Recently, I had the pleasure of listening to the upcoming audiobook of Part-Time Monster Hunter. I loved it! Not just because it’s my story, but because Suzanne T. Fortin, the narrator of the novel, is THE voice of Kat Drummond.
It is an amazing performance and I jumped at the chance to interview her so you can learn more about her. So, without any more delays, here is the interview with Suzanne T. Fortin, the voice of Kat Drummond.
Thank you for giving a voice to Kat Drummond and the other characters in the Katverse. I’m super excited to get started with this interview so readers can learn more about the voice of their favourite monster hunter.
To start, tell us more about yourself! Where are you from? And what got you into the world of narration?
I grew in New Hampshire on the northeast coast of the United States, and lived in Montana after college. I worked as a touring theatre actor traveling the northwest of the country until my husband and I moved to Los Angeles 2013. In 2016, a friend invited me to an introductory weekend course in audiobook narration, and the second I sat in the booth, I knew this was something I could really get into. I started getting set up and auditioning immediately, and slowly built toward going full-time, which I did last year.
What type of audiobooks do you prefer narrating? Got a favourite genre? Tone? And what type of characters do you enjoy voicing the most?
I like being able to do a little bit of everything- a super straightforward contemporary rom-com after crazy a complicated 100 character sci-fi with a made up language can be a great palate cleanser. J Currently, the majority of my work is in mysteries/thrillers, urban fantasy, and romance.
Which of your performances would you give as an example of your work? Like the featured work of your portfolio.
Shaedes of Grey by Amanda Bonilla, which is exclusively available on Scribd is the start to the Shaede Assassin series (urban fantasy set in Seattle) that I’ve started recently and love working on. And The Wrong Victim by Allison Brennan is the latest release in the Quinn and Costa FBI thriller series is available everywhere.
I loved the different voices and personalities you gave all the characters in your recording of Part-Time Monster Hunter. Which was your favourite character to voice?
Well, I love getting to voice mythical creatures and non-human folks. There’s a freedom in being able to take a big swing at the character, and the puzzle of figuring out what a crispy ash monster would sound like. All that said, Kat was one of those characters that just arrived ready to play, and it was really fun to live in her head.
Talking about favourite characters – do you have one? And don’t let the readers force you into choosing Duer or Alex.
I love the whole gang. Duer is lots of fun, but I’m also intrigued by the Drakenbane crew just bored and smoking on the loading dock at work.
I got chills in a lot of scenes as you seamlessly shifted from Kat’s snarkiness to her sincere and believable vulnerability. What scene did you enjoy the most?
The flashback to the babysitting incident stuck with me. The fear and panic while still trying to be the grownup in the situation was moving.
You bring Hope City to life with a wonderfully energetic performance that really captures Kat’s spirit. But would you like to live there? If you were caught in Hope City or Post-Cataclysm Earth, what would you want to be? Job, species, magic status…etc.
I am fascinated by the idea of the elves having taken over New Zealand, but I don’t think I’d want to live in the magical world. I’d end up being some sort of mid-level office witch doing herbalism and rune-work, or help run a small shop in a rural area. I used to be the manager of a cupcake bakery, and I’ve had my fill of being in charge of everything.
As a narrator and as a reader, what are you looking forward to most from the series? What types of scenes and moments do you want to give voice to, and what would you want from Hope City’s finest part-time monster hunter?
I’m excited to get to know the world better, and see how the light magic has impacted things as well as the dark. Show me some dragons!! I’m also looking forward to seeing Kat continue to grow into herself and trust the chosen family she is creating.
Finally, let the readers know where they can learn more about you. Social media links, and where they can find your other performances. Thank you!
There are links to my performances on my website, and I post new releases on my social media as well.
- Website: https://www.suzannetfortin.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzanne_t_fortin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzannetfortinnarrator/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/suzannetfortin
Part-Time Monster Hunter’s audiobook will be available on the 25th of May on a variety of retailers. Watch this space for links!
