Audiobooks Panel

The listening experience is such a rich one when you have a great audiobook. Find out what‘s involved in bringing them to life, what makes or breaks a book for both a listener and an author, and why they are so popular.

Hear voice artist Lani Tupu, the voice behind many successful audiobooks; author Kim Kelly, whose books have all been made into audiobooks; and Jock Cheetham, Senior Lecturer in Journalism at CSU and audiobook listener, in-conversation with Kylie Shead from Arts OutWest.

ABOUT THE PANEL

LANI TUPU
Lani Tupu has had a long, varied and gilt-edged career on both sides of the Tasman. Working with the best directors in both film, television and stage. As a result, his voice has graced campaigns for luxury brands for many years and can currently be heard on the new Sydney Metro Rail Network. Lani Tupu is an in-demand audiobook narrator, bringing to life crime thrillers from Candace Fox, Michael McGuire, Tim Ayliffe and Fleur Macdonald.

KIM KELLY
Kim Kelly is the author of thirteen novels, all stories about Australia, its history and people. Her novella, The Rat Catcher: A Love Story, was longlisted for the prestigious ARA Historical Novel Prize 2022, and her latest historical fiction, Ladies’ Rest and Writing Room, won the 2023 Finlay Lloyd 20/40 Prize. Kim is also a well-known book editor with over 25 years’ experience working for Australia’s major publishing houses, and she is currently undertaking a PhD in Literature at Macquarie University.

JOCK CHEETHAM
Jock Cheetham is a Senior Lecturer in Journalism at Charles Sturt University. He previously worked with Fairfax Media for many years, including the Herald, and his work has been published in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Good Weekend, The Times Higher Education Supplement (UK) and The Independent (UK), among others, and his video and radio work has been broadcast on the ABC.

KYLIE SHEAD
Kylie is the Executive Director at Arts OutWest. Prior to that she was the Creative Producer at BMEC. Since starting at Arts OutWest Kylie has found her time for reading books had been curtailed by long drives across the Central West, and she has discovered Audio Books.