A VERSATILE, RESONANT STORYTELLER: BENJAMIN FIFE

 

Today I’m very glad to feature an exclusive interview with Benjamin Fife, a seasoned narrator whose captivating voice brings literature to life. He started his career in the world of narration from a young age, honing his skills through dramatic readings and exploring a diverse range of genres. Today, he is best known for his narration of Maria Grace's Jane Austen’s Dragons series and is celebrated for his versatility in tackling everything from Fantasy to Health and beyond.

Get ready for an insightful conversation with a narrator who has mastered the delicate dance of bringing words to life through the power of the spoken voice. 

Maria Grace on My Jane Austen Book Club

 

INTERVIEW WITH BENJAMIN FIFE

Hello Benjamin and welcome to My Jane Austen Book Club! Your narration of Maria Grace's 'Jane Austen’s Dragons' series has garnered attention and praise. Can you share with us your personal journey into Jane Austen's world? What drew you to her works?

I had heard of Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility growing up, but my sisters leaned more toward Gone With the Wind side of literature.  I still don’t get the appeal there, but to each their own. Nearly 25 years ago now, I was hanging out with a longtime friend and her family and she suggested watching the ’95 BBC P&P production. That was my first time dipping my toe into Austen & I’ve loved her work ever since.

How did your journey into narration begin, and what prompted you to start practicing reading aloud at such a young age?

 When I was about 8 or 9, I had a habit of inserting “um” between words all the time when I read aloud.  My mom had me practice reading material like Dr. Seuss to focus on just reading what was written, and if I had a hard time with any word, to just pause & read it instead of inserting any kind of filler.  It’s a habit that served me well in school, church and still holds for my narration career. Like most kids in school, I had to take a speech class.  That marks the first time I did a live reading: I read from the novelization of The Empire Strikes Back, specifically the Bombshell scene of the show where Vader reveals Luke’s true parentage. Most of the kids for their reading just ‘read.’ I performed it, complete with a tin can to do Vader’s voice justice.  At that point I would have been 14.

Your tradition of nightly read-aloud sessions with your family includes a wide range of titles, from Jane Eyre to Hank the Cow-dog. How have these diverse literary influences shaped your approach to narration?

They were my guinea pigs before I even knew they were. Before we even had kids, my wife and I had enjoyed reading aloud to each other from Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and others. As the kids came along, initially we just wanted to share good literature with them. Eventually, we got into the groove of just taking turns picking the book from oldest (me) to the youngest (now Atticus, approaching 5 years old) When they’re on the younger side of things, we give them some guidance on titles they might enjoy. Each of them also has a name from a book we love, so ‘their book’ has been a natural choice at some point or other. Because of that, we’ve had different genres like Jane Eyre versus Out of the Silent Planet. Narrating things like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings kind of come with their own built in expectations of voices, but moving beyond that, I’ve enjoyed creating different styles.  And I’ve also enjoyed a challenge from time to time. It used to be that I would skip over anything French, nor would I attempt a French accent. One of the kids picked an Agatha Christie Poirot novel, and voila, I’m trying a new accent. I’m currently learning French so If I have to pronounce something in a book professionally, I’m not entirely winging it.  We’ve also done nonfiction, humor, and about anything else, to say nothing of Dr. Seuss and the perennial repeat of “The Big Book” with about a dozen kids picture books that I’ve put all kinds of weird accents and variations on as I’ve read it hundreds of times to our kids in the last 2 decades. I certainly have my favorites though. Timothy Zahn, Charles Dickens.  What I’ve enjoyed reading to my kids is reflected in the catalogue of books I’ve narrated, some of them I’ve even chosen to read to the kids after narrating them. 

Can you tell us about your favorite literary work or genre, and how it has impacted your storytelling?

I LOVE CLASSICS.  And Scifi. And Fantasy. I’ll read about anything, frankly.  I love doing a wide array of styles because of the diversity of ideas you get from that approach. I enjoy things that stretch the imagination, that make me laugh out loud, that make me reconsider my opinions or views. As far as my storytelling and performance goes, I absolutely love it when I’m narrating a scene and I’m able to completely embody the emotion.  Its sometimes surprised me the characters I’ve been able to connect with the most. About any actor will tell you that it’s pretty fun to be the villain, and I’ll definitely echo that. A few writers I’ve narrated for I think have a superb grasp on humanity that is hard to duplicate. When its apparent that the villain in the story sees himself as the hero, and you understand why, and even empathize with them, performing becomes cathartic.

 

In what ways do you see your passion for literature and storytelling reflected in your personal and family dynamics?

My oldest kids are young adults at this point, and they’ve all been in plays, choirs, and such.  Each of them is creative in their own way & I’ve loved seeing them explore who they are. The love of literature, I think has enabled all of us to see things from other’s perspectives more.  My oldest 2 kids especially have this ridiculous ability to guess plot points accurately before they happen. Reading them Jane Eyre when they were less than 10 years old was absurd – they guessed things like Bertha’s eventual death, Jane’s cousins, and so much more that when I read it 10 years before I had NEEDED to know and compelled me to keep reading.

 

Your philosophy on storytelling as a three-person partnership (author, narrator/performer, and audience) is intriguing. Can you elaborate on how you approach this partnership when narrating a book?

An audiobook is a unique experience. When you read a book, page by page, sentence by sentenc, it’s your imagination and the Author’s in harmony.  Its also at whatever pace you read it.  You also might skip over things without realizing it. Adding a narrator, my pacing, my emphasis on this word vs that one, my characterizations come into play. Yes, you can listen at 2x speed, but the overall “pacing” remains mine, just doubled (I know there are some folks out there with strong feelings about listening speeds – I’m not one. I’m an audio-learner, and have sometimes listened to things at speeds up to 3x – once your brain gets to that speed if you’re in the group that learns like I do, even the performance nuances still hold up). So my performance adds a flavor to it.  Then its in the listeners imagination. I’m on the stage in their brain playing all the parts written by the author.  The listener’s imagination fills in the gaps.  I’m sometimes curious about how people perceive me.  I voice anything from toddler girls to behemoth creatures. In reality, I’m a 5’7” 45 year old with a receding hairline and a curly mustache, a Star Trek Fixation, and a highly goofy sense of humor. 

As an aspiring author, how has your experience as a narrator influenced your perspective on writing and storytelling?

I’ve had some stories floating around in my head for a long time.  They’re still floating at this point.  Most of what I’m writing & working on is either commentary for public domain stuff I’m narrating, or nonfiction slightly salty witticisms. I do hope to eventually write a novel or 10, but for now, narrating is my bread and butter. Like most indie authors, its starting as a side gig.  And as much as I love narrating other folks material, I don’t know that it writing would ever become my main focus.  But I do enjoy it. I’ve narrated some truly brilliant work, and I’ve narrated a few clunkers. Its been my pleasure to say that in the JAFF front, they lean brilliant. Superb source material helps with that, I’m sure. 

Transitioning to narrating professionally in 2018 and going full-time in 2020 was undoubtedly a significant step. Can you share some highlights or challenges you faced during this transition?

When my first collaboration with Maria Grace went live & I started seeing sales of it (mid 2019), I started crunching numbers. I had been enjoying my job prior to that year, but things had changed that year with the departure of a boss I gelled well with. I also discovered, thanks to the JAFF community, that if I really wanted to, I could even possibly make a career of narrating nothing but JAFF. (I do still like variety, but even the amount of variety in this funky sub sub genre is astounding!) My dayjob satisfaction kept going downhill and every month my plan for moving on moved up.  My initial plan when I started narrating in 2018 was to hopefully be able quit my dayjob and narrate full time in 5 years. I quit my  job 2 weeks before everyone was sent home because of Covid.

With Covid, the narrator community got a little flooded for a while with folks who wanted to try their hand at something else, but the same things that enabled me to succeed at other jobs, I brought to my narration gig.  I’m a people person. I like to be ME. I think I’m pretty darn good at follow up, cold calls (much different sort as a narrator than as a salesperson, but the principles are the same – and I’m a whole lot better at it because I LOVE what I do now – I’m selling ME instead of some product or service.  I’ve connected with hundreds of authors and narrators via social media. I’ve gotten leads from some of the strangest encounters, including giving a business card to a woman at a feed lot, the husband of a girl I took on a date 25 years ago who happened to have me recommended to him by 3 different mutual acquaintances, and even been contacted more than 3 years after my initial audition for something.  Networking has been the biggest thing that has kept me afloat through lean times, but starting in 2022, I’ve been earning more money as a narrator than I ever did in a myriad of different dayjobs. But there are still lean months. If you want a steady & predictable income stream – you might not want to be self employed. But it would take a ridiculous amount of anything to get me to go back to ‘normal’ employment at this point.

Is there a particular audiobook or series that you found especially enjoyable or challenging to narrate?

Yes. 

You probably want more of an answer.  And loquacious ole’ me is always happy to provide. Jane Austen’s Dragons has been a delight and a challenge to narrate.  Book 1 was recorded in a completely different space than the rest of the series. I’ve also upgraded my mic, software, and computer periodically through the series. And Maria keeps bringing back characters who may not have been in the series since the first couple of books. I’ve honestly considered re-doing the first trilogy because when I listen to it now, I’m not satisfied with my British accents. You add in dragons that, starting in book 1, I used various effects to achieve some of their voices, effects that aren’t precisely duplicatable from one software to another, and sometimes I’ve ended up redoing an entire characters lines.  I just finished my initial recording ad editing of Book 13 and I’m presently awaiting Maria’s feedback.  But I freakin’ adore the series.  I’ve suggested some things to her in the last few years that have had some influence on the series, but ultimately: The Dragons are in control. Just ask Maria. We recently started another series together sans dragons and we both were a little blown away by the LACK of corrections or adjustments needed.

There are a pile of other series that I’m either in the middle of or have finished that I’ve absolutely loved narrating as well. The Sylvalla Series by A.J. Ponder.  The Minstrel’s Song by Jenelle Schmidt and her new series The Turrim Archives, the Seven Portals series by Andre Jones, and The Tales of the Territories by Peter Wacht.  I love revisiting worlds I narrate. 

 The series by Maria Grace, Jane Austen’s Dragons, has been featured a few times on our blog and has gained recognition. How did you become involved in narrating this series, and what aspects of Jane Austen's work do you find most captivating?

I Auditioned in February of 2019, my dragon didn’t sound like Scrooge McDuck, I sold services really well to Maria, we chatted several times & off we’ve gone. There’s a really good following that has encouraged me whenever I’ve been down. Also serves as a distraction from actually recording often. 😊

I love that Austen’s work is ultimately about human nature, assumptions, and communication. Expectations and assumptions abound. Just like our own lives. With Maria Grace’s work, I’ve looked at the Dragons as an expression of what everyone usually really wants to say but doesn’t for some societal expectations.  Dragons are an extension of the human psyche to me.

For those unfamiliar with JAFF (Jane Austen Fan Fiction), could you explain the appeal and unique challenges of narrating works in this genre?

Austen created some amazing characters in a very specific time in history. Ultimately, any storytelling is some kind of retelling or adjustment of what we already expect about something.  JAFF is a great framework for where to go as a writer.  There’s already the loved stories and characters.  The author asks a “what if.” Sometimes it’s a tiny little thing, like what if Catherine De Bourgh died and her Husband survived. Other times its an enormous what if, like “what if there was a secret society of dragons and dragon keepers.” In all of the variations I’ve read, there aren’t two that are close enough alike to seem like plagiarism to me.  It’s a bit like exploring the Star Trek Universe, MCU, Star Wars universe, and so on.  It’s the JAFFU. I recently finished my first American variation by Jack Caldwell, Pemberley Ranch – the initial failed proposal scene and aftermath are amazing.

 As an avid audiobook listener yourself, what draws you to a particular audiobook, and do you have any favorite narrators or performances that have left a lasting impression on you? The narrator, sometimes the author, sometimes the title. If not already apparent, like a glut of different stuff.  I will say – as much as I’m a scifi geek and I love Star Wars – The Star Wars audiobooks I think get a little too over the top and melodramatic. I don’t want Darth Vader breathing in my ear the whole time he’s in a scene to let me know he’s there. Nor do I want to hear music from Return of the Jedi’s Battle of the Forest moon of Endor if the scene is not on said Forest Moon of Endor.  Marc Thompson is an incredibly talented narrator, but the instant shift to fight scene and back is just a bit much for me.  His voices though? Spot on.

I’ve enjoyed listening to other JAFF narrators like Catherine Bilson, Stevie Zimmerman and Harry Frost.  Stevie & I are partnering on the forthcoming Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop by Summer Hanford. I can’t wait.  We each just have to get through some other projects first. 😊 

How has the experience of listening to audiobooks influenced your approach to narrating them?

I’ve tried to maintain my own style, but I do try to learn from the best as well. My narration speed has actually slowed considerably in 5 years.  It used to be that I always came in under the estimated time, and now I’m over. I think a big part of that is that there’s a lot less “nerves” then there used to be. 

Can you share any upcoming projects or genres you are excited to explore in your narration career?

Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop, Falling for Mr. Darcy, POSSIBLY Pride & Platypus (crossing my fingers).

On other fronts, I’m working on a bunch of my own public domain stuff, including the complete novels of Charles Dickens, All Quiet on the Western Front, and a bunch of other stuff.  If anybody has some good scifi or fantasy or variations thereon, I’m always up for more of that too.

Visit Benjamin’s Website

Benny Fife’s Audiobooks