For a consistently enjoyable audio
experience, I turn to 19 Nocturne Boulevard where Julie Hoverson has posted
hundreds of shows. Whatever your tastes, you will surely find plenty to enjoy.
There are period pieces (Edwardian and Victorian mostly), vintage science
fiction from decades past, lots of H.P. Lovecraft, horror, westerns, mysteries,
and some charming, off-beat comedies that draw on nursery rhymes and fairy
tales for a foundation. Some are quite reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, while
others remind me of the old time radio shows.
There are also some longer non-fiction
pieces which seem to be a rambling outpouring of podcasting and recording
advice, and some that are monologues about film, writing, acting, storytelling,
and working with voice actors. I say ‘rambling’ but for anyone who wants to get
into writing or producing audio, there is a lot knowledge and experience that
Julie is sharing, which would otherwise have to be learned the hard way. These
are titled “Tone Didactic” and are raw, unedited pieces that give a peek into
the life of a podcaster.
Julie in Renfaire costume |
Anyone who searches through the podcast
directories will likely see 19nocturneboulevard.net listed. I did, but the
short description among all of the others didn’t make it stand out. I didn’t
really take much notice until writing the review of Edict Zero (written and
produced by Jack Kincaid) a couple of months ago. Julie was the voice actor
playing Special Agent Jewels Kircher. Since then I’ve listened daily to her own
productions. Julie wrote and produced every one of the shows, unless otherwise
noted when there was a guest producer.
I interviewed her then, and recently
contacted Julie again for this post:
WTG: Did you write a lot before getting into
audio?
Julie: I've written
stories all my life. My main outlet for many years was tabletop role
playing game scenarios - both just for groups I ran, and for a zine I wrote.
Then I studied screenwriting for a while (I do have a couple of short
films), but realized that unless I felt like going to LA I was never going
anywhere in film. I was also in an old time radio re-creation group, and
roped in several of my friends - one of whom - Reynaud LeBoeuf - got a part in
an online audio drama in like 2008, and got me into that show, since they still
needed a female lead. While recording that show, I realized the scripts
I’d written for our re-creation group were more appropriate for an independent
online show, and started making my own.
WTG: How do you find and choose the music for your podcasts?
Julie: The first place to look is always Kevin MacLeod of incompetech.com,
the great godfather of all online media.
I have some licensed music, a lot of creative commons music, and have commissioned music to be made for me.
The trick is keeping track of which is which...
I have some licensed music, a lot of creative commons music, and have commissioned music to be made for me.
The trick is keeping track of which is which...
WTG: I heard you mention that you are a ‘costumer’. What sort of
occasions do you create costumes for? Cosplay? Renfair? Dickens? I think this
is an interesting side to your personality and people will like to hear about
it.
Julie: I cosplayed before they invented the term. I've done costumes for sci fi conventions, theater, haunted houses, renfaires, SCA, larping, anything I could think of. I even had my own Goth clothing line for a few years.
WTG: Can you tell me something about your
work with Victorian tintypes? What interests you about historical records?
Julie: Oddly
enough, it all started at a swap meet, where I spotted a pic that
immediately struck me as "The Deadeye Kid", the main character of one
of my series. Then I found a few more, on eBay, and it turned into an
obsession for a while - add that to my love of Victorian costuming (which dates
back to high school and beyond), and I have amassed quite a collection.
Cleaning and tweeting my tintypes, as well as putting photos into books for
other costumers to appreciate as well is my way of using my obsession to try
and supplement my income - plus I hate just hogging them all to myself.
WTG: So many of your adaptations are from ‘vintage’ literature. How do
you find the time to discover these treasures? And do you feel that today’s entertainment
trends are missing something?
Julie: Well,
it's primarily Lovecraft, since I’ve loved his work for a long time and he's
still wildly popular. I find that and other stories on Project Gutenberg
- gutenberg.org.
I also do a series of readings called "Atomic Julie's Galactic Bedtime
Stories" which are straight (not dramatized, though I occasionally drop an
editorial comment or hysterical laughter) readings of sci fi stories found on
Gutenberg. I don't adapt from modern trends because it would cost
money. I’ve worked in IP law too much to waste my time on fanfic, when it
could get smashed in an instant. Though I do have my entirely original
series "Fatal Girl" which is in the style of a "magic girl"
anime.
WTG: Do you have a screenplay in the works (or anything else that you’d
like people to know about)?
Julie: I
wrote a couple of short films, but my main outlet is the audio dramas.
One of my scripts will be performed at an audio festival in a couple of weeks
in England (It won a contest).
WTG: Are there some themes that you especially like to explore in
fiction?
Julie: I
always like to explore social issues, particularly those facing women. I
also love sweet romance and con artists, whether I believe in either of
them.... LOL
I listen to 19 Nocturne Boulevard
through iTunes where she has 300 episodes, but everything can be accessed on
her feed, http://nineteennocture.libsyn.com/ and she’s slowly getting everything up
on You Tube, including videos made from the live streams that she’s recently
been doing on twitch.tv/crazyauntjulie where she edits together audio dramas
live every night from 6-7PM PST, and answers questions.
There are two short films by Julie at this link, and she has books available
on Amazon here and here. Her twitter feed, @myladyswardrobe runs a tintype each day.
Another outlet is justpasttheautomat.com which is an online radio station that she runs. This has her own
shows as well as some of her friends’, and some old time radio.
The best way to contact Julie is
on facebook’s 19 Nocturne Boulevard page.
Julie Hoverson is multi-talented and
prolific. Frankly, I don’t know where she finds the time for all of it, but I’m
glad she does. Check it out.
Just to collaborate, I have been a very devoted follower of Julie's for many years, and all i can say about her work is WOW. she hits a homerun with every audio drama she writes, anyone our there wanting great podcasting look no further, thank you for all you do Julie, I'll always be listening long as your still writing.
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