155 - Emma Faye: Building a Full-Time Audiobook Career as the Clean Reads Queen
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
In this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, I’m joined by audiobook narrator —a 2026 Audie finalist, 2024 SOVAS nominee, and the narrator many in the industry know as the Clean Reads Queen. Emma has built a thriving audiobook career by staying true to her values and creating a highly intentional brand around clean, wholesome storytelling. She has narrated more than 170 clean-read titles across genres including closed-door romance, YA fantasy, middle grade, nonfiction, and Christian books. She’s also the founder of , a boutique audiobook production company focused on bringing more...
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154 -Mike Previti: From Musician to Full-Time Voice Actor - Building a VO Career with Patience and Purpose
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
In this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, I sit down with voice actor to talk about building a sustainable voiceover career later in life—and what it really takes to make the leap from “safe” to creative fulfillment. Mike’s journey began with childhood acting gigs in the Boston area, shifted into years as a touring musician and singer-songwriter, and eventually led him back to the microphone—this time as a full-time professional voice actor. We talk candidly about leaving a high-stress corporate job, betting on yourself, and doing the slow, steady work required to grow a VO...
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153 - Scam-Baiting to Private Investigations: Rosie Okumura’s Wild VO Pivot
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
returns to the Mike Lenz VO Podcast with one of the most unusual (and inspiring) career paths in voiceover: she turned a deeply personal moment—when her mom was scammed—into a viral YouTube crusade that now reaches millions. In this episode, Rosie breaks down how she built her VO career in Los Angeles, how her “smart assistant” and voice-matching skills became a niche advantage, and how her live scam-baiting streams evolved into a powerful platform for educating viewers while exposing scammers through comedy and improvisation. You’ll also hear the behind-the-scenes reality of...
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152 - Tawny Platis Interview - From Child Actor to 1.8M Followers: Tawny Platis on Consistency, Creativity, and Career Growth
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
Voice actor and content creator returns to The Mike Lenz VO Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about building a sustainable creative career—without waiting around for permission. Tawny shares how she landed her first voiceover job at just six years old, why she stepped away from entertainment to build a “safe” business (spoiler: it wasn’t safe at all), and how that business experience became the secret weapon that helped her thrive once she went full-time in voice acting. We also dig into the real role social media plays in today’s VO landscape—how Tawny approaches content as...
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151 - Mike Lenz Update
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
On this episode, Mike gives an update on his career including: The powerful advice he received after he moved into voiceover, audiobook narration and podcast producing full time almost eight years ago. How networking and attending conferences propeled his audiobook narrration career forward and how he booked his first Union audiobook title. The importance of health and well being to maximizing your vocal performaqnce in the booth. His Audiobook Narrator Workouts that Mike launched recently and how they help narrators work on their craft in a small and safe environment. ...
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150 - Sanya Simmons Interview - From Classical Flutist to SAG-AFTRA Audiobook Narrator
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
IIn this episode, Mike sits down with audiobook narrator and author to talk about her path from classical musician to becoming a voice actor and audiobook narrator. What We Cover: Building an Audiobook Career: Moving from ACX royalty-share projects to working directly with publishers The real time investment: why 5-10 hours of finished audio takes 30-40+ hours total Prep strategies for fiction vs. nonfiction projects Getting family help with research to save time Using Your Musical Background: How Sanya's flute and vocal training helps her narration Treating your voice like an instrument...
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149 - Melissa Mirren Interview
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
In this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, I sit down with the incredibly versatile , a professional voice actor with over eight years of experience spanning commercials, corporate narration, e-learning, animation, and video games. Melissa shares her path from childhood performances and college theater to a multifaceted voiceover career shaped by persistence, creativity, and personal transformation. A former therapeutic recreation specialist and motivational speaker, Melissa brings a unique blend of heart and hustle to the VO world. We dive deep into her early days booking work through...
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148 - Rom-Coms, Witty Banter, and Beach Towns – Inside Grace Worthington’s Sweet Romance World
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
On this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, I chat with bestselling author , whose sweet romance novels are as heartwarming as they are hilarious. I had the pleasure of co-narrating a 4 book Renovation Romance series for Grace and we had so much fun talking about that process! We explore her creative journey from the musical theatre stage to the world of romantic fiction—and how she brings characters to life with humor, wit, and emotional authenticity. Grace Worthington eats, breathes, and geeks out over sweet romcoms. So it’s no surprise she believes that laughter and love are a cure-all...
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147 - Milestones, Mentors & Gratitude – Mike Lenz's Career Update
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
On this special solo episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, Mike takes a moment to reflect on some incredible milestones in his voiceover journey — including narrating over 300 audiobooks and surpassing 200,000 podcast downloads. He shares insights on the vital role that networking, conferences, and coaching have played in his growth, and why staying connected and coachable continues to make all the difference. With heartfelt gratitude, Mike also opens up about what it means to use his God-given gift to communicate through the spoken word — both as a voice actor and audiobook narrator....
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146 - Finding Your Voice: Carmen Seantel’s Journey into Audiobook Narration
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
On this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, I’m joined by , an emerging audiobook narrator whose warm, soothing, and expressive voice is already making an impact in the industry. Carmen is passionate about bringing stories to life and believes in the power of audiobooks to create a safe and accessible space for all readers. We’ll dive into her early journey in narration, from working with top coaches and immersing herself in ACX.com to attending the Audiobook Publishers Association Conference—where she overcame social anxiety to network with colleagues, publishers, and producers. Carmen...
info_outlineLiving and traveling in a converted school bus with her husband and three wild monkeys, this versatile and colorful voice talent enjoys the flexibility her sweet gypsy lifestyle gives her to work anytime, day or night. Whether she’s winding up a mountain in her tiny home on wheels, rambling through the desert, or parked at her North Carolina farm, Sweet Gypsy VO is always ready to go.