The Lowdown on Creative Content

On this day in 1965...

2012-03-09T00:10:00.000Z

On this day in1965 the first U.S. combat troops arrived in South Vietnam. In an extract from his book, The Lowdown: A Short History of the Origins of the Vietnam War, David L. Anderson talks about that time.

America’s War

The aging Ho Chi Minh and the Politburo in Hanoi would not be bullied by America’s brandishing of its power. They, in fact, accelerated military activity in the South, where tensions between Buddhists and Catholics continued and civilian and military leaders in the RVN government jockeyed for power. Having crossed the bombing threshold in August, a majority of Johnson's inner circle recommended the use of more American air power. Under-secretary of State George Ball warned Johnson that bombing the North was not effective against insurgents in the South and risked a possible military reaction from China or the USSR in defense of Hanoi. Most of the president's other aides argued, however, that bombing could invigorate southern morale, slow infiltration, and intimidate the North. Furthermore, if the RVN fell to the DRV, Moscow and Beijing might decide that their idea of national liberation could work elsewhere in the world. Consequently, Johnson approved a top secret plan in December 1964 to escalate U.S. military intervention in Vietnam.

In the first half of 1965 Johnson gradually Americanized the combat against the DRV and NLF with a phased program of air bombardment of North and South Vietnam and staged deployments of entire U.S. combat divisions to the RVN. In February he ordered a retaliatory bombing after the Vietcong attacked an American advisers’ barracks at Pleiku. Within days, U.S. Air Force bombers from bases in Thailand and U.S. Navy aircraft from carriers in the South China Sea were attacking enemy military targets on both sides of the 17^th parallel and along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. Code named ROLLING THUNDER, this bombing campaign became a regular and expanding feature of the American war in Vietnam. The thousands of tons of high explosives dropped by U.S. aircraft on Indochina eventually exceeded the total tonnage of the entire air war by all sides during the Second World War. This massive bombing of an agricultural country with virtually no built-up infrastructure did not make the Saigon government more popular.

In the slightly more than six months after Diem’s death, five different governments rotated in and out of the presidential palace in Saigon. In June 1965, a group of military officers commonly known as the Young Turks, headed by Nguyen Van Thieu and Nguyen Cao Ky, took charge. One U.S. official lamented that the RVN leadership had reached “absolutely the bottom of the barrel.” Washington had sent Westmoreland 3,500 Marines in March to protect the air base at Danang. With survival of the American-backed regime at stake, the American commander requested more, a lot more American ground forces.

During July, Johnson weighed the request in numerous meetings with his advisers. He did not consult the Young Turks in Saigon, nor did he heed isolated counsels of caution from George Ball. He accepted the overwhelming consensus of his closest advisers that U.S. military pressure would bring what Secretary of Defense McNamara described as “a favorable solution to the Vietnam problem.” Johnson remained a reluctant warrior. He confided to one aide that “I want war like I want polio, [but] what you want and what your image is are two different things.” He believed, however, that he had no choice in the matter, because he viewed any diplomatic settlement as a political victory for Hanoi and, by extension, Moscow and Beijing.

On July 28, 1965, at a White House news conference and with no fanfare, Johnson revealed that 50,000 American troops were going to South Vietnam. He described North Vietnam as waging a war of overt military aggression against South Vietnam. “We did not choose to be the guardians at the gate, but there is no one else,” he claimed. The Vietnam War had become the American war in Vietnam, but Johnson did not declare it a war. In the weeks that followed he preferred to talk publicly about his Great Society’s “war on poverty” at home. As with the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Johnson was not being candid about his actions. By the end of 1965, there were over 184,000 American in South Vietnam, and by1968 there would be over 500,000 U.S. troops fighting there. The United States and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam were at war. – David L. Anderson

Revolutionary....

2012-03-02T00:15:00.000Z

On this day in 1917 The Russian Revolution began! And to help you avoid starting another revolution when you’re doing business there – here are a few Dos and Don’ts ...

When planning your trip....

DO make the arrangements yourself through a good travel agent. DO stay in close touch with your Russian colleagues before you leave to make sure everything’s on track. DO have your business cards printed in Russian on one side. DON’T plan a business trip to coincide with Russian holidays. DON’T book into a very expensive hotel.

When you arrive in Russia...

DO only use licensed taxis. DON’T use payphones. DON’T be tempted to drive yourself. DON’T engage with prostitutes.

At a business meeting...

DO wear a suit. DO be prompt. DO turn off your cellphone. DO shake hands with everyone. DO address people as Gospodin and Gospozha. DON’T give money or clothing as a gift. DO be polite, but DON’T be wishy-washy during negotiations.

When preparing to sign a deal...

DO have a lawyer review any contracts thoroughly. And DO ask your lawyer to study the articles of incorporation of any company you’re signing a contract with.

When socialising with Russians....

DO give your hosts advance warning of any dietary restrictions. DON’T try to drink as much as your Russian counterparts, but DO feel free to eat as much as you like!

When making conversation, DO talk about...

Pretty much whatever you like – architecture, pop music, vacations, your children... keep it light and pleasant.

And DON’T talk about...

Politics, religion, the Russian mafia, racketeering, the Communist past.

Taken from The Lowdown: Business Etiquette – Russia, written by Slava Katamidze and Charles McCall and published by Creative Content Ltd.

Photo by jma.work

The Water in Majorca...

2012-02-24T00:21:00.000Z

This week Creative Content sound editor Al gives us his view on ... accents!

I've spoken about many aspects of audio books before, and during these past few months I've been lucky to edit some fabulous audio titles. The time I've been spending listening has opened my ears to one of the key skills required by an audio narrator - the ability to read in different accents . This is an essential tool in the narrator’s armoury.

Recently too, I've become aware of several British actors playing American characters in some of the big US shows that are broadcast here in the UK - of those that I've seen, some are English, some Welsh, but all are superb at playing characters with American accents. It works in reverse too, with many US born actors playing British characters, showing great versatility and flexibility - give it a try yourselves - try to read a paragraph of text in an accent that is alien to you - it's not as easy as you might think!

With so many of the books that I work on for audio being character driven, it's no wonder that the audio narrator is required to summon up all manner of accents for those characters, but, rather than just having to be one specific character, the audio narrator might be called upon to be: English, Australian, American, Norwegian, Canadian, Welsh and many more all in the one audio book!

A title that I am working on at the moment has a high proportion of Scottish characters as the book is set in Glasgow, but amazingly, the narrator has to produce different Glaswegian accents for different parts of the city. I also recently edited a title that was set in Norfolk and again, the narrator had to not only affect a Norfolk "twang" but had to give it regional variety – additionally, the characters were a mix of male and female too! This was a tall order, but one that the narrator achieved brilliantly - and most importantly consistently (keep in mind also, that some of these titles run to ten hours plus in length!)

Most of us never have to think about speaking in a different accent in our everyday lives, let alone have to perform and project in an audio book narration, so let's spare a thought for this hugely important skill that quality audio narrators have to possess - for them it's a question of preparation, application, accuracy and continuity when it comes to character accents - believe me, the listener pays great attention to detail!

By the way, the (possibly) puzzling title of this week's Blog is taken from the classic Heineken advert from (I think) the early 1980s), in which the student can only speak in a very precise English accent. Her tutor is trying to get her to speak in a broad cockney accent, but she can't do it...until she drinks the Heineken lager. If only it were that easy for the audio narrator! - Al Muirden

Photo by FontFont

How do I love thee - I mean 'the'. I mean 'thee'. I mean....

2012-02-17T08:26:00.000Z

In this extract from the best-selling ‘The Lowdown: Improve YourSpeech – British English’, David Gwillim and Deirdra Morris talk about fluency, ‘kicking across’ and when to say ‘the’ or ‘thee’ or ‘to’ or ‘te’

CLEAR SPEECH means FLUENT SPEECH. This simply means keeping the sound flowing, without un-natural breaks. Think of the end of each sentence as the target - and aim for it. If you have to breathe before you get there, do so, gently, but still AIM FOR THE TARGET in your mind.

IT’S – EASY – TO – GET – THE – IMPRESSION – THAT – GOOD – ARTICULATION – REQUIRES – SEPARATING – THE – WORDS. Well, this isn’t the case. In a long presentation, such separations are an effort for the voice and they act like tiny slaps in the face for your audience, who will soon start feeling it’s an effort to listen.

What you want to do is ‘kick across’ the final sound of each word onto the beginning of the next.

To help with this kicking across, there are some useful linking sounds – W, Y, and R, for example. Rather than GO OUT we can say GO WOUT. Rather than SEE ALL we can say SEE YALL. And we can put an R into phrases we wouldn’t have dared to forty years ago – instead of DRAW UP we can say DRAW-RUP.

Now think of ‘T’ at the end of a word, as in ‘I lent a lot of money’. The T of ‘lent’ and ‘lot’ are in front of the vowels ‘a’ and ‘o’, so to keep the fluency we say ‘lenta’ and ‘lotof’.

Another roadblock to fluency is saying ‘THE’ incorrectly. For example, it’s THE SKY - but if the word after THE begins with a vowel, then THE should become THEE. THE EARTH. THEE EARTH. See how the second pronunciation makes the phrase flow more easily?

Take a piece of writing – anything: a paragraph from HARRY POTTER or an article from your daily paper. Circle in black any ‘THE’ you find before a word beginning with a consonant. Circle in red any ‘THE’ you find before a word beginning with a vowel. Read the speech aloud a number of times, taking care to differentiate between ‘THE’ and ‘THEE’ where indicated. Keep reading until it starts to come naturally.

It’s the same with TO, as in TO ACT. The TO is TOO because the following word begins with a vowel. So it’s TOO WACT.

But TO before a consonant becomes TE as in TE GIVE. Got it? – David Gwillim and Deirdra Morris

Taken from The Lowdown: Improve Your Speech - British English, by David Gwillim and Deirdra Morris, published by Creative Content Ltd.

It's all in the voice!

2012-02-10T00:59:00.000Z

Audio producer and publisher Ali Muirden talks about how she casts a narrator for an audiobook...

When people hear that I work in the audio book industry, they often want to know what the actors that I’ve worked with are like.

Personally, I feel privileged to have worked with some of the best talent in the country over the last few years. And no! I am not going to name names as that could get me into a whole heap of trouble! But I must confess I do have my favourites…

But what do audio producers look for when casting a reader and how do we go about it?

The first step is to read the script for the book you are producing and more often than not, before you know it, a “voice type” will spring to mind. Some books require a flowing, mellifluous voice, some require a quality which conveys excitement and drama, some require someone with a catalogue of character voices at his or her disposal.

Sometimes you require someone with a particular accent skill, or the ability to switch from accent to accent at the drop of a hat. (These people are also probably brilliant at rubbing their tummies and patting their heads at the same time as spinning plates on poles!)

As you read the script, it becomes apparent what kind of voice quality is required and it makes the casting process much simpler.

Sometimes you have a tricky project where you just can’t seem to find the right voice for the job. Then it’s time to get on the phone to your fellow producers to request some help.

Other producers are always hugely generous with their time and help on this subject and can be a great source of inspiration and advice. When we find a new talent, we always tell each other. Likewise, if we work with someone who has not bothered to prepare for the job properly, we also spill the beans! Wannabe audio readers beware: Don’t rock up and think you can just ‘wing it’ on the day…. Your future could be on the line!

Reading an audio book requires great stamina, energy and preparation in advance, if you are going to do justice to the book. Most of the really good readers say it can be one of the most demanding areas they work in, as you need to sustain the level of performance throughout a long recording day (anywhere up to 8 hours in one session) and any loss of energy or signs of tiredness are immediately obvious in your voice.

But they also say it is one of the things they enjoy doing the most and it must give them a great sense of satisfaction when they meet someone who has heard them read an audio book who then says “all my kids love your reading of that story… they make me play it for them over and over and over again!”.

We’d love to know: Which audiobook narrators do you love to listen to? - Ali Muirden

Photo by Cliff1066

Happy year of the dragon!

2012-02-03T06:19:00.000Z

To celebrate Chinese New Year, a post about the importance of 'face'.

Q: What, in your opinion, is the most important thing to remember about doing business in China?

A: There are two concepts that are vital to know about if you’re going to be doing business in China: the first is ‘mianzi’ or ‘face,’ and the second is ‘guanxi’ - which we’ll call ‘networking’. Let’s start with ‘face.’ It’s probably the most important concept to grasp when doing business in China.

Q: What is it, exactly?

A: ‘Face’ is prestige - respect received from others and respect given to others. One’s reputation is also part of ‘face.’

Losing face for the Chinese has a far greater emotional impact than what we in the west understand as ‘shame’ – and in China, everyone has to preserve face at any cost. A public insult, a reprimand or a personal affront will obviously lead to a loss of face. But a contradiction, a rebuff, or refusing an invitation might also cause a loss of face. Even accepting a new idea can be perceived in some quarters as a loss of face. Losing your temper, or in fact showing any strong negative emotion, constitutes a serious loss of face for both the one losing his temper – and anyone caught in the crossfire.

Q: How does this apply to me and how I behave?

A: It may be worth keeping in mind that simply saying ‘no’ to a request could be perceived as an insult – and hence, a loss of face. So if you can’t grant a request, propose an alternative.

Q: Such as?

A: Let’s say that after a long and successful meeting, your Chinese colleague asks you to dinner. This would mean that he wants to conclude the agreement at a more personal level. But let’s say you can’t accept his invitation, as you need to meet with his competitor or review the accounting papers he gave you. Both are valid reasons – but you can’t use them.

Q: What should I say instead?

A: Use words like ‘inconvenience’ or ‘difficulty.’ You could say something like, ‘I’m very sorry, it will be difficult this time,’ or ‘it’s not very convenient today.’ Then add something like, ‘Why don’t we do it another time? What about next Friday? Let me invite you.’ In which case, of course, you would host.

Audiobook Special: An interview with Clare Corbett, courtesy of Quercus Books

2012-01-27T00:16:00.002Z

CC director Ali Muirden has been producing the wonderful Ruth Galloway series of audio books for Quercus Books. Here are some highlights from their fantastic interview with the narrator, Clare Corbett. (You can see the whole interview here).

Clare Corbett is the reader for three Quercus Audiobooks in the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths. Rose Tomaszewska met her at Strathmore recording studios to find out more about an actor’s role in the creation of audiobooks.

Rose Tomaszewska: Not many people know what your job is like. Would you tell us how you came to be a reader?

Clare Corbett: I won the Carlton Hobbs audition in 2001 after studying at the Welsh College of Music and Drama, and was chosen to be on the BBC Radio Rep. At first, I was asked to do various smaller readings, and then I got my first chance to do ‘A Book at Bedtime’. That got me into the flow of reading and being a part of that world.

After I left I got a voiceover agent who introduced me to new companies like the BBC audio books, Chivers, who got me into reading children’s books, and now I’ve progressed to reading adult books.

*****

Rose Tomaszewska: We’ve just finished doing ‘A Room Full of Bones’, the fourth title in the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths. Have you enjoyed reading her books?

Clare Corbett: This is the third one I’ve done, and they’re really exciting books. It’s all about a forensic archaeologist, Ruth, she’s always digging up bones and of course her findings lead to further investigations.

Then there’s a guy called Harry Nelson, who’s the police detective inspector, with whom she’s having a kind of relationship, and it’s a really lovely relationship. It’s nice to do a series of books, because you get to explore those characters.

*****

Rose Tomaszewska: There are a lot of different characters, how do you bring across their personalities in their voices, where do you get your inspiration?

Clare Corbett: You find it from the text, which will explain what the characters are like, and then you’ve got license to go anywhere you want – the producer guides you in that. So Harry Nelson is quite a brusque guy, forthright and thinks that men should be in control, and because of those descriptions you know what to do, naturally. As anyone would, I imagine, when reading a book; because when you read a book in your head, you’re kind of playing the characters.

Rose Tomaszewska: There are a lot of accents in the series, from Norfolk to Australia to the Philippines! How do you get the hang of them?

Clare Corbett: Norfolk I had never done before I came to these books, which was a bit scary! I thought it was going to be in first person with a Norfolk accent. I’m from Bristol originally, and the accent is very similar to Norfolk, so I had to work on it quite a lot.

I go on a website which has people talking in different accents, and I listen and make notes phonetically on the page. In the book there are often Northern and Norfolk characters speaking to each other, and I find I have to switch accents quickly, which is quite difficult! But it’s just a matter of working hard, and listening, and having a good ear for accents, which I now have because of all the work I’ve done.

Rose Tomaszewska: Is that one of the hardest things about reading audio books?

Clare Corbett: No, the hardest thing is the long time spent in a studio. Normally with a voiceover, you only do an hour and sustain just one character. But with a book there are so many characters, and you’ve got to sustain the through-line of the story – you can make a book very bland if you just read it, deadpan – you’ve got to hook the reader in.

That’s where a producer and a sound engineer come in handy, they can say, “can you make this a little quicker,” or “bring up the intensity of the situation.” But you naturally have an instinct for that if you’re a good reader, and I hope I have.

It’s sustaining that concentration when you’re in the studio from 10am – 6pm with 3 breaks that can be hard. With a good producer, and with enough preparation- which is the key to doing audio books, you’re ok. And with enough cups of tea and coffee!

*****

Rose Tomaszewska: Would you ever want to do something really difficult like Virginia Woolf?

Clare Corbett: I’d love to! I’d love to give it a go. I did a book called Poppy Shakespeare, by Clare Allen, which is in the first person. There were so many different characters, and she was in a mental home, it was brilliant to play.

Because I’m an actor, the first person sits more happily with me than narration, because it allows you to be completely in the book: not flicking between characters. You’re in someone else’s head and their way of speaking, so you naturally start to physicalise it as well.

Rose Tomaszewska: Do you ever do that, gesticulate?

Clare Corbett: Yes. Too much! And get told by the engineer to stop moving, because as soon as you move, your face in moving towards or further away from the microphone, which is not conducive to a good reading, and you can bang the table as well, which is not good for a reader!

*****

Rose Tomaszewska: Do you have any tips for someone wanting to be a voice actor?

Clare Corbett: Everyone wants to be a voice actor! What I always say is practise reading out loud, even record yourself, because you may think you can read, but you have to have a lot of support and breath- and as an actor you have to train in that- and you need to sustain a lot of characters. So practise practise practise!

Find out more about Elly Griffith’s Ruth Galloway series at www.quercusbooks.com

2011 - that was the eYear that was!

2012-01-20T00:23:00.002Z

Ali Muirden gives us Creative Content's year in review:

I've just been looking back at our publishing programme for 2011 and it was certainly the year of the eBook. We decided to concentrate our energies and resources into publishing a brilliant collection of crime novels, previously published by Creme de la Crime in print editions. With the eBook sector continuing to grow exponentially, this certainly proved very timely and we're really proud to have added this wide and varied collection to our list.

We continued our collaboration with military publishing specialist Osprey with the addition of 'Henry V', another from their "Command" series, being added to our audio collection. It was beautifully read by Jamie Glover, who was the perfect reader, having appeared in many RSC productions.

Jamie is also the voice behind one of our best-selling backlist titles: Improve Your Speech - British English. He has many fans who have left comments on our YouTube page for this book including one who commented "I want HIS voice!"

This brings me neatly to our next publication which was the lyrical and moving memoir by Isla Blair (who just happens to be Jamie's mum!). In a 'Tiger's Wedding - my childhood in Exile' Isla writes beautifully and movingly about her extraordinary childhood. Born in Kerala in India, Isla was sent to boarding school in cold gloomy post-war Scotland in the 1950s when she was only five years old and spent the next 10 years or so living apart from her beloved parents at school in the UK. On release the book received fantastic reviews in the media, all of which were hugely deserved.

Isla also reads the audio edition which is available on download from all good retailers. She brings such warmth and charm to this version of her book and it is very emotional listening. Well worth a look and listen!

Next up was another biography but this was in a completely different sphere. Chris Nickson's detailed biography of John Martyn, 'Solid Air - the life of John Martyn', concentrates on John's music and is everything a fan of this highly respected musician could want. It was published simultaneously with the tribute album of John's best known tracks which featured artists such as Phil Collins, Paolo Nutini, David Gray and Judi Tzuke!

We continued our military theme in July with the publication of "The Lowdown - A short history of the origins of the Vietnam War" written by Dr David Anderson of the University of California at Monterey (surely he must win the "who has the best office location" competition hands down?).

David is an authority on this subject and his account of how the Vietnam War came about is a master-class for anyone who wants to understand more about world changing events in modern history. You can impress your friends next time you're out for dinner, with your concise and expert knowledge of this fascinating subject!

In November and December we moved into a totally new area with the addition of the audio versions from top CBeebies show "Grandpa in My Pocket" to our audio list. The show is the top children's programme on the BBC and was deservedly nominated for another BAFTA. We published two audio titles, "A Garden Full of Beasts" and "No Ordinary Pig", in conjunction with the programme makers Adastra at the end of 2011. Watch this space for news of other titles from this series in 2012.

The other development in 2011 was the publication of text and speech synchronised editions of a variety of our backlist titles including the best-selling "Improve Your Speech" series. We had long wanted to get eBook editions of these popular titles published and they are now available via iScroll who have launched an App which enables the speech to be synchronised to the text so that you can read and listen at the same time.

So all in all, 2011 was another very busy year and it's now onwards and upwards for the new publications forthcoming in 2012. Come back and visit our blog for more information on that soon! - Ali Muirden

Photo by Plushev

Viva Mexico!

2012-01-13T12:58:00.000Z

165 years ago today, the Treaty of Cahuenga ended the Mexican-American war in California. These days, Mexico is a great place to do business! Christopher west talks about the different types of business culture there:

There are at least three types of business culture in Mexico, and behavior differs in each.

Firstly, there are the subsidiaries of foreign multinationals. The United States and Spain perhaps have the largest number of subsidiaries in Mexico, but there are companies belonging to multinationals from all over the globe. Here, the culture of the HQ of the multinational usually prevails, so a subsidiary of a US company will tend to do its management accounts following US GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Practices), and follow US habits, perhaps starting and finishing relatively early in the day by Mexican standards and taking a buttoned-down no-nonsense approach to negotiations. A subsidiary of a Spanish company will do its management accounts following European IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) and may well work later and longer hours, with a longer break at lunch time. Senior staff will usually speak English fluently, as well as the language spoken in their corporate HQ, if it’s not English.

Secondly, there are the Mexican multinationals and larger Mexican national companies. Some of the largest cement and glass manufacturing groups in the world are headquartered in Mexico. These companies will typically lean toward a US way of doing business and it’s likely some of the senior executives will have postgraduate degrees from US universities. Most senior staff will speak English fluently.

Thirdly, there are the Mexican family companies. “Family” should not be taken to mean “small,” as there are some very large companies run by two or even three generations of the same family. Such companies vary widely in culture, with some having the characteristics of multinationals, while others exhibit the traditional traits of the Mexican family-held company, such as excessive deference to family members and all important decisions (and perhaps even some that aren’t very important) being passed up the line to the head of the family.

There are two other cultural differences the visitor should be aware of:

Firstly, salary spreads between the highest- and lowest-paid employees are much greater than is normally the case in the US or western Europe, and either because of this, or perhaps for unrelated reasons, there tends to be a greater sense of hierarchy in many Mexican companies. Senior executives will tend to have private offices and many will have several support staff. In the second and third business categories we talked about, don’t be surprised if the most senior people never take notes and correspond intermittently, if at all: they will want to understand the big picture and will ultimately take the decisions, but you may need to spend a considerable amount of time working on the detail with more junior people, either before gaining access to senior executives, or in parallel with your meetings with them.

Secondly, the culture varies to some degree with geographical location. The north of Mexico, bordering on the US, adopts US business practices more widely than the south, which borders on Guatemala. Not surprisingly, Mexico City, in the geographical center of the country, reflects a mid-way practice. Broadly speaking, the further north your business takes you, the more appointments you are likely to be able to fit into your working day, and the more likely you are to be negotiating with a fluent speaker of (American) English. Your visit may be squeezed in to the busy schedule of a senior executive in Monterrey, the industrial capital of Mexico, located just 100 miles from the US border, while it may be the highlight of the day of a senior executive in Mérida, in the southeast, and he may well take the trouble to show you something of the city and take you to a leisurely lunch. - Christopher West

Taken from "The Lowdown: Doing Business in Mexico", by Christopher West. Available in eBook and audio.

New year, new you!

2012-01-06T12:10:00.000Z

It’s that time of year! Everyone’s resolving to be ... well, better! Why not let your ears take the strain, and try some self-help audio? Here are a few suggestions from our list:

If you want to get ahead in business, now’s the time to brush up on your international business etiquette – China’s going to be big!

Business Etiquette China

Mexico is ranked 13^th among the world’s economies – and its proximity to the United States makes it a key market. Is this the year you’ll do business there?

Doing Business in Mexico

Or why not learn to communicate like a great leader during difficult situations:

Risk Communication Skills

And speaking of communication, maybe this is the year you’ve decided to improve your speech:

Improve Your Speech

New addition to the family, but you still ‘want it all’? Sara Lloyd has some advice for baby juggling:

Baby Juggler

Richard Charkin, head of Bloomsbury, has some tips for climbing the corporate ladder:

Top Tips for Wannabe CEOs

Have you resolved to become more educated? Try something from our bite-sized Short Histories series:

Try a Short History...

Or maybe your resolution is to kick back a bit. Learn how to prioritise and get A Simpler Life:

Keep it simple...

Or simply treat yourself to some gorgeous guided imagery with something from the Dreamcatching series:

DreamCatching...

Whatever your resolutions and plans, we hope that 2012 brings you everything you desire!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-30T01:18:00.000Z

All the best for 2012 from all at Creative Content!

Something for everyone, whether they're naughty or nice....

2011-12-23T01:22:00.002Z

Remembered everyone on your Christmas list? eBooks make the perfect last-minute present. Here’s a few suggestions from our list:

For your favourite silver surfer: A Tiger’sWedding: my childhood in exile by Isla Blair. A beautifully written memoir, set in India and Scotland.

For a classical music nut: The Charles Patterson series by Roz Southey - Broken Harmony, Chords and Discords, Secret Lament and Sword and Song. Historical crime fiction set in 18th century Newcastle, following the fortunes of a harpsichordist/ composer

For the more modern music lover: Solid Air –The Life of John Martyn by Chris Nickson. A biography of the British singer-songwriter and guitarist.

For a theatre lover: Behind You, Passion Killers, and Dead Like Her by Linda Regan. Crime fiction set in a theatrical world that the actress-author knows well.

For a CSI/Prime Suspect fan: The Bev Morriss series by Maureen Carter: Working Girls, Baby Love, Dead Old, HardTime, Bad Press, Blood Money and Death Line. Gritty police procedurals set in Birmingham.

For someone who can’t wait for the next Janet Evanovich novel: Dead Woman’s Shoes and The Fall Girl by Kaye C Hill. Quirky crime fiction set on the Sussex coast.

For a history buff: The Lowdown series: A Short History of the Origins of WWI, A Short History of the Originsof the Vietnam War and A Short History of the First Gulf War. Concise accounts of important historical events.

For a sports fan: The Lowdown: A Short History of the World Cup by Mark Ryan. Bone up before 2014!

For an international traveler: The Lowdown business series: Business Etiquette Japan, Business Etiquette China, Business Etiquette India, Business Etiquette Russia and Doing Business in Mexico. ‘Top tips’ guides to doing business abroad.

Ali and Lorelei wish you everything wonderful for Christmas and the new year!

Dream Girl....

2011-12-16T00:30:00.001Z

There was an email from Ali waiting for me this morning – during the night, she’d dreamed up a design concept for a series of books we’re publishing. Here she talks about her unique way of problem-solving....

Have you ever wondered if insomnia can sometimes be useful?

I know this sounds really odd, but bear with me! I’m not sure if it is just me, but I seem to have my best ideas in that blurry moment between sleep and waking… that tough moment when you can literally feel yourself struggling to open up your eyes to face another day.

Sometimes I wake up around 3 or 4am - usually because my cat, Shortie (who is a little on the overweight side) sits on me - and an idea will suddenly pop into my head with such ease I can’t really believe it’s happened.

I know it’s really because our brains are so amazing: they work all night, filtering out the rubbish from the previous day and are busy filing away anything useful, so that when we wake up our minds are all fresh and shiny and raring to go - as long as we don’t have a hangover that is!

Just this morning it happened again. I woke up because the dawn chorus was blaring out in stereo through the open bedroom windows and I nailed down an idea that has been bubbling away for a special promotional offer we want to do around one of our books…more on that story later.

I really should keep a notebook and pen by my bed to jot these ideas down so I can go back to sleep without worrying I’ll have totally forgotten it by morning!

Lorelei is now so used to this odd quirk of mine that when she needs me to come up with a solution or an idea for a project we’re working on she orders me to go to sleep and is even threatening to get me a supply of sleeping tablets to boot!

Please tell me I’m not the only one this happens to or I‘ll start feeling a bit of a freak? –Ali Muirden

Cat photo by dominiqs

Body Language

2011-12-09T00:46:00.000Z

We’re watching events in Brussels with interest and wonder if some of the politicians could use a little help. From "The Lowdown: Dodging the Bullet - Effective Risk Communications Skills" by Andrew Roberts and Andrew Powell, here are a few tips on body language...

Non-verbal communications (NVC) or ‘body language’ These can either enhance the first impressions you give, or destroy them.

Not only are non-verbal communications more noticeable during controversy, they are picked up almost instantly — usually within that crucial first 30 seconds.

Research has identified over 50 non-verbal cues that people use to judge trust and credibility. NVCs can contribute massively to perceptions of openness and honesty — and with as much as 20% of trust being determined by openness and honesty, their power cannot be underestimated.

Let’s look at some common non-verbal communications and the messages they send:

· The eyes have it! Poor eye contact can suggest that you are dishonest, closed, unconcerned or nervous. Excellent eye contact, on the other hand, delivers the message that you are honest, open, competent, sincere, dedicated, confident, knowledgeable and interested. This, folks, is the whole package!!!

· Sitting back in your chair will make you appear uninterested, unenthusiastic, unconcerned and uncooperative. But sitting forward in your chair will show you to be interested, enthusiastic, concerned and cooperative.

· If you keep your hands hidden, this will suggest that you may be deceptive, guilty, or insincere. Open hands, however, will convey that you are open and sincere.

· The tone of your voice is in itself a message. Raising your voice may make you appear nervous and deceitful. Lowering your tone, however, will help show that you are honest, caring and self-assured.

Some more NVC or body language things to look out for:

· Folding your arms across your chest shows you to be defiant, arrogant, impatient, defensive and stubborn — and suggests that you aren’t listening.

· Infrequent hand gestures or body movements indicate that you are likely to be dishonest and deceitful.

· Rocking movements indicate that you are nervous and lacking self-confidence.

· Touching your face a lot indicates that you are likely to be dishonest, deceitful and nervous.

· Holding your head in your hand will show that you are bored or uninterested

· Clenched hands will likely indicate that you are angry, hostile, determined to get your way and uncooperative.

When people are upset, their awareness of these non-verbal clues is enhanced, so negative body language like this will be especially noticeable. It is very important that these non-verbal messages are consistent with what you are actually saying. If there is a ‘disconnect’ between the two, the non-verbal messages will take precedence and no amount of talking will get the message across. - Andrew Roberts and Andrew Powell

Photo by Ganessas

The best part of a narrator's day...

2011-12-02T00:17:00.000Z

I’m thrilled to have been named narrator of the year on Audible. I’m so lucky to record such fantastic series and am so grateful: to the authors, for the wonderful material, and to the publishers, for letting me narrate it! To celebrate, I thought I’d revisit a blog I wrote about a small part of a narrator’s day...

When it comes to audiobooks, I’m lucky enough to be tri-coastal (if the Thames can be considered a coast!). I record in London, New York and Los Angeles.

There are some differences in the way they work, sure... but the thing that really sets them apart – is lunch.

This is how it goes in the UK:

UK: What would you like for lunch?

ME: What have you got?

UK: Anything you like. Anything at all.

ME: Oh. Okay. How about a Cobb salad.

UK: Don’t think they’ll have that.

ME: Oh. Um... Caesar salad.

UK: Don’t think they do salads, actually.

ME: Oh.

UK: Sandwich?

ME: Okay. Um... turkey club on-

UK: Turkey’s unlikely

ME: Pastram-

UK: Don’t think they know what it is.

ME: You go first. Why don’t you tell me what they have?

UK: Ham or cheese.

ME: Ham and cheese?

UK: Ham or cheese.

ME: Okay. Um. Cheese. Could I have Swiss or maybe Gruy-

UK: Cheddar.

ME: Or cheddar. Maybe on pumper-

UK: White bread.

ME: Or?

UK: White bread.

ME: Okay.

UK: Lovely! Cheese sandwich on white bread. That wasn’t so hard, was it?

And then it arrives.

UK: There you are, darling.

ME: This is it?

UK: Yes. It’s what you wanted. A cheese sandwich.

Let me give you the heads up about something: when you order a cheese sandwich in the UK, the clue is all in the name. You get two pieces of bread. And a piece of cheese. That’ s it. Oh, and the bread will be ‘sealed’ with margarine. The cheese will probably be a little dried up around the edges – you could make stained glass windows with the stuff...

ME: I mean – this is it? Two pieces of bread and a piece of cheese?

UK: What did you expect?

ME: I don’t know. Maybe some tomato... or sprouts... or some lettuce or cucumber or something. I mean it’s just cheese. There’s nothing green.

UK: Oh darling that’s a bit unfair. I mean – look.

ME: Oh. Yeah. Sorry. I didn’t see the mould.

Then there’s New York – my favourite city. Unfortunately, I’m kind of used to the London way of doing things by now, so lunch in New York can mean a bit of culture shock...

NY: Sorry to stop you, but it’s important. Where are we gonna order lunch from? I want Thai, but Tony had Thai yesterday, so we’re thinkin’ Italian, but we might go Italian for dinner, so maybe we should stick to Chinese, Japanese or Korean. Ooh, or Cajun and Kosher sound good. Oooh. Or maybe Caribbean, Mexican, Cuban or Brazilian? Or Vietnamese, Mongolian, Ethiopian, Armenian, Polish, Greek, Turkish, Hungarian, German, Belgian, French, Spanish or Swedish?

ME: (overwhelmed by choice) Um - could I maybe have ... (tiny voice) a cheese sandwich?

NY: A cheese sandwich? Sure. Swiss, American, Brie, Gorgonzola, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Camembert, Limburger, Roquefort, cheddar...

ME: (grabbing onto a familiar word) Um... cheddar?

NY: Sure. Mild, medium, matured, vintage, sharp, extra sharp, smoked, Canadian, English...

ME: (increasingly desperate) English!

NY: What kinda bread? Wholewheat, pumpernickel, rye, multi-grain...

ME: White bread?

NY: White bread? Sure. Sourdough, ciabatta, Wonder Bread if you’re feeling retro, focaccia, bagel, chollah ...?’

ME: AAARRGGH!

Of course it’s quite simple in LA.

They don’t eat.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T00:12:00.000Z

We wish you all a happy Thanksgiving – and we’d like to take this opportunity to list the things we’re grateful for here at Creative Content:

Lorelei is thankful for business partner Ali’s vision, tenacity, generosity and sense of fun!

Ali is thankful for Lorelei's work ethic (no slacking!), her wit - and her knowledge of the correct use of grammar and punctuation!

We’re thankful to designer Dan for his creativity, patience and seemingly endless supply of fresh ideas (he’s in the middle of re-designing our website – watch this space!).

We’re thankful to our sound editor Al for his sterling work on our audio titles, his fantastic blog support, and his role as number one CC cheerleader!

We’re thankful to our crime writers for their talent – it’s a privilege to publish such terrific crime fiction.

We’re thankful to our business and lifestyle writers for sharing their expertise.

We’re thankful for our voice artists – they bring our titles to life!

And we’re thankful for you – we’ve loved interacting with you on Twitter, Facebook and our blog!

We’d love to know - what are you thankful for? – Lorelei and Ali

photo by WishUponaCupcake

The voice of reason...

2011-11-18T00:14:00.001Z

Narrating isn’t as easy as it seems and in studio, time is money – quite a lot of money - so it’s important to get it right. This week we ‘auditioned’ an author with a view to him narrating his own book. Happily, he was absolutely fantastic - fluent, warm, with loads of stamina - and we’re looking forward to being in studio with him.

It got us talking about what makes a good narrator – and we thought it would be a good time to revisit audio producer and director Ali Muirden’s thoughts on the subject!

When people hear that I work in the audio book industry, they often want to know what the actors that I’ve worked with are like.

Personally, I feel privileged to have worked with some of the best talent in the country over the last few years. And no! I am not going to name names as that could get me into a whole heap of trouble! But I must confess I do have my favourites…

But what do audio producers look for when casting a reader and how do we go about it?

The first step is to read the script for the book you are producing and more often than not, before you know it, a “voice type” will spring to mind. Some books require a flowing, mellifluous voice, some require a quality which conveys excitement and drama, some require someone with a catalogue of character voices at his or her disposal.

Sometimes you require someone with a particular accent skill, or the ability to switch from accent to accent at the drop of a hat. (These people are also probably brilliant at rubbing their tummies and patting their heads at the same time as spinning plates on poles!)

As you read the script, it becomes apparent what kind of voice quality is required and it makes the casting process much simpler.

Sometimes you have a tricky project where you just can’t seem to find the right voice for the job. Then it’s time to get on the phone to your fellow producers to request some help.

Other producers are always hugely generous with their time and help on this subject and can be a great source of inspiration and advice. When we find a new talent, we always tell each other. Likewise, if we work with someone who has not bothered to prepare for the job properly, we also spill the beans! Wannabe audio readers beware: Don’t rock up and think you can just ‘wing it’ on the day…. Your future could be on the line!

Reading an audio book requires great stamina, energy and preparation in advance, if you are going to do justice to the book. Most of the really good readers say it can be one of the most demanding areas they work in, as you need to sustain the level of performance throughout a long recording day (anywhere up to 8 hours in one session) and any loss of energy or signs of tiredness are immediately obvious in your voice.

But they also say it is one of the things they enjoy doing the most and it must give them a great sense of satisfaction when they meet someone who has heard them read an audio book who then says “all my kids love your reading of that story… they make me play it for them over and over and over again!”. - Ali Muirden

Which audiobook narrators do you love to listen to?

5 more questions to test your knowledge of foreign business etiquette!

2011-11-11T00:40:00.000Z

Week 2 of our International Business Etiquette quiz! Answers on our website.

1. In Japan, what is nemawashi?

a) a very hot condiment

b) unlimited liability

c) consensus-based decision-making

d) financial clique

2. At a business meeting in India, you may be formally welcomed with a garland. When can you take it off?

a) straight away

b) when you get back to your hotel

c) when you’ve finished formal introductions

d) at the end of the meeting

3. In China, what is guanxi?

a) networking

b) body language

c) customer

d) discount

4. How much should you tip in a restaurant in Russia?

a) 10%

b) 15%

c) 20%

d) nothing - service is normally included

5. In Mexico, what is an abrazo?

a) an SME

b) a contract lawyer

c) a limited partnership

d) a kind of handshake

How did you do?

5 questions to test your knowledge of foreign business etiquette!

2011-11-04T00:21:00.000Z

Test your knowledge of business etiquette in Mexico, Russian, Japan, India and China!

1. In Mexico, how much should I tip?

a) You don’t have to. Service is usually included.

b) 10%

c) 15%

d) 20%

2. What is the best day of the week to come to Russia on business?

a) Monday

b) Wednesday

c) Friday

d) Saturday

3. In Japan, how should I hand someone my business card?

a) with both hands

b) with your left hand

c) with your right hand

d) place it on the table in front of them

4. In Indian currency, how many rupees are in a lakh?

a) 100

b) 1,000

c) 10,000

d) 100,000

5. What should a businessman not wear in China?

a) a pink shirt

b) a green hat

c) a red tie

d) brown shoes

Answers on our website! How did you do?