

Bob was the first audiobook producer to believe in me. He said ‘your voice is like butter, Kyla. You’ve got a bright future ahead of you in this industry.” I will forever be grateful to Mandy and Bob for opening the door and welcoming me into this community.

I pay it forward as often as I can because that is what we do as artists and storytellers.

A rising tide lifts all ships.

Anything else you’d like a listener to know?

Dear listener, wherever you are
We hold these words together…beneath the same stars.
I don’t know you…
And you don’t know me..
But each story sets us a little more free.

One ear, one voice, two hearts, three minds
The author, you and I in kind
Take my hand, we’ve got places to go
Trust the story. Trust the flow.

Like Bastian and Atreyu, the journey never ends.
Across pages and time,
each chapter…
will mend..

Our.

Hearts.

— k.g.

(I’m also a poet and I wrote that one for you.)