Jer Adrianne Lelliott (she/they) is the founder of Coeurage Theatre Company. Film and TV credits include Ctrl Alt Delete, NCIS: Los Angeles, Jack (Francis Ford Coppola), Ambushed (Ernest Dickerson), and Race You to the Bottom (Russell Brown). A professional theatre actor since the age of nine, Ms. Lelliott has appeared at The Kirk Douglas Theatre, The Pasadena Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, Laguna Playhouse, and in the original Los Angeles cast of Disney’s Beauty & the Beast.
Lady Killer by Jeff Richards explores spousal abuse and the ways that both long-standing friendships and marriages can unravel when put to the test. Set in Takoma Park, Maryland (a suburb of Washington, DC) among a group of college friends now raising families together, the story centers around Mitch Lovett, a recently divorced father of two. Mitch is in love with Gail Strickland, but Ed—Gail’s jealous, abusive husband—just happens to have received a new gun for his birthday…and another member of the group, Dee Wynn, decides she loves Mitch as well and that nothing is going to stand in her way.
According to Matthew Norman (Domestic Violets), “this quick burst of a book” reminded him of “some of John Updike’s famous suburban romps.” An explosive novel that pulls back the veneer of the seemingly well-adjusted middle class in an affluent neighborhood and sets in motion a series of events with tragic consequences for all involved.
Follow the author & narrator:
Jer Adrianne on Twitter & Instagram: @j_lelli
Jeff Richards on Twitter: @ohiowa89; on Instagram: @jeffrichardsauthor
Get the audiobook: Audible/Amazon, Audiobooks.com
- What drew you to narrating this title? What is the process for choosing a narrator of an audiobook—does the narrator choose the book, the author choose the narrator, or does it depend?
This was actually my first narration! I received an audition offer and recorded a few pages of the book for the author and publisher. A few weeks later, I was offered the opportunity to co-narrate with the great Ramiz Monsef and was elated. When I joined the Deyan Audio roster, I indicated an interest in the romance genre. So I was absolutely thrilled to narrate the female perspectives of this love triangle. Since then I have received offers and audition offers for other titles. I usually have a day or so to read and confirm or decline interest.
- This is a fairly short audiobook, at about five hours. How long did it take to record your narration for this book?
A novella, it’s true. Such a satisfying read. It took about as long for me to narrate half of the book as it does to listen to the finished product, about 5-6 hours total. A lot of narrators record in their home studios but I love working with the engineer in the studio.
- Did you relate to any of the characters you were narrating? If so, which one(s)?
While I empathize deeply with Gail, I definitely identified with Dee Wynn. I relate to her drive and ambition, her introspection, her longing for a successful career and a satisfying personal life on her own terms—not bound by the typical restrictions placed on women. I also identified with her insecurities about her legs.
- As someone who also acts and has made a career of that, what are some similarities and differences between audiobook narrating and acting in a movie/play/TV show?
Acting in person is mostly about interacting with a partner. There are exceptions, of course. We are often asked to act without an off-camera partner for film and TV—usually replaced with a piece of spike tape on the camera—and theatre does include monologues and solo performance. But for the most part, it’s about trying to get a scene partner to feel or think or react a certain way. Audiobook narration is very different. My job is to speak the author’s words clearly and tell the story in a way that allows the listener to experience the world of the book in their imagination. They are very different crafts that use a lot of the same skills and training. I love both.
- It must be a lot of fun to put yourself in the shoes of different book characters and their various situations. Do you have a favorite genre or type of book to narrate?
I am definitely drawn to romance novels. I also love fantasy, particularly for young adults. And anything queer—nonfiction or otherwise.
