Rebecca H. Lee
Rebecca has been narrating audiobooks since 2014. She earned degrees in Drama and Music from the U. Washington, has done 15+ years of improv comedy, and a lifetime of theater. She has picked up multiple languages and accents from living on three continents and ten cruise ships, while working various entertainment jobs. She loves bunnies, cats, coffee, baking, and board games.
The Writer’s Dossier 10/6/2025 – The Rebecca H. Lee interview
DOSSIER: Regarding your process for delivering exceptional quality in your audiobook narration, how many times do you read through the book and how much book/author research do you do before you hit that record button?
LEE: If I have time, I read the book twice before I step foot in the booth. The first time, I take notes on who is in which chapter, what each chapter is about, and any words or names I need to look up or ask about. The second time, I mark up my manuscript. That includes highlighting dialogue when there are multiple characters, writing phonetics of the words and names I had to research, and adding miscellaneous other marks that help me with the story arc.
One style does not fit all
DOSSIER: Although you skillfully craft your narration around your interpretation of each book character, do you have a particular style you save for certain kinds of books or specific authors you work with on a regular basis?
LEE: No. I think the style of narration has to do with the particular scene. For instance, a cozy mystery might be known for having a light and funny tone, but that won’t be the case for the entire book. There will be scenes that demand a style that may feel more like a Suspense Thriller. The difference is that in a cozy, those scenes are few and don’t last long compared to darker books.
Get to rubbin’
DOSSIER: How many people can comfortably fit in your recording booth?
LEE: You could easily fit two people in my booth, but since the booth is deep and not wide, the second person would have to stand behind me when I’m narrating, maybe giving me a back rub?
Who needs deadlines?
DOSSIER: What’s the biggest mistake you made in recording an audiobook and how did that work out with the author and/or audience?
LEE: My first audiobook project was for a non-commercial, non-profit organization about 11 years ago. The publisher told me there was no due date, but I insisted on one, since I have a tendency to procrastinate without a deadline. He gave me a date and I accepted it, thinking that I could easily get the project in by that time. (I had calculated the time I would need based on what professionals in the industry had said was standard for recording an audiobook). It turned out that because I was new and I was still learning, it actually took me twice as long as I thought it would and I had to ask for an extension. All was fine since the due date was for my benefit anyway. For this reason, I’m glad my first project was for a forgiving non-profit and not for a commercial publisher or indie author with an audiobook on pre-sale!
Be a know it all
DOSSIER: What’s the biggest message writers (or listeners) need to hear from audiobook narrators about the whole audiobook process that would help you produce the best possible rendition?
LEE: The narrator should know everything they need to know about the script before they start recording. That means that if an author has any specifics about a character that aren’t in the script for that particular book, for instance, a particular accent or vocal characteristic, they should tell the narrator beforehand. This is especially important if characters appear in other books in a series.
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