Amy Rubinate

What was the first audiobook you performed?

Before audiobooks were even a glimmer in my eye, I did a lot of books licensed for interactive toy platforms. My first professional gig narrating a full book was an interactive Babar the Elephant project for a toy company. Then there were some really fun ones for LeapFrog’s LeapPad, where I narrated, sang, or did character voices. Voicing the the animals running from Walter in Walter the Farting Dog Goes on a Cruise was a particularly memorable experience…

What title or series are you best known for?

The Selection series by Kiera Cass

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

Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall
The Judy Moody and Stink series by Megan McDonald
The Blessings Georgia series by Sharon Sala
The Magical Bakery Mystery series by Bailey Cates
The Blue Heron series by Kristan Higgins

What do you always have in the booth?

Hot water, vocal straws, and an impatient dog watching me through the window.

How did you come to performing audiobooks?

In my 20’s, I was a cabaret singer in a waning industry. A wise friend suggested finding another way to use my voice. As I drove all over the San Francisco Bay Area for voiceover jobs, audiobooks were my joy and constant companion. I finally realized I should narrate, entered the Scott Brick “Share the Experience” contest, and tied for 3rd place – which landed me work with PRH and then other publishers. After years of narrating, I bought Mosaic Audio and became a full-time producer and director. But I still love narrating my sweet & cozies and children’s books.

Anything else you’d like a listener to know?

Audiobooks are the soundtrack of my life. I’ve always believed that the pairing of a great book and the perfect narrator is a kind of alchemy that transforms the audiobook into an art form all its own – something uniquely valuable in its own right. I came into the industry intent on giving the transformative experience of audiobooks to others. I was hungry to make great audiobooks and eager to embrace the whole process. The role of producer has brought me so much fulfillment. Then, when I get back into the booth to narrate again, it brings me full circle.