What is the best thing that I love about my work?

I love the variety my work offers. I get to meet and work with different people every day but also manage to maintain some long standing relationships, with clients, sound engineers and other voices and that brings a lot of fun to my work life! I also love reading, and getting paid to read out loud… definitely brings joy!

What is my idea of happiness?

On a big scale: Being surrounded by people I love and laughing a lot!

On a small scale: Sitting with a cup of coffee reading a book and knowing it is the first in a long series.

What is my greatest fear?

Losing the ones I love.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?

Worrying too much about what others think.

Which living persons in my profession do I most admire?

My parents!

What is my greatest extravagance?

Books and coffee. I often feel I have to justify myself to the postman who has to carry big parcels of books and nice smelling coffee and who has to ring the doorbell because they don’t fit in the letterbox. ‘It could be worse, could be drugs’ I tell myself when I tear off the wrapping.

On what occasion would I lie?

To spare someone’s feelings.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?

A badly edited script!

When and where was I the happiest, in my work?

Recording games, toys and cartoons for kids!

Xiaoji and the Dragon was a 52 episode Chinese cartoon where I dubbed the main character Xiaoji – the team on that job were great, hours of work but so rewarding and fun!

And this is my video games reel, so much hard work goes into making these games and the recording sessions are always a learning experience and a pleasure:  https://vimeo.com/792327986

If I could, what would I change about myself?

More self-confidence!

What is my greatest achievement in work?

Consistently working since I can read!

Where would I most like to live?

In a better happier world…

What is my most treasured possession?

My photo albums. I generally do one a year and it is lovely to look back through them with family and friends and reminisce.

What is my most marked characteristic?

Punctuality – well, I am half German!

What is my most inspirational location, in my city?

The Aquadrome, a wonderfully peaceful natural reserve with wildlife and water.

What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city?

The North China restaurant in Acton has been witness to many family celebrations and always has delicious food. Drinks would be at home or at a friend’s house drinking home-made cocktails

What books influenced my life and how?

Jules Verne and Alexandre Dumas set my imagination on fire when I was young and I have loved fantasy, science fiction and adventure novels ever since.

Nicolas Christopher’s ‘A Trip to the Stars’ shaped my early 20s and Robin Hobb still holds top place in fantasy novels for me. I am also an avid fan of Barbara Kingsolver and will read everything by John Irving.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen to on my last day?

A medley of Zaz, David Bowie, Queen, Arcade Fire and Rihanna!

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?

Fitz in Robin Hobb’s ‘The Assassin’s Apprentice’ series. Those books truly made me escape the real world.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life?

My parents are great role models! I have a few friends I am in awe of, they are so strong.

And my kids surprise and inspire me all the time. How did I make such brilliant people?

Which movie would I recommend to see once in a lifetime?

‘The Princess Bride’ is a perfect film. I love watching it again with people who have never seen it – introducing it to my kids was such a pleasure.

What role do stories play in my life and work?

Stories are very important to me. They teach you about life, they teach you empathy and compassion, they allow you to escape the mundane (reading on the tube means I don’t dislike delays), they let you travel with no limits and they can be shared. In my work, telling stories is also a big feature because whatever message I am here to voice needs to be shared the best way it can be, and I aim to make it clear and, depending on the context, fun and exciting. Everyone has stories – being able to share them is wonderful.

What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ mean to me?

To me, this means your interpretation of your life is what you experience. You can choose to see what is happening to you in a positive way, or not. Of course some times it is very hard but hopefully in the end you can see your life experience through a positive lens. I also believe that you can influence the course of your life by your actions – we are masters of our own destiny. And I would like kindness to feature in my life so I try to be kind when possible because I like to believe that most people are kind.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?

My husband Tom is supportive, pushy and my rock!

Which people or companies would I like to work with in 2023?

This year I would like to work again with

Yuliya Stancheva

Stephane Cornicard

James Wilde at So Sound

Gerard Rodriguez at Alpha

Joanna Shioka at Chatterbox

What project, in 2023, am I looking forward to work on?

I am looking forward to working on a new audiobook series! Very excited.

Where can you see me or my work in 2023?

I’ll keep you posted!

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?

When you love what you do, you don’t want to stop. So you don’t stop!