Reviews, Breakdowns, Reading Orders, and more. Audiobook are my passion! Predominantly of the fiction, fantasy, and romance variety, because even as an adult, I love a good fairy-tale
1.0 is a reading as a fresh new reader. 2.0 will be a 2ndread through.
Be sure to check your number!
@ Chapter 04
Atlanta, Georgia—August 2011
What is this guys obession? or should I say Why?
There was far too much preparation ahead of him to be reckless now, and too much at stake.
Sidney, Georgia, the day after the party (aka hanging with Dorthy)
So…… Bobby is our hero. Interesting.
So is she going to be staying in his time or is he going to be going to hers?
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Piper sounds like a good friend to have!
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Piper reminds me of my friend Malissa who I also met in 7th grade. Being an empath that wears their heart on their sleeve makes you a target and she never hesitated to be the muscle I couldn’t be.
–Thanks & I Love You Malissa!! XOXO—
(I’m such a sap, I cried just writing that)
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What the hell is a keeping room? Sounds like something out of a dungeon!
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Looked it up.
A keeping room is a term that hearkens back to Colonial times when you only had 1 room in your house. Nowadays it would be more of a great room. A multiple function area near the kitchen where everyone can see everyone else. Why she is talking like she is in Gone with Wind, I have no idea!
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Ok, now we are going back and forth in time inLacey’s head as she tries to remember what happened, so try not to get lost!
the date at the top of the Sidney Gazette read:
Sunday, November 6, 1949
@ Chapter 05
Lake Lanier, Georgia—September 2011
Nick Cramer has not been in the story yet, just incase you are wondering.
This week, he would confront his first real challenge, Nick Cramer.
Sidney, Georgia—November 6, 1949
34 years before she was born, so her parents are kids right now?
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Daddy issues, figures!
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“I don’t think love is something you look for. It just finds you.” He glanced over at me. “But you have to recognize it.”
It IS truly 1949, and the lake DOESN’T exist.
@ Chapter 06
Lake Lanier, Georgia—October 2011
What has he got himself into?
He’d put everything he owned at risk, including his life, and Lacey’s.
Sidney, Georgia—November 1949
I wonder how old Bobby’s sister is?
It sounds like she is close in age to Lacey.
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“He says he wants the brass ring.”
Lacey is getting waytoo carried away with her pessimistic point of view! Stop trying to turn Bobby into a bad guy!
Brass ring says to me that he is looking for a wife! Sheesh Lady, its 1949!
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What’s got Bobby worried? & What plant does he work for?
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How much DOES Nick know? Lots of timey-wimey questions to be answered!
1.0 is a reading as a fresh new reader. 2.0 will be a 2ndread through.
Be sure to check your number!
@ Chapter 02
Lake Lanier, Georgia—June 2011
Stalker much dude?
There was no turning back. Obsession drove him forward.
The night of the party (for those that need a reminder: June 9th 2012)
A: Are there shifters in this book? B: Yes you are an idiot! C: What did I tell you about driving angry!
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I lived in Georgia and had heard of Lake Lanier but never all this lore. I totally missed out!
Be careful what you wish for Lacey!
@ Chapter 03
Lake Lanier, Georgia—July 2011
Obsessed much? And now there are more guys! What did Lacey do? ♥
The morning after the party (that should make this: June 10th 2012)
Why is she half dressed? Really?
Going to nit-pick here, that’s not how you say cicadas!
One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen, is watching a cicada hatch and pump his wings until they fully formed, right after learning about it in my invertebrate zoology class earlier that day! Too bad cell phone cameras were not a thing at the time.
Speaking of cell phones, I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore Dorthy!
Reeling from her boyfriend’s indiscretions at a party, Lacey Montgomery escapes into the throes of a torrential storm. Her car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of an icy, black lake. She awakens in the arms of a handsome stranger, in a place she’s never heard of—thirty-four years before she was born.
Bobby Reynolds is smitten the moment the storm-ravaged woman opens her eyes. Learning the truth about her origin does nothing to stop the passion taking root in his heart and leaves him torn between finding a way to return Lacey to her time and convincing her stay with him.
Will the couple be able to discover the key to a mysterious portal before time rips them apart? Or will their spirits wander forever through a ghost town buried beneath the lake?
Award winning author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense, like Beneath The Lake, WINNER: 2016 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for BEST Romantic Suspense. Casi’s powerful memoir, Wingless Butterfly: Healing The Broken Child Within, shares an inspirational message of courage, tenacity, and hope, and displays her unique ability to excel in nonfiction and self-help as well as fiction. Known for enchanting stories with magical description, McLean entices readers in nonfiction as well with fascinating hooks to hold them captive in storylines they can’t put down. Her romance entwines strong, believable heroines with delicious hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires then fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. Ms. McLean weaves exceptional romantic mystery with suspenseful settings and lovable characters you’ll devour. You’ll see, hear, and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You’ll swear her time travel could happen, be mystified by her other worldly images, and feel heat of romantic suspense, but most of all you’ll want more.
What is your writing process? Plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between?
I am totally a panster! My outlines consist of an idea, often evolving from a place I visit, and the story spins in my thoughts until a dramatic beginning evolves and I feel compelled to write it down. After that my characters take over and the story literally writes itself. I may know I want characters to go back in time to a certain era or event, and I research the situation, but from chapter to chapter I don’t know what will happen until I sit down and begin writing.
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Is it harder to come up with the romance or suspense plot?
Casi McLean I find it easier to write suspense because there is so much more fodder to feed into the plot that romance naturally evolves.
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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Casi McLean I got the idea for my recent book from a visit to Lake Lanier. The creepy lake lore and history begged me to write Beneath The Lake.
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What’s the best thing about being a writer?
Casi McLean Seeing how people react when they read my books.
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How do you get inspired to write?
Casi McLean Anywhere and everywhere … I see or hear something and bam! Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea. I’ve never really had writer’s block, but when I want real inspiration, I go someplace beautiful and just meditate.
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What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
Casi McLean Write a little every day, listen to good writing in your genre (someplace like Audible) … read, get involved with active writing groups, and most of all, never give up.
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After receiving her B.S. and MBA with a concentration in Health Care Management, Aundrea fell madly in love and decided to start her family. Ten years and five children later she was quickly living the full time wife, mother and household management life. Needing a temporary escape from time to time Aundrea returned back to her first love – reading! After devouring everything she could get her hands on she thought, -what if she could mix her love of performance and literature in a professional capacity? Once getting involved in the world of book narration she quickly became hooked and when not with her family you can find her in her studio working hard to grow in her own storytelling abilities.
When did you know you wanted to be an audiobook narrator?
I was listening to more and more audiobooks and I just kept getting the urge to do it.
How did you wind up narrating audiobooks? Was it always your goal or was it something you stumbled into by chance?
I just researched until I found ACX, and on their website it talked about what you needed, how to do it and I just went for it.
Did you find it difficult to “break into” audiobook narration? What skill/tool helped you the most when getting started?
No, it was not difficult to break in but to stay in is a totally different story.
A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?
I don’t know if it’s essential, I have a very limited background from when I was in school. I love theater. However now I do find training very important. Getting an instructor for the type of narration you want to perform, attend seminars and classes in both performance and audio technology – you should really know how to use the equipment you are utilizing and some ‘employers’ will only accept your work if you are using certain technology.
What type of training have you undergone?
I am seeing a coach for non-fiction (Sean Pratt-@SPPresents) and another for fiction (Andi Arndt – @andi_arndt). Between the two a variety of topics in narration and the business of narration are covered. I see improvement every time I have a session, which is really encouraging, I am lucky that although I may not have years of professional acting or collegiate acting training I am able to utilize my coaches to help me improve and to learn more about what it is that I do.
How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for narrating?
For me it is a combination of things. Because of the performance aspect, if I am not feeing it, I try not to push through. I will walk away and do some of the many other things I am responsible for in real life. My hours are really flexible because I work out of a home studio, so sometimes it is just as simple as hanging out with the family. Other times, I find that listening to others narrate in the genre’s I work in really helps. Especially when they are good they will motivate me to want to get back in the booth.
Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
Yes I am constantly listening! I love audiobooks! For me, I find myself listening while I am doing housework or playing the driver to the kids.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook?
My favorite is recording, getting to immerse myself into another world. I also love the read through of the book; it really gets me excited and helps me to plan out where I am going to go. I guess editing is my least favorite part, but only in comparison to the other parts, I love to do it, just not as much as performing or reading.
What about this title compelled you to audition as narrator?
It is exactly the story I would read as a consumer, and if it has my attention in that way then I want to audition because I know I will have fun with it while recording.
How closely do you prefer to work with authors?
I love having input from the authors, although every relationship is not the same. I do prefer it when even if they are not the ones who hire me, they have made the decision to have me be the voice of their book.
Time travel stories can go wrong so easy, and I’m so glad this one went so right! If time travel sounds daunting to you, just pay attention to the time and date when it is given and you will be just fine. I’m a big fan of Doctor Who so the concept of multiple timelines doesn’t phase me.
The story was well written and heartfelt. The steam factor is light for those that do not like those sorts of stories. This story takes place around Lake Lanier, Georgia, which I have lived not too far from at one point in time. I never knew that much detail about it other than it was a man-made lake so of course I had to immediately do some of my own research. The “Lake” in Beneath The Lake is of great importance and in a way its own character. Without it, there would be no story. I wouldn’t say it is the main focus of the story, as I feel that the true point is love and how it sometimes takes us the long way around.
The story has multiple time lines running concurrently but all of them seem to in one way or another focus around Miss Lacey Madison Montgomery. She goes by many version of this name depending on who she is conversing with. She finds her boyfriend in a compromising position at the beginning of the book which becomes the catalyst for her late night ride into the storm that changes her life forever.
Its really hard to talk about this story without giving anything away, but I can say it’s so good I want to read it again. I want to listen to from the beginning for a completely different experience. It makes me want to do 2 read alongs on my website to this story. One as a new reader experiencing the mystery and a second read to experience the emotions that are sure to come.
This is my first read/listen by Casi McLean and I want more. She wove an excellent story of love and endurance that I could not stop listening to.
Aundrea Mitchell does an excellent job on all levels of story narration. The story telling has levels of expression that makes it more than just the details of the story. The character voices both male and female are distinct and well done and there are a lot of both throughout this story.
This gets 5 time bending hearts out of 5 from me and recommended to anyone who loves a good romantic read with a stellar HEA.
I plan to feature this story as a Read Along With Me story, so be sure to check back soon!